Mac Baren Plumcake

Plumcake is a unique latakia mixture that bridges the gaps between aromatic, english, and balkan mixtures very successfully and is best enjoyed slowly. The room note is a delight not often found in latakia mixtures.

In the tin. Plumcake has a wonderful bouquet that reminds me of a whiff of quality scotch. The latakia smokiness and bright rum spice notes play so well together that they are nearly inextricable as to where one ends and the other takes over.

In the pipe. This blend is great when sipped. Yet as many have mentioned. Will be harsh if you prefer to not take your time. There is no real trace of the rum casing while smoking. Though I feel it does give you the slightest sweetness on the back of your throat The latakia is mild but ever present. It is more in the category of a balkan style mixture in my opinion but the smokehouse note of the latakia is much more present than the usual balkan.

The basics for a good blend are all here. Perfect moisture level right out of the tin. Smokes cool and dry. Packs and lights easily with few to no relights. Only thing again. As with most balkanesque mixtures. Sip it slowly or it will not only be far less pleasing as far as taste but will also bite you ferociously. You want to stretch a bowl out for well over an hour. The ember should be small and constantly shifted and every draw should be as if on the verge of going out. Slow and steady here ladies and gents.

The room note is the key to this blend. It has the trademark richness and boldness of a latakia mixture but there is a definite top note here that is very sucrose-sweet. This is yet another experience you will miss if you smoke fast. This would perhaps be the most "tolerable" room note I've come across in a latakia mixture when it comes to non-smokers being present... If smoked slowly!

Plumcake is a blend that will really make you learn to appreciate sipping your pipe. Yet for most beginning and intermediate smokers the true complexity will likely be left unnoticed because of this very reason. As they do tend to be guzzlers.

Like anything else, when it comes to pipe smoking you have to decide what you really want out of the whole proposition. An experience akin to nekked bungy jumping? A sublime moment of Pipe Zen? Refinement and sophistication? Just a relaxing and pleasant bowl of tobacco? MacB Plumcake is going to give you the last of those options, and it will offer you nothing more than a pleasant smoke... and that's cool with me.

I've been smoking Plumcake for years - ever since 1989, when I discovered a tin of it in a small pipe shop in Abu Dhabi... not too far from the International Seaman's Club. (Or was that Dubai - I can never keep those two Emirites straight in my head). Back in those days we could smoke inside the skin of the ship, and the room note was a winner with my fellow squids. I've yet to meet a person who doesn't like the room note. The blend itself is rather unremarkable: Virginia, Burly, Latakia, MacB Cavenidsh, and a conservative sprinkling of rum to enhance a sorta plum-like topping.

I've smoked it in a bunch of pipes, and the only thing I can say is that it does better in a pipe with a large bowl - it allows the blend to open-up and reveal it's full magnificence. And its magnificence is in it's balance, because the different types of tobacco used in this blend compliment one another quite nicely and it becomes hard to discern one leaf over the other. The Virginia and Burley just blend into one another, and the Cavendish and Latakia go weaving in and out for the duration of the smoke. The rum and plum-like toppings enhance rather than drown-out the base tobaccos. Thus, you get a wonderful harmonizing of the different qualities you would expect from those individual leaves and toppings.

Pack it a bit looser than you might otherwise think it should be packed, gently char it, then gently light it, then gently sip on it. Do not cram it in there, do not take a blow torch to it, and do not puff on it like a freight train. Just gently sip on it. Snork it. Let the smoke roll around over your tongue just a bit. Take a big puff now and then. Puff slowly, and don't strain yourself in-order-to find any nuance. There isn't any. This blend's strength is to be found in its basic goodness, which will come to you on its own.

It's a basic smoke. On old-timer's smoke. A codger's smoke, conservative and satisfying. Is it a Codger Latakia blend along the lines of Walnut or Revelation, but with less Latakia? A Vabur with a pinch of Latakia? An aromatic that hasn't ruined the base tobacco with a ton of goopy flavorings? A light Balkan, Scottish, or English blend? Yes. Yes it is. It's in its own class, and if you're overly loyal to one genre or another you might not like it because it transcends traditional labels and gives you a blend that covers just about every base short of a Lakeland blend.

In the end, it's just a pipe tobacco. Nothing fancy or exotic, yet not really boring either. Slightly smokey, yet slightly sweet. A bit of nuttiness and toast-like flavor. Just a pleasant smoke with a nice room note - and if you're like me and that is all you generally want from a bowl of tobacco then Plumcake might just do the trick.

Mac Baren's Plumcake is one of my favorite tobaccos. As someone who smokes mostly VaPers but who also likes Latakia, I appreciate the combination of sweetness and smokiness that Plumcake delivers. While not a big fan of Burleys, in Plumcake its nuttiness is a perfect accompaniment to the other tobaccos. And, for me, that's what makes Plumcake unique, it delivers the best of all three types of tobacco in goodly measure and proportion. While supposedly flavored with rum, I don't detect it (truth be told, I've never tasted rum in any tobacco that claims to have it).

At the beginning of the bowl, the Virginias predominate and Plumcake can be quite sweet. As you progress through the bowl, the Latakia and finally the burleys come to the fore. However, the best qualities of all three are present at all times. The flavor also becomes increasing fruity so that the last few puffs are the best.

Be warned that Plumcake can bite if you puff too hard, but the main reason to smoke it slowly is to enjoy the variety and richness of the experience.

Plumcake contains just about the right moisture level as delivered (I dry mine out a little), is easy to pack and light and is relatively inexpensive if purchased in bulk.

I loved this blend. It was my door to the english side of the force hehe. When I opened the tin I smelled the spicy orientals with a hidden aroma (i would say raisins or rhum, not sure cause it's very subtle). It tastes great and the latakia gives a nice finishing touch. It's an all day smoker, and burns cool. I had to re-light only once, which was nice too.

I would like to preface this review by saying that I am a relatively new pipe smoker. Started my pipe smoking hobby on Jan 1, 2017 so I have a little over a year under my belt. I enjoy English blends primarily but I also enjoy good aromatics as well. I am by no means an expert on pipe tobacco but I am an expert on what I like. I really like MacBaren Plumcake. I primarily look for a tobacco blend that is created with good quality tobaccos, that has good flavor, some interesting spices, and behaves well in the bowl. They can be strong and robust, like Dunhill Nightcap, or a little more mild, like My Mixture 965. These are two of my favorites. I also enjoy a good VaPer, like Elizabethan Mixture. Hopefully this gives a useful perspective on my taste in tobacco and will be helpful in gaining insight from my review.

With that out of the way, MacBaren Plumbcake is nothing short of amazing. I think this may become one of my favorite, go to blends. I read some of the reviews before I purchased my 3.5oz tin. (which is an excellent value, by the way) so I was cautious of potential tongue bite. I heeded the advice of many reviews and sipped on this blend very slowly. I was richly rewarded with an awesome and flavorful, but mellow and relaxing smoking experience. No tongue bite whatsoever. A smallish size bowl, packed on the easy side, lasted me over an hour.

This is supposed to be an aromatic blend but this is nothing like any aromatic blend I have ever tasted. Far better, with real tobacco taste and no artificial flavorings to get in the way. I really detected no rum, either in the tin or on the palate. Mostly spicy notes mixed with sweet and a little bit of smoke from the latakia, which, too, is not really evident in the tin note. By the way, carefully noting the blend composition, you will see that this is Syria Latakia, not Cyprian, as is in most blends. My understanding is that Syria Latakia is much more scarce and perhaps that's why there is only a dash in this blend. However, what is in there is just perfect and adds just the right amount of dimension to make this such an enjoyable smoke. There are no flavors that are overpowering or "forward" in this blend. Everything works together in great harmony and what you are left with is a smooth, mellow and perfectly balanced flavor.

Upon opening the tin, it smelled to me like sweet, stewed tomatoes with a little spice. Perhaps some dark fruit (plum or raisin) and a ripe grassy smell as well. Really one of the most pleasant tin notes of any blend I have tried so far. The tobacco was tightly packed and was slightly on the moist side but not overly moist. I smoked it right out of the tin and it smoked fairly well with just a little more that average number of relights. Perhaps some drying time would remedy that. It smoke all the way to the bottom of the bowl with a very consistent flavor and left no moisture in the bottom of the bowl.

As I mentioned earlier, I really can't see how this is considered an aromatic. However, if you are an aromatic smoker and would like to try to transition into some good non aromatics, this would be a sure bet. If you don't like this, you probably won't like English blends. Conversely, if you love English blends but are looking for something on the mild side to add to your rotation, I think you will love this blend as well. The only caution would be, smoke it slowly and sip it gently to avoid tongue bite. I did not experience tongue bite but I assume this can be a bit bitey since there are so many comments in this regard for Mac Baren blends in general.

MacBaren Plumcake is an gem of a tobacco blend and I certainly will be buying more of this. Enjoy

From the tin opening I had a sensation that this will be a special tobacco. The cut is beautiful with a mix of ribbons and broken flakes. Components are well noticed and distinguished and the tin aroma is amazing. It packs quite easily and lights like a charm. And with the first puff you get all the flavour at once. You're greeted by a distinctive plum flavour similar to that in Royal yacht, but with smokiness coming from Latakia. Then there is that taste that keeps teasing you and makes you ponder about it. If you're familiar with rum you will recongise it in about the middle if the bowl. But if not, you will have a beautiful complement to the plum without knowing what it is exactly. It burns evenly and well to the end. Requires very few relights over a large bowl 1.5hrs+ and leaves no dottle in the bowl.

This one took me by surprise. I've smoked many a MacBaren and found many just versions of the others. Smoked blindly, I'd never have guessed this to be of the same brand. Aromatic? not by my definition. I bought this for the rum topping, yet had to search for it. (I am exceedingly fond of Pease's Mephisto and Barbary Coast, Vermont Pipes Wilke Rumcake, among others.) I hesitate to classify it as an English, but it is more so than Dunhill's Royal Yacht, probably my closest comparison to it. Some have compared it to MacBarens Navy Flake, I disagree. I really like NF, but to me, that is a honey cased burley-forward smoke. McClelland's Navy Flake is closer in spirit.

I'm not a pedant to latakia percentage as others are; what little there is, is indeed Syrian and used successfully as a condiment. To my tastes, Plumcake's defining characteristics are Virginia foremost, followed by cavendish, then burley. Rum, present in the tin note, blends in the smoke perhaps too well. I wish it were more noticable. Plums? Meh. Yeah, maybe. Don't buy it thinking it's a fruit salad aromatic. (I have yet to eat a fig and refuse to use fig aroma as a descriptor.)

The fine ribbons reminded me of rolling tobacco and consideration must be given to the pipe bowl size and loading for successful smoking, something which many here have yet to learn. For this reason, I'd recommend this for experienced smokers only. I find larger bowls loaded moderately (easy to overpack or underpack) and easily puffed not only do not bite but give a very rich flavor.

The downside of larger bowls of Plumcake (to me) is the nicotine, a potential plus to others. Royal Yacht it is not, fortunately, but I still have to quit mid-bowl. For this reason, I cannot comment on the last fractions in terms of taste or dottle.

Pros: Cost- twice the product (100g) for about the same money. Aroma- I find it pleasant, as does the distaff, now a consideration. Some others have remarked that it has the classic "pipe smell" that we recall from decades ago with fond memories. Not a stinker, this. I like it: not burning tires, not vanilla mango coconut, not campfire nor cigarette, but classic "pipe". Taste- I find it rich enough so that bite-inducing heavy puffing is unnecessary.

Cons: Nicotine is on the high side. Feel free to consider this a plus. Technique is fussier than many to achieve a good smoke, true of many MacBarens. Ergo the bite complaints repeatedly documented below. At least it growls first. A dedicated pipe is strongly suggested because it does leave a mark. Smoke it while it is fresh and pliable. Some blends rehydrate just fine. This doesn't, although I've never tried to rehydrate with rum, in all fairness. Smoke it up soon after opening. I find that I want to anyway.

Not yet a 4 star, but a regular in rotation

Update 2/2015: Bumped to 4 stars. I found a pipe that makes this sing, a bent group 3- sized Ceasre blast. Also upgraded to a a favorite. Oddly, both the pipe and tin of this perfect smoke were located in my car, which means the tin had been open there since May of 2014, so scratch the comment on smoking it up once opened. A Michigan summer did not dry it out nor harm it. Go figure. And kudos to MacBaren round tins for sealing qualities.

PLUMCAKE -- Not only for christmas.

Plum cake is a traditional English fruit cake with raisins and spices (clove, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, sometimes ginger and others) as well as dark (spiced) rum, baked / cooked and ate around christmas time. And yes, there are no plums in it, because in the old times plum refered to raisins.

The taste of this plum cake gave name and maybe birth to the Mac Baren Plumcake tobacco.

And indeed, smoked carefully and slowly in a cautiously packed pipe (best without a filter), there is a wonderful deep sweet and spicy taste, well rounded with dark-chocolatey notes in the background. During the last third of the bowl there are also some musty and earthy undertones. There is a hint of a subtle peppery note as well, almost as if the blend would contain perique (but it does not -- sadly IMHO).

A very satisfying smoke, if you want something sweet and aromatic without relying on a modern black cavendish high aromatic chemical bomb.

And yes, there is no plum aroma in this tobacco. The aroma is indeed spices and (spiced) dark rum, merged masterfully into a melange of the aromas and the blend of the different tobaccos. All is combined perfectly together, no single ingredient is detectable of it's own (esp. not the Latakia), everything plays it's part in the orchestra to present a harmonious, full but not heavy composition -- "the whole being more than the sum of its parts" is true here.

German Government states that 10mg of "RUM JAMAICA VR 75% Vol" are used for 1000mg of tobacco. So, it is real rum (not some aroma out of the can) that merges with the tobacco juices to give Plumcake this great aroma.

And no, this is not an English Mixture, it is clearly a traditional Danish blend (a classical aromatic of the old times) at it's best.

A tobacco for the holiday season but also beyond. Like gingerbreads from Nuremberg (Germany) should be eaten all year long, this tobacce should be smoked with joy all year long. Of course, around christmas it is just a tat more fullfilling.

What a blend! A mix of English and aromatic in the most simplistic of ways. Sweet and tangy plumb with a slight smoky kick...the smoke is amazing. There is one downside however; the clean up. It makes a mess out of a pipe. One will require a plethora of pipe cleaners after a smoke, it gets gooey quick. Apart from that the tobacco is wonderful.