Mac Baren HH Rustica
(3.50)
Notes: The Nicotiana Rustica is the sister of the tobacco plant that we know and love (Nicotiana Tabacum). Native to the Amazon region and other parts of South America, the plant and the various types of use spread throughout the American continent. The English settlers found the rustica tobacco in North America in 1607 and saw how the native Indians smoked the tobacco in clay pipes. Since the nicotine content of the rustic plant is unusually high, however, it quickly went out of fashion when the Virginia and burley tobaccos known today were discovered and spread. Today, tobacco on a rustic basis can only be found in Eastern Europe, in the countries of the Middle East and in Asia. A new process was developed to make this very potent tobacco edible for the German palate. The tobacco leaves are sun dried and thus retain their natural sugar. Dark Virginia and Burley were also added to balance the flake. Like all flakes of the HH series, the Rustica was also hot pressed, which allows the tobacco flavors to combine optimally and to mature through a light fermentation. Despite all these measures, the HH Rustica still has a very high nicotine content, it is by far the strongest tobacco in the Mac Baren range and is probably one of the strongest pipe tobacco worldwide. We recommend that you eat well and use a small pipe before enjoying this flake, but don't be put off; the Mac Baren HH Rustica is probably the most extraordinary tobacco of recent years and an absolute pleasure experience.
Details
| Brand | Mac Baren |
| Blended By | Per Jensen |
| Manufactured By | Mac Baren |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Burley, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Very Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Strong
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Very Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.50 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 46 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 05, 2020 | Very Strong | Extremely Mild | Very Full | Strong |
Mac Baren HH Rustica, tin 1,752 of 7,100: Strength is very strong; tastes are very full. Floral notes notwithstanding, it ghosts pipes and stinks up one’s hair and clothing, and it empties a room like mustard gas. Despite all this (or maybe it’s partly because of it), IMO it takes its place alongside HH Old Dark Fired, Bold Kentucky, and Burley Flake as a blend for the ages. In the tin are well-formed, tightly packed, dark flakes that at first seemed resinous rather than moist. The tin note is damped and low, almost brooding, floral and slightly acidic and smoky, like peat, and musty, also slightly yeasty, the lot being rather like wet tea leaves, but much stronger and deeper, and more vegetal, and it smells to me like there's some tonquin in there, too. The flakes are easy to break, fold and stuff into a pipe, if you’re up for a lengthy session. Lighting and smoking are easier if the flakes are dried some prior to stuffing, but it’s more floral smoked straight from the tin. My compromise is to rub it out and stuff it straight from the tin. However you smoke it, once it’s well lit it burns like a good cigar, all the way down to fine ash, if you keep it going. As for smoking Rustica, whatever form you choose, I recommend a cautious approach, at least at first. Set aside some time for it, and start with a little bit in a small pipe, until you get a feel for it. I find this blend to be quite fragrant, nutty, and delicious, with the smoke from combustion being very similar to but considerably more open, floral and fragrant than the tin note, the difference being in this way akin to packaged incense vs. burning incense. Other unusual scents and tastes I noticed were juniper, pine nuts, and rhubarb. Both the Burleys and the Virginias are strong examples, and they are well met and well melded with the potent Rustica varietal. Again, although Rustica is quite fragrant and palatable, it is also quite strong, and I find the effects of the nicotine to be somewhat “different” than usual, not in a bad way, but it's something to be reckoned with. Forget driving, chainsaws, etc. Though it’s generally like the strongest Lakeland ropes, sans toppings, it’s its own thing, almost - but not quite - cigar-ish. Overall, it’s sweet, sour, bitter and sublime. On reflection, I remember having thoughts like this as I smoked my first real Cuban cigar, many years ago, comparing it to “Havana Seed” cigars I’d had up to that point. Rustica is definitely The Real Thing. Aftertaste is a long trailing off of the best of the smoke, only sweeter.
HH Rustica is very certainly worth smoking, if you’re experienced and/or cautious. 4 stars, and hats off to Per Jensen.
HH Rustica is very certainly worth smoking, if you’re experienced and/or cautious. 4 stars, and hats off to Per Jensen.
Pipe Used:
varius KY blend briars
Age When Smoked:
from an undated tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 10, 2020 | Very Strong | None Detected | Extra Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
An interesting bend, but I do wonder how much Rustica is actually used. Nice earthy tin note, which carries over. Smoking it, the notes are earthy ones: peat, a little leather, maybe a little mushroom, but the VAs really provide the solid base for the blend. Strong N? Yes, but not over the top; somewhere between GH's Black Irish and GH's brown ropes, maybe a little closer to the ropes. If you smoke those, or Revor Plug or 1792, the N here won't bother you (I hesitated between rating the N strong or very strong). The overall flavor itself is much stronger (or at least more noticeable to me) than the N, again along the strength line for many brown ropes.
All in all, interesting, flavorful, but not earthshaking.
All in all, interesting, flavorful, but not earthshaking.
Pipe Used:
cobs
PurchasedFrom:
smoking pipes
Age When Smoked:
3 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 09, 2020 | Very Strong | None Detected | Extra Full | Strong |
Well, here's my take on this new blend. It's very strong tasting, a singular taste from beginning to end. A little stronger at the end but not overly different then from the first light. Has a lot of nicotine so it's not for beginners or those that do not enjoy high nicotine blend like Peterson Irish Flake or Gawith Hoggarth ropes. I do not get the lakeland like other have reported. What I do get is the strong dark tobacco taste that's in GH. I used the fold and stuff method in a smaller size Algerian billiard briar. One flake folded with 1/3 of another flake rubbed out on top for a starter. Smoking slowly I got well over two hours of a wonderful smoking session. This is a great tobacco and one I will enjoy in the future. I feel it has great aging potential. If you're not into strong blends leave this one alone. If you haven't had strong blends I would recommend you start with something else. A GREAT TOBACCO! Highly recommend.
Pipe Used:
Algerian billiard
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 24, 2020 | Overwhelming | None Detected | Very Full | Strong |
Mac Baren - HH Rustica.
Like their HH Old Dark Fired Plug Cut when I received this I intended on cellaring it for quite a while. But unlike the 'Plug this arrived with a broken seal on the tin. So, cellaring it became a moot idea.
The tin holds three rows of flakes, dark in colour, and luckily the damaged seal hadn't ruined the tobacco. Just the smell alone sets the precedent for POWER; it smells somewhat 'meaty'. Because the flakes are relatively thin they rub easily.
Now, the smoke. Many blends afford the smoker an excellent opportunity to decipher a myriad of flavours and nuances. Bread, hay, grass, molasses, peat, garden slabs, etc., but this isn't one to offer that opportunity; to ME. As this is my first experience with Nicotiana Rustica I can only describe how I find it: meaty. I don't notice any Virginia grass or citrus, the only flavour, to me, is this formidable, 'meaty', one. A sort of beefy, steak-like, taste. It burns reliably, creating a cool, bite free, smoke.
Nicotine: one of the few blends to make me feel sick; had to abort it last night! Room-note: very strong, and quite appalling!
HH Rustica? Hmmmm, subjectively speaking I don't like it, at all. But, I'm sure lots will enjoy the inimitable flavour. This uniqueness is why I feel it deserves three stars:
recommended.
Like their HH Old Dark Fired Plug Cut when I received this I intended on cellaring it for quite a while. But unlike the 'Plug this arrived with a broken seal on the tin. So, cellaring it became a moot idea.
The tin holds three rows of flakes, dark in colour, and luckily the damaged seal hadn't ruined the tobacco. Just the smell alone sets the precedent for POWER; it smells somewhat 'meaty'. Because the flakes are relatively thin they rub easily.
Now, the smoke. Many blends afford the smoker an excellent opportunity to decipher a myriad of flavours and nuances. Bread, hay, grass, molasses, peat, garden slabs, etc., but this isn't one to offer that opportunity; to ME. As this is my first experience with Nicotiana Rustica I can only describe how I find it: meaty. I don't notice any Virginia grass or citrus, the only flavour, to me, is this formidable, 'meaty', one. A sort of beefy, steak-like, taste. It burns reliably, creating a cool, bite free, smoke.
Nicotine: one of the few blends to make me feel sick; had to abort it last night! Room-note: very strong, and quite appalling!
HH Rustica? Hmmmm, subjectively speaking I don't like it, at all. But, I'm sure lots will enjoy the inimitable flavour. This uniqueness is why I feel it deserves three stars:
recommended.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Atlantic #03
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2020 | Very Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Strong |
Received a generous sample of this one that lasted for five bowls and a half cob so that I could try different bowl sizes and moisture levels. Best for smoking it in my opinion is rubbed, dried out at least a few hours and in a larger sized bowl.
At opening it smelled really decent and sour like dark bread loaf. Very moist as said but nicely pressed as one is used from Mac Baren flakes. Stuffs well when rubbed out and takes few more relighting than others.
One will notice from the first puffs that the Rustica has quite a unique taste; very spicy and almost pungent but it is rounded by some sweet counterparts as the Virginia and Burley do play a certain role in the back. I tend to blow out through my nose and find this a bit irritating to my mucus, smoke is getting up my nose feeling like wasabi. Sometimes I can taste floral essences alongside a spicy VA like St. Bruno but stronger; in spices as well as nicotine then it punches back like black pepper with wooden notes hard to differentiate from a camp fire. Had to relight from time to time and the leftover ashes had some black spots in it. Filter was pretty wet with every smoke.
Not exactly my cup of tea but an interesting experience as there’s no other blend like this out there. For me? I’ll stay with some good old Latakia, Orients and Perique when I need additional spices. HH Rustica is very strong over all
At opening it smelled really decent and sour like dark bread loaf. Very moist as said but nicely pressed as one is used from Mac Baren flakes. Stuffs well when rubbed out and takes few more relighting than others.
One will notice from the first puffs that the Rustica has quite a unique taste; very spicy and almost pungent but it is rounded by some sweet counterparts as the Virginia and Burley do play a certain role in the back. I tend to blow out through my nose and find this a bit irritating to my mucus, smoke is getting up my nose feeling like wasabi. Sometimes I can taste floral essences alongside a spicy VA like St. Bruno but stronger; in spices as well as nicotine then it punches back like black pepper with wooden notes hard to differentiate from a camp fire. Had to relight from time to time and the leftover ashes had some black spots in it. Filter was pretty wet with every smoke.
Not exactly my cup of tea but an interesting experience as there’s no other blend like this out there. For me? I’ll stay with some good old Latakia, Orients and Perique when I need additional spices. HH Rustica is very strong over all
Pipe Used:
Medium and large briars
PurchasedFrom:
Friend
Age When Smoked:
Fresh, dried overnight
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 18, 2020 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
This could be ODF with Nicotiana Rustica added and carefully blended.
I do not find this as strong as some Lakelands, dark fired ropes and shags, so don't be afraid, though it will only appeal to those who like the strong stuff.
To me the Rustica adds a wet-haylike core that is not really mouthfilling but clearly belongs to the wilderness, a hint of the untamed. Yet it is never harsh or overwhelming, Mac Baren could never do that.
This is deeper visit to the plant world than smoking your normal baccy, earthy and weedy, almost of the barnyard, but not that pungent.
Western civilization meets The Primitive in this tin.
You can't go wrong by trying this !
I do not find this as strong as some Lakelands, dark fired ropes and shags, so don't be afraid, though it will only appeal to those who like the strong stuff.
To me the Rustica adds a wet-haylike core that is not really mouthfilling but clearly belongs to the wilderness, a hint of the untamed. Yet it is never harsh or overwhelming, Mac Baren could never do that.
This is deeper visit to the plant world than smoking your normal baccy, earthy and weedy, almost of the barnyard, but not that pungent.
Western civilization meets The Primitive in this tin.
You can't go wrong by trying this !
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2020 | Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Strong |
Irish Flake was my very first review on TR back in July of 2016 (after having only picked up the pipe in 2013). Irish Flake was also the first time in my life that I overdosed on nicotine. As a 17-year-old in the Army, I smoked Navy Player and Lucky Strike cigarettes, and to break my deadly cigarette addiction I transitioned to cigars in the early 1990s, and I gravitated toward darker and stronger maduro blends. So, when I transitioned from cigars to pipes, I fancied myself a seasoned, hardcore tobacco aficionado.
When I discovered TR and read the reviews for Irish Flake, I was like: "'experienced smoker', my ass" . . . I loaded a bowl of IF and smoked it like it was just another English or Balkan blend. The resulting nausea, vertigo spins and whole-body-misting sweats left me incapacitated and horizontal on the couch for a full four hours.
Irish Flake became one of my favorite smokes, as well as ODF and Bold Kentucky (and all the other HH blends). So when I saw the HH Rustica offering, well . . .
I totally get the floral components, as well as the nuttiness and the earth. The thing that I was on the lookout for the most was the N-Factor -- and the N was definitely there.
As far as overall taste and satisfaction goes, I prefer IF, ODF and BK over Rustica. But if I ever need a nicotine fix, Rustica is now my go-to blend.
Sometimes we need a glass of wine. Other times we need a gin tonic, or a martini; and then those times when nothing but a bracing bourbon, neat, will do. And then there are times when nothing but full-on 'shine will satisfy. Rustica is the new moonshine for me.
One flake fills a Williamsburg clay perfectly; half-a-flake for a Jamestown clay. (I have 27 briars, but those are for English and Balkan or Lat-heavy blends; I only smoke IF, ODF, BK and straight Virginias in clays).
I would be interested to know the proportion/percentage of Rustica that actually made up the flake by weight/volume.
If HH Old Dark Fired is a 1911 Colt .45, then HH Rustica is an 1847 Colt Walker .44 (an old school, authentic, rustic, black magic, black powder pistol that packs a potently powerful punch).
In 2016, I rated Irish Flake's strength as "Very Strong"; in 2020, I'm giving HH Rustica a "Strong" rating (it's all relative, right)?
HH Rustica: A real bang-bang blend.
If you're an adventurous piper (or just plain curious), this is worthy of a try.
I would finally suggest a rustic clay for such a rustic blend.
When I discovered TR and read the reviews for Irish Flake, I was like: "'experienced smoker', my ass" . . . I loaded a bowl of IF and smoked it like it was just another English or Balkan blend. The resulting nausea, vertigo spins and whole-body-misting sweats left me incapacitated and horizontal on the couch for a full four hours.
Irish Flake became one of my favorite smokes, as well as ODF and Bold Kentucky (and all the other HH blends). So when I saw the HH Rustica offering, well . . .
I totally get the floral components, as well as the nuttiness and the earth. The thing that I was on the lookout for the most was the N-Factor -- and the N was definitely there.
As far as overall taste and satisfaction goes, I prefer IF, ODF and BK over Rustica. But if I ever need a nicotine fix, Rustica is now my go-to blend.
Sometimes we need a glass of wine. Other times we need a gin tonic, or a martini; and then those times when nothing but a bracing bourbon, neat, will do. And then there are times when nothing but full-on 'shine will satisfy. Rustica is the new moonshine for me.
One flake fills a Williamsburg clay perfectly; half-a-flake for a Jamestown clay. (I have 27 briars, but those are for English and Balkan or Lat-heavy blends; I only smoke IF, ODF, BK and straight Virginias in clays).
I would be interested to know the proportion/percentage of Rustica that actually made up the flake by weight/volume.
If HH Old Dark Fired is a 1911 Colt .45, then HH Rustica is an 1847 Colt Walker .44 (an old school, authentic, rustic, black magic, black powder pistol that packs a potently powerful punch).
In 2016, I rated Irish Flake's strength as "Very Strong"; in 2020, I'm giving HH Rustica a "Strong" rating (it's all relative, right)?
HH Rustica: A real bang-bang blend.
If you're an adventurous piper (or just plain curious), this is worthy of a try.
I would finally suggest a rustic clay for such a rustic blend.
Pipe Used:
Various clays
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 18, 2020 | Very Strong | None Detected | Very Mild | Tolerable to Strong |
Mhm.. this somehow eludes me. I like tobaccos such as Bold Kentucky and Old Dark Fired by Mac Baren, but this one came along a little flat and and lacking in soul to me.
The unburnt scent I perceive as leathery, earthy and somewhat floral (reminiscent of violet candies we have here), and reminds me of Bold Kentucky and ODF.
In the pipe this is rather strong and stout smoke, with the same qualities I found in the unburnt tobacco's scent. It's solid, I'd smoke it again when offered, but this isn't my cup of tea.
It's an interesting idea but imho it doesn't quite catch fire - metaphorically and literally, as I found this one to burn rather poorly, albeit I dried it out to almost crunchy consistence. Maybe it's the rustica that burns poorly? I don't know, but fellow pipe smokers also had that problem, regardless of short or long drying times. Only 2 stars for me here.
The unburnt scent I perceive as leathery, earthy and somewhat floral (reminiscent of violet candies we have here), and reminds me of Bold Kentucky and ODF.
In the pipe this is rather strong and stout smoke, with the same qualities I found in the unburnt tobacco's scent. It's solid, I'd smoke it again when offered, but this isn't my cup of tea.
It's an interesting idea but imho it doesn't quite catch fire - metaphorically and literally, as I found this one to burn rather poorly, albeit I dried it out to almost crunchy consistence. Maybe it's the rustica that burns poorly? I don't know, but fellow pipe smokers also had that problem, regardless of short or long drying times. Only 2 stars for me here.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2020 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Overall an excellent blend, the Rustica is there but well blended,
Opening the tin yields a rich, earthy aroma, a hint of muskiness almost like Perique, The hot-pressed flake needs plenty of rubbing; instead of the traditional thumb-in-palm technique, I've been using thumb and two fingers of both hands over the tin, Being a glutton for punishment, I ignore the manufacturer's recommendation to start with a small pipe and fill my jumbo Carey.
It takes a few lights to get it going, but then it smokes evenly down to the bottom, Strong, but not the strongest I have smoked—Perique still holds pride of place there. Rich smoke, no tongue bite, but a little throat bite, which I attribute to the Rustica, I sip slowly, savouring the richness. Good to the last puff.
I've smoked straight Rustica, from LeafOnly, lightly cured. It's rough and raw in that form. Not here. I'm pretty sure I taste quite a lot of Rustica, but the hot pressing and extra fermentation has tamed it.
Definitely a keeper, a one-a-day smoke to be appreciated. Highly recommended.
Opening the tin yields a rich, earthy aroma, a hint of muskiness almost like Perique, The hot-pressed flake needs plenty of rubbing; instead of the traditional thumb-in-palm technique, I've been using thumb and two fingers of both hands over the tin, Being a glutton for punishment, I ignore the manufacturer's recommendation to start with a small pipe and fill my jumbo Carey.
It takes a few lights to get it going, but then it smokes evenly down to the bottom, Strong, but not the strongest I have smoked—Perique still holds pride of place there. Rich smoke, no tongue bite, but a little throat bite, which I attribute to the Rustica, I sip slowly, savouring the richness. Good to the last puff.
I've smoked straight Rustica, from LeafOnly, lightly cured. It's rough and raw in that form. Not here. I'm pretty sure I taste quite a lot of Rustica, but the hot pressing and extra fermentation has tamed it.
Definitely a keeper, a one-a-day smoke to be appreciated. Highly recommended.
Pipe Used:
Carey Magic Inch, briar churchwarden
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpies.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 11, 2022 | Overwhelming | None Detected | Overwhelming | Extra Strong |
Extremely overpowering. I will go down a notch to dark fired or bold Kentucky. Sorry, but I think that my old age has made a wimp out of me. This stuff is stronger than any Gawith strong tobacco that I have tried in more than 40 years of pipe smoking.
Pipe Used:
Various
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes
Age When Smoked:
New
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