Mac Baren Amphora Virginia

Contrary to what the yellow pouch may suggest, this is not a bright Virginia blend. The broken flake is very brown, and the pouch note smells of bread, with a little cigar-like hay and sweetness. The moisture level is very good, pliable but dry to the touch. It can be smoked right away, but I'd recommend drying it for a bit. I find the cut to pack surprisingly well, no need to rub anything out, just stuff into your pipe and light. It's a little hard to light at first, but stays lit well afterwards.

The taste is different than I expected from the pouch note. It reminds me of a nice dark rye bread, malty and a little spicey. The sweetness does not much carry over to the smoke, just enough to round off the bitterness but not enough to taste "sweet". Not much of a sour tang, as again this is a hot-pressed, brown flake. There is a heavy room note, and there was surprisingly more nicotine than I expected (although I do not know how much was from the tobacco and how much was from breathing in all the extra smoke it produces). It has ridiculously good smoke volume, which is something I feel is often lacking with pipe blends. Smokes hot, as many Virginias do, but curiously it doesn't bite at all. Had this been sold a regular pouch price, say $5-7, it would be an easy 4 star; but seeing as it is being priced like a tin, I would say there are other blends out there that I'd rather smoke at the same price. It's also a tad bit too heavy for me to call it an all day smoke.

Ready rubbed or broken flake; often thick leaves. Push down some to eliminate air pockets. Slow to get started to burn, but burns steady after a few lights. Not real wet. I don't dry it. Smoked almost a full package and will finish it up.

Light and real sweet IMO. A brilliant sweetness that may make you want to puff fast it is so brilliant, but slow down or it can get hot and bite. Sip as usual for a VA or even slower.

Taste is both orange (more than OGS) but some sour too, and occasionally spicy. Not earthy to me unless you dry it out some or set it down.

Per J. said on pipes magazine talk show (Summer'18) this was his favorite blend; he blends it. I can see why. More tasty that OGS to me.

Not my normal cuppa, but it has a brilliant flavor to keep tempting me. Recommended to Cavendish or Sail lovers, with a sweet tooth.

The broken flakes are quite moist and need to air dry for about an hour. Upon lighting I’m greeted with a mouthwatering citrus taste. It’s sweet and sour. I’m immediately captivated. It’s also spicy, but doesn’t bite. I would describe the citrusy taste as a combination of lemon and bitter orange.

It burns at a moderate rate. It’s not harsh, even when I puff repeatedly. Be warned, the bowl will heat quickly if you’re a quick puffer. The nicotine level is almost medium, and the taste/body is slightly greater than medium. It smokes well in briars and cobs.

Do not be discouraged because it comes in a pouch. These are high quality tobaccos. It may contain glycerol, but it does not interfere with the taste or burn. I suspect this will age well. 3.5 stars

Right from the get-go, this is another one of those cases of not judging a book by its cover (or rather, a tobacco by its pouch). Going blindly, after seeing the bright, yellow pouch I was expecting a bright, golden Virginia. But, after unsealing the pouch, oh boy, was I surprised! The tobacco is dark, with a nice smell of dark fruit, some grass and quite a lot of sweetness. It really smells like a good, dark, aged Virginia.

Came somewhat moist, but well preserved moisture considering that my particular pouch already had 2 years of age. As with every Amphora blend, it's ready rubbed. Pretty rough, so some extra rubbing is definitely required.

Mechanically, this is perfect. Once dried up and rubbed out, it's a breeze to work with. Packs easily, lights easily and stays lit well. Doesn't bite or get harsh, smokes dry and very cool, even if pushed. Also, being a ready rubbed, it burns at a slow pace; filled in my House Pipe, it provided 3 hours of smoke.

As for the smoke itself, it has all the qualities expected from a straight Virginia: grass, dark fruit, citrus, bread, toast, some earthy tones and some spiciness here and there. I also detect some hints of nuts and even slight glances of grounded coffee. Quite complex, but also well balanced. None of those qualities mentioned above stick out. Instead, they harmonize together in perfect unison. The citrus is a bit more pronounced when put to the flame, but it tones down once it reaches an even burn. The taste is consistent all throughout. Burns down to ash and leaves a pleasant fragrance in the surroundings.

Overall, I was very impressed with this one. A high-quality, all day smoke straight Virginia with quite a complex taste, yet tame and smooth. Even though it may be considered almost an OTC, it's far from it and behaves just like any other high-end Virginia. Proof that, once again, the people at Mac Baren really know their craft.

I just ordered 4 pouches of the different Amphoras. Tried the original and it is okay. This Virginia is really good, tastes a bit tangy and smoky (really) and it is gentle. I like to smell it while I smoke it. I love Virginias and this has all the positive attributes without the tongue bite. There is just a bit of after taste and that is fine. Will buy more. If you like Virginias give it a try.

This is a really good grade of Virginia and Macbarren hit the mark with this one! Most blends from Macbarren bite me like crazy. The H&H series and this are an exception. It comes as a somewhat broken flake and that for me needs an additional rubbing out. The moisture level is a bit on the wet side as I would expect from a quality Virginia so some drying time may be in order. This is semi sweet, hands down good quality offering. If your a virginia lover, give this one a try you won't be sorry. Highly recommended!

Well, to my big surprise I'd got a royal sample of this tobacco, in a pouch. Once opened, I saw a light brown broken flake. A good smell of Virgina, pure reached my nose. A bit kitteling. Need 3 matches and the flakes burn quite slowly in their medium meerschaum bowl. When I smoked it 2/3 I need a relight, one is enough. People may ask where is your tobacco-review?? Well, .... this is a pure Virginia blend. Nothing more nothing less. For the Dutch market it means really an acquisition. We don't have such a tobacco. This is a Virginia that will have a very warm welcome in many smaller countries like NL. I can imagine that you'dçhoose Virginia as an allday tobacco. Congratulations MB. Edit: the other day my hand grabbed automatically to the pouch Virginia. For me it means it passed the test, it has a good chance to be my daily tobacco. Also important: I've smoked this tobacco without a filter. And it's true what the rumours say: there was no tongue-bite!

The gold standard of straight virginias for me. Dark virginias that require some drying and an extra rubbing before loading. Exceptional taste, great mechanics, great quality and killer price.

I love Straight Virginias. And, at the same time, I have hypersensitivity to the Virginia bite. Even though I smoke my Straight Virginias in filtered pipes I still feel the bite most of the time. So I just have to bear it, if I want to enjoy subtle flavours and aromas only Straight Virginia can produce. I didn't expect much from this blend: it's a pouched tobacco in a lower price category, after all. In a way, my low expectations came true. Flavourwise, Amphora Virginia is not the most remarkable Virginia blend I've ever tasted in my life. Samuel Gawith Best Brown Flake and Full Virginia Flake are richer, more flavourful and overall superior.

But...

This. Virginia. Does Not. Bite.

Which is a true wonder of nature.

The blender from MacBaren who created this blend was heard telling at the presentation that Amphora Virginia won't bite.

He wasn't kidding, it turns out. It doesn't.

It's sharp. Pretty sharp. But not bitey.

It's citrusy. But not acrid.

It's not soft or mellow. But it doesn't tire the palate.

It's definitely made from cheaper tobaccos than the competition. But not even a hint of bitterness or any other evident indicators of the simpler leaf is present.

Like the other two new Amphora blends (Burley and Kentucky) its quality far exceeds its price tag. And it's the cheapest of all True Straight Virginias. And quite a decent one.

I could suggest to explore this blend to anyone who, like me, have Straight VA hypersensitivity. You may find it the first Straight Virginia comfortable to smoke.