Mac Baren Latakia Blend

This seems to one of those love it or hate it blends. Apparently some smokers hate it because they feel cheated it is not straight latakia.

40 years ago a college classmate let me sample a bowl full. It was one of the first blends I ever tried and I although I liked it, I couldn't afford a tin of MacBarens at the time. After I graduated and was financially able to buy some I couldn't find a tobacco shop that had it in stock. Finally, last week I was able to buy a tin and it was as good as I remembered it. If I had to summarize the taste in one word it would be "rich". This is a very satisfying smoke and I am going to stock my cellar with it in the event I can't find another source for it in 40 years.

Old tin, early 70s. Chaplikc below has sampled it! This is probably nothing like a recently produced tin, so just a brief note for the record: MacBaren roll cakes age really well. These were dry but not quite crispy on opening the tin. I rub most flakes and cakes out, and did so with this. The taste is old and musty, yet mild and heavenly! There is not much complexity to it, and this is probably true of the recent production: it's a mild one. I would not choose this for body or for a nicotine fix, but slowly sipped, I will savor the occasional bowl of this tobacco that is as old as I am, that is pretty unique in my cellar. MacBaren roll cakes tend to bite me, but not this one. I don't know whether it's the age or the blend. All I get is a sweet, perfumed smoke that is great to hold in the nasal passages and savor. If there had ever been Latakia here, it would be hard to tell after 40 years, but I don't care! I am officially in the market for 70s MacBaren now.

First, Let me give a very special thanks to Kilmarnock Piper for being very kind and generous in giving me a sample of this. This sample is from the early 1970's. I must say that this is the very best Mac Baren blend I have tried to date. This is called Latakia blend but i believe that the blenders may have called this blend that in a sort of dry humor kind of way. If I detect any latakia in this blend it is only in the after taste. This blend is smooth, sweet and very enjoyable.It is not a complex smoke that builds but rather a consistant smoke that is enjoyable in every puff. It has NO hint of the usual Mac Baren bite. My only problem is that I have a very limited few bowls of this and I just want to smoke it all right away. I will not do this though and will limit myself to times only when Im not in a hurry and can truly enjoy this treat. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you can find a very vintage tin such as the one I sampled!

The best blend i have ever smoked without doubt. The Virginia and Cavendish tobaccos collaborate in a perfect way with a subtle but yet complex taste of Latakia in the background.

Oh dear Latakia Blend, I will come to your rescue and defend you in the midst of all your (reviewers) turmoil. Yes I will protect you from their onslaught of malicious words. Without a doubt someone has done you wrong by bestowing upon you a poor and inappropriate name, however without that name would fate have ever brought us together? I think not. You are a Mac Baren and I had staved off your kith. My ears have heard the rumors about the hot temperedness of your family and I have been burnt on more that one occasion by your family members Vanilla Cream and the good for nothing Black Ambrosia, sweet though at first they seemed. But those were back in the days when I associated with aromatics and I have grown, matured and become more a man of taste and quality, you would not fool me now.

Now let me strengthen you with my words of adoration and ardor. Upon opening the tin your beauty and presentation consumed me, I had never seen a tobacco of your kind with beautiful sweet Virginias wrapping themselves around a wonderful core of Black Cavendish and Syrian......yes I said it Syrian Latakia. Your fragrance allured me, the perfume of a very subtle top dressing was present but it didn't cover up the natural smell of the high quality tobacco of which you are made. Easily packed into my finest pipes by slightly crumbling your wonderful little disc of tobacco and then at the match you are wonderful, fragrant and just slightly sweet....but not to much. You are everything I have ever wanted or thought I would find in a straight Virginia tobacco. Wonderful and cool, pipe after pipe and bowl after bowl even back to back my tongue is never left burnt or fatigued. I could smoke you all day and in fact..... I have, right down to the perfectly dry bottom of the bowl without the hint of bitterness I have come to expect. You are wonderful anytime of day, your flavor is not diminished by a flavorful meal and yet it never overwhelms my palate either. I cannot say that of other mixtures I have enjoyed.

But you have another secret for me, I could just hear you whispering it. Ah yes, I hear it again. You have been teasing me but as I become accustom and loyal to you, finally taking in all your splendor, I can finally taste it...the Syrian. If one was expecting it's cousin, the more brusque Cyprian they would be fooled and they would never see in you what I see. It has taken me bowl after bowl and even I did not think you truly had it in you, though ashamed to say it now and I loved you all the same. The Syrian is sweet and melds with you and you with it effortlessly. Yes it suits you very well and I notice it more and more each day especially when we are spending time outside with one another. My dear Latakia Blend, you suit me very well(very well indeed), may my palate be forever smitten with you.

This is my favorite blend ! They should have named it something else but oh well . I break the disks up just a little . This blend smokes very well ..cool , dry in most of my pipes and will smoke slow . I can taste the components of the blend which are twisted virgina , cavendish , and latakia...probably in that order . So the latakia flavor is small . I dont care ... the blend itself is " off the map ". My wife says it has a little incense aroma [whatever that is] which she likes. The cavendish has a spice like flavor that is superb ! If you want more lat flavor out of this blend .... rub it out all the way and you'll at least notice the latakia . The blend deserves a high rating for sure but you'll notice that many reviewers were takin back that it wasnt a Lat bomb or at least Lat forward , which it is not by any means . Taken it for what it is .... it's a fantastic blend !

Had to give the 'other' side review of this blend. I'll admit that the name 'Latakia' is wholly misleading. If you're expecting to taste a FM or other strong latakia blend you'll be sorely disappointed.

I'm strongly biased towards most MacBaren blends. Almost all their blends have a light top coat of 'honey' or other flavoring. I'm not an aromatic fan by any means, but the MB blends just hit-the-spot so-to-speak.

Latakia is mild. I find it a great all day smoke. Never any tongue bite or hot pipe. Nice, smooth and sometimes creamy. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but that's O.K as it leaves that much more for me!

This is one of the five curly cut tobaccos producted by Mac Baren, other four being - Roll Cake, Club Blend, Dark Twist and Stockton. The production of this blend is discontinued. It is sold only in Germany. The tin appearance, comparing to other curlies Mac Baren produces, is a bit on the lighter side. I believe that there are more brighter VAs used in this blend. The center of the coin is made from dark fired kentucky. There is a touch of Latakia added to the blend to enhance smokiness of DFK, and it gives it that campfire-like smokey smell. But like I said, the Latakia is barely noticeable. The moisture level of this blend is just right for smoking right out of the tin.

As I usually do with flakes and coins, I do not rub them out. I take 5 - 6 coins, stack them, roll them up and stuff the roll in the bowl. I like smoking it this way, because it gives me more variety in the taste, while progressing throughout the bowl. When I hit that DFK kernel, I'm in heaven of smoky taste. Then it gradually mellows out to pure sweet Virginia.

The lighting is not as easy as with ribbon cut tobaccos, but it is not too hard either. Just takes two charring lights to get things going. The baccy stays lit fairly effortless.

The taste is mainly from the VAs with sweet grassy, sometimes honeyish/citrusy, notes with occasional smoky pepperiness from Latakia. I would not call the taste full and bold, but it has quite the complexity to it with it's varying taste throughout the bowl. I would even go as far as to say that the smoke is interesting and really ejoyable. You have to sip this blend to enjoy it. Puff too hard, and the tongue bite monster will bite you. In the nicotine department, this blend is on the mild side - satisfying but not overwhelming.

The room note is acceptable. The presence is noticeable but not too intense. Certainly I get no complaints when smoking this indoors, when, compared to smoking english blends, I get thrown out of the house.

I would recommend this to novice pipe smoker as introduction to VA/Latakia blends. As for english blend smokers - maybe as a change of pace blend. I also think this blend has the potential to be stored for aging.

Where's the Latakia? Very minute hint of it... rarely perceptible. Nevertheless an excellent VA blend... slightly metallic but sweet flavour that I very much enjoy. The taste is consistent from top to bottom. Once slightly dried out, it burns well. Very little if any bite. I may try adding a dash of Perique. If you can get past the name, you will find this smoke a treat. Will buy more...