Mac Baren Original Choice

Ok, so you are finished with the pouch of Cherry Captain Black that your girlfriend bought you for your birthday and are wondering where to go from here? Original Choice is a great next step. The tobacco is midly sweet, and will leave behind a not unpleasant reminder that someone has recently finished a pipe. It does not have the heavy sweet smell that may cause some non-pipe enthusiasts to proclaim their appreciation for pipe smoke. The enjoyment of this tobacco produces a cool, dry smoke, and is rather easily maintained. The ash left behind is a fine white powder. For these reasons, I also recommend this tobacco for use breaking in a new pipe.

This tobacco is everything expected in a pipe filler, and therin lies the 3 star recommendation. It doesn't surprise, amaze. However it does provide consistant enjoyment. This is a fine all day tobacco that you will not be displeased with.

Well, my search for the perfect aromatic continues... I was given an unopened package of this by a fellow pipe smoker (Hello Randy!) who has decided to only smoke Va/Perique blends. I am desparately trying to find an nice smooth, sweet after-dinner kind of smoke, a dessert smoke, if you will.

This one has an incredibly sweet smell in the container. Almost honey-like. It looks fairly light, with some black tobacco. Mostly ribbon cut. Visually very appealling.

So far, so good.

It was very dry. When I pinched it, nothing stuck together. Perhaps it was too dry.

I smoked the first bowl outside on my walk to work. Initial light gave almost no flavour whatsoever?! That strong scent in the foil package was completely gone in the smoke!

By the halfway mark, little or no change. In fact, by the bottom still nothing had changed, sadly. (sigh)

I decided to smoke the next bowlful inside, hoping that smelling the room note would make some difference. Alas, no such luck. It was as bland inside as out. In fact, it seemed to offer a little tongue-bite too! Maybe I was drawing too hard to find something to sink my teeth in to!?

Will I finish this 50g package? I suppose. Will I enjoy it? Maybe. Will I order more? Probably not.

UPDATE: I tried it again this morning. It seemed a little more flavourful. It seems sitting for a few weeks has helped it out a bit.

One More UPDATE: A little more time has passed, and this tobacco has improved again. Maybe it's just me, but I like this more and more. I'm upgrading from "Might Try Again..." to "I smoke this on occasion"

I just found this to be alright. It is an aromatic to be sure and came across as a little too light to my palate. With a little more burley presence I think I may have enjoyed it more. The topping does stay through to the end of the bowl and covers up most of the tobacco taste.

The topping, to me, comes across as very caramel and maybe a little chocolate. I won't delve too much into the underlying leaf as it is not readily detectable, but judging by the strength, I feel the cavendish dominates. The blend itself is pretty low maintenance. It packs fine, takes a light great and does not really bite unless pushed.

I think this is two stars to me, but many aro smokers do not seek strength and this may fit that smoker just fine, so with that thought I am adding a third star.

Original Choice is a very good all day smoke. Some hay notes in the Virginia, earthy nutty Burley and that excellent MacBaren Cavendish. The topping is a fruity blend of cherry, and berry with a hint of citrus. Some caramel and vanilla seem to be present as well. Packs, lights and burns in a most excellent manner. Little if no moisture in bowl and presents little dottle. Burns to fine light gray ash due to the quality of leaf. A good choice for the novice as well as the old codgers like myself. Will keep in my rotation. Solid 3 for me

This is what old-timers tell me is a "black & tan" blend. It's certainly sweet enough to satisfy any aromatic cravings, but other than being sweet it doesn't really qualify as an aromatic in my book --- this is unadulterated tobacco, or at least I was unable to detect any flavorings.

Like most MacBaren blends, the high quality of the leaf is obvious, and like most MacBaren blends it looks very appealing and smells heavenly in the tin. I loaded up a large Peterson, packed it medium-tight and fired it up.

I am already a big fan of MB's burley/VA/cavendish blends, and this one earns its place among my go-to tins. Admirably juxtaposing the straight strength of my beloved Navy Flake, Original Choice is something like smoking a pipe bowl of sugar --- unquestionably sweet tobacco, but not cloying or goopy. It stays lit well and burns at a nice, medium-slow rate on its own. If, like me, you occasionally like to stoke it up a bit with some deep, heavy draws you will be rewarded with nice, big puffy white smoke clouds and a very pleasantly sweet but real tobacco taste with little or no tongue bite. And the room note gets Mrs.Rafe's seal of approval.

Regular partakers of heavy lats or Balkans might find this blend a trifle on the wimpy side, or might find it a nice change of pace. Burley/VA/cavendish lovers, those who enjoy lighter, aromatic fare or even green newbies will find Original Choice a pleasure to reach for. I know I do. Good stuff!

The label says “original choice” so I was not expecting this tobacco to be a sweet and peachy aroma; don’t get me wrong though, I absolutely love the smell! Sometimes after smoking Virginia or burley for a while, I like to change it up a bit and switch to this one.

It’s not so easy make a review about this blend. I try. Original Choice is a good aromatic mixture, very well balanced. There is flavoring and there is top dressing but it is pleasant and it doesn’t cloy. Of course it is not a natural aromatic but rather a flavored mixture and yet it is always possible to perceive the taste of tobacco. Satisfying, tasty. Sweet but not too much. For aromatic mixtures’ lovers. In my personal system rating (from 1 to 10), my score is 8 and three stars.

One of the best drug store blends. Easy to lit,no moisture,no tongue bite.Good in taste and room note. All day aromatic. Reccomended to try for everyone.

As a longtime Virginia smoker, which means my palate hasn't been destroyed by latakia, I happen to lo e this blend as a simple, uncomplicated morning smoker with coffee. This is high quality tobacco. Yes it's easy. Yes it's sweet. But it has real flavor and appeal even for the seasoned smoker. This is the only aromatic that I enjoy, besides Night Owl from Georgetown Tobacco, which is a guilty pleasure. There is no guilt, however , in enjoying a bowl of Original Choice.