Mac Baren: HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz Pipe Tobacco

Product Number: 003-039-0112

A sister plant to Nicotiana tabacum, the Caribbean leaf from which all modern Virginias, Burleys, Orientals, and other varietals originate, Nicotiana rustica is a historic species of tobacco native to the Americas. English settlers observed the indigenous Powhatan population smoking N. rustica tobacco when they arrived in North America in 1607, and the leaf grew in popularity among the settlers as well. Given its high nicotine content, however, Nicotiana rustica quickly faded from the public's interest once the settlers secured N. tabacum seeds from the Caribbean and began growing them in Virginian soil.

HH Rustica celebrates this historic strain of tobacco, elevating the hearty leaf with choice N. tabacum varietals like naturally sweet Dark Virginias and cool-smoking Burley. Like all flakes in the HH line, it's heat-pressed and finely sliced, resulting in an elegant balance of the traditional and the modern. HH Rustica is the strongest tobacco in Mac Baren's portfolio, and is among the strongest pipe tobacco blends in the world. Despite its strength, however, it maintains a delicate complexity and nuanced flavor, offering deep, earthy base notes and a rounded finish, especially enjoyable after a full meal.

HH Rustica is a full, robust mixture that presents a scintillating vignette of the history of tobacco in the Americas. Only 5500 tins of this limited edition blend were produced worldwide.

Strength:
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  • Components: Virginia, Burley
  • Family: Virginia
  • Cut: Flake
Customer Reviews
Overall Rating:
3.5
39 reviews
Speechless Review
June 19, 2024
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
Boy I can’t wait for my order to come in! I was blown away with your review Shane. Not too often that you are at a loss for words but this one got you. Great review and again I am very anxious to be able to order this Rustica
slightly below expectations
September 13, 2024
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
In very simple & short way, it is something between Lakeland, Old dark fired & bold Kentuky. Yet, it is still a Mac Baren, i.e, high quality & satisfying product.
sweet & strong
June 11, 2024
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
its sweeter & stronger than the bulk. tastes good but i dont like the room notes
Buy it and cellar it.
December 06, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
The flavors are bold and the high nicotine is a lovely enjoyable experience. But this is definitely a tin that you want to buy and sit on for the next 5 to 10 years. I would treat this as your graduation/wedding/job promotion/new baby/special occasion blend. Only crack it out doing those special occasions. If you can find another tin, definitely buy it! As this blend is heavy on the Virginia's, you're going to want the Virginia's to sit in the tin to mature. 5/5. Would buy again....Read More
Rustica (2021 release)
August 27, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
Rustica is one of my favorite of the Mac Barin HH special series that appear, majikly, ever so often. I suspect the blendmeisters hide the leaves somewhere for a while. Rightly so. And I have learned many lessons on how I need to prepare the slices properly for me....and that is a session with one of my sharpest Damascus bladed knives, for I need to do a first cut to establish a short-ish "ribbon for a base. I then take about a third to a half of the tin and do a second cuttin, establishing a roughly cube cut, which I mix in carefully with the short ribbon. with this, I get easy lighting and steady smoking characteristics. The tobacco is deep and mellow, and in my pipes, broken in with Lat-forward English blends, not the least bit harsh (although I do find I need to be a bit more cleaning-oriented with the Rustica...the tobacco blend has a bit more residue than the typical English blend). This is not, however, an all-day smoke. I usually limit it to one or two bowls a day--which I do look forward to smoking--it is a five star tobacco, for sure....Read More
Turdish
August 04, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
Strong... Yes! Latakia Alternative... Yes! Earthy... Yes! Slightly Turdish... Yes!
I'll stick to the HH Bold Kentucky
October 07, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
This blend is not bad. But I don't prefer it more than say HH Bold Kentucky or Solani Silver. And I only want a really strong tobacco on the odd occasion. So I can hardly justify spending $24.99 and getting 3.5 oz when it'll probably take me 3 years to smoke through it. It's not unique enough of a flavor. But it'll be in my cellar and I will revisit it with age....Read More
Friendly Advice
October 05, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
I do suppose the Rustica is on the strong side, but as long as one washes it down with plenty of strong black coffee or red wine…😂 Honestly a truly satisfying experience. Pipe dreamy…
different
September 10, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
Very full flavors which remind me of steak with lots of fresh cracked peppercorn. I don't think it's knock your socks off strong in terms of nicotine in the slightest, though that's likely due to my own smoking habits. It's worth noting that I get a unique bitter flavor that ghosts my pipes to an appreciable degree, which I'm not fond of. Also I have some difficulty keeping it lit even when left out to dry two steps short of crispy, which is absolutely necessary because this stuff comes remarkably wet....Read More
Great presentation and tin note.
August 20, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Rustica Flake 3.5oz
Neat presentation of uniform flakes in gold foil, as Mac baren does. The Tim note is of sour apples. The taste is milder than expected, pleasant, not remarkable. The nic hit is overwhelming. Really, I couldn't finish one small bowl before my head went to spin. May be a good thing for some. But if this is the thing you need to smoke to get the hit - maybe it's time to quite. For me, I opt out for less potent smoke...Read More