Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired
(3.55)
A bold flake of dark-fired burleys in a well balanced unity with flue cured Virginias. This flake is hot pressed, meaning that during the pressing, heat is added by steam to the tobaccos which causes the tobacco to intensify the marrying process giving us a bolder tobacco. The robust, earthly flavour of the dark-fired burleys shines through in the taste, and you will experience a deeply satisfying smoke indeed.
Notes: One of the most fascinating parts about this tobacco that will be sure to confuse a lot of American pipe smokers is that, despite the fact that HH Old Dark Fired contains zero latakia, Mac Baren still considers it an English because of the method used in its production, specifically the steam press.
Details
| Brand | Mac Baren |
| Blended By | Per Jensen |
| Manufactured By | Mac Baren |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Burley, Kentucky, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin, 1 pound box |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium to Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.55 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 19 of 19 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2017 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
The flavour profile of ODF is a bit unusual. Not so easy to describe. But perhaps "sweet and sour" is somewhat fitting. The sour taste is there at the basis, with a kind of dark peppary vinegar tone. The sweet flavour comes and goes, and I would describe it as a subtle mix of vinegar and honey, or something similar; an unusual taste anyway. Occasionally I also get an earthy tone, like a dark and moist earth cellar, which is nice.
The second half of the bowl has been a bit unreliable for me. Sometimes it develops into a completely different smoking experience, with the sweetness dissappearing, smoke turning harsch, monochromatic and owerwhelmingly strong both in taste and streangth. At times it has got totally foul and unsmokable, but other times it has developed much better.
I might have to update this review after having experimented a bit more with this tobacco, if I learn how to domesticate the second half of the bowl into a more reliable smoke. Because when it behaves well, it deserves more than 2 stars, despite the fact that this particular taste profile is not my individual preference.
The second half of the bowl has been a bit unreliable for me. Sometimes it develops into a completely different smoking experience, with the sweetness dissappearing, smoke turning harsch, monochromatic and owerwhelmingly strong both in taste and streangth. At times it has got totally foul and unsmokable, but other times it has developed much better.
I might have to update this review after having experimented a bit more with this tobacco, if I learn how to domesticate the second half of the bowl into a more reliable smoke. Because when it behaves well, it deserves more than 2 stars, despite the fact that this particular taste profile is not my individual preference.
Age When Smoked:
1 year
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 09, 2017 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Tolerable |
Once or twice I've gotten four star smokes out of this blend. The average experience for me though is a two star tobacco. It's good, it just doesn't do enough to make me not want similar offerings from GH and SG.
This is a mostly savory VaKy with some sour notes. It's robust but not quite stiff like the dark flakes and ropes from the above mentioned. Needs a little drying time out of the tin, smokes pretty clean in the bowl. The only really amazing thing about this tobacco is that MacBaren made it. I will leave this one to you guys and stick with Jackknife Plug.
update 21Jan2020 my opinion of this, but not my score, has improved. I am more prone to smoke tobacco like this as I get older. I have grown fond of ODF, but again I do not like it as much as GH and SG tobacco along similar lines.
This is a mostly savory VaKy with some sour notes. It's robust but not quite stiff like the dark flakes and ropes from the above mentioned. Needs a little drying time out of the tin, smokes pretty clean in the bowl. The only really amazing thing about this tobacco is that MacBaren made it. I will leave this one to you guys and stick with Jackknife Plug.
update 21Jan2020 my opinion of this, but not my score, has improved. I am more prone to smoke tobacco like this as I get older. I have grown fond of ODF, but again I do not like it as much as GH and SG tobacco along similar lines.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 05, 2016 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
An "ok" tobacco. It definitely gives off the Burley flavor and parallel to that the Virginia. Not sure if the HH Old Dark Fired needs an experienced pipe smoker to extract the qualities it claims to posses.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 14, 2021 | Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Full | Extra Strong |
A very popular blend from what I can tell... and I'm not sure why. The tin note smells of BBQ sauce which, in itself is not bad, but certainly not what I was expecting. The flavors are pure tobacco, and thats a good thing... usually. In this case, it has a bit of a burnt flavor that otherwise feels a bit "off", for lack of a better word. I feel this blend is good, in its own right, but not deserving of the accolades it often receives. Would I buy another tin? At this point, nope.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 26, 2018 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
this tobacco burns very hot. even i sip it very slow. taste little sour sweet and a little grassy, which enjoyable. it burns fast & tongue burning dry. will not be in my pleasurable list.
Pipe Used:
corn cob
PurchasedFrom:
tobac 101 (sg)
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 14, 2012 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
This offering definitively remains the best from Mac Baren. I love DFK and seek every opportunity to buy tobaccos conatining this leaf.
But, in the case of ODF, the tin note and its taste do not agree with my tastebuds. I smoked about 8 pipefuls and cannot stand the taste. I find this really unfortunate but there is nothing I can do about it for now except revisit in a year or so.
But, in the case of ODF, the tin note and its taste do not agree with my tastebuds. I smoked about 8 pipefuls and cannot stand the taste. I find this really unfortunate but there is nothing I can do about it for now except revisit in a year or so.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 2023 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I like the look of the tin and the smell of the tobacco when the tin is opened. The flakes are lovely and break up nicely and packing a bowl is easy (I rub it rather than stuff it). No tongue bite, but no real flavour either. I think I over puff on this stuff in order to get something from it and also because it's hard to keep it lit. But whether it's the nature of the tobacco or a result of my over puffing, I find that by the end of a medium sized bowl, I actually feel a bit sick and a bit turned off by the tobacco. I wouldn't have thought there was a tobacco with too high a nicotine content for me (I smoked cigarettes for decades including Gauloises reds for twenty years) but this is too much. Today I actually thought that maybe it was just me and that maybe I was coming down with something I felt so gross after smoking a bowl, but I then had a bowl of Balkan Supreme (completely different thing, I realize) and it was great. So I guess ODF and I just don't get along. Not sure what I'm going to do with it now.
Pipe Used:
Mostly billiards
PurchasedFrom:
SmokingPipes.com
Age When Smoked:
3-4 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 05, 2023 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Not a big fan. Tried to like it -- very hard -- given the many positive reviews. It was difficult for me to enjoy "the subtleties" with the strong cigarette tar taste and after-taste. Sure, if you can smoke a cigarette (I can't, although I enjoy a good cigar) this might seem like a step up in flavor and quality. I don't have such difficulty with, for example, a creamy English blend or MacBaren's Golden Extra. C'est la vie...
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 03, 2023 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
Kentucky is bitter and harsh, making some of the smoke unpleasant, sometimes even tasteless, but in some ovens the kentucky becomes weaker and gives way to the sweetness of the virginias.
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