Mac Baren Mixture Flake

This is the flake version of Mac Baren's successful Mixture Scottish Blend. However, it's not as freely available as the the ready rubbed.

Just like its twin it's a blend of at least 35 different tobaccos (Virginia grades, Burley, Original Cavendish) with a sublime indistinctive flavoring. The tin note has the typical slight hay and honey-like smell.

I smoke it using the fold and stuff method for filling my bowl. After the charring light I level out the ashes before the true light.

The taste is just as unobtrusive as its scent. There's a fine honey sweetness, which mostly comes from the Virginias in the blend and appears a little bit more pronounced than in the ready rubbed version, and there might as well be some sublime Whisky flavoring. It's also a mild smoke, that can be enjoyed all day, burning slowly and coolly. Even if you don't like aromatics, you might give this one a try. There's no danger of ghosting.

The room note is rather pleasant.

I found the tin while looking for MB Navy Flake and noticed it was already 8 years old. I figured it was worth purchasing for that reason alone. Smoked it with pipe buddies after a good evening meal and in the morning on an empty stomach. Very little nicotine, which, for me, is not a positive. Some will like that, though, so to each his own. If you smoke this fast, it will bite, so beware. The honey flavoring is nice when sipped slowly. It lasted almost to the end of the bowl. The aroma is very pleasant. Retrohales comfortably until it gets a little harsher toward the bottom of the bowl. I intend to mix what I have left with something to increase its strength. Not bad at all, but not for me in the future.

I'm still working on this stuff. On opening the tin, it's aroma is really odd. I can't describe it's scent. It's not too moist and not too dry. It smokes quite differently, depending on which pipe I'm using. In a H.I.S. straight pipe, it's not worth mentioning, but in my Willard Adjustomatic straight pipe, it's quite a pleasant smoke. Also, with the more that I smoke this blend, I keep detecting new undertones. I also don't rub this one out too much. It burns well, and doesn't leave any noticable residue. In the H.I.S. it burns a bit hot, and can give your tongue a bit of bother, so puff this one slowly. When I'm halfway through this tin, I'll come back and do a further evaluation...

2/3/08 OK, I don't buy tins of tobacco very often, so I've suddenly discovered that tobacco packed in tins, goes through some kind of magical change, after it's had time to sit for awhile. So far I can only refer this theory to Mac Baren products, but so far it's a theory that holds some credence. This blend - Mixture Flake - can still put a bite on ones tongue, but if puffed gently, it's a pretty good smoke.

a typical macbaren blend, which is not a bad thing. But it is a bit too sweet for anyone used to Gawith or McClelland. It can also get a bit hot, so puff slow. Not unlike Scottish flake by the same company. Or symphony. All of the standard classics by Macbaren are pretty close to each other in their intent. Good stuff if you want mild and monotone.

Mild, good tobacco taste and smells, but the sugar water additive makes it smoke hot and can give bite. Very little nicotine. An okay smoke for those who like mildness and can smoke slowly. Won't buy it again.

Mixture Flake is a good looking flake in the tin and many will find the moisture level ready for the pipe. The scent is a bit medicinal and fruity. I prefer to break into larger pieces and fold and stuff them. The first half of each bowl offers up a tasty flavor that didn’t bite me, but did burn warm if pushed at all. The flavor is constant without any real complex flavor showing through which was a bit of a surprise considering the number of tobaccos used. When pushed, the flavor tends to become mottled. When it comes to food comparisons, they are often very subjective, but my stab at it would be a bit of browned white toast with a little bit of jam with each playing a noticeable role. The strength is mainly mild for the first two thirds of the bowl and jumping to medium at bowl’s end. The Cavendish and topping offer up most of the noticeable sweetness. If I were to base my experience on just the first half of each bowl it would be a top notch aromatic flake. But the second half of each bowl became a bit acrid for me. It’s not quite a three star blend for me and I wouldn't seek out more than just the 100g tin I purchased. Two and a half stars.

Sigh...I had high expectations with this one, which is hard to find.

Unfortunately, not for me. Way too mild. It barely has any taste.