Mac Baren Vanilla Cream Flake

A delightful blend indeed.

I loaded up a bowl earlier today after not having smoked it for several months and what a joy.

The taste was as remembered - mild and without novelty (something I detest) and I was quite content. But the smoke was quite exceptional! I had forgotten how well it fills a space with it's creamy notes.

Burns cool, and doesn't bite. Perfect for between meals and with blue skies overhead.

Got this one as an accident (I ordered the non-flake version and was sent this one instead). It was my first foray into a flake cut, which reminded me of smoking the cube cut I once tried... neither of which I was a fan of. Something about the way the air rushing past the tobacco just doesn't feel as heavy or full bodied as the ribbon cut I'm used to (though eventually the bowl packs down into a more familiar smoke). The flake cut takes longer to burn, so if you want a longer smoke, there is that I guess.

Aside from my annoyance of the cut, I was not that impressed with the flavor. While it had hints of vanilla, for something billed as vanilla flavored, there was not much there for me. It wasn't an unpleasant smoke, just didn't strike me as distinct, which I wanted it be.

The small tin was an added bonus as I now use it as a travel tin for my other tobaccos.

Very good tasting and aromatic flavour, highly recomend if you like Vanilla and aromatic at the same time. Tastes better when you havent eaten vanilla ice cream for a few weeks, and want to be reminded of the flavour.

Let us start with the tin presentation. Beautiful, uniform flakes, almost completely comprised of Va. I truly cannot detect even a spec of black Cavendish on this flake. No difficulty in rubbing out, loads nice too. The tin aroma is of the most unusual scent. Not a true vanilla, but a confectionary type sweet vanilla birthday cake of sorts. MacBaren has been guilty of tongue raping me on just about every occasion we have courted, the tongue bite of the worst degree. However, this blend was tame. During the charring lights, this blend smoked hot, airy, and without aromatic properties. In order to get the subtle vanilla top note to transfer, you MUST only take small sips continuously, and avoid a relight of any form. Keep well tamped, this will stay lit to the bottom of the bowl. However, if you smoke it hot you will be rewarded with nothing but a hot, acrid smoking experience.

This would be my first vanilla. I have always been skeptical about trying a vanilla flavoured aromatic due to the countless chagrin about such tobaccos; this had deterred me from vanilla tobaccos . Until now...

The opening of the tin, you could really smell the heaving artificial smell of vanilla slapped onto the tin upon opening. With my guard against it, and having slightly prejudged the tobacco unfairly, I decided to plunge into it.

Surprisingly, the taste deceives my judgement and it tasted remarkably well. When sipping on it slowly, I could really taste the vanilla and I received compliments on the smell.

All in all, it tasted remarkable and I think for any beginners wanting to try a good vanilla tobacco, this one would be a great starter and for a person who tried vaping in the past, I ascertain the fact that this tobacco is on par with those vape fluid. Just let it dry a little though before packing.

More or less the same as the loose cut.

This blend was lost on me. It's a beautiful flake presentation like most of MacB's.

Smells wonderful out of the tin, although not that much like Vanilla. More like a blueberry/strawberry nutrigrain bar.

There's nothing to complain bout the packing or burning, not very goopy at all. The tongue bite factor is minor but it's there. The problem is that I get nothing flavor wise from this tobacco. The smoke coming out of my mouth smells amazing and it almost fools you into thinking that the tobacco tastes good. But it doesn't. It tastes like smooth air. Even on a retrohale it doesn't offer much.

Simply can't enjoy this blend and with the tongue bite factor as well, I don't think I would smoke a free sample of this.

I think Drums and beer has the best review of this stuff. Good if you want to have the other people in the room enjoy your pipe, not good if you want to.

A very pleasant aroma and smell when opening the tin. A very promising taste when you start your first sips. But that 's all. Finished ! No more. Before reaching half the bowl there is nothing left of the taste and vanilla. And it gets hotter and hotter . At this stage, for me , a sort of headache and tongue bite starts to dominate, something different begins to develop to be completely disappointing. Never I could finish the bowl so many times I tried this tobacco. Even the room note fades out for nonsmokers as you go on !

This is what I smoke if I know I'm going to be smoking a pipe in close quarters with my girlfriend. It has a great room aroma, but smokes like a flake. Wonderful for an evening out with the lady.

3 flakes of this were enough for me to decide i had wasted money. Tongue bite with every puff. Dont waste your time with this blend.