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
173

52

20

7

Reviews

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Displaying 241 - 250 of 251 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 02, 2019 Medium None Detected Full Tolerable to Strong
A tin note of BBQ sauce and smoked meat that comes across in the smoke.

Deep, rich, dark, earthy with cigar like notes. Smoking this is like listening to a Morgan Freeman narrative: At once comforting and familiar.

Possibly a bit monotone but none the worse for that. Not for the inexperienced but a solid four star tobacco.
Age When Smoked: New
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 21, 2013 Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant
As others have written, Mac Baren has fallen short of its promise many, many times.

HH Old Dark Fired is a notable exception. This reminds us of what they are capable of delivering, among the best conceived and executed tobaccos available.

Anywhere.

Huzzah !
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 03, 2013 Medium to Strong Mild to Medium Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
This is my stranded-on-an-island blend. I found this to be surprisingly tasteful and I really enjoy the after taste it leaves when the bowl is gone. I prefer this rubbed out and in a shorter wider bowl. The tin smell is unusual and dark and the flakes seem damper than most flakes right from the tin. After rubbing it out and waiting to pack it for 10-15 minutes, it loads easily. Lighting takes a couple (strong) attempts but stays lit fairly well with only a relight or two needed if the tamping or puffing isn't controlled and consistent. I have a 50/50 love/love-not with Mac Baren tobacco but this is one I go to more often than any of the other Mac Baren blends I have tried.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 25, 2012 Medium to Strong None Detected Full Tolerable
I can not say enough praise about this blend! This is in my top 5 all time favorite flake tobaccos. It has been a while since a blend has commanded my attention such as this one has. I am a sucker for a good burley Virginia flake and this one seems to hit everything just right. The flavor is wonderful leaning towards the burley but the Virginia is there and is very good. I have found that this blend smokes better for me on the dry side so I like to let it air a bit before smoking. I highly recommend this blend and my hat is off to Mac Barens for this one! I never thought Mac Baren would make one of my all time favorite blends!
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 06, 2012 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Unnoticeable
Great smoke. Charring light is a little harsh but it soon smooths out and is very enjoyable. I use cube cut for this flake.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 07, 2012 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Pleasant
After a few friends telling me to try this one i jumped in with a order for 3, 100grm tins,i love this stuff, i would not of guessed this was a mc-Barens tobacco,i would of said it was a S/G blend its so smooth and tasty from start to finish,4++++ from me on this one.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 25, 2012 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
MB hit a home run here...I llike my SG 1792, Irish Flake...now Old Dark Fired slides into the rotation...don't just buy one tin..buy a sleeve
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 14, 2012 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
Wow. They really made an excellent English style flake. I agree with everyone's notes on the tobaccos it resembles but I would point out that it really isn't a clone or direct replacement to any one of those. I love IF and many SG and GH&co flakes. This tobacco will not satisfy any craving for the lakeland flavor but is a straight forward tobacco in their class. Definitely a bit lighter than IF. But as an outstanding flake in it's own right and given Mac Baren's strenght of consistency, uniformity in cutting, value and accessability (though they seem to be a bit behind demand with this one) it's a real contender for our tobacco dollars. I'll be purchasing again.(on a side note, nice to have a biteless MacB!)
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 12, 2012 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
MacBaren has this one right! A fine flake of Virginias and Burleys hot pressed. If they can keep up with the demand and put this out in bulk, many smokers will be happy!

This is a very rich and flavorful smoke which I have enjoyed the last 2 weeks going through the 100g tin. It is a tad moist but drys very easily and makes for easy loading once rubbed out. From my first bowl of this tobacco I knew I was going to like it. It will not be for everyone though as it is very strong and I am sure has a high nic content.

This flake has found a spot in my cellar, know I just hope MacBaren does this right and has it readily available. So many of the great tobaccos of today are so difficult to acquire.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 06, 2012 Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
One thing I like to do when cracking a new tin of tobacco is to catch the tin note immediately as soon as the seal is broken. This aroma is heavenly to me; true tobacco smell. This blend of Va and Dark fired burley is a fine offering from MacBaren's. I feel that it is their strongest blend even though it only rates a three on the front of their tin. And I for one like STRONG I don't know how far their numbers go up but by looking at their tins I'd imagine up to about five. I would easily give Old Dark Fired a strong four on their ratings in strength. The Burley in this is a nice bold base for the VA to chirp up and sing a bit. A hint of sweetness abounds from the Virginias here. And I also like that fact that the taste stays with me for a while after putting the pipe down! I like that feature, alot. The flakes are really hard pressed and the three rows of flake are a tad difficult to separate. Now, if you don't mind bustin' up the flakes the go ahead and tear into the bars of flake. Otherwise, I found it necessary to CAREFULLY remove a bar of flakes and separate the stack with a knife or the flat of my pipe tool. That is not to say that they must be cut apart but gently separated. The price for this ELEGANT presentations and smoke is really really good in my opinion from my source which a can't mention here and very worth the outlay for 100 gram tin. The tin seems to hold a seal fairly well unless they are pressed/packed so tight that if air got in it couldn't mess things up but who knows. This blend is a treasure for late night smoking.
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