Mac Baren Amphora Black Cavendish Special Reserve

While there’s an ample amount of smooth black cavendish present (seemingly about 60% of the blend), it’s not nearly as sweet as I expected, so it’s obviously unsweetened for the most part, though I do get some sugar and vanilla from it. The Virginias are lightly grassy and very citrusy with a fermented taste, and touch of earth. The burley is toasty nutty, woody, mildly earthy with a minor molasses note, and at times, takes the lead. The Kentucky is fairly woody, earthy and a little sweet in a secondary role. The Oriental is a minor player, but offers a woody, earthy, floral, lightly sweet spiciness that you’ll continually notice. The toppings are licorice with a little fruit and caramel. They sublimate the tobaccos just a little without muting their complexity. Has a mild nic-hit. The strength is shade past the mild mark, while the taste is mild to medium. The tobacco is lightly moist, but requires no dry time. Burns cool, clean, creamy smooth with a very consistent, well balanced sweet flavor that doesn’t weaken or sport any harsh spots. Needs a minimal amount of relights. Leaves very little moisture in the bowl as it easily burns to ash. Has a pleasing after taste and room note. An all day medium sweet aromatic that bears repetition.

The earlier version (known simply as Amphora Black) is much the same as the above, except it was spicier, less creamier, a tad less sweeter, and stronger by a notch or two.

-JimInks

Very pleasant surprise for me. Was not expecting this to be as good as it is, I guess. Cavendish is not overly sweet and the combination of the different tobaccos all work together in unison to provide a solid smoke. Taste run from to subtle sweetness to woodsy to sour. A touch of fruit, vanilla and licorice play well in this mixture. Not a heavy hitter in The nicotine department but enough to satisfy. I have been smoking this codger style the last few days three bowls in succession. No harshness no bite, just good smoke. Will purchase again. Wish they had canisters or bulk though.

While there’s an ample amount of smooth black cavendish present (seemingly about 60% of the blend), it’s not nearly as sweet as I expected, so it’s obviously unsweetened for the most part, though I do get some sugar and vanilla from it. The Virginias are lightly grassy and very citrusy with a fermented taste, and touch of earth. The burley is toasty nutty, woody, mildly earthy with a minor molasses note, and at times, takes the lead. The Kentucky is fairly woody, earthy and a little sweet in a secondary role. The Oriental is a minor player, but offers a woody, earthy, floral, lightly sweet spiciness that you’ll continually notice. The toppings are licorice with a little fruit and caramel. They sublimate the tobaccos just a little without muting their complexity. Has a mild nic-hit. The strength is shade past the mild mark, while the taste is mild to medium. The tobacco is lightly moist, but requires no dry time. Burns cool, clean, creamy smooth with a very consistent, well balanced sweet flavor that doesn’t weaken or sport any harsh spots. Needs a minimal amount of relights. Leaves very little moisture in the bowl as it easily burns to ash. Has a pleasing after taste and room note. An all day medium sweet aromatic that bears repetition.

The earlier version (known simply as Amphora Black) is much the same as the above, except it was spicier, less creamier, a tad less sweeter, and stronger by a notch or two.

-JimInks

The tobacco in the pouch has a faint hint of fruit and alcohol. I don't smell vanilla which seems to be the ubiquitous black cavendish topping. It is more than half black medium ribbon mixed with some tans and browns.

The tobacco is delivered more moist than I might prefer. I smoked it without drying. Given the slightly moist nature of the tobacco, it is easy to pack too tightly if you are not paying attention.

By way of disclaimer, I should admit I am not usually a fan of black cavendish blends. Having said that, this one is pretty good to my palate. It is mild and a pleasant smoke. It is really tobacco flavored with licorice and fruit notes. I did not pick up and vanilla in it. There is a little spice and some burnt sugar when puffed. It is easy to keep burning at a slow pace and was a cool smoke.

Someone looking to try a good black cavendish blend should try this. I claim others will find it pleasant but a little thin.

I cannot imagine a better way to design a Black Cavendish blend. This tobacco has a fantastic pouch note (a complex mix of dark fruit, dehydrated fruit, licorice and others), which translates very well into the very first part of the smoke. The smoke is not dull and monotonous, because different flavors (the orientals, the BC...) come forward and alternate, giving a satisfactory and full smoking experience. At the beginning, the complex bouquet gives the impression of sipping a sweet dark liquor of "deep" fruity taste. The ribbon-cut mixture is mainly composed by sumptuous Black Cavendish, produced by double fermentation of quality Virginias. The burley is in the background, and never comes forward to waste the smoking experience with an unwelcome cigarett-ish whiff. By the end of the bowl, you feel you have taken up a fair dose of nicotine. I am glad to know that many EM lovers do not disdain having now and then a good smoke with this blend.

=>June 2022 update: I have the impression that in 2021-2022 the blend has been modified. Less black cavendish and more of a thin ribbon blond tobacco (burley?). The aroma has considerably changed, the depth and sweetness has partly gone. The pleasure given by the previous formula has partly faded away. I downgraded my rating.

Pretty nice smoke. Not a lot of sweetness here, but still pleasant. In the first half I get mostly Black Cav with some vanilla and caramel. The Kentucky with a nice smoky note and earth. The Oriental with a little sour wood and spice. In the second half the Burley comes and goes and the Virginias make a nice showing. Gets a little sweeter when the Virginias show up. Somewhat complex with a nice evolution. I could go 4 stars on this if the first half had a little more sweetness. 3 as is.

Medium in body and taste. Flavoring is very mild. Burn is excellent.

This is a review of the original Douwe Egberts version; the Imperial Tobacco Special Reserve Black Cavendish is reviewed separately.

This blend had no close substitute. Rather than being wet "in the pouch" as most black cavendish blends are, it was dryish yet cool smoking. The room note was rich, redolent of licorice, the smoke abundant; the taste mildly sweet and spicy in a delightful and hard to describe way. This was an expensively made blend disguised as "drugstore tobacco."

Not being a huge fan of black cavendish, I only dared buy this because it's Amphora Line. And this time I did hit a jackpot; it's a very good light aromatic, completely unpretentious and genuine tasting, with a smooth, full body. To me, the lead player in the pouch note as well as the smoke and the room note is the sweet vanilla, which thankfully does not feel chemical/fake at all. The tobacco is mostly black with a few shades of brown mixed in. My pouch was quite moist on the opening, almost greasy, and required a bit of drying out before being smokable; once it did it took to light well and smoked well to fine ash with the occasional relight. Rather long and wide ribbons too, so a bit of rubbing out is occasionally needed to pack well.

Very nice, and will be buying occasionally again if available.

Uno dei pochi Amphora buoni, ottimo a crudo e buono in fumata. Il sentore di liquirizia da metà busta in poi, nel suo essere ripetitivo, può stufare un po'. Facile da fumare può scottare lievemente la lingua. E' comunque un tabacco di eccellenza, tra quelli in busta.