Mac Baren Vanilla Cream Loose Cut
(2.89)
This colorful blend consists of loose cut Virginia tobaccos, light brown Burleys, a sweet and soft Modern Cavendish. It is finally mixed with small plugs of flake tobacco. After processing, the tobaccos are gently mixed together and an exceptional vanilla flavor is added. This selection creates an outstanding blend with superior flavor, unique aroma and a distinctive taste experience.
Notes: Introduced in 1999. Due to EU regulations this is now re-named in those countries as "Classic Loose Cut".
Details
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Very Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.89 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 30 of 113 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 07, 2019 | Mild | Medium | Very Mild | Very Pleasant |
Mac Baren's Vanilla cream loose cut.
This truly is a quality tobacco, and a superb aromatic. The blend comes in two forms, flake and ready rubbed. I'm going to briefly review the ready rubbed version now.
So, as I mentioned, the blend comes in a sort of coarse cut (or broken flake). You can definitely observe the brown virginia ribbons mixed in with black chunks of Cavendish.
The pouch note is extremely VANILLA, it's so potent with a touch of cream to it.
So, the blend packs fairly easy, needs a few lights to get going since it's on the moist side, but once lit it tends to stay lit with little hassle.
Now, the flavor. If you're expecting this to be a goopy and sickly sweet vanilla bomb, think again. The potent vanilla pouch note losely translates into flavor, which is a positive thing in my opinion.
As you puff on, you get that bready quality from the Virginia base in the blend, the sweetness from the Cavendish and the fairly mild and moderately sweet vanilla/cream topping to the smoke.
This is really interesting, since I mostly smoke "serious" and full bodied unflavored blends, this is actually a nice change of pace. And this is coming from someone who doesn't actually enjoy or like vanilla, at all. This blend's use of vanilla is so mild that I actually enjoyed it.
It's sweet, but not overly sweet. It tends to burn hot so puff slow to avoid tongue bite. It's fairly light bodied and mild tasting with little to no nicotine. If you're someone looking for a nice aromatic where you can actually taste the component tobaccos, give this is a try. It's quality leaf, and the topping is applied very carefully and without overdoing it.
The vanilla flavor is subtle and very high quality, the room note is obviously very pleasant.
Interestingly though, halfway through the bowl the vanilla topping seems to tone down very much, allowing the tobacco flavors to shine through. In my experience, smoking this blend slowly, and I mean REALLY slowly, has allowed me to pick up the nuances and complexities of this blend and experience zero tongue bite. I actually picked up some dried fruity kind of note when puffed extremely slow. This is definitely an interesting blend.
As a plus, this tobacco burns down to fine gray ash, no goopiness or any ghosting of the bowl.
All in all, very nice and light sweet and creamy smoke, I give it 3 out of 5. You should definitely give it a try.
Update: After some research, I made sure that this blend actually contains Burleys. Which isn't mentioned on tobacco reviews but is mentioned clearly on the macbarens website. That probably explains the slightly nutty, bold aspect that appears through the smoke and perhaps add a little body to it.
This truly is a quality tobacco, and a superb aromatic. The blend comes in two forms, flake and ready rubbed. I'm going to briefly review the ready rubbed version now.
So, as I mentioned, the blend comes in a sort of coarse cut (or broken flake). You can definitely observe the brown virginia ribbons mixed in with black chunks of Cavendish.
The pouch note is extremely VANILLA, it's so potent with a touch of cream to it.
So, the blend packs fairly easy, needs a few lights to get going since it's on the moist side, but once lit it tends to stay lit with little hassle.
Now, the flavor. If you're expecting this to be a goopy and sickly sweet vanilla bomb, think again. The potent vanilla pouch note losely translates into flavor, which is a positive thing in my opinion.
As you puff on, you get that bready quality from the Virginia base in the blend, the sweetness from the Cavendish and the fairly mild and moderately sweet vanilla/cream topping to the smoke.
This is really interesting, since I mostly smoke "serious" and full bodied unflavored blends, this is actually a nice change of pace. And this is coming from someone who doesn't actually enjoy or like vanilla, at all. This blend's use of vanilla is so mild that I actually enjoyed it.
It's sweet, but not overly sweet. It tends to burn hot so puff slow to avoid tongue bite. It's fairly light bodied and mild tasting with little to no nicotine. If you're someone looking for a nice aromatic where you can actually taste the component tobaccos, give this is a try. It's quality leaf, and the topping is applied very carefully and without overdoing it.
The vanilla flavor is subtle and very high quality, the room note is obviously very pleasant.
Interestingly though, halfway through the bowl the vanilla topping seems to tone down very much, allowing the tobacco flavors to shine through. In my experience, smoking this blend slowly, and I mean REALLY slowly, has allowed me to pick up the nuances and complexities of this blend and experience zero tongue bite. I actually picked up some dried fruity kind of note when puffed extremely slow. This is definitely an interesting blend.
As a plus, this tobacco burns down to fine gray ash, no goopiness or any ghosting of the bowl.
All in all, very nice and light sweet and creamy smoke, I give it 3 out of 5. You should definitely give it a try.
Update: After some research, I made sure that this blend actually contains Burleys. Which isn't mentioned on tobacco reviews but is mentioned clearly on the macbarens website. That probably explains the slightly nutty, bold aspect that appears through the smoke and perhaps add a little body to it.
Pipe Used:
ST dupont estate
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 22, 2015 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Mild to Medium | Very Strong |
Welcome all, hope everyone's having a great day. For your viewing pleasure todays review will be on Mac Barens Vanilla Crème - loose cut.
Pipe used : MM Country Gentleman corn cob
Tobacco Blend: Virginia, Burley, Cavendish
Tin Note: The aroma of vanilla with a hint of nuttiness reminds me of crème brulee. very inviting
Strength: Medium/Medium light
Room Note: A nice vanilla aroma that was a bit off putting to some in the room .
Taste: Vanilla nuttiness, smooth mild/med .Nice nutty taste from the burley. nice sweetness from the Virginia and Cavendish.
Notes: Out of the tin it's ready to pack and light. Make sure to pack it lighter then normal for a better smoke and smoke it slow. Did get some gurgling but I find that normal for aromatics, just run a pipe cleaner thru the stem and your back in business. Stayed lit with a few tamps . I enjoyed the nutty notes from the burley to compliment the vanilla. The taste wasn't overly sweet, consistent thru out the smoke. Towards last 1/4 bowl was getting a bit harsh. Was a good smoke . I think you will enjoy this one.
Rate:3
The Wife's Review:
I love vanilla in cakes, cookies and other baked goods. That said, I never ever buy vanilla scented candles or potpourri or incense because it smells nasty. And quite frankly, this pipe smells like those. If I wanted to get smacked in the face with a vanilla incense stick, I'd go out and buy one and proceed with self-flagellation.. and now that you have that image seared in your brain.. good luck smoking this one without choking on the mental image of some middle-aged weirdo beating themselves with vanilla incense sticks. I would 100% prefer my husband to pass on this one unless I was out working an overnight shift like I sometimes do... Sorry honey, this one is a no-go in my book!
Pipe used : MM Country Gentleman corn cob
Tobacco Blend: Virginia, Burley, Cavendish
Tin Note: The aroma of vanilla with a hint of nuttiness reminds me of crème brulee. very inviting
Strength: Medium/Medium light
Room Note: A nice vanilla aroma that was a bit off putting to some in the room .
Taste: Vanilla nuttiness, smooth mild/med .Nice nutty taste from the burley. nice sweetness from the Virginia and Cavendish.
Notes: Out of the tin it's ready to pack and light. Make sure to pack it lighter then normal for a better smoke and smoke it slow. Did get some gurgling but I find that normal for aromatics, just run a pipe cleaner thru the stem and your back in business. Stayed lit with a few tamps . I enjoyed the nutty notes from the burley to compliment the vanilla. The taste wasn't overly sweet, consistent thru out the smoke. Towards last 1/4 bowl was getting a bit harsh. Was a good smoke . I think you will enjoy this one.
Rate:3
The Wife's Review:
I love vanilla in cakes, cookies and other baked goods. That said, I never ever buy vanilla scented candles or potpourri or incense because it smells nasty. And quite frankly, this pipe smells like those. If I wanted to get smacked in the face with a vanilla incense stick, I'd go out and buy one and proceed with self-flagellation.. and now that you have that image seared in your brain.. good luck smoking this one without choking on the mental image of some middle-aged weirdo beating themselves with vanilla incense sticks. I would 100% prefer my husband to pass on this one unless I was out working an overnight shift like I sometimes do... Sorry honey, this one is a no-go in my book!
Pipe Used:
torino briar slight bend
PurchasedFrom:
sutliff
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 03, 2012 | Mild | Medium to Strong | Medium | Pleasant |
For being a 'full aromatic' it is one of the better ones. There are some broken flakes in the mix, and the tobacco was optimally conditioned, a very little bit on the moist side. Typical for Mac Barens is the tendency to bite the tongue, this one is no exception. Flavour is a bit different from the tin aroma, I find it to resemble a custard rather than e.g. vanilla ice-cream. The room note is pleasant, but the smoke can ghost your pipe. I love to smoke it every now and then (around once-twice a week or whenever I can't make up my mind what to smoke) with a cup of coffee, and I will buy it (or its cousin, the Vanilla Flake) again and again. 3.5 of 5 stars, as being comparably inexpensive here in Asia (half the price of a Gawith or Davidoff)
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 16, 2009 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Captain Spice (a Tinder Box black cavendish blend laced with vanilla) was the first tobacco I ever smoked over 30 years ago as I am partial to all things vanilla! Can't say it was always a pleasant experience in my quest for the perfect vanilla blend - too goopy, chemical taste and the like. As a result, I was never really satisfied with any of them.
For me, Mac Baren's Vanilla Loose Cut not only has the best vanilla smell in the pouch (I buy it in bulk), but it actually tastes like it smells and has a beautiful room note. A very nicely done blend with not only the best vanilla taste I have ever experienced, but solid tobacco flavor throughout. No moisture or goop at the end of the smoke either. I enjoy it best in a medium sized Meerschaum.
Even with sufficient drying time, you have to smoke this one slowly as it tends to burn hot and will nip at your tongue if pushed. I have about 4 ounces from a 16 ounce canister I purchased well over a year ago in a zip lock, and it's just as hot and nippy as ever if puffed too quickly. If you are looking for an aromatic that actually tastes like it smells in the pouch, forget about Captain Black White as this would be a good blend to try. It needs to be coddled as it is not for fast puffers. You must pack it loose and sip it like a fine brandy otherwise your tongue will be set aflame. Do this and you won't be disappointed.
For me, Mac Baren's Vanilla Loose Cut not only has the best vanilla smell in the pouch (I buy it in bulk), but it actually tastes like it smells and has a beautiful room note. A very nicely done blend with not only the best vanilla taste I have ever experienced, but solid tobacco flavor throughout. No moisture or goop at the end of the smoke either. I enjoy it best in a medium sized Meerschaum.
Even with sufficient drying time, you have to smoke this one slowly as it tends to burn hot and will nip at your tongue if pushed. I have about 4 ounces from a 16 ounce canister I purchased well over a year ago in a zip lock, and it's just as hot and nippy as ever if puffed too quickly. If you are looking for an aromatic that actually tastes like it smells in the pouch, forget about Captain Black White as this would be a good blend to try. It needs to be coddled as it is not for fast puffers. You must pack it loose and sip it like a fine brandy otherwise your tongue will be set aflame. Do this and you won't be disappointed.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 20, 2008 | Mild | Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
The tin fragrance of this blend is fantistic. This is not your basic vanilla cavendish although there is cavendish in the blend. This is a very good Virginia blend with aromatic qualities. It will bite if pushed. But overall its very sweet and tasty. Not quite 4 star but better than 3.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 06, 2001 | Mild to Medium | Strong | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
To date, my second choice in a vanilla aromatic and @ a lower unit price than others. I normally smoke straight VA flakes so this was quite a change but enjoyable especially when in company where I received several compliments on the aroma. Easy to keep lit and burned cool without the bite that I often experience from other aromatics. If you enjoy a heavily cased smoke give this a try.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 07, 2022 | Mild | Medium | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
Mac Baren CLASSIC (former Vanilla) Loose Cut is a nice and smooth blend. Its special hint is to be considered an aromatic "cake" without being it.
It has the basic MacBaren taste in the background, the Burley/Virginia combo that suits everything, with a very nice, far but present and balanced vanilla flavour in the background, that closes the door after each puff. The vanilla aroma is in the 10% of the taste, and in the 40% of the room note. Nutty and softly sweet Burley is the King.
This Blend looks similar to the more expensive ones that are naturally aromatic, so without chemical toppings bluffing on poor tobaccos, but with a solid and honest basic tobaccoes with the vanilla background as a plus, natural and not intrusive.
It burns fine, good for beginners as well, as I do.
PLEASE NOTE: I read about several pouches opened and very dry. Mine was like that and I was quite disappointed. After a decent research I found a natural solution: get a bormioli glassmade tin, put the tobacco inside, then put on it a slice of potato or apple, with their skin on, with the skin touching the tobacco. Seal the bormioli, put it in the shadow and wait for 2 days. It worked fine, I had back a more than decent humidity and flavour and I am enjoying it now.
PRO: tasty, flavoured, light, balanced and not chemical. Really good room note. Cheap and quite easy to find.
CONS: a lot of pouches are dry. It's considered a Vanilla aromatic but if you badly want a "vanilla cake" pipe tobacco, this is not for you. In the same price tier, the Black V should be more Vanilla oriented.
Will I buy it again? I am not sure, because it's very similar to the ParkLane7 and if I have to choose I get this last one, as the flake is more durable and the PL7 aroma has something more for me.
However: a nice and affordable tobacco that you can enjoy staying close to your non-smoker friends too.
enjoy!
It has the basic MacBaren taste in the background, the Burley/Virginia combo that suits everything, with a very nice, far but present and balanced vanilla flavour in the background, that closes the door after each puff. The vanilla aroma is in the 10% of the taste, and in the 40% of the room note. Nutty and softly sweet Burley is the King.
This Blend looks similar to the more expensive ones that are naturally aromatic, so without chemical toppings bluffing on poor tobaccos, but with a solid and honest basic tobaccoes with the vanilla background as a plus, natural and not intrusive.
It burns fine, good for beginners as well, as I do.
PLEASE NOTE: I read about several pouches opened and very dry. Mine was like that and I was quite disappointed. After a decent research I found a natural solution: get a bormioli glassmade tin, put the tobacco inside, then put on it a slice of potato or apple, with their skin on, with the skin touching the tobacco. Seal the bormioli, put it in the shadow and wait for 2 days. It worked fine, I had back a more than decent humidity and flavour and I am enjoying it now.
PRO: tasty, flavoured, light, balanced and not chemical. Really good room note. Cheap and quite easy to find.
CONS: a lot of pouches are dry. It's considered a Vanilla aromatic but if you badly want a "vanilla cake" pipe tobacco, this is not for you. In the same price tier, the Black V should be more Vanilla oriented.
Will I buy it again? I am not sure, because it's very similar to the ParkLane7 and if I have to choose I get this last one, as the flake is more durable and the PL7 aroma has something more for me.
However: a nice and affordable tobacco that you can enjoy staying close to your non-smoker friends too.
enjoy!
Pipe Used:
Billiard
PurchasedFrom:
Italy
Age When Smoked:
1
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 11, 2022 | Mild | Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
I bought this with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised. The casing is light. Taste mostly of Virginia with a slight hint of vanilla and fruit. It does burn a little hot so take your time.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 06, 2021 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
Upon opening the tin, this tobacco emits a deliciously creamy, smooth vanilla aroma that excites the palette. Unfortunately for me, the taste when lit was missing out on that promised explosion of aroma but still not unpleasant with some smooth textures and a hint of creaminess. Where this delivers is in the retrohale - immediately all the vanilla and sweetness mixed with the light and dry tobacco notes come together and provide an excellent room note. Moisture out of the tin was comparable with other aromatics, and it burned well enough without too much fuss. A comfortable smoke without too much to think about.
Pipe Used:
Stanwell Royal Danish
PurchasedFrom:
Royal Cigars & Pipes
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 17, 2021 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Smell:Strong vanilla smell with a lot of sweatness Taste:Very pleasant tobacco,nut and a little vanilla Strongness:Its not a strong blend i liked it. I would recommend it to anyone its a pretty well made blend.Its a must have.
Pipe Used:
Szabó Pipe
PurchasedFrom:
Hungary,Tobacco Shop
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