Mac Baren Virginia Flake

Received a sample with a recent SmokingPipes order, probably wouldn't have noticed the blend otherwise.

Nice naturally high-dextrose Virginia, enhanced slightly with what appears to be a small amount of honey casing. Wonderful smell when you open the pouch but you immediately recognize it's not an artificial (aromatic) smell; rather, just a great Virginia tobacco smell. The casing adds virtually nothing to the sensory experience.

The moisture level was just right in my sample...not too dry and not too wet. The light-brown flakes (3/4" x 3 3/4") fall apart easily and really don't require rubbing out...just fold and stuff and you'll have a perfectly packed bowl with the correct draw. An absolute novice can look like an expert with this blend.

One charring light, tamp lightly, light again and that's the last match required until the bowl is 3/4 finished. Extremely easy to smoke this blend.

However, it'll quickly vette your smoking technique. Puff too aggressively, it'll bite and you'll have a hot pipe to boot. But smoked slowly, your pipe will remain cool and you'll fully enjoy all this mild Virginia has to offer.

I know conventional wisdom dictates using a smaller pipe for flake but this blend is perfect in a Dunhill Group 5 when I take my dogs out for an hour plus walk and want a long smoke. It stays lit and requires virtually no additional fiddling until almost finished.

I like this blend so much that I'm going to buy one of the 1lb boxes SmokingPipes has on their web site. And a second box to age for awhile. Guess that's why they sent me a sample, huh?

Highly recommended if you enjoy Virginias.

Found this one and only tin at Southern Cigar and immediately searched on TRs. Seems either this flake is loved or hated. Soooo...it was on sale and MAN am I glad I bought this gloriously rich flake. By following some of the 3 and 4 star reviewer's recommendations here for packing and smoking, I formulated a plan for my Bjarne. Popped the tin and the wife approved. Dried figs and faint tobacco smell, but very fresh at the same time (Awww Yeah). Liberated a flake from the tin and let it sit for 15 to 20 mins. I folded lengthwise and Z-bent the flake and somewhat shoved and arranged it in the bowl. Any bits of flake that came off during preparation were placed atop the tobacco in the bowl and somewhat thumb pressed. Felt a little tingle on charring light, but that's as far as I let it get. Took it easy and it was an instant classic. Figgy, Virginiaey, tobaccoey. Just a touch of natural saltiness feintly shows hear and there as the other flavors richly swirl on the tongue. Mid bowl was just as delicious with more tobacco coming thru, yet the fig was still keeping things interestingly delicious. My first bowl of this was incredible til I tried smoking all the dottle. Leave a little dottle, and if the need for more is desired, grab another briar. Thank you kindly Mac Baren.

A nicely presented golden pressed flake in an understated rectangular tin. A slight vanilla aroma carries through into the smoke, which is at once yeasty with a touch of sweetness, sort of Virginia plus. The tobacco seems very ripe and mature, it is easy to light, gentle puffing is rewarded with a smooth and pleasant smoke which carries on to the bottom of the bowl, moreish. An excellent example of its type.

Highly recommended.

When I ordered this little tin, I was on the lookout for a simple, unsophisticated Virginia Flake. Sure enough, that's exactly what you get. Once you pop open the tin, it has an earthy tone to it with a little note of warm hey, slightly sweet. Definitely not your heavy topping candy tobacco smell. Once lit, you're presented with a good solid Virginia taste with a very faint sweet taste lingering in the back, which only compliments the tobacco. The taste doesn't change much throughout the bowl and the flake burns cool and mellow all the way down. Even during heavier puffing, I could not get the tobacco to bite my tongue.

Long story short, this is a good virginia flake without any fancy extras. It tastes delightful all the way down. This could easily be smoked all day, just be aware of the nicotine, of which this little friend is not void of.

Summary: a soft, mild Virginia flake with a touch of vanilla and sugar for a lasting, comfortable smoke.

Part of being a reviewer has always been assessing quality independent of whether or not you like the product in question. For example, many of us do not really like aromatics, but it is our job as writers (even if unpaid) to assess quality as a means of addressing the utility of this product to our readers. Our readers who like aromatics deserve to know which of these are quality, even if the reviewer would never be caught dead smoking these. Some products bridge the gap: "Virginia Flake" is both an aromatic and a Virginia flake, but excels in both categories. These soft, crumbly flakes pack super-easily; you must solely select the right amount, fold it, drop it in the pipe, and lightly squash to flare the layers. At that point, smoking this flake is stupidly simple: you light it, breath smoke, and a couple hours later, the smoke stops coming and you turn the pipe over. Ash falls out, leaving an empty bowl. The sugar in the Virginia leaf makes it burn naturally a bit hotter, so this is a blend that you really must breath smoke or you are going to end up huffing hot air. I smoke as part of a Vipassana meditation, so the goal is to burn as slowly as possible without responding to tension in life by puffing and sucking. If you approach this flake that way, you will get a rewarding smoke. This flake deviates from traditional Virginia flakes by having what feels like a small amount of white Burley in there, the soft texture produced by means unknown, and a slight sugar topping that tastes faintly of vanilla, cocoa, and maybe a light fruit or amaretto essence. This means that "Virginia Flake" smokes smoothly like a classic blend for a pleasantly extended duration, leaving behind a slight aroma of cotton candy and vanilla ice cream. While not a full aromatic, therefore not the "wife-pleaser" that is basically a burning air freshener or oil infuser (do they make Febreeze tobacco yet?), this blend will leave fewer people coughing and gagging in your wake.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I just love this mild VA flake. The base tobaccos used are high quality and beautiful in the tin. The light top note is my favorite of any blend. I normally like natural Virginia and Virginia with perique, but this flavor really is unique and wonderful. It seems to have something more than the normal honey-like flavor of Navy Flake. I can't put my finger on the flavor, but I love it. Absolutely no tongue bite, no matter how hard you try. I prefer to fold the flakes into a wide bowled pipe, like a pot. The pot seems to really bring out the wonderful flavoring that only makes the high quality Virginia taste better. Smoke this stuff really slowly and you will be rewarded.

Not much to add to the many excellent reviews of this blend. Nice presentation, packs and smokes easily, (I cut it into thirds) consistent, pleasant, sweet Virginia taste and like many Virginias, will bite if pushed. I like this one in the morning. I got a sample from Smoking pipes. Thanks! Incidentally, if purchased in bulk, MVF is a very economical smoke. It is what it is, and deserves 4 stars as a mild VA. If that?s your thing or you want to sample the type, give it a try.

This is a fine offering from MacBaren. This flake is easily rubbed out and packed into a pipe. A couple of matches and it burns easily with minimal relights. This tobacco gives the smoker a nice woodsy virginia taste with a slight tone of honey and maple from the Danish casing, as well as a full, buttery quality from the Burley present in this blend. If smoked at a reasonable pace it only provides the normal amount of tongue bite for a Virginia, but if puffed too fast it will nip. It has a friendly aroma that I find myself enjoying as well as others around me. This is NOT the same thing as Virginia No.1 and in my opinion it is superior to that blend (although I liked No. 1 a lot as well). My pipes will be seeing more of this blend and I whole heartedly recommend it for your enjoyment.

A great tobacco, with the taste of Navy Flake and the flavor of Virginia nº1. This tobacco is very easy to burn, with out tongue bite, the just nicotine and the rigth flavor. Great presentation. Is ideal for the outdoor, and a medium size pipe. One of my favorites.