Mac Baren Mixture Flake

Well, it came the time I could put my hands on this flake version of Mixture. I'm working hard through the first of three 100grms tins coming from Barcelona. Mixture Flake actually was in the list of tobaccos imported in Italy, but I was always simply unable to get one. Now it's been cancelled... what a mistery!

Same shape as the Navy Flake, both the tin and the flakes. Right moisture, ready to smoke by the fold and plug method. Lights easily and smokes cool, dry and almost biteless.

The aroma: I place it between Mixture and Navy Flake. I would say it's much more close to NF, just milder and gentler, very balanced and creamy, a true pleasure. A nice interplay between Virginias and Burleys, the spicy notes of the famous original Cavendish are in & out. It does not deteriorate after several relights.

The strength sticks around the mild notch, even milder than the RR version. Oh, I just would it a wee-bit stronger, this is the only complaint.

Mixture Flake is an absolute treasure. Like many other folk have mentioned in review of Mixture RR; great taste,fantastic smell, superior quality etc but that darn bite ruins the experience. Mixture Flake has for me, removed the fear and pain of bite, now I can finally enjoy a bowl of this wonderful tobacco the way it was meant to be enjoyed. It is not as sweet as RR but it seems to be more refined, elegant and creamy. Just a really great experience in smoking this blend. Will be buying much more to store away.

When I first got to college, in 1982 and still in the days when smoking was permitted just about everywhere including the dorms, I smoked Mac Baren "Golden Extra" and seem to recall having tried the "Scottish Mixture" as well. I'm glad to see that these two blends are being made available again, and I'm anxious to try GE and SM to see if they're what I remember.

Having said that, this tin of Mixture Flake is my first return to the Mac Baren brand since those days, as I became an English/Balkan/Oriental fan and didn't deviate from those.

Upon opening this tin, I was pleasantly assaulted by what I remembered as the typical tin aroma from the Scottish Mixture, which brought back pleasant freshman year college memories. My first pipeful was in a Savinelli "Bing's Favorite" without the filter system, packed according to the traditional "fold and stuff" method. I fought to keep the pipe lit, and ended up with one of the worst cases of tongue bite I've had in living memory.

I decided this time, in the same pipe, to pack the tobac in the rubbed out style, and the result is so far very satisfying. I'm having a bit of trouble with gurgling, but I suspect that's because this little pipe hasn't grown it's full-sized adult cake in the bottom. The ash is clean and white with some "bits", and the burn is even.

The smoke itself is truly wonderful. It started with no taste, then began to grow into a gently spicy-sweetness, faintly of cinnamon, and is now developing the honey/biscuity taste some have alluded to. And no bite, so far. Which is a good thing for me because I'm typically a fast puffer. Obviously, slow and steady sipping is better than days of burnt mouth. If it goes out, relight it for heaven's sake! Nobody's watching and keeping score.

I do believe I'm going to purchase a few more tins for cellaring, and will use it as a "go to" blend when nothing else sounds appealing.

If you like Mixture, you'll probably love this one. That same great 'honey and toast' taste in a cool smoking and flavoursome flake. It goes very well with a morning coffee.

A nice blend. Some what like Navy Flake. It is a very nice change, I keep both on hand. Fold it stuff it - enjoy it. A quality tobacco that you don't have to hold for a year or more. Enjoy it today. No bite, unless you abuse it. Worth the $$$$. This is a easy flake to learn to enjoy. Ready from the tin.

Almost the same flavor as the Mixture loose cut, with more nicotine, nice body and slow burning characteristics, however, I prefer the loose cut version with its honey/toasty flavor. Regarding tongue bite, I have never experienced any bite with any MB blend.

This is just a strange tobacco. I don't know what the flavoring here is but I just don't like it. The flavors here seem confused and muddled to may tastes. No tobacco stands out here and the sum of the parts just doesn't work. Maybe I am incapable of detecting subtleties in blends but Hey!,that's all I've got to work with.

As hard as I try I just can't seem to connect with any of MacBaren's blends.

Though I waffled at first whether to give this blend 3 or 4 stars, I must now give it 4 stars.

*-*-*-*

Why?

Well, it is a good, solid satisfying smoke with a VA-burley mix texture and tang. "What's that?" you say? Well, its what I call the tobacco flavors because I can't place them as compared to my regular experience with VAs and burley - this seems to be a hybrid of the 2 and they merge seamlessly for a light, round smoke.

Nice creamy, cake-ish topping that is faintly sweet. I don't get any fruit here, but others might of course. Very similar to Plum Cake without the fruity aroma.

My guess on the topping? I think it's the key flavoring in the tinned Danish Sugar/Butter Cookies folks give away at Christmas - but that's a secret too isn't it? :);)

If you like Plum Cake, you'll probably like this, but I would never have both on hand for myself because the are TOO much alike - one would do fine.

I get a little tingle like I do with a quality VA, but no overt biting to speak of - though I've no doubt the tingle could become a tangle if puffed too hard like anything else.

This seems for me to be one of those tobaccos I could smoke any time in any mood and enjoy to some degree and not be disappointed.

I smoked this in a bulldog 1/2 bent lattice meer so briar will likely produce different nuances.

If you are smoking this and find it bitey, try it in a meer.

Cheers and Good Draw to you,

Glorfindel ~~~~~~~~~~

This is my first review! My review is based on my second bowl of Mixture Flake in a straight cob pipe with a filter. The tobacco is presented nicely in neat slices. This is notable since another tin of flake I purchased recently looked like it was thrown into the tin without care. The tin smell was a bit too sweet for my taste, but had a nice raisin/prune scent to it. I folded the flake and packed it into the bowl in accordance with illustrated instructions on the Mac Baren website. Another nice touch from the company. After drying the flake for a few days, three touches with a lighter was all that it took to get the burn going. Smoke volume was good and so was the flavor. The slightly sweet spice of the tobacco complimented the chilly day, bringing to mind a nice fireplace and Christmas. This is an excellent cold weather tobacco! I also found the casing to combine well with the tobacco. Strength and Taste were definitely on the mild side of medium. While the bowl did get a bit too hot at times, the flavor stayed consistent and did not get harsh. Since I was outside I cannot comment much on the room scent. Mixture Flake is not the most complex or challenging tobacco, but holds its own as something I will keep around when I am in the mood for something spicy, sweet, and easy to smoke.