Mac Baren Club Blend

Good scent upon opening the tin, very pleasant

This was my first try of a tobacco in the cake style. Took me a while to get the hang of loading loosly enough. I tried rubbing it out completly and loading and on the next bowl I just stuffed the discs in the bowl. It seems that a mixture of those methods works best for me. It does burn evenly and cooly and leaves very little dottle. I found it better to smoke slowly and keep it cool. I had to tamp it down a little more often than my normal MB Burley. The taste is sweet and full and somewhat spicy. The room note is what I would call old-fashioned - reminded me of my Grandfather although I do not know what he smoked. Slighly caramel taste with woodsy smell. Seemed to get a more "nutty" smell as I went along.

I was interruped several times during my first couple of bowls and found it easy to relight - did not seem to diminish the taste at all. Another good MB and I will most likely keep some of this in my rotation.

I agree with my esteemed fellow pipe smoker Russell...a wonderful tobacco. I may have to come back and edit, but in my limited experience this is a solid 3 stars and may go higher. It did not disappoint me in any way. My better half came out in the shop and said "wow, I like that a LOT"..so that is a good sign. Lights and burns well. Very good smoke!

This is an excellent semi sweet Virginia blends in small spun cake with black Cavendish in the middle, the flavor is absolutely delicious with soft candy and mild honeyed/toasty/woodsy taste and wonderful room note, this is one of the best and the most unique Virginia roll cake out there, excellent for an all day smoke, it is available in bulk.

Great stuff!!

There's something about this tobacco that I can't quite put my finger on; a casing or flavoring, or something. It's just out of range of my taste buds, but fortunately the tobacco taste comes through very well.

The little coins are actually kind of ugly to my eye. They break up very easily, making for filling your pipe a simple operation. I found I was able to just stuff them in, and they broke up on their own as I did this. Lighting was easy, but in a medium size bowl relights were a little more frequent than I would normally like. This will probably be rectified by figuring out the right method of filling with this particular tobacco, so I won't really hold that against it.

The flavor was really very, very good. Pure tobacco, with just a ghost of something added that complimented the tobacco. The flavor was a little like MacBaren Navy Flake, but with a slightly richer note, and less spice. And I experienced no tongue bite whatsoever with this blend. The flavor was best at the top of the bowl, with a little fading out a bit toward the bottom, but it did retain its full tobacco body throughout.

All in all, I would say that this is a very good choice for an all day smoke. It's not as heavy in body and aroma as Orlik's Dark Kentucky, so should appeal to those wishing lighter fare. Club Blend will probably not replace any of the tobaccos I currently keep in my rotation, but I can honestly say that it will more than make do as a replacement should any of my favored blends become temporarily (or permanently) unavailable.

Ive only been pipe smoking for a few years on and off and decided to try this blend. A few months ago after reading some reviews. I first tried it and got the Mac Baren tung bite blues and burned out my second favorite falcon bowl so even though the poor first experience with it I could taste the sweet va shine through. Which encouraged me to give it another go.

Since then I purchased a new bowl and sipped it as slowly as I could. Making it one of my new favorites even though if I get carried away and I get a mild case of tung bite.

Finished a sample of Club that I received with other purchases and must say that I was pleasantly surprised. No tongue bite if smoked slowly, something that has been a problem for me with some MacBaren blends. Mild Virginia tobacco that has hints of a spicy sweetness. Somewhere someone mentioned perique and then honey as a casing, not sure but could be. Mild flavor, strength, aroma and room note made this a hit with me. i am going to be purchasing some more.

Club Blend has a very good Virginia. On the first light you can smell and taste the sweetness Virginia coming out of the pipe. The cavendish comes out now and then that gives this blend a perfect note. I suggest not to rub all of the tobacco you need in the pipe, only the first and the last. If done so, you will need only two lights and have a perfect smoke. Small puffs will be needed for this blend. If you rub all of the tobacco in the pipe or if you are a fast smoker, it'll flame your tongue like all MB's. Recommended for all Virginia lovers A perfect all day blend for me.

This reminds me of Dark Twist only with cavendish in every slice. If sipped slowly this a very slow and cool burning rewarding smoke in flavor and aroma. Be forwarned though, absent minded puffing will result in a cooked tounge.

One of the best of MacBarens' Blends. My recommendation is don't rub it out, just fold and stuff it in a cheap filter pipe (Dr.Grabow) and go slowly. You will be rewarded with a rich and long lasting smoke. Requires some attention and not for mindless puffing, it will bite!