Mac Baren Plumcake

Plumcake has changed, and very much for the worst in my opinion. My ratings reflect the 'new' Plumcake, not the Plumcake I have smoked and loved for years. I think the earlier review comparing it to cough syrup was talking about a tin of it.

The 'old' Plumcake had a predominately light color in the tin, and the aroma was wonderful. Mildly sweet, mildly spicy, with a touch of vanilla (rum). The mixture did vary sometimes from tin to tin, sometimes it contained large flakes of darker tobacco, sometimes the cut was too fine. I put that down to the charm of a handmade product, and while the taste would also vary a bit, I always enjoyed it.

The 'new' Plumcake is a dark color, and the tin aroma has a very unpleasant, almost solvent aroma. There is a sort of chocolate/raisin quality to it. The taste reflects those dark aromas. Worst of all, it gives me headaches.

The 'new' Plumcake first surfaced early this year when I picked up a tin that offered a free tamper inside. I thought it was an odd tin, but others with that label were exactly the same. Then a new label giving the MacBaren web site address appeared, and they have the same problem. Now I'm finding even tins with the old label contain the 'new' Plumcake (although some seem to be a sort of a transition mixture.)

I can no longer smoke Plumcake, and am asking here if there are other tobaccos that are similar. I seem to have a very limited palette...don't like aromatics, don't like regular English, don't care for Latakia too often. Plumcake fit perfectly in between all of those. Is there another mixture out there that fits in that space?

Plumbcake is disappointing. I've been smoking a pipe for 6 years and so I understand how to sip a pipe. This tobacco will bite your tongue no matter how you smoke it. The risk of tongue bite for the amount of nicotine lacking in this blend is certainly not worth the reward. If you haven't already burned your tongue off or turned your tongue into leather I would certainly stay away from this. I think most of the good reviews here are based off nostalgia than anything else.

A strong tobacco with sour notes that come in and out, quite prone to tongue bite if not sipped carefully. No sweetness, a savory tobacco that will not be everyone's cup of tea. The topping gives a strong "rum" flavor which disappears halfway through the bowl. Leaves an unpleasant sour ghost in the pipe for your next smoke.

I had never tried anything latakia before this and i hated this stuff it tastes like smoking pencil shavings and i think the rum smell is overwhelming.

The smell out of the tin absolutely made me sick,at first. After the initial light I began to like it,but the nicotine hit was way to rough! Good tobacco,bad nicotine.

Blah...

After a week of this I threw it away. It made me sick to even think of it. Good riddance. The smell reminds me of cough syrup.

A very nice taste, really like the rum topping in combination with the Latakia. However, I never can manage to smoke more than a half bowl of this. To much tongue pain. Very slow puffing doesn't help. Nor did using different pipes and packing methods. Therefore just 1 star.

Updated 6/5/2008

Well considering I'm still trying to finish the rest of the tin I originally reviewed and am finally going to give up and mulch it into my shrubs, I have to drop this a star. - Not Recommended.

Original Review Follows

I admit I'm a little biased against aromatics. If you love them, then add a star to my rating. Even so, I might pick this up occasionally. I find it to be a fairly pleasant smoke that reminds me of fruit cake, so it seems appropriate this Christmas. I smoked this and a bowl of Dunhill's Standard Mixture Medium the other day and had a Latte as well. One or more of those kept me up until 3AM the other night. So maybe this has more Nicotine than people are letting on here. Not a bad smoke.

This burns well, tastes as you'd expect it to, and has a great room note. The problem is that even a few draws will broil your tongue, leaving you unable to drink anything other than water or milk for at least a day. Some people are apparently able to handle MacBaren blends, and if so than I'd recommend this for aromatic lovers in that category. Otherwise, this is strongly NOT recommended.

This is not what I thought is would be. I agree with a few others, is more like a house fire, If you like non aromatics but want something with a little better room note this may be for you.