Mac Baren Navy Flake

[RJpuffs]

Apparently there are a lot of "Navy Flakes" out there, seems like every brand has their own "Navy Flake". Well the only one I could find in my travels to Jersey was Mac Baren's Navy Flake, so here we go.

Nice wide, long flakes - felt dry and supple (not crumbly). Subtle sweet aroma, but a clear and sharp tobacco smell. This baccy smells like it means business!

Dried the flakes, once for a half hour, second bowl for a full hour. No difference in performance, I have a feeling these can be smoked out of the tin.

Folded and stuffed with no effort, this is very firm tobacco. One full flake was a perfect fit in the (larger) Bjarne, but the Viking Classic (quasi-Bjarne) I had to scissor 3/4 of a flake. Topped with droppings - not too many from the folding, this flake was made for man-handling.

Charring light, lit like a champ and stayed lit with little trouble. Now this is the strongest baccy I have ever smoked. It DOES mean business. All tobacco flavor, a hint of aroma and a touch of sweetness - but it is raw tobacco smoke. Enjoyable and slow/cool burning, a flake easily goes for over an hour. Ashed very well, tamping was a pleasure. Burned down to fine ash, almost no dottle. No tongue lashing at all, contrary to the Mac Baren tradition (and the flake stigma).

The flavor is full bodied and suits its name. I get a vision of sailors with bulging tatooed forearms brushing invading pirates off the deck, pulling the pirates peg leg off and gnawing it into a pipe shape. Then ripping the tin of Navy Flake in half with the teeth and packing the peg-leg-pipe with one hand, lighting it from a thunderbolt falling out of the stormy skies. Standing on the deck as the waves crash over the deck, pipe gripped between teeth, plumes of smoke billowing forth, while a bevy of mermaids fits RJ into his straitjacket ...

Its good stuff, I would like it a little sweeter - but I solve that problem by smoking it in a normally aromatic dedicated pipe. Lovely ghosts.

Footnote: I found the Erinmore Flake to be similar in being "strong". I tried adding half a flake of it to a bowl of Navy Flake. Navy overwhelmed it, the berry's from Erinmore didn't stand a chance, but its bread did pop up occassionally - but NOT a good blend together. I might mix some straight VA in to sweeten it a bit, tomorrow's experiment.



RJ

[Quick_nick]

I wasn't a big fan and I'm not sure why...it just didn't do alot for me. Overall 6 out of 10.

[smokehouse]

Nice review. I am a fan of MB NF too.

[DubintheDam]

Good review, I always have a tin in the cellar. I would give it 7 outta 10 as Navy Flakes go, maybe 8. It's well priced, one of the better MacB's and it is dam' tasty. The only downsides, does dry out a bit quick in the tin, which many may see as a bonus and it can taste a little bit too artificial in it's casing.

To conclude I couldn't understand anybody not being able to finish off a tin, it is a solid baccy.