Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake

I have to admit I'm newer to Englishes as my favorites are VaPers so finding components is a little more tricky for me. Anyways I saw this a while back and me being on a bit of a flake kick I thought I'd buy a small tin to give it a try. When I first smoked this I really didn't know what to think of it, so I put it in a jar and let it sit. I bought this tin about a year ago if I remember correctly so it has a little age to it.

Now when you open the tin, the flakes are not what I'm used to getting from MacBaren. Normally MacBaren flakes are very uniform like in the Old Dark Fired and the Pure Virginia, these flakes are very loosely held together and they fall apart fairly easily. Mine all but rubbed itself out when I was putting it in the jar for the first time.

The tin note here is smokey, woody Latakia, Virginia sweetness, and citrus, and some tang from the Orientals. As the flake is pretty much rubbed out in the jar it's easy to pack your bowl. I find that when this blend is fresh it takes a little longer to light up, but if you dry it for a little while, or even if you pack your bowl the night before it drastically reduces lighting time. It does need a few more than average relights throughout the smoke.

Once lit, the Latakia is very smokey, woody and creamy and it is definitely up front for me. There is a pervading sweetness that is very slightly citrusy coming from the Virginias. I will say this is an overwhelmingly cool smoke, it is really hard to get this blend to burn hot. I think I taste a hint of maple in here and it could be what was used for a binder. It's not overpowering anything and I barely notice it. I notice the Orientals as herby, floral and slightly sour.

In all I think this is a solid Lat forward blend. It makes a fine autumn smoke, and it isn't as heavy as some of the more Latakia forward blends I've tried. Now the taste in this blend is more of a medium, and so is the strength. Lady N is not sitting you down. A solid English, I just wish I could fold and stuff the flakes.

As any lover of Latakia and English blend's I was attracted by this one... first due to its description and also by the moderate pricing.

Flakes are not as I was used to from other MB flakes bit less compact and only 2/3 the size. I'm rubbing out most of the time anyway so it was just nice and easy to rub apart. Cold smell is dark and a bit fruity at first. Had to stick my nose in again to detect a smoky Latakia smell.

Packs easily when rubbed out and takes flames immediately. I'd suggest larger bowls for this as the taste tends to get lost with smaller ones.

First taste that hit my tongue was a nice and dark smoky lata - warm and comfortable, backed by sweet sugar coated Virginia and a tiny bit of Burley. Some spices come through more and more during the smoke but the Latakia stays in foreground without penetration; mild all over and sweet like sugar. Great for Latakia novices. Burns cool and steady without biting and doesn't need too much attention when rubbed out.

HH Latakia Flake is a medium bodied sweet and spicy well matured tobacco. It's sauced for sure but not overwhelmingly and underlining the natural tobacco tastes. Great all day smoke.

A solid flake. The latakia flavor is consistent and the mixture burns well. I have 2 pounds in the cellar. This smokes down well and unmoved pics are exceptionally rare.

Nice, uniform flakes, wonderful smokey scent of Latakia out of the tin. The flakes are dark brown to black in color, solid enough that they hold their shape and work well in a fold and stuff without falling to shreds. I tried to buy this quite a while ago and due to my careless nature, I had ordered McConnel's Latakia Flake by mistake. This is a much better smoke, in my opinion, but not as flavorful as Brebbia's Latakia Flake, which is a favorite. It beats Balkan Flake by a wide margin, which I found bland without the inclusion of Orientals.

I'm currently smoking this in a brand new Parker apple, my go to line of budget pipes. Maybe I've just consumed too much Latakia that I can't really appreciate the flavor of this blend, as the leaf feels restrained for what is advertised. To me, this smokes like a typical English blend.

Though the Latakia is evident, it tastes like this particular flake is driven by other components. The Oriental offers a slight spice, if you care to search, and the Virginias do not appear to afford any degree of uncharacteristic sweetness, they simply seem to carry the blend. There's Burley, which I fail to note, that no doubt adds a particular roundness to the smoke. Medium in strength, this is a tasty smoke, far more so than your typical MacBaren, which I normally associate with blends that espouse a flatter profile (not including Old Dark Fired). MacBaren gets points for a typically flawless presentation.

If I didn't enjoy Brebbia's offering so much, I'd probably care more for this blend, but it's a solid smoke if you're interested.

Some quick notes after my first smoke of a slightly aged (about 1 year) and fairly dried out -- but still very smokable -- flake.

Upon lighting, I could definitely smell the latakia, and could even taste it a little, but only at first. Almost immediately, though, it moved to a taste almost identical to HH Burley Flake, of which I've smoked through nearly a whole tin. But that latakia definitely added something, which made itself ever more present throughout the bowl.

HH Latakia Flake definitely comes through as an approachable, though certainly not one-dimensional, burley-forward English flake that I definitely look forward to smoking more of (I still have about two bowls of flake remaining). I'm not sure I'd jump to purchase a large tin, but maybe a small tin, if there was a Mac Baren sale on.

I would also compare this blend favorably to Russ' Tastykake.

Impeccable presentation as always with MacBaren HH flakes, the smell from the tin is a bit barbecue/vinegar, not dissimilar to the initial smell of HH Old Dark Fired, and Latakia underneath.

Each flake makes for a single regular-sized bowl, either folded and stuffed, or crumbled, and can be smoked immediately without further drying.

The taste is what it says on the tin: it is an English blend in flake form. I need to draw parallels with Dan Tobacco's Old Ironsides as it's the last Latakia flake I smoked. MacBaren's offering is more refined, but also subdued. Latakia is the main flavour you'll get, but it is somewhat weaker and the different tobaccos are better melded together, so you won't get a highlight of Virginia, or Oriental from the Latakia base. While this is in principle a good thing it makes is a bit of a blander smoke overall.

It is a great product, for sure, but I know I'll go to Old Ironsides when I'll next shop for a Latakia flake.

MacBaren HH Latakia Flake

This is a very good, classic style English blend. You can easily smell the Lat when the tin is opened or after drying but … it’s a very mild Lat in the smoking. The orientals and other elements merge in a wonderful way such that I lose track of where I am. To me this is what makes any blend outstanding.

MacBaren says: “This is a hot pressed flake tobacco, meaning that during the pressing steam is added to mature the tobacco further and to ensure a mellow smoking experience. A blend of bright Virginias, spicy Orient, a bit of burley, and a fair amount of Cyprus Latakia is the foundation of HH Latakia Flake. The taste is complex with the smoky note from Latakia in the front seat, the subtle sweetness from the Virginias working in the back, and the mellow spiciness from the Orientals popping up from time to time, creating an intimate interplay where all tobaccos play their role and contribute to this unique smoking experience. HH Latakia Flake has very little casing and no top flavour at all.”

And there you have it — the occasional admission of added sweeteners via a casing.

I’d give this 3 of 4 stars. It’s a competent , journeyman mild English with decent taste but not a lot of nuance. Magnum Opus from Hearth & Home or Thomas’ Blend from Emerson_Southern_Forged are both mild and better.

Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake-The Latakia is always present but not overpowering . The Virginias are grassy and citrusy and sweet . The burley adds body and is recognized in the retrohale . It is probably cased with something sweet? The Orientals are floral and buttery and tangy and add a little bit of spice . A creamy smooth tasty sweet blend and very enjoyable but nothing special. 3