Mac Baren No.8 Limited Edition

I was eager to try this blend from McB and ordered 2 boxes online from the good people at pipesandcigars.com. I just did not quite get into this aromatic and found it hard to finish about 60gr of this offering from MacBaren, who mostly offer very consistent and good pipe tobaccos when considering the price. Hence my long opinion below to put things in perspective.

When forming an opinion on a pipe tobacco, and before offering a review which could influence others, I pay attention to the what-where-when-how. I keep my tobacco at 70% humidity and 21 degrees C. I would dry whatever I'm about to smoke at room temperature for about an hour. I smoke at least 1 tin or 50gr over time, I use different pipes which I clean before returning to this blend, I smoke in a peaceful environment away from drafts where I can relax and enjoy 3 or 4 pipes full at a time and fill the room with that smoke. I refrain from using silica filters and choose my accompanying drink, if any, carefully. I prefer a neutral drink with my pipe, mostly coffee ? neutral in the sense that it prepares my palate rather than work against the tobacco, which is the case for as an example, wine. I light my pipe using a soft butane flame, not a match. My views are based on smoking 60gr of this tobacco over about 4 weeks.

Presentation is beautiful with the tobacco being kept in a foil sachet inside a wooden box. The aroma straight from the packet is intriguing and I detected much of what is said in the manufacturer's description ? exotic or tropical fruit and sweet spice, definitely cinnamon and vanilla and then some other more subtle aromas. The tobacco packs well and lights easy. I did not find it hard to keep it alight but the tobacco did not burn into a soft ash, rather more of a charcoal cake.

Alkaline bite was more than noticeable, not harsh but somewhat uncomfortable. I tried smaller filter pipes, pipes with larger bowls and dry systems, bent and straight, but I could not find a combination which really resulted in an all round pleasurable smoke. The tobacco mostly burnt hot.

The smoke delivered top notes including a little vanilla and what reminded me of fairground candy ? those big multicoloured twisted candy sticks. The base notes delivered the part which I think the manufacturer called 'sweet spice' but I mostly tasted nutmeg which came across as a stale taste with little wood or dark spice resulting in an unbalanced smoke which just did not satisfy. I was also left with a wax-like feeling in my mouth after every pipe.

This tobacco was a disappointment as an aromatic and I ended up mixing the second pack with a predominantly burley-based tobacco (50/50 with McB Golden Blend) and have put it away for further mellowing and aging. There are far better options if you're looking for an aromatic and beyond my mix which I'll try again in 3 months, I won't be buying this again. HG, South Africa

A new tobacco from Mac Baren always sees some money exchanging hands by me. This tobacco is apparantly a limited edition and comes in a nice, square wood effect black box. Inside is a gold tin foil bag which upon opening reveals a medium cut mixture of golden Va, sliced burley flake and black cavendish. So far so Mac Baren but the very fruity flavouring is a bit of a disappointment, it has all been done so much by others including MB with the Cube. This tobacco would have benefitted greatly from a diferent flavour, perhaps some rum or something like cognac, or else little flavouring at that! But whereas the cube is a mostly mild smoke, this No.8 packs some punch in the strength department for an aromatic at least. The quality of leaf is top notch with the usual MB interplay of virginia, burley and cavendish. At the moment I am smoking the new Cube Gold, and it is a bit of a disappointment, not the same quality at all. All flavouring and not much tobacco flavour. Not so with this No.8 but the flavouring is a bit much. It does get better with some airing though. In all a flavourful, fairly full smoke for lovers of an aromatic fruity tobacco only. Rob Update 17-06-2008 I read on te MB website that they are planning the release of a No.9 later this year

It is a different kind of blend for McBaren. Incredibly aromatic but with a hot bite i think comes from the sweet Virginia that is cooking pretty hot. I use a fairly chunky pipe and it got too hot to hold. After a while it settled down and I absolutely loved it! The aromatic is wonderful if you can wait for the bite to pass.

Fruity is the best word to describe the taste.

Mac Berens No.8 Ltd.

While I'm on "Aros Revisited" kick I have started into N.8. It's a weird weed in deed. The first thing that struck me odd was the box.... That's right, a box, no tin here. Next, my nose was slapped with what I can only describe as Flowers. Now I not a botanist so Im sure someone else more Gardening Skilled than me, can clarify. And guess what? The first quarter of the bowl taste of flowers, which is normally off putting to me.

If you like a blend or two of Mac Berens then you will recognize the cavedish flavor. For those trying a Mac Berens blend for the first time this could be a good intro to Mac Berens aromatic blends. This Cavendish does not seem as strong as in some of their other blends, so I resolved to see just how bad it could be. And I found it not bad, I could survive.

After the first quarter the Cavendish starts honk'n as the floral display begins to fad. The second half of the bowl grows into a wonderful mix of very high grade leaf with a slight if not delicate floral background. Exactly what casing Mac Berens is using I couldn't tell you, but it's good. Mac Berens No.8 and W.O. Larsen's Old Fashioned two end of the counter at the ice cream store. It is kind of like Vanilla and Piña Colada. I can eat Vanilla any time while its Piña Colada when the mood hits. I like them both and I will be sad when No.8 become unobtainum but not heartbroken. If you're in the mood to go a little deeper into the aromatic world, give this a shot it could be something you might well enjoy. Three Stars for this high quality weed.

Simply wonderful and I love this classy blend !, After trying one tin of this I ordered 3 more.

This is a European style, candy aromatic blend with high quality tobacco and with fruit, coton candy, vanilla and caramel aroma and taste, the room note is wonderful and the flavor is delicious and unique, this tobacco will please the eye and palate, with no tongue bite.

If you do enjoy Danish classy aromatic blends (i.e. w.o.larsen signature or mac baren cube) , buy one or two tins of this today because it is a limited edition.



Otherwise just look elsewhere.

I didn't not really care for this, and I enjoy aromatics.

If you like to smoke orange sherbet, this is your tobacco. Otherwise, the extent of its merits are the pleasant room note

Good gosh, this is taste wide to an aromatic what a full Latakia is to an English. You can almost eat this. It is the strongest tasting aromatic without Latakia I think I've ever tasted. To me, it is a fruity dark cherry taste, bursting with body. The first half is a flame thrower until a lot of the casing burns off then it settles down into just a fruit punch so to speak. It smells wonderful in the pack and in room aroma, and once I adjusted to it, it was OK, with a perfume like aftertaste and soap like mouth feel. I am going to mix the rest with a bland burley to tame it down a lot as if it were not so in your face it might be pleasant. But geez, you could taste this stuff just by smelling it. I cannot see myself ever buying anymore of this.

A nice aromatic from MacB, very fruity with a wonderful musty earthy undertaste. There's just a hint of vanilla, it's quite similar to Peterson's Connoisseur's Choice and of similar quality. If you like quality fruity Aro's, you'll like it.

I'm a Mac Baren enthusiast and this luxury wooden box made me happy upon receipt. The marvellous aroma from the pouch came to strengthen this feeling. Unfortunately, when I tried it, I felt the worst tongue bite I've ever experienced. What a pity!

Mac Baren No. 8 Limited Edition. Hmmmm, Limited Edition, bought five, Gave one my to my best friend. Comes in a cool little black wooden box. So far the box is the coolest thing I can find about it.

The decent aroma never breaks through the pipe, which is a shame because the note from the pouch is very nice. The pouch aroma is more complicated than the flavor from the pipe. I'm working my way through the second pouch, the third aro' pipe and just can't find any interest in this stuff. I'll let the last two wait a couple of years.

This is quality tobacco from MacB's, but thank goodness we have so many different tastes and tobaccos.