Mad Hatter
04-22-2007, 01:23 PM
Plumcake
"Bright Virginia tobaccos mixed with Burley, a little original MB Cavendish and just a touch of Syrian Latakia" and "original Jamaican Rum". At the time I picked this one up I had been smoking entirely darker English blends but the description and the plainness of the labelling seemed enticing, and my desire to expand my horizons led me to snatch the last remaining tin from the store shelf. Mac Baren's Plumcake is labelled as a light aromatic and so was also my first experience with aromatic pipe tobaccos. When you open the can the first thing you notice is the smell. It has a nice aroma that reminds me of the corner of the living room at Granddad's where he kept all of his Half&Half, Prince Albert and other various brands of drug store goodies, which is to say just a nice and rich, yet sweet tobacco smell. The range of color in the ribbon cut contents is limited to mostly a medium brown with just a smattering of black. Upon close inspection the tobacco appears to have a slight oiliness to it and the moisture content is high enough you might not want to smoke it straight from the tin for fear of the infamous Mac Baren tongue bite. However, if you give it a little time to dry, this should be a non-issue. After my first tin I began buying this by the pound and when my tin runs empty I just refill it and leave it in my truck for a few days to slowly dry out. The room note and the flavor are very pleasant, fruity with kind of a "blue" richness that you can both taste and smell. It can be a bit of a chore at times to get it going, but once you do the flavors come through best if smoked slowly. It has a fair dose of nicotene, just a little too strong for my liking but it has a great aftertaste and this combination makes it an excellent late evening or lazy morning smoke.
Scottish Blend
Made from more than 35 different tobacco leaves from around the world, Scottish Blend is amazingly similar to Plumcake. It looks like, and to a degree smells like and tastes like Plumcake, only without the fruitiness. At the same time it has a delightful flavor and aroma all its own which reminds me of a grassy hillside in spring twinged with the smell of a freshly mowed field with just a touch of autumn and the earth. Another excellent smoke for lovers of VAs and mild aromatics.
"Bright Virginia tobaccos mixed with Burley, a little original MB Cavendish and just a touch of Syrian Latakia" and "original Jamaican Rum". At the time I picked this one up I had been smoking entirely darker English blends but the description and the plainness of the labelling seemed enticing, and my desire to expand my horizons led me to snatch the last remaining tin from the store shelf. Mac Baren's Plumcake is labelled as a light aromatic and so was also my first experience with aromatic pipe tobaccos. When you open the can the first thing you notice is the smell. It has a nice aroma that reminds me of the corner of the living room at Granddad's where he kept all of his Half&Half, Prince Albert and other various brands of drug store goodies, which is to say just a nice and rich, yet sweet tobacco smell. The range of color in the ribbon cut contents is limited to mostly a medium brown with just a smattering of black. Upon close inspection the tobacco appears to have a slight oiliness to it and the moisture content is high enough you might not want to smoke it straight from the tin for fear of the infamous Mac Baren tongue bite. However, if you give it a little time to dry, this should be a non-issue. After my first tin I began buying this by the pound and when my tin runs empty I just refill it and leave it in my truck for a few days to slowly dry out. The room note and the flavor are very pleasant, fruity with kind of a "blue" richness that you can both taste and smell. It can be a bit of a chore at times to get it going, but once you do the flavors come through best if smoked slowly. It has a fair dose of nicotene, just a little too strong for my liking but it has a great aftertaste and this combination makes it an excellent late evening or lazy morning smoke.
Scottish Blend
Made from more than 35 different tobacco leaves from around the world, Scottish Blend is amazingly similar to Plumcake. It looks like, and to a degree smells like and tastes like Plumcake, only without the fruitiness. At the same time it has a delightful flavor and aroma all its own which reminds me of a grassy hillside in spring twinged with the smell of a freshly mowed field with just a touch of autumn and the earth. Another excellent smoke for lovers of VAs and mild aromatics.