Enjoying John's Favorite, Haunted Bookshop, while watching him review my favorite, Old Dark Fired. Thanks for all the great memories, John!

RIP John! We definitely gonna miss you.

John, I wish you knew how calming these videos are in the era of a global pandemic. We miss you, but glad you missed this pandemic.

I found you not long ago, when I decided to give the pipe a try. So far I love it. I watched so many of your videos before knowing you had passed. I like to think you can still see this. I want to thank you for all of your help thus far. I’ve watched so many of your videos even my kids love to say MATCHES 8-6-0! It’s funny because I just tried ODF for the first time today and loved it. I wanted to see if you ever made a video on it. It seems I’m in good company. Rest In Peace Sir, and thank you again!

One of my favorite blends. God bless thee one and only matches860, rip. Sitting in my back yard with the garden and the chickens, contemplating the sweeter and slower days of life as they roll on by. Love to you all.

Just cracked a tin. Your reviews stand the test of time RIP Matches 860.

Hello matches! Thanks a lot for this review at a beautiful spot! I really anticipated this since you announced that in your last video...and I got myself a tin of this and just shared the smoke with you....In Germany, the tobacco is also available under the brand of "John Aylesbury" as "Dark Virginia Flake"... ...so...thanks for sharing - and be well!

ODF is my #1 favorite tobacco, period. I buy it in bulk and never tire of it, and trust me, I've tried. It's a sublime experience. A little tip: rub some flakes out in advance if you'll be out and about. Since it burns so slowly, you won't need to carry as much with you.

Miss you John! Finally grabbed a tin of this stuff. Opened the tin....kinda wet. A Dec 2020 batch. I smoke all kinds of blends Burley, Vapers, English ect. This stuff is crazy good. I love flake burley forward blends anyway. This stuff is nice and potent, strong yet smooth...kinda creamy rich. I can't believe I haven't got this years ago. Has strength (For me) to rival Irish Flake....which I love. First bowl and I'm crazy about it. So rich and strong, yet smooth and creamy. Nice bowl for after work and a couple beers. Of course I do that anyways with da baccy and da barley. Very impressed with MCB ODF. The hype is real folks. If you like a stronger true baccy flavor profile this fits the bill. I will buy more. I still watch John's vidz while smoking the briar. Take Care PIPERS!!

Nice to see you enjoy those first few puffs. I love those first puffs on a new lighting of a pipe.

Only recently found your videos. I'm fairly new to pipe smoking and still slowly finding my way. Really find your reviews helpful and enjoy chilling out and listening to your stories. Keep up the good work. Paul.

I luv this stuff ! It's in the regular rotation. Thanx for the great review. Hope your Summer's going well

Again John,fantastic setting.Great place to have a bowl 😎

So peaceful of a place to introduce McBaren Dark Fired Virginias.... great video thanks John for the memories....

I've just gotten back to smoking my pipes after 5 years away from them. I discovered 5 tins of this in my cellar and 1 mason jar from 2012 full of flakes covered in plume. Smoking it right now in my Patrick Smith pipe and it is amazing!!! Sweet, deep, earthy and the spice has settled down a bit. This is one of my all time favorites, hands down. Always a pleasure to have a bowl with you, John! Best regards.

I went out an bought a tin of this when you mentioned you were going to be doing a review. Yet another great video. Thanks!

While the old chimney at Suburban Park is renowned in the Matches legendarium, this picnic area at Fisher Meadows is my favorite spot of yours. Thanks for sharing it with us.

A peaceful review, John - thank you! I look forward to packing a bowl with this soon.

Hi John: I have got to admit that, having been a "died in the wool" Virginia flake smoker for years, with an occasional departure in the winter months to latakia mixtures, I heard so much about HH Old Dark Fired that I had to try it. I lit up with some trepidation not being a burley fan, but I figured if Matches 860 is fond of these various burleys they have got to have something going for them. Sure enough John, I had the same reaction to ODF that you did. Now I find I need to force myself to not smoke this stuff every time I light up. Thanks for the heads up, you have opened up a whole new world of pipe enjoyment to an old codger like me (68 this month) who is now convinced that burley blends can indeed be very enjoyable. Cheers, Doug Owen.

Excellent review Matches. Thanks a lot buddy. Have a great week.

Be at peace my friend.

Nice review. I'm a fan of the Latakia Flake, but still haven't tried ODF. Thanks for the review. I think I'll add a tin of ODF to my next order.

Half an hour of heaven; ) sounds great and the view is spectacular. Enjoyed your time

'Half an hour of heaven'..... perfect description. RIP, John. A very loved, and equally missed, member of the pipe community. Smoking a bowl of ODF in your memory, right now.

I will always be subscribed to this channel. Miss you John.

That looks like a wonderful place to relax and have a bowl and even better with a friend.

I will never stop watching your videos John. Love you brother, always ❤️ -Joshua

Dammit, I miss you, buddy. And I do love ODF. Have a big bowl up there in the sky for me.

Great review, from the first moment i could get it here in Holland, i always Carry it around with me.

Happy early 4th John!!! Great video as always. I am looking forward to joining you on Fridays as I just ordered my first Savinelli from PipesandCigars. Take care. Clayton

Serendipitous, just lit up a bowl of Old Dark Fired as your video notification came in. Had an old biplane fly over head about this time the plane flew flew over your location. Amazing! My first try at Old Dark Fired, very nice, got the bulk version. Need to try a tin to see if there is a difference. Really enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing them!

A great tabbocco with a nice scene for the back drop. Good job

Great review John! ODF is one of my favourites as well. I get the tins and also the bulk and I find them equally good. Have a great weekend and a Happy 4th to you and your family!

I just picked some of this up at my B&M. The tin date was a year ago. I am a nubee pipe smoker and I found this more mellow than expected but was smoking slow since I understand it has a nic kick. I am still figuring out all the subtle flavors people pick up. Thanks for reviewing it.

You have got my attention with this blend John, the way you relate it to the outdoors has me thinking I would like it. Beautiful location for a morning bowl and I enjoyed the review. My apologies for the late viewing as my YT time has been limited. Have a great week my friend

Hey there matches nice pipe 673 is my favorite shape from savinelli old dark fired that sounds good tobacco I've tried peter stockebye dark fired its pretty good tobacco for my taste enjoy that dark fired matches take care

Well now I'm going to have to get my hands on some of that! Thanks a lot John lol. Great video as always. Thank you sir.

As I watch your videos, I am reminded to slow down my puffing cadence. Rapid fire diminishes my enjoyment. But, ‘to each his own’, right Matches?? 😉 Excellent review of a blend that, I too, enjoy very much. Be well!

Catching up on videos, John. As always, I loved your review. I'm going to have to get me some. And what a perfect setting. I hope you had a safe and enjoyable 4th. Scott

Such a wonderful spot John. Thanks for the morning meditation.

Hi John, Fisher Meadows looks like a beautiful spot! Very peaceful. I have a tin of ODF. Haven't opened it yet. I'll probably wait for the cool, Fall weather, as I have so many others opened right now. It sounds great, though. Something to look forward to. Thanks, and, have a great Fourth. Ed

Love the stuff... of course, by now I imagine you've had the bulk ready rubbed version too. I keep both on hand. Been lurking around your channel for a while. Thanks for the vids!

.. one of my favorite videos from matches860 .. one day I will sit there and smoke a Savinelli 673 with Old Dark Fired in memory of him.

ODF is one of my favorites if not my favorite. I get a chocolatey hazelnut flavor from it, and it delivers the good old vitamin N.

Loved the review. I'm going to have to get a tin and try it myself. I've been contemplating it but this will make me pull the trigger. I'm looking for tobaccos to branch out into, other than the Latakia blends I typically smoke and this sound like it could be a good one. Thanks, John.

I like straight tobacco flavor. Blends like this get me excited. I don't care much for toppings, flavorings, or anything that isn't 100% natural tobacco. My favorites include a lot of ropes and other straight-tobacco blends. Old Dark Fired is respectable. Bold Kentucky is another worth trying. If I want a straight Virginia, I go for Brown No. 4. A little dark-fired never hurt anyone. Black XX is good too.

"Half an hour of Heaven" Nice. Miss you, John.

Lovely place,lovely pipe!

I too have at least 20 blends that I continually buy, and you are spot on as to the different times as to what you crave. My range runs from Lane Ready Rub to Dunhills Night Cap,with some Orlik Golden Slice between .🤐

I have this in my P&C shopping cart and am looking forward to giving it a go. Very much up my alley, judging from your and MacBaren's descriptions. Cheers~

Hallo John, while I am looking the video, I smoke "Old Dark Fired" too. It is the best tobacco Mac Barens make. I empty about a tin in a week:) Have a beautiful, sunny and relaxing weekend Wolfgang

Bought the bulk version. Very fine cut and doesn't require many relights. Really enjoy it and really saved some coin with the bulk version.

Great video that's a cool spot for a smoke! Thanks for sharing!

I ordered a 2 oz bag of this from bulk ready rubbed to try and must say i like it.

Ahhh, Old Dark Fired is my absolute favourite blend. Top notch from start to finish. Love the beautiful flakes that MacBaren produces. Interesting to hear you say its a good 30 min smoke. I generally get around 1h 20 mins from a flake. Guess our smoking cadence differs quite a bit 😄

Glad to hear you have 20 top blends. I thought there was something wrong with me having 21 favorites. I probably smoke 6 or so blends during the day. It's kind of like food to me. I couldn't eat the same food all day long.🤐

Great video! Now I'm craving the stuff! 👍

Great stuff John, all the best.

ODF is the only burley blend I enjoy. Another great review and video in the can. Cheers, ~Hilman

Hello Mr. Matches860, nice review and look froward to trying it. I placed an order of a few burley blends including bold Kentucky, and C&D burley flake #2 and 4 , and solani abf, they should be here in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, the only good burley blend I can enjoy is C&D junkyard dawg which is what sparked my interest in burley blends. I also have Peterson university flake which I am still learning to smoke. I figured the folding and stuffing method isn't the best way to smoke university flake and will try to rub it out a bit the next time I give it light and see if that improves my experience. I like Latakia but currently prefer Virginias and burley dominant blends with perique and Latakia used sparingly. It's the burley season for me! Cheers.

I've been researching this Blend for a few days and it sounds like one I must try. I have like all the Mac Baren Tobacco Blends I've tried to date. I like slow burning long smoking tobaccos, because I can set them down when I'm through for a minute or so and then relight them later. I do like Key Largo.

Great review John

Absolutely FANTASTIC stuff. I love it from tin to ash for sure. Now get a line in that water asap and get you a fish

It may have been mentioned, but this reminds me of Toscano cigars (not so strange, since the curing is similar). Picked some up after seeing this video, enjoying it by a similar-looking forest here in Sweden now. Thanks for the tip :)

This particular blend tends to put me on my ass with the room spinning.

ODF is one of my most favorite blends. I now savour it every week or so for an hour or two long smoke.

I'm definitely with you on this one, Buddy! ODF is pure magic. Scratches an itch I've been having since the 70's with the old St. Bruno, a beautifully strong spicy silky smoke. Pure speculation on my part, but the hot pressing seems to add a huge dimension of depth and smoothness. I haven't found that anywhere else. Mellow Puffs, Mark

I really do love this stuff..definitely in my top ten I have to have a flake of this at least once a week ...it tastes like how a fine cigar should taste like it's very different then other blends out there its not English but it reminds me of a Latakia in a weird way with a toasted nut in the background one thing it does taste better in a briar pipe

Hello John. ODF is one of my all-time favorites along with Heinrich's Dark Strong. Another in the same vein that you may enjoy is the new Six Pence. ODF has a high nicotine content to my palate so I have to smoke it sparingly. The Six Pence does as well but the Dark Strong does not. Be well my friend, Bill

A very nice tobacco, indeed! I like it a lot myself. Have a great week, John.

Enjoying your pipe at different times and at different places seems way better than a top 10 to me.....

A few years ago but still i kinda relaxe watching your video and MC Baren i can find it here in the Netherlands hope i can find Old Dark Fired so i can taste it. Greetings,, Kitty.

Old dark fired is great have you tried peterson Irish flake?

Man I'm really loving matches these days. I found him a little too late. Inhave a very similar taste in tobacco to him. My absolute favorite is old dark fired but I do have a special place in my heart for haunted bookshop. Does anyone know what savinelli that is hes smoking? I'd really like to get one

This stuff is phenomenal. Pure Virginia and Old Dark Fired are go-to’s for me.

One of my favorite cigars is Kentucky Fire Cured by Drew Estate. I love The fire cured Tobaccos most.

I really notice all the dark fired blends lose something after they sit in a jar for a couple weeks. I can't really even taste much of this blend until the tobacco really starts to heat up about half bowl. I think this is topped with some kinda something that must evaporate. I'd call this a mild/med blend. Am I crazy?

I had to chuckle at John saying you can get a good half hour smoke out of a bowl. The rest of us would smoke the same amount in an hour lol. R.I.P. John.

One of my favorite blends, but I can't smoke it in large amounts. I'm a nicotine wimp LOL. Great spot to enjoy a bowl John....Have a safe and happy 4th!

Another great review my good friend

I used to smoke cigars but that habit became expensive, I smoke this and I dont miss cigars at all. cheers sir

Yes I did but never tried it myself. Was hard to get at the time.

I've just got my first tin of this and I have to say it's a good evening blend for me. I wish the Kentucky was more present in the flavors. Great video and nice view !

“If you were sitting here having a bowl with me you’d be keeping an eye on him too.” LOL.

I really like their flakes,but I prefer buying the ready rub in the 1lb bag due to it being more economical. Every now and then I'll buy a tin,just because their flakes and presentation are so nice.🤐

Always interesting to hear ones thoughts on different blends! Will put this on my TAD list. Would love to hear your thoughts on Bald Headed Teacher from 4noggins!

I didn't fall in love with this stuff the way I though I would, and kinda wanted to. It almost seemed like there was something missing in the mid range, if that makes any sense. However, Peterson's Irish Flake is similar and it hits the sweet spot that ODF doesn't. It's a good smoke, with quality leaf, to be sure. Maybe the hot pressing dulls it down. The Dark Strong Kentucky is supposed to be a bit bolder than it's stable mate so maybe I will try it out, and I've also heard rumors about St. Bruno becoming available here soon

you're an artist, greetings to you, newly subscribed and looking forward to more uploads :-)

Sitting here and smoking some Latakia flake in my savinelli saxophone before work. Gotta say, this vid is pretty relaxing. I would’ve had ODF in my pipe, but unfortunately I am out.

About half way through my first bowl of ODF. I don't know how you smoke a bowl in 30 minutes, its going to take me 1.5 hours at the rate im going! i do pick up a little bit of a cigar note but i think the sweetness of the virginias subdue it. delicious stuff! anyway thanks for another great video!

One of my favorite smokes for sure, if you buy it in bulk you can get it in "ready rubbed" form which makes preparing the flake easier.

I saw this smoking my first bowl of old dark fired. In a savinelli similar to yours. Honestly not sure about the blend! It’s unlike my usual smoke and I haven’t smoked any of the other blends you mention. Lovely consistent smoke, I’m just not sure about the flavour. Is there anything you would recommend in the preparation of this flake? Thanks.

Well, you have me wondering if I might like this ODF, There are some burley blends that I cannot handle, as they do something to the chemistry in my mouth. It is a strange thing... but perhaps this blend ODF is the right one. Thanks for the review. Cheers - Tomas / NW7US

also don't get the cigar notes that some folks mention. Agree about the similarity to aged burley flake. really hits the spot.

Beautiful background

thanks john be safe

Miss ya John

Have Mac Barens HH Bold Kentucky, Way too stout for me. Still have not opened the Old Dark Fired. Hope its not as strong.

Buddy, what a lovely pipe! What is the model of your Savinelli? Lucite stem?

Ok I get it now. I finally found the right pipe for it and stopped trying to make it into something it isnt. Also a couple months in the jar works wonders haha