Mac Baren HH Burley Flake Pipe Tobacco

Nothing to write home about, nothing to complain about, it’s a nice quality tobacco with a one note profile. It’s a bit nutty and smooth, and came right out of the tin ready to smoke

Some have attempted to compare this to Solani Aged Burley Flake (ABF). While I can see how the older version of ABF COULD be comparable and give HH a run for the money, ABF has devolved and no longer falls in the realm of quality, flavor and depth that MB Burley Flake offers. Mac Baren Burley Flake is a very natural tasting Virgina/Burley with a refined and elegant blend of toasted walnuts, oak, earth, black strap molasses and hay. The Dark Fired offers a touch of oak spice, and any bitter acridity associated with the DF is offset with a lightly applied dark molasses - that dark sweetness is very natural tasting. Within the flavor spectrum of burley, this has a medium to medium/dark flavor profile, whereas Solani is definitely in the darker, richer and more robust end of the spectrum. This lends itself well to an ‘all-day’ kind of smoke, but still possesses a bit of dark richness that satisfies. If you find Solani a little overbearing in flavor, but light on nicotine and too rich at times, HHBF is a great substitute which is less sweet, more natural and has more nicotine. Taste and body are light to medium while the nicotine is medium strength - at about 2.5 to 3 out of 5. Dark Fired always hits me harder and I end up with a ball in my chest and hiccups. On price and flavor, HHBF is of greater value. Will buy this by the pound. Here's the comparison to Aged Burley Flake: ABF: Dark burley spectrum - full body. Very sweet (artificial taste), smooth, fermented, nicotine is light. $$$ HHBF: Med burley spectrum - light/med body. Less-sweet (natural taste), slight sharpness due to white burley, oak spice from dark fired, medium nicotine. $$

Reminds me of Cutty Pipe tobacco the old guys in Pittsburgh smoked, Very full tobacco best smoked in a small pipe. Best if you smoke the whole bowl and don't let it sit.

Hijacked My Palate. Decided to open and try this just a few days ago and crumbled some (preps perfectly) into my Lorenzetti Nero 37 from these purveyors. That was a delightful combination. I found some chocolate "around the edges" in the first 1/3 of the bowl. The middle 1/3 was a little "hollow" in a good way, but balanced, and for me the character drew out the moisture in my buccal mucosa much like an excellent red wine. The bottom 1/3 provided depth, power and complexity. But always gentle. No matter how provoked, this tobacco never even hinted that she would jump up and bite my tongue. Extremely smooth and easy. Subsequently, she has loved every pipe I've put her in, although each one will bring out different qualities of the blend. Some pipes pull it "apart" a little more, while others will compact it "together". Enjoy finding out which pipes you like it in best!

A lovely easy-going Burley whether smoked in flake form or rubbed out. Great with morning coffee or smoked all day. Highly recommended.

It’s nice and dark with a hint of sweet. Seems really well balanced.

To me.... mac baren hh burley flake > Solani abv. Like solani but without the added case or topping notes. Very nice. Unobtrusive. Good burley. If you like burley, just buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Excellent smoke. Great taste and aroma. Not too strong so can be smoked all day.

This is as close to a perfect burley as I have smoked.