Mac Baren HH Bold Kentucky

I really wanted to like this flake, given I put Old Dark Fired in my top 5 halfway through my first tin, but it didn't turn out to be the case. Oh well, there's something for everyone.

I feel this tobacco takes all that's great about ODF, turns them down in intensity, and instead ramps up nicotine.

The smell from the tin is similar to ODF, less sweet though, less BBQ and more earth.

The flakes, as the whole HH line, are impeccably presented. A flake will light either folded and stuffed, or crumbled straight from the tin, and of course if dried. Straight from the tin provided me with better tasting smokes than dried.

The taste is strong, as is the nicotine. No doubt about it, it is a strong tobacco and I smoke a lot of strong tobaccos. The taste is where it's faulted for me. I found it harsh, almost metallic at times. The wood and sweetness of ODF are not in Bold Kentucky. If I compare with Samuel Gawith's Lakeland Dark, they are quite similar, but the Gawith sports a bit of floral taste (NOT Lakeland), also found in 1792 Flake (which I've read and believe to be the same tobacco as Lakeland Dark plus tonquin) which smoothens the experience a lot, while retaining the strength. If I compare with Gawith Hoggarth's Dark Bird's Eye, another Kentucky powerhouse, I'll again prefer the Gawith House as it gave me fewer mixed messages than Bold Kentucky.

This doesn't mean it is a bad tobacco, far from it, but there are others of the same line that I'd go to first, and would actually go to MacBarens HH Old Dark Fired over any of them.

I recently smoked this after letting it cellar for about 9 months. Quite a difference. I was looking for a strong, dark tobacco smoke, and some deep satisfaction in a short amount of time, and got it. I rubbed out 1 slice, and smoked it in my small Peterson Donegal 999. That was perfect. When I smoked it nine months ago, the grassiness of the Virginias and a slight molasses sweetness were present, but after nine months, it is pretty much just a straight, heavy, pleasurable smoke. Not as smokey and rich as my Latakia blends, but definitely strong. It burned much better with age, requiring an average number of relights, has a nice heavy taste, with a solid nic-hit. All in all, a very solid smoke. I will order more, and save it for nights like tonight when I need a good solid, dark, smoke.

Honestly I am quite surprised to see so much praise for this blend. I realize that some tastes are acquired but every puff I take of this just gives me the no feeling. IMO there is something in or on this that shouldn't be, resulting in a smoke that is well beyond full bodied and well into ridiculous harshness. Granted I have not tried other Kentucky blends, but this is absolutely offensive. I cant imagine anyone from any walk of life, under any circumstance, thinking that this was not bad. Out of the tin, contrary to some of the other reviewers, it has anything but a "natural" or "pure" tobacco scent. The musty, pungent, burnt, and smokey smell is just off the charts intense; (is there even any tobacco in there?) leaving you to wonder how something that smells so assertive is going to taste. Upon lighting, every puff tastes like your inhaling a stale campfire; the mouth feel is very (and oddly) intense, and rest assured if you inhale it its nasty on the throat, in fact it's almost impossible to inhale, and I don't say that often. All I can taste so far is strong harsh smoke that has no pleasing qualities other than strong nicotine. Every so often I detect a nuance of something pleasant underneath it all but its hopelessly covered up. It does have have very high nicotine, which is actually what I look for, so I might see if I can blend in something else to tone down everything down, but that's not what I bought it for. To MB's credit (sort of) I also believe that they may have quality control issues from time to time, that being said they do stand behind their product and value customer satisfaction. I wonder if the tin I got was from a bad run. This is the second product I have bought from them that was obviously sub standard; the first they actually replaced for me readily which was mighty decent of them, but I think it also indicates that they are aware of their own issues or bad runs but continue to sell the product. This while all the other MB are great. But its' still frustrating; I feel like "just make a quality product or don't, because I'm tired of getting stung" is how I feel. I'm a MB fan, but for this one I got, I might as well just go eat an ashtray then wash it all down with bong water. Would I recommend it? not my tin.

Bold is right. Too bold for me. This is the first Kentucky I have tried. The flavor is not too bad. Some hints of licorice to me. I tried big pipe, small pipe, loose and hard packed. I like strong tobacco, but this is over my limit. I also found it harsh on my throat. Only for someone who wants the boldest.