3 World Class Blends

da'rum · Post by **da'rum** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 4:27 pm

That won't break the bank.

I recently had a splurge to bolster my tobacco closet a bit. I bought two pouches of Virginia plug (which I won't be talking about in this thread) and three tins of arguably Mac Barens finest offerings. These were

HH Arcadian Perique
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/346 ... an-perique

"Virginia, Burley, original Cavendish, dark fired Kentucky, Oriental and of course a fair amount of Perique. The HH Acadian Perique has no top flavor at all which means that you will only enjoy the tobacco taste. When smoked you will experience no tongue bite and this blend will smoke to the bottom, leaving only dry ashes. it is a rich, flavourful and very satisfying smoke". Tobacco Reviews

Notes: Natural with about 5% or more Perique; strong body for MacBaren. Minimum casing to retain some moisture in the tobacco.

I wrote a review on this earlier http://rumproject.com/rumforum/viewtopic.php?t=1303 and I will only add that this tobacco is excellent and is one that must be opened and then jarred and left for a week or so to get it's true worth. It has a lovely peppery spice on the exhale with a light sweet herbal all round notes. This will be a continued purchase of mine and I'll stock pile it a bit to make sure I'm not without.

HH Vintage Syrian
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/268 ... age-syrian

"The base of the blend, a little under half of the volume, is a smooth and yet powerful Latakia from Syria. This tobacco gives the blend the overall smoky taste, a powerful taste and yet without any tongue bite. To add a spicy note to the blend, Turkish Oriental has been added. A mix of different Virginia tobaccos from 3 continents adds a sweet natural taste. To complete the taste with depth and body, we added a little Dark Fired Kentucky from the US.

The HH-Vintage Syrian Latakia is a loose cut tobacco, which guarantees a smooth and steady burn. It does not get hot which means you will find extremely little bite on your tongue. When you empty your pipe after smoking, you will find only fine grey ashes, the sign of a slow and dry smoke". Tobacco Reviews

This one I bought a week or so ago and have been enjoying it thoroughly. I hadn't tried Syrian Latakia before and it lives up to its reputation of being a smooth smokey flavourful Latakia. I have other Latakia here that although very nice are rough compared to this refined version. This is a very smooth blend all round with flavour of juicy smoke that doesn't cloy and sweet Virginias intensifying throughout the bowl.

There is a bit of the peppery Perique spice that I like so much but it is from the Kentucky as there isn't any Perique in this blend. It has a satisfying nicotine level without being a stomach turning powerhouse. This blend tops Dunhills Nightcap by a decent margin although Nightcap is a fantastic blend also.

I can see this also being a repeat purchase and will make my mind up after the 100 gm is smoked through.

Oh yeah peat whisky, dark beer or coffee for accompaniment.

HH Mature Virginia
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/282 ... e-virginia

"22 different tobaccos are included in this blend and of these 15 are Virginia tobaccos. Before blending the tobacco the Virginias has been stored for years to mature and develop the final aromas, just like when good wine is put aside for aging. Virginia types like bright yellow/golden leaf, mature red/mahogany leaf, dark Virginia and a Black Virginia Cavendish are blended and left to store so that each tobacco taste marry into a taste unity. To enhance and support the Virginias a touch of Oriental is added and finally the taste is rounded with just an easy hand of pressed Burley". Tobacco Reviews

I'll just make a cautious review on this one as I've only smoked two bowls and it's fairly fresh out of the tin (yesterday).

First impressions are positive. Virginia blends have been hit and miss for me with some highly regarded blends not impressing me much at all. This got a good thumbs up by someone whose opinion I respect so I thought I'd give it a go. On opening of the tin I couldn't help notice that the aromas were deep and enticing. A little damp so needed a good drying before packing. Flavours were all good fruits and sweet grasses intensifying as good tobacco does. I thoroughly enjoyed my first bowl with a dark beer but will stop typing here as I'll take better notes on my next smoke.

Three vastly different but top class blends.

Mac Baren gets bashed a lot for tongue bite but it is totally unwarranted for their non aromatic blends as they have proved to me to be skilled in blending and use some of the best sourced tobacco from around the world. I am becoming a bit of a fan because they are at the more affordable end of tobacco products unlike Dunhill or Solani or Sam Gawith who charge a bit too much.

Jimbo. Grab some of the Vintage Syrian from 4noggins or somewhere it is a fantastic experience.

Post by **Capn Jimbo** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 5:20 pm

Thanks...

Three very different and interesting blends. Look forward to your reviews...

da'rum · Post by **da'rum** » Sun Sep 07, 2014 7:05 am

Done.

*******
Rare Capn's Log: da'Rum amended the OP, which now contains his competent take on these three. Well done!

Post by **Capn Jimbo** » Sun Sep 07, 2014 8:39 am

Regarding the Syrian...

Of the three, that was the one that caught my eye even before your lovely review. I'm not sure what it is about smoke tones. Sue Sea and I both love the sense of vegetal smokiness you get in for example a good cigar with a Camaroon wrapper, the Islays you noted of course, or a nice slow cooked smoked chicken from the barby, or sitting around a campfire.

Sue Sea feels this comes out of the distant past of our species, back when fire became important for warmth and for cooking food. That smell meant you were going to be comfortable and well fed. Show me the mate who can walk by a working barby shop without commenting favorably on the aromas.

Thanks much.