Mac Baren Mixture: Scottish Blend

Bleh, not so nice of smell, taste, or smoke. (Note that I am finding I am not an aromatics smoker.) After cleaning up, I felt like I smelled like an ashtray.

This is such a divine pouch aroma.

A solid long cut, partially rubbed out flake, it displays something similar as the aroma of cookies.

It is simply intoxicating. The smoking is, unfortunately, lacking any strength of character.

A pity, I really wanted to love it.

Beginners will become infatuated with it, though...

A very well balanced pipe tobacco with a light sweet topping.
Not highly aromatic, what gives the opportunity to taste the high quality delicious tobacco.
Burns very cool.

Sweet, Hay/Grass, Nutty, Smoky and Peppery

Don't go into smoking Scottish Blend expecting an aromatic. It really shouldn't be considered one, because the topping is very mild. It appears to be an anisette liquor and it's very detectable in the tin note. It's far in the background as you smoke it. The predominant "aromatic" flavours come from the citrusy Virginias, if there is possible addition of citrus it harmonises so well with the Virginias that it becomes indiscernible as a topping. The amazing part about this blend is the sheer complexity offered by the 35 different tobaccos. It's phenomenal that this blend has such consistency considering it could have ended up as a muddled mishmash with so many tobaccos, but instead it provides a thoughtful quality smoke. The aforementioned Virginias are not only bright and citrusy, but there is some woody and bready notes as well. The Burleys are nutty and provide a backbone to the smoke. The dollop of honey sweetness from the Golden Cavendish is not overpowering and well balanced amongst the bold tobacco flavours, and the Black Cavendish provides a soft creaminess to the smoke. Their sweetness shines fully in the room note. You will get slightly different flavours with each bowl, which makes you want to keep packing bowl after bowl. Scottish Blend burns cool and won't bite unless you overdo it, but does need a few relights if you don't rub out the broken flakes fully. I got the pouch version of this and I am thoroughly impressed. The price is right, and it will definitely be my go-to when I forget my tobacco at home and need to grab something quick from the tobacco shop. It would be ridiculous to give this blend anything less than a 4/4, it's an affordable classic that has no business being this damn good.

My comment should be treated as someone who is completely unfamiliar with flavored tobaccos.
A few years ago I started my adventure with pipe smoking and so far I have only smoked natural, various tobaccos. The desire for a change and trying something new led to the purchase of the aroma and the choice fell on the discussed Mixture.
Well.. Opening the long-awaited envelope. Actually, not opening yet - the smell of perfume, tobacco somewhere at the back, honey, cherry, sweetness, but more chemical. After opening, the aroma is strong. It brings to mind the glycolic smell of inserts for well-known 'cigarette warmers'. Visually nice - light ribbons interspersed quite densely with dark Cavendish.
The tobacco was not wet, which pleasantly surprised me. I filled the chamber with medium-density, hoping that when lit, the irritating smell would not turn into a similar taste. Unfortunately this did not happen. The aroma is incredibly persistent for me, at the beginning it greatly limits the possibility of enjoying the tobacco, only at the end of the chamber it loosens up a bit, allowing me to feel the flavors of the components of even quite good tobaccos. I was surprised that it was not so sweet. You can feel the sweetness, but the aroma itself is not candy. There is honey, sweet chemical honey, but it is not hard candy, at least it is good. A hint of aroma remains after smoking.
On the positive side - it burns very well, does not heat up the chamber too much, does not bite the tongue, and does not shoot condensate.
Room note - My wife, who is used to the smell of various tobaccos, said that it smells very artificial.
This is my first and probably last adventure with aromas. Dear Colleagues - lovers of aromas - I apologize for my ignorance and perhaps unfair assessment of this tobacco - I have no comparison with other aromas.

Pleasant but wet, be careful to dry it or it will bite your tongue. Nice and full aroma for long smoking, but with gentle, small puffs. I usually smoke it on porch with coffee or black tea on late afternoon, it smells lovely.

Interesting mixture of different blends. Very sweet in my impression but the overall is very fresh and with a nice smoke. Very pleasant for a long quiet smoke evening or all-day smoke.