Mac Baren 7 Seas Royal Blend

I have sailed most of the 7 seas at this point, and found most of them to be good smokes, with Black being the best. Royal blend is, however... (drum roll), just another good blend.

The product is quite moist from a liberal amount of toppings which give off a rum, cinnamon, and fruity vapor. Packs densely and is slow to light, but keeps a hot ember once rolling. Once lit, the flavors become less pronounced and everything fuses to a generic light sweet taste.

It is a good product with low nicotine and an easy approach. A good starting point for those new to aromatics, but once you drive around the aromatic block a few times, you likely won't revisit this house. The large 3.5oz tin with a comparable to cost to other 1.75oz tins, is a fantastic deal on a quality product (which could bump up the rating for cost conscience).

A typical citrus of burley and without heavily aromatized by black cavendish. Even I taste a little vanilla or more like a "caramel" when I get the 1/4 of the bowl. Still, it may give a bad tongue bite, when smoked hot, unsurprisingly.

One interesting thing is it gives pretty much the same feeling when you "smell" it and when you "smoke" it. This happens quite rare to me. Either I say a heavy aromatic and experience something lesser aromatic, or vice-versa, but specifically this blend gives a taste similar to its smell. This is the biggest reason of my sincere recommendation.

When I think of the days of when most Americans bought their pipe tobacco at the corner drug store or local tobacconist I imagine this is the type of tobacco they bought. I got it as part of an aro sampler from P&C. Smoked a bowl or two and then jarred it and it's been sitting for over a year. I really don't recall what the first few bowls were like but they didn't leave an impression either. I decided to give it a try again today. There's definitely a vanilla/fruit note to the tin/jar scent. The light was pretty easy and a thick white, delectable smelling smoke. The taste is of vanilla, some honey and a fruit that I can't quite place. There's a definite sweetness from the Virginia and a nuttiness from the burley and they all play nicely together with each coming to the front at different times during the smoke. It paired well with my afternoon coffee and left no goop in the bowl. 2 stars because it's a good smoke and doesn't suck but doesn't rate as highly as the others I have reviewed

I tried this one after convincing myself to give aromatics another chance: of that, I regret. While the smell in the pouch is pleasant, when lit it gives out practically nothing. From time to time, something gives a sweet component that makes you think the best is coming out, but then it fades back. If smoked hot, it has an unpleasant and chemical acid flavour. Since smoking is no good to your health, smoke something worth it, not this one.

OUCH! My poor tongue. Mac Baren Royal Blend has a nice, interesting, and delicate aroma in the bag. I would describe it as cocoa and apple. It also has a pretty decent flavor, when you still have working tastebuds.

Unfortunately, it smokes pretty hot and wet, even though mine seemed pretty dry in the bag.

The real killer on this one is tongue bite. From the first puff to the last, this tobacco is attacking my tongue. My understanding is that different tobaccos affect different people in this manner, so I'd say the rest of the attributes are worth trying this in a small quantity, in the hope that it doesn't bite you.

Being a Brit, I have never had the pleasure of any of the Capt Black blends. Advised that they are run of the mill, undistinguished products, and that MacBaren have replicated them under the 7 Seas umbrella, I expected little of note. I have enjoyed this blend for what it is - an enjoyable aromatic with a sweet and cake-like flavour profile. I don't expect anything other than an uncomplicated smoke which stands as a nice change from Balkan and English blends. Taking these caveats, this a really pleasant aromatic. It is no Rattray, but it does what it says on the tin if used as a pace changer against heavier blends.

Better smoked fresh from the pouch as flavours tend to mute when on the dry side. Can obviously be rehydrated, but loses something in the process. Can also burn hot and warm the tongue if not careful, as is true of all MacBaren blends. Recommended, nevertheless.

A really nice smoke! I've tried Mac Baren tobaccos off and on my entire pipe smoking life. Some blends are really good and some are okay. I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever had a bad smoke with Mac Baren tobaccos. I've tried other blends and keep coming back to theirs. I purchased a 1oz bulk of Mac Baren 7 Seas Royal and I have to say it's fantastic! The smell out of the bag is great--a little sweet smell with some hints of chocolate or butter-rum in addition to the smell of the virginias and the cavendish. Just a well rounded smell. The char light was great; a semi-sweet taste that tasted just like the smell. As I continued to smoke it, no bitter after taste, no tongue bite, and every now and again, a really nice sample of that buttery-rum. Just an all around great smoke! This just might be the all-day smoke I've been looking for.

honey and vanilla...a very nice blend that leaves a nice taste in mouth...very well balanced..a real crowd pleaser...one of 105 blends in my collection and a keeper

An decent, light aromatic tobacco. I get semi-sweet amaretto, vanilla, and macadamia nut taste mixed with a woodsy, natural tobacco flavour. About 2/3 through the bowl, that woodsy, natural tobacco flavour starts to come through more prominently. Room note is exactly the same as taste- amaretto, vanilla, and macadamia nuts- and by far Royal has the best room note out of all the Seven Seas blends. No artificial taste and very little bite. But as with most aromatics, it should be properly dried before smoking (~30 seconds in the microwave is the quickest and most convenient way).

** Minus two stars because this blend really isn't an all-day smoke. Even after proper drying, it still starts to burn my tongue after 3 or 4 bowls. Amphora Black Cavendish Special Reserve is a much better alternative. It doesn't bite like Royal does because it contains much less propylene glycol. Why must most MacBaren tobaccos bite so much? Hey MacBaren, lay off the PG! **

Proper dryness and air flow is the secret to getting the most out of this tobacco (and most aromatics). Here's a step-by-step guide on how I recommend smoking it:

1. Properly dry it out. Upon first opening a new pouch, the tobacco will be quite moist. It should be dried some before smoking. I dump the full pouch out on a large plate and spread it thin. I then microwave it on high setting for ~30 seconds. After that, I remove the plate from the microwave and let it air cool for about 45 minutes (more humid conditions will require a longer drying time). Then back into the pouch it goes. This drying out process only needs to be done once for each newly-opened pouch.

2. Gravity fill your pipe just below the top of the bowl. (I recommend unfiltered half-bent pipes for a cooler and more flavourful smoke). When I say gravity fill, I mean dumping the tobacco into the pipe. No packing or pushing. None. Zero. Now after the first gravity fill, lightly tamp the tobacco using only the weight of the tamper. Now gravity fill again a second time to just below the top of the bowl. By filling the pipe this way, you will get maximum air flow. The tobacco will burn better, and the smoke will be cooler and more flavorful.

3. Light the bowl. It will require two or three charring lights. After the second or third charring light, lightly tamp the tobacco down only using the weight of the tamper. Don't push it. Now light it again and it should stay lit for quite a while. I find that matches work best for the charring lights.

4. Dump ash as needed, but don't push down hard with the tamper. Only use tamper weight.

5. Stir it. Near the bottom of the bowl, you may need to stir the tobacco up a bit to burn the last of it.