Mac Baren Harmony

I agree with other reviewers who say that Symphony burns hot and doesn?t taste like much. I have gotten it to taste good in a very large bowl (3/4 x 2 1/4?). If you make it to the bottom quarter of the bowl, it can taste nice, the smoke has the sweet honey tin smell coupled with black tea, with notes reminiscent of that good smell when someone nearby has just lit a cigarette. The problem with this tobacco is that its very difficult to get the burn rate just right, almost impossible the first three-quarters of the bowl; mostly it?s too hot and somewhat bitter and sharp in the nose. Some tobaccos are finicky but will reward the smoker with a burst of intense flavor once you get the rhythm just right. Symphony is Very finicky and the reward for getting the rhythm just right is only mildly interesting.

When I purchased this I was looking forward to the burley aspect of this blend and had not expected to find what appeared to be more of a virgina blend. That was ok as I like virgina blends also. However, I found once again, that these blends burn very hot for my taste. There is something about these Danish or German blends that always set my mouth on fire! I have tried smoking slower to no avail. I wish it were not so, alas, I once again have a tin I probably will not finish!

After 5 bowls of this I wondered why I wasted my time. Oh yes, I remember..in scientific experiment, even if you fail, or are wrong, it is a success, because you know no to go down that road again. Ok, wait, wait...no in this case it doesnt make any difference....Tasteless, flat...are there people that actually smoke this?

This burley blend along with Mac Baren's others (except Navy Flake) are just horrorably flat and bland. Despite the listed ingrediants and the casing this is the most bland and unnotable of them all. Its' ingredients seemed to have rendered themselves into irrelevancy. It is comprised of burley with a smidgen of black cavendish and an undetectable amount of virginia. The tin aroma is suggestive of molasses. The taste is just nothing there. I can't figure out why all these years I have been smoking it is still there, still being made, smoked by whom? Somebody must like this but not I!

- Not Recommended

I believe this is now called Harmony. This tobacco smells pretty good in the can, but the taste is pretty uninteresting. On first light the Burley and Cavendish give you a little toasty sweetness that is not unpleasant. On down the bowl, the Virginias never really come out to play, and the Burley gets a bit strong and harsh. This is a fairly inexpensive tobacco, and I suppose that for the price it is fine, but frankly it is a bit boring. I can't imagine it being an all day smoke, because there is nothing to catch ones interest in the flavor department.

After drying some out I did find a hidden bonus: it is a great tobacco for blending with Mature Virginias and also overly sweet aromatics that you may like but find overbearing. I plan on using the remainder of my tin as a blending tobacco with some other flakes that need a little taming.

Yet another blend from Mac Biten that couldn't decide what it wanted to be, so it ended up being boring and hot. Molten lava in a tin.

I am unable to find a single redeeming quality in this blend.

Don't know what else to say about the MB offerings, and I have tried many....this is a mild, nice smelling, hot burning, boring flavored tobacco. Its burley base tries to offset the heat produced by the extra sugars added...at least not propylene glycol...I think they opt for natural sugars....but if you are into the cased tobaccos at a reasonable price then try this one out...just puff slowly or it will bare its fangs.

Soooo ! this one needs to be smoked really slowly I thought as my every day Peterson went into meltdown along with my tounge.later on that evening at home I had another go with it in an old Falcon and percevered. I took an hour to gently smoke one bowel full and it was one of the most blandest and tasteless tobaccos i have ever had.

i could not taste any Virginia and I cannot see how this could be be described as a Cavandish.Though the pouch aroma was not unpleasant. Even with very gentle smoking it left a slight soapy taste in my mouth.

i enjoy a lot of MacBaren's tobacco and they probobly sell a lot of this stuff or they would not make it.Perhaps it is one for the real experts to ponder over but if a tase is that difficult to detect is it worth it.

Because it is so tastless it is easy to mix in with any flavoured tobacco which is what I am going to do.