Mac Baren Dark Twist Roll Cake
(3.02)
One of Mac Baren's oldest blends, Dark Twist is made in roll cake style. Sweet, mature Virginias and Dark-Fired Kentucky are cased with maple sugar to enhance the natural flavors making for a robust blend with a soft, subtle note.
Notes: Introduced in 1955.
Whole leaves are used as wrapper for the rope and the inlay is divided into two groups. The first group contains 100% pure Virginia tobaccos, meaning that the whole leaves are used as wrapper leaves and the leaves with small imperfections are used as the inlay. The second group contains whole Virginia leaves as wrapper and Dark Fired Kentucky as inlay, meaning you see the dark tobacco in the centre and the brighter Virginias around it. After the tobaccos have been spun into ropes it is stored for weeks and then cut into small coins. The blend of Dark Twist is broken down as follows. For every 2 coins of Virginia tobacco there is 1 coin with a centre of Dark Fired Kentucky. Like most of our spun tobaccos, water and maple sugar are boiled and added to the tobacco. This is all we add, so the taste is very natural with the interplay between the natural sweet Virginias and light sour and smoky flavour from the Dark Fired Kentucky perfectly blended to create a natural tobacco taste.
Details
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.02 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 19 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2014 | Extremely Mild | Extra Strong | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Tolerable |
This is my emergency tobacco, when I am for some reason unable to get to my stash of Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake. It is possible, I have found, to procure Mac Baren almost anywhere. Why it reaches to the far ends of the earth and decent tobacco can't requires speculation outside the scope of the present commentary.
I have hated Mac Baren products for a very long time. But in an emergency, these coins are tolerable. I don't like any kind of cavendish, but this is the least-annoying blend which includes it.
Now, having said that, there are a few pleasures to be enjoyed when one is stuck with this tobacco. It has a sweetness under the cloying film of cavendish. With very slow, patient sipping an occasional sour plum flavor manifests itself. I have a hard time getting the sweetness of the Virginias most of the time. It doesn't have a lot of gooey nasty chemicals, so that's something I guess.
I have been fortunate enough to sample from a bulk cannister, so presumably some of the foul chemicals present in tinned samples have been able to ooze into the air.
My poor Peterson 302 is expected to recover within the next month or so.
There wasn't much flavor, but there was a *lot* less bite than I had expected.
It is a sad substitute for proper tobacco, but it is a little better than Borkum Riff or Captain Black. I really hope none of you have to resort to smoking this stuff, but it will fend off nicotine withdrawal until one can find some civilized tobacco.
I have hated Mac Baren products for a very long time. But in an emergency, these coins are tolerable. I don't like any kind of cavendish, but this is the least-annoying blend which includes it.
Now, having said that, there are a few pleasures to be enjoyed when one is stuck with this tobacco. It has a sweetness under the cloying film of cavendish. With very slow, patient sipping an occasional sour plum flavor manifests itself. I have a hard time getting the sweetness of the Virginias most of the time. It doesn't have a lot of gooey nasty chemicals, so that's something I guess.
I have been fortunate enough to sample from a bulk cannister, so presumably some of the foul chemicals present in tinned samples have been able to ooze into the air.
My poor Peterson 302 is expected to recover within the next month or so.
There wasn't much flavor, but there was a *lot* less bite than I had expected.
It is a sad substitute for proper tobacco, but it is a little better than Borkum Riff or Captain Black. I really hope none of you have to resort to smoking this stuff, but it will fend off nicotine withdrawal until one can find some civilized tobacco.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 19, 2008 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Overwhelming |
I found the this tasted like shoe leather that was dragged though my dog kennel after the dags ate beans. I was shocked be cause of the recommendations. So, I tried some more.... same result... I bought from a different dealer same result.... Not impressed at all.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 06, 2006 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Yes, yes. Roll cakes are wonderful. Yes, I know red Virginia and black Cavendish is an intriguing combination. And isn't Mac Baren, after all, that wonderful company of friendly Danes who you just can't help but love. Fine.
Tell me this, though. How am I expected to enjoy a tobacco that produces a veritable deluge of acrid, sour liquid in the stem of my pipe? No matter what pipe I smoked it in, at least once during the bowl I would experience a sudden loud gurgling that would often send a sickening glop all over the inside of my mouth. The flavor of the tobacco up until that point was always mild and sweet, rather like raisins or ruby port. I simply could not abide the overwhelming wetness of this blend, however. I never attempted to smoke it in a corn cob. Perhaps I should have, but I'm not making any apologies.
Regards,
A. Morley Jaques
Tell me this, though. How am I expected to enjoy a tobacco that produces a veritable deluge of acrid, sour liquid in the stem of my pipe? No matter what pipe I smoked it in, at least once during the bowl I would experience a sudden loud gurgling that would often send a sickening glop all over the inside of my mouth. The flavor of the tobacco up until that point was always mild and sweet, rather like raisins or ruby port. I simply could not abide the overwhelming wetness of this blend, however. I never attempted to smoke it in a corn cob. Perhaps I should have, but I'm not making any apologies.
Regards,
A. Morley Jaques
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 26, 2015 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I’m always prone to try tobaccos with dark fired Kentucky in it, because it’s a leaf that will hardly disappoint you if you like it.
Is there any Kentucky in here? I’m starting to doubt…
Sniffing from the tin I didn’t get any of the typical earthy, piquant, peaty notes I look for in such a leaf. Instead, a sort of pungent, brusque sweetness and an abundant dose of casing.
Sure, the nice thing is that you can decide which coins you can put in the bowl and so calibrate the overall taste and strength but, frankly, whether you stuff in even the darkest ones, you won’t get the smoke as strong as you’d expect… Pack in all the brightest ones, it will be a little bit sweeter and tangy. You chose…
The taste is nothing special, pretty sweet and sugary, with some sort of maple-like casing. I struggled to get any significant and appreciable flavours out of this tobacco, and if you dare to puff a little bit faster, Cerberus himself come out of the smoke and torture your tongue with sharp bites of agony.
Too bad I bought it in a 100g tin – it was the only available at the time. I’ve smoked 4 or 5 bowls, didn’t like it and decided to put the rest in my cellar and get back to it a few years later to see if it gets any better.
Time will tell…
Cheers Everyone, Brandr ODS
Is there any Kentucky in here? I’m starting to doubt…
Sniffing from the tin I didn’t get any of the typical earthy, piquant, peaty notes I look for in such a leaf. Instead, a sort of pungent, brusque sweetness and an abundant dose of casing.
Sure, the nice thing is that you can decide which coins you can put in the bowl and so calibrate the overall taste and strength but, frankly, whether you stuff in even the darkest ones, you won’t get the smoke as strong as you’d expect… Pack in all the brightest ones, it will be a little bit sweeter and tangy. You chose…
The taste is nothing special, pretty sweet and sugary, with some sort of maple-like casing. I struggled to get any significant and appreciable flavours out of this tobacco, and if you dare to puff a little bit faster, Cerberus himself come out of the smoke and torture your tongue with sharp bites of agony.
Too bad I bought it in a 100g tin – it was the only available at the time. I’ve smoked 4 or 5 bowls, didn’t like it and decided to put the rest in my cellar and get back to it a few years later to see if it gets any better.
Time will tell…
Cheers Everyone, Brandr ODS
Age When Smoked:
Fresh from the tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 05, 2011 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Too get an idea of this tobacco, fill a pipe and give it three charring lights. Tamp each light with the tip of your tongue! How does that feel? Well that's what you get with DARK Twist. Believe it or not, my tin is over 15 years old and I have opened and resealed it every 5 years, hoping for a different result.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 02, 2005 | Mild | Mild | Very Mild | Pleasant |
I used to smoke this a few years ago, and at the time I liked it for the taste and aroma qualities mentioned by the other reviewers(positive reviews).
HOWEVER..
After a break in pipe smoking, I seem to be less compromising when it comes to tongue bite.I will not accept tongue bite anymore! My technique has changed and I will smoke as slow as needed not to be bitten. And this is where I come to the conlusion that a) I need to smoke this SO slowly that there is not enough smoke to be tasted and b) it keeps going out.
I can get Mixture, VA#1, Plumcake, Black Ambrosia and VC to work for me as cool and fragrant smokes(yes,yes!) , so I wish not to make generalisations about Mac and bite, but allas, this blend (and navy flake - same thing) does not work for me. And I'm on the verge of giving up on it. Well: so many good blends out there..
HOWEVER..
After a break in pipe smoking, I seem to be less compromising when it comes to tongue bite.I will not accept tongue bite anymore! My technique has changed and I will smoke as slow as needed not to be bitten. And this is where I come to the conlusion that a) I need to smoke this SO slowly that there is not enough smoke to be tasted and b) it keeps going out.
I can get Mixture, VA#1, Plumcake, Black Ambrosia and VC to work for me as cool and fragrant smokes(yes,yes!) , so I wish not to make generalisations about Mac and bite, but allas, this blend (and navy flake - same thing) does not work for me. And I'm on the verge of giving up on it. Well: so many good blends out there..
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 20, 2014 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Tolerable |
I have to say, I'm not a fan. It's a Virginia tobacco that burns hot and can easily scorch the tongue. There was nothing interesting about this tobacco. The tobacco sounds much more interesting than it really is. There is better out there.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 23, 2007 | Mild | Strong | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant |
Ok...I know I said I would not review anymore MB, but I had to get this outta me before it burns me alive...pun intended.
I'll make it short and sweet...sweet, like the cased crap this is.
Very pretty to look at. Very nice to smell, but no real tobacco flavor. Very painful to smoke.
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Yuck!
I'll make it short and sweet...sweet, like the cased crap this is.
Very pretty to look at. Very nice to smell, but no real tobacco flavor. Very painful to smoke.
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Yuck!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 12, 2005 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I tried this on the recommendation of a friend and I was not really impressed. #1 It smokes hot. #2 It has a very Mac Baren taste to it. #3 The room note was actually making me a little queasy. #4 After 2 bowls on 2 separate occasions I had to dump it each time.
To be fair I am not a Virginia fan,but this really is not very good stuff.It always smokes hot and dry. the flavor is very "young". It seems it did not go through a very long aging process.Unless you are a fan of either Virginia mixtures or Mac Baren products I would steer clear of it. The best of their lot seems to be "Mixture". This was really a let down for me.
To be fair I am not a Virginia fan,but this really is not very good stuff.It always smokes hot and dry. the flavor is very "young". It seems it did not go through a very long aging process.Unless you are a fan of either Virginia mixtures or Mac Baren products I would steer clear of it. The best of their lot seems to be "Mixture". This was really a let down for me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 03, 2004 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Spicey, hot, complex, and biting. The best MacBaren I have tried . Bliss for some, but not for me .
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