2 Reviews; 2 Reviews. I will endeavor to keep this easy smoking, great tasting blend stockpiled from now on. Like probably so many other pipers, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to find this blend in stock and purchase. So you should keep that in mind reading this review. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. After having smoked Rattray's Black Mallory, Pease Caravan, Renaissance and Samarra, and Esoterica's Penzance, I now understand the difference between a Balkan and an English. The Balkan Sobranie Cigarettes Tobacco Tin Turkish England Opens in a new window or tab. Sasieni, Macedonia Mixture, Odesa, and on and on. The best of the very best. Peterson Pipe Tobacco The aroma and flavors are very much in sync. So the turkish varieties did it, fine. Moreover, I find the Yenidje and other Orientals to be more pronounced and complex than in Peases Caravan. On the contrary! The return of the classic Balkan Sobranie now manufactured by JF Germain in the British Isles! I gave it a star because I think that it is probably a good blend,but it's always gone instantly. This pipeweed is certainly an icon and one of the best oriental blends out there. But when I first tasted and smelled that wonderful exotic smoke I was hooked. The 1990s and later versions have drier in taste than it was in the 1980s, due to the decrease in the red Virginia, which disappeared by the mid-1990s. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. This is also the case with Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture. After losing one of my 80s pouches to mold, I've now jarred all of them up in Mason jars in the basement and sealed them up tight. identity verification to validate that fact. This is due to the blend's extremely limited production. Westminster is a complex finely tuned mixture that will appeal to those who appreciated the splendid English blends that once were easily found, Red Odessa is a straightforward, profoundly old-fashioned English Blend that will bring back wonderful half-memories. I don't know any of the ingredient ratios, but I was told that the ratios changed every year to compensate for seasonal changes in the individual ingredients' strength and taste. Cyprian latakia is present along with turkish in the nose. Here's a current review for March 2018. The year tells you how good it is. This stuff have cool somoke, something light and very rich. I managed to get hold of a pouch of this mixture and after carefully rehydrating it, went on a very pleasant trip down memory lane. I picked up exactly that. To my suprise I received some 5g sample pouoches, some old stuff of no significant meaning, 2 tins of Dunhill 965 murray's and a 50g pouch of Balkan Sobranie. I have read so much about this blend I had to try it. It was the perfect blend IMHO. copyright intellectual property of the reviewer and STC Holdings LLC and may not be Germain & Son. Last year a friend picked up some pouches from Japan: the tobacco was good, but a pale shadow of its glorious former self. On opening the pack I was greeted by the well known Latakia scent, followed by sweetish notes of Virginia and the last came to my attention the Turkish tobacco, very much similar to cigarette tobacco. Just like every other pipe smoker on the planet I really wanted to try this. Pleasant smoky aroma, with a slight odor of burnt sugar. Really good stuff excellent flavor & I'm not a big Latakia fan but it facilitates this blend's sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. This was one of the first pipe-tobaccos that I really enjoyed on all levels, and, naturally, it was the pipe-tobacco everyone else hated. They had two and I only bought one to try it. Supremely rich and dense in flavor, yet as light as a souffle. PS: Save your coin if you think that Sasieni is going to get you any closer to those bygone days I personally think it's somewhat better than BS but not much. It's taste was definitely much better than it's smell, full-bodied and smoky, and the room note was not too aggressive, there's somewhat of a "tang" to it, but you could easily smoke it unnoticed in a group of cigarette smokers. Luscious but actually capable of giving you a hangover if you smoke it all day. My first experience with this mixture dates to 1962 when I was given a tin by a friend who had been in London on vacation. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better & better until the very end. Leiconnsel, yours is the finest review I've ever read here. Sutliff Match Pipe Tobacco Victorian (Dunhill Elizabethan) $2.68 - $146.87. I wish I could, but that just ain?t happenin?. It hints at this blend -- maybe it needs more Yenidje?? Purchased From: Some tobacconist in Spain. Happy Smokin'. Only a few got somewhat near to it. Cannot ship to Maine, South Dakota, Washington, Utah Maximum Purchase: 1 unit Free Shipping Orders over $95 in US Ship Worldwide I usually don't enjoy latakia, but i do enjoy a balkan blend from time to time. It was unavailable on any of the internet sites, so I called one of my local B&M suppliers and found he had 3 tins instock. Create New Wish List; SKU: 100-7906 UPC: 781755017115. Most of what you can buy in auctions today is dry to varying degrees, but I'll instantly transfer it to a Mason jar, wet a paper towel with distilled water, lay it over the top, seal the jar, and let it slowly rehydrate. This is SOMEWHAT of a comparision, understanding that I am comparing a new tin verses an aged tin and the 90's era Original Mixture was, by most accounts, not the best era of the blend. I will prove the New Balkan Sobranie and I really wish they would have achieved a blend as good as the original, because I think just like that, honestly, never will be. Not strong or overpowering at all. You must log in or register to reply here. This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! Enjoyed the original many moons ago. . This Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco is a reintroduction of the legendary original recipe made famous Once lit, I walked back through the cloud of smoke that had been produced and of course, a rush of great memories came back to me. 320 N McPherson Church Rd Fayetteville NC 28303. It's just I don't think there is anything quite so good. It's 1977 and my local Tobacconist at the Alpine Haus in Casper, Wyoming sold me a tin saying, this was the best. follow discussion on this recipe here and if you have anything to add please chime in. With so many good tobaccos on the market today I'm very happy with the selection I have, to be great It has to be in production once and awhile. Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. This is a 2.5 star blend compared to Black House or Nat Sherman 536, rating it "recommended" only if you're determined to try it and can find a tin cheap. I got my hands on a 25+ years old tin that needed rehydration. It's a great mouth pipe, hand pipe, and sitter. He also was the proprietor of the finest tobacconist in town; alas defunct due to the health Luddites and their diligent spreading of manure. |Retailer Directory The first cigarette I ever smoked was a Sobranie Black Russian, one of the great looking black ones with a gold tip. Plenty of names of non site sponsors mentioned. This remains, for me, the quintessential balkan blend, characterized by the strong oriental elements, but with enough Virginia to provide complexity and sweetness. Noooo idea, I've never smoked that one like I said before. BALKAN refers to the Greek Macedonian yenidze [ jenidze, yenidje, etc.] Having smoked the late 1960s and the 1960 versions, I found the red Virginia was a little more prominent, and the wine-like, earthy, woody, floral Syrian Latakia was used, which created a drier, lightly less fragrant smoke. It finishes, of course, full and strong. $7.99. People say 965 is the standard to judge English mixtures by. Now I really hope that Arango and Germain also will bring out Mixture 759 and Virginia no. Really great because you can taste the love and craftsmanship. This is a review about the 2011 made by Germain Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture: Sometimes a product that is no longer available becomes legendary. Based on certain similarities of taste I suspect that Balkan Sobranie may have also contained some Maryland, but likely no more than ten percent. The medium to fine ribbon cut lights easily, the intoxicating flavor is instantly upon me. It was to me simply unique. 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. I see why this blend commands a premium. Sadly, though, it's not hard to understand why. As for the nicotine it was rather medium, but that was offset with the full-bodied smoking experience. I'm missing it. There is very little of the campfire and leather latakia-type taste. White tin - real McCoy. At that time one never saw a fill in a GBD. Anyway, back to the smoke at hand. I wish I could. Quick view. On ebay, astronomical amounts were (and still are) asked and paid for these tobaccos. Pipeworks and Wilke has two blends with Yenidje: No. Regardless, it does have a decent nicotine punch, more so then Penzance or Caravan. 2000-2023 Milan Tobacconists, This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. Orders over $95 in US, Safe Payments $30.00. The cut is comprised very thin ribbons that are a little too moist, but given the cut, it dries quickly. It was like a big glorious hit of midnote with some bottom. 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. None have answered, though many are excellent. Otherwise who cares I will spend my tobacco money on something else!!!!!!! I LOVE IT! Air time and letting it open a bit was all it took to take this to a new level. I need to first say that below, Leiconnsel's review must be the gold standard for all reviews on this amazing blend. A fine cut mix of dark and light Virginia's, Macedonian tobacco and Cyprian latakia. So I began a quest to find some, and I found several pouches. 1971, oh tremendous!!! Mid-bowl: Aah! This should be approachable to all but the most puny of smokers. There has been said a lot about this tobacco, mostly praised to the skies, it's all true. Not particularly heavy on Latakia. Germain version. The smoke, always changing yet always characteristic and steady, could never be ignored, no matter what you were doing: each draw was a conscious pleasure, the whole, like true art, more than the sum of its parts. After using the paper towel method and transferring the whole thing into a jar, I waited for a few days so that the tobacco flavors settle. And I see no difference after the update and stuff. But later he said, these tins are the Original Balkan Sobranie, and was propriety from a collector, who died and your daughter gave me. I withhold most further details of the shop on the unlikely chance I can return someday and the remaining tin will be up there on the top shelf, having once been stuffed back to make room for more recent things. I simply do not like cigarettes and the foul smell and taste of such tobacco! It is however, most complex and rich tasting, with a very unique nasal almost heady quality which I really enjoy; different than nicotine. Something about the mystique of the name made me click the "favorite" button but, oddly, I never reviewed it. 2(No detectable difference was found when compared to Balkan Sobranie)for Only $9.95 with no limit on the number of tins!! The sad part is that this tobacco is no more. Not everyone appreciated the room aroma. Why no other blender has ever been able to recapture the amazing balance, complexity, creaminess, coolness, and wonder of Balkan Sobranie, I don't know. Legendary. A fine grey ash results and despite the high Latakia content it doesn't flavour the pipe too much. I loved it. Now I feel I am a changed person! Wow. The tin note was nice. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component. This because J.F. It's different, actually, in its deepness, due to different oriental leaves and the different proportions of the components. But, the memories are grand! Joe made a similar agreement with GBD, and became the largest distributor of that pipe in the world. There is also a very faint Virginia sweet note which comes through as well. Peaty and earthy, briny, peppery and a little bitter, leaves a dry sensation on the tongue and a smoky mineral aftertaste. In my opinion , Balkan Sobranie is just a name for a tobacco not available since circa 1980. A crowning achievement in the tobacco blending craft without question. Pipe Collecting | Well, it's nothing like the original one, but it still stands above the mass of English mixtures. The room note is unique. I was really interested in buying some, seeing how hard it was to come by. Finally I snagged a few tins of this blend. Being too young to have ever bought this over the counter, I felt I had to try the blend that everyone in the pipe club lamented they could not buy anymore. This GeoTrust What to compare it to? I can't improve on Leiconnsel's descriptions of opening the lid with the built-in knife, and of the multiple layers of aroma and flavor. Possibly both types of Latakia, maybe some unsweetened Black Cavendish, maybe a "smidgeon" of Deer Tongue or a pinch of Vanilla Cavendish, who knows? The tobacco came super-dry in the pouch and required almost a month of rehydration. Hopefully, the rumors are true that this is being brought back blended by Germain. This tobacco is unique.. The special cut of Virginia & Perique has a place in almost anyone's rotation. Shopping Options No filters applied. A very smooth smoke that developed slowly and continuously. Those who regularly smoke them in the past, already know. 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. it was distinctive enough to evoke comment and to me had a more than discernible hint of leaves being burned on a damp Autumn day in England. In my typically college age bulletproof life of 35+ years ago, I remember buying the weird knife top tin of this spectacular baccy in Peterson's on 42nd St in NYC. leaves fingers a bit sticky from the natural tobacco oils, not from humectants. Rattray's did not come close at all. Tobacco Shop in Roanoke, Virginia, USA. 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? Cost about $4. There were many very nice old Dunhill and GBD pipes along with about 50 odd assorted tins of aged tobacco. Excellent smoke and very close to the original which is almost impossible to source and the reason why I am holding onto my last tin. Everything was perfectly balanced and smooth. What I wanted to do is to see if this tobacco lived up to my memory of it. I've tried a number of blends that tout themselves as a "replacement" for Balkan Sobranie and I dreamed of what the original must be like. Ones ?below? Balkan Sobranie The return of the classic original Balkan Sobranie blend. RF 2K702D2 - Kyiv, Ukraine - September 03, 2022: A pack of Sobranie Gold cigarettes closeup on white. This is my favorite in the old Sobranie line. Again the Latakia had a tendency to separate but with a thorough mixing it is much improved of you stay vigilant! Very happy to see it reintroduced. I have tried a bunch of English-- mid to full-- blends and a few Balkans over the years. I had heard, and I thought they were exagerated. Ok, now to the tobacco. In my opinion, no. Notice | Advertising The can was fitted with a new flip top key pull that unsealed the vacumn and aroma as you looked inside. Its ash is light and gray, without noticeable cake. But dried out some, this is a pretty terrific blend for a special occasion. It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. Middleton Pipe Tobacco I emptied the contents into a mixing bowl and began thoroughly mixing the contents, first by lightly tearing some of the longer shag strands and then pulling the Latakia from the bottom and sprinkling it throughout.