Customer Reviews (24 Total)
One of the best ever
July 11, 2017
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Five Stars! Folks who rate this down for lack of Latakia have likely only smoked Cyprian Latakia and, in my opinion, have not developed their palates yet. Folks who still refer to Latakia blends as "English" don't know the history of Engl... Read More
ish blends or they wouldn't still be using that term to mean Latakia blends in general. Enough of that. MacBaren makes wonderful tobacco. The HH line is the best of the best, named, I believe, for master blender Henrik Halberg. Vintage Syrian is a smoky mix of the best Latakia (in my mind), vintage--that is, Syrian that has been aging and which even now may be gone and only existing in blends already in the pipeline, Turkish Orientals, Virginia, and some dark-fired Kentucky. It is loose cut so you get all the individual flavors in every pipeful. One unique thing that I've found is that I can actually smell the room note with this tobacco, and I can't say that about anything else I smoke. It simply adds to the overall pleasure. Your mileage may vary. This is perhaps my favorite tobacco, and my shelves hold perhaps fifty types. Read Less
Extinct SYRIAN Latakia?
September 12, 2017
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
This is a beautiful, well-balanced, perfectly-aged 40% SYRIAN Latakia blend with typical "Balkan" or English tobaccos. You ask 10 people what blend-type this is, you'll get 15 different answers... The Latakia is mild & complex with the ... Read More
Orientals perfuming this mixture nicely. The Va.'s add a hint of sweetness, and the dark-fired Kentucky give it it's backbone. I just wish this Syrian Latakia thing could be forever, but alas it is not meant to be.. Enjoy this "Nirvana-Like" and intoxicating mixture while you can, as I'll personally be buying all I can afford & justify... Read Less
Awesome classic
October 24, 2016
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Amazing, cool & joyful.....May be because I am Syrian, or may be because Mac Baren could create the best of Latakia... But I am in love with it from the very first bowl.. To avoid the tongue bites just let it breath a little before you fill your ... Read More
bowl, then enjoy it slowly & you will like the mystery of flavours ...It is in my favorite list for sure. Thanks Mac Baren, Thanks Smoking Pipes for availing it to me Read Less
My number one English/ Balkan Style
October 31, 2017
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
This blend has a lovely smokey slightly sour taste with a hint of sweetness coming through from the Virginia. If you are looking for a Latakia Powerhouse this isn't it .It is Syrian and not as Smoky campfire as the cyprian Latakia. The Burly adds a l... Read More
ittle body and if I use my imagination maybe a Nutty hint. Nicotine's medium. If you put 5 to 9 years of age on this blend it is a spectacular thing a lot of key of Fades quite a bit more Virginia's become very nice and sweet and mellow and losses that slight Edge Read Less
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
I ordered this at the suggestion of my brother, when he tired of my lamentations about FM Across the Pond being discontinued. It is NOT Across the Pond. It IS very, very good. The almost-half Latakia is not reflected in the taste. It is mellow but fu... Read More
ll-bodied, delightfully balanced and subtly nuanced with a variety of delicious and harmonious flavors. A definite coup for Mac Baren. Read Less
New Favorite
January 30, 2015
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
This is a very fine tobacco, full of flavor yet smooth as silk. Subtle sweetness underneath the smoky/leathery flavor of the Syrian Latakia, with a bit of spice from the Orientals. Got a tin last week and just ordered another pound in bulk.
I wouldn't start with this one
December 10, 2012
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
I wanted to get into Latakias and decided to give this one a try. Everyone's taste is different, however, I hated it the first time I opened the tin and smoked a bowl of this tobacco. In my experience, if you want to get into latakias, Bob's Chocolat... Read More
e Flake is the way to go. This one, however, has a very strong Latakia smell and taste. Definitely not my kind of tobacco, no matter how much I want to love it. Read Less
No such thing as a bad HH
November 14, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Per Jensen is a master of his craft. Perfectly layered.
awesome!
January 19, 2023
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Package note of smoky wood, sweet spices, and mild mulled wine. Tobacco ribbon cut is black, dark brown and a little tan. a few minutes drying and it's good to go. Burn is slow with few relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. No fla... Read More
voring is detected. Taste is medium and consistent, with complex notes of mild herbal spices, smoky woody, mild sweet cream, tart wine, floral, tangy dark fruit, moderately spicy, bready, dry earth, lemon grass, mild leather, sweet grassy back notes and a slightly peppery retro. Syrian Latakia is leading with Virginias supporting. Orientals and Kentucky are keeping pace supporting from the rear. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is outstanding. Read Less
Enjoyable tobacco
August 02, 2018
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Hello, I just completed my first two bowls of Vintage Syrian. I am a new pipe smoker, my taste pallet is not as refined as those who have smoked for decades. The date on the back of the tin is Oct 2017. So this is a 9 month old tin. The tin opened e... Read More
asily with an excellent vacuum seal. The tin aroma was excellent. I used two different billiards during the course of the day to test this tobacco. My first pipe was tobacco straight from the tin. The tobacco lighted easily and established a char. The second light started and completed the entire bowl. My impressions are a light smoke, full of taste and flavor. I enjoyed the smoke and taste. My second bowl was from tobacco I sat out in a dish for 4 hours before smoking to dry it out. The results were the same as my first bowl. Easy to light, tasty and good aroma. Vintage Syrian might not be my most favorite tobacco on the market, but it is an excellent tobacco for any cellar. I will add a couple additional tins to my collection. Thanks Mac Baren for creating many great tobacco blends. Read Less
Superb medium "english"
June 21, 2018
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Probably my second favorite english behind 965, however it doesn't taste like a proper english.. don't care, it's amazing. Sometimes I taste a slightly smokey zucchini bread, like a baked good with a nice mellow latakia smokey top. Good stuff Maynard... Read More
. Read Less
Not what I was expecting
May 31, 2018
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
First off, this is only one mans opinion. I was expecting Syrian Latakia to be the gran daddy of them all, but I found this blend to be somewhat blah. Not a whole lot of the Latakia flavor I was expecting. I was hoping this would be a cool, smooth ta... Read More
ste that I would crave between bowls, but it just isn't doing anything special for me. It came rather moist in the tin, and after a few hours of drying, I found it to be just, well, ok. I feel that I fell for some creative marketing with this one, ya sure I can say I've had Syrian Latakia now, but it was more fun when I wished I had some to try. Read Less
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Malty, nutty, great aftertaste and flavor. Almost winelike great smoke! You can tell the Syrian latakia is aged, it is well rounded and produces soft delicate and sweet flavor all natural. I smoke this throughout the day and at night.
My FAVORITE......its a FIVE star.....
February 24, 2018
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Syrian Latakia blend without a doubt. This is a perfectly balanced blend and only the best Syrian Latakia is used to create this smooth smoking tobacco. Let air dry for about an hour before stuffing your pipe, eliminates any chance of tongue bite. Th... Read More
is blend smokes smooth with more complexity if aged over one year and on the dryer side. This is a FIVE star Lat blend!!! A MUST try if your a fan of Latakia blends. Read Less
Good, but too faint.
December 26, 2016
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
The name of this blend suggests that I may expect a heavy, old style English blend with a high dose of lush Syrian Latakia in the lead. Unfortunately it does not meet my expectations. It does not get near a traditional, old style English blend. Maybe... Read More
the word “vintage” rather refers to the type of Latakia (old style Syrian Latakia), not to the mixture as such. Anyway. Moisture in tin is perfect. Tin nose is promising. Stuffing and lighting is easy. It burns hot. Leaves back an almost white ash. No aftertaste.
The tasty Orientals donate some body, but it does not dig deep at all. This blend is too mild in taste. Although all ingredient tobaccos can be singled out, the lack of power does not leave enough for all flavours to develop entirely. Sweetness is about ok, I would not like more. A soft carpet of scrumptious Latakia and scrumptious Kentucky provides a decent woody smokiness and accompanies you throughout the bowl. Kentucky is more prominent than Latakia. For my personal satisfaction I would appreciate to have all Kentucky replaced by additional Syrian Latakia. Never mind, regarding many laudatory reviews it remains a light English-style mixture with its own merits. I am disappointed, mainly because it’s too faint, not because I don’t like the taste of it. Read Less
Needs drying time
September 25, 2016
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
I ordered some tins of this based on good reviews. Smoked some straight from a new tin and found it steamy, airy and lacking in any flavor. I then fluffed up the tobacco and left the tin to breathe for several days. When I then smoked it, the stea... Read More
miness had gone and I found a rather complex smoke with a sweet background, rather like Squadron Leader but with a little more sweetness and depth. So, like most MacBaren tobaccos, this one needs time to breathe and dry to allow the toppings to evaporate a little, then it becomes a most admirable and repeatable smoke. Read Less
Not a latakia fan but this blend is nice
July 25, 2014
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Not my everyday smoke , but its good tobacco
Perfect blend
May 16, 2014
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
The smokey spice of this blend is divine. It offers a sweet note in the char, which carries to mid bowl. The Kentucky offers some body, supporting the incense and vino characteristics of the syrian. The sweetness is certainly mediated by the oriental... Read More
creamy spicy feel. It is one of my top three tobaccos. The smokey character is carried all the way to the end, the last third of the bowl builds in oomph but never gets harsh. Medium nic hit, and easily one of the best packing blends. A billiard promotes the sweetness and a wider bowl seems to promote the spicy side. A very worthy blend. Read Less
HH Vintage Syrian tastes great
October 08, 2013
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
I received my shipment of HH Vintage Syrian on 26 January 2012 and tried it and originally I couldn't get much flavor. After I stored it for 1 year and 9 months, I couldn't wait any longer and tried it again. I definitely got the flavor this time aro... Read More
und. I do agree with a lot of people that there is some tongue bite, but not enough to take away from the great taste that comes out after aging a bit. I'll compare this to McClelland 3 Oaks Syrian and see how they do against each other. Read Less
Dryingtime is the key
September 29, 2013
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
I like to dry it overnight.The bacci will be crisp the next day.
Then i put it in a jar.I fill my pipe loose with tis tobacco and i will get a nice sweet latakia mixture at its best!
Try it out,experiment with the moisture level and it will turn int... Read More
o one of the greatest tobaccos from Mac Baren.
Also there isnt much bite to it after drying time.
i will stock up! Read Less
Enhance other blends with spice
September 07, 2013
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
I find this is an excellent condiment to enhance other blends.
Tongue Bite?
March 03, 2013
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
Have tried Mac Baren's Latakia Blend, as well as Balkan Sasieni, and have to say the Vintage Syrian is my favorite. As far as the infamous "Mac-bite", never experienced it with any of their blends I have tried. As far as I am concerned, Vin... Read More
tage Syrian is my favorite tobacco, only being second to their HH Old Dark Fired. Mac tobaccos have to be sipped to be enjoyed so maybe the bite comes excessive puffing. Read Less
Tastes great however...
July 20, 2012
Product: Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz
I can say this is probably the best Syrian Latakia blend I've ever tried (even though I haven't tried many yet). A very interesting mixture. But I have to agree with David - when it comes to tongue bite, it's just impossible to avoid it.
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