Mac Baren Navy Flake

I've tried several of MacBaren's offerings and was pleased with the majority of them but was never "bowled over". However after only 2 tins this has easily become my favorite tobacco, easily kicking Peterson's UF to the curb. I just can't say enough about this pipe weed. I prefer my NF on the dry side and let the tin sit open for a few hours after which it's a difficult tobacco to stop smoking. My cellar has quite a few other flakes more than worthy of ripping into but I find it hard to pass up a rub of this ambrosia.

It's deceiving as the aroma from the tin is rather different from the actual smoke as it is drier than what the sweetness suggests. Opening the tin and smelling the tobacco, it smells of dried dates - sweet, pungent and acrid.

Upong smoking, it reminds me of a mild Cuban cigar which means it has a nice "full body" of aroma than the normal aromatics. Lovely and firm, though not an exciting room note..

Great anytime of day!

I've been reading positive comments in the newsgroup on this tobacco and had it recommended several times as well. I finally picked up a tin at a local shop and am extraordinarily glad I did not delay longer.

Upon opening the tin, you are greeted with a wonderful aroma which is a bit sweeter than the tobacco itself. The flakes themselves are large and I usually only smoke 1/2 of one during a typical lunchbreak. They rub out easily enough for those so inclined.

Navy Flake packs and lights very easily once rubbed out. The initial taste is pure tobacco bliss. The burley is top shelf and co-mingles well with the Virginia's. If there is a topping here, it isn't noticeable in the taste. It does, however, seem to make an appearance in the very pleasurable room note.

The tobacco smokes cool throughout the bowl with no evidence of tongue bite; an effect for which Mac Baren has acquired some notoriety. There was also no hint of bitterness common to some Burley blends, even toward the bottom of the bowl.

Navy Flake is now firmly ensconced in my smoking rotation. The fact that it established itself there quicker than any other tobacco is a testament to it's skillful blending. Kudos to Mac Baren!

I tried this tobacco after reading the fine reviews, and I must say I was happy that I did. After two tins, this has made its way into me top 5 regular smokes. The honey top to this compliments the fine burley, and the chewing gum sized flakes make it a pleasure to work with. I like to fully rub out the flakes, and these rub out quite easily. Mac Baren knows burley. Recommended to all, even Virginia purists.

Very much a Burley blend this one. I found it to be a fine all day smoke. The Burley tends to tone down the Virginia tendency to bite if puffed hard. The flavor was light and refreshing. Honey I think would be the most appropriate term. I have loved this tobacco since the first of many tins I purchased. A must for all who love flakes and Danish style tobaccos.

Add one more voice to the chorus singing the praises of Navy Flake. From the moment you receive this, ur in for a treat...

First of all it comes in a great little tin, perfect for travelling light with a good supply of tobacco. Pop it open, and ur greeted with a pleasant sweet tobacco smell and the glimmer of gold-leaf wrap. Lift the paper to discover beautifully veined, perfectly cut slices of tobacco. So far, this is a true treat for the eyes and nose!

Gingerly remove a slice and rub to your favourite consistency. Dance the flame over, and smell a wonderful burley tobacco. Those first few draws will reveal a little perique-like tickle in the throat along with a very typical MacBaren's sweetness (subtle, but present). I found it took a charring light well. Lightly knock down the char and re-light...you are off!

By the half-way mark, I found the tickle in the throat mellowed slightly. This stayed well-behaved all the way through. Marvellous body, great smell, burned evenly...I'm luvin this!

By the end, I'm sold. There is a cigar-like quality to this tobacco (don't let my reference to "sweetness" make u think this is an aromatic. It's sweet like the old Jamaican cigars...)

This is a winner visually, for the nose, and taste-wise. I will be ordering more soon...

Add my name to the list of VA flake smokers that enjoys this blend in spite of the fact that it's mostly burley. This is a very smooth smoking tobacco that to me has a sort of buttery flavor.

It burns clean and dry, requires few (if any) relights, and is flavorful enough to be an all-day smoke.

If it was available in bulk - it would be perfect. Highly recommended!

My new favorite, I like this even better than Edgeworth slices. Just enough casing to bring out the natural sweetness and marry the tobaccos in a subtle but rich blend; even the sidestream smoke has a great tobacco aroma. If your granddad smoked a pipe and you remember the smell of it fondly, chances are it was much like this - I can easily imagine a quiet evening after supper in a Adirondack cabin, good company, a splash of sourmash in a short glass, and a pipeful of MacBaren's Navy Flake.

This is a really nice burley blend, consisting of burley, some virginia, and some cavendish. There is a bit of a honey sweetener with maybe a little peach, but it's not enough of a presence for me classify this one as an aromatic -- my rating of the flavoring as "mild" is more a reflection of the honey being used as a sweetener than the peach flavoring. It is noticeably sweeter than, say, Butera Kingfisher (another very nice burley blend).



The tobacco as delivered is a bit too damp, and so is more prone to tongue bite than one would expect from a burley flake. I tend to dry out the tins a day or so before smoking.



This is a true flake, as distinguished from the flake-like krumble kake cut used by Butera Kingfisher (one of my other favorite burley blends). Because of this, it tends to prefer smaller-bowled pipes like virginia flakes do. I smoke it in a little Barbi bamboo-shanked prince that holds exactly one flake. I fold the flake in half, then in half again, and just shove it in. The crumbled ends of the flake light easily, and it burns all the way to the bottom without a problem.



The flavor isn't too complex, but nonetheless possesses loads of burley's bright, cheerful woodsey-nutty flavor, which the honey complements beautifully. The peach isn't really noticeable in the taste unless you concentrate, but does become more pronounced in the room aroma, which is consequently quite nice.



All around a very nicely done blend.