Mac Baren Rum & Maple
(2.54)
A familiar old classic, this blend expertly mixes bright Virginias and rich burleys with the contrasting flavors of rum and maple. An interesting and pleasant smoke.
Notes: Once sold as Tinderbox Mashpee Maple. Lane discontinued the blend, and it was re-released by Planta (Germany). Currently sold as "R&M" due to changed regulations, the full name of the 50 gram pouch version is "Original R and M Blend No. 53".
Details
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.54 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 17 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 2014 | Mild | Medium | Mild | Pleasant |
The rum was a minor player at best; never really tasted it that much, as it was subdued by the light maple topping. The Virginia was grassy with a touch of citrus, and the burley was slightly nutty, wood, and earthy, taking a small lead. Hardly had any nicotine. The strength and taste levels were mild. It always burned a little fast, and had a tendency to bite unless you sipped it as you smoked. The flavor was fairly consistent. Left a little moisture in the bowl, and needed an average number of relights. Had a decent, short lived after taste. Was an all day smoke.
Update 5-7-2019: I smoked the 1950s version, made by the Rum & Maple Tobacco Company according to the tin. The freshly opened tin provided moist tobacco. The nutty, earthy, woody burley was a little more prominent in this version than in later productions. The Virginia was grassy with some citrus as a secondary player. The maple was a little more obvious than the rum, and both toppings tone down the tobaccos to a moderate extent. No bite. Light on the nicotine. Mild tasting, clean and cool with a very consistent flavor that translated to the short lived after taste. Left little dampness in the bowl, and made an easy gong all day smoke. I give three and a half stars to this particular mixture.
-JimInks
Update 5-7-2019: I smoked the 1950s version, made by the Rum & Maple Tobacco Company according to the tin. The freshly opened tin provided moist tobacco. The nutty, earthy, woody burley was a little more prominent in this version than in later productions. The Virginia was grassy with some citrus as a secondary player. The maple was a little more obvious than the rum, and both toppings tone down the tobaccos to a moderate extent. No bite. Light on the nicotine. Mild tasting, clean and cool with a very consistent flavor that translated to the short lived after taste. Left little dampness in the bowl, and made an easy gong all day smoke. I give three and a half stars to this particular mixture.
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 04, 2003 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I figured I might as well give this a try after reading Eulenburg's review. And I was indeed surprised.
The pouch aroma was very nice without being too sweet. The rough cut tobacco was more dry than moist. That too, was a good sign.
Upon lighting, I did detect some sort of flavoring but I sure never would guess Rum or Maple. It tasted mostly like Burley tobacco -- and while not world class Burley, it certainly wasn't bitter. Well, it did make me pucker a bit toward the bottom of the bowl, but nothing I couldn't live with.
Cheap and good!
The pouch aroma was very nice without being too sweet. The rough cut tobacco was more dry than moist. That too, was a good sign.
Upon lighting, I did detect some sort of flavoring but I sure never would guess Rum or Maple. It tasted mostly like Burley tobacco -- and while not world class Burley, it certainly wasn't bitter. Well, it did make me pucker a bit toward the bottom of the bowl, but nothing I couldn't live with.
Cheap and good!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 07, 2021 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
Smoking now:
This looks and smells like an old school burley aromatic. If your grandpa smoked a pipe this might have been in it. Moisture is fine. Comes in tan ribbons that smell like burley tobacco and sort of like rum and maple syrup.
The taste is mainly burley. I’m sensitive to burley so I’m going to have a negative bias towards this. Has that old time codger feel that I associate burley blends with. Does have a nice molasses, woody, earthy, nutty flavor that is sweet with mild hints of maple on the retrohale. The rum is the dominant top flavor and it’s enjoyable. I definitely noticed the rum. I did enjoy it however I wouldn’t go back to it.
All and all it’s not bad. I smoked this very slow because this would bite me. Very front porch during the fall sort of vibe from the blend. If you like burley aromatics then I would very much recommend.
This looks and smells like an old school burley aromatic. If your grandpa smoked a pipe this might have been in it. Moisture is fine. Comes in tan ribbons that smell like burley tobacco and sort of like rum and maple syrup.
The taste is mainly burley. I’m sensitive to burley so I’m going to have a negative bias towards this. Has that old time codger feel that I associate burley blends with. Does have a nice molasses, woody, earthy, nutty flavor that is sweet with mild hints of maple on the retrohale. The rum is the dominant top flavor and it’s enjoyable. I definitely noticed the rum. I did enjoy it however I wouldn’t go back to it.
All and all it’s not bad. I smoked this very slow because this would bite me. Very front porch during the fall sort of vibe from the blend. If you like burley aromatics then I would very much recommend.
Pipe Used:
Briar
PurchasedFrom:
Local BnM
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 06, 2018 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
They used to sell this, and a few other drug store blends at the local grocery store when I was in my early 20's. It was very lightly flavored, and had a pretty strong tongue bite, if not sipped very slowly.
The tobacco was alright beneath the toppings, but nothing to write home about.
The tobacco was alright beneath the toppings, but nothing to write home about.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 29, 2009 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
I smoked this during my early days of pipe smoking (over 33 years now) and was not impressed. No taste of either rum or maple and no tobacco taste for that matter. The reason I am reviewing this is that it has been said to be discontinued by Lane Ltd. However, while perusing the Dan Tobacco Catalog, I noticed it is listed (page 96) and available through them for those who are so inclined. The tin description is clearly the same, but is fancier than what we have been used to here in the USA.
Here's the link to the Dan Pipe website:
http://www.danpipe.de
Go to the right and click on "English help." You will be directed to a page where you can download their entire catalog - a whopping 180 pages! Even when the Tinderbox produced their gorgeous full-colored catalogs back in the 80's, they weren't as good as Dan's. For all serious pipers, Dan's catalog is a gift! You won't be disappointed.
Here's the link to the Dan Pipe website:
http://www.danpipe.de
Go to the right and click on "English help." You will be directed to a page where you can download their entire catalog - a whopping 180 pages! Even when the Tinderbox produced their gorgeous full-colored catalogs back in the 80's, they weren't as good as Dan's. For all serious pipers, Dan's catalog is a gift! You won't be disappointed.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 16, 2006 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
I first tried this blend years ago, when I could buy it at local drug store. I remember if you bought the big tin, it would smoke a bit sharp until it dried out a bit, which was a common phenomenon with the OTC blends
I find the taste and aroma to be delightful. It is exquisite with a cup of good coffee. It smokes quite dry as well.
An amazing aside: If you go to the excellent site pipepages.com, you will find that this blend once contained Syrian Latakia! This should give us all an idea of how these old blends may have changed over the years!
I find the taste and aroma to be delightful. It is exquisite with a cup of good coffee. It smokes quite dry as well.
An amazing aside: If you go to the excellent site pipepages.com, you will find that this blend once contained Syrian Latakia! This should give us all an idea of how these old blends may have changed over the years!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2017 | Very Mild | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
Leaf: Ribbon cut, dark gold and brown, much more Burley than Va, moist in the tin and definitely wanting drying time. 10 seconds in the microwave wrapped in a paper towel dried a bowl out for me just fine. Smelled amazing when heated up too.
Tin Aroma: This was great, not really rum like...or maple like either. It did smell like a fruit cake or some sort of sweet Christmas pudding or similar, maybe a little maple which gave it the sweetness, but no rum that I could detect. The tobacco itself is nice and it definitely smells like quality leaf, I don’t typically smoke Aros so the topping aroma may seem more powerful to me than it actually is. It smelled like I could eat it out of the tin as a dessert, I may still try this in an effort to see if there is any actual flavor in there.
Taste: Sadly not a lot to say here, very little if any of the aroma comes over with the taste, the tobacco itself is fresh and has no nasty tastes or unexpected difference to the usual Codger blends with Bu or Va, The burley is nutty and bready, the Va’s are noticeable and fresh and grassy, but nothing shines here, it is a little sweet presumably from the maple topping, no rum that I could find. I cannot say there is anything wrong with this blend, there just isn’t anything particularly good about it. If it was flavored more strongly it could be great.
Smokability: Mine has been in the tin since Xmas day and is still wet despite being opened constantly for me to take bowls out, definitely benefits from some drying time. Not very nice when smoked wet, so avoid it as usual. When it’s dry it packs easy, lights easy, stays lit, and surprisingly doesn’t bite at all if you smoke sensibly. Very easy to smoke and a fine all day blend if you don’t want to get mentally invested in your smoke.
Summary: Nothing to write home about but nothing to complain about either. This blend is as middle of the road as it comes, which is a shame, if it was flavored more it would be great, if the tobacco taste was more pronounced, it would be great. As it is, both are pretty unremarkable. The room note and tin note are great though, no denying that. Easy all day smoke for mindless bowls while you plod around doing things or just need a quick smoke, short of that I can’t see a reason to smoke it. I’m not an aro smoker but I don’t think there is enough flavor here to appeal to you if you are, and there isn’t enough of anything else going for it to recommend it to anyone else. I am sure the number of bulk “Rum and Maples” out there from any number of companies would be as good as or better than this if you were inclined to have some.
I will happily finish this tin as the kind of OTC you use when you are in a jam, but look forward to getting back to better tobaccos.
WOULD RATE 1.5 STARS IF POSSIBLE
Tin Aroma: This was great, not really rum like...or maple like either. It did smell like a fruit cake or some sort of sweet Christmas pudding or similar, maybe a little maple which gave it the sweetness, but no rum that I could detect. The tobacco itself is nice and it definitely smells like quality leaf, I don’t typically smoke Aros so the topping aroma may seem more powerful to me than it actually is. It smelled like I could eat it out of the tin as a dessert, I may still try this in an effort to see if there is any actual flavor in there.
Taste: Sadly not a lot to say here, very little if any of the aroma comes over with the taste, the tobacco itself is fresh and has no nasty tastes or unexpected difference to the usual Codger blends with Bu or Va, The burley is nutty and bready, the Va’s are noticeable and fresh and grassy, but nothing shines here, it is a little sweet presumably from the maple topping, no rum that I could find. I cannot say there is anything wrong with this blend, there just isn’t anything particularly good about it. If it was flavored more strongly it could be great.
Smokability: Mine has been in the tin since Xmas day and is still wet despite being opened constantly for me to take bowls out, definitely benefits from some drying time. Not very nice when smoked wet, so avoid it as usual. When it’s dry it packs easy, lights easy, stays lit, and surprisingly doesn’t bite at all if you smoke sensibly. Very easy to smoke and a fine all day blend if you don’t want to get mentally invested in your smoke.
Summary: Nothing to write home about but nothing to complain about either. This blend is as middle of the road as it comes, which is a shame, if it was flavored more it would be great, if the tobacco taste was more pronounced, it would be great. As it is, both are pretty unremarkable. The room note and tin note are great though, no denying that. Easy all day smoke for mindless bowls while you plod around doing things or just need a quick smoke, short of that I can’t see a reason to smoke it. I’m not an aro smoker but I don’t think there is enough flavor here to appeal to you if you are, and there isn’t enough of anything else going for it to recommend it to anyone else. I am sure the number of bulk “Rum and Maples” out there from any number of companies would be as good as or better than this if you were inclined to have some.
I will happily finish this tin as the kind of OTC you use when you are in a jam, but look forward to getting back to better tobaccos.
WOULD RATE 1.5 STARS IF POSSIBLE
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 22, 2012 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
i like this tobacco but it was much to mild and did not have enough flavor. i did not get a hint of maple but it tasted nice enough and didn't bite so overall its very mediocre.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 11, 2010 | Mild | Medium | Medium | Tolerable |
I got excited about trying this.I bought a can smoked the can, bought another. Slowed down long enough for the second purchase to actually notice that I didn't like the finish and the after taste
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 09, 2010 | Mild | Medium | Mild | Very Pleasant |
As I begin to graduate out of the Aromatics, sometimes I just need to take a step back to simpler times of the pipe when I was still just a newbie at the whole game. This reminds me of my first smoke, and I'm pretty sure it was.
The flavor begins with only hints of sweetness at the very beginning of the bowl, and as time goes on the casing burns off and the flavor becomes a nutty-dry flavor that while pleasant, is not what I'm looking for in a pipe any more. It didn't bite, but it didn't really appeal to me either.
The flavor begins with only hints of sweetness at the very beginning of the bowl, and as time goes on the casing burns off and the flavor becomes a nutty-dry flavor that while pleasant, is not what I'm looking for in a pipe any more. It didn't bite, but it didn't really appeal to me either.
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