Mac Baren Latakia Blend

I was first introduced to Mac Baren's Latakia Blend over 35 years ago by Julius Vesz.

Over the years either my taste buds have changed or this blend has changed somewhat - probably a combination of both. I still find the mixture a very pleasant all day smoke. The Latakia certainly is not overpowering as in other mixtures but it is inclined to leave somewhat of an aftertaste for a few hours.

The room note is pleasant to tolerable if one listens to the comments of other non smokers.

After a good rubbing out this blend packs easily and lights with ease. It burns to a grayish ash. Its taste is very pleasant.

Over the years I have smoked this blend in Vesz, Nording and Stanwell pipes - all bents. Never have I had an "unpleasant" smoke.

This blend is getting more and more difficult to find in Canada and because of this, I have recently cellared a half dozen tins.

For many years now, this blend has been one of my favorites and I am seldom without a "supply".

A well known and famous pipe club member was at the meeting about a week ago and brought this tin in dated October, 1997. 24 years. This tobacco comes in some nice dark brown coins about the size of a quarter. Note from this website: “Introduced in 1964. NOTE: This long-time blend is no longer in production because of the relatively low amount of latakia in it. However, the company has plans to re-name it and release the excellent blend again.” This is an excellent smoke if you like no Latakia, in a blend that says ‘LATAKIA BLEND’ and underneath “STRAIGHT”. Also, on the website description is “…. just a touch of Syrian latakia leaves”. Seeing how this antique was made in ’97 there very well could be Syrian in this batch but unfortunately probably only a few strands as I, like several other reviewers find this completely lacking in Latakia. I find it amusing that it was discontinued due to the relatively low amount of Latakia. What happened, they get sued for false advertising? Most everyone at the club liked it sans the “L” word and I later at home smoked two large bowls and found it smooth, mild and pleasant somewhat along the P.S. Bullseye tobacco that I have had in the past. If this had been called any other name probably a 3 star but judging this as a “L” blend I am forced to give it a 1 star. I have not had the new version and it is probably very good. Too bad they could not have started a new review category for the re-release as to get a better review status. I am glad to have been able to try something so old and rare.

Bought a partial tin (still in good shape) as well as other pipes & tobaccos at an estate sale. It's certainly smokable, hut doesn't merit purchasing again. Why is Cavendish in a latakia blend? And where is said Latakia? Seems there is a 'house note' in the non HH tobaccos at Mac Baren. Somewhat off-putting & ho hum. Pipe tobacco is like Pokemon, gotta try them all.

If you're like me, you really enjoy the smokiness of latakia. If you're like me and tried Latakia Blend, you're also wondering "where's the latakia? This is a good tobacco. Not great, but good. But if you are expecting smokey like a solid english, this one will disappoint.

I just got through reviewing Scottish Mixture, so it was fresh on my mind. When opening this blend, my first thought was that it smelled incredibly similar. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it has a very similar characteristic. If you liked Scottish Mixture or found it to be enjoyable but just a tad too harsh, you will definitely like Latakia blend.

It comes cut in roll cake form which look like little disks. They are thin, but have a perfect amount of moisture to smoke right away. It packs and lights easily.

The first couple of puffs were very pleasant. But then the more you think about it, the more you notice something lacking. The Virginia is at the forefront but isnt sweet enough or smooth enough. There's a harshness that as I said, is similar to Scottish blend, but I couldnt put my finger on what it was once again. Perhaps some sort of liquor topping? The harshness doesnt translate to tongue bite which is nice, even though I smoked it in a nosewarmer.

I will say that my wife LIKED the room note, which is enough to move it from a 1 star to a 2 star tobacco in my book. Again, this is a good, smokable tobacco but not a great one.

In short sumary: 1. If you enjoyed Scottish Mixture, you will like this blend. 2. If you see the name on the tin and you think "smokey" you will be wrong.

I recieved this tobacco as an extra from my friend, It is spun cut which is a very well rounded 'chip' type of flake. upon opening the can, which in fact was aged for 5 years, I smelled very light woodsy/bourbon tones.

Easy to pack and it seems it was aged with perfection, the flake was easy to light but kind of hard to keep lit, I tamped and lit about 3 times to get it going, and it needs constant attention to keep smoking.

In my honest opinion it smells like a forest fire, yep. I just remember my days in Arizona and the smell the forest fire gives off, slightly earthy, robust, burning wood chip scent.

Taste is mildly sweet/whiskey/bourbon with damn near no tongue bite. Does tend to cause some extra drippage in my pipes and had a nice light buzz after I was done. Great stuff.

I tried this weed when my local brick and mortar was out of Peter Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake, which I had previously enjoyed. I wanted to try another coin format, and I was rewarded with a great smoke. Some disappointment at the lack of the namesake latakia, but still a pleasure.

Last June, I casually met a former colleague, I was surprised to see him with a pipe (an old and nice Gasparini bent billiard shape) because I had always seen smoking cigars. He told me to be back to the pipe after 24 years just smoking Mac Baren LB, I was curious so I decided to try it. Well, I can understand the general disappointment because of the misleading name, forget the usual dark/peaty/campfire vibe, if you crave for it look elsewhere because LB is so restrained and urbanized that room note is inoffensive! On other hand (passing over the name and considering as a whole) LB is a good all day tobacco that smokes cool and dry, the pinch of Syrian (gentler per se if compared to Cyprian) doesn't characterize but just enhance the blend with the usual coolness and a slight smokiness, it also gives a pleasant astringent feel to the mouth without planing your taste buds. Again: smoke it as it is or look elsewhere.

This is a pretty good blend if taken for what it is. I DO taste the Latakia, and it is good! This is sort of like Plumcake to me, in coin form. Drying it a bit helps, and I got no bite from it. A pleasant, thoughtless smoke for sure. If you're looking for a lat bomb though, it isn't here as stated in previous reviews. For someone looking to taste lat for the first time, this may be the ticket. Recommended.

I have to agree with most of the other reviews here, so I'm not saying anything new. This is an o.k. tobacco. I picked up a couple of oz out of a 16 oz container that had been in the shop, opened, for at least a year. Needless to say, it was a little dry. Out of the bag comes a sweet, tea-like smell not at all unpleasant, which carries over in the smoke. You would expect a heavy latakia punch with a name Latakia, no? Not so much. Yet, like all the other Mac Baren's spun tobaccos I've tried, it's quality tobacco for sure. And the chaps at MB's do say "just a touch" of latakia is used in this blend. I'm mixing other tobaccos with this to see what happens. I know I've said this a million times but adding Roll Cake or Crown Achievement's CA-100 to other blends has been a lot of fun for me. I'm not sure how often I'll buy this stuff, depends on what I can get out of it. So, I guess if you are into mixing and matching this might be a pretty tobacco to play with.

Update: This is a fine tobacco. I have mixed this into other latakia blends with wonderful results as well as appreciate it for what it is, a very sweet smoke indeed, and will continue to buy a couple of ounces from time to time. I've also discovered that smoking this blend in my pipes dedicated to my Latakia blends not only adds to the smoke but also seasons the pipe.