Rather sweet base, campfire room note. Creamy, smoky and sweet. and not as part of the weekly rotation. 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. I wish I could, but that just ain?t happenin?. Don't see something you want? and Related Accessories to Discerning Cigar and Pipe Smokers From Our Germain's Balkan Sobranie is a fantastic Balkan mixture. The subtle interplay between the Orientals and the Latakia along with the suspected aged virginias became sublime.as well as whatever word denotes that which is greater than sublime. Posted by mark on 20th Dec 2022 . Packs a punch! Germain & Son has succeeded in producing a worthy version of the legendary Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture! : the more it tries to be, the more it is not. Lots of moisture. Finished! The king of balkans! The tobacco for what it is worth did seem a bit dry (just the way I like it). The strength is a couple of steps short of medium. Almost as if someone had tossed some diamond dust into the tin and shook it up. Also there was yenidje in that one but that has become very scarce.. Is the tobacco as good as the beginning of the 80's version? Im glad to hear your thoughts. BSOM has been the very first meeting with latakia mixtures (the second was the John Cotton's 1&2). !Thats my opinion.Exellent in all respects. So I'm writing what I think I recall here. 524 (excellent, but not a "Balkan Sobranie") and No. I could tell it was loaded with my beloved Syrian Latakia and something else I might have tasted just the barest hint of in Balkan Sasieni, probably the Yenidje. I can usually say "I wish this blend had something more" but not here. Please check back with us in a few days. Perhaps all of the above. I think it was a mistake to name this Balkan Sobranie; it would have done much better as a new blend under its own name and in its own right, because, for what it is, it's actually very good. Cyprian latakia is present along with turkish in the nose. I wish more could be imported, I think I ordered a tin from here and I have gotten a few elsewhere. For joy. For those who seek a refined latakia-oriental blend rich in flavor, but retrained in raw power and bluster. Dating back to around the 1920s, this is a combination of wonderful Virginias, excellent Orientals and enough Latakia for a robust and flavorful mixture. Thoroughly enjoyable and deserves a quiet hour or so to smoke it and really enjoy it. Clean taste of mostly virgina and orientals through the bowl with just enough smokiness from the latakia. It lights well, and burns fairly slowly as is typical for latakia/oriental blends. No bite whatsoever. This doesn't mean that there aren't better Balkans or latakia mixtures: it just means that Original still has something that makes it different and immediately recognizable, and which is missing from ALL other imitations. The virginias appear to be aged nicely. There were many incarnations of the Balkan Sobranie, and every reviewer here seems to be referring to a different one. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. Published review content of this website is considered the The whole pouch seemed like a big pouch of black cav. The light unflavored soda note or two along with some dry wood, earth, floralness from the yenidje is always noticeable. Together with Penzance some of the best tin-smells ever. I hear you can get this across the pond. Balkan was definitely true to the old bromide that the worse the room smelled, the better the tobacco (don't the girls just love the smell of Cherry Blend). The middle part was a bit heavier but still a good medium taste with a full room note and ample white smoke. I deem this an excellent, one of the best Balkan blends ever & I'm not a big Latakia fan but it facilitates this blend's sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. 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. 1999, pretty nice but nothing compared by the old original. Presentation, blending, and moisture aside I put flame to tobacco and it took it quite readily, giving nice volumes of fragrant smoke. I have not tried either yet. Sutliff Match Pipe Tobacco Victorian (Dunhill Elizabethan) $2.68 - $146.87. It is my understanding that the version that I was smoking was not the quality of tins sold in the 1970's. Just a slight leathery flavor in the background. This was sampled from a fairly fresh eight year old, 50g Gallaher's pouch back in 2010; This BSOM makes you reach for that elusive, sweetness with each draw. Usually one tamp and relight. Is it as good as the 70's, 60's and before version? 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. The blend was fairly dark and seemed to pack very well. I've been smoking this as long as it's been an option to me- the last four years. Well, this has finally become unavailable to me. I don't mind the premium prices this blend commands; it's worth it. Their room note bespeaks a gentleman's presence. I had no experience with the blend previously but, had tried the others years ago. Rating?I can't smoke it "all the time", due to supply?however, this is a "Four Star Blend". As much as I loved (and continue to love) latakia, I can't say I ever really loved this particulat mixture. Overall: A classic Balkan that I hope someone re-introduces again in its original form. Costly but nothing like buying Tins of Sobranie off ebay. Here this rare feature stretches and completes the finish.For everything else polished and majestic that Balkan Sobranie displays; this is the one virtue that crystallises the experience and it and sets it apart. I am going to smoke this tin. Much cheaper too, about $2.50/oz. It was really good, superior to Caravan, Balkan Supreme, Balkan Sasieni and just as yummy to me as P&W's #10 with a little more weight and a cooler temperment. View All (61) Balkan Sobranie Balkan Sobranie 50g Reviews. Unfortunately, there was no Original Mixture. What I'm amazed to see is how much wrong info circulates about this tobacco now. I surmise that tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. This is my first and regretfully one of few remaining experiences with this wonderful tobacco; angels doing the tango on my tongue. Ideally, I should have kept it in the freezer. That and its uncompromising flavour do not augur success with the masses. Dan Tobacco Pipe Tobacco When he passed, I was notified by his widow that I had been left his cellar and pipe collection. I am no expert, but this stash is an education for the senses. reproduced in any manner without the expressed written consent of STC Holdings LLC. Out of stock tobaccos are still offered as always. However, it isnt one that is widely smoked or one most pipe smokers have even been lucky enough to try. I suppose a classic chapter in pipe-smoking is now closed, although I am sure that lovers of this blend in its heyday would envy us our personal acquaintance with people like, say, G.L. Tobaccos Indian Outlaw (Virginias and Cavendish) Rated 5.00 out of 5 Balanced to a fault, yet it's the sum of its ingredients that makes it so distinctive and so hard to imitate. Price: At 4noggins a tin of this new version costs $10.19. It reminds me of two blends sort of: Pease's Charing Cross and Bohemian Scandal. (By the way, the letters die-stamped on GBDs indicated which subcontracted carver had done the pipe after initial curing. They were definitely not alike. Well, not a real review, just sharing my story. The finish was not abrupt, not harsh, it just sort of faded away. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better until the very end. Us |Contact An all day smoke that lacks the depth and complexity of past manufactures. I sprang for two pouches of this from someone selling the stuff in Spain. Opinions are to Balkan Sobranie what armpits are to Vishnu. Taste: Regarding taste the tobacco is a good mix of the pouch version and my 1981 tin version. 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. Ive got most of the recommended blends here but will have to look into a few of the others. The Latakia is leathery, smoky with an characteristic peat flavor. I want to start this review by prefacing a few things. Lucky for me the Turkish did not impose itself too much so I just ignored it. The ribbon cut was tricky to load, and if clumped up could cause voids. I have smoked for three years this unforgettable tobacco. I see why this blend commands a premium. My 5 star rating is based on the original blend but I have never tried this newer iteration. Ran out in the late 80's. The tin note is unmistakably dominated by the Latakia, but the Orientals and Virginias in the right proportion also add a lively distinction of their own. smokers to be superior. It is however, most complex and rich tasting, with a very unique nasal almost heady quality which I really enjoy; different than nicotine. 309 South Jefferson Street, Roanoke, VA 24011 Toll I like it, not as aromatic as I remember from the 70s. 2001-2023 STC Holdings LLC, a division of Mac Baren USA. Pipe Tobacco You must be 21 years or older to make any selections on this site - by doing so, you are confirming that you are of legal age to purchase tobacco products or smoking accessories. It came in a pouch and in a large tin. Really good stuff & I'm not a big Latakia fan but it facilitates this blend's sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. Not so heavy, incredibly smooth tobacco, giving a gentle sweetness and a dry, salty smoking that reminds me of Syrian Latakia. Sorry, I havent been around long enough to know better. It needs to be dried out quite a bit before smoking. 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 have drank from the Holy Grail and the wine was awesome! This should be approachable to all but the most puny of smokers. It is legendary for a reason, and it certainly isn't nostalgia. Actually another word comes to mind, but we'll leave it at junk for the younger more impressionable segment of our fellow readers. This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. 4th Generation Pipe Tobacco The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. Not particularly heavy on Latakia. 1, I'm not quite sure how old this can is as it was a gift and 2, I did not smoke my usual 2oz for the review. In the present day, this has gone out of production and is considered the standard to which all balkans are measured. Shows what they know. None came close to the White Tin with the neat wagon on the front of the tin. He figures these tins are from the late 1980's early 1990's. I believe that now there are better blends of this kind. The virginia presents itself in the form of a winelike aroma. Ones ?below? You see, this story is what I think of when I hear the name Sobranie. Curisoty and the words of that tobacconist, got the better of me when I saw an unopened tin from the sixties on Ebay. Like everyone else who's been smoking as long as I have, I can confirm that this is nothing like the old tins we used to smoke decades ago. Then it was no fills in Virgins, and then it was fills in them, too. Texture of the cut is fine, mostly uniform ribbons which felt just a bit too wet. Many people say of the Balkan Sasieni, McClelland's Blue Montain are examples of tentatives from your blenders to get close of the Balkan Sobranie. Once the product has come back in stock, you'll need to resubscribe for future notifications. I find Nightcap, Penzance and Black Mallory to be more complex. It clings to itself almost like a shag. Finally I snagged a few tins of this blend. Maybe 965 with a heaping of wet lawn clippings. Bottom Line: The ultimate expression of the oriental leaves. And even with the utmost care and dedication it fatigues my palate after I'm done. by the House of Sobranie and now produced in the Esoterica Tobacciana But is it good, absolutely. My initiation into pipe smoking was with a tin of this 'nectar' Yes, I was permanently spoiled. The flavor is very deep and rich and burns to a clean white ash. In my honest opinion the best choice that they could have made! I noticed today on a certain online retailer (they're not a site sponsor so I'm not sure if it's cool to name them) that Balkan Sobranie was for sale$25.99 per tin, limit one per customer. Finally, even the Saseini was taken over by Orlik a few years ago, closing the chapter on the book of Sobranie with finality. Since our culture today is one of over-blown expectations and manufactured exclusivity I was a tad sceptical. No Virginia top notes here. I bended my own Balkan Sobrane Original Mixture with these 6 top of the line tobaccos: Wellauers- Latakia .Which is true Syrian Latakia (The real thing)I had five tins sent from Tabac Rhein in Switzerland. It has cost 8 Euros for 50 grams and I have no problem with that, I'd pay twice the price. Is it worth 100.00 a tin, no. It works for me. Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture Pipe Tobacco Tin Item# 1101 $21.95 The English mixture's Virginia tobaccos mellow the Latakia, while Oriental and Cavendish leaves add balance and a "round" flavor. I almost feel that one star is too good for 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. I welcome other reminiscences, additions, corrections; but, N.B. Still nowadays the TBS and the 759 are THE benchmark for all Oriental Mixtures. Put my name on the list to try the new one out. Add to Wishlist. It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. I thought to myself "Yes, this is exactly what my palate envisioned pipe smoking would be, and it is Good.". It is too late and the tins that are still around are selling for hundreds each or more. At least for this one time, the cost of the tin was well worth it. 2 Reviews; 2 Reviews. There is an acidic nuttiness like roasted walnuts, and a perfect sweetness as well. Having heard so much about this blend I was prepared to be under whelmed, but it really does live up to the hype. I get my email notification go straight there to order & poof gone! Many other blends have the same problem. Bob . It's kind of funny. I don't see how someone can give it "one star" based on them missing the drop..? I had heard, and I thought they were exagerated. I want to savor every bit of this room note that I can. I'm anxious to try the new Grand Orientals series from McClelland to see how they compare to BS (specifically, Yenidje Supreme, Yenidje Highlander, and Yenice Agonya) and will update this review at that time. Despite the pouch, the tobacco comes rather humid, and needs to be broken a bit to be packed correctly. Please let me know: pearsond -at- odsgc.net. For those who liked the resinous Oriental perfume, Dunhill's Durbar is quite nice. Sampled from a fairly fresh 50g pouch of the Gallaher version that was eight years old when purchased back in 2010. What can I say for me this is the gold standard for Balkans. And yet, the aromas and flavors of the other ingredients were not overwhelmed. I see why this blend commands a premium & if I had plenty of money, I'd have plenty more Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture. Included were 6 tins of the old 759 and 3 tins of the #10. The new pouched version of Original, while good, is vastly inferior to both 759 and Original of old: not as rich, and sometimes a bit too pungent and harsh, a bit out of balance. A year later in 1966, I graduated to a curved Briar pipe and the Sobranie Original Mixture. The cut is a fine shag like the ribbon which is a little finicky getting lit and keeping it so but chalking that up to a moisture thing mostly I believe. Sasieni, Macedonia Mixture, Odesa, and on and on. After a few puffs the sweetness comes forth, the Virginia's. So it was very perplexing when I got tongue bite, tongue bite, tongue bite. The same topping as the 1981 and pouch version. The balance of Virginias, Orientals & Latakia: favors the Orientals. All rights reserved. Only the name remains. It was a little dry so I had to add a little humidor to revive it. It is almost all black and had compressed, so I broke it and rubbed it out. Very happy to see it reintroduced. Over the past year I have been slowly smoking 50gm's from the early 1990's and this review is based on that now finished tobacco. This tobacco is unique.. That is what makes this blend so wonderful. Very nuanced, cool and even burning to the bottom of the bowl, but unless you just have to see for yourself or just have to have it for your collection, you probably shouldn't waste your time. Yenidje Highlander, though rather light and not very sweet or creamy, at least gives one a real taste of the Yenidje-latakia interplay. It's a crowning achievement in the tobacco procurement & blending craft without question. - Kelly, Join over 18k members to reviewexclusive content. To my knowledge, the only other ingredient, that which imparted some of the creaminess and the hint of vanilla, was deer tongue, the leaf of a weed(!) This tin, my tin, had more or less 30 years, and was perfectly conserved, yesterday a smoked the last bowl during all the time I used a Savinelli King Cross, This is a small pipe, burns a 20 minutes, but a did a 40 minutes for enjoy each portion of this tobacco. Pipe Manufacturer & Retailer Spotlight | Predominant Latakia did a good job of giving the mixture that full body which I like so much. Legends. Esoterica Pipe Tobacco Initial smoke is full and sweet, and the mix of latakia and turkish is beautiful. UPDATE: This mixture just has a taste of its own. Despite that I was allowed to finish the bowl, the darling :) So here also: points for authenticity! Pease. It is good smoke and I'm glad I got a hold of a couple of tins but, that's about it. Not sweet, but not really bitter like some oriental-heavy blends are. Alas, the blend changed. But dried out some, this is a pretty terrific blend for a special occasion. Most of the time, I like stronger blends over weaker ones and in larger pipes than smaller ones. My tin was very damp. Probably. I've heard that its inclusion is why Balkan was labelled a ?smoking mixture? Good smoke! At a benefit concert at Town Hall in NYC in the 1960's, I watched Thelonius Monk shambling onto stage with a pipe in his mouth and a can of Sobranie in his hand, which can he proceeded to place on the piano before starting to play. Policy | Terms I realize that even though The Balakan Sobranie is gone and that the tobaccos used in it's making are no more to be found, you can still get quality stuff from some dedicated blenders, finding them could be quite a challenge though. This is my favorite in the old Sobranie line. In true honesty, I used to rotate this tobacco with Murray's Early Morning Pipe and Standard's Mixture, just for a change of pace, but I have never smoked something quite like it. The Balkan Sobranie tobacco business was established in London in 1879 by Albert Weinberg (born Romania 1849), whose naturalization papers dated 1886 confirm his nationality and show that he had emigrated to England in the 1870s at a time when hand-made cigarettes in the eastern European and Russian tradition were becoming fashionable in Europe. More so, for instance, than the "Frog Morton" which leans toward the Latakia; or Bill Bailey's, which is "over the edge" with Latakia. Let the smoke slowly out of your mouth and inhale through your nose and you'll see what I mean, all the hype about this tobacco is true and th ats a rare thing, when it's available again, make sure you get some, because out of the hundreds of different tobaccos I've tried over the years this would have to be one of, if not the best I've ever had, just remember, if your not into latakia, don't bother, blue smokes a tanging, enjoy. Composition: The composition is that of the pouch version and the '80's Gallaher version. I hope that the folks at Germain have considered the demand and are prepared to meet it rather than leaving pipe smokers frustrated with a lack of supply. 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. The Virginia is semi-sweet, bready, touch of graham cracker, and in perfect harmony to round out this blend. Blended and aged in the British Isles, Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is comprised primarily of Latakia with a mixture of Orientals, Virginias, and other fine tobaccos for a bold, earthy smoking experience with notes of spice and a mild sweetness. I think that I've had a bit of this once in a while. . It is a brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured. Won't bite or get harsh. This is a blend made for thoughtful and careful puffing. BALKAN refers to the Greek Macedonian yenidze [ jenidze, yenidje, etc.] This starts out with a nice, sharp flavor of latakia and orientals and is perfectly balanced. And sadly the latakia does not age gracefully, losing much of its potency after 40 years in the tin. You are lucky indeed. Together with Balkan Sobranie Mixture 759 and Balkan Sobranie Virginia no. Note that a bowl or two will ruin your taste buds for the night for any other subtle, delicate smoke! Milan Pipe Tobacco As time went on and I matured, this blend slowly grew on me . It was truly like meeting an old friend, after many years of not seeing them, and picking right up where we left off. Outstanding. Something about the mystique of the name made me click the "favorite" button but, oddly, I never reviewed it. The latakia and yenidje play an excellent accompaniment, and all the flavors balance beautifully. The tobacco in the tin is finely cut, almost a shag. Pease Caravan. Not when Hearth &am p; Home makes an equally good and much more available blend. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incrediblealmost magical! Then Gallaher produced this blend until the mid-2000s. Layer after layer of astonishing tobacco flavor all perfectly put together. (I use quotes here because I know it has gone through several incarnations and is quite different than what it was decades ago.) It has a slight, salty flavor in the Orientals from the ocean breeze blowing onto the leaf & has an enticing aroma. We used words like ?ephemeral? I find this blend to be spectacular if allowed to sit, packed, for several hours to dry. It's a "Turkish cigarette" (Oriental blend) which means there's nothing in it but Oriental tobacco. This is, indeed, an excellent balkan. 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. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is great. My Girlfriend hated it, told me I looked like a Hippie Farmer. Having said that, I want to be perfectly c lear I DO believe it is a solid tobacco blend worthy of some distinction. I went into the smoking car of the NY Central RR, opened the tin and smoked. Is it as good as the original? 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. Before lighting the first bowl I was scared by a possible great strength and power. On the contrary! Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco & if I could even come close to another blend that was as tasty as the BSOM, I'd be a happy camper for sure. The tinned version (c. 20 years ago) had for me an almost mystical, incense-like quality, very powerful, that somehow induced a trance like state. Its good. None have answered, though many are excellent. I'm glad to hear your thoughts. A wonderful combination of light body, full flavor and tobacco "goodness". Why on earth did they stop selling this stuff in America? The latakia did not hide, nor was it subtle. Cost about $4. I guess I'll just keep trying but i t very frustrating for those of us who haven't gotten to try these blends. |Privacy In all other respects, the tobacco is identical. The magic of the sensory delight linked to the focus of imagination. Old tins these days are just too mellow - although still MARVELOUS! Once my pipe was filled I went out in the hall of the resort to light it. There are very few aromatics that I like anymore. The strength is a couple of steps short of medium. It is surprisingly mellow and not at all high in nicotine. Rarely, is that the case with a balkan. The tobacco is a very different experience than I expected. It remains to be seen if the new production, coming from a quality blender that currently has trouble meeting demand for its best blends will be able to supply enough product and of high quality. I think it is awful, as I did the last tin of it. 5 years from now, a tin of this stuff will be as sought after as the old stuff. 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 the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje? The scarcity of Balkan Sobranie has elevated it to mythical status, which is just a bit over-doing it IMO. Requires an average number of relights, and leaves little dampness in the bowl. It's just really hard to find. I rarely smoke now. It's similar to Sasieni, just the balance of the blend is more harmonious. Really great because you can taste the love and craftsmanship. Please for the life of Pete, tell me where once again I may get this fine tobacco that I have been without now since the 1990's. Just like every other pipe smoker on the planet I really wanted to try this. Most importantly,unlike many other "Balkan" blends this one has "real" depth. Pipe News |, |About Conclusion: Applause! Still, a very delicious smoke. Gross!" I just smoked one of my last bowls. Perhaps its uniqueness is one of the reasons why so many pipers love it. THE ORIGINAL BALKAN SOBRANIE PIPE TOBACCO IS BACK 50 GRAM 1.76OZ FOUNDED BY A RUSSIAN FAMILY 1879 THE ENGLISH MIXTURE WITH VIRGINIA AND MELLOW LATIKIA, ORIENTAL AND CAVENDISH LEAVES BALLANCE A ROUND FLAVOR MEDIUM TO ROBUST BODY. The perfect aid to peace and contemplation. Leiconnsel, yours is the finest review I've ever read here. Very fine shag (described as ribbon but is much more fine than most) cut in long strands. On opening the pack it has a strong balkan sweet and sour scent (big surprise). All rights reserved. I occasionally pack up some Sobranie just to enjoy it, and I fully believe the tales of yore about how good this blend was. Will definantly get next time some shows up here in the US. As time went on and I matured, this blend slowly grew on me . U.S).Yes, this is the standard by which all other Balkans are compared to, but I do think Greg Pease has surpassed it IMO. 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? History. Still Fresh, Purchased From: Pipestud's Consigment Shop. Size: 1.76 Oz. Leaves the bowl clean and dry, and leaves a clean refreshed smoky palate. Mine was from a Gallagher 50g pouch. Almost no sweetness, the olive notes tasted rancid, and the latakia was so muted as to be undetectable. and ?protean? Starting off astringent and downright sour, the middle section is dominated by exotic spiciness, particularly of cedar. The "Next" Balkan Sobranie is the blend that you and everyone else smoked and enjoyed but you all decided not to purchased in large quantities. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. Men wept when the original supply was discontinued. 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. tin. And, I will not ever, EVER, pay as much for a tobacco again.