Mac Baren Stockton

Small variegated coins, predominantly mid browns with some very light leaf scattered throughout. Packs fine as is or can be rubbed out. Burns easily.

Tin note is figs with a pronounced sweetness, reminiscent of dark sugar, honey or maple.

The fire cured Kentucky based Cavendish is the heart of this tobacco. This really is world class stuff that kicks off occasional cigar like notes from a backbone of woody scents. The sweetness from the tin note persists thru the entire bowl, and it balances the Kentucky perfectly. There is also the faintest hint of a topping, that seems to me like a floral musk.

Memories are sure to be made from this scent. It is unarguably masculine; traditional yet modern. Ticks every box as an all day smoke.

This is one of the four curly cut tobacco blends Mac Baren currently produces (Roll Cake, Club Blend, Dark Twist, Stockton) and is the smokiest and spiciest of them all. There was another curlie from Mac Baren - Latakia Blend, but it was discontinued due to people not liking the small amount of latakia it had. This blend consists of Virginias, dark fired kentucky and cavendish tobaccos. Mapple sugar has been added to the blend to sweeten up the taste. Upon opening the tin I'm greeted with smoky, toasty aroma with a some grassy notes from Virginias. The coins look very neat with bright Virignias surrounding darker kernel in the middle which appears to be either BC or DFK. Moisture level is almost perfect for smoking it right out of the tin.

I usually pack the coins in the bowl without rubbing them out. I take 5 - 6 coins, stack them together and roll them up, then insert the roll into the bowl of the pipe. I love smoking them this way because, until the middle of the bowl it's just basically VA tobaccos, but when the mid-bowl hits, I'm getting this smoky taste from DFK. Then after the mid-bowl it's mellowing out again.

Lighting this tobacco is a bit of a challenge. From the start it needs at least two charring lights, but when that's done, it burns pretty well.

I really love the taste, its toasty, smoky spiciness. At the beginning I get the sweetness from the Virginias which mellows down as the smoke progresses. This is really satisfying smoke. Can give tongue bite if smoked too fast. I can get an hour and a half of enjoyment out of a bowlful of this blend. The strength of this blend is on the medium side. Nicotine level is on the low side.

The room note is noticeable, but is not offensive. Actually it's rather pleasant.

Would definitely recommend this blend for all pipe smokers.

A very none offensive tobacco, mild but pleasant. This reminds me of P&G's Marble Kake in flavor but smoother. I can't see this in my personal rotation but many should like this . I do agree with those reviewers that liked to smoke this on the dry side and that "nothing stands out". I don't associate this with a strong Kentucky burley flavor and I don't find any bitterness like the description says?

Mac Baren claims this to be their purest tobacco of them all, and I have no reason to doubt that statement. If I remember correctly the description said something like "pipe tobacco as it was smoked 300 years ago". Now I guess anyone can claim that, but again, if I had to point out one single tobacco I've tried, to be really old school? This would be it!

Tin aroma - Tobacco! Room note - Tobacco! Taste - Tobacco!

Nothing to expect mid-bowl or anything, as this stuff taste the same from beginning 'til end. Virgina and Burley (Kentucky) evens out eachother in the sweet/dry department, and the cavendish is barely noticeable.

Not overly exciting tobacco, unless you get a boner from tobacco not containing anything but tobacco...then this tobacco is THE tobacco!

Rate 7/10

Mac Baren’s Stockton.

Another variation in their range of spun cut. I feel ita s the most natural of the group and, curiously the most piquant.

The 100grms tin has been opened after a couple of years in the cellar. Very mild tin note, and it’s of pure tobacco. The humidity comes perfect for immediate consumption, some discs fall broken upon handling them. Ignition is no problemat all.

The smoke. One can compare it to Dark Twist, and notice that Stockton is sweet a good bit less than DT. A pleasant piquancy (and I mean piquancy, not bite) appears soon. Burns hot but not overly so. No bite whatsoever. As for many Mac’s the best flavour is achieved by the slowest smoke, and the case of Stockton is bit different from other spuns because, no need to push the draw looking for it. The Kentucky heart is very well-behaved, well accompanied by the slightly honey-sh Virginia. Strenght is just below the medium mark. The body is completely satisfying to this smoker.

Stockton could be an all-day smoke IMHO. I would compare it to a milder Three Nuns (current version). Leaves some unburst remains, but that can be myself that I’m used to keep the discs almost unbroken as I can.

Three stars

Mixed feelings about this one.

The spicy dark fired cavendish was enjoyable to be sure. Great mellowed out presentation of dark fired tastes, and a nice complexity.

On the other hand, either the virginias didn't come through very well, or they just weren't to my tastes, something. Which would be fine, except that, and here is my main critique of Stockton, the blend has a (to me) sickly sweet flavor that overpowers the mixture. Drying it as has been suggested helped, but not enough. While it isn't as overtly topped in the Danish fashion as other Mac Baren tobaccos, I have a difficult time believing that there are no flavorings in the blend, some of the typical Mac Baren spices (yum!) were definitely there. Possibly added in the processing of the cavendish, not sure.

I enjoyed it, and generally I like sweet tobaccos, but that sweetness just ruined it for me. I found myself putting the pipe down too quickly. Granted, if sipped slowly enough the flavor really pops but I am an outdoor smoker and it is difficult if not impossible to get it simmered down to that sweet spot with even a little breeze, and it is windy almost all the time where I live. Probably won't go for it again. Too bad, I did like the cavendish and the presentation. Did not experience any bite whatsoever. On a side note, the name Stockton and the Utah Jazz colors of the tin - right on Mac Baren, heh heh.

I don't know what drew me to purchase a tin of Stockton, but it was a nice experience for the most part. I hadn't gone in for any blends previously containing Kentucky tobacco, but this was a nice way to start. Much milder than something like GL Pease' "Jacknife", Stockton was interesting to experience and become familiar with. I especially enjoyed smoking it outside or when coming in from the woods, which put it into a sort of niche for me. I had no problem teasing-out and working this coin-spun tobacco into my pipe.

If I don't sound too enthusiastic about Stockton, I'll readily admit it's a matter of some subjectivity for me. It was certainly enjoyable enough to spark some interest in trying a couple other Mac Baren tobaccos later on.

I've only tried four or five MacBarens, but this is my favorite of those I have tried. It is also my favorite Kentucky blend, the one which strikes the best balance between the full robust taste of that kind of tobacco and the mellowness it can have when well blended. The little coin-flakes are attractive to the eye, and smoke well whether rubbed out or left intact. All of the other MacBarens I have tried had some degree of tongue-bite potential, and a couple bit me like hell, but not Stockton. If I want another Kentucky blend, I'll go for this one.

11-17-12 Smoking some of this from about 30 years ago, from Ebay, and these roll cakes turn into something much different in that amount of time...any bite disappears, and they are so sweet and mellow, if a little fast and hot burning if one is not careful, but I can deal with that!

I bought a tin of Stockton on a whim after reading other folks reviews here. This has been a good whim. I find the tobacco has a very mild flavor, almost one that dares you to take it slowly so you can let the flavor build over time. Its a delicate flavor, not a strong in-your-face kind of flavor. At initial charring light the taste of the tobacco is almost non-existant almost like you're lighting up a bunch of cut up cardboard. Don't let that fool you though as this delicate flavor builds in intensity from the outset to a wonderful crescendo that will leave you wondering where you can get some more. Its about at the 1/3 bowl mark (typical group 4 sized bowl) that the flavor really starts to come into its own. The VA plays throughout the smoke, but the KY sings as the bowl progresses. 1/2 way through the smoke the flavor is medium to full and by bowl's end its definately a full flavored smoke. I've never come across a blend quite like this one. And I like it. A lot!

Prep: I fully rub out the coins although I have tried layering or just folding them and stuffing them in the bowl as well with no better flavor benefit any way I prepare it.

Bowl size: I only own group 4 to group 5 size pipes. I notice no difference in relation to the size of the pipe.

Topping: The topping is so very light on this blend that you'll need to search for it. And while you'll find it, you won't find much of it for sure. I think its the perfect amount for this tobac.

A note about my likes/dislikes so you can compare: I am not an aromatic smoker. I favor predominantly VA/Burleys or straight VAs. Typically sweet tobacco is more to my liking than tobaccos with a sour note. I seldom enjoy Englishes. Hope that helped.

Recomendation: go for it, you won't regret it ***IF*** you're willing to take some time to enjoy this blend. If you're looking for something to stuff in your pipe and will puff like a madman, this blend might nip you a bit and will probably taste of nothing. If you're an aromatic smoker this will surely dissappoint.