Tobaccos Mac Baren - HH Old Dark Fired Ready Rubbed

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3023)	2013-11-08		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

My thoughts about this blend are similar to what I had to say about the flake version, with a couple of exceptions. While this is easier to pack because it's a ready rubbed tobacco, it seemed to me that the burley and dark fired Kentucky are slightly less stronger than it is in the flake version. It may be that the tobacco slightly changed because more of it is exposed to air in the processing of it. The difference is minor, but I did notice it.

Here's my original review of the flake version, which mostly mirrors my view of the ready rubbed:

It's a little closer to medium than strong in regard to strength and taste, and that observation depends on how used to strong tobaccos is the smoker. The main component is the earthy, woody, floral, spicy, fairly dry, herbal, mildly tart and tangy sour, nutty dark fired Kentucky. Earthy, nutty, woody burleys, and earthy, woody, tangy dark fruity, tart and tangy citrus sweet Virginias work are secondary stars. You will notice every aspect in virtually every puff. The natural sweetness of the varietals are enhanced by being steam pressed, and there's a mild vinegar and barbecue hit from the binder. The harmonious complexity of the flavor works to its advantage in terms of its effect on your taste buds. There may be some flakes that are more complex, but not by a whole lot, and this gives you plenty enough as it is. Won’t bite, and has a few rough edges. Burns clean, a little slow, and is tinned at the perfect moisture level with a medium nic-hit that gets a little stronger as you smoke along. The taste is very consistent from start to finish, and little moisture is left in the bowl. Requires some relights. I recommend a slow puffing cadence for best effect. Has a pleasant, lingering campfire after taste, and stronger room note. Not an all day smoke.

There are stronger tobaccos. This is not too strong to knock you off your feet, but certainly not weak.

-JimInks

60 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-09-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A ready rubbed version of a highly regarded flake tobacco almost always tastes different. This one mirrors the flavor of ODF flake as close to identically as my ability to discern allows. When I fold and stuff the flake, it's a little cleaner of flavor and when I rub it out, it's a hair richer and it burns better. This smoked like ODF flake rubbed out.

Not much else to say about this one that I haven't said. A moderately strong and rich tobacco with deep earthy notes and a slight hint of sweetness. But not so strong as to overpower most smokers, and those who are used to dark flakes will consider this more medium. Speaking objectively, this is medium-to-strong, and nothing short of excellent. I've been smoking a ton of this since the flake came out and it consistently delivers. I have a newfound respect for Mac Barens as a result.

45 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2014-01-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Old Dark Fired Flake was the first Mac Baren blend that fell in love with as it didn’t bite me like many Mac Baren blends have a habit of doing. So when I saw this in bulk ready rubbed I couldn’t pass it up and it didn’t let me down. The ready rubbed version offers the same wonderful flavors that the flake does. There are actually a few smaller flakes in the ready rubbed. The only downside to this is for those that exclusively fold and stuff their flakes will need to stick to the tins. The upside to the ready rubbed is the bulk price is very reasonable. Like the flake, I tend to enjoy this well dried. Considering there are tobaccos in ODFRR that are as much as forty years old, it’s no surprise that there is zero bite here, even when pushed. If you have ever been attracted to the flavor of ropes or twist tobaccos, but the high nicotine content has kept you from trying them, you may be in luck here as ODF and ODFRR offer similar flavor to some of the GH and SG blends, but with a lot less nicotine. That is not to say this is wimpy in the nic department, it isn’t, there is just less of it. Highly Recommended.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: Mac Baren HH Dark Fired Flake.

34 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2014-10-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I have been through maybe four or five tins of the flake and bought a pound of the ready rubbed. I am more or less 12 oz into the pound. I love this stuff, and I think I might prefer the ready rubbed slightly just for the ease of preparation.

Like the flake, this is a good, full burley with some Virginia overtones. I did not detect any added toppings. It has a good consistent flavor and smokes very clean to the bottom of the bowl. The ready rubbed seems slightly more mellow than the flake, and that may be due to the exposure to air when it is rubbed out and stored. I am not enough of an expert on these things to know. I do know that this is very good.

I find myself smoking a bowl of this most mornings in a GBD Prehistoric prince that seems suited to this blend.

21 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Foz594 (5)	2016-09-17		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Some tobaccos are calm and sweet. Some are quiet companions that share the porch with you, never making demands on your attention. This is not one of them. ODF kicks the doors down, sets the sofa on fire and starts pounding out a bass line while standing on the kitchen table juggling flaming babies. This stuff is no joke.

I love this stuff. Rich, deep flavor that is hard to describe. A little bit of smokiness? Yep. Tiny bit of sweet? Sure. A faint ephemeral sour tang that disappears almost as soon as you notice it? That too. A punch in the face and a kiss on the cheek. If Carter Hall is a cheese sandwich and a glass of water, this would be a bloody porterhouse steak, salad with chunks of blue cheese, baked potato with extra sour cream and bacon and a glass of whiskey to chase it.

Pipe Used: Falcon

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2013-10-19		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Not complex but delicious. I thought that lacking complexity it may get a bit boring, but not so. The flavor more than makes up for it. Highly recommended.

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dragon76 (4)	2014-02-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Strong

This tobacco was recommended by my local tobacconist. I decided to give it a try, buying it in Bulk, out of the jar, a couple of ounces. Sure. Glad I did. This tobacco is Amazing. I have never had anything like this blend before. I can't say it's an Aro or an English. Its something else. The texture is almost stick like, tiny little twiggs. Surprisingly it packs so great. Lights easy. Burn is beyond even and consistent. When I took my first puff, I was floored. First, it produces some big clouds of dense smoke. Second, It has a deep "Earthy" taste that is like nothing else I have ever smoked. So Satisfying. Flavor profile has an abundance of tastes - Earth is the only word I can use to describe it, for I can not pin point one real particular flavor-taste.

On a cold winters day or night. This tobacco is the ultimate. Good outdoor smoke. decent amount of Vitamin N. In all honesty, this tobacco makes the top of my personal favorites list.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tomatobodhi (1)	2015-06-16		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant

I expected something smokier in flavour, but instead was greeted with a light sweetness forward of the deeper earthiness of the dark. It feels like smoking two separate bowls in the same draw. The cooler I smoke it, the more clarity and attention on the sweetness; the hotter, the smoky dark pushes forward. One can really dial the two dominant flavours up and down by varying the smoking pattern. Very enjoyable blend! Be sure to vary your approach to this one and discover your own perfect draw.

Pipe Used: MM Corncob

Age When Smoked: No aging.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Marker (10)	2014-03-15		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Strong

I have tried the flake and ready rubbed (RR). The ready rubbed is much easier to manage for me. Smokes heavier and stronger taste because of the faster burn. The flake is great for a smaller pipe when you want a slow burn with a lot of flavor.

Dark Virginias give this a sweet smokey taste with depth. Satisfying and relaxing. The heavy chocolate and fig/date taste mix is excellent. This is one of my top 5 blends. It will only get better with age, which I can't imagine how that is possible but put my money on that happening.

If you have not tried it a 3.5oz flake tin is under $15 most etailers and the ready rubbed you can try 1oz and not be out much if you don't like it.

Pipe Used: Kaywoodie Billiard

Age When Smoked: <1 year

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Nothing I can say is similar..

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	panduji68 (28)	2014-04-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Nearly identical in taste to the flake version, this ready rubbed offering burns very well indeed if not a bit hot. Very slightly wet out of the tin, but smokeable. The taste is magnificent, deep and rich, full flavored to say the least. Smoky, slightly nutty and sweet, with none of the famous Mac Baren tongue bite which was a very pleasant surprise indeed. I don't find the nicotine content to be overwhelming, more of a medium that lets you know you've smoked it. Room note is not offensive, but can be a bit strong when smoked indoors. Very similar to Peterson's Irish Flake in my opinion with a bit less of a wallop in the nicotine department. I can see this blend aging extremely well. All in all, a world class smoke. Well done Mac Baren! I have purchased a pound in bulk and can't wait to try it after a few years. Would pair very nicely with a robust coffee, a nice Bourbon, or a sweeter less peaty style of Single Malt Scotch in the evening.

Pipe Used: Large bowl Erik Nording Freehand

Age When Smoked: New out of the tin

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: Peterson's Irish Flake.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2018-04-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This would be a good introduction to the Dark Side for a relatively new piper, possibly some former Goth who has taken up the pipe a few months ago. Because it is like the GH dark shags, but not as powerful and not as rustic. New pipers just aren't ready to become entangled with Dark Birdseye, for example.

Because it's so easy to smoke with no rubbing out and being utterly biteless and smooth, rich and deep. And it's fuller tasting than the underlying strength (although powerful in N, it's not a knock out).

You can only dislike it for not being complex, there's only one note, it does not embody any of the meanings of the word "light."

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mightysmurf8201 (28)	2018-03-20		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a bold one. If I wasn't assured that there wasn't at least a whisper of latakia in this blend, I would be certain that there was. Comes a bit dry, which is perfect for smoking. Deep and earthy, sweet and smoky is all I can really say about this one. It's not complex. It's very straightforward. Not an all day blend, but also not overwhelming for those a bit more tolerant to nicotine.

Pipe Used: cob, briar, meerschaum

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2076)	2017-02-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Mac Baren - HH Old Dark Fired Ready-Rubbed.

If you want a quick and simple nicotine fix here's the blend for you!

Damn! The name's not kidding, it has indeed been rubbed. To look at, it's one of the finest blends I've come across, the rubbings are exceedingly thin. As expected the colour's very dark, and the moisture's perfect.

The thin, impeccably hydrated, ribbons/rubbings take to lighting easily, and it didn't take me many puffs to form an opinion of what part of the market this fills; for those who want a full tasting, nicotine strong, blend! The flavour from O.D.F.R.R. has quite a heavy fire-cured character, more of the Burley than Virginia, and a good dose of N. Despite the thinness of the pieces, it doesn't burn too hot, unless strained; a little fast maybe, but heat isn't really a problem. I don't get any tongue-bite from it, either.

I'm not too keen on the room-note, and as I mentioned, it has a lot of nicotine. Too much for me, but that's subjective, so I'll tick how I'd expect most folks to find it: medium to strong?

Even though I'm going with the majority for nicotine, I won't join in with the crowd by highly recommending it. I used to like the flake version, but the flavour and nicotine are a bit too much, now.

Somewhat recommended.

Pipe Used: Morgan Pot Blackjack

Age When Smoked: One month

Purchased From: 4noggins

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2017-01-29		Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

The Burleys drive the show with a nutty and earthy taste that is mild. The Virginias give a cigarette like character to this fully rubbed mixture. The more you puff, the more boring, bitey and harsh it gets. It's monochromatic in a bad way, they could make quality cigarettes with this stuff.

Virginia lover

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2016-01-30		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong

Summary: a rich blend of earthy Virginias and warm smoky Burleys melded by steaming, this tobacco delivers strong complex smoking flavor.

The first notes come from the Burleys, which with fire-curing have attained a rich and earthy flavor that eclipses the normal Burley nuttiness and melds it into a fiery harvest scent. A slight acerbic flavor from the fire-cured leaf gives way to a warm fusion of bready sweetness and a strong flavor reminiscent of leather, cut wood and charred meat, but this then expands into many layers of natural flavor. Moderately high nicotine makes this one a good late-night smoke.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipe4ever (204)	2013-09-16		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

With most Mac Baren blends, The Flake version are always completely different in taste and in flavor from the ready rubbed version,I personally find their RR versions much better than the flake ones (Va Flake/Va No.1, Mixture Flake/Mixture RR, Vanilla Flake/Vanilla RR, etc), however, with ODF, the 4OZ bag I bought in bulk looks smells and tastes 100% identical to the flake version, the only difference here is the reduced shipping cost if you buy this online plus the easy pipe packing with the RR broken flake.

I mix this with MB Va. No1 50/50, it increases slightly its sweetness and gives a little rough edge, for me this is the perfect blend.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theologia14 (24)	2018-07-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I've been in mourning over the loss of McClellands and their wonderful virginias. However, as soon as i got 4 o.z. of this highly rated tobacco I was floored. Immediately the tin note is reminiscent of that lovely BBQ and Ketchup smell with some hickory smoke undertones.

I jared the tobacco up and let it sit for a few months just to give it some time. I finally cracked the jar open in July 2018 and finished off a good 2 o.z. or more. I can honestly say it has immediately risen to one of my top ten.

The flavor is consistent throughout, even in some of my deepest bowls. Only toward the last eighth or so of the bowl do I get more smokey flavor than anything else. Throughout the smoke sweet Virginias dance with a nutty and bread like flavor that somehow reminds me of a sweet date roll around Christmas time. It's not too sweet for my liking though and with age it should calm down just a bit in that department. It can burn a bit hot so go slow.

Mechanically there are a few problems with the shag cut of this tobacco. The long stands can do with some pre cutting. I also recommend a bit of drying time before you pack up. I have let this blend sit out for up to an hour before and it does well. I find that anything less than thirty minutes for my stash will mean multiple relights. For some this may be irritating, for me it is just part of the process.

Of one last note. I have smoked this now in the presence of numerous people and they all say that it smells great. I have only had one person say that it was a bit smokey for them and thus my rating for room note. I have to receive nothing but complements to mark it as very pleasant.

I think most experienced pipe smokers or those looking to transition from aromatics to viriginas or Vapers, will enjoy this blend. Not quite an all day smoke for me, it can pack a punch at the right time of day for me and I have a high tolerance for vitamin N.

Pipe Used: Neerup Poker and clay pipe

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2017-01-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A very tasty, almost sour/sweet smoke, easy to pack, easy to light and easy to smoke. It provides a very peculiar tanginess: smoky yet cool and fragrant. There isn't much excitement in this blend: it remains consistent throughout the bowl, but it is a very reliable smoke. A simple, stoved Virginia, with a piquant denouement.

Pipe Used: Chacom rusticated

Age When Smoked: N/A

Purchased From: Joshua Ward

Similar Blends: Rattray's Black Virginia and Dak Fragrant..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pylet2000 (33)	2016-08-30		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Initial review:

Wow this is good. Rave reviews aside, I went in a bit uncertain based on the smell from the bag. Interesting smell to be sure, very much like a nice cigar humidor. I was unsure of how it would translate to the pipe, being a rather different aroma than we expect from English pipe tobaccos. Intriguing and unique. My 2 oz ready rubbed bag was rather dry, so I added a few drops of distilled water and put it in a container to rehydrate. Checked a few days later, moisture was perfect.

On initial light in a virgin cob, the Virginias dominate and surprised me with a sweetness I didn't anticipate. Mixed with a very natural and even woody / nutty element as the bowl progresses, you're left delightfully surprised at how well executed this is. Truly a natural tobacco taste persists throughout. Further into the bowl it gets stronger and even peppery as if perique were involved. The sweetness is ever present and balanced, even as the strength increases. As the bowl winds down, I strongly debated making time for another bowl. So many amazing flavors.

All in all, this is excellent all on its own, and would also make an excellent "booster" for other tobaccos you find too thin in body / depth but generally like. Coming from MacBaren who has disappointed me consistently with maple-flavored tongue-scalding steam masquerading as tobacco, this is nothing short of brand redeeming.

Room note is pretty potent, not quite cigar level but in that arena, best enjoyed for yourself or in the company of others that might enjoy the smell.

Pipe Used: Virgin cob

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Young Piper (304)	2015-05-13		Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

As our own Darth Vader stated, it would take a very devious person indeed to give this less than 4 stars and I fully agree... A horrible evil person, one more evil than the leader of the Dark Side, don't go to the Dark Side and give it one star because you only smoke a Pina Colada Black Cavendish... Anyhoo that being said and out of the way, HH ODF RR is so much easier to pack than the flake version and since I always rub out this flake it is a no brainer for me. I still like to keep some intact flakes on hand in case its windy out or if I want a VERY slow burn. The ready rubbed version also makes it very easy to blend with a ribbon Virginia to make a strong half & half which I love. The aroma and taste is the same as the flake but the flake does have some nuances and molasses type flavors that pop up now and then which the RR does not posses. 4 Stars and its really worth having both flake and RR on hand since this is just that tasty!!

Boo boo boo dee dee da dum - Bing

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Talltree (31)	2014-06-13		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a fairly strong tobacco and while I like mild tobacco the best I have to give credit where it is due. The quality of tobacco and depth of flavor is top notch. I came back to it recently and was very impressed. I think this is hands-down the best tobacco I have ever smoked, however, because of its strength and lack of sweetness I don't keep it in stock.

Pipe Used: small bowl Dr. Grabow Grand Duke

Age When Smoked: fresh out of the tin

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: nothing quite like it..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TotoPipeDreams (44)	2021-10-26		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Very Strong

I would have to agree with most other reviews here. Not complex but full flavored enough to keep your palate engaged.

There’s a surprising amount of juicy fruit and prune flavor to this tobacco. I wouldn’t call it a “blend” because you really can’t pick out individual components of the Virginia’s and Burley. Everything has melded together through the steaming/stocking process that it becomes a beast of its own.

Packs a mighty nicotine punch and pure tobacco flavor. Roasty, earthy, and leather on the palate and very peppery on the retrohale much like Perique.

I’d say this is far similar to Perique than Latakia. The smokiness is not the same to Latakia IMO. It’s worth trying even for the experience of it if you don’t like Burley. Highly recommend as a very full flavored, stout winter time tobacco.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (212)	2020-10-29		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

ODF - Ready rubbed . Same great flavor as the flake but does seem just a little bit mellower . The good thing is you can buy this by the ounce and get how much you want . It isn’t any easier to rub out than a flake though and you have less options of how you want to prepare it .It still needs a little drying out IMO . Taste is Vinegar tart with raisons and wine . Fairly sweet molasses and a little spice . Slight cocoa and nuts . I smoke it in medium sized bowls as the nicotine is satisfying. One of my favorite blends and have couple lbs in my cellar both RR and flake . It is outstanding! 4 stars . Don’t let the strength scare you away from trying it .

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pip (80)	2019-02-09		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

ODF is a perfect dark fired blend. I really like this a lot. The tin note is musty, camp fire, earthy and sweet. Smells like the woods. This is old school tobacco. The smoke is very pleasant and tangy with subtle campfire and earthy sweetness. Basically, it tastes like it smells. Its’ great. When I smoke ODF it reminds me of simpler times and simpler pleasures. I find ODF to be very well balanced and not overwhelming in the strength department. This is a new favorite of mine. No bite. I prefer the ready rubbed version to the flakes because it saves me the hassle of rubbing them out.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Similar Blends: GH Dark Birds Eye.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CR (29)	2021-07-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Here’s a valid question: Why does the tinned version of this dry out only a few weeks after opening it, but the ready-rubbed stays moist for months on end? Answers on a postcard. If this is loaded with PG I can’t tell, but I’ll stick with the version that behaves more like regular tobacco regardless. I like to inhale it too much to wonder.

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2019-02-23		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I picked up a lb of the ready rubbed version during the IPSD sale this year.

I got to try some of the flake and really enjoyed it so I figured for the price it cannot be beat. Yep, that is right.

Easy to pack. Tin note has a little bit of a bbq smell to me. Nothing like the McC Ketchup smell of my favorite brand.

Easy to light up in a small bowled anse. I have to force myself to slow down my pace to keep it from burning hot. Rewarded with a rich earthy smoke which I'd swear tastes like latakia. Not complex. Do sometimes wish it had a little bit of sweetness to it as I go through the bowl.

The nic level is higher than I'm used to, so it can sneak up on me. It pairs great with a beer in the evening or a bourbon and coke.

With the bulk being every bit as good as the flake in my opinion, I'll be sure to keep some in my rotation for when I want to visit "the dark side".

Pipe Used: Morgan Bones Anse

Age When Smoked: fresh from bag

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TwelveAMnTX (28)	2017-11-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco is dark fired goodness. I enjoy a good burley & also like dark fired kentucky blends. This tobacco hits the spot on both of those fronts. The smokiness of the dark fired kentucky is the dominant flavor with the burley & virginia in the background mellowing it a bit. This tobacco is not as strong as straight dark fired, a lot closer to medium than strong to me. It burns even with a smooth semi-bitter dark chocolate like undertone with an earthy/smoky taste. It comes ready to smoke & requires very few relights. The room note is an acquired taste for some, but pleasing & enticing to some fellow pipers. If you like dark burley or kentucky blends you'll really enjoy this tobacco.

Pipe Used: assorted MM cobs

Age When Smoked: fresh to 6 months age

Purchased From: pipesandcigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Arkie (129)	2017-07-21		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was hesitant to try this mixture because its name lead me to believe it would be harsh and strong. I couldn't have been more wrong. This stuff is very rich and complex and it is slightly earthy and sweet but it isn't harsh. Amazingly, it doesn't have the dreaded McBite either. Good stuff!!!

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Similar Blends: Solani Aged Burley Flake.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	YaM (4)	2016-07-22		Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I do not like the Burley taste. But, it is not a problem contained in this tobacco. This is soft and dark delicious taste by Dark Fired Kentucky. I like this smell.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2016-05-20		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Extra Full	Strong

Great smoke... fairly strong tobacco with good flavor & tin note. Not the least bit harsh or bitey. I also liked the HH Bold Kentucky. This could be an all-day smoke for me and will become a regular in my rotation. I can't explain all the subtle nuances of this blend or why I like it... only that it is an excellent, tasty blend for me. If you like this genre of blends, you can't go wrong with HH, Dark Fired Kentucky. Great smoke... fairly strong tobacco with good flavor & tin note. Not the least bit harsh or bite.This review is based on a 1 ounce, ready rubbed trial version.

Pipe Used: Vintage Medico #3

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theosprey247 (73)	2016-03-06		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Smooth tobacco that rewards the smokers who sips at it with a sweet flavor. If you smoke it fast it'll bite you hard. One of the best bulk blends available. Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson and cobs

Age When Smoked: About a month old

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2015-09-27		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This seems very popular and has tremendous reviews with no negatives and that makes me hesitate to speak out my thought. I am not a fan of VaBurs but I do appreciate some wonderful blends in this category. HH ODF is mellow and tasteful, but the monochromatic flavor bores me right in the middle of the bowl. Worthy a try, and maybe a keeper for Vabur fans.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth Vader (110)	2015-05-13		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Pleasant

Not much to add to the flake review other than this is excellent value in bulk and i find the Lakeland soapy flavour a bit stronger than the flake version (but this is a good thing). Great stuff. Am i going to break with the trend and give it less than 4 stars. Hell No!

Pipe Used: Dunni

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: 4noggins

Similar Blends: The flake version Yogi.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Autumn joy (47)	2015-02-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This blend was recommended by gents on the pipes magazine forum and needless to say they were right about this one. Falling into the English line of tobacco this tobacco has a good smoke scent in the bag. The tobacco was very easy to work with and packed very easily. The smoke was very tasty and a really robust smoke in this blend. The tobacco burned really well and gave me a good 45 min smoke in my calabash. The room note was tolerable as well really wasn't overwhelming. I would recommend this blend and it is a good English blend. Also a good blend for folks in colder climates just gives a nice warm feeling smoking this stuff.

Pipe Used: Calabash

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Www.4noggins.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	brashboy (84)	2014-10-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

Holy moly, this is good. Deep, rich and strong but not too strong for newbies or those who don't like the strongest tobaccos. Great burn, great tin note (I want to eat it) and a pretty good room note but a little more intense than something else in the same blend family, like Golden Extra.

Comparing ODF-RR to Mac Baren's ODF flake, it is like deciding which of two beautiful twin sisters to take out -- they are each gorgeous, smart and witty but each in her own way. Sure you could pick a favorite but what if you didn't have to? I love both blends, smoke both blends. To paraphrase Scarlett: As God is my witness I'll never be without ODF again.

Either will do.

Pipe Used: Aldo Velani, cob

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Mac Baren Old Dark Fired flake.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2014-10-20		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a very good tobacco and the flavor does not deviate too far from the flake version. The characteristic earthy flavor, honey like tone, subtle spiciness and full rich body are all there, but I still prefer folding and stuffing a flake of ODF for a long slow gratifying smoke.

For me, the difference between one and the other is all about the burn rate. Old Dark Fired rubbed-out burns quicker and therefore with more flavor bravado, where a folded flake of ODF burns with less intensity revealing more bittersweet chocolate-like subtleties.

Personally, I prefer the control gained with the flake form.

Either way, both versions are great smokes and this version will surely please folks that don't like to deal with prepping flake tobacco.

Pipe Used: Briar

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hybrid12 (26)	2014-10-20		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

After smoking a lot of soapy flavored flakes from Gawith, Hoggarth, lighting up a bowl of this ready rubbed was a pleasure. Decent flavor with a nice dose of Vitamin N. This tobacco burns well with very few relights and will be a staple in my rotation. There is not much that one could complain about regarding this offering.

Pipe Used: cob, medico Conquer

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tombstone (6)	2022-07-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Old Dark Fired is the dividing line between pipe tourists and tobacco purists. One is either immediately repulsed by it, or so deeply intrigued that it will haunt your nighttime dreams.

A no-nonsense, deep and rich tobacco which burns wonderfully right out of the bag. This can be tuned to perfection through subtle adjustments to dry time and further rubbing out some of its chunkier components.

There's no chance of bite, and the nic-hit is delivered through a textbook-perfect torque curve.

No flavoring is detected. This said, I detect MacBaren has topped it with testosterone. This tobacco will open your nostrils and awaken your senses.

This is a man's smoke. The tobacco equivalent of living off nothing but slow smoked wild fish and game. Embrace it, or flee--this tobacco will not be ignored.

With this in mind, it is the ideal intro to the art of tobacco smoking. An investment of one bowl, in a $10 cob is all that's required to determine one's fate in this craft.

Pipe Used: Cobs Galore

Age When Smoked: New out of bag

Purchased From: 4Noggins

Similar Blends: Nothing, it's in a league of it's own.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Frank27 (14)	2022-07-04		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

All right. This is my review on ODF. I filled up my bowl of ODF after a day started with (in sequence)

- MacBaren HH Balkan - White Knight - Black House - Magnus Opus

What I can tell You? All these above are absolutely outstanding. But there is only one for now that makes me feel in my "comfort zone" . It is the Old Dark Fired.

It is absolutely one of my favorite. It's a little flat, true, but it's a pleasant flat taste, giving you all you want from a pipe tobacco. 4 stars, I would give it 5 or more.

This is a number 1.

Pipe Used: Rattrey's Joy

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: To anything else than the Old Dark Fired., If You wanna try the bold version of this , go ahead with Bold KY.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PaulMcCoy (78)	2021-10-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a great blend. Tastes great, burns great. Dense clouds of smoke. I use a pretty slow cadence with this one. Its better kept on the cooler side. It’s a little strong, but I think most pipe smokers won’t have a problem with it.

Pipe Used: Savenelli 413

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: Peterson - Irish Flake.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonius Blok (190)	2020-09-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

A very tasty tobacco, a mixture of earthy and sweet, somewhat chocolatey at times. The cut is a mix between Ready Rubbed and Broken Flake. It comes at its right point of humidity to take out of the bag and load immediately, although it can also be left to dry a bit. The smoke is smooth and creamy. It burns even and well. It has body and robustness. Recommended.

Pipe Used: Tsuge Tokio 551

Age When Smoked: young

Similar Blends: Lakeland Dark (Samuel Gawith) (with reservations).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pi'd Piper (11)	2020-05-31		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Full disclosure: I'm relatively new to the hobby, and not a frequent smoker.

I would recommend this not be the first bowl of the day. The first half of the bowl is smoky, spicy, and very tangy. A vinegary barbecue flavor. It comes off a bit harsh at first, particularly the retrohale, but tames significantly as your palette becomes acclimated. It' a moderately strong, full tobacco, with a medium nic hit.

Mechanically, it's terrific. Packs easily, lights and stays lit well. I don't see any chance of tongue bite, but again, it can get harsh if smoked too hot. I think it smokes better a bit on the moist side, which is how it came when I first purchased it. It seems like it will age well, so I'm keeping it in my cellar for awhile.

Personally, this isn't a blend that speaks to me, but I think more seasoned smokers will love it.

Pipe Used: Missouri meerschaum rob roy

Age When Smoked: 6 months

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	garand555 (6)	2020-05-18		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Keep in mind that I generally am not a fan of burley tobaccos, but I figured I'd give some Kentucky dark fired a try. I gave this a recommended instead of highly recommended because of that. If you're a fan of burley, you may like this better than I. Even with the fire curing, I could still taste it, but it wasn't too bad. In the cob, it really came through. In the meerschaum, it was missing something. IMO, this tobacco smokes best in a traditional briar.

That being said, I do like the room note better than the English/Balkan blends that I normally prefer. It also has plenty of nicotine, which for me, is a plus. It does come a little wet, but letting it dry out is no problem.

All in all, I would say this is a savory blend. I do like it, and plan on ageing some to see if the aging process for the Virginias balances this out better. I suspect that it will.

Again, if you're a fan of burley tobacco without flavorings added, this may be for you. FYI, my palate is sensitive. Anything aromatic might as well be called Tongue Bite, The Tobacco. This did not bite me.

UPDATE: I put most of what I purchased into canning jars and got them warm enough so that they'd seal when they cooled down to age. I left a bit out for further smoking. I've bumped the strength from medium-strong to strong. I've smoked straight perique before and perique is the only tobacco that I've had that's stronger when it comes to vitamin N. Also, now that my palate has adjusted to this, the straight burly flavor I was detecting is gone and I'm really enjoying this now. I will update again when I've cracked open one of the jars that has been aged. This is definitely a full bodied smoke.

Pipe Used: Cob, Meerschaum, Briar

Age When Smoked: Not Aged

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cm1648 (107)	2020-01-02		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

It lives up to its reputation. ODF delivers a earthy, woody, spicy, mildly tart and tangy sour flavor throughout the bowl. The dark fruit sweetness of the Virginas come along throughout the blend as well, yet in more of a secondary position. If you didnt know better, you would assume there was a slight addition of Latakia due to the smokiness that comes along. If you are sensitive to nicotine, be wary. I may be myself as even after dinner, the effect of the smoke is quite noticeable. It is a fairly dry smoke. Certainly not an all day smoke and unless you are tolerant of nicotine, its not repeatable.

Pipe Used: Peterson system, Erik Nording, Lorenzo Spitfire

Age When Smoked: 2 months

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Planet Scott (66)	2016-11-06		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Hate to be a buzzkill here, but this blend does very little for me. I suppose it's the burley,as I am not a huge fan of it, however, there are some burleys I enjoy. It does get better as the bowl burns, but it never gives the complex fulfillment I am seeking. Honestly, it's not horrible, it's just not for me.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Joeray (61)	2013-11-04		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm really enjoy this blend very much. The sweetness of virginia mixed with burleys feel so good on my pipe. Burn so good, and sometimes I can taste a milky scent when I relight it and it appears when reach half part of the bowl and the sweetness consist until finish.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HWM (11)	2022-11-26		Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Strong

In a sentence: This is a pipe tobacco for regular cigar smokers.

It’s good and full but like a cigar it’s a sometimes smoke and best enjoyed after a large meal. It has that typical MacBaren top note upon charring that I associate with blends like Plumcake.

That said, it’s too one-dimensional for my tastes (I am usually a straight VA smoker) and the dottle is kinda gross to smoke. I find myself tossing the last third or fourth of any bowl I smoked. I liked the 1 ounce bulk sample I bought but I cannot see myself buying it again simply because if I wanted this flavor and nicotine content I would rather just reach for a cigar. But if you like a lot of nicotine and you want a cigar robustness in a pipe tobacco this is worth a shot.

Pipe Used: Various Peterson pipes

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pmonroeb (18)	2022-11-01		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I have always loved Stonehaven as on of my occasionals. ODF has somewhat of a similar flavor but not as sweet. Strong in taste and aroma, I will always keep some around. My sample was bought as bulk in a pouch. Came a little too wet for me, but I like my tobacco on the dry side. A little too strong for an all day smoke. Kind of overwhelms the taste buds, so I only try this in one of my smaller pipes.

Hefty nic hit.

Pipe Used: Small bowls

Age When Smoked: Recent

Purchased From: P&C

Similar Blends: A hint of Stonehaven, but much stronger..

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WorkingClassChap (192)	2022-10-17		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Smoking now:

Bag note is a tangy fermented ketchup smell, a hint of smokey bbq, wood and hay. Oh it’s good. The broken up prices needed no rubbing out or drying. Much easier to prepare than the flake.

It’s been a while since I’ve had a tin of ODF flake but after reading my notes I recall being on the fence about liking it. Burley, especially Mac Barens, tends to bite me and ODF did. This however does not except for a slight dry mouth feel. I found this version to smoke pretty good for me. I don’t think this is as flavorful as the tinned flake variety. I still get the smokey camp fire sun dried tomato tangy hay slight sweetness flavors but it seems mellowed out. Plenty of wood flavors and some dark molasses in the background. The nicotine even seems lighter, although that just might be me having hit tobacco puberty now. Speaking of that this is definite medium to strong in that department.

There’s a nice subtle dark sweetness and smokey element to it that I enjoy. The retrohale is umami, woody, and wonderful. There’s a slight spiciness too but never interferes. Oh yes this is nice. I understand now why some people prefer this over the flake. I would buy the flake, age it in the tin, rub it all out, dry it some, jar it. Then while you wait buy some of this to smoke. It’s damn good.

Woody, damp hay, smokey hard wood, molasses, tangy bbq sauce. Smoked just fine, average relights, stayed consistent. This one’s a winner.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jevverrett (104)	2021-11-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I bought this bc I liked the flake version, and figured I should try it.

A dark, shiny ready rubbed flake. Smells of smoke, earth and a bit of a vinegar whiff to it. Mostly half rubbed, with some large to very large pieces. I even got some I would call plug! Very cool, as I used my pocket knife to slice it up and make some thicker slices. Comes fairly well damp, a 1/2 lb can be stuffed into a pint mason jar with a little coaxing.

It takes some work to char this enough to get it burning. Rubbing it out further worked well for me. I find the flavor is a hair on the bolder side of the flake itself that way. The strength is more a medium to me, but I smoke stronger tobacco regularly. The flavor is bold, and dark. It has some zesty, almost sour citrus notes to that pop up periodically. Normally, sour would be a turn off for me, but in this case it keeps it interesting.

I can see why this is as popular as it is. This format is easier to work with on the go, and was a solid blend as a flake in the first place. I’ve been smoking it all day, and loving it. Could be a good component for home blending. Definitely one of my favorites.

Pipe Used: Various pipes

Age When Smoked: Fresh bulk

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

Similar Blends: Old dark fired flake.

Nobody has rated this review yet.