Mac Baren Stockton
(3.06)
A spun tobacco, cut in small birds eyes. A very special, mild and cool smoke. Cavendish and dark-fired Kentucky this blend has a mellow sweetness with spicy, smoky undertones.
Notes: The natural sugar content of the ripe Virginia tobaccos gives Stockton a slight sweetness. Unsweetened cavendish made from smoked dark-fired Kentucky tobaccos has been added, giving a piquant taste. As a result, the tobacco is slightly bitter and rounded in taste.
Details
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Extremely Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.06 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 23 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 08, 2010 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
This is the first time I ever tried Stockton. My tin was dated July 2009. If you like the taste of tobacco without any of the aromatic toppings typical in Danish/German offerings, Stockton should fill the bill. There was no tin aroma upon opening the tin. Only with deep inhalation of the contents will you find the slightest hint of sweetness and a mild Virginia presence. The discs are expertly prepared with what I consider a perfect moisture content. It reminds me very much of Mac's Dark Twist Roll Cake, but much spicier in taste. The Cavendish is made from spicy Kentucky and very, very tasty. The spiciness becomes more pronounced as you smoke and the overall fullness increases in a very satisfying way. There was no bite or moisture during the smoke. At the end, a nice gray ash remained without dottle. It was very sweet (brown sugar sweet) tasting, a combination of the natural sweetness of the Virginia Cavendish and a little bit of sugar added. It can smoke a tad hot with vigorous puffing. I'm not talking bite, but bowl heat. Not a problem what so ever. Although I experienced no bite with Stockton, sipping on this one greatly enhances the wonderful flavor of the blend as the sugars slowly caramelize.
A very satisfying, natural tobacco smoking experience. One of the best room notes I have ever experienced in a tobacco. After several bowls, already a favorite. I have found Mac Baren tobaccos to be some of the best I have ever smoked in 34 years of pipe smoking. During the day of the brick and mortar tobacconists that I used to frequent, I never saw Stockton and that is the only reason I never tried it until now. I see I have to make up for lost time. A highly superior offering from Mac Baren, having entered my weekly rotation. Compared to Dark Twist Roll Cake (which many have found similar), Stockton is a slightly spicier, fuller smoke. I like the two equally. When I want that fullness with a little spice I reach for Stockton, and when I want a slightly sweeter experience I go with Dark Twist. There is NO bitterness whatsoever with Stockton. If you are looking for an unadulterated tobacco experience with a bit of sweetness, you can't go wrong with Stockton. Aging really brings out the natural sweetness with this leaf. Stockton is a wonderful, full-tasting experience and garners a solid highly recommended from me!
A very satisfying, natural tobacco smoking experience. One of the best room notes I have ever experienced in a tobacco. After several bowls, already a favorite. I have found Mac Baren tobaccos to be some of the best I have ever smoked in 34 years of pipe smoking. During the day of the brick and mortar tobacconists that I used to frequent, I never saw Stockton and that is the only reason I never tried it until now. I see I have to make up for lost time. A highly superior offering from Mac Baren, having entered my weekly rotation. Compared to Dark Twist Roll Cake (which many have found similar), Stockton is a slightly spicier, fuller smoke. I like the two equally. When I want that fullness with a little spice I reach for Stockton, and when I want a slightly sweeter experience I go with Dark Twist. There is NO bitterness whatsoever with Stockton. If you are looking for an unadulterated tobacco experience with a bit of sweetness, you can't go wrong with Stockton. Aging really brings out the natural sweetness with this leaf. Stockton is a wonderful, full-tasting experience and garners a solid highly recommended from me!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 2015 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
One late afternoon I found myself picking through the final 3rd of a jar of Dark Twist Roll Cake wondering where all the tasty Cavendish-center coins had gone. I found myself wishing that I had an entire tin full of only them. It seems that I have a proclivity towards filling pipe after pipe with them, shunning the solid Virginia coins in the process; the tobacco equivalent of picking all the raisins out of a box of Raisin Bran. The joke was on me that day.
After a little research, I discovered that Mac Baren already somewhat anticipated my wish in the form of a blend called Stockton, and it’s excellent. Stockton’s flavor is a rich combination of earthy, sweet Virginia laced with a firm spicy and smoky quality that is nothing short of delightful. However, Stockton is not a dead-ringer for Dark Twist’s Cavendish coins. It’s less cased and as a result is more full-tasting and somewhat less inhibited. Stockton still has just a touch of Mac Baren’s signature Danish sweetening treatment but only the bare necessity needed for balance.
An absolute pleasure to smoke.
After a little research, I discovered that Mac Baren already somewhat anticipated my wish in the form of a blend called Stockton, and it’s excellent. Stockton’s flavor is a rich combination of earthy, sweet Virginia laced with a firm spicy and smoky quality that is nothing short of delightful. However, Stockton is not a dead-ringer for Dark Twist’s Cavendish coins. It’s less cased and as a result is more full-tasting and somewhat less inhibited. Stockton still has just a touch of Mac Baren’s signature Danish sweetening treatment but only the bare necessity needed for balance.
An absolute pleasure to smoke.
Pipe Used:
Briar and Cob
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 04, 2010 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
As in most aspects of life, it's all about what you're looking for as to whether of not you're satisfied. Reviewers that call good tobaccos bad because it's not to their taste are missing that point. This is excellent tobacco, well conceived and well executed. The flavor, as may have been mentioned, is akin to that of Kendal Kentucky...depending on the pipe, the orbit of the moon, etc. But since it's spun into little coins (sort of like 'demi-flake' or something) it smokes longer and for me, cooler...all good. I won't rehash all the technical stuff...that's been done...I'll just say that I seek out 'blends' that are, from light to dark, purer re: what I define as natural tobacco taste. In that regard this stuff easily has to be among the top 4 or 5 out there. Excellent product. Glad it's there. Will buy more.
Update: With more and more experience with this, my enjoyment grows. Is Mac B experiencing a comeback? Did they ever wain, except in my patronage? No answers, other than I'm kind of re-discovering Mac B blends and liking them to a degree I never did in the past...well, flakes anyway. The mantra: "Fold and stuff, light and puff. Burns to fluff." Good moisture level, fine burn, solid flavor. And via many vendors, a totally solid bargain!!! A tin for the price of a decent cigar? What's not to like?
Update: With more and more experience with this, my enjoyment grows. Is Mac B experiencing a comeback? Did they ever wain, except in my patronage? No answers, other than I'm kind of re-discovering Mac B blends and liking them to a degree I never did in the past...well, flakes anyway. The mantra: "Fold and stuff, light and puff. Burns to fluff." Good moisture level, fine burn, solid flavor. And via many vendors, a totally solid bargain!!! A tin for the price of a decent cigar? What's not to like?
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 15, 2007 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
I was smoking some Stockton on the way into work this morning and was thinking about the less than favourable reviews i have read about this Mac Baren mixture and feel compelled to put my two pence in. Stockton is just beginning to reach the colonies as it was judged by the importer to not be Mac Baren enough (read cased) until recently. If you like the more cased Mac Baren mixtures, this will not be your cup of tea. If you like heavy cased German mixtures like Blue Note, this will not be your cup of tea. And if you favour intellectually engaging (try glp's Westminster), complex mixtures with lots of complexity, this will not be your cup of tea. I have been told by a very reliable source who visited the Mac Baren factory, that Stockton is the least cased mixture they manufacture. It is mostly high grade Virginias that have been pressed into little "coins" without a lot of casing (all pipe mixtures have something that is not tobacco in them). (I believe the Cavendish component is VA based also). The pressing creates a very rich, but mild pure tobacco experience. It packs easily, lights easily, and smokes coolly down to a fine ash without any goop in the heal. It is pretty mono chromatic, but vanilla bean gelato is pretty monochromatic, but i like both a lot. It does not have a big hit of nicotine, but i am very sensitive to nicotine so this make me very happy. The room note is very spousal pleasing without being cloying. This is a very honest VA flake-type mixture that will make a certain segment of the pipe-smoking fraternity happy, but not others. I like this VA mixture a lot and have a bunch cellaring away as Gregory Pease has said, high-grade VAs cellar very well and develop great things for those who wait.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 2020 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Mac Baren - Stockton.
When I saw this on Smokingpipes I quickly snapped up a couple tins. Only a few as I don't like to be hoggish; it seems only fair to leave plenty for other pipers! However, when a blend's this good I sort of wish I had no conscience and had purchased EVERY tin!!
The cut looks roughly the same as Dark Twist. The coins are very charismatic in appearance. Although a lot has been broken away the remaining whole coins are smattered with tiny birds eye's of tobacco. It smells of sweet, ripe, Virginias, but not particularly 'cased'. Moisture? Perfect.
Ignition is easy and the smoke is sublime. The first quarter tastes a lot sweeter; as though cased with a drop of honey, maple, or something of the like. As expected from the tin-note, the Virginias are rich, ripe, succulent and sweet. I don't identify many, or any, of the caustic Va notes, I only get the opulent, luxurious ones! The cavendish Kentucky brings a good backbone to the flavour. Although it offers a touch of pungency in the form of a smokiness the cavendish process seems to have dialled the intensity down a notch or two! A bowl behaves brilliantly, necessitating hardly any relights, manufacturing a mid-temp' smoke, and not biting; well, IMO!
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: nice.
Stockton? Do I like it? Definitely. Would I buy more if/when available? Definitely. Would I highly recommend it? Definitely! Four stars:
Highly recommended.
When I saw this on Smokingpipes I quickly snapped up a couple tins. Only a few as I don't like to be hoggish; it seems only fair to leave plenty for other pipers! However, when a blend's this good I sort of wish I had no conscience and had purchased EVERY tin!!
The cut looks roughly the same as Dark Twist. The coins are very charismatic in appearance. Although a lot has been broken away the remaining whole coins are smattered with tiny birds eye's of tobacco. It smells of sweet, ripe, Virginias, but not particularly 'cased'. Moisture? Perfect.
Ignition is easy and the smoke is sublime. The first quarter tastes a lot sweeter; as though cased with a drop of honey, maple, or something of the like. As expected from the tin-note, the Virginias are rich, ripe, succulent and sweet. I don't identify many, or any, of the caustic Va notes, I only get the opulent, luxurious ones! The cavendish Kentucky brings a good backbone to the flavour. Although it offers a touch of pungency in the form of a smokiness the cavendish process seems to have dialled the intensity down a notch or two! A bowl behaves brilliantly, necessitating hardly any relights, manufacturing a mid-temp' smoke, and not biting; well, IMO!
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: nice.
Stockton? Do I like it? Definitely. Would I buy more if/when available? Definitely. Would I highly recommend it? Definitely! Four stars:
Highly recommended.
Pipe Used:
Peterson #03
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Two months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2018 | Medium to Strong | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
As stated in a previous review, Stockton Roll Cake is only the cavendish-centered coins from the Dark Twist. Dark Twist also has coins of Virginia. I really do like the smoky, woodsy taste of Stockton over Dark Twist. I believe it's the cavendish centered coins that give the latter its main flavor. Sometimes to me, Stockton can get a little bit too smoky in flavor, so what I like to do is take one tin of Stockton and one tin of Dark Twist, and combine it in a jar. I feel that the 1/3 Virginia coins to the 2/3 Cavendish-eyed coins is the perfect mixture. Stockton alone can give a very pleasing smoke with a good round taste, but I feel my mixture is "rounder". Room note is not great but not unbearable.
edit: apparently Stockton is not available in the US anymore... however Dark Twist is still available. If I do want the "BROBS MIXTURE" I'll have to pull out some of the 100% Virginia coins from Dark Twist!
edit: apparently Stockton is not available in the US anymore... however Dark Twist is still available. If I do want the "BROBS MIXTURE" I'll have to pull out some of the 100% Virginia coins from Dark Twist!
Pipe Used:
Many briars
PurchasedFrom:
National Cigar Store... Waterloo, Iowa
Age When Smoked:
2013 tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 09, 2014 | Medium | Very Mild | Full | Very Pleasant |
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.
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.
Pipe Used:
Lepeltier
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 11, 2015 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
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.
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.
Pipe Used:
Stanwell No. 95 "The pan"
Age When Smoked:
2 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 04, 2009 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
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!
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!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 05, 2009 | Very Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
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.
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.
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