Mac Baren Norwood

This blend's character is situated between Golden Xtra and Scottish Mixture. It's predominately Burley with a lessor amount of Virginia and a characteristic top flavor of MB's main line of Virginia/Burley blends. I consider it cool enough to be classed as mild. More bold puffing may produce the sensation of a little heat that MB is famous for but, nothing like Scot's Mixture or VA #1. The extra Virginia while remaining a Burley base blend makes this blend a success for me. My complaint about most of their other Burley tobaccos has been their utter blandness. That extra Virginia gives it a more rounded character, sweetness and body while the predominance of Burley keeps it cool. It's overall character, flavor and aroma is sort of a much milder version of Scot's mixture base tobacco without the black cav. as previously mentioned. This isn't just a blended mixture of different Burley and Virginia tobaccos but a singular ready rubbed cake consisting of these ingredients which makes it a most harmonious smoking tobacco. A more satisfying and superior blend over MB's straight Burley tobaccos IMO. Definitely recommended.

To expand upon the header description of this blend, quoting, in part, from the label on the bottom of the tin, ?A ready-rubbed blend dominated by selected Burley tobaccos and with a small part Virginia tobacco. Due to the special treatment, the burley tobaccos develop a gentle and natural chocolate flavour. When smoked, Norwood will give you the pleasure of the real Burley taste in combination with the special Mac Baren flavour.?

I found the tin description to be accurate with the exception of ?ready-rubbed.? Many of the MB tins state the blend is ready rubbed. If MB told me that a one-armed, blind man rubs out their tobaccos, I would believe and accept it. However, the tobacco is more of a broken flake in the tin, some small flakes, some larger and some tobacco that looks as if it actually has been ready-rubbed. As such, I always have to ?massage? MB blends further to my liking before I fill the bowl.

But the remainder of the tin description ringed true for me. Norwood is a mild to medium light aromatic that has a developing, subtle, modestly sweet, chocolate flavor that doesn?t overwhelm the honest burley taste. The blend is one-dimensional in this regard. I experienced no bite or a hot smoke as many others complain about with MB blends. This is puzzling to me. Although I liked Norwood, it is not something I would purchase on a regular basis nor can I berate it. The blend is as described. If you don?t like your burleys with a subtle chocolate flavor, you can skip this blend but for a nice change of pace smoke, NOR ?WOOD? do nicely!

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this blend 8.9 out of 10.

If you like VA/Burley blends this one will please as a working smoke. With a very mild flavoring this blend still offers real tobaccy taste of sweet VA and nutty Burley. Burns slow but as with any VA and or Burley, overpuffing results in a sore tounge.

Strong enough, without a bite to it. A very pleasant aroma from the tin. Tobacco w/o any "finesse". I enjoy it as a solid smoke in the woods after a hunt around stout friends.

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Update No. 2004 After having discovered MB Burley London Blend I have to downgrade my rating on Norwood. It only occasionally finds its way into one of my pipes now, since anything it can do-Burley LB can do better. Just the "roomnote" is a little more fresh, invigorating and interesting for bystanders. But as indicated above I mainly smoke outside-so who cares about a "roomnote"? Midsibirian