Mac Baren Mixture: Scottish Blend

UPDATE: I got hold of 100g tins at the airport. You must now add me to the crowds that have made this the #1 selling tobacco in duty free shops. I also got hold of other stuff which I had to try first. Once again through the airport and another 100g tin etc... etc... So now I am left with about four 100g tins and I discovered that smoking it is not as enjoyable as it used to be. I still recommend it but not as fervently as before.

Oh! BTW, I have started getting bad reviews for the room note!

In any case - one must still try this. It is worth the time.

ORIGINAL: All that could be said has been said by others.

I really enjoy and recommend this one!

Let me just add: I find that, given the choice, I reach for this any hour of the day. (Well, Calume is another favorite of mine which can be a great smoke in the morning and W.O. Larsen Old Fashioned is a great after dinner smoke).

Mixture is packaged very nicely; the presentation in the tin is really appealing. The tobacco is primarily red virginia and has a sweet aroma. I have not tried rubbing it out as other reviewers; I just put a chunk in the pipe, sometimes another chunch on top of that and start smoking. It has very nice room note with the sweet smell of virginia and virginia is what I taste during the first half of the bowl, then you can begin to taste & smell the burley. It seems to have some nicotine to it, but not too strong. I find it has a great flavor that is not overpowering. I have smoked about 3 bowls now and have not received any tongue bite even though the tobacco is a little goopy/sticky(similar to the drugstore variety). I'll give it 3-stars.

I was wondering what a Scottish Blend from Mac Baren would be like, so I tried it. I was rewarded with two surprises.

1. It is far away from what one would expect from a Scottish Blend. Why did they decide to call it like is a mystery to me.

2. It is an excellent aromatic. Very pleasant taste, no tongue bite.

I even put it to a hard test. I smoked it for a few days (4-5 bowls/day) without smoking any English/Scottish blends at all. I cannot say I did not miss them, but now I have a viable alternative. Well done Mac Baren.

I notice there are two listings on here for what is essentially the same tobacco - "Mixture" and "Scottish Blend"

I had read all about MacBaren tobaccos but was wary of trying them because of all the reports of tongue bite, tongue bite and tongue bite. However, being a fan of mild aromatics I bit the bullet and ordered 50g of Mixture loose.

Very pleased with this tobacco. In fact so pleased, I finished the 50g in record time and have since ordered more (pre pack pouch - tastes the same) The flavour is mild (honey on toast as many people say) and changes throughout the bowl. Burns well and I personally don't get that much bite unless I puff it really hard. Any bite is worth it for the tasty smoke.

I've been smoking this constantly and neglecting my other staples - McConnell Glen Piper and Erinmore Mixture - so the people at MacBaren must be doing something right.

For me this is, so far, the perfect tobacco. Slightly aromatic, not too sweet and sickly and with multi-dimensional flavour. If the sound of this appeals to you, don't be put off by the MacBaren tongue bite rumours like I was, give it a try.

I'll definitely be "exploring the world of MacBaren" further.

I always thought that because this was a Scottish mix it would be kind of latakia heavy or at least somewhat strong. Nontheless this is quite an inoffensive and easy to smoke tobacco, that I would strongly recomend trying to just about everyone, not because of this being the most wonderful tobacco ever, but because of its reliabilty and quality. It's easy on your mouth, the room note is OK... it does have a nice an slightly more complex tobacco flavour than most of the Mac Barens I've tried so far, again it's not great, but its quite solid and good. I'm glad I finally tried it.

I saw a lot of recommendation to 'baby' this stuff and use extreme caution to prevent bite - but I thought all tobacco should be 'babied' somewhat esp. when it's new to you (I guess this was meant from a relative standpoint). I had no issue with bite and enjoyed the flavour very much. Sort of plum-berry-like I thought. Doesn't always burn down entirely as easy as I would I like, probably nothing a better packing won't fix. Room note was fair - I always ask my wife to get a bearing on this but she thinks everything stinks so I have to discount her nose entirely. All in all I think it's good stuff - worth the coin I laid for it.

I think I'll always have a fondness for this tobacco. Up until now I have never reviewed Mac-Baen blends because (though I have tried several) I wsa unsuccessful in Mastering them. I use that term because, like a wild mustang, you have to master it, or it will master you. Tongue burn is the result. So some fellow pipesters got together and created a plan, based on their experience and following it- This is the joy I have found. On first inspection, the tin aroma is like a sweet grass. A hay mixed perhaps with the very subtle hint of honey. After drying a few bowls until the tobacco feels dry and stiff, but not quite to the breaking point- I gently roll the broken flake into pipe size tumbleweeds and drop them in the Kaywoodie Meerschaum lined Bulldog. Once full a gentle tamp and *sip* to the char light. At once a flavor of spicey sweet meadow comes forth. Once the char is complete- another light tamp to flatten the head only and repeat. Once at cruising speed you have a wonderful, full flavored Virginia dominant taste. Based on this Method I will be re-reviewing many Mac-Baren blends. I'm happy to say I have finished my second bowl of this Mix- and no burn. Kudos to my mentors and friends at Gray Fox for helping me to discover the better piper I could be. Highly recomended.

I find myself agreeing with much that has already been said. I tend choose a particular tobacco at any given time based on what I have a desire for in terms of strength and taste, but also based on environmental factors like whether my wife or others are about who might be sensitive to the room note, whether windows are closed or open and would I stink up the house, and whether I want to not have to worry about my smoking technique or just want to puff ahead.

This is the case here. If I'm desiring something sweet (like after dinner) or mild (like early in the morning), if I don't want to drive people way with a strong room note, and have the concentration or are relaxed enough to pay attention to what I'm doing, I'll reach for it. On the other hand, if I want something stronger, don't care what others think, or don't want to fuss with the sipping that this one seems to do best with, I'll generally grab an english blend. As others have said, the tobac seems to be of high quality with a mild honey casing that seems to burn off by the second half leaving a good clean and enjoyable smoke.

Good old mixture. I've been smoking this blend for quite a while. This tobacco is not going to knock anyone's socks off, but, it isn't meant to. This is a steady, consistent blend that can be smoked anytime. Lightly aromatic, sometimes a little spice from the cavendish, and a good tobaccoey taste throughout.Forget Captain Black, this is the ultimate beginner's tobacco, although experienced smokers could enjoy this as an everyday tobacco as well. I consistently smoke this more and more. Highly recommended.