Well I had originally bought 3 tins. For some reason, I kept the other two. A week ago, I decided to open one of them, which had reached 1 year old. Look at this: this is a totally different tobacco. Dominated by BUs, the spiced CA and the rum topping, it does not bite. This is a very good tobacco. The rum topping is there at first then progressively vanishes, leaving BU and VAs play together, with an occasional spiceness from the CA. So, here's my advice: wait a full year before you pop open the lid on Macbaren tobaccos. You will probably not be disappointed. recommended and yes, I wil rebuy.

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I am having the hardest time with Macbaren since a good while. Besides LBB, Golden Extra, HH Syrian Latakia or HH Acadian Perique, I find them either bland in taste, or they bite.

I really enjoyed the rum topping in Plumcake, but there was really nothing distinctive to it and, after a bowl smoked rather carefully, my tongue was still irritated most of the next day.

I believe this tongue bite is created by the additives introduced in the tobacco for its good preservation.

Too bad: the combinaison of loose cut VAs/a bit of latakia with partially rubbed - out burley flake made for a promising combustion/ flavor combination...

I didn't get any tongue bite, though I did get a bit left in the bottom that I had to scoop out. While smoking it, you can sense a faint aroma of rum and you do indeed get a 'smokey' wafting smoke that reminds you of the ship-like areas. That is the rum and the latakia mixing, I'd imagine. In the mid-part of the bowl it got a bit more sweet, and by the time I got to the end, I was already looking forward to the next smoke, all five times I've had this blend.

I am already planning on purchasing this tin again, to put away for use after I deplete this one. This was tried in briars and a corncob and the cob was an equally pleasant experience.

soli Deo gloria

In the pipe, the fruity rum flavor is dominant but not unpleasantly so. The Latakia is not lost in the sweetness of the casing. The whole affair held up by a framework of rum soaked Virginia and Burley. The latter adding a decent nicotine boot.

Like others have pointed out, this dog can bite. You can control the tongue barbeque by careful packing and puffing. Sort of a high maintenance smoke, so be diligent.

The flavors are nice, light to medium casing. Lightly cased aromatics are great for breaking up the routine of my tobacco rotation. This one won’t be my first choice, but it’s not bad at all.

Plumcake is a mixture of Virginia, Burley, Mac Baren Cavendish, and “a touch of Syrian Latakia.” The tin note was smoky, a little like Georgia barbecue (pork) or smoked meat, with little nutty undertones. It was different from what I expected, but not bad. In fact, it was quite intriguing, despite my aromatic tendencies.

At first light, I was getting flavors of tar (or was that rum?) and smoky flavors (perhaps the “touch” of Latakia). Actually, the tar was more like creosote, and it reminded me of an old wooden ocean pier I used to go to or even this big pirate ship that housed a seafood restaurant, where we used to go eat while on vacation in Florida. Either way, I was getting a definite seafaring aroma on some level. Perhaps this was the power of suggestion, since the tin label also reads “Navy Blend” under the “Plumcake.” Anyway, I smoked it slowly, so it was a cool smoke with very subtle bite. It was a relaxing smoke, with a medium strength and flavor. I tasted more tobacco than flavoring. If there was any flavoring, it was mild. I’m not sure what the esoteric “Mac Baren Cavendish” is, but it was subtle. Middle way through the bowl, I was still tasting the “tar,” but also picking up on roasted nuts, then a tiny hint of sweetness toward the end. All in all, it was a pretty tasty, satisfying smoke. It had a pleasant to tolerable room note. Out in the open air, it’s fine, but it could possible become less tolerable in more confined spaces. My wife approved.

I should add that I was having some serious issues with moisture and gurgling. It seems like I was shaking out my pipe every minute or so. This is probably due to user error, I should admit: Since I’m a little new at tobacco storage, I made the mistake of putting the tobacco in a sealed glass jar with a fully loaded pouch moistener, so I should’ve expected a swampy smoke from the beginning. Or maybe I’m drooling down the stem. Who knows? In fact, I was unable to smoke it all the way to the bottom, much to my chagrin, as it was a tobacco bog down there. Perhaps, I will dry it out a little before my next smoke, and yes, there will be another smoke, as I highly recommend Mac Baren Plumcake Navy Blend, despite the aforementioned setbacks.

I get no hint of the casing, either in the pouch or when smoking, I don't know if this is because it was purchased as a loose. When smoking, it is tolerable but not as nice as some others I have tried. If anything it is a bit flat - I certainly wouldn't describe it as an aromatic, more like a "normal" tobacco. Occassionally one gets a hint of sweetness whilst smoking which I assume is the rum casing coming through. I have experienced no "bite" with it, though it does leave a taste of tobacco on the tounge for a good half hour after smoking, not unpleasant though. No problems with having to relight this, but again it is a pretty dry tobacco that I had so perhaps it would be a different story if I had got a pre packed one.

All in all then I'll enjoy the rest of my two ounces but I doubt I'll be buying this blend again

I actually like the tin note, rum is very present, but with a decent tobacco base. It was pretty moist at first but has since dried out a little after a few weeks. Like many here I was positively surprised by the good balance. It's a cased Va mix primarily, I don't detect the latakia other than it can't be classed as an aromatic because it actually tastes like tobacco, with a dependable Vitamin N presence, which presumably the latakia assists. The rum doesn't really come to the forefront whilst smoking, but it occasionally pops up and sweetens the deal nicely. Unlike the two other MacB mixes I have tried, bite is not normally an issue if you put time aside to smoke it rather than wandering around with it chuffing away in the corner of your mouth.

Overall a thoroughly pleasant smoke which I find myself loading into my dedicated 'aro' pipe almost every evening nowadays. I have some with me today to enjoy after lunch in fact.

Recommended.