Tobaccos Mac Baren - Halberg Green

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2013-12-17		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Presented within one of the classiest boxes ever designed for a tobacco product, it's mild with an extremely gentle, but full explosion of fruit flavor. The grassy Virginias, and toasted, nutty sweet burleys more or less take a back seat to the fruity, light citrus, and berry taste of this ribbon and cross-cut blend. The Virginias may add a little of the citrus, though I think it mainly comes more from the topping. An essence of cherry adds to the complex fruit profile, also including a bare hint of vanilla, and an occasional tart note. Smooth and creamy, burns cool, clean, even, and slow without a hint of a chemical taste and a very consistent flavor. Won't bite and has little nicotine. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Has a very pleasant after taste. In some ways, it's a better, more complex, deeper tasting, less floral, smoother version of Amphora Red.

-JimInks

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ArmedOctopus (20)	2014-02-13		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Wow. What a great blend. How good, you might ask? My wife volunteered that she loved the smell. Now THAT is really saying something.

You can't really review this tobacco without mentioning the presentation. It deserves 4 stars for that alone. Imagine a pair of high-end sunglasses...a handsome box with a faux-leather interior case that houses a foil bag. It is truly a sight to behold.

Upon opening the bag, you are met with a very dramatic aroma. It is definitely difficult to nail down. It seems to rest somewhere between blackberries, grapes, and red vine licorice. Extremely pleasant. It could use a little bit of drying time, but not too much. Considering how aromatic it is, it is surprisingly not goopy. Whats more, the flavor and aroma of it while smoked is incredibly similar to the "tin" smell. Very nice.

This is a fantastic tobacco for those who love aromatics. Unlike a lot of aromatics, it seems to be of the highest quality, both in tobacco and toppings. It truly is a dessert to enjoy after a meal.

If you like aromatic and particularly fruity tobaccos, this is a great treat. You do yourself a disservice by ignoring this blend.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2017-03-20		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I just recently finished up a generous sample of this I got a few years back and I liked this alright, but not as much as I liked the Halberg Red. I will say this, that in contrast to the aromatic I just reviewed before this, the topping seemed as strong as the day I jarred it. The topping also stayed with you from beginning to the end of the smoke albeit with less intensity as it reached ash.

The leaf is high quality as would be expected from Mac Baren, but it is not highly perceptible as the topping is pretty strong. The topping itself kind of reminds me of a sour apple jolly rancher, which is probably my favorite hard candy to eat. It is alright to smoke, but I wasn't raving over it. Sometimes it really hit the spot and other times it was just too sweet for me. In any case, I think heavy aromatic smokers could easily put four stars on this blend and I will put three on it since it delivers as a good aro should.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	marosi (70)	2016-11-15		Mild	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This is a lovely aromatic offering from MB. very similar to my taste to Sillem's Blue. I am going to conduct a side by side taste test to see the differences, but at present they seem very similar. That is not a bad thing at all, because in my estimation the Sillem's line of aromatics are simply the best european style aromatics available.

You can readily see the VA's here in the blend with nice chunks of broken flake and cavendish. The box aroma is wonderful and I smell berries and vanilla. It requires some drying to get the best experience as it is somewhat moist. It dries readily, however, due the high quality and lack of PG, and is ready to go in 15 in 20 minutes (this is from a very newly opened bag). It is a chunky ribbon cut with broken flakes, and it packs nicely in a medium to largish sized bowl.

It takes a little effort to get going, but once it takes a char it burns steadily. It opens with VA and fruity spice. I get a lot of lime personally, and the fruit is nowhere near as prevalent in the bowl as in the bag. The flavor is medium in body, with a spicy citrus element. It does not bite unless puffed far too quickly (which after 30 years of pipe smoking remains a bad habit of mine) but really opens up and becomes very pleasant and tasty when smoked slowly. There is no real nicotine to speak of, and the flavor remains consistent throughout the bowl.

I need to smoke this more to get a better handle on it, and may upgrade it to 4 stars after I do so, and compare it to Sillem's Blue. It burns a little hotter and requires more attention than the 7 Sea's american style aromatics. This is a good blend to practice your slow smoking with, because while it does not bite generally, you can experience immediate feedback and rewards if you slow down. Very nice, and definitely among the finest aromatics available from anyone.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Handmade

Age When Smoked: fresh

Similar Blends: Sillem's Blue.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	aksamolsa (20)	2016-02-01		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Pleasant

This one was offered by a friend of mine and I liked it very much as it was burning too smooth, with no effort! I have carried the sample in my bag for quite some time and tasted it when I felt like smoking but didn't have the energy for a challenging tobacco. It looks really interesting, you can see all different cuts. Cake pieces look promising but in the end, it is just another aromatic tobacco by Mac Baren. Well prepared, excellently packaged but doesn't feel like smoking.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Coda (33)	2015-01-06		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Great presentation with this blend. The tobacco comes in a nice bag, and is pretty nice, moisture-wise. It could use a little drying time fresh, but its good none-the-less. In the bag, it smells to me of chocolate and dried cherries and cranberries, and my girlfriend agreed. The taste is similar, with the cherry/cranberry flavor dominating. About mid-way through, I started tasting the actual tobacco, which is very rare with an aromatic. The room note is excellent, and really hangs in the room. The blend burns cool, but can bit a bit bitey i pushed...especially when fresh. This is an excellent blend.

Edit: I smoked this blend last night around 9pm. Today, at about 2pm, I can still pick up the aroma of this blend in the room. It has a definite lasting aroma...and that isn't necessarily a bad thing...

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TEarp (2)	2014-07-18		Mild to Medium	Strong	Very Full	Very Pleasant

Are you looking for an aromatic tobacco that has the same taste as the smell from the tin? Then Halberg Green is for you. The smell from the foil bag is very delicious, there are at least four different fruity flavors that come out, it's like a fruit cocktail with maybe a hint of mint. It's hard to single out just one flavor. It's like trying to describe what you smell when stew is cooking on a stove top. The fruity taste and the tobacco are both present throughout the bowl. This is a truly aromatic blend. Again, tastes just like it smells. The tobacco burns well right out of the foil package but tends to build up moister towards the last part of the bowl giving the smoke a somewhat bad taste. Drying out the tobacco a little before smoking is a big plus. Halberg Green is the standard in which all aromatics should be based. Good quality tobacco, great room note and excellent taste.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Logo

Age When Smoked: fresh out of tin

Purchased From: Pipe and Cigars

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bbrown626 (150)	2016-11-12		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

The Virginia really stands out in this blend and the casing is mild enough to let it do so while still providing a wonderful citrus room note. The tobacco was not too moist, ready to smoke. Burns to nice white ash. A first rate smoke in a class by itself!

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	steppx (186)	2016-10-24		Mild	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

whelp... I hate to go against the general consensus here, but I really found this just way too aromatic and cloyingly so. I know McB is proud of this series, and this is the only ive tried, but Id lean toward the 7 Seas series before this. Mild nic...almost none....tons of flavor if you like fruit salad. But thats just me....some, clearly, disagree and it might be something aromatic smokers looking for a mild flavorful blend will love. I just didnt.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	newerd (1)	2017-08-31		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The pouch note is intensely fruity and nears the realm of artificial grape (a la Purple Passion). The initial light and first few puffs confirm the pouch note, but soon calm down to a pleasant, but sweet, fruity flavor. Although it still hints at "grape," the MacBaren base flavor of real tobacco is very present. It offers no tongue bite, burns clean, and doesn't fatigue the tongue. The flavor and sweetness are consistent throughout the bowl and provide the same excellent aromatic qualities that Kohlhase and Kopp blended aromatics (in my experience) are known for.

The room note, I've been told, is strange, but not unpleasant. The nicotine level is a shade above mild. In the realm of aromatics, this is a fine one and well worth trying.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BriarWoody (33)	2017-03-08		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Halberg (and Cube Bronze) are the best aromatics I've smoked. I enjoy all genres and I'm rating this for what it is -- a premium aromatic from Mac Baren.

Smooth, rich and elegant, it contains countless tobaccos and a delicious fruity casing that never tastes saccharine or bitter. It is medium-full in flavor, well behaved and tastes like it smells. Delivers a nice room note.

Definitely worth a try as a change of pace for English and VAPer smokers and a no-brainer for aromatic lovers. Top shelf and worth the price.

Pipe Used: Nordings, Ardor

Age When Smoked: New Package

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2016-04-23		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Mac Baren - Halberg Green.

The appearance of the blend is easily the most charismatic I've encountered so far: I can see nearly every size, cut, and colour that's imaginable!

The berries are strong in the un-lit note, just like the forthcoming smoke.

As well as the unique packaging being a treat for the eye, it's also spacious; this lets the blend breathe, giving it just the right amount of moisture.

Of the three Halberg's, I've only had the Red up until now; I wasn't impressed, it burned far too hot, I wonder how this will smoke?

When I put fire to my first bowl it took the flame well, it only needed a short blip with the lighter. And then I sat back, to try and decipher the taste: it's strongly flavoured, but not too gluey nor false; the fruit's seem 'real', instead of resembling a bag of sweets.

At the beginning I wondered how this would burn. Well, after ten minutes I had to switch to a cob as I was worried the bowls finish on my Erik Nording was going to blister and bubble due to the heat; I think that answered my question!

In the cob, it's a much better smoke.

The nicotine quantity is just a little more than I like: medium, whereas I like my N more on the mild side; that's not an issue though, I just don't inhale any smoke!

Although the topping has been added in a large quantity, it doesn't ruin the tobacco flavours; these can still be enjoyed, with the fruit 'enhancing' the taste, rather than smothering it.

After switching to a cob, it transpired that this is a good smoke; I wish I'd have tried the H' Red in a cob!

2 stars an a briar, four in a cob: 3 stars over all.

Pipe Used: Erik Nording, Cob

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: The Danish Pipe Shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bassrep (25)	2015-09-21		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Wow. Looks expensive in that classy box. IS expensive at $6 per ounce (I'm hoping they come out with by the ounce in the future cause this stuff is wonderful. I mean it even SMELLS expensive. Fruit! But... really lovely tobacco aroma and taste. Can't say much more, this is one of the nicest tobaccos ever! Great texture to it. Room note is awesome.

Pipe Used: Chacom Briar

Age When Smoked: Freshly opened package

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: Kinda reminds me of Peterson's 2014 Summertime Blend 2014 (Limited Edition) but, if anything even more "regal". This is really a cut above most..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	natibo (169)	2015-06-27		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

What a tasty aromatic. It has enough topping to enjoy it as an aromatic, but still retains enough tobacco flavoring to please the palate. I did struggle between 3 and 4 stars for one reason. It can be a little bitey in the beginning. However, after that it gets sooo good, especially at the end of the bowl.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Arkie (129)	2014-12-22		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

This stuff tastes similar to Blue Note. Smokers who favor aromatic mixtures with little natural tobacco flavor will like it. I can detect flavors of mixed fruit, rum, and a bit of vanilla. It can bite if smoked too vigorously but it behaves if properly sipped. It leaves a dry, light gray residue. It's ok but it isn't likely to find a place in my regular rotation.

Similar Blends: Blue Note.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	EugeneMsc (4)	2014-10-13		Mild	Very Strong	Medium	Pleasant

The tin smell is extremely sweet and chocolatey. The smoke is very sweet too.

If you like your tobacco sweet this is the one for you.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia (1)	2014-02-11		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

From three different continents Mac Baren has gathered the best bright Virginias and ripe Burleys to press into cakes, before then cutting them and hand-blending the results with exclusive ribbon cut and slow-burning cross-cut Virginias. Finally, it's all carefully topped with a complex aromatic of berries and exotic fruits, to produce a fine balance with the natural tobacco flavors.

Age When Smoked: 31

Purchased From: http://www.hot-cigs.biz/

1 person found this review helpful.