Power Struggle

Very different from anything I have tried before, I am adding this one to my regular rotation and intend to try warhorse green soon.

Mac Baren knows good strong pipe tobacco blends. This is an excellent example of their mastery of bold and stout pipe tobaccos that also deliver a wonder, rich, and delicious smoke as well. The flakes are very thin sliced, a hint for the smoker to use restraint, and delightfully dark and musty smelling. This is a serious smoke for experienced pipe smokers and that is evident very quickly in a smoking session. I enjoy this best in my medium sized pipes, and usually as the last smoke of the day. Some people describe a smoke as being creamy. This smoke is creamy. It starts out as an unfiltered milk-like creaminess and by the time you get to the end of the bowl is has transformed into thick buttermilk and on it's way to becoming a tart yogurt-like creaminess. It coats your mouth in rich smoky tar and leather creaminess. I love it. Not something I would smoke everyday, but something I will always keep around.

I love SG 1792. but who here can get it? well, this is a good second. full flavor and strength. never bites. smooth, and strong as 1792. good topping, even if it's not as goos as my beloved 1792.

War Horse Ready Cut is one of my favorite tobaccos of all time. This bar version doesn't have the smoothness as the ready cut and seems considerably stronger. The Ready Cut only gives me a little lump in my gut sometimes, if I smoke it on an empty stomach, but the BAR wants to knock my willy down in the dirt! If I'd tried Bar first, I might not have been as impressed, but I think it's a suitable alternative to Ready Cut, and maybe it'll smoothen up a bit with some age. (I tend to think loose tobacco ages faster than plugs, which might explain the difference.) It's not quite a plug -- more of a pressed kake, so you don't need a knife; you can just pinch off a piece and rub it between your fingers directly into your bowl, which makes this tin travel in your pocket well without making a mess of dottle outside the wings of the paper insert. If you liked the taste of this, but it knocked you down too much, try the Ready Cut, which is just a tiny step down in strength -- the momma bear of strong tobaccos.

Great flavor. Best for after dinner because of big Nic hit. Nic doesn't bother me. I read tobacco reviews with descriptions of flavors that I can never detect. Must be a pallet disfunction. This is a very robust blend, more so than Old Dark Fired which I can smoke all day. I love Mac Barren flake which smokes cool all the way to the bottom. I fold and rub out for a great smoke.

To be honest, I haven't had a chance to smoke this but once, and wasn't disappointed. I was forewarned of its strength so I'm cautious as to when I light it up but I will be soon. I'm sure it will be exactly what I want!!

Whoa.. I bought after watching a YT vid (Salam from OMS) he just happened to mention "this stuff is good!", I think an old vid too. Figured what the heck I'll order some, and I'm glad I did! I'm loving my very first bowl! Definitely my kind of tobacco.. nothing fancy as far as flavors, burns great, just a nice, full, tobacco taste, smooth, and no bite! This one will immediately be in my top 5!! Thanks Mac Baren!!

Very dark and rich and satisfying highly recommend it.

First notes of smell were that of raw tobacco. It smokes pure and cool and burns long. Easily breaks apart without a knife. Several compliments from older women saying it smell's like what their dad or grandpa smoked. A definite must have in a smokers celler.

Love it, wish it came in bulk

Big and bold pure tobacco flavor! This is what pipe tobacco supposed to be! Delicious, pure and unadulterated flavor with a great kick. Wow! Newbies beware! If you ain’t prepared to be kicked by a nicotine mule you might want to start slow with this one and work your way up and right after a good meal at that.

This is a great tobacco it's strong full-flavored pairs well with a strong cup of coffee. This is in my regular rotation now and by far my favorite. This is one of the few tobacco's that I can actually taste the nuttiness in the flavors in it not sure what all the flavors are but they taste good to me.

As a very new pipe smoker I was a little hesitant to try War Horse Bar. When I first opened the tin I knew that smell ,like it was something from the past but I still can not place it. When smoking it is indeed a bit stronger than what I was used to but not overbearing. It has a almost moss like taste and smell,it lights easy and stays lit. My girlfriend loves the room note

Pipes and Cigars has a winner here. The tobacco is fantastic; it's easy to prepare, pack, light, and smoke. It tastes great. The fire-cured Kentucky has a unique and delicious flavor, like it was cured by burning cedar or some other wood not normally used to fire-cure tobacco (yet, it does not taste like latakia). The aromatic topping is very mild and complements the Kentucky perfectly. The red Virginia component is noticeable, and very pleasant. When you pack your pipe, just rip small chunks off the plug and pack them into the bowl more or less intact. The moisture content is perfect fresh out of the tin for smoking the tobacco in this manner. If you rub this stuff out, it burns too quickly and you won't get much flavor. I highly recommend that you try this tobacco—even if you have tried Warhorse Green and hated it (as I have).

Just tried this and I am amazed. Wonderful

Not sure on the blend or the "topping", but i really like this tobacco. Really stiff plug to cut but it crumbles easily and packs well. Burns well and left very little if any moisture. I think this would be a fantastic crossover blend between aros and englishes. Ordering more come payday.

Good flavor, tin note and room note. Only complaint is its is more of a kake than plug. It has a tendency to crumble up a little small and sometimes block the air flow. Other than that it's great!

When I want a stout, satisfying tobacco, this is my go-to blend. It produces lots of thick, rich smoke, and the flavor is wonderful. The tin note is strange, with a lot of ketchup and vinegar aroma. This doesn't really carry through when smoking the tobacco, though. It's not as smokey as I was expecting, and the amount of dark chocolate flavor is a welcome surprise. The nicotine content is high, but not overwhelming. Overall, it is very similar to 1792 Flake, just with chocolate notes and without the tonka bean flavor which characterizes that blend (even though I enjoy the flavor, tonka bean does not agree with me. 1792 flake is the only tobacco that has ever made me sick; it consistently made me nauseous, and after I threw up twice from smoking it, I threw away the rest of the tin. Two year later, I bought another tin and experience similar results). Bold Kentucky is also similar in flavor and nicotine content to Peterson's Irish Flake, just with more chocolaty flavor and without the leathery notes that I enjoy in that tobacco. This is great stuff, and if you are looking for a powerhouse blend to add to your rotation, look no further than Mac Baren's Bold Kentucky.

A really fine smoke. Comes a little moist for me but a couple weeks in a Mason jar and it burn perfect. Smells fantastic, rich and satisfying flavor.

This and War Horse Green are my first plug tobaccos. I was a little nervous about trying something other than a Cavendish or Latakia. I'm glad I did!

Love this stuff. Great burley flavor and last a good while

Let start by saying, I'm not a smoker. I have always enjoyed the smell of pipe tobacco and the hobby of having the pipe like an accessory is kinda cool. This is the first time I experienced a buzz like I had 2 drinks of bourbon with only half the bowl. Smells good, taste good, but it did make me buzzed for quite a while.

I really enjoy the stout taste of the Bold Kentucky. I plan on making it, well, I have already made it my daily smoke. I'm not real good with description but I will say I love the way it burns for a pretty long time. And it seems to stimulate my sour glands in my mouth sometimes which I like. Weird huh? Anyway it is an awesome strong smoke and I can relax for a good long time after.

A little bit of moisture from the pipe got on my lip while I was smoking. It burned, then it turned numb. Great tobacco.

This is my favorite pipe tobacco. It's bold, full, and a smooth smoke. It's close to a maduro cigar.

Having been a heavy tobacco chewer for 25 years I recently switched to pipe smoking I know what nicotine overdose feels like. I got thru 3/4 of a bowl of this wonderful concoction and had to quit. This was my first non aromatic and I love it,but it kicks like a mule.

Bold Kentucky is one of the best quality stronger blends I have smoked in my 40+ yrs of piping. It even seems to have passed the 'significant other' test. At least I didn't et any static about it so far. Perfect for me right out of the tin. I feel that drying it out some first takes away a little of the taste but to each their own. The flakes are somewhat narrow. But with a strong blend I don't need too awful much for the desired affect. Definitely has that dark-fired aroma and taste and the little VA that is in it tempers the Kentucky's sharpness just enough without decimating it. I prefer to rub out flakes and this one does nicely as it rubs to a small ribbon and is easy to light without any hassle. I DO recommend this blend to veteran smokers. Young pups , er, pipers may get discouraged a bit but hey if you don't like it, jar it up till you become a bit more seasoned.

Another excellent flake tobacco.This has a bold flavor,but it's never bitter and zero tongue bite.The flakes came s bit damp in the tin,no problems with the lighting and minimal delights compared to other style flakes.Nice flavor,and get a subtle sweetness from the Virginias.The strenght is full,but not overpowering.More stout than other dark Kentucky baccy.Macbaren did a great job on this one.Just a great bold tobacco,give this one a try.

I started smoking pipes at a young age and have returned back to the practice after years of Enjoy the fullest bodied Habano cigars. I find this to be the perfect tobacco for me, it is truly perfect, its tin note reminded me of Copenhagen long cut chewing tobacco, but it is a nice medium bodied smoke. i truly love it!

Very full bodied. Great flavor, especially if you go easy on it. It is strong and develops more nicotine down the bowl. Not an all day smoke by any means but a good book and this blend = turn the light out zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I agree wholeheartedly when Mac Baren says this is their strongest tobacco to date. Very similar to the likes of their ODF but with much less of a vinegar smell from the tin and definitely more potent. A slightly sweet tobacco aroma is the tin note for this one and nothing else. I smoked this fresh from the tin and although it did require a few relights, it did not smoke wet. Irish Flake has always been a favorite of mine and that is the benchmark for my comparison. I've noticed since KK no longer blends IrF, that its overall quality for me has dropped a bit. Still a good smoke, but not the same anymore. Enter HHBK. A great natural tasting tobacco with a very strong - but not harsh in any way - presence. A very full tasting, nicotine laced flake for sure. Needs to be smoked slowly and with thought or the nicotine will leave you with a lump in your chest. Same taste profile from the beginning to the end of the bowl. Nothing fancy, just good tobacco as it was meant to be smoked. If you like a good, stout and dark flake, this is the one. For me, it was Kentucky all the way as I could not detect any of the Virginia presence other than for the slight sweetness in the smoke. Kudos to MacBaren. Simply excellent and 5 starts!!

Very good offering from MacBaren. If you like the unspoilt taste of good and pure tobacco this will fit the bill. For fans of Irish Flake, Stirling Flake, Highland Sliced. Very satisfying in a good tobacco way.

This is my favorite so far. Bought this just to test my taste, been smoking some mediums and medium-fulls, I would have to put this above night cap. It is a little moist, I couldn't wait to try it though. I didn't taste any leathery/earthy flavors to it, it all combines well with me IMHO. The tin note reminds me of some flavorful jerky, the room note not overwhelming, my wife love to tell me when I try a new tobacco. This will definitely stay in my rotation as long as I can keep it in stock.

Excellent offering in the HH series. A well balanced full strength blend like Old Dark Fired on steroids. Tangy, earthy, and slightly sweet.

Just to put it simply , this blend has a great taste, smoky bold Kentucky and a bit of sweet from Virginias. Not sweet like sugar but it takes some of the bold taste from the Kentucky without sacrificing strength which is something I really appreciate. Small thin strips that rub out very easily and light rather well right from the tin, I guess bein's they're so thinly sliced taking a light is no problem. I've smoked up two tins and for me that really says something for a newer blend especially from MB

I find this very tasty and flavorful. Like eating an excellent piece of prize winning bbq