I already asked to seek further into the depths of his store, but with no result. Very neutral aroma that does not disturbs the room. This stuff tasted so good in fact, it makes me ponder; How does a tobacco blend that tastes this good, be made without a topping or flavor additive? |Retailer Directory The virginias are present and provide their own standard notes for the first half of the bowl, but as the smoke strengthens they fall deeper into the background and the smoky, spicy flavors take over. The Orientals (Macedonia being one of them) provide a lot of earth, wood, floralness, a light dry sourness and buttery sweetness, along with a little spice and leather as a supporting player. Rewarding to smoke. Those were the days, my friend, I thought they'd never end. Yes, this tobacco is all that I remembered it to be. The aroma is heavenly, and I repeatedly left the room and re-entered so I could enjoy the room bouquet. Easily qualifies as a rating that's off the chart IMHO, of course!!! Peaty and earthy, briny, peppery and a little bitter, leaves a dry sensation on the tongue and a smoky mineral aftertaste. I still have a dozen unopened tins from 1981 and 1982. Perhaps its uniqueness is one of the reasons why so many pipers love it. The smoke note however was more like what I remembered, though for a more accurate Proustian journey I will have to try to obtain an unopened tin from the 1960's if they still exist. Original Review 12-25-11 This review is for the newly released J.F. JavaScript is disabled. It won?t be easy to find, but it is floating around out there. After the bowl was done I just turned it upside down and fluffy gray ash came out leaving the bowl clean but to my surprise also leaving some evident drops of water which condensed during smoking but not to the point that intervention would be required. I say ?real? The inital flavour is of that lovely nuttyness that only Latakia can provide. The tobacco ? After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better until the very end. That's part of the hype I hear also; that it's such a great Latakia bomb it's super strongall lies. I spend a few days carefully rehydrating the contents to the perfect RH %. Everything was perfectly balanced and smooth. Funny how all the tobacco is in the old closet of a humidor that had been the cigar area, and the cigars are now in a nice large humidor up front where the tobacco had been. I myself reproduced the old artwork (tin and insert-card) and e-mailed that to Arango and Germain. The sad part is that this tobacco is no more. I got my hands on a 25+ years old tin that needed rehydration. Is this a masterpiece Absolutely. Think I like it better than penzance. in it. I can confirm that, while in decline, this blend is still a staple for any serious pipesmoker. Yet at the same time, it is cool, smooth, soft, and velvetly. Smokers are delighted in its medium-to-robust body, incense-like aroma and satisfying taste. I am not going into the subtle differences of these two blends of heaven. It works for me. So, I finally opened the tin and took my time burning through it. However, the guys at Ed's Original Tinderbox in Santa Monica hooked me up with their Balkan blend. Ones ?below? Men wept when the original supply was discontinued. Posted by Bob Sizemore on 8th Jan 2023 Didn't particular like. Every new tobacco reviewer has to start with Balkan Sobranie - it might as well be the law. , Dont Buy It If You Arent GoingTo Smoke It, When can we have the goods? The closest I've come to this heavenly blend is Macedonian Mixture by Compton's of Galashiels. The Virginias offer some grass and hay, a little dark fruit, and a hint of citrus. I packed and lit it up. On one hand I was glad I did, on the other I was sad because it was one of the few sachets circulating all over the world. Unfortunately, the versions I've tried ranged from "decent but unspectacular" to "horrible." Inventory changes daily, call us at 630-834-7777 to place an order. Just a slight leathery flavor in the background. The return of the classic Balkan Sobranie now manufactured by JF Germain in the British Isles! And then, pure bliss. Current Stock: Decrease Quantity: Increase Quantity: Add to Wish List. I have always liked this blend, and am in the process of smoking the last of my supply. After a few puffs the sweetness comes forth, the Virginia's. As far as Italy is concerned BSOM does remain the only mixture you can truly name "balkan". The virginias are of the higest grade. Possibly both types of Latakia, maybe some unsweetened Black Cavendish, maybe a "smidgeon" of Deer Tongue or a pinch of Vanilla Cavendish, who knows? Here you can really notice that there is more of the dark smoked leaf in the 2011 version. Phone/office hours are 9am-7pm US/Eastern (GMT -5:00) Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm on Saturdays, and 12pm-4pm on Sundays. This was a complex blend of virginias, latakia, and many exotic leaves from the Turkey/Macedonia area with names like Syrna, Izmir, Xanthi, Yenidje, etc. Germain & Son willing to make the tobacco. all of which I'll reach for before the new Balkan Sobranie. He also was the proprietor of the finest tobacconist in town; alas defunct due to the health Luddites and their diligent spreading of manure. The legendary Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture has now been reintroduced by Arango Cigar Co. It is a lost age. Germain & Son is the maker of some other legendary tobacco, Penzance. I have exceptions to all of the above. Militaire, and his masterpiece, the original, Collector-sized Cognac (#9621), made exclusively of Greek briar (as were Charatans). This is the closest I have ever tasted to the original product. Inc. All Rights Reserved. Never had the chance to try this one, because It's never in stock, I use to check it here every day for a year, I gave up. Predominant Latakia did a good job of giving the mixture that full body which I like so much. But still a good 20 bowls worth of premium history. 1971, oh tremendous!!! Countless proficient blenders have tried hard to copy it. I smoked a good amount of it, but largely because there were so few latakia blends that were easily available. At least for this one time, the cost of the tin was well worth it. In comparison with all those others, Sobranie certainly stands up well, even at this late date. 2. The Latakia is leathery, smoky with an characteristic peat flavor. In its aged form, I still prefer 759. Recommended. A few years ago I became curious about it and was of course shocked to find that original unopened tins were commanding over $100 on ebay. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most prized and well blended orientals that you can get your hands on. Milan Pipe Tobacco Whatever Balkan Sobranie used to be (as I said, it's built on a famous name), there are numerous better, and more available, blends out there. I guess I first tried it nearly 35 years ago. I love orientals, latakias, and Virginias, but burley gives me some trouble. The taste is medium. tin. The burn is cool, smooth and easy to maintain. Perhaps it was the tin that attracted me, the white one with the two women on the front. This used to be my favorite English blend before it became so hard to get. Well, it was far less strong than I expect, and regarding the taste/body who knew anything about that? Disclaimer: This review is based on four bowls as this is a late 80's tin and I am savoring it slowly due to its demise. . Updates on New Cigars, Pipes, Pipe Tobacco, Accessories, Digging my memories I still remember the great surprise I received from this incredible, incense-like, perfume. I will always thank him for his gift of friendship to a man 50 years his junior. Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would findpleasurable. It was like a big glorious hit of midnote with some bottom. Despite that I was allowed to finish the bowl, the darling :) So here also: points for authenticity! The tobacco is a very different experience than I expected. The BS that was available to me in the 1990s could be purchased at just about any tobacconist as well as many chain grocery stores and drug stores. This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! I'm getting low on Sutliff Balkan Sobranie 759 Match that I've enjoyed right along, from SP. For starters, I guess it goes without saying that I don?t really smoke this regularly. It's in current production. The label on the tin is cheap looking and not printed well but I dont care I want whats inside. . The Mighty Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco has returned. So I'm writing what I think I recall here. Because it is with this tobacco as with wine. I'm glad that I was able to enjoy this rarity at a time when it was perhaps at it's best, and wish I had stashed a few tins away to be happily re- discovered. But let us be honest: the incredible variety of mixtures available today and there are a lot of excellent ones offer several perfectly acceptable and enjoyable alternatives for EVERY pipe smoker. Nevertheless, if you palate is not used to the strength of mixtures like the Dunhill my mix 965 and similar, you will not enjoy this blend very much. I remember the blend being "light and dark" ribbons but this 25 year old tin of tobacco (dated to 1979) was "dark and darker". They had two and I only bought one to try it. It's hard to add to the excellent reviews of this wonderful tobacco. The various component tobaccos weave a tapestry of flavors that seem to change constantly and there is enough Latikia to keep my attention. But I may be deceived. This is my first and regretfully one of few remaining experiences with this wonderful tobacco; angels doing the tango on my tongue. This is really your most fowl smelling tobacco! I was expecting a bold flavorful balkan blend but what I got was a mild english with a cut that did not seem to load well into my pipe. age and identity may be punishable by law. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. I do hope they reintroduce the 759 as I would be more intersested in it, but they have done a fine job with this. As for flavorits ok. 2001-2023 STC Holdings LLC, a division of Mac Baren USA. I am basing this review on only two bowls, as I intend to keep the rest of what I have and make it last as long as I can. I sampled a 50 gram foil pack from Italy vintage 2007. Germain's Balkan Sobranie is a fantastic Balkan mixture. Apparently thats what it takes to get this stuff. Oh yeah, I forgot, "It's not the way it used to be, when it had yenidje, and I walked up hill both ways to school during blizzards, and used pliers to pull out my own tooth". was it merely an oversight at the factory, or is this really some kind of mythic witches brew. Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would find pleasurable. Better! Seattle Pipe Club Pipe Tobacco It has a certain raw edge to it that I don't really care for, and I find it lighter in flavor. Get exclusive updates on all our fresh offerings, sales, and promotions -- right to your inbox. But ITS GONE NOW, like many others, by the way. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better until the very end. although i have nothing of great worth to say to sway someone one way or the other i can try to describe my own subjective opinion briefly and to the point, but the ultimate judgement or perception is up to you. I see people trying to sell 1 year old tins for upwards of $40 a piece just because of the scarcity of the blend. But despite the large demand the tobacco became less and less available and the production finally stopped. Tobacco Type:Latakia, Oriental, Virginia. Oh boy, now what? Before the (retroactive) taste test, here's some more history.
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