Mac Baren Amphora Black Cavendish Special Reserve

Opening the pouch the tobacco is rightly moist and fluffy, not greasy at all, pouch smell reveals something like coffee, licorice, spices and a slight sweet-tart fruity note, plums perhaps. Unlike many aromatics, the taste is quite coherent with the smell: just little sweetness, almost a dry taste with hints of licorice and freshly roasted coffee. SRBC has a good body with spicy Orientals in the forefront, or so it seems, difficult to say because all tobaccos are harmoniously melded by the Cavendish processing, it smokes cool without stings and leaves the bowl clean.

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

This Black Cavendish mixture still is, to this day, a favorite. But as tpatriarche pointed out, this tobacco is extremely - if not impossible- to find in Canada nowadays. When it was available in every good convenience, grocery or tobacco store I used to smoke it regularly.

The licorice pouch aroma is outstanding and the taste of the tobacco, nevertheless, tends towards a robust, almost unsweetened tobacco which I find outstanding because the crowd is pleased and the smoker is really pleased. And this leaf smokes dry until the end and leaves a nice aroma in the pipe.

If it would still be available I would buy it on a regualr basis but I think it has been discontinued. Too bad, it is a shame.

I have not been able to find this blend in Canada for years, but I remember it as the best of any major brand-name tobaccos I have tried. Compares favourably with many expensive custom-blend black Cavendishes. A smooth even smoke, with a strong but pleasant spicy aroma. Plenty of character, e.g. more character than E A Carey's black Cavendish blends.

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

This is not only black cavendish but black and golden cavendish. The description isn’t correct: the contents are all cavendish tobaccos but to be more precise we must speak of black and golden cavendish. Unfortunately this tobacco is a cake, a “panettone”, full of chemical additives and sugar. It is sickly sweet, cloying, too sugary. It is a perfume and not a tobacco. A product of low quality, crummy, unsmokable. Tobacco ‘s taste doesn’t exist. Perhaps this commercial product is ok for aromatic tobacco lovers but it is unacceptable for natural tobacco lovers. I am really disappointed and my score (from 1 to 10) is 1 and only a star.

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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.

Mac Baren - Amphora Black Cavendish Special Reserve.

Surprisingly the contents of the pouch aren't only black. There's a decent amount of medium and light brown ribbons also. The moisture's good when first opened.

The smoke. To be fair there's a more than notable amount of black Cavendish, but some of the stickiness is restrained by the other leaves in it. The Kentucky/Burley dries out the smoke, and adds a rustic note, while the Orientals give a spot of sourness. To be fair, I struggle to pick out the Virginia. The topping seems a little sweet, slightly glutinous, with a touch of coffee. It burns nicely, being mid-temp' and steady, giving a bite-free smoke.

Nicotine: mild. Room-note: pleasant.

Amphora Black Cavendish Special'? It's not bad, but I don't exactly 'love it'. Two stars:

Somewhat recommended.

I last smoked this back in the 1980s when it was readily available on the shelf of every CVS, Rite Aid, and the like (the good old days!), and I have been meaning to rekindle the acquaintance ever since Mac Baren reintroduced this to the US market. The pouch was fresh and ready for a smoke at just the right moisture content for me. The aroma was of black licorice, toffee and caramel. Very sweet but not cloying. Loading and lighting were easy as was keeping the bowl alight. The pouch aroma did lightly translate into the taste with this one along with a mild brown sugar sweetness till the bowl's end. The side stream aroma wafted in and out throughout the smoke and was quite pleasant. Perhaps just a smidge of a harsh, bitter taste at the outset, but not off putting. I was impressed with the ever present sweetness of the smoke which was very delightful and I could detect the flavor of Virginia leaf throughout. All in all a very nice mixture and a set it and forget it smoke. No heat or bite with this one either and it smoked clean and dry. Can be an everyday smoke for me and certainly nice to save this one for special occasions or when around non smokers. Well worthy of a 4 star rating from me.