Mac Baren HH Bold Kentucky

Great blend if one likes stronger mixes. It isn't the least bit harsh nor does it have a tendency to bite. It has a true Kentucky/Burley flavor and the tin I opened was fairly old based on the rust that had accumulated around the lip and seal of the tin. The tin note was an earthy sweet & sour aroma. The flakes were quite dark & very moist with a minimal amount of yellow Virginia. I rubbed out a flake and let sit for about twenty minutes. Thought I'd try this out for a change of pace because I prefer stronger blends & Burley usually delivers a quick, strong vitamin N blast & this stuff works.

It is a strong tobacco that smokes mildly. It expands quite a bit after the charring light & provided an excellent burn rate and keeping it lit was not a problem. I didn't notice the Virginia that much but it's probably what tamed the slight bitterness of the Burley which soon subsided. It's been a while since I've smoked Irish Flake & this reminded me of that a little. The mild topping is barely noticeable and the flavor was mostly Burley with a slight sweetness coming from the Virginia infusion. After smoking a tin of this mix, I decided these types of blends along with a few, select VA/Pers will be my dominant mainstays... liked the true tobacco flavors and the Vitamin N blast... Super!

I preferred this over Irish Flake but like them both. I didn't notice a cigar aroma from HH Bold Kentucky like I did with Irish Flake back in 2010 but I don't notice any cigar essence in Irish Flake that is blended these days... tis now October, Anno Domini 2018. Could be my olfactory glands require a little maintenance or maybe new parts installed. I feel confident that Burley enthusiasts will like this really well. Gets stronger toward the end but Burns cool & dry down to a light gray ash. Great blend.

This is my current favorite.
I tried it with the comparison offer, BK with WHBR. I like WHBar, but the BK took me by surprise. I always thought of MaBaren as the Danish aromatic brand. I tried the HH Matured Va, back in 2010 or so. it was good but didn’t float my boat. This however, is the answer to many of my desires in a tobacco. The flakes are quite dense and even if you stuff them tightly in the bowl, the burn is perfect. Did I mention I am half way through a pound? The tin was half finished when I ordered the pound, and it’s time to go get more. The pound flakes are twice as big as the tinned flakes. I have to cut them to stuff in a pipe. Guess I need some bigger bowls. JimInks did a great review, I will let him speak for the flavors. DFK got my attention!
Somebody said each flake should be stamped with the word “satisfaction “. I agree!

My review is based on a sampling of a few bowls, this seems to be unavailable in the UK now.

The tobacco is presented as thin dark brown to black flakes, very even in cut. Aromas of leather, wood and pitch waft up to the nose - delicious!

Flavour at the first light is leathery and tarry, with hints of spice and brewers pitch. The flavour remains fairly consistent throughout the smoke, growing in strength as it progresses. Toward the end, a slightly harsh edge may emerge - nicotine tingle on the tongue, not bite, in common with other very strong tobaccos. A few relights may be needed. A small dottle is left. The pipe is knocked out and by golly you know you've been smoking it! Excellent.

This is another tobacco for cold and dreary days, for warming ones cockles and boosting morale. Very nice, I'll buy it if I get the chance again.

This will be a most concise review.

After 7 years delighting in this King of all tobaccos it never fails to taste exactly like it smells unsmoked in the tin or aging jar: HEAVENLY. From first (and only) light to last puff.

Of the 80 or so tobaccos I have smoked, Bold Kentucky is the only one that fits this description.

HH Bold Kentucky
MacBaren

Delightfully strong blend with a huge proportion of Dark-Fired Kentucky aided by some smaller amount of Bright Virginia.

This is stronger than HH Rustica, which is saying something. Not for the faint of heart. Use a smaller bowl and eat first.

The Kentucky has a dry, earthy taste and yet a pleasant aroma. The Virginia adds just a touch of citrus. There is a mild casing as per the blend notes; think of casing as ‘salt in the soup’ as opposed to flavoring. That is, casing (if done well) supports the resident tobaccos in a blend. I don’t believe casing is necessary but I accept that MacBaren cases all of their blends.

HH Bold Kentucky comes a tad moist in the tin. It is easy to rub out.

For lovers of Kentucky this is a winner.

4 out of 4 stars.

Well, if you like a natural straight mixture this is for you. Virginia/Kentucky, wow! This is a top natural blend. Not natural aromatic, but simply natural. In my personal opinion better than its most famous sibling (HH Old Dark Fired). Very balanced blend it has no defects. Three characteristics: natural (no flavoring), strong and full-bodied (but not overwhelming), tasty (pleasant and satisfying). Only for experienced pipe smokers. Not for beginners and not for aromatic blends’ lovers. In my personal rating system (from 1 to 10) my score is 10 and four complete stars.

Rich flavor, burns very nicely and evenly. I like the depth of flavor of this particular tobacco but the whole HH Burley family is great. It's a pretty regular choice for me but be aware this one packs a nicotine wallop, so go slow and maybe follow a meal with this one until you know what to expect.

I would start with HH Burley Flake first if you are unsure about what your nicotine level tolerance is, it is considerably milder.

Very good tobacco. Tin note is smoky and earthy. Came moist and the flakes are about the size of a stick of chewing gum. I used two rubbed out to fill my pipe. Very smooth smoke considering the components. Id liken this to Old Dark Fired but bold kentucky is smoother in my opinion. Despite this being strong flavored it is not harsh or bitey.

Nic hit is pretty good. It'll creep up on you. Very smoky and slightly earthy. Is it as good as ODF? Yes. Is it better? Not really. Is it worth the price of a tin vs ODF bulk? No.

For my money Id rather just buy ODF ready rubbed bulk.

20230313 edit: as an autopilot smoke, it's pretty good. I think my original review was on point, mostly burley-esque, with some not quite smoky DFK characteristics from beginning to end. A single flake smoked after breakfast has got me feeling pretty good, maybe ¾ through the bowl. I think it's appropriate to peg this one as strong, maybe medium-strong by strong accounting for my non-herculean tolerance levels. This may be near the top of my simple, strong burley type category, maybe not as strong or easy to pack as five brothers but certainly more pleasant.

Only note I get from the jar is ketchup, not in a bad way. Taste is full but mellow, if that makes any sense; not a lot going on in terms of flavor, mostly a pleasant and lightly sweet natural tobacco taste which I associate with burley. It will bite if puffed too hard, but nowhere near some other strong KY forward blends I've tried. Just an extremely satisfying and strong natural tasting blend without a ton of complexity. I'm eventually going to decide on at least one blend to rate 4 stars which fills this niche, and this could end up being it.