Mac Baren Modern Virginia Flake
(3.05)
The tobacco is pressed into blocks and stored for minimum 30 days before they are cut into flakes. Finally the flakes are hand packed to protect the tobacco from breaking up.
This flake is made of Virginias out of 2 continents. A bright yellow and a darker Virginia have been used in combination with a modern cavendish. A touch of burley ensures a soft and smooth smoke. This flake gives you a natural sweet taste of tobacco and just a detectable topping of sweet, ripe fruit.
Details
| Brand | Mac Baren |
| Blended By | Per Jensen |
| Manufactured By | Mac Baren |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Burley, Cavendish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Apricot, Pineapple |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 1.75 ounce tin weight |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.05 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 2014 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
PGT - Pretty Good Tobacco. OK, if you don't like fruity toppings, don't bother. You ain't gonna like this and there's no point knocking the rating down. MVF is what it is and it does its job very well, indeed. And it's flake, which don't hurt nothin', either.
The apricot and pineapple are pronounced in the tin note and in the aroma, which is PDG (you know what it means). It is wife-approved. I am not a real aromatic hound, but I really like this one. Actually, I got an ounce of this as a gift and ordered more. (You will, too) Who would have thought I would like apricot or pineapple flavoring, much less together? This blend is mad tasty, though, and the flavoring was done really well. Lights well, smokes well, is good to the bottom and gets a bit more complex as you smoke it, no bite, no dottle. Kudos to the evil genius who devised MVF.
MVF would make a great addition to the rotation, iff'n you like the fruities. I rated MVF a 3 (it's not a 4), but actually rate it 3.2-3.4.
Ratings Note: Although it may seem as if I hand out 3- and 4-star reviews pretty slapdash, there is a method to my madness. First, I only order tobaccos that are highly rated or recommended and preferably both. [But if you give it to me I'll smoke anything.] And I like most tobaccos I try. I want to like them all.
If I hate a tobacco (eg, Middleton's Cherry Blend), I usually don't review it. I cannot imagine giving a perfectly serviceable tobacco a 1-star rating just because I didn't like it. Heck, was there NOTHING to like about a blend given a 1-star, especially when lots of guys like it just fine? And why do guys who, for example, hate aromatics review something like Middleton's Cherry that they know up front they won't like and then give it 1 star? Not my bag...
I stalk the perfect blend, smoke it right and give a fair review. Is it my fault I pick really good baccys?
Love, JB
The apricot and pineapple are pronounced in the tin note and in the aroma, which is PDG (you know what it means). It is wife-approved. I am not a real aromatic hound, but I really like this one. Actually, I got an ounce of this as a gift and ordered more. (You will, too) Who would have thought I would like apricot or pineapple flavoring, much less together? This blend is mad tasty, though, and the flavoring was done really well. Lights well, smokes well, is good to the bottom and gets a bit more complex as you smoke it, no bite, no dottle. Kudos to the evil genius who devised MVF.
MVF would make a great addition to the rotation, iff'n you like the fruities. I rated MVF a 3 (it's not a 4), but actually rate it 3.2-3.4.
Ratings Note: Although it may seem as if I hand out 3- and 4-star reviews pretty slapdash, there is a method to my madness. First, I only order tobaccos that are highly rated or recommended and preferably both. [But if you give it to me I'll smoke anything.] And I like most tobaccos I try. I want to like them all.
If I hate a tobacco (eg, Middleton's Cherry Blend), I usually don't review it. I cannot imagine giving a perfectly serviceable tobacco a 1-star rating just because I didn't like it. Heck, was there NOTHING to like about a blend given a 1-star, especially when lots of guys like it just fine? And why do guys who, for example, hate aromatics review something like Middleton's Cherry that they know up front they won't like and then give it 1 star? Not my bag...
I stalk the perfect blend, smoke it right and give a fair review. Is it my fault I pick really good baccys?
Love, JB
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 2015 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
A delicious VA-Burley blend with fruit topping. This reminds me a great deal of Erinmore Flake. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if MVF was designed to compete with the Erinmore blend. They have basically the same ingredients and fruit flavor topping. They are VERY similar.
Modern Virgina Flake is a wonderful tobacco in both blending harmony and presentation. But if fruit flavored bacca is not your thing I would pass on this one. The fruit flavor stays but doesn't overpower and also provides a great room note. You will get the natural and mild flavors of the tobacco as well.
TASTE: The Va's flavor profile also reminds me of Mac Baren's Scottish Mixture (A blend I'm very famliar with as its a fav) but with a bright fruit topping. Maybe that't why they call it "Modern Flake." It's a blend of various VA 's like Scottish Mixture with a hint of Burley, topped with fruit.
There... that's Modern Virginia Flake.
Modern Virgina Flake is a wonderful tobacco in both blending harmony and presentation. But if fruit flavored bacca is not your thing I would pass on this one. The fruit flavor stays but doesn't overpower and also provides a great room note. You will get the natural and mild flavors of the tobacco as well.
TASTE: The Va's flavor profile also reminds me of Mac Baren's Scottish Mixture (A blend I'm very famliar with as its a fav) but with a bright fruit topping. Maybe that't why they call it "Modern Flake." It's a blend of various VA 's like Scottish Mixture with a hint of Burley, topped with fruit.
There... that's Modern Virginia Flake.
Pipe Used:
Peterson XL305, Peterson 4s DeLuxe
PurchasedFrom:
Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked:
Sept 2014 Tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 09, 2015 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
Upon opening the tin you are greeted with a sweet fruity note. I can't quite put my finger on it but maybe a mango type of flavor? The flakes are perfect in shape and cut. You can grab a couple flakes and do a fold n stuff method or you can rub out the flakes to get a really nice pile of Pile of ready to pack shreds of tobacco. Upon light you are hit with a sweet note which quickly takes a back seat to the smooth modern cavendish with a hay like scent from the Virginias. The blend says a touch of burley which I feel is pretty accurate as there is a slight background of nuttiness. I have to slow myself down when smoking this stuff because is really enjoy the room note and flavor at the beginning. Mid pipe everything comes together nicely as you start getting more of the natural tobacco flavored coming through which to me seem to be the high quality leaf used in this MacBaren blend. If smoked too fast you will get some goop on the bottom of the bowl. If smoked patiently this is not so much the case. I have experienced some minor bite which is likely due to me puffing like a steam engine freight train (I do not blame this on the blend) overall I enjoy this stuff and the more I smoke it the better it gets. I would recommend some dry time before loading up the pipe which I have found helps with the goo on the bottom of the bowl. I personally take mine out of the tin and place it in a canning jar and let it sit for a few weeks before smoking it. I just prefer to give my flake tobacco some time to rest in the jar before smoking. I will buy more of this stuff. It is in my current rotation of 4 tobaccos I have settled on for now. This would be a great start for the new piper to get into some flake tobacco and still get a little of that aromatic flavor that drew you in to pipe smoking in the first place. That is of course if you started with aro's.
Pipe Used:
Stanwell 118 , Bent Dr. Grabow, no name billiard
PurchasedFrom:
Pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh out of tin (dated from 09/15) to 1 month
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Judged on appearance, Mac Baren's Modern Virginia Flake is a four star tobacco. The flakes themselves are perhaps the prettiest flakes I've ever seen. Cut perfectly, tissue paper thin, fold and pack perfectly, easy to light, no relights necessary, and burn to a light grey ash.
The aroma of MVF out of the tin is that of lemon drops and graham crackers. Quite nice but a bit on the mild side. The taste of the tobacco follows the aroma -- mild fruitiness layered over caramel sweet Virginias, also fairly mild. By mid-bowl, the topping dissipates considerably but never leaves completely, while the sweet tobacco flavor remains constant throughout. All-in-all, a pleasant smoke although not very complex. Sort of a milder version of Erinmore Flake.
The nicotine level is also mild and the room note fairly pleasant.
I like MVF enough to give it three stars. I knock it down from four because, considering the price, IMO it should be stronger in both flavor and strength.
If you like mild, sweet Virginia tobacco, you will like MVF. If you're looking for a lot of flavor and/or nicotine, keep looking.
The aroma of MVF out of the tin is that of lemon drops and graham crackers. Quite nice but a bit on the mild side. The taste of the tobacco follows the aroma -- mild fruitiness layered over caramel sweet Virginias, also fairly mild. By mid-bowl, the topping dissipates considerably but never leaves completely, while the sweet tobacco flavor remains constant throughout. All-in-all, a pleasant smoke although not very complex. Sort of a milder version of Erinmore Flake.
The nicotine level is also mild and the room note fairly pleasant.
I like MVF enough to give it three stars. I knock it down from four because, considering the price, IMO it should be stronger in both flavor and strength.
If you like mild, sweet Virginia tobacco, you will like MVF. If you're looking for a lot of flavor and/or nicotine, keep looking.
Pipe Used:
Barling African Meerschaum, large corn cob
PurchasedFrom:
Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked:
3 months old
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 01, 2023 | Medium | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I smoked this tobacco for the first time this morning. It delivers a sweet mellow smoking with a number of relights. Since I am a beginner I found the nic hit borderline tolerable. However when in the afternoon I mixed half a flake with the same quantity of Epos white tobacco smoking was very smooth, easy burning with a much better taste. I am going to experiment with Epos as a base mixing it with other tobaccos especially the stronger ones.
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