Mac Baren Mixture Flake

I never thought I would give an aromatic 4 stars and especially one from the McBite stable, but that's exactly what I will do now. Mixture RR was my first "serious" tobacco a number of years back and I have smoked quite some pounds of it. It disappeared though from the rotation when I was introduced to all those nice virginia flakes around. Seeing the good reviews here, especially from some people I trust I decided to buy the flake version and give it a go. It is certainly MB Mixture but without the problems of the RR version. My method of packing is simply folding the flake in 4 and the size of pipe is a 2 to 3. Takes 2-3 matches to get it going but from there and on its just great. A very slow burning rate, attempts to rush it, result immediately in gurgling, but that's fine it should be sipped anyway. In the beginning, the strength is a bit too little but it becomes decent from mid bowl down. From mid bowl down also, the taste is a revelation. There are many layers, many surprises and the casing presents itself here and there, but in a nice way. Burns all the way down without goop. No tongue bite, even when I get impatient and overpuff once in a while. It's quite amazing for me, to look forward to the last part of the bowlful, its really good. The other thing is the room note. It is really good and the wife doesn't say a word, she even appreciates it! Also entering the room an hour after smoking, smells nice, not like an abandoned antique cellar! All and all this is back in the rotation and highly recommended.

Mac Baren - Mixture Flake. I always have a 'go to' flake kept open and this is the latest occupant for that position.

This fits the space for an all day smoke like a glove. There are added flavours that can be noticed but there's nothing that comes over too heady or aromatic. The main addition to the taste is the honey. It doesn't come over too syrupy but it gives the smoke a very nice sweet edge. I also get a fruity touch from this; it's not too strong but a slight citrusy sweetness.

The tobacco flavours are balanced to perfection. The leading role is taken by the Virginia's subtle and sweet grass tones with a delicate Burley nut addition and a relaxing role that can only be filled by Cavendish; this makes the smoke seem silky-smooth.

The nicotine amount is a bit below medium. It's not low enough to qualify as 'mild' but it definitely sits at mild to medium.

I feel this is a perfect all day smoke: slightly aromatic, a nice amount of N, good burning qualities and pleasant room note.

Highly recommended.

I am a fan of the semi rubbed version of this flake, so this was a non question for me. I saw this in a shop in Florida, and bought it without thinking twice. It is the same Scottish mixture that Macbaren is famous for. It is an awesome blend on all fronts, with exception of the tongue bite problem. Only thing to do for it is to smoke slowly. With the flake they did help on that end. It does burn nice and slow in this form. It is a bit moist out of the tin, so letting it set awhile is recommended. Otherwise, it is great whenever. The mixture was my all day for a long time, and I would recommend this anyone who asked. It smells great, tastes delicious and burns well.

I'm not sure you should rub this out very much. Macbaren uses only sugar water to top most of their mixtures, and sugar burns very hot and will burn your tongue badly. Smoking pipes has a You tube vid with the blend master talking about it if you care to look. It changed the way I smoke for the better to see it.

All you have come to expect from the classic Mixture... and more.

What a truly exquisite blend!

It's exactly Mac Baren's Mixture, but the flake format helps tremendously: load your pipe by simply folding the flakes and forming a plug, without rubbing them out, and you'll experience a wonderful hour/hour and a half of smoking.

Like Mixture, it has a wonderful biscuity and slightly honeyed taste which manages to be rather natural too: while cased, it is done rather subtly and elegantly, without chemical goop. It still does taste of true tobacco, only tamed by the artful skill of Danish tradition. Sweet, nutty, slightly earthy: really a masterful blend of Virginia, Burley and Cavendish. The beauty of this blend is that none of the single components shines in itself: it's the overall interplay that captivates.

Being in flake format, it smokes more slowly, drier and cooler, and lasts longer. Taste is much more intense, without being overwhelming. Actually the tin aroma, while still mouth-watering and very biscuity/honeyed, seems to me a little more soapy than the rubbed out Mixture: not a problem, as it still is very pleasant.

Sure, it can still a bit sharp and mouth-drying (especially if you puff a bit too strongly, which can happen since it burns so neatly), but it's an enormously enjoyable, low-maintenance and never tiresome blend.

My wife loves the smell (and she usually is VERY fussy: she hates English, she hates Balkans, she hates pure Virginia, she hates cloyingly sweet aromatics), and that is a bonus.

I'd recommend smoking it in a medium-sized pipe: too small a bowl will not give it enough time to develop and won't fulfill you completely (since it's a very mild/light blend in nicotine), too large a bowl will lead to a slightly monochromatic and watery final part of the smoke (though it still is better than many other tobaccos under this point of view).

Little known, but highly recommended (and please bear in mind that I have always been a lover of strong English/Balkan blends for the past 7 years, and that I used to find most of Mac Baren tobaccos completely uninteresting, lacking of interest and flat up to a couple of months ago!)

It's been in the humidor for years nowm, and never tried. Was it age, (my own or the tin's) but I was very, very pleased in it's opening. I'd thought after much "spending", that my Brown Clunee was as good as the Vprs were going to get. But, as the saying goes;.......with a little GlenMorangie .....I'm in heaven! There's also a tin of their Navy Mixture, and I'll talk to you after thats opened. Can't wait, just hope the "Scotch" holds out!

Mixture Scottish Blend is my daily smoking for over 10 years. Flake mixture,cooler smoke is sweet and creamy as the original cut.A great success of sublime mixes and easy day after day. Highly Recommended.

I really enjoy this Macbaren offering. It's been described well enough before me quite well, I especially agree with the "morning smoke" quality of this blend....highly recommended, just remember, it is a danish flake and will smoke hot if you rush it. A pipesmoker should never rush his pipe.

Mild and slightly sweet flake , this one have a delicous nutty flavour. Great for a morning smoke

Absolutely wonderful. Easy to smoke, and as mentioned, a relatively cool smoker. Finally, I get to enjoy the taste of Mixture without suffering from tongue bite!