Mac Baren No. 8

[tdp]

A 'limited edition' blend from Mac that is blended with Virginia, Burley, Black Cavendish, and rotten mandarin oranges. It's presented wrapped in foil in a pretty black box. The box is the last pretty thing I noticed about this. It's a heavily flavored aromatic, but somehow it smells sour when the foil is opened.

The blend was a little drier than I had expected, so it didn't take more than 1/2 hour of airing out before smoking. It packed and lit easily, and burned consistently hot throughout. The room note was surprisingly pleasant.

From a flavor perspective, I can't imagine what Mac Baren was trying for. The tongue bite was absolutely incredible. It tastes like rotten mandarin oranges, top to bottom. Occasionally some chocolate seeps through, but chocolate-covered rotten mandarin oranges are still rotten mandarin oranges.

It is really fortunate that this is a limited edition.

[physiognomy]

Wow, that does sound bad Travis... I must admit that I haven't had much luck with McB so far although I have yet to try Plumcake (which gets good reviews). I find most bite like hell if you aren't careful, but it can usually be controlled (to some extent) by drying and sipping them slowly. Still, if the flavor isn't there it is hardly worth the bother. Time to throw this one in a jar & forget about it for a year or 10 :5421:

[tdp]

Yeah I'll come back and laugh if it tastes wonderful in a decade. I do have luck with McB so far as Navy Flake and the HH Mature Virginia go, but they are very hit and miss. I keep hearing Plumcake is great, so maybe I'll check some of that out too, if only to clear the taste of this No. 8.

[opusfxd]

This is good info for someone starting down this slope. Thanks for the review.

[moglman]

That does not sound good. I've had some bad and decent aromatics from MacBaren, though the consistently bad reviews like this one keep me from trying much that they release.

[tdp]

Just taking one for the team ;) Somebody had to try this stuff, what with the pretty black box and all the upscale packaging.

That's one of my favorite things about my pipe -- it's a few bucks to try just about any mixture that sounds interesting. If it doesn't work, blend it into something that will make it better or let it sit and see if it improves.