Mac Baren HH Burley Flake

Enjoyably sweet and nutty with a nice tin note and good looking flakes. Sometimes I feel it tastes too simple or sweet - perhaps the nuttiness is too prominent - but I quickly go back to accepting the blissful deliciousness. It requires a few relights for me, but I cherish my time with this tobacco. Smooth, not wild but with just enough complexity, and cool.

Not to be overlooked - I love the Mac Baren packaging. Opening a tin feels regal and special; you fold away the "gilded" paper with the debossed logo and it is as if the sun is shining on you when the tin note hits.

I really enjoy this. I'm giving it 4 stars but really it sits at 3.5 for me. I would recommend this to somebody as an example of what really good tobacco can be without trying to knock their socks off with something too idiosyncratic.

MB Burley Flake-. It has a fine cocoa flavor . . It is nutty and hearty and a little spicy . The Virginias and Kentucky are in the background. The moisture from the tin is perfect and it burns with ease . It has a nice sweetness throughout the bowl . Not too strong and could be for any time of the day . This blend has buttery feel to it and the way the white burleys sit in the background throughout with the nutty slight sour notes is just perfect. A nice simple and delicious smoke . . 4 stars 👍Perfectly blended and is my favorite all day burley at the moment with orders by the pound .

Well, I will not put more descriptions - there is plenty of good ones here. I like it, but I prefer (just a little more) C&D Burley Flake #3 and Solani ABF. Strong taste of good Burley, and much Nicotine. The point is: may sons said "is smell like marijuana" (!?!), and I wonder how they could indentify it... Well, one of them study Medicine, and the other was in a Military Academy for 3 years, so it get a little more calm. Or not... 3.5/4 stars

Mac Baren has really impressed me with there H&H series line. There isn't one that I have tried that I didn't like. The presentation of the flake's in the foil is well done and the cut of the tobacco leaf is superior. Moisture level was just right but you may prefer a little drying. I again am normally not a Burley fan but this could well change my mind. Enough has been said about the taste and flavor here so I'll leave it at that. If your a Burley fan, give it a try! Smoke in Peace- Lager

MacB hit a homer with this one. Have tried these flakes stuffed and rubbed out. Smoked early morning and late evening and throughout the day. This is an excellent smoke at any time a day. I could make this an all day every day choice no problem. Smokes nice and dry for me and is a nutty taste throughout. Does not seem to gain in strength. Light-Tamp-Re-light and its good for go to the bottom. Real easy to like this Burley flake.

I've been looking forward to trying this since it came out, and very glad I finally did.

This is a great Burley flake- not quite as outstanding as Solani, perhaps, but terrific in it's own right (and cheaper). Lovely flavor with just a hint of spice from the Dark Fired; rubs out and burns easily; zero tongue bite.

It will definitely be in my rotation if the FDA doesn't ruin it for us in the States. 4 stars, no question. If you like Burley, you'll love this.

Opening the tin, the flakes are neatly presented and delivers a tin aroma that you would expect from a burley-heavy tobacco blend: sweet and chocolaty.

It is of perfect working-moisture right from the tin, but I found the tobacco to deliver a much too hot smoke to be thoroughly enjoyed - even with a slightly longer stem than my regulars. Somehow, a bent pipe worked better for this blend. Storing it it a day or two with with a moisturiser help cool the smoke down, and for me to focus on the flavours of the blend. This helped bring of the creamy almondy marzipaniness I have come to enjoy from burley, and play down the spicy sweetness of the Virginia, and the musty tanginess of the Kentucky.

The flavour is consistent throughout the smoke, and the ashes are pale gray, and easily removed from a tap to the bowl, upside down. I still find it, however, to smoke a little too hot for my liking. It is easy work with, wether cube cutting or rubbing, and due to the low nicotine hit, you can much easier focus on the flavours, if you can look through its hotness. All in all, a good smoke, but it is not perfect.

The presentation is fantastic as usual for Mac Baren's flake tobaccos. There is a kind of bready, grainy, fruit smell upon opening the tin. Kind of buttery with a touch of honey too.

The flakes are thin, even and uniform.

I have smoked this rubbed out, slightly rubbed and stuffed, and just plain folded and stuffed. I prefer to fold it and stuff. The flavor is great no matter what, but it seemed to burn with far less heat when folded and stuffed.

I got mostly woody taste notes, and sometimes a sweet wood, some barbecue woody sweetness. There is some spice in the mouthfeel. There is a cinnamon or nutmeg-like note I picked up. There are some mineral notes I find hard to describe, some bread notes, cereal notes, then toasted bread, hint of dried fruit. It also made me think of raisin bran cereal at times, with a molasses note. I had this aftertaste like I had been drinking red wine at other times. There are cigar notes and coffee notes as well, some nuttiness. For me, this has been one of the closest things to achieving a mild to medium cigar-like taste in a pipe tobacco, and I enjoy that about it. It has elegance.

The combustion and moisture of the tobacco was perfect for me. I didn't really have to relight much.

I would say the strength is mild to medium, and the nicotine level is medium. I don't think it's weak, nor do I think it strong.

The smell that comes off the pipe is of strong tobacco, like a cigar of some kind, but not a cigarette. I can't imagine a non-smoker enjoying the smell. However, if you're careful and sip this, you'll get the Virginia, burning sugar smell. Sweet.

I would recommend this to someone looking for a burley-dominated tobacco, anyone that likes burley tobaccos, someone who likes cigars, and even the Virginia-lover. It's just good tobacco. It could be an all-day blend.

A basic burley with a little Virginy and Kentucky. The amount of dark fired Kentucky is very small, but just enough to make the whole thing work. The Virginia and dark fired work like salty and sweet. The Burley out front with the chocolate, earthy. A quality Burley done right with no edginess. Smooth, silky, and delicious. A very satisfying smoke.