Sampling Vanilla

[CACooper]

Skip,

Yes, I have tried both MacBaren Vanilla Flake, and the loose cut. Those MacBaren blends are NOTHING like BCA or VBC, both in cut or consistency. They are both Danish style flake, the loose cut being rubbed out. Unfortunately, I find they both tend to bite.

BCA and VBC are both loose, wide ribbon cut, and moist to the touch. They possess a velvety texture, and need no rubbing out.

The closest MacBaren tobacco to BCA/VBC is the new 7 Seas blends, especially the regular (white) label. The flavor and aroma are very close, and the look and feel are virtually identical.

I spoke with Mr. Frank Blews (former Lane General Mgr., now with MacBaren) at the Las Vegas pipe show about the 7 Seas blends. He worked at Lane for decades, and knows Lane's processes and recipes. He's developed the 7 Seas series as competition to Lane's Captain Black line. White, Blue and Gold label, just like CB.

The MacBaren blends do differ in flavor and aroma from the Lane product and are NOT direct copies. But they're real close. And, most important, NO bite!

The 7 Seas white label has vanilla, with a little orange, hazelnut, raisin and chocolate. It's composed of mainly black cavendish, with a small amount of Burley ribbon. Personally, I like it quite a bit. I've haven't tried the blue or gold yet, but will soon.

Frank also informed me that an all black 7 Seas (black label?) will be available soon.

Hope this helps in your quest.

CACooper

 

[Skip48]

I have a little of the 7 Seas one of the shops sent me as a sample and it's nice.

Most of my looking and trying is in Flake and more specific, Va & VaPer with some searching Orientals lately and just have the Vanilla for mixed company mostly. I took some when I went to Tampa to visit my son and his family. We always go out on their back porch to smoke so took the loose cut with me and my some other Flakes as I knew the women especially would enjoy that smell over what else I had.

Thanks for the info,

Skip

 

[SailorJack]

Not really my thing but I did enjoy McClelland's Vanilla Black Cavendish. Can't imagine a vanilla blend being much better than VBC. It's really good for blending also.

 

[greasemunki85]

+1 for MacBaren Vanilla Flake.
+1 for Cao Bella Vanilla.(ive heard some think it taste "Chemically")
Locally (memphis), we have a house blend at Tobacco Corner, called "piccadilly" that is a vanilla flake tobacco, taste alot like MacBaren, but they say its not, (but, will admit to all the Mccleland bulk blends, that are "blended in house")
Also I like a few from the Tinderbox stores: two that have a big vanilla type flavor, that come to mind are Midnight (lane BCA!?), and Black Russian, which is really really good. The Midnight is deffinitly the Milder of the two, but the black russian seems a bit more complex, you get chocolate, vanilla, caramel' and a few other little flavors thrown in for good messure

 

[Skip48]

Have not got any of the ones I want to try yet, but I did try the 7 Seas and don't care for it much. I like the Vanilla Loose Cut and the Cream Flake Mac Baren makes a lot better, but will try the other 2 also when I get a chance.

Wife mentioned that it smelled like burning shoes, LOL? Guess she didn't care for it either.

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