Mac Baren - A Look Behind the Scenes

**Mac Baren - A Look Behind the Scenes** **Mac Baren - Visiting One of the World’s Largest Tobacco Producers** How the Legendary Tobaccos of Mac Baren Are Made ---

The name Mac Baren is well-known among pipe smokers worldwide, especially delighting fans of aromatic tobaccos. The classic, even legendary, Mixture Scottish Blend has brought the house from Svendborg great renown and a top position in sales. Just a few years after the war, the company began its ascent to become one of the industry’s greats.

The Beginnings

Denmark is not only home to some of the best Freehands out there. For a long time, it was also one of the few European countries without a law requiring a quota of locally grown tobacco in production. This island kingdom thrived on overseas trade, allowing Danish blends to use premium tobaccos from Africa and North America. These imports were vastly superior to local products, meaning they were smoother to smoke, with a milder character and more consistent quality. With this locational advantage, Mac Baren's rise began.

Hallowed Halls

Anyone who has entered Mac Baren’s production facility will never forget the smell—a richly intense, wonderful tobacco aroma that you’d want to take home. It’s not just the strength of the scent but also its variety of notes. Mac Baren uses a remarkably wide range of different types of tobacco and flavorings, more than most other manufacturers.

In particular, there’s an extensive variety of Virginias here. The tobacco blocks weigh around 200 kg, and the blenders draw directly from them when a recipe requires specific amounts of raw tobacco. Mac Baren holds between 300 and 400 of these blocks in-house. One unique feature is Perique, which is indeed stored in old oak barrels as is often claimed. It’s unbearable in large quantities without a lid. Only twice a year is Perique used, after all other tobaccos are cleared from the hall, as their aromas would otherwise be compromised.

Tip: If you want to learn more about the basics, check out the different types of pipe tobacco!

Tobacco Processing

Walking through a factory is always fascinating, especially with a view of the large machines. Of course, Mac Baren, where tobacco is processed on a large scale, is no exception. To make Black Cavendish, Virginia tobacco is exposed to hot steam in a massive drum. This 24-hour process caramelizes the natural sugars in the tobacco, giving it its dark color.

Equally impressive are the flake presses. Mac Baren has seven cold presses, where, for example, Capstan and MB Navy Flake are produced, and a total of ten hot presses, which produce, among others, St. Bruno Flake and Old Dark Fired. The heat and pressure make the tobaccos milder and reduce their sharpness, while also accelerating their aging process. The presses are steam-powered, heating the apparatus without direct contact with the tobacco. This complex method is now exclusive to Mac Baren.

A Witness of Time in Metal

The “star” of the machine park is, however, an antique piece that you’d expect to find in a museum. It’s the machine used to make Curlys and Twists. So old that it’s behind glass: Acrylic panels replace the missing cover, as the machine’s design and construction predate modern workplace safety standards. Today, it wouldn’t pass safety inspections because of the risk of injury. To mitigate this, the open mechanisms are shielded so no one can reach or fall into them. But this vintage beauty still works as it did on day one: full Virginia leaves are layered with various tobaccos, and the machine takes over, moving the surface back and forth until the strand, the “tobacco sausage,” is complete.

Nearby, the finished flakes are cut and packaged, a process done mostly by machine. However, Mac Baren insists on having the flakes hand-packed into the tins, allowing for a final quality check to ensure the tobacco is neither too moist nor too dry, and meets the company’s standards.

In the Heart of the House

A unique experience for pipe smokers is the chance to glimpse Mac Baren’s “alchemist’s kitchen”. Here, you’ll find sauces and essences for flavoring. The romantic idea that everything is stored in apothecary bottles and mixed fresh for each tin may need some adjustment: while blending remains a process that would be impossible without personal involvement and delicate craftsmanship, you’ll primarily see modern steel tanks here.

The ingredient list, however, is fascinating. It’s less about magic and more about skill and experience. Some ingredients might even be found in your own kitchen, such as licorice or raw cane sugar, as well as fine chocolate from Belgian chocolatier Callebaut.

Location Policy

Not only customers and employees benefit from Mac Baren’s premium tobaccos. The Halberg family, owners of the company, knows how important a solid foundation is for business and actively supports Svendborg as a location. For example, they and the employee art association purchase works by local artists. The collection can be seen in the production and distribution foyer.