Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired

Had you asked me about Mac Baren before I tried this, I would have said I don't like Mac Baren tobaccos. I still don't like them, but this one was love at first light, it's just good quality tobacco taste all the way through, from first light all the way to the end, just a smidgen over medium in strength, could even be an all day smoke as it gets closer to winter. This is another one I make sure I have a small stockpile of.

1 August 2019

Just wanted to update room note :-

One of the few tobacco's I smoke that meets with both wife and dog approval !!!

This is a full flake in the finest tradition which puts FVF in its place. The tin-note is heavenly with that almost offensive fermented power that one instinctively knows signals a bold smoke. The first-light suggests wonderful things and then there is the taste some of us have been searching for for a long, long time. This is a quality rendition of "real tobacco", with ever-increasing taste, not a hint of bite and clouds of full, unctious smoke. I personally find that it rises in strength to an almost overwhelming degree then, afer a rest, returns to normal as the moisture evaporates to make the final third far more enjoyable than I had anticipated. I feel it is a testament to the blender's art that the the nicotine content is about as reasonable as one could expect for such an up-front offering- I was a bit shaky but not overhwelmed. It is a little stronger than I am comfortable with as a broken flake but rubbed out it is more or less perfect. No gurgling, no casing (that I can detect), no ashy dissapointment at the end. There is much more going on than in Peterson's Irish Flake, which tastes black and un-nuanced in comparison- think Condor Long Cut with an added nutty-citrus note and absolutely no perfume. I plan to dial it down a touch with 10% Union Square to add yet more expansiveness to the taste, but this is a work in progress. McBaren have for some time now, had a reputation as a "beginner's brand"- this is certainly not the case for HHODF. It is the real deal. All you pipist who have to have IF or CLC to find a satisfying pipe take note; there is a new sherrif in town.

Addendum: I have subsequently mixed HHODF with GLP's Union Square, approx 50/50 ratio and rubbed out to approx a broken flake consistency then allowed to marinate for a couple of days in a large jar with enough air in it to allow both tobaccos to breath. This mixture is quite possibly the best tobacco I have ever tasted in my life. Due to the differing strengths and palates of the two blends, the HHODF is dialled down to about 70% but the piquant, citric Va from US does not overwhelm, serving instead to make the ODF serve as a basenote to a complex smoke- think rasperry coulis on top of a bitter dark chocolate sauce, with the perfect lemon sponge in the middle. These tobaccos were made for each other. Truly exceptional.

Well, never been a fan of the HH series (which is weird, since I love some of Mac Baren's classic blends), and I had no big expectations for this one since I don't love dark fired burley too much.

This is a stout and very traditional flake, something a bit like Orlik Dark Fired Kentucky in taste, but less extreme.

A well done tobacco: nice rubbery flakes, good presentation, easy to pack and smoke, and it packs a good flavour punch. What's not to like then? Well, something's got to do with my personal taste: I prefer my flakes on the sweet and sour side, not on the "earthy and cigar-like" one. While I can enjoy some burley in my blends, I don't like it to be so dominant. Of course if you like earthy, cigar-like, woody notes, you'll probably love this one. What I can objectively say, though, is that the flavour evolution is quite lacking: like this taste profile or not, you will get it from beginning to end with almost no variation (apart from some increased bitterness in case of wet/hurried smoking). And this is my main gripe with the HH series: all these blends seem a bit too monolithic for me, with none of the subtle interplay of the coin cut or flake blends that MacBaren offers.

Nicotine is slightly heavy, but nothing particularly troublesome.

A decent tobacco, then, if you like the style. But again, I think you might find some more complex blends of this kind out there.

HH Old Dark Fired - Part 2 of 6 - MacBaren HH Flake Reviews

In honor of the just released MacBaren HH Rustica Flake (that I received three tins of yesterday) I will be reviewing the five previous HH Flakes leading up to a final review of that new release. I feel all tobacco requires a “Cool Down” period after you open the tin. A minimum of a month so the prior five HH Flakes will give me enough time to get Rustica ready for my liking. With that said: here is Part 2 of 6 . . . of my MacBaren HH Flake Series Reviews.

During my short journey enjoying the pipe tobacco hobby, I have had the privilege of smoking many different blends. My best guess would be around 500 and around 300 currently accessible. With such variety it can be difficult to focus on a certain tobacco at times. It is called “The Paradox of Choice” or what I like to refer to it as: “First World Problems”. Admittedly being a creature of excess, I welcome it. But I am also all too aware of the inherent biases that come with such variety. Namely my fondness of some of the very first tobaccos I have ever tried.

MacBaren’s HH Old Dark Fired was the 25th pipe tobacco that I have had the pleasure of smoking. It was also the very first tobacco I have tried with Dark Fired Kentucky. Yes, I keep record of the tobaccos I have tried. See for yourself under opened: https://sites.google.com/site/bndpipe/inventory It came to me highly recommended by pretty much everyone at my local tobacconist. But I didn’t purchase my first tin until watching a review of one of the most respected as well as missed YTPC members . . . John Harden aka Matches860. You can see his original review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcrCAsIC2SI

Matches did his review of HH Old Dark Fired with his famous: “Friday Savinelli” (a Savinelli Roma Lucite 673 KS) at a place he called Fisher Meadows. As he watched joggers and fishermen, he went on to describe this tobacco. He claimed to be introduced to ODF by someone sending him a few flakes in a plastic bag. Then eventually someone else sent him a full tin and other tins followed without him ever requesting them. He showed the flakes off and said that they make his mouth water just by looking at it. I honestly couldn’t agree more with John. The very first time I opened a tin of HH Old Dark Fired . . . my mouth did water. It wasn’t the sight of the flakes that caused this, though. It was the smell.

The tin note of Old Dark Fired can only be described in a word as: “SAVORY”. You get smokiness, sweetness, mild vinegar, BBQ and/or ketchup in your nose as you smell the tin. Smelling this tobacco makes me want to eat it. I always prepare this tobacco like I do all MacBaren Flakes. With the fold and stuff method. When you first light HH ODF you will be overwhelmed (in a good way) with the Dark Fired Kentucky. It is herbal, woodsy, sour, earthy, and spicy. The smokiness does translate into your smoke, but not as much as smelling it from the tin note. The Virginias and Burleys both play supporting roles in this tobacco, but are noticed equally. Nutty and earthy Burleys along side sweet and citrusy Virginias holding up the Dark Fired Kentucky throughout your bowl. Upon retro haling you will notice a touch more spice. This tobacco is simply wonderful from start to finish.

Returning to John’s review he claimed that it was probably his first introduction to fire cured tobacco. He stated that he can always tell that if a tin doesn’t last two weeks, then it means he really likes it. Apparently he went through the first tin in a few days. I have purchased eleven tins of HH Old Dark Fired in three years. I have some flakes that are three years old, one year old, six months, and fresh. For this review I tried them all and can honestly say that not much has changed. Almost indistinguishable from each other except that the older it gets, the slightly milder it becomes. Per really outdid himself with this tobacco. It is an exceptional flake that holds up very well as it ages and is perfectly smokable when it’s fresh (still needs that “Cool Down” period imho).

At the end of John’s review, he stated that when he was on Facebook and he sees someone that says they are smoking ODF, he can almost predict what else they’re going to be smoking. People that have his same taste. He went on to mention some of those blends and said there were quite a few that escape his memory because he’s kind of vegged out sitting there and then he giggles. You can see very plainly that he enjoyed HH Old Dark Fired very much. So, in Matches memory I think I will follow suit and smoke another bowl of HH ODF and veg out myself.

~ Barry

A very gentle introduction to Kentucky tobacco. I find the Va dominates the smoke. The quality of the tobacco and flakes is very good, and I got a little more flavor when I rubbed them out as opposed to folded. Very little bite, a MacBaren first for me. Unfortunately, I found the flavor somewhat lacking and lost interest in the smoke half way through every bowl. I much prefer other Kentucky blends (Irish Flake), and in comparison can only somewhat recommend this one.

Having smoked and LOVED the "Bold Kentucky" first - this somehow seems like a "little-brother-version" of the Bold Kentucky by Mac Baren. Still this blend has it's own taste, that only reminds of Bold Kentucky. In the Shop I got told, they would be almost identical - which I absolutely can't agree on!

So here's my review, which is also kinda a **comparison of the Bold Kentucky & Old Dark Fired:**

**Tin-Note:** Once you pop the tin open, you get greeted by a acidic-sour, a bit vinegar-ish smell and a rich earthy note. Very rich and smell-wise the Old Dark Fired (ODF) has much more "oomph" in the tin note, than the Bold Kentucky (BK). The Bold Kentucky is deep earthy in smell, while this is more sour and a bit sweet and acidic in smell. Highly enjoyable , but the BK tin note is better to me.

**The flakes appereance** is almost the same to the BK flake slices. A deep brown flake, with slightly more bright spots (which are the Virignas) than the Bold Kentucky. Very well crafted and appetizing.

**The flakes condition** at first is a bit moist, so I rub it out when the tin is fresh opened. After 2-3 days storage in the tin the flakes have the perfect condition for smoking it with the "fold & stuff"-method.

**Taste:** The lighting is just as easy as enjoying this blend. At first I thought this was a bit flat. I guess my palate was expecting something more "Bold Kentucky-ish". Which this totally isn't to me. They are the same "style" or "type" of tobacco, but with very different taste.

**Bold Kentucky has** this deep earthy, almost aetheric oil and a nice woody taste,**whilst OLD DARK FIRED is** much more mellow and soft in taste.

The taste is **earthy**, but also has this **vinegar-ish and floral** note to it. Very natural, very rich and creamy. I get some **dried-fruit**-like taste, too. Slightly nutty, but really just a whiff to me. It's like a 50%-Version of the earthy, woodsy Bold Kentucky taste, with some sour- and sweetness to it and a little of what id call "floral taste".

**Old Dark Fired (to me) is a All-Day and Every-Day-Smoke, whilst BK is more something after a good meal, or a nightcap.** But Old Dark Fired is very digestible and can also be smoked on a empty stomach - which I wouldnt advise anyone to do with the Bold Kentucky!

**All in all** this is somehow a "tuned-down" version of Bold Kentucky, but not exactly. Mac Baren´s Old Dark Fired has it's own and unique taste, and should more be called Bold Kentuckys COUSIN instead of his "little brother. They share a few things - yet this is a different (tasting) blend.

4/4 Stars to me - no doubt! I couldnt say if its better or worse than Bold Kentucky - they are both excellent, tasty and natural tobaccos. Old Dark Fired can be enjoyed all day, every day. Me, as a Kentucky and Burley Fan(atic) I smoke this daily at the moment. It matches (almost) all situations and is never too strong.

Chapeau to Mac Baren and especially Henrik Halber for creating these two Blends. (+ a lot of other delicious blends from the HH-Line)

**EDIT:** After 1 1/2 months of storage in the original tin the tobacco naturally lost some of it's moisture. BUT ALSO some of it's vinegar-ish smell and taste (which I appreciate) and becomes more like Bold Kentucky - tastewise! The strenght is lower than BK, but the taste becomes much more woodsy, smoky, less vinegar-ish, less sour. I like it that way even better!

I could really smell the Kentucky when I opened the tin. I did the fold and stuff method to pack my pipe and fired it up. I was greeted by a dark, earthy, woodsy kind of smoke. A single flake burned for a long time. This is a great wintertime one for me. It's definitely not lacking in vitamin N either. Not an everyday smoke for me, but one I treasure and like to savor and puff on slowly. This one doesn't bite me in the least either. One I definitely like to keep around.

It seems serendipitous if not an honor that I post the 100th review of what it truly an outstanding toby, HH Old Dark Fired. My journey into pipe smoking has been immensely benefitted by this site- and the postulates of wiser Sages than myself, which is what led me to try this tobacco,... I would not have considered it two years ago,

I state this to as Burley-forward blends are not my cup of tea, and this blend seems as such to me, in description as well as taste.

But oh how this blend has it all: Richly designed packaging complete with gold embossed foil, 1/2 width flakes of equal proportions - fruity in their freshness, perfectly cut for folding and stuffing even small bowls.

And the flavor!!! The burley has a chocolate-like smoothness, which marries so well with the Virginias that the combination achieves a smoothness and sweetness that is quite uncanny to me- and absolutely no bite, none whatsoever. It smokes cool, becomes more complex as the bowls progress, and shines for me in a smaller Meer, burning slow and lasting quite long even with me mimicking Thomas the Train.

I cannot recommend this enough. It doesn't strike me as super strong in the Vitamin N department, but then again I am well seasoned. Other than that aspect, I'd recommend it to every enthusiast who wishes to partake in what separates the wheat from the chaff, curds from the whey....

Simply fantastic! !!

Tin note is dark, earthy loam, mushrooms and cocoa. Plenty of leather too. This is a burly tobacco, pardon the pun. Very flavorful, complex, solid dose of vitamin N if that's what your in to. Highly recommended.

Not for everybody. If you're a new pipe smoker or graduating from aromatics, ask someone for a flake or two to sample. Or you might want to start with Solani Aged Burley as a kinder, gentler introduction to this genre.

I am above all a strong complex tobacco fan. I bought some HH ODF to try after leaving behind Aromatics and focusing on the wonderful world of Virginia, Kentucky, and Burly blends.

This is hands down a quality blend.

When opening the tin, the tin note is a strong complex bouquet of dark ripe fruits, barbeque, and some grassy Virginia in the background. No casing noted, but there is a subtle vinegar note that is nonexistent when smoked. 1 year in a jar and the dark fruits really come to the forefront.

This tobacco comes in those perfect MacBaren flakes, and I found them at a perfect dryness to smoke right out of the tin. They fold and stuff easily, which is my preferred method, but rubbing it out is also an enjoyable experience. The tobacco takes a little while to light, but once it's lit there is not problem keeping it lit. It requires the average amount of relights for me.

Taste. Creamy, a little spice, dark fruits again, slightly sweet and a little floral, with a hint of grassyness from the Virginia at the very back. Rich and full, yet subtly smooth. The smoke when lighting is a gorgeous white smoke, and this continues throughout the bowl. The nicotine in this blend is medium to strong for me, if I haven't eaten I feel it, but typically I don't.

This is an all around good smoke for me, and qualifies for an all day smoke. The HH line has never done me wrong yet and this one is something everyone should try.

Um – okay, so . . .

This is a masterpiece tobacco.

After having read all of the reviews for Mac Baren’s HH Old Dark Fired, I bought two pounds of the stuff straight-away. There really was no need to sample it. Upon receiving said supply of ODF, I found that my gut feeling/instincts/intuition (and the reviews) were more than just a little correct: Old Dark Fired really is a truly outstanding creation from Per Jensen.

There are currently four Mac Baren tobaccos in my cellar assortment, and ODF is now one of them (Latakia Flake, Vintage Syrian and Acadian Perique are the other three). I have never tried, nor do I own a Mac Baren tobacco product that I did not/do not like (and not many people can say the same).

I think I read somewhere (or maybe I just dreamed it) that somebody said we were living in “the golden age of pipe tobaccos.” Whether somebody really said that (or I just dreamed it) I believe that to be a true statement. I bought 2-pounds of Old Dark Fired tobacco for 13¢ per gram. (Now let us all practice a moment of mindfulness and thoughtfully reflect upon that fact for just a minute, shall we)?

By the pound, Old Dark Fired arrives in beautifully uniformed 4.5” x 1” flakes.

People have been reviewing/writing about ODF for years, so I’m rather late to the party, and there really isn’t much I can add that hasn’t already been said about ODF. “Well-balanced”, “harmony”, “harmonious” and “harmonized” are among the most reiterated and appropriate words used to describe ODF, and I wholeheartedly agree with those assessments. I also found that ODF best behaves, smokes the coolest, and is enjoyed the most when folded (using Per Jensen’s preferred U-fold method).

I don’t like comparing tobaccos (actually, I hate comparing tobaccos -- it just goes against the grain). I really don’t find all that much similarity between Old Dark Fired and Irish Flake, for example. Both contain Burley, Kentucky and Virginias, but that’s really where the similarity ends. The tin notes are not the same (in my opinion, not even close, really). IF is a decidedly stronger blend, with a much fuller taste and a higher nicotine content than ODF. That is not to say I like Irish Flake better than I do Old Dark Fired -- or the other way around, for that matter – I’m just saying that they are two Burley-based tobaccos which (again, in my humble opinion) are not all that similar. I LOVE Old Dark Fired, and I also LOVE Irish Flake. But if I want to go for a rodeo ride and get my teeth kicked-in by a Burley blend, I’m reaching for Irish Flake. ODF is a kinder, gentler VaBur than any other I have tried -- certainly the most refined and elegantly blended VaBur I have come across. For this review, I just finished a folded flake of Old Dark Fired, stuffed into a Tom Eltang rusticated poker (for breakfast, on an empty stomach mind you) with just some cold brew coffee and creamer as a chaser (so, what does that tell you)?

And so with all of that, I am going to add yet another 4-star rating to the already 70%-plus super-majority of 4-star ratings for Mac Baren’s Old Dark Fired, a truly remarkable blend for the ages.

Virginia/Burley flake you say, well this is right up my alley, light 'em up. I smoked exactly two tins of this, so I think I can give an honest review. I have to admit that I came with the preconception that this, being a Mac Baren blend, would bite at some point. It didn't, no matter how hard I pushed this, at times puffing like a freight train, I could not get this to come close to biting. However, working through the two tins, the blend never developed a unique character or depth that I felt it was capable of. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a fine blend, and a great introduction to VA/BUR's in general, but I think this will really shine when aged for a time to build some character. I plan on purchasing a couple of tins and revisit this at a later date to see what father time has accomplished.

Smoked in a variety of pipes, but for this review I smoked ODK in a Radice Rind Bulldog. There is a subtle sweetness coupled with spicy/sour notes as you work your way through the smoke. The mouth feel is creamy at times and the dark fired never overwhelms the palate. Burns down to a fine ash with little dottle left in the bowl. The smoke is firmly in the middle of medium strength for me and was quite satisfying.

Many have been talking about this tobacco and how strong it is and full bodied and it just didn't ring my bell at all. It was wonderful to find a MB blend that didn't scorch my tongue, but where is the flavor? It had a mild aroma, but where's the taste? Additionally, this is supposed to be loaded with Vit. N....really? Could not find that either. I do smoke some stout natural VA blends with Latakia and Turkish/Orientals, so maybe I'm already saturated with nicotine and resistant to milder flavors. I don't really think so though, good try MB, just didn't work for me.

I was sat on my couch rubbing out a few flakes of this when it first arrived, when my two-year-old happened to toddle past. Her eyes lit up, her mouth dropped open, and she said “Eat? Bite, papa?” No, no - of course not! But it really does smell like good meat in the tin, like a rich and savory barbecue, and it smokes just the same. For a tobacco that has practically no casing whatever, it is surprising how many positive reactions it garners from non-smokers. And that only scratches the surface of its appeal.

There is enough Virginia here to sweeten it up and make it accessible for any time of the day, but that heavy taste of Kentucky leather and oil will still linger long on the sinuses and palate, and the nicotine is extremely satisfying without being nauseating. This is perhaps the smoothest and tastiest treatment of DFK I have ever encountered. Sit it down, fire it up tomorrow, it will only get better.

The tasty Kentucky has a vinegar tart ,fruity raison wine like flavor . Herbal and floral . The lesser notes i get are cocoa and nutty .. A little spice . I get a similar maple flavor like Dark Roll Cake . A lot more complex than i would have expected. Some hay and grass from the Virginias are right there at the same time . A lot more interesting than a regular burley type blend . I like this more with each bowl . Kudos to Per Jenson as I like all his blends so far . Thank you to Mac Baren for dating the tins . It tastes and burns better with a little dry time . Good nic-hit . A winner for sure !

From what i 've noticed from my experience the HH line refers to experienced smokers because of the complexity the blends have to offer..once the tin opens a deep vinegar,bbq sause and dark fruits smell comes out.the dark flakes have some bright spots with perfect moisture.the flakes are somewhat compact due to the steaming process so i recommend a second rubing to make the lighting easier with fewer relights needed.while smoking you instantly realize the complexity of this blend.the main falvours come from the burleys wich are earthy,nutty and sharp.virginias are citrusy,fruity and sweet.the dark fired kentucky are very spicy,smokey with lots of vinegar notes wich i suppose are enhanced from a similar topping.the flavours are married in a very balanced way from the beginning till the end offering a natural result with strong flavours and lots of complexity.even if rubbed very thin it burns slow to perfect ash and cool with some moisture being created at the filter.the nicotine level is just a bit above medium but not strong.the aftertaste is spicy and sharp with no chance of tongue bite.room note is strong and no pleasant to others.in my opinion it is not an all day smoke even for an experienced smoker.my advice is to dedicate a small bowl and enjoy it after a nice dinner with a nice smoked whiskey.

I cannot agree with the high rating given this blend by many as I have smoked it in a few nice briars and while it is a nice burning tobacco when properly rubbed and aired, I would gladly trade away the remaining 60 grams for a bit of ordinary Virginia flake. This tobacco has a decidedly intriguing sweet & sour tin aroma I associate with pressed tobacco lightly fermenting but I must say I was mislead by this as smoking same produces a taste that I find unvarying and somewhat sour. The smoke linger reminds me of the smell that assaults one's nose when walking through a recently extinguished forest fire - a distinctive pungency I've always found unpleasant. While I know that Mac Baren tries to provide good blends, I feel this is not one of their better efforts. Continuing on that line, I would suggest any piper considering HH Old Dark Fired should try to mooch a bowl from a friend - or buy just 50 grams rather than the 100 gram tin I purchased in a weak moment. The remnants I have are now stored until such a time I can fully consider what leaf I shall add to improve its taste and room note.

This is a review for a tin with a manufacturing date of “Nov 2012”. First, I am a non-apologetic burleyphile and was curious to try a blend incorporating the dark-fired variety. The tobacco smells like vinegary raisins with a very faint wood smoke aroma (reminded me of Jack Daniel's) that disappears after the first 10 seconds of opening the tin. A cayenne pepper tingle takes over your mouth and nose at first light. Although this blend is not supposed to contain perique, it wouldn't be the first time a blender keeps some ingredients undisclosed…. This “perique-like-peppery-wanna-sneeze” sensation disappears after a while letting loose the strong Virginia flavor. The Virginias dominate throughout the first half of the bowl. So much so that I was starting to think that someone at MacBaren screwed up and put some Acadian Perique in the wrong tin… Then, towards the end of the bowl (just when the nicotine kicks in), appears an earthy clove flavor which I presume is the dark-fired. Unfortunately, just as this spicy aroma makes its appearance, so does an ammonia aftertaste on the exhales. To be fair, ODF is made with good quality tobaccos but “where´s the burley?”. The blend is called ODF so why aren´t the burley´s up front instead of being used as spice??? I guess I was hoping for a Bur/Va instead of a Va/Bur. I also love the cigarish room note (Insert comment using the word “wife” HERE).

As a side note, after seeing the YouTube video on the making of ODF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U04iyB57xx8 and the fact that Mac Baren´s HH series is, in part, dependent on its limited stash of vintage dark-fired burleys (it may even have less than its Syrian Latakia!) one is left wondering that perhaps the dark-fired leaves are being “stretched” and the blends are slowly being diluted. It would be interesting to compare early tins with these latest ones. I will now buy and smoke some pure dark-fired burley and verify if it´s my palate or perhaps the Virginias are too overpowering for moi.

UPDATE: I just smoked another folded flake in a cob and WOW, burley city! So what gives with this stuff??? My only explanation for such a turnaround in flavor is that, perhaps, the pressed cakes were not as homogenized as one would wish and my first flakes were Virginia-rich. So mea culpa for being such a conspiracy theorist. Will definitely be getting more if the following flakes tastes like this one. Will overlook the ammonia hoping it's a natural byproduct of the leaves. 4 stars ****

Presentation: A very nice presentation: sharp-looking tin design, with the blend neatly packaged in an attractive glossy, golden wrapping paper. It has a very premium, luxurious feel to it.

Upon opening, my first breath of the tin was a very rich, earthly, ‘darkened sweet hay from a Danish barnyard’ (if that makes any sense, hey I’m doing my best here) type of aroma. I can also smell a slight fig, dried fruit aroma. As odd of a description that is, Old Dark is probably the best smelling blend so far, even my girlfriend liked it and she complains about almost everything.

Taste: Perfect to smoke the second you open the tin, lacks any real moisture (which is odd because I hear it is very moist out of the tim). My biggest surprise was how mild the taste was, especially with a name like “Old Dark Fired”. With blends such as St. James Flake, Old Gowrie or Dunhill Navy Rolls, the taste was distinct and immediate. However, with Old Dark Fried, I wasn’t sure what I smoking until 15 minutes in, where I noticed a very slight nut-like taste, mild cigar taste, maybe a hint of chocolate added in. I also sensed a slight fig and dried fruit after-taste, with some smokey, wood type flavor. The taste actually gets a bit milder later on, which was a shame. The taste is not very complex at all, but at the end of the day, it is an enjoyable, relaxing smoke.