If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incrediblealmost magical! I'd do it again. After reading the whole story about Balkan Sobranie I decided to buy a pack og 50g Gallaher packed tobacco, just to see will it live up to the reputation. The 2011 Chicago Pipe Show's "Balkan Sobranie Throwdown" was a competition to see who could produce a blend that most perfectly emulated the revered Balkan mixture. At least for this one time, the cost of the tin was well worth it. Taste of Virginia was somewhat subtle but in good manners, any stronger taste would, in my opinion, interfere with the Latakia and spoil that special feeling. It's a slow burning, cool and dry smoke with an incense like aroma, very smooth. It smoked cool, it burned well, and the balance and flavor was fantabulous. Taste is medium and consistent, with notes of smoky, very bitter wood, floral, toasted bread, leather, musty herbal vegetation, incense, dry earth, acidic/spicy, citrus peel/zest, a mildly sweet stewed tangy fruit background note, and a very peppery retro. I smoked it constantly from 1975 through the early eighties, sporadically since then till it's disappearance. Our Little River, SC showroom, Low Country Pipe & Cigar, is open 10am-7pm US/Eastern Monday - Saturday at 2 Hwy 90 East, Little River SC, 29566. You are using an out of date browser. Mid way the orientals take over and some sublime spicyness tkaes over from the Latakia. What I'm amazed to see is how much wrong info circulates about this tobacco now. But who could resist, especially after retrieval of an eight ounce can from a ten can rotation, grabbing an immediate smoke? Is it as good as the original? It is a brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured. A must try! 524 (excellent, but not a "Balkan Sobranie") and No. Here's a current review for March 2018. Master blender Russ Ouellette was the hands-down winner, and this is his championship mixture: Black House, comprising a variety of tobacco for a complex English blend. 10/12/07 ? Balkan Sobranie Mixture Tobacco Tin 50g $20.00 14 reviews Write a Review Previous Next Out of Stock Add to Wish List SKU: 100-7971 UPC: 781755017016 Availability: *Limit* Only 1 per order / person per day. Happy Smokin'. 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. I was gifted a fair number of bowls of the new Germain production BS and smoked it side by side with my remaining 1990's era BS. Exceptionally over-hyped based on the name alone. Not as heavy on the Latakia as 759 and plenty of that marvelous old Yenidje leaf to sate the palate. Add to Wishlist. Afterwards, it loaded nicely and lit without trouble. . smokers to be superior. Phone/office hours are 9am-7pm US/Eastern (GMT -5:00) Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm on Saturdays, and 12pm-4pm on Sundays. Product: Balkan Sobranie Balkan Sobranie 50g, Just a few hours after the e-mail, I miss it again, that only after a few hrs of being available it's again sold out I wonder if Balksn Sobranie Smoking Mixture will ever re-emerge in the US of A as Dunhill has recently. To enjoy this blend, the best way is use a pipe with small bowl. Perhaps all of the above. Pipe Tobacco
Noooo idea, I've never smoked that one like I said before. I would call it a shame, but there are too many truly great mixtures around now to mourn this stuff at all.
Balkan Sobranie - The Country Squire Tobacconist However, I have never been able to get too far away from a good Balkan flake/mixture. Ok, I'm a bit of a nicotine wuss so I do not smoke it on an empty stomach. Latakia plays a front role but is not overwhelming. Another old favourite of mine back in the day. I've tried Balkan Sasieni, the current Balkan Sobranie, the current Best Blend from the current Smokers' Haven, and Balkan Sobranie throughout the '70s, '80s, 90's and '00s, as well as Margate (probably the currrent Best, as Germain now blends for Smokers' Haven, I've heard), Caravan, Penzance, McClelland's Yenidje Highlander and Yenidje Supreme (which lacks latakia), and countless other English/Balkan/Oriental blends from the late-lamented Dunhills to those corner tobacconist bulk-bought or hand blended attempts to clone Balkan. The tobacco for what it is worth did seem a bit dry (just the way I like it). . Peterson Pipe Tobacco Nightcap (Dunhill)1.76, Peterson Pipe Tobacco My Mixture 965 (Dunhill Blend)1.76oz. Plenty of names of non site sponsors mentioned. The Mighty Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco has returned. It was like smoking butter. A great blend, but there are blends available all year long that are just as good by GL Pease, and also his Drucquer and Sons blends. It is my understanding that the version that I was smoking was not the quality of tins sold in the 1970's. What's in there, you smell! This is my first and regretfully one of few remaining experiences with this wonderful tobacco; angels doing the tango on my tongue. Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is one of the most legendary Latakia-based blends in history. I haven't gotten the percentages down to a science but I started with equal portions of the virginia's, Orientals, and Yenidge. I've heard that its inclusion is why Balkan was labelled a ?smoking mixture? I think it is awful, as I did the last tin of it. Sure, maybe the initial experience won't be the same, but, overall, the smoking experience should be just as enjoyable and with a lot less waiting and frustration. Misrepresentation of your
Rating?I can't smoke it "all the time", due to supply?however, this is a "Four Star Blend". Don't forget: this is a one time alert. Having not had the opportunity to smoke the original when it came out I cant speak to a true comparison but I have smoked the old Balkan Sobranie with a lot of age. The tobacco colour is very dark 50% very dark brown and 50% black. The sample I got was aged, obviously. 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 can only imagine how good the original issue was; I smoked it in my college days (1970s) and also smoked the Sobraine-made Smokers' Haven blends (which I still smoke in their Germain incarnation) but the taste memory has faded over the years. Be patient your time will come.. I am puzzled about availability. by the House of Sobranie and now produced in the Esoterica Tobacciana
Leiconnsel, yours is the finest review I've ever read here. I've never smoked anything like it before or since. View All (61) Balkan Sobranie Balkan Sobranie 50g Reviews. But the new blends out there (Paul Olsen's, Ten Russians, Larry's Strike Force, Penzance, Knightsbridge) are all certainly worthy heirs to the throne, and I don't feel cheated that I like at a time where I can have such a wide range available to me. Last year a friend picked up some pouches from Japan: the tobacco was good, but a pale shadow of its glorious former self. This is something everyone should try and find. The taste always had a somewhat bitter start - somewhat like Nightcap - but the rest of the experience was addictive. |Radio Show During the pursuit of perfection, excellence was achieved. I am not going into the subtle differences of these two blends of heaven. I have smoked quite a few BS "matches" and none come close to replicating this blend. 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. Not so heavy, incredibly smooth tobacco, giving a gentle sweetness and a dry, salty smoking that reminds me of Syrian Latakia.It was smoked easily until the end of the bowl. My 5 star rating is based on the original blend but I have never tried this newer iteration. The insistent Turkish twang was fun, but not all the time. Great stuff and ill be stocking up. I shall give you my evaluation in a few days need I say more about the experience of the first bowl this morning. 2000-2023 Milan Tobacconists,
Initial Flavor: Pungently sweet! I was lucky to score several pouches a few years ago. Finally, even the Saseini was taken over by Orlik a few years ago, closing the chapter on the book of Sobranie with finality. I feel very fortunate to be able to have enough of this legendary tobacco to offer this, my first review. The mixture was overwhelmingly harsh and acrid really vile stuff. It's just really hard to find. This spectacular blend stands on top of the rostrum of the Hall of Fame, together with famous 759, and only few others. If you air it out, the bite disappears. Size: 1.76 Oz. I think it's both over-hyped and well deserved. Better, he used to say, to let the expert blenders blend and then find what you like rather than try and have a store, or you yourself, do the mixing. I believe that now there are better blends of this kind. The sad part is that this tobacco is no more. It has a grayish hue to it, which upon closer inspection, is a wonderful sparkly crystallization. What I was missing in the 1981 version were the oriental tobaccos that halfway the bowl began to sing the dominant part. However, it isnt one that is widely smoked or one most pipe smokers have even been lucky enough to try. Like probably so many other pipers, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to find this blend in stock and purchase. A musty, fermented, sour and Latakia rich smell invades the nostrils as I fill my pipe. Secondly it is very balanced with each tobacco playing very well together. you certify that you are at least 21 years old and consent to an age and
The strength is a couple of steps short of medium. The taste is medium. Big, full, round, heavy, large, expansive. Aroma: Smoke, sweet vinegar, wood chips, cherry pit, concentrated fig, pomegranate jam. I simply loved the flavor. Just a slight leathery flavor in the background. I bewailed the last tin in my Weed Store, sold to an undeserving oik who wanted to try 'Sumfin' new. The finish was not abrupt, not harsh, it just sort of faded away. 10 it became kind of the Holy Grail of the pipe tobaccos. Don't see something you want? 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. I've always been curious about which type of Latakia was used maybe both? Predominant Latakia did a good job of giving the mixture that full body which I like so much. This one is smooth and bold with good sourness from the orientals and slight smoke from the Latakia. Despite that I was allowed to finish the bowl, the darling :) So here also: points for authenticity! Select One
I was fortunate enough to come across some on ebay at a resoanble price (of course it was only for the packaging). I will endeavor to keep this easy smoking, great tasting blend stockpiled from now on. It had been 15 years since I had seen this "Varietal". and before I spent the $95 I thought twice.. and then, of course, pulled the trigger. I must confess I did not notice the Turkish in the beginning but later during the smoking it came to my attention and the experience was not all that superb. The Latakia was toned way down, yet was a presence. Unfortunatley production of this tobacco will cease at the end of this year, so I will be stocking up as much of it as I can for the furure. Joe worked closely with GBD on developing new shapes, e.g., #263 extra long Canadian, the ?glass-blasted? Among the most celebrated and legendary English blends, Balkan Sobranie dates to the 1920s when it was crafted by Sobranie of London a blending house established in 1879 by the Redstone family. He gives me a pouch of early-90s Sobranie White. Put my name on the list to try the new one out. Four Big Stars for the new Original Mixture! First: I never really imagined smoke the legendary The Balkan Sobranie. The smell of the tobacco was very moist and incredible, unlike any other brand save for a few English blends that I had experienced. When the towel is dry, I'll gently mix the contents and repeat until the moisture level is right. moreover, to put it bluntly the overall hype of something, mainly because of its rarity does a great disservice to those trying to take it for what it is, and experience something as it exists now. Smokingpipes has been down for a few days for maint. I have drank from the Holy Grail and the wine was awesome! . If I had plenty of money, I'd have piles of Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture in the cellar. The label on the tin is cheap looking and not printed well but I dont care I want whats inside. what i like most about it is not necessarily the overall impression.. i like the details and the subtlety. The smell is definately english/balkan in nature. They perfected Sobranie (which simply means ?parliament? I was really interested in buying some, seeing how hard it was to come by. Now it seems to follow the path outlined by Balkan Sasieni, since it looks like that more and more: same cut, same colour, almost same taste. Strength: Room Note: Taste: Customer Reviews (22 Total) Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars Clean taste of mostly virgina and orientals through the bowl with just enough smokiness from the latakia. Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would findpleasurable. or Best Offer +$5.40 shipping. BALKAN refers to the Greek Macedonian yenidze [ jenidze, yenidje, etc.] Very good. Burns moderate with few relights. It's the real deal. This tobacco in my humble opinion should be the standard by which all Balkans are judged by, it is that good. Especially, if it means spending outrageous sums of money. I'd rather own 50 grams of this than 500 grams of any other Balkan blend out there today. Yes, this tobacco is all that I remembered it to be. Dating back to around the 1920s, this is a combination of wonderful Virginias, excellent Orientals and enough Latakia for a robust and flavorful mixture. It has now disappeared altogether. Hours of Operation: Our website is always open and you can place an order at any time. Packing characteristics are good, which I find true of all ribbons. The Latakia-based blends status as a legend is due to the exceptional sweet and rich qualities of this particular tobacco mix. (50 Grams)
View All Close. It won?t be easy to find, but it is floating around out there. Both reek marvelously, are roughly at the half-way mark as far as Latakia, and seem to have less Oriental than either the Pease mixture mentioned above, or the Cornell & Diehl mixture. And then, pure bliss. Whatever it was, I spent several years following this up by trying to find another "balkan". Us First, a bit of history learned from Joe Zieve, the founder of Smokers' Haven in Columbus, Ohio, where I went to Ohio State and, with a friend from Kent State, studied more with Joe than at school. Better! I wish I could, but that just ain?t happenin?. 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. Is the cigarette tobacco anything like the pipe tobacco? No Virginia top notes here. Seems all the latakia smokers I know in person prefer Balkan Sasieni to Sobranie - insofar as the contemporary blends are concerned. Packing/lighting: Packs well with a lot of spring. It's a great mouth pipe, hand pipe, and sitter. Won't bite or get harsh. After waiting for over a year, I finally got a chance to try it. Will definantly get next time some shows up here in the US. The smell is very unusual but pleasant at the same moment. Inventory changes daily, call us at 630-834-7777 to place an order. Again, whatever. Smoking this mixture was a unique experience. 2001-2023 STC Holdings LLC, a division of Mac Baren USA. Curisoty and the words of that tobacconist, got the better of me when I saw an unopened tin from the sixties on Ebay. Tobaccos Indian Outlaw (Virginias and Cavendish) Rated 5.00 out of 5 Not sure what to make of this. But not in a bad way, think Crme Brule. For a dark deep Latakia blast that will remind you of your first impression of Balkan Sobranie white, Gawith Hogarth's Balkan Blend is a good choice, and so is Butera's Pelican. Balkan Sobranie. That is what makes this blend so wonderful. Is this the best tobacco in pipe history, as many smokers claim? Buttery is a nice description. It is easy for me to say that Balkan Sobranie is/was my favorite tobacco of all time. Those were the three pipes he believed in, BBB, Petersen, Comoy, Sasieni and even Barling having already begun to slide. 50g Ribbon Description Tobacconists does not sell cigarettes on this site, nor do we sell tobacco
Anyway, there is more latakia then in the pouch version. this blend builds up to a medium to full strength. And long gone. 'Perfection' I have tried many different brand's over the year's,that claim to be a near perfect copy. I think that I've had a bit of this once in a while. I could see this becoming my "go to" blend except that it to is mostly unavailable. I'm nursing my limited supply. Simply amazing stuff, and I mourn that it's almost gone. Smokers are delighted in its medium-to-robust body, incense-like aroma and satisfying taste. Everything was perfectly balanced and smooth. Sampled from a fairly fresh 50g pouch of the Gallaher version that was eight years old when purchased back in 2010. Deep, rich, tarry, resinous. Join Milan Tobacconists on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest for Real-Time
Once I opened a can and discovered that one of the stems (it had its share of stems) was in fact a rusty nail. This is probably the most famous Balkan blend ever. This is the closest I have ever tasted to the original product. All in all, it was a very pleasant experience and I am looking forward to repeating it. The third part was on the strong side. This is a gentle mixture that I'd smoke any time of day were it not for its rarity. The legendary Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture has now been reintroduced by Arango Cigar Co. The sad history of Balkan Sobranie after its initial sale, years later, is available in other reviews on this site. I ended up scouting for more and managing a few more ounces at outrageous prices. When I first discovered it it had a unique quality, tasting like no other and though caused by the latakia which is present in large quantities, allegedly sprayed on by my doubting tobacconist. In its aged form, I still prefer 759.