Mac Baren Presbyterian Mixture

EDIT: 12/12/07 I am upgrading my star rating to 4 for the simple reason that I keep ordering and smoking this stuff, preferentially to many other things. Therefor, I like it better. Therefore, it is 4 star, not three. More complicated than Campanile, and less peppery than many hopeful English mixes.



I think Presbyterian is just a touch thinner than it used to be, but it is still a very enjoyable smoke. King of the no-latakia English crowd, this one smells like a leather sock on opening the tin. There is a vague clove/plum smell to be dug out as well.

In the pipe, this is one perfectly behaved tobacco. It lights beautifully, smokes cool right to the bottom. The smell is not bad when fresh, in fact people have complimented me on it. After a day or so, though, it leaves kind of a funk.

In the tin, this stuff would seem very strong indeed, but it isn't. Nicotine is present but not overwhelming. The smoke is thick and luxurious, and never bitter. There is a sweet undercurrent of plums that I only get out of certain pipes, which compliments the base flavours (kind of flat Va/oriental - think black tea).

I like this stuff as I like most oriental-heavy mixes, and this is another tobacco that shows you can have real beef without a fistful of latakia. Very enjoyable stuff.

How do I love thee, Presbyterian, let me count the ways: the tin with its old church floating in the clouds. That stodgy, Protestant appellation given to a pipe tobacco, no less. And yes, even its unremarkable but charming history and endurance. This is a blend that has been around a long time, and for very good reason. A homage to the Very Rev. William White of Barony Kirk, Glasgow and Earl Baldwin. I can almost hear the glorious musical strains of H. Walford Davies or Sir Charles H. Hubert Parry as the Earl made his way through some pompous national affair. While the Earl may no longer be remembered by modern day Scotsmen, happily for us, his favorite tobacco is!

The aroma is positively wonderful in the tin, with its plum/prune bouquet. And yes, one could easily be fooled that there is latakia in the mixture and not just stoved dark Virginias. Critics find the flavor bland, but I don?t feel that way at all. Though now made in Germany, this is Scotland in a can, and it brings wonderful memories of that delightful and rugged place to mind. The colors of the tobacco are an uncomplicated burnished black and white. The aroma is salty, earthy and briny, like the Isle of Skye. It has a hint of peaty smokiness, like a fine Islay malt. This is an excellent accompaniment to Laphroig or Lagavullin. The texture is fine ribbon cut and its long, moist strings pack beautifully into any number of bowls. I take mine in a small full bent Dunhill. This is truly an evening smoke, though I?ve cheated, and had some during the day. I also appreciate that this is packed in a plastic bag inside the tin and not just paper, which can cause quicker drying. Pipes magazine aptly called it ?belt and suspenders? packaging.

The light is easy, usually no more than one or two matches is required to keep this going for a long, contemplative smoke. Though perhaps not as deep and spicy as Durbar or as exotic as Frog Morton On the Town, Presbyterian is in a class by itself, and there?s nothing else quite like it. It leaves a beautiful, puffy white ash and raises a lovely crown upon lighting. Never any wet dottle in the bowl, and I?m generally a salivating, chewy smoker. However, unlike Dunhill, which generally gets better as it dries out, Presbyterian is more robust when it?s new and moist.

Though a bit pricey, Presbyterian is a rare and joyous find. It?s a polished blend that shall always find a place in my collection and that I can always turn to for its simple, distinguished elegance. I hope to smoke it on a future trip to Scotland, when my heart shall once again be in the highlands.

Five of five stars

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aug 2006 update

This might be the wrong time of the year for this stuff, though something tells me it's more than that. This is really a cool weather blend. Still, it's my third tin, and each time, it gets a bit worse. This is no longer a Scottish blend. It's made by that damnable German/EU company to which Dunhill, Rattray and other once great blending houses have outsourced their wares. This is still good on the nose and keen on the palate, but it's a raging firebrand on the tongue. They must be spiking this with Zyklon B. This blend has certainly changed like so many others. None of the Dunhills are good anymore. Rattray is pedestrian, and this is not far behind. Too bad that even a venerable blend as Presby has gone the way of all flesh.

Two of five stars

Presbyterian Mixture is new to me, but I have enjoyed the couple of tins I have smoked. It is a somewhat confusing tobacco in that it doesn't smell like a traditional English tobacco, but the flavour nuances are such that I cannot call it anything else. The tin aroma strikes me as that of plums, followed by oriental tobacco smell. I do not detect much Latakia, but do suspect that it is in here. Presbyterian is mostly a dark mixture with light ribbons mixed in (2/3 dark - 1/3 light). The mixture is somewhat dry and packs well into a pipe. Prebyterian lights well and gives a pleasant initial flavour. Presbyterian kicksat this point and is big spicy meatball. Presbyterian is full of spicy oriental tobaccos and gives plenty of flavour. This one can sneak up on you if you aren't sitting down - more nicotine kick here than seems. Any fans of Oriental tobaccos should give Presbyterian a try.

This blend has a simple flavor profile reminiscent of Peterson’s Early Morning Pipe. It’s been around for almost 100 years and is very approachable especially for those who want a very mild, low Latakia English blend. However I don’t find it interesting. None of the nuance or complexity I seek in a great pipe tobacco. Its TR rating suggests I’m not alone in my assessment. Nothing off here — nothing wrong. I can easily imagine people seeing PM as their go to daily blend. I think it’s a competent and classic blend. I’ll give it 3 stars. As always blends do not exist on their own. We’d like them to but we compare this to that. I like this more than EMP but not as well as Magnum Opus, White Knight, Westminster or Abingdon all of which I experience as mild also.

I wanted to try this famous tobacco and I was not disappointed. It comes with just the right amount of moisture for immediate smoking, almost on the dry side, which makes it easy to burn very well. The flavor is very harmonious since all its ingredients work together without any predominating, and you can catch all of them. I am surprised by the doubts expressed about the existence or not of Latakia here. Perhaps they are referring to versions prior to the one I am trying now, or perhaps what some have smoked were old tins where the dark ingredient had faded a lot. I fully understand why it is the favorite of many. Four solid stars.

A delicious English starter blend, good smoky and floral/herbal aromas, the same in flavor with a good variation between latakia, virginia and orientals. I really don't understand who says they don't feel the latakia in this mix.

Tart and floral wood and a touch of smokiness upon lighting. Already I want to cellar some of this, it will marry well. Very little nic hit as the notes because creamy mid bowl. Floral retro with mild spice. Anise comes along towards the end. Very complex. Nice surprise. ☆☆☆1/2

Spiral Out

Perhaps it’s my unrefined pallet, but I totally thought this was Latakia forward.

Great blend, and I felt there was a great level of smokiness. However, I keep getting told the Latakia is so little, it shouldn’t come through like that. I don’t know, I guess. But I can say, this is a nice, Smokey blend. Reminds me a bit of Blackhouse, bust has its own flavor on the palate. Nice quality smoke for sure!

Excellent for new time pipe smokers wanting to try English blends. Nice mild flavor with moderate room note. Used to be my favorite until I acquired taste for the stronger blends.

Inexpensive and great for new time pipe smokers. If I’m in the mood for a mild smoke this is my go to.