Mac Baren Latakia Blend

Another fine entry from our Danish friends at MacBaren. Please don't me mislead by the term "Latakia" in the title. This is not an English blend by any stretch. Instead, it is a fresh and zesty tasting blend of VAs and Danish Cavendish (i.e., light honey top dressing)in a wafer-thin rollcake presentation. The Latakia is like adding salt to food. Just enough to bring out the flavor, but not enough to notice.

I enjoy this tobacco very much and suggest you try it if you are a VA smoker looking for a change of pace or an aromatic smoker looking for something more natural. Don't bother if you are an English diehard looking for a traditional English blend.

Yes it will nip if pressed, but virtually all Danish tobaccos do. So I don't consider this a negative, per se, but just another element of the tobacco genre.

UPDATE: I have read some tips from my pipe smoking friends here at Tobacco Reviews about loading a bowl of MacBaren (or other nippy Danish) tobacs via the "plug" method. Well . . . I tried it and I love it. Just take a large pinch from the tin, the amount you want to smoke, and just stick it in the bowl with minimal "meddling" . . . . and then just light and go. I very much think it helps with reducing the nip and increases the flavor. Try it!

Okay, they should have named this something else. Nevertheless, I do like this tobacco. If one thinks of it as a predominately Virginia blend with some Cavendish and a tiny bit of latakia and treat it accordingly it will not disappoint. It must be smoked slowly or it will get hot and the VA will bite. Sometimes I can taste the latakia and sometimes not, depending on my particular sesitivity to it on a given day as well as the particular pipe used. It has a degree of sharpness or sourness to it that I like and I find it to be a satisfying tobacco, latakia or not.

I kinda like this blend. When I bought it I found that it was what I thought it might be. When opening the tin you find nice curly discs of a gold/brown color w/a black center which I would say was the Latakia and Cavendish, as well as an appealing mild English aroma. I chose to rub the discs out and as I filled the bowl I alternated browns and blacks to the top. Moisture level was OK, at least for me. Lights easy enough, tamp and relight and you're going good. Bit tart & sharp @first w/some sweetness too (well, it is Danish), but I didn't feel it was as sharp as some Danish tobaccos can be. Smokes fairly cool and smooth. The VA flavor is there, and the Latakia was on the light side, but I was glad that it was because I was hoping for a milder English kinda blend for different times of the day and different situations. Sometimes you want to really taste the Latakia, sometimes not so much. I found any casing that was there to be subtle and not at all dominant. Did get some gurgle about 1/3 of the way, but it was no real problem, one cleaner. Farther down the bowl some smokiness kicks in w/a more pronounced flavor than before, and near the end it was a tad harsh but not unpleasant. Smoked all the way down to a mottled ash w/maybe a smidgeon of dottle. Rather agreeable room aroma if I may say so. Not a bitey tobacco either if smoked in moderate fashion. Don't think I'll stock up on this one like it's going out of style, but I wouldn't object to keeping a tin of this around. Pretty good offering from McB., and a pleasant enough smoke IMHO. Works for me.

Based on a hazy memory of a generous sample:

This was somewhat of a dissapointment for me! The only blend from the "Roll Cake" series by Mac Baren that didn't float my boat and to me: The least flavourful one!

The latakia is virtually nonexsitent, you'll see a few black spots in the coins, but I suppose most of it is Cavendish! In the smoke itself there is next to none Latakia to be noticed and the slight hint I perceive might as well be placebo.

They should've called this "Virginia Blend" as the Virginia base is quite good. Sweetness, hay and grass.. some earthy notes.. very mild spiciness. This is rather a sweet smoke and a wonderful blend for smokers who come from aromatics and want to lean towards more natural blends.

If you're looking for a Latakia coin-cut - this isn't for you! If you're looking for a mild Virginia blend with a nice sweetness, though not much of complexity - this is for you! And even then there are plenty blends out there, that are better in that category.

Sadly, this is my first Mac Baren blend that really dissapointed me.. the name is misleading, the blend is average (as a Virginia coin-cut) and the price not exactly cheap.

|| Personal rating: 1,5-stars | Attempt of an 'obective rating' : 2-stars ||

Although I would not hesitate to say this is generally a fine blend, like some other reviewers I too had expected a little more Latakia in this brand.

Here the cavendish play a major role and it subdue all the other tobacco. There’s a hint of aromatization that I find quite pleasant but still it ruins the play between the tobaccos.

Don't try this if you are a serious latakia smoker. However, for burley fans it's a nice option once in a while. You do detect a hint of the strong stuff, which is quiet enough for me.

I like the coins and have crumpled them up and rubbed them out for a satisfying smoke. This tobacco suits me and taste nice and smokey with a natural tobacco flavor. It burns cool and dry too.

To dispel notions that I'm a MacBaren hater I have given 4 stars to Old Dark Fired and Mature Virginia and 3(1/2) stars to Mixture Flake and Vintage Syrian. But I'm sorry, I've gone through the one tin of LatBlend that I had ordered by mistake while ordering the forementioned and I have questions -- why is the word "Latakia" even in the name (taste no trace of it)?, how can so obviously cared for and beautifully presented spun cut tobacco be so seemingly lacking when it comes to quality/curing of the leaf and overall blending?, where's the cavendish as I taste only harsh virginia?, and how can presumably good quality tobacco be so acrid and rough when there is no casing or flavoring to blame? Oh well, if you enjoy it continue to do so but as an impartial review I think what I've said is fair. Doesn't do it no matter what taste profile excites you.