Mac Baren: HH Vintage Syrian 3.5oz Pipe Tobacco

Per Jensen is a master of his craft. Perfectly layered.

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 flavoring 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 More

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 English 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 More

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 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 More

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 easily 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 More

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.

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 taste 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 More

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.

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. This 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 More

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 little 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 More