Mac Baren Cube

OK, I'm afraid I have to disagree with my esteemed colleagues. It's been a while since I smoked an aromatic, barring the occasional Sail Yellow or Fribourg&Treyer Vintage cavendish, so I thought I'd give it a try based on the reviews here. It just reminded me of why I switched to English blends. The primary flavor is vanilla, and there are undertones of other casings. I suppose the room note may be considered pleasant, but I felt it was overpowering, rather like a 'Guido' at the local disco who's drenched in cheap aftershave. I rather regret buying this, now, seeing as it's pretty pricey. Ah, well. Maybe it'll improve with time. One may only hope. For now, I'm sticking to Nightcap and Raven's Wing.

This tobbaco is really quite goood. I'm unable to put my finger on the flavoring but it is definitely there but not so overpowering as some, i.e. Blue Note. Could flavor the pipe however.

Very unlike MacBaren's quality burleys like london blend and golden extra. This is merely expensive packaging and a slightly cased tobacco blend with hyped up advertising. I'm just glad I got to sample this and did not buy it.

Mac Barens isn't fooling anyone with this expensive, trendily pagackaged offering. For this money you could get a basket pipe and an ounce or two of bulk ! And I heartily suggest that the novice do exactly that.

Cube does smell nice, a combination of fruits, nuts and some kind of perfume. Not at all hot smoking, very unlike the more traditional "hot" MB blends, but lacking their subtlety and honest taste. Not for the lover of rustic, American burleys or English blends (as I am). A spineless tobacco with a delightful topping (but you could have guessed that going in).

As I prefer VAs, flakes and english-type blends usually, I´m always a bit aware from spending my money on a 100g tin of an unknown tobacco. But from time to time I´m looking for a change of pace and I try an aromatic. On my last visit at my local tobacco dealer, he highly recommended MacBaren Cube as one of the best aromatics available. Despite it´s rather pricey (I guess it´s the most expensive blend you can buy here in Germany) I followed his advice and gave it a try.

I must admit, MB Cube is really a wonderful tobacco. It comes in a nice silver-coloured, dice-shaped wooden box, you can still use as a tobacco container after finishing this weed. In the MacBaren line of aromatics it sure is the top blend. The flavoring (can´t really pick what it is) stays ´til the very end, not overwhelming the tobacco taste and leaves a very pleasant room note. For an aromatic lover this could be an ideal all-day smoke. What keeps me from a 4-star rating, only is the high price. If you´re into aromatics, try MB Cube, you won´t regret it.

8 out of 10 in my personal rating.

Very rarely will I smoke an aromatic blend, but this one was just a little different. This was not the goopey sugary topped tobacco that I would have expected. Rather an ecessence of tropical flavors. Cocconut, Vanilla, Black pepper, Berry in just the right amount, as it did not hide the flavor of the quality tobacco which serves as the foundation of this very interesting blend. This may not be for all but let me assure you, I am a tobacco purest, I do not like anything to get in the way of my tobacco flavor. This blend however can be a nice change of pace, a little bump in the road. Many blenders will hide inferior tobacco with heavy flavoring. Not here. Quality is first in the mind of this blender. I strongly urge my tobacco purest bretheren to try Cube, disapointment will be rare.