Mac Baren Black Ambrosia

[Disclaimer] I'm a beginner at pipe smoking, and the selection of blends I've tried as of yet is very limited. [/Disclaimer]

Of all the blends I've tried, I feel this one is the poorest. Even after drying I have a hard time lighting it. Once its lit I feel only a vague sugary taste, a sweetness that lingers on the tip of the tongue and no tobacco at all. While its not unpleasant, its rather insubstantial - I found myself wondering: "why am I smoking this?", which is not what I desire when I sit down to enjoy a bowl of tobacco. A pity that the taste is so flat, considering the lovely tin aroma of dried fruit. I'll not be buying this again.

This cloud has a silver lining...

POSITIVE: read the silver lining below.

NEGATIVE: Boring flavor. room note is OK. Flavors don't develop. over all pretty bland and boring.

SILVER LINING: I had purchased some Mac Baren Vanilla cream after I got the black ambrosia. I decided I didn't want to waste it so I mixed the two on a whim. to be honest the vanilla cream is a bit TOO vanilla for me. I was pleasantly surprised by this. both tobaccos came together and made up for the boring bland black ambrosia. the flavor was outstanding. it was a rich creamy smoke that had a tangy after taste that lingered for some time that made my mouth water. I am not sure what caused this but I may even consider buying another tin and making this blend again.

Overall, not worth buying. (unless you want to try my blend.)

the room note of this tobacco is fantastic. like a smokey grape almost. however, the taste dose not reflect that. it honestly tastes like ashes. you might as well lick an ashtray for the same taste. and the tongue bite is terrible. if you smoke this you will get bite from it. overall, not worth the 20 bucks.

Objective: Sticky, highly cased, good price for the amount of tobacco offered.

Subjective: This stuff bites the tongue and has a nice aroma, but tastes like garbage.

I do not find anything special here but I recommend it to cigarettes smokers for the following reasons: 1 - it is easy to smoke, low nicotine, no heat, no gurgles, no bite on the tongue, it burns easily without multiple re-ignition, can be smoked many times a day.

2 - the aroma and room note are certainly more pleasant of cigarettes for people who surrounds you, there is a note slightly ashy that recalls cigarettes so it helps to not deviate too much from the usual taste.

So if you are in the transition from cigarettes to pipe that may be a good help.

In springtime it happens I'm moved to experience some aromatics, possibly avoiding the most heavily cased. My "tobacco bar" is currently offering me the following aromatics to taste (in order of appearance):

1. Ashton's #6

2. Amphora's Black Cavendish

3. Peterson's Gold Blend

4. Mac Baren's Gold of Denmark (coming from Haejenius/Amsterdam)

5. Troost Sliced (also coming from H/A)

6. Mac Baren's Golden Ambrosia

I start from the last one, having bought it just Monday, when I found myself accidentally without any tobacco in my pocket and finding myself very much pleased with consecutive bowls of BA, and I mean very much indeed ! I'm working it with the same pipe till the opening of the pouch, a black Savinelli Spigot, straight bulldog, filtered 9mm.

To cut it short BA is described in the pouch to be blended MAINLY with Virginias "carefully toasted to bring out a tasty and sweet Cavendish" with some very special yellow Virginia. I don't see but a word about Burley, but the term MAINLY seems to hide a (very) minor part of different tobaccos: a cased Burley seems to be the possible best candidate.

The smell of the pouch aroma suggests vanilla, nuts, dried fruits: a sort of "muessli" (know what I mean?). The visual thing is a beautiful contrast of almost black, dark brown (coffee) with few light brown and blonde flecks. One could think: what the heck am I gonna smoking ? And that's is not happening: You are not going to smoke that combination of pouch aroma and colours only. The smoke is extremely well balanced, and yes! It's TOBACCO, of the best quality IMHO, with hints of everything above (not the colours, of course). So good that I must impose myself to slow down, but not for avoiding the famous McBite. At every rate BA does not bite, nor turns bitter, only a salty note that's not that bad. To be noted that the tobacco is not wet, and not dry, it's perfect to be smoked. No goop. No tainted pipe.

Comparisons with 2. and 4., which are waiting me opened in the cabinet, seem obvious.

As far as and aromatic of future choice in rotation, I fully subscribe three full stars.

For those who enjoy extremely sweet aromatic, this is the best you can find, sweet black Cavendish CASED WITH HONEY, VANILLA, toffee and Caramel, it is delicious! very sweet and very mild, dry and easy burning, with no bite, wonderful aroma, and very social smoke.

only for those who enjoy sweet tobacco.

I am a fan of many of Mac Baren's offerings; Burley London Blend, Navy Flake, Plumcake, Scottish Mixture, Virginia No. 1. All in my first string line up. As far as their aromatics go, I occasionally smoke their Honey Chocolate and Vanilla Cream, but not on any regular basis.

I seem to have more of a time keeping Black Ambrosia lit - even after what I consider sufficient drying. Perhaps it is the casing, which to me smells like black licorice in the tin. Not a bad thing, but perhaps a bit over done. There is also very little tobacco flavor with this one. I can't taste much of the casing as I smoke it, nor can I really smell it like I do their other blends in this category. Initially, the room note is pleasing to all, but after the pipe has been out a while, the room smells a bit like a cigarette ash tray. Not a good thing for me.

The tin aroma is one of the best I have ever smelled. It packs well, there is no bite and little moisture, but I abhor the smell of an old ashtray, and therefore don't anticipate this being a regular.

I like Black Ambrosia but I'll tell you what--after a couple of bowls you start to say "I wish it tasted more like tobacco" I experience a red wine after taste that turns me off. I prefer to drink my wine and smoke my tobacco, not the other way around. Gets worse with multiple bowls. I do however love to smoke this in a crowd or in the company of a woman. The smell from the tin is a real female pleaser and with a glass of red wine the taste makes sense. So Black Ambrosia has its place in my opinion, just not a good everyday tobacco. (Hint - Heavy Italian red wine but no cheap chianti. Rufino or better. Give it a try!)

Keep em' smoldering!