Mac Baren St. Bruno Flake

2/3 of the way through my 1st tin and I am not sure about this blend. If I had to summarize this in a word it would be "interesting". I dont' know why but I was expecting a VA Flake not an aromatic. This is an aromatic to the bone. That said it isn't one that will ruin a pipe with ghosts of cough medicine, cherries and bad vanilla. This is light, floral, citrusy and maybe soapy could be used...but it is light and ever present. I have a hard time tasting any familiar tobacco flavors. If I were to figure out a way to smoke a funeral home, this is what it would taste like. I get flowers, rose some lemony citrus notes mixed with smoke. Note I say smoke, not grass or hay or wood, smoke. I do get some woody notes past the half way point but to be honest every bowl made me think of when I was a kid and we wanted to "smoke like adults" but had no cigarettes so we would try to smoke leaves and other weird stuff like tea.

Now I know if you made it this far in the review you will likely think this is an awful experience. Oddly enough, it isn't. I find myself enjoying it trying to figure out what the hell I am smoking and the light flavors are pleasant in a weird way. I can see why there are fans of this tobacco. Not a regular in my rotation but I may buy a tin here and there for the warmer months. It does have a nice room note so it is is wife friendly.

Tin note definitely smell the Virginia like dried hay. Fold and stuff in to my pipe lights well with an unimpressive taste. Flat like the flake. Will finish the tin but probably won't buy again.

Juna Gu said "It seems to me that references to soap travel on the Western winds from our good friends accross The Pond; their culture, being what it is, demands that they portray the English as namby pamby fairies of dubious sexual persuasion at every available opportunity. " ...... If this were true it would be only because of statements like this . That being said ... it tastes like soap .

My old review is like the old St.Bruno: gone.

I hadn't had a chance to try the Mac Baren iteration of this blend until it became available in North America. I had heard rumblings of discontent, so I wasn't expecting much; I wasn't disappointed.

I'm certain this blend will find its fans, and I don't forsee the day when I'll say much bad about Mac Baren, it simply isn't the St.Bruno of yore. Fair enough I suppose; I'm not the grimpeur of yore, either.

Not much else to say here except, St Bruno probably won't impress you if you are used to flavour bomb tobaccos or complex mixes like latakia English, perique, dark Kentucky or sweet aromatics.

What it will provide you with is an easy going subtly flavoured smoke, just a touch of muscle and an aroma that won't offend anyone. I have to say I was disappointed when I first tried it, but the floral scent haunted me(and my pipe) and called me back for more. I can't say I'm hooked as it's still a bit bland for me, but enjoyable nonetheless and can provide a full day of smoking as it's easy on the tongue and the palate.

I enjoyed this smoke as being smooth and satisfying, with some fig flavor. I have had a number of blends in this genre, while it can be recommended, there are other choices that can entice and satisfy.

Perhaps because I live in a country where this is available at the local supermarket - I don't get the hype.

The flakes are thin and a little moist, I like to dry the flakes for a few minutes before smoking. It lights and burns easily and leaves the pipe dry.

It has a topping that reminds me of stewed fruit, I don't really notice the florals. I find the fruit topping does cover the flavour of the tobaccos some what although you can pick up on the dark virginias. The fruit topping burns off around half way though the bowl and at this point I end up smoking a blend that reminds me a little of sweet tea, I can pick up on the tonquin along with the kentucky although are both present in the background. Medium flavour and strength, not a particular exciting blend and it certainly doesn't grap your attention but I suppose thats why it's regarded as an all day smoke.

Now I was in my fifth year as a pipe smoker. I tought I was a tough pipe smoker and could handle anything.

St-Bruno flake proved me wrong. I almost got sick and had to stop around half bowl.

It was too much.

I guess they would be a lot easier to handle today if I could get some...Because now, I really am a tough pipe smoker and can handle anything.

Good for the soapbox or for smoking? What the hell do these mad english flake blenders put in their creations? Upon opening the tin and sniffing, I was shocked by the smell: this tobacco was VERY reminiscent of the tin aroma of Erinmore!!! The same strong perfume that someone calls "pineapple", but most likely comes from bergamot and other citrusy-flowery essences!!! Really, it is SO strong that you have to wonder if some idiot poured his aftershave in your tin before you opened it! And leaving it to the open air won't do: the flavoring persists and refuses to die! As a matter of fact, I must admit that the smoking experience is better than with Erinmore mixture: at least you don't get that harsh feeling in your throat, or that weird sensation in your mouth. Crumbling the flakes is easy, and the result is a cool, slow smoke: perfect for getting all the right nuances from the virginia base of the tobacco. The taste IS similar to Erinmore, but it is more rounded and allows for a more pleasant natural sweetness to come out among the citrusy and soapy overtones. It is a strong tobacco, too: the fact that it is easy to "accidentally" (yes, tell someone else...) inhale is worsened by the high nicotine content. Anyway I only had problems when I smoked it in ridiculously huge bowls, so don't fear. At first I enjoyed this original tobacco, but now I am growing more and more tired of it. The soapy flavoring grows boring after a while, and as usual I start to crave for the inimitable king of virginias (Marlin Flake) and its never-tiresome sweetness. As far as weird english flakes go, this is one of the most tolerable (and one of the most respected by fans of the genre), but I don't feel much need for tobacco like this in my rotation.

UPDATE 2021: The above review applied to the original tinned version from 15 years ago, now I have tried the Mac Baren version in a pouch. Well, it's not the same tobacco: it's much less flavoured (at the nose it's very fruity and sweet but just like a good lightly topped flake with ripe Virginias should smell, without bergamot or flowery or soapy notes at all), it's definitely a notch less strong, and probably much easier to smoke. Of course, this means that it also has lost some uniqueness and personality. At the match, it still has some of the soapiness and flowery character that was lost at the nose, but now it seems more natural and integrated: just a nice full flavored but smooth Virginia and Kentucky blend, with the typical earthiness of the dark fired leaf. I am not a fan of Kentucky, but here it's well used in the blend. As usual for Mac Baren, the flakes are of excellent quality and burning characteristics. Not bad, although still not my kind of flake.