Mac Baren HH Pure Virginia Hot Pressed Pipe Tobacco

Wow, This is a blend for anyone who loves a true Virginia blend. I am stocking up on this one for sure.!great flavor. I love the presentation of the tin. Easy to fold and stuff or rub out. Not to mention the wife likes the room note. It’s a winner all around. Hey quit reading this and order yourself some. Just be kind and leave some for me. Keep em burning.

When you open the tin, the first thing you notice is the sweet smell of a Virginia. This tobacco is nice and mild, with a pleasant aroma. A very sweet nonaromatic blend. If you enjoy Virginia blends or are looking to try a Virginia blend this is definitely the way to go.

As you see by the title of my review, this is indeed my first full Virginia. When I bought this, I went ahead and bought the 3.5-ounce tin. I did that because of my experience with 2 other MacBaren HH tobaccos: HH Burley Flake and HH Old Dark Fired. Both are stellar tobaccos and I knew that I would love the HH Pure Virginia. I wasn’t wrong! A lot of people say that that full Virginia pipe tobacco tastes like a cigarette. I don’t taste a cigarette and I smoked Marlboro Reds for 25 years. This amazing tobacco has a flavor all it’s own. I am glad that I bought the larger tin because this stuff is amazing! It has a silky texture in your mouth and it smokes very cool and dry. I will have this in my regular rotation because it burns very clean and crisp. I wouldn’t want to be without this tobacco. Even though this is my first full Virginia, it just might be the only full Virginia I want to smoke!

I ordered this blend because I have been wanting to try a full Virginia blend and, by my recent experience with the HH Burley Flake and the HH Old Dark Fired, I knew this had to be the full Virginia to try. Once again, MacBaren didn’t disappoint! This is very smooth tobacco. There’s no toppings or casings just high-quality Virginia leaf. Most people say that it tastes too much like a cigarette but, I have to disagree. I smoked Marlboro Reds for 25 years. This is not even in the same ballpark! This is so much smoother than a cigarette and it’s NOT addictive. I smoke a pipe because I enjoy doing it. The flavor is addictive because it’s so smooth. I don’t HAVE TO HAVE A PIPE, I want to have a pipe. The tin note is very very mild. I had 3 bowls of this just today. I think that this is my 11th bowl from the tin. Very tasty indeed. I wanted to try the Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake but, I have not been able to locate any. If I’m being honest, I think I have found the best Virginia Flake on the market. That’s just my opinion. This stuff is readily available, unlike some other tobaccos. If I was stranded on a deserted island and I could only have a lifetime supply of tobacco, it would be this, Capstan Blue or the HH Burley Flake. Those are my 3 favorite tobaccos right now. To be honest, if those 3 tobaccos were the only ones I smoke for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t be mad. If you’re on the fence about trying this blend, just do it! You won’t regret it.

I need to qualify this review by stating (at the time of this review) that I'm a very new pipe smoker. Firstly, the tin note, I smell green, and a little pepper spiciness. It comes across as "fresh". As for the smoke, I've really struggled to enjoy this, I'm still giving it 4 stars because there are people that love this and I don't want to taint the reviews of what could be a good smoke for a lot of people. I enjoy aromatics and I'm just not enjoying this, despite trying it in different pipes, maybe the only green thing is me!

When I popped the tin on this it had this malty sour hay smell, very satisfying. It was made in September 2015 according to the can so it had 3 years of age already. Seemed quite moist I let dry on a paper plate and upon lighting it tastes like cigarettes to me. So now I mix it equal parts with Lane BCA or Cherry Cavendish and it's pretty good. Go ahead call me an infidel.

If you're looking for a good straight Virginia give this a try.

I cannot say enough about this blend. The presentation is out of this world, flakes are beautiful with a wonderful mellow Virginia aroma and the smoke is literally second to none. It doesn’t bite, even if pushed and the favors that come through all throughout the smoke are so tasty and wonderfully mild. Already have more in my cart to purchase. Tip: I used a Savinelli 320 shape pipe and that seems to be a really good shape to bring out the flavors. Other pipes weren’t bad, but there is something about the 320 shape that knocks this blend out of the park. Happy smokes to you all enjoying this wonderful hobby!

This is an email I sent to Mac Baren hope it explains it all to you pipe smokers: I just wanted to drop you a line to tell you I have been smoking pipe tobacco for 36 years and have tried more than I can count. I just yesterday received a tin of your HH Pure Virginia tobacco, I liked it so much that I turned around the same day and ordered 5 pounds of it. That was all I could find for sale on the websites that I use. I have tried numerous Mac Baren blends over the years and I have a few that I sometimes regularly smoke. The HH Pure Virginia is the best tobacco I have ever smoked out of all yours and everyone else....... Please continue to make this and I think as pipe smokers try this especially if they are Virginia smokers they will make it their favorite tobacco out of all other Virginia's. Thank you for being a great company and doing what you do every day for the love of us pipe smokers in the world.