Mac Baren Amphora Original Blend

This is a Burley based blend. Not much flavoring added. Slight vanilla. The coco flavor one tastes to me is just the natural Burley taste. MacBaren generally processes their tobaccos with a maple sugar and water additive. I taste this. The Kentucky added is Burley as well that brings the slight Smokey taste with a sourness as the bowl reaches mid point. The Virginia’s bring up the rear with a light fruity body with the orientals adding spice and earthiness. This is not as pleasing a blend as Amphora Full Aroma. Yet it smokes smooth and non biting. More of a utility type blend. Still a very good blend.

I had a pipe smoking friend send me a note that Amphora was back on the market and promptly order the Original and Full blends. This review is for the Original, as I haven't tried the Full yet. I was motivated because I smoked a number of tins of Amphora "Regular" in college, even ordered one of their pipes with coupons back when I couldn't afford to buy nice pipes. ( As an aside, the Amphora pipes were nice briars that smoked well.)

The remake Original Blend is as I remember their Regular that came in brown tins, if memory serves me correctly. It is a mild, easy smoke, with Burley earthiness in the forefront. After it has been burning a while - perhaps mid-bowl, I began to discern more sweetness of the Virginia kicking in, along with some nice Turkish notes. The blend burned nicely, with few re-lights to the bottom of the bowl. It smoked cool in the bowl, and did not burn the mouth, no matter how hard I puffed it. A slow burning nice tobacco flavor blend.

This blend was formed into cakes and sliced into course-cut ribbons. It is predominately Burley with some lemon colored Virginia. Predominately brown in color, it has some black flakes, perhaps the Cavendish leaf. I can't pick out the Turkish, but it's there. There is a top dressing, but it is light, perhaps licorice.

If you like lighter Burley/VA/Turkish blends you will like AOB. I like it as a nice change of pace from more high powered blends and flakes.

05/13/16 I smoked a bowl of this is my ol Amphora bulldog pipe last night. Whatever, it was excellent. Some fine memories here!

This is one of those delightful quiet and understated friends that is like the neighbour you are happy to greet every once in a while to re-calibrate to the centre with a decent and light conversation.

The subtle grassy scent in the pouch quietly introduces the other components of this pleasant smoke that evolves in the bowl. Opening blush is a simple pure tobacco taste with a cocoa greeting that grows as the bowl burns down. It is gentle on the tongue, but requires a little attention as you smoke it. The meerschaum lining in my BC added a light dimension to the roundness of the obvious Virginia and Burley medley that stayed constant throughout. The grassy sweet flavours came through a little more in the end, more complementary than competitive. The room note is reminiscent of older classic tobaccos that "your uncle used to smoke", and while not something that makes you ohh and ahh, is still a welcoming scent to almost any nose.

I enjoy this tobacco to give perspective to the various English blends that I smoke and in my rotation sometimes use it as an introduction to the Dunhill 965 time of day for juxtaposition.

Quite simply, a classic old unassuming favourite that is a reliable part of a relaxed rotation that seeks a balanced mediator among the competitive interests!

My favorite burley blend so far. Excellent natural chocolaty and nutty burley flavor.

I agree with the other reviewer. I used to smoke the Amphora range in the past, and recall them as being rather fast-burning. I bought this upon the recommendation of a tobacconist in Holland, who claimed it as the only blend he smokes.

A curious aroma and taste - very nutty, I'd say. You probably wouldn't want to smoke it day-in-day-out, unlike said tobacconist, but it makes a good rotation tobacco.

Sadly, unavailable in the UK, so if you're abroad and see it, buy a few packs.

Better than the full aroma blend, though this is certainly worth trying, too.

This is my first "real" burley blend I ever bought. One thing very noticeable about Amphora: It is not "cheap" in regards to the quality.

This blend has an obvious cacao taste, yet not chocolate. Remarkably smooth! A bit of sweetness come and go every once in a while. A definite taste of Brasil nuts is evident. The room note is quite inoffensive and the pouch smells rather mild. I got it in perfect moisture level. It burns cool and stays unaltered in temperature in spite of my efforts. It packs easily, lights and stays lit just as good.

My long searched verdict came to me very clearly: This is a high quality tobacco at a very affordable price, making it arguably the best all day smoke.

I really kicked myself afterwards for not getting a bunch of Burley London Blend when they delisted it. Golden Extra was sort of a substitute, but given the choice I'd take BLB every time. I didn't try Amphora Original until years later, and going from memory this is the tobacco that can soften the blow of BLB's unavailability.

If you've smoked the pre-HH Burley Flake Mac Baren Burleys, this will be immediately familiar to you. It's a mild Burley with an excellent quality of taste. A little nut sweet, meant to be sipped because the mild flavors don't hold up if you push forward too quickly. This also has a cocoa topping, which presents nicely and never overtakes the Burley. Honestly, this is exactly a Danish interpretation of an American OTC Burley.

In the spectrum of Mac Baren Burleys, I place HH Burley Flake at the top. Since it came out, I no longer pine for Burley London Blend. That's the one you should buy your weight in. I also like the old school Mac Baren Burley presentation, and this and Golden Extra are present in my cellar. They're a little mild by American standards, but they hit no sour notes, the quality of flavor is excellent, and they are consistent year after year. If you like Golden Extra I'd certainly give this a try. I think it's a bit better, and very much along the same lines.

The virginias are hay and a touch of honey, yet they're overshadowed by the nutty sweet burleys that lend a slight note of cocoa. The kentucky is wood and leather with a slight bit of spice, and becomes more noticeable as the bowl burns past mid-point. I don't detect much from the turkish. The chocolate topping is delicate and barely there, adding a little extra something and complimenting the natural flavors, while the cavendish smooths things out nicely. If you enjoy a good burley blend, then you'll love this tobacco, absolutely. 3.4 stars.

Amphora Original Blend is one of those mixtures suggested for beginners, since it's easy to pack, light and burns really well. While some notice a heavy cocoa topping, I don't. Just a subtle hint of chocolate here and there. This mixtures can be viewed as an alternative for the Latakia addicted, it's not heavy in the nicotine compartment and the tobaccos are really balanced. Not a masterpiece, but a honest blend. Recommended.