After a year, and drying overnight, not so bad. Very mild in flavor, yet pleasant, but with the aging I am able to puff it a little harder and not regret it. I'm going back out to have another bowl in a small pipe to see how that does me. Adding a star-as a reward for aging well after opening and being kinder to my mouth. I am coming to terms with the MacBaren bite question. I don't agree with those who say the problem with these tobaccos is only with the smoker, but also disagree that MacBarens have a bite "problem." There is something with the curing that definitely makes them sipping tobaccos. There are some Virginias which can be puffed a little harder, but this is not one of them. Question is, do I dare to give Symphony another chance? I still have flashbacks of the pain it caused me when I look at the tin.

11-17-12 I have had a chance to try some of this that may be as much as 30 years old recently, and Mac Baren ages better than its reputation suggests...

It used to be called Royal Twist...

Much better name back then, and though I wasn't smoking it "back then," I like the stuff from "back then" a whole lot more. These roll cakes develop such a nice, mild sweetness after 20-30 years!

Upon the initial charring light I tasted a very deep burley/cavendish flavor. This played on the pallet nicely through the final light. As the pipe was smoked down to the half way I experienced very deep earthy flavors that were a good departure from the norm for me. I did however find myself discarding a fair portion of the dottle as it became too rich at the end of the bowl.

I also found I had to set the pipe aside for a bit as the bowl warmed quickly, and this was probably due to my inexperience with this blend. Overall I find this is a pleasurable smoke, and I think if I buy it again, I will try in a smaller bowl at a lower temp (IE smoke it slower) to see what it has to offer. I think there are a lot of nuances of flavor I missed due to my rushing the smoke.

I believe I will try this blend again, but I need to develop my tastes a bit more for it to be fully enjoyed. If you like deep earthy flavors, then this is well worth the money. I will say it didn't totally suit me as I am used to Virginia blends and their inherently sweeter flavor. Please don't allow this to sway you from trying this blend as it good, just not to my tastes at the moment. I say 2.5-3 out of 4 would be fair. Also if you have any tips on this blend, please feel free to drop me a line or comment, as I'm always open to trying something new to enhance the experience.

Well happy smoking to all, and support your local tobacco sellers!

While the similarities to the other MB spun tobaccos are obvious at the first look, the tin aroma says "I am somewhat different" with a goodly bit more spice in it than Dark Twist or Club Blend, while at the same time being a little brighter. The tin aroma keeps the Latakia in the closet, as does the room note.

Filling and lighting is the same as for the other spun cuts: fold discs, drop in bowl, and remember to leave it some room. At the time of lighting, the magic happens: unlike the other MB spun cuts, this one starts out noticeably spicy from the beginning, with enough of the sweetness to make it highly enjoyable. The room note does not show off the Latakia, but its spice and toastiness is nicely represented in the taste -- something I consider to be a pretty good trick, considering the penetrating power of Latakia in the room notes of most blends that contain it.

Somewhat old-fashioned in its characteristic, for me, that is part of this tobacco's charm because it is not _too_ old-fashioned, as I think could be held against the Dark Twist or Plumcake by MB (though I also enjoy those). The Roll Cake offers enough of the beautiful taste of Latakia without the nasty room aroma that normally comes with it. That is what makes this blend exceptional. I have tried it in corn cobs, Falcons, Bjarnes, Stanwells, Vauens and DB pipes... makes little difference, it works for me in just about any but the smallest bowls.

For the leisurely smoker, this blend burns down nicely and evenly. Like all roll cuts it needs good maintenance, but it's certainly worth the effort for the joy it gives. Not for the beginner, certainly, but highly satisfying to this particular connoisseur (well... I'd like to think I'm one, anyway).

I visited RC the first time its 100grms tin appeared - alongwith Dark Twist and Navy Flake - five years ago or more. I clearly remember that 1) I bought RC and DT in the sincere hope to find something similar to Escudo or Three Nuns 2) upon the opening of the tins I didn't notice any substantial difference between RC and DT and, the hell! DT wasn't Dark as the word "dark" means to me ...

Yes, in the philosophy of McB, Roll Cake (and Dark Twist) is the nearest product to the natural aroma of tobacco, indeed.

As far as I can notice, the 100grms tinned McB's have not encountered the great appreciation of the italian smokers. Maybe it's because they are quite pricey, maybe also because the overall quality (very good) is not far higher from the pouched-brother like Scottish Mixture. All the above to mean that the tin I'm reviewing might be of the same era, therefore it's well seasoned...

Upon the opening the blind aroma is mainly hay-ish of bright Virginia's, and the usual McB's honey-sh topping but in a very much light fashion. The small roundels: bright virginias with inner dark heart of non-regular shape and presence.

The Savinelli Professor (unfiltered) no. 122 pot, which I have recently used to review Orlik's Golden Slices, seems the better axe: wide bowl but not too large. The bottom roundels have been slightly rubbed, then some whole's, on top a rubbed couple. The humidity is perfect.

At the charring light the tobacco react vigorously, a couple of tamp and relights was needed.

The smoke is very intriguing of the family but a bit more complicate than the average McB's. Mild but body enough. Faintly sweet & amicably sour, it has a caramel/biscuity character which is very pleasant. The plus is due to the pinch of Syrian Latakia - declared in the notes placed in the bottom of the tin - which to me is the main difference with Dark Twist, and gives a slight citrusy/smokey flavour. Ehi, just a trace of this.

I perfectly agree with the reviewer who wrote that only the slowest draw will allow to get the best from this truly elegant blend. So, not for the beginner, and it should be considered as a contemplative smoke.

Overall a pleasant experience, it perfectly fits my needs for the hot season. Something more refined than Scottish Mixture or Navy Mixture. Recommended in the same way, not less or more.

However, if packed in properly (i.e., not too tight, not too lose), and smoked very slowly, it can become a very nice experience for those who enjoy Virginias, Burleys and Cavendish. This is a slow burning, medium strength concoction, designed no to impress or excite (I don?t think any MacBaren has ever been developed in that vein), but to be peacefully enjoyed in the comfort of your living room, or in a civilised teahouse. Predictable, toned down, it has all the pastry like quality of the cavendished leaf, plus certain dullness from the Burley that keeps the Virginia always in restrain.

I would place this tobacco between Peter Heinrichs' Special Curly (which in spite of the description is so mild and lacklustre that you can?t taste the périque at all), and Stokkebye?s Luxury Twist Flake. Roll Cake is not as mild and biting as Heinrichs, but it?s not as dense and rich as Stokkebye?s. If you enjoy a quality semi sweet and predictable smoke to go with your tea or a glass of Bailey?s, this can be a very good option.

Although I would classify this blend as your typical Danish (nothing out of the usual) it is flavorful and very pleasant, the room note is nice and the nicotine content is perfect. Enough aromatic flavor for a sweet smoke but still a natural tasting blend.

If there is any latakia in this blend I can't taste it or smell it, in fact I don't really think there is any latakia here.

But I read a review of another MacBaren tobacco which followed a negative review that I earlier gave Mac's Club Blend. In that following review, someone wrote that MacBarens tend to do better when you dry it for a while ("Dry it and try it"). And smoking slowly/not puffing too hard was reiterated as key in getting the true taste from several MacBaren blends.

After nearly a year, my tin of Roll Cake didn't need more than a couple minutes of sitting out to dry out enough. I smoked a number of bowls this month in a number of different sized pipes and each time I took my time and deliberately smoked slowly and tried to savor the experience. I was rewarded with a great smoke each time.

I discovered that this tobak is simply wonderful. I tasted and smelled many different natural flavors & aromas; grassy, a little sweet, a bit smoky, a touch of a nutty flavor. It also at times reminded me of warm oatmeal. What a smorgasbord!

The small amount of Syrian latakia makes the smoke more full and satisfying. This blend had some body and some character; it was both plain fun and relaxing to smoke.

Not an aromatic, this blend still had natural sweetness from the tobacco itself and from a lightly applied topping that did not mask the tobacco at all. The mix of predominantly Virginia, with small amounts of cavendish, burley, and Syrian latakia afforded some complexity as well.

I recommend Roll Cake, and due to other reviewers, I think I will try Club Blend again, but this time I will give it the same treatment and patience that I did with Roll Cake.

Govern Yourself Accordingly!

SmokeKing David

Upon opening the tin, I was greeted with the now familiar, somewhat comforting aroma of slightly fermented fruit. The 3/4 inch, out of round discs are a two toned melange of caramel and brown. It just looks right; it smells right; and the tobacco 'feels' right. The moisture content was perfect; just slightly on the dry side of what I would call 'tacky'. This reminded me of Stockton, but with a deeper color to the spun tobacco, and a richer aroma.

Loading my pipe was simply a matter of scooping out some of the little discs, rubbing them out a little, and stuffing them into my pipe. I follow a rule that, it seems, someone on this site once laid out; MacBaren-pack carelessly, smoke carefully. First light was accomplished instantly, and the char began quick enough that I probably could have used a single match, had I not been using the butane. A gentle tamp, a quick relight, and I was on my way.

My first impression of this tobacco was that it was remarkably similar to Sail Natural (or perhaps vice-versa?) in its spiciness and fullness of flavor. It didn't have quite the dark notes of Sail, but it bore such a striking resemblence. However, where Sail is dark and brooding in character, Roll Cake is sweeter in disposition. The spiciness is just enough to be interesting, not fiery in the least. Puffy too agressively did bring the heat of the pipe up a bit, but still did not produce the much heralded MacBaren burn. This really does smoke remarkably pleasant. Half way through a large Oom Paul, I did notice a case of dry mouth developing, but nothing I couldn't handle.

The flavors I picked up were more of a natural va. and, of course, the cavendish. Lurking in the background of this tobacco is the same aromatic charactaristic found in Navy Flake. The room note is not at all oppressive, very wife friendly. The va. isn't quite grassy, nor is it oatey or malty. It is a simple va. component that makes up this twist, and it really just doesn't delve too much into the complex higher notes that Orlik Golden Slices does. As for the Syrian Latakia, I could not once detect it. However, there was a linger note of the exotic throughout, and the dry mouth; so I suspect that it really is in there, though only in enough quantity to add depth to the flavors.

This tobacco finished all the way down to the bottom of a large Oom Paul with only a couple relights toward the bottom, mainly due to my inattentiveness. All that was left when I was done were a few blackened chars of tobacco, and fluffy gray ash. And it finished up nice and dry. I have to say, if this is what MacBaren is capable of, I do not know why more people don't jump on their bandwagon.

I have learned that there is a technique to enjoying any MacBaren tobaccos. They need to be regarded as one would regard a wily animal; with the understanding that you need to always mainain control. Roll Cake is a little different in character than most of the MacBarens; it is a little more forgiving than Stockton and Navy Flake. Odd, too, that; since it is likely a blend of the two. If Stockton is too plain, and Navy Flake is too aromatic for you, then try Roll Cake.

It is a beautiful presentation of golden (Virginia leaf) rolls with centers of black tobacco or Syrian Latakia MacBaren's claims is in the blend. I believe there is also Perique. Finally there are lighter brown tobaccos worked into the sliced rolls that are Cavendish and Burley tobaccos. This blend has the familiar MacBaren top note that to my nose is very plummy.

I did not find this tobacco too wet. Rubbed out and smoked in a Barling sandblast billard I've smoked for 30 years it lighted easily without bite and was balanced throughout the smoke. There is a hint of Latakia and to my taste Perique, with the sweetness of the Virginia and nutty flavors from Burley. This blend did not abuse my mouth.

Needless to say, I like this blend. It is a nice change from the heavier English blends on one hand and pressed flakes on the other. This is a unique and outstanding blend.

Nice coins, decent amount of perique, easy burning and lighting. The way it's described now, I doubt I'd buy it. Seems to get better with age and doesn't dry out much. Guess I better enjoy this tin while it lasts...

This is a mild blend but one that is full to the brim with flavour.

Just don't smoke it in a full bent, as it will become bland and peppery and do not smoke it green. When it's three months old and loaded into a quarter bent ?or a billiard? well, it becomes a syrupy bliss. Buttery, honeyed, with a spicy back.

Something to be enjoyed slowly and with relish, preferably with an espresso.

This review is based on bulk Roll Cake.

I received a tin of this, minus one bowl, from a novice smoker who bought it because he liked the name.

He wasn't doing me any favors.

I found Roll Cake to be an unremarkable blend with a slight peppery taste. Not horrible but nothing to write home about either. This one also tends to burn hot but not as bad as the typical Mac Biten(sic) flamethrower.

The coins were fun to play with....too bad one can't spend them on a better blend.

Most recently I opened a 3 month old jarred stash of Roll Cake, and smoked it in a brand new Ardor Sherlock Holmes VIII. Knowing this tabacco is mild; that Mac-Baren tends to not over-case a tabacco blend, I felt it to be a good choice for breaking in the new pipe. Prior to this I had used much smaller standard pipes, typically a LaRocca Dublin, finding not only 'RollCake', but also its close relative 'ClubBlend' to smoke wet with excessive tongue bite.

Using the Sherlock, the smoke was quite nice, toasty flavor, no tongue bite, and the room note was similar to a cherry or berry pie baking in an oven, with a tiny glint of toated marshmellow (probably the sugars peekng through). Goodly rubbed, rolled into a tight ball slightly larger than the pipes chamber and stuffed into the pipe allowing a 3/8 inch clearance to the top of the bowl, I found this to be a very agreeable smoke, no surprises, no dissappointments. Exactly what I was looking for on this particular evening.

In addition and aside from this recent experience, a few months ago, I re-opened a 2 year old tin of 'RollCake'. Smoking the Dublin at that time, I can testify that this tabacco ages very well. The flavors marry with amplification of fruity-ness on the palate. Very very nice.

Nicotine is very mild, taste meets expectation for the tabacco's used, and is a very well balanced blend. I recommend this blend, when one is looking for a mild smoke.

Smoke it with a leisurely pace and it will be both reliable & mild.