Mac Baren Modern Virginia Loose Cut

This is one of those mixtures that is liked for what it is lacking. There is no chemical taste, propylene glycol, excessive toppings or casings and if you are in the mood for a blend that isn't loaded with Latakia or perique, this might be just the stuff for you. I can barely detect the fruit topping if I'm trying really hard but it is very subtle. It has a natural tobacco taste that is flavorful and slightly sweet. If you would like something similar to Carter Hall that isn't loaded with PG this mixture might be what you are looking for.

Gifted by a good friend. Thanks D.

Pretty nice smoke. The Virginias and Cavendish hold a slight lead over the Burley. Nice notes of hay, citrus and nuts. There's a fair amount of sweetness. The topping is light and I can identify the apricot, but the pineapple eludes me. it does seem as though there is something else there, just can't nail it down. Overall it's a very pleasant profile. My only issue is that it can burn a bit warm if you aren't careful. 4 stars for the flavor, minus 1 for the heat.

Mild to medium in body and taste. Mild in flavoring. Burns very well.

I just finished my first half ounce sample I got from smokingpipes for stocking up on dunhill blends. I've been smoking this out of a MM Morgan cob I used some time ago for a tin of moontrance and it seems to be working nicely with it.

The tin note and presentation are both pretty good. Fruity, maybe a dash of vanilla. My gf didn't mind the smell of it in the pouch, so that's a plus. It's nice and fluffy in the pouch I got. I know it come in tins as well but, I haven't bought one as yet. Predominantly golden in color, with some strands of burley and the "modern" macbaren cavendish popping up as black flecks all throughout it. It's moisture content is almost perfect straight away, however I still let it sit for ten minutes first.

On the charring light I got fruity, sweet Virginia and a slight hint of paraffin wax. I know right? Anyway that's what I took away from it. Kind of like a fruity candy.

I figured out after the first bowl it required a slightly firmer hand on the packing. It burns a bit fast if it's packed normally. It doesn't bite unless you push it to that point. Which, is much further than most macbaren blends in my experience. It has a fairly clean taste to it in spite of the topping. They did that part very well. I would maybe call this a light aromatic in the sense it has on a slight topping which does not dominate the flavor at any point that I noticed.

All in all, this is good. It smokes easy, and has lighter flavor that would most likely be nice in the morning with coffee or tea. Also the room note is more pleasant than I had thought it was. I got compliments from the gf. Of course I normally smoke English mixtures these days so, it could be a comparison issue. It's worth trying this one if you like Virginias, or aromatics.

Nice new offering by Mac Baren! This just might be my new go-to when I'm in the mood for something a bit more aromatic than my typical straight VA preference. The Virginias are very mature and definitely are in the driver's seat. The remaining tobaccos compliment them very nicely and the fruity topping is very pleasant.

I wouldn't consider this an aromatic. It's more of a natural tobacco with a slight fruit topping that dissipates to near non existence midway through the bowl. Love it.

This is a pleasant mild Virginia with just a touch of Cavendish, and Burley. Though I tend to prefer something a bit stronger, I really did enjoy this weed. The quality of tobacco is easily noticeable and the slightly sweet taste makes this one easy to get puffing away at. Having said that if you do smoke it hot it will bite but not nearly as bad as some straight Virginia tobacco will. I would recommend giving this a try if your not looking for an overwhelming nicotine buzz, just a relaxing smoke perfectly blended with the right proportions.

This is a pretty good blend. I am not sure whether this is better categorized as an aromatic or as a Virginia blend. As the latter I would probably give this one two stars as it is a little light for my palate and has too many additives that take away from the taste of the Virginias themselves. Make no mistake though, they are still the star ingredient.

The Virginias to me are grassy and citrus sweet. I found the burley element to be light in this one. Exactly the type of Virginias that I prefer. The sweetness is heavily accentuated by both the topping and the Cavendish. I found the burley element very light, but it probably helps round out the edges a bit as this one does smoke pretty smooth considering that it would seem like a firepot from the way I am describing it.

I really look at this one more as an aromatic and a well done one in the European tradition. That being a lightly topped Virginia dominant aromatic. That is the reason I am giving it three stars. It is just an enjoyable light bodied smoke.

This was unremarkable but pleasant. The fruity pouch note is in the smoking taste as well, but it is mild and does not overpower. It is slightly sweet, and the Virginias give it a slightly grassy note. There is a little citrus in the flavor, and I am not sure if that is from the Virginia or the mild topping. I can believe the fruit topping is apricot, because that was in the description, but I was not struck with any specific fruit flavors.

I have been smoking this in the truck with an assortment of pots and a cob. To my palate it is a nice step up from an OTC and an easy Virginia-forward mildly aromatic smoke. This would be a good and inoffensive "all-day" smoke. The room note is pleasant, and it does not fatigue the palate. For a reason I can't quite put my finger on, it does not punch any of my buttons.

On my scale, this is a 2.5 - no regrets, but I am not likely to buy more.

I have smoked this from 2 different tins, one when it first came out and just recently with some age to the tin . I found this to be a nice flavorful Virginia that was quite good with some age on .A silky and satisfying smoke, I plan on enjoying this for some time.

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.