Mac Baren Modern Virginia Loose Cut

I've received several sample pouches of this blend, very well packaged by the manufacturer as far as samples go and that's about the only positive thing I can say. Truly unfortunate when the packaging exceeds the quality of the product it was designed to house. It's so bad that I now decline the free sample when I checkout my online tobacco order. It has notes that remind me of Clan, both in the pouch and the pipe. Take that however you want to....If you like Clan you may like this. In this case the sample saved me money, anguish and disappoint.

Pouch note is citrus, honey and pineapple, though subdued and not at all cloying. The tobacco is medium to light brown ribbon. Moisture content is lower than what one might expect, and Modern Virginia is ready to smoke right out of the pouch. 

The charring light delivers exactly what the nose promised: citrus, honey and pineapple, perhaps even a bit of exotic fruit (kiwi? lychee?) with the honey slightly more assertive than the pouch note would suggest. There's some body to this smoke as well, some earthiness in the background: coffee, cocoa, leather. This grounds the blend nicely in the "tastes-like-tobacco" niche and places it firmly in the Nordic, as opposed to American, aromatic category. 

The flavoring agent largely burns off within the first third of the bowl and the smoker is left with a somewhat sharp VaBur smoke with an undercurrent of honey/citrus, some of the aforementioned earthiness, and the slightest hint of burley parchment. This blend can definitely bite if smoked too enthusiastically, but when sipped with a consciously slow cadence, there is plenty of flavor. Modern Virginia smokes nice and dry, though a bit hot and sharp. 

A pleasant enough smoke, but doesn't stand out in a competitive field. Could work as an all-day blend if not for the attention required to avoid bite. This reminds me of Erinmore Mixture without the consistency of flavor. For those who enjoy a citrus/honey/pineapple aromatic grounded with good body, and who are naturally slow sippers, this could be a three-star blend. For me, alas. 

I should add: despite the blend's name, true Virginia smokers will be disappointed. This is likely not your blend. 

I received a free sample pouch with a recent order from Smokingpipes.com . MacBaren is really expanding its lineup, moving away from its signature "honey on toast" (which I happen to enjoy) fare. As a rule I'm not a Virginia smoker and never quite enjoyed the grassy taste typical with much of the variety. I favor Burleys and smokey Kentucky. When I do reach for a Virginia it's usually Capstan Blue or Wessex Brown Slice and not too often lately. A very nice loose cut ribbon of medium browns and black. The immediate pouch aroma was that of sweet wine and spices. On deeper inhaling a very lovely aroma of what seemed to be apricots and another fruity essence was apparent. Loading and lightly were a breeze. This stayed lit for the entire bowl , smoked clean and dry, never got hot, nor was there any bite. An expertly produced blend that made me want for more. This is not your typical aromatic as I detected very little of what I smelled from the pouch other than a sweet presence throughout the smoke. This will definitely become a regular for me and as I fancy flakes, will pick up the flake version of this. Another winner from MacBaren. Highly recommended for both Virginia lovers and aromatic fans.

This blend is a very smooth virginia with some wonderful fruit notes. The tin says it's topped with light fruit toppings and I can taste the notes of apricots. There is no bite at all. The flavor is that of the natural sweetness of Virginias mixed with the right amount of spices and some noticeable honey notes. The main difference between this and the flake version is that the loose cut version is a tad less bold in both flavor and nicotine level. I would recommend this blend to anyone who enjoys a light virginia blend.

I received multiple samples of this. The aroma in (my samples were in bags) were absolutely intoxicating. I find no evidence of pineapple but apricots are definitely present. It is fruity, without smelling like fruit punch. It packs easily, catches flame and keeps it. The fruitiness only adds the already sweet Virginias. The balance is extremely refreshing. It's simplistic, but very tasty. An important feature is that this tabac has very little Macbite, which is welcomed! It does burn hot, and it burns down to a white ash with no dottle. All in all, I highly recommend this tabac.

This blend took some time to get used to, but after I did it went from 2 stars to 3. It is really really much better during the second half of the bowl. The topping, while very noticeable from the tin, does not come out too much in the smoke. It's a little wet and needs some drying. I also wonder what if it would be better aged for a year or so.

In the pouch, “Modern Virginia Loose Cut” smells like a light aromatic and I believe that many will define it that way. The good news for me with this blend is that it doesn’t offer me the typical bite that so many of the Mac Baren blends inflict on my tongue. I dried it under a desk lamp for about 10 minutes prior to smoking. The sweet topping, which reminds me more of honey than fruit, isn’t as strong in the smoke, but is definitely there. The combination of the three tobaccos is blended perfectly. It burns cleanly with a constant dose of the added topping that isn’t intrusive. I find the flavoring to be in the “mild” category. I think that MVLC can be enjoyed by aromatic smokers and Virginia smokers looking for a change of pace.

I just reviewed Mac Baren's MVF, the same blend as this one except MVF is flake and this one is broken flake. It's funny, but newer pipe smokers tend to be intimidated by flake, though it actually is easy to fold and pack. I find the broken flake more difficult to work than flake; I just rub it out good, let it air for 1/2 hour or so -- maybe longer, I'm in Florida -- and gravity-fill the pipe, tapping the pipe to settle the broken flakes to the right pack. I smoke a lot of black cav, so I am used to broken flake.

I like the MVF maybe a little better, but this one is good. Mac Baren is making some great tobaccos; just look what they did with Capstan! I'm rating it 3 b/c it's not a 4, more like 3.1-3.4. Considering it has an apricot/pineapple topping, this is much, much better than it has any right to be.

Love, JB

Modern Virginia is an uncomplicated Virginia based loose cut mixture that offers a refreshing pineapple and apricot casing. The rumor was circulating at one time that it had been created to compete with Erinmore Flake (and Mixture) but, frankly, I don't see a lot of comparison possible between them. The tin I opened had 7 years of aging. The Virginias had darkened some and the Cavendish represents a small percentage. The tin note is grassy and is fruity and yes, I can still make out the pineapple and apricot. Being a Loose Cut, no further rubbing out is required on my part. It's very easy to fill up the pipe and the lighting is as easy. Once properly lit, the casing dominates along with the grassy notes of the Virginias and I believe the Burley proportion is small as I can't really make it out except that it certainly does provide some body. The nicotine level is more than mild and less than medium. There are no significant changes even as I pass the mid bowl point. It burns well all the way down and the aftertaste is pleasant. MV could very well be a good All Day Smoke but for the fact that it has been discontinued. Recommended if you can get some.