Mac Baren Amphora Original Blend

I understand what those who rate this blend highly see in Amphora Original Blend. The flavors of the constituent tobaccos and chocolate topping all come through clearly in the smoke, not an insignificant achievement. The taste experience is complex without being strong. The nicotine hit is mild. It packs easily and burns well. All in all this should be a blend one can smoke all day long without their palate being either fatigued or bored.

My problem with this blend is that it fiercely bites my tongue after only the first few draws. No fix I have tried has banished the bite, nor even noticeably mitigated the problem. For me, then, this is a one star blend. My experience, however, seems to be outside of the mainstream. So, I somewhat recommend this blend. If it does not bite you, you may well find it a great and economical smoke.

The composition is Cavendish (at least, 50%), Burley (25%), Oriental (10%), Virginia (10%) and Kentucky (5%). The most intense aromatizants are cocoa and ripe fruit (maybe apple or drupe). It's a very widespread mixture, and you can find it everywhere (recommended if you like apple, drupe and cocoa, at the same time).

My brother gave me a pouch of this after his last visit to Holland..It reminds me of a strong but very high quality cigarette tobacco..I would not buy it but I will finish the pouch..Its a steady burner..the flavour as I have already said remind me of cigarettes.. I cannot say I dislike it..but it does not have the sweetness I like..as I have said in my other reviews I am a real fan of FVF ..as such I tend to judge other tobacco's from that "marker' it burns steadily and not hot ..and it does not change its flavour if you have to relight it mid pipe ..Nothing more to say about this weed..only to thank my brother for buying it for me

As far as I know, this blend is no longer available in the U.S. The last time I had a pouch of it, it was still blended by D & E. It tasted very similar to the current Skandivic Full Aroma. It didn't have any negative aspects except, to my taste, it was a bit bland. It was certainly better than most of the common "drug store" brands.

The original manufacturer's mixture was excellent. This was pure tobacco at its best.

Imperial Tobacco has changed the recipe for the worse. This is not what it used to be.

Another Van Nelle-licensed product. Years ago when I first started pipe smoking this was my regular brand, but the blend has changed somewhat since those days when it was a true D&E product.

Available in the 50 gram pouch and 200 gram "can" in Canada.

I recall the D&E pouch aroma was very earthy.....now I detect what smells to me like a light rum topping, though nothing but tobacco in the room note. Carefully packed because it is rather coarse, it lights and smokes well in a small bore as long as you keep it tamped, with just one match.

The first half bowl smokes dry and smooth, but its character gets a bit aggressive on the tongue and back of throat in the last half. Best to puff on this slowly and lightly. Smoking this on its own is something I seldom did way back when, and something I seldom do today.....even less so with this modified baccy.

While I always keep this blend on hand, I use it to add some burley body to my black and gold cavendish blends. Smokes nicely mixed 25/75 with Captain Black Royal...which takes the nip out of both but gives a nice mellow smoke and a pleasant, but less intense room note as a bonus.

A D&E Original Blend, its not, so if you're expecting to relive the Amphora brown experience of yesteryear, forget it! But if you want a rather mellow smoke for at least the first half bowl, or want to add some burley body to another blend go ahead and give it a go.

Abstract: This review is based on the mixture called Original Blend. On the envelope are shown as components Burley, Cavendish and Orientals. As I said in my review about Park Lane N.7 by comparing the two tobaccos, AOB has a certain elegance, but lacks depth. The aroma and flavor is slightly nutty and chocolate, may remind the Gianduja. Nothing unpleasant, but the taste is as exciting as a harpsichord concert! This tobacco is often used in "home mixtures" as stabilizing strength and aromas. Excellent for "breaking" of a new pipe.

Upon opening the pouch the smell was not exactly aromatic, more pungent like inexpensive cigars. The tobacco on the dry side but packed well. The burn was even and burn through with one tamping and re-light. A little tongue bite, I attribute to the dryness it burned quick and hot. Flavours were mellow notes of nutmeg and vanilla with some bitterness near the end. I may abandon the last 40g because its now has the moisture level of shredded news print and the taste following quickly. I imagine this is more a problem with freshness, I bought the pouch at a corner store in a pinch. I would try another pouch if I knew it was fresh and stored well.

Amphora Regular is a large cut, broken flake that smells like plain, pure tobacco smell. Somehow, it reminds me of Drum cigarette tobacco, but on the sweeter side.

Being the traditional danish/Dutch cavendish blend, it's rather on the dull side of things. But the bakkie is still a nice one.

It needs some rubbing out before filling; lighting is easy and it's not hard to maintain; it doesn't require a lot of attention. It smokes dry, I'll give it that.

It is a nice tobacco, it's just that it lacks that little kick in taste and nicotine, but it might prove too strong for beginners.

However,it really builds up a new pipe nicely...