Mac Baren Virginia Flake

Hi! I'm a newbie pipe smoker. I tried only 4 different tobacco, but the MBVF was my first flake. I've finished a box, but I think that was my first and last. It hasn't got real taste, just something extreme light aroma, which i can't identify. There was only one occasion when i felt a bit honey. I can't remember what I ate or drank before this. I have some medium bowl-sized pipe and always packed my pipe a half or thirds of a sheet, and sometimes didn't cut, just folding it into my pipe, like in in this step by step guide: http://www.mac-baren.com/TopMenu/Expert-Knowledge/Flake-Tobacco/How-to-fill-a-pipe-1.aspx . There wasn't real different. I'm a bit dissapointed in this mixture. Now I will trying Virginia No 1. I hope somebody will find this honey savor, which I felt for one night. :))

Just a straight up Virginia flake. Very grassy, very one dimensional. I suppose that a person could want to smoke this alone, but it is actually a very good blender and makes a fantastic base for the addition of some Red Virginia, Lat, and perique. 2 stars straight, 3 as a blender tobacco.

One may think to a Mixture (or Navy) Flake without any Burley and Cavendish. You know it's a Mac Baren from the very first.

We are talking of something not so natural, the honey factor is quite evident, and maybe a touch of lemon and vanilla. The favouring is applied with light hand, but enough to cover the sharp edges usually associated with Va's. That's why VF is never shining any hayish or fruity notes. But also nothing wrong.

VF is better in medium larger bowls, stuff easily both with the fold & plug method or rubbed out, and burns evenly, cool and unbiting. It doesn't suffer any deterioration by several relight, and good with DGT. The strength never exceeds the mild-to-medium notch.

It's the first tobacco leaving me a so sceptical... difficult to tell if it's good or not. Sometimes it gives me some very nice experience, others I'm just bored. Virginia no. 1 absolutely wins the match in the McB family. I'm simply unable to compare it with other flakes of other brands.

Upon opening the tin I get the smells of grasses,hay, raisins, and possibly chocolate. Unlike the interesting smells in the tin the smoking of this tobacco is nothing special. It has the same tastes all the way through, mainly of hays and woody with a slight hint of fruit once in a while. I prefer a stronger Virginia like Samuel Gawiths Full Virginia. All in all and okay tobacco but nothing amazing.

Virginia Flake is Virginian and a touch of Burley. Why? I?ve been looking for a bright tasting Virginian to replace Dunhill?s Lt. Flake and, so, yet another ho hum tobacco. Light Flake had a topping or casing that never left a ghost, this does. It is of great quality, but why the Burley?. I taste the Burley. Its sweet smoke didn?t bite. I don?t need being saved by the bite-reducing Burley.

Update May 19 2008 I have a couple of tins of this with more than a year on them and have just cracked one open, no sign of sugar crystals, no darkening of flake. Age seems to do nothing for this and my remaining tin will be kept for an absolute emergency, I can only hope I never have to use it. Even two stars feels a bit genorous.

Update August 26 2008 Have to drop this one down a star as I'm now finding it a little too "tangy" for my liking, although I will continue to smoke it from time to time, certainly not with the same voracity as I have in the past, having discovered Old Gowrie. Were I once again, to find myself out of tobacco and this the only decent offering available, of course I would buy it, but when my stock depletes, I will not be in a hurry to make sure there are tins on hand, there are just too many superior flakes out there.

I was told I would not like Mac's Virginia Flake, by the shopkeeper, that it was too mild and had no taste other than that of just pure tobacco, I took a tin home anyway as the other offerings that were available ranged from poor to don't even think about it. As I was already familiar with Mac Baren's Vanilla Flake and Navy cut Flake, and not overly impressed with either, I expected pretty much the same, pocket size tin and tobacco in foil wrap. For my liking, ALL Mac Baren's are a little on the dry side, and Virginia Flake did not dissapoint, on rubbing out the first slice, a habit of mine, slice in left palm, folded in half lengthwise, then end to end before rubbing with the thumb, I had to be careful not to end up with a handful of sawdust. One match, puff SLOWLY, no tongue bite, and careful not to let the pipe get to warm, I get a taste of lemon, just a hint, not unpleasant, nice suprise, a good honest Virginia Flake, pure tobacco taste with a hint of lemon. Burn is nice and even down to the bottom of the bowl, leaving a grey ash. I quickly decided I liked this one and several tins later my opinion has not changed. A good all day smoke until evening when I prefer something different. Were it not for the potential tongue bite from puffing to quickly, I would reccomend this to a novice. Wife Rating ? I have almost no sense of smell, but I am reliably told that it's OK, and the dog just eye's me warily, she knows only to well some of the concoctions I have been known to stuff in a briar and set fire to. All in all, four stars.

Very nicely made VA flake, attractively presented, it really looks the part in the tin.

Its seems to be at the right moisture content, and rubs with ease, no trouble to pack it evenly. Lights quick, and burns long, slow and even, with little need for relights unless smoked slow. But here's the problem, you have to smoke it really slow or it gets toasty hot and bites. More than most other pure Virginia smokes I've tried. This defect aside, its a pleasant enough mild tobacco, seems a bit too mild at first, but smoked in a big pipe the taste (and strength) will develop toward the end. The taste of the leaf is somewahat dulled by the flavourings, its not fruity, more toasty flavours appear, with a hint of honey. Quite sweet. Is there a hint of vanilla in here? I can smell it in the tin, seems to enhance the sweetness. The room note is mild, sweet, perhaps a little dull, but not unleasant. Overall, its alright, there are other VA flakes I prefer though. I have an unopened tin stashed away, hopefully a few years in hiding might improve it...

Overview: A very-lightly cased mild VA flake that rubs, burns and tastes very clean and consistent.

Tin appearance, aroma, feel: All of Mac Baren's flakes are sealed in a neat little tin and wrapped four-fold in some gorgeous thick gold paper with the words "Mac Baren Flake" embossed on the main fold. Unfolding the gold flaps will reveal perfect twin sets of rectangular flakes of well-blended and beautifully grained Virginia tobacco. Upon closer inspection, one can easily see the various type of Virginia leaves used in this blend. There are mostly matured browns with strands of red and a few hints of black lined across the sheets with zesty yellow appearing prominently throughout. The flakes are perfectly smooth and uniform. The thickness is just enough to keep the flake intact when removed from the tin yet very easily rubbed out, thereby giving one the opportunity to experiment with various degrees of burn rate and quality. The scent is present but far from overwhelming as it gives one the impression of freshly mowed grass and a sweet summer breeze.

The Smoke: Upon initial lighting the first tastes are those of sweetness and clean tobacco. One must exercise some caution and restraint on the initial light as the blend tends to heat up very quickly and can bite with attitude. After the tamp and relight the bowl burns slow and even. The taste is consistent all the way through with a mild finish. Relights are a necessary evil as it tends to go out as easily as it overheats. I would not recommend this blend to a beginning smoker because of this trait, preferably suggesting Mac Baren's ?Virginia No. 1? blend instead.

Summary: Virginia Flake leaves a perfect fluffy white ash in the bowl with almost no dottle at all. While mildly sweetened the dominant taste is the blend of pure tobacco. While it is good for a change of pace, there isn't much to it to hold one's interest. Unlike many premium blends that change flavors and characteristics throughout the bowl, Virginia Flake remains as uniform in taste as it is in appearance. It's a good mild smoke but nothing more.

A very attractive flake with a mild honey-like flavoring. This takes to the match well and there's no problem keeping it lit. Really just a pure virginia version of Navy Flake....just too light for my tastes....