It's definitely not worth that kind of price. It has a peaty, brackish astringency that is quite unique as a taste?it reminds me of some olives, in a way. Retailer name please. History. Then I happened on a shop in the Rockies while I was on assignment there. I surmise that tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. Supremely rich and dense in flavor, yet as light as a souffle. More so, for instance, than the "Frog Morton" which leans toward the Latakia; or Bill Bailey's, which is "over the edge" with Latakia. I simply loved the flavor. I'd rather own 50 grams of this than 500 grams of any other Balkan blend out there today. in the lid of the old Balkan Sobranie, retracting it from the lip and reclosing the can, thus piercing the inner tin lid, the escaping hiss was divine. Last year a friend picked up some pouches from Japan: the tobacco was good, but a pale shadow of its glorious former self. First the mixture is not homogeneous in any respect. He was instrumental in my starting to smoke a pipe in the early 80's as he hated my cigarette habit. A cool and long-lasting smoke. Packaging: Tin
It has a grayish hue to it, which upon closer inspection, is a wonderful sparkly crystallization. This is a gentle mixture that I'd smoke any time of day were it not for its rarity. Latakia plays a front role but is not overwhelming. 'But none' have even come mildly close in anyway-as far as I am concerned. Finally I snagged a few tins of this blend. I need to find a source, because I'd smoke this all winter. 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. and Related Accessories to Discerning Cigar and Pipe Smokers From Our
I still wonder if the dumbest thing I ever did with regards to this hobby was to not buy that second tin. 2023 TobaccoPipes.com
Balkan Sobranie: Balkan Sobranie 50g Pipe Tobacco Product Number: 003-513-0001 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. Well worth the wait , subscribe to be notified upon restock, and grab up as much as you can. Pipeworks and Wilke has two blends with Yenidje: No. I always try new tobacco with completely dry pipe 3 or 4 days without being smoked, and then I dedicate that pipe to that tin for the duration of said tobacco. 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. Unlike most Latakia blends, the room not of Balkan Sobranie is rich and pleasant, think incense or a just-spent fire. Now I know how was the original and now i can compare. Aroma of very delicate floral Orientals, slightly sour, smoky latakia and just a kiss of sweetness from the Virginia. 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. He gives me a pouch of early-90s Sobranie White. Without question this was the most anticipated tin I have ever opened. There is very little of the campfire and leather latakia-type taste. Man oh man oh man! Note that a bowl or two will ruin your taste buds for the night for any other subtle, delicate smoke! I feel very fortunate to be able to have enough of this legendary tobacco to offer this, my first review. In my opinion, no. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incredible almost magical! 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. Posted by Bob Sizemore on 8th Jan 2023 Didn't particular like. I am not going into the subtle differences of these two blends of heaven. I already asked to seek further into the depths of his store, but with no result. The tobacco for what it is worth did seem a bit dry (just the way I like it). 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 feel like a snobby tobacco smoker when this is in my pipe. Perhaps all of the above. This stuff have cool somoke, something light and very rich. Ok ..lets all get over the Balkan Sobraine tag because this stuff isn't anything like the stuff I smoked in the '60's and 70's, in fact, it reminds me of Bill Baily's Balkan a bit. Every bowl. It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. A TRUE MASTERPIECE. I loved this classic, and will always remember what a special experience it was to have some. He also was the proprietor of the finest tobacconist in town; alas defunct due to the health Luddites and their diligent spreading of manure. Rattray's did not come close at all. I didn't get tongue bite, but if I smoked multiple bowls per day I would, which reminds me of said Turkish at least until aged some. Smell from the tin: Yummie! We're all poorer for the loss. A couple of random memories. Wow. 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. The incense like aroma and fantastic taste is hard to describe and must be experienced at least once. Note that the Royal Jersey Mixture has some Maryland, and will therefore have tin-aged differently than the others. Yes, it is a nice baccy but, these days there are a TON out there that have tried to copy it over the years and some have absolutely succeeded. Is it back in production or is this old stock? The original Balkan Sobranie is the holy grail of pipe tobacco, and when even its subsequent, inferior versions garner four stars from virtually every reviewer in these pages, it deserves more than a few words from an old codger who's never found an acceptable substitute. I am rooting for them as this is very highly recommended! You know how things get distorted after so many years "ahh, those were the GOOD old days.". Conclusion: Applause! During the Second World War Joe was stationed in England, where he visited Balkan Sobranie and made a deal with them to sell Balkan canned by them in London and labelled as Best, exclusively. Related products. Yet at the same time, it is cool, smooth, soft, and velvetly. I said, no problem I'll buy it from you. Sweet, soft, creamy, leathery, a perfect balance between its components. No pipecleaner needed during the smoke. Thousands of pipe smokers have been lamenting since. Kudos, friend. Try a Sutliff match blend, Balkan Sasieni are better than this. The tobacco cut varies from rough to smooth and needs a bit of a rubbing out to help it burn evenly. The Redstones were a Jewish family who left (fled?) I open one of my remaining stock every 10 years and will savor each bowl over the next few months. Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. It lights well, and burns fairly slowly as is typical for latakia/oriental blends. Now I am back to the pipe after a time out for raising two great sons. 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. The sad history of Balkan Sobranie after its initial sale, years later, is available in other reviews on this site. 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. Im not very fond of Latakia heavy blends and was pleasantly surprised that the Latakia doesnt overpower the Orientals or Virginias. UPDATE: This mixture just has a taste of its own. I left out room note as I lived alone at that time. I just smoked one of my last bowls. Especially, if it means spending outrageous sums of money. Despite the pouch, the tobacco comes rather humid, and needs to be broken a bit to be packed correctly. Personally, I've only tried two of them. Still is. This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. The deep bitter sweet undertones of the mixture, combined with a certain degree of mineral saltiness had me transfixed, as if submerged within Alban Berg's music; a beatific state interrupted only when the wife, alarmed at the strong odor, would barge into the room--broom in hand--to chase me out of the house. a pipe and Balkan Sobranie is to be savored. What can I say for me this is the gold standard for Balkans. In its aged form, I still prefer 759. Having heard so much about this blend I was prepared to be under whelmed, but it really does live up to the hype. 2000-2023 Laudisi Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. It contains sweetened black Cavendish and a fair amount of orientals and latakia, but I would not class it as a full Balkan. The latakia plays a supporting role despite there being a significant quantity of it in the blend. Similar Blends: No other Balkan on the planet I've tried tastes as good but some have come close Really good stuff & I'm not a big Latakia fan but it facilitates this blend's sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. . The resurrection of this blend has been so well received there are continuing shortages. THE LEGEND. This is perhaps the most interesting review thread on here, dedicated as it is to a legend rather than to anything that still exists. And there may have been some pressed bright Virginia as well. Meticulously recreated by JF Germain in England. Peterson Pipe Tobacco Nightcap (Dunhill)1.76, Peterson Pipe Tobacco My Mixture 965 (Dunhill Blend)1.76oz. And yet, the aromas and flavors of the other ingredients were not overwhelmed. In all other respects, the tobacco is identical. I used to smoke this back in college days and of course, at the time had no idea what I had in my bowl. I have always liked this blend, and am in the process of smoking the last of my supply. This one is smooth and bold with good sourness from the orientals and slight smoke from the Latakia. The smoke was so creamy and rich, yet light and subtle, so sweet yet so interesting, it was magical. So many of the reviews for this mixture are perorations for something beautiful that is gone, and entirely appropriately so. I find this blend to be spectacular if allowed to sit, packed, for several hours to dry. 5 years from now, a tin of this stuff will be as sought after as the old stuff. Like many of the more traditional English blends, Balkan Sobranie's original mixture has changed hands a number of times, leading to different versions. When the towel is dry, I'll gently mix the contents and repeat until the moisture level is right. I came to the pipe in the latter part of my smoking career, since I was and still am a cigar enthusiast. Pre-Owned. A very smooth first part with lots of latakia flavor and well balanced taste. My friends all wondered how I could smoke such strong tobacco. escaped her lips. No bitterness. Im glad to hear your thoughts. The Sobranie has the properties of the newer Sasieni in full measure; but, if there is a difference: I would describe it as softer, or less sharp! They, too, were masterpieces. Top of the top. He considered the Cognac the perfect shape, growing thicker as the smoke proceeded, keeping the pipe cool. Their room note bespeaks a gentleman's presence. 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. Perhaps its uniqueness is one of the reasons why so many pipers love it. I was fortunate enough to come across some on ebay at a resoanble price (of course it was only for the packaging). It may not display this or other websites correctly. Mine was from a Gallagher 50g pouch. 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. However, the guys at Ed's Original Tinderbox in Santa Monica hooked me up with their Balkan blend. But is it good, absolutely. I opened this tin given to me as a gift by dm14 and I thank him for it. I'm no expert but I think that both today's Sobranie and Sasieni (made by Stokkebye) are using poor quality VA's that produce that (combined) effect and sensation of, as another reviewer has written, "smoking hot air". 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. Matched perfectly with the smoky and woody Latakia. The cut of the tobacco out of the pouch was very rough, and had a good number of twigs, etc. I started loving the pipe when I was a teen. Posted by mark on 20th Dec 2022 . Unfortunately, there was no Original Mixture. (I use quotes here because I know it has gone through several incarnations and is quite different than what it was decades ago.) None have answered, though many are excellent. 10 it became kind of the Holy Grail of the pipe tobaccos. I do not know if this is a result of aging or as it was at that time as I was an avid cigar smoker in those days and never smoked a new tin. I suppose I should move on and find something that grants me such pleasure again. Davidoff Pipe Tobacco
, Dont Buy It If You Arent GoingTo Smoke It, When can we have the goods? While the ash was white, the pipe's heel usually got wet, which certainly demanded a pipe's traditional day's rest for every time smoked. I always found its sister blends, RATTRAY?s Red Raparee and DUNHILL?s London Mixture more conservatively and more finely integrated; in comparison, Sobranie seemed a little bloated sometimes, a little relentless. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. I simply loved the flavor. I welcome other reminiscences, additions, corrections; but, N.B. Also they have men in service that formerly worked for the House Sobranie. 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. In fact, the difference might be compared to that between the Glenfiddich Scotch (sharp) and the Glenlivet Scotch (soft), albeit not so distinct?. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component. 400 (closer, but not close enough). More's that pity that it is now defunct. And when dried properly, leaves no dottle in the bowl. If I had to choose but one tobacco this would be it. 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. Those were the days, my friend, I thought they'd never end. Germain & Son have experience in "imitating" the House Sobranie products. Sorry, I havent been around long enough to know better. 10+10 out of 10. Packing first with the gravity technique, and finishing off with a medium pack. Close . . Well, I was not dissapointed. Before production ended, Balkan Sobranie suffered from a dumbed down recipe and its quality plummeted. I still have a dozen unopened tins from 1981 and 1982. Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. All rights reserved. White tin - real McCoy. Appearance and Tin aroma: medium broad-cut ribbons. It is very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would findpleasurable. Log ged in and had two in less than 30 seconds. Really great because you can taste the love and craftsmanship. Leiconnsel, yours is the finest review I've ever read here. Samuel Gawaith's Balkan Flake, supposedly 30% latakia and 70% Virginia (despite the Balkan name) is a good, honest, high quality tobacco to which one could maybe add high quality Cavendish, Yenidje and deer tongue and get somewhere close to Balkan (despite Balkan Flake's caked form). 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. I'm getting low on Sutliff Balkan Sobranie 759 Match that I've enjoyed right along, from SP. |Forums For those who appreciated the soggy aged Virginia note, try Germain's King Charles Mixture, Royal Jersey Latakia Mixture, or Esoterica's And So To Bed. 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. Im glad I got it and will continue to smoke it until its gone. It comes pretty wet out of the tin. But I have since then tried a very well-kept tin from (I think) the 40s or 50s, which was a little dry (but moistened back up with a small piece of orange peel), inherited by a friend of mine by his late grandfather. Shipping. One cannot regret smoking this, it really is a great smoke. Regardless, it does have a decent nicotine punch, more so then Penzance or Caravan. Take care of and estimate your favourites, they may disappear as suddenly as TBS did. Turkish and VA dominate the aroma, but latakia is still there firmly. Hopefully, the rumors are true that this is being brought back blended by Germain. Layer after layer of astonishing tobacco flavor all perfectly put together. Peterson Pipe Tobacco
A smooth mellow blend that is simply delicious. 2001-2023 STC Holdings LLC, a division of Mac Baren USA. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incrediblealmost magical! Not particularly heavy on Latakia. The flavor becomes more balanced as you get into the first quarter of the bowl. Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor.
Strength: Room Note: Taste: Customer Reviews (22 Total) Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars Despite all of my gripes with the blend I thoroughly enjoy the flavor, and imagine it will become significantly better with age and added complexity. This GeoTrust
Ideally, I should have kept it in the freezer. No one was able to come near this excellence. Tobacconists does not sell cigarettes on this site, nor do we sell tobacco
I was impatient while filling my first bowl straight out of the pack which I later regretted, but I will come to that. View All (61) Balkan Sobranie Balkan Sobranie 50g Reviews. It is a brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured. In the full-English range, so over forty percent Latakia, and around twenty five percent Oriental. If this is the case and the viewpoint hasn't been romanticized too much, I can see why this was a Hall of Fame blend as even the era that I smoked was excellent. Countless proficient blenders have tried hard to copy it. I guess I first tried it nearly 35 years ago. Is it inexpensive? It's simply that good. I won't go into the more esoteric territories trying to describe it (others have done a good job on that already, both for the original and the reincarnation), suffice to say I do enjoy it, but not every day and in modest quantities. From 1962-63 through 1978 when I stopped smoking a pipe regularly, my tobacconist sent me two 8 ox tins of Balkan Sobranie each month and that included my tour in Vietnam in 1967-68. It's just really hard to find. rather than ?tobacco.? Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. Not sure what to say but it nothing like the original and there are FAR better quality pipe blends than this. Balkan Sasieni
Blend with a characteristic, a bit stronger room note and taste. The tobacco came super-dry in the pouch and required almost a month of rehydration. Not much piquant, pretty monochrome. I've tried dried deer tongue leaf broken or crumbled in blends and gotten nothing out of it. Orientals dominate the taste, almost to the exclusion of all else. As for flavorits ok. . Remember that not all of the tobaccos available back then are available now. Availability: . I noticed today on a certain online retailer (theyre not a site sponsor so Im not sure if its cool to name them) that Balkan Sobranie was for sale$25.99 per tin, limit one per customer. 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. It still is a very tasty, oriental-dominated blend, and one which has no equals. It is quite close to the original Sobranie, although like Balkan Sasieni it uses generic oriental rather than Yenidje. I sampled a 50 gram foil pack from Italy vintage 2007. 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. The latakia did not hide, nor was it subtle. 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. I do hope they reintroduce the 759 as I would be more intersested in it, but they have done a fine job with this. Enjoyed the original many moons ago. Its tangy,Smokey and sweet at the same time. Peaceable puffing. Air time and letting it open a bit was all it took to take this to a new level. Not a lot of spring. One day the manufacturer stops making the blend or closes their doors. Moreover, I find the Yenidje and other Orientals to be more pronounced and complex than in Peases Caravan. It's clear to me that smoked fresh this is no lightweight English/balkan. Packing and lighting are straightforward. If I was given the difficult choice of one tin, either TBS or 759, I would go for TBS. 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. Specifically, the yenidje! The tobacco presents a fine white ash when burnt. I think most of us, especially new to the community, think its some mythical blend that would be our holy grail in our modest cellar. 2 Reviews; 2 Reviews. Much cheaper too, about $2.50/oz. 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. Germain's Balkan Sobranie 3-Pack of 50g tins . I LOVE IT! It is considered as The Holy Grail of Pipe Tobacco! Also, I'd not get any sweet or earthy notes from the virginia leaf. 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. | Rewarding to smoke. I then flavored it in with the Syrian Latakia until it reached the smokiness I desired (I had some Sobranie on hand for comparison purposes). 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. Find the perfect balkan sobranie stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. I cannot compare this to the original, but on its own merit, this was one great smoke. I was lucky to score several pouches a few years ago. This because J.F. 4. 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. It works for me. Is it back in production or is this old stock? The winelike aroma of the virginias translates to the flavor and is sublime in the mix. As far as Italy is concerned BSOM does remain the only mixture you can truly name "balkan". I will always thank him for his gift of friendship to a man 50 years his junior. 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. A crowning achievement in the tobacco blending craft without question. Awesome smoke and definitely the finest Balkan I've tried so far! Note: It is easy to go overboard with the Syrian (The stuff is so delicious! On the contrary! For those who seek a refined latakia-oriental blend rich in flavor, but retrained in raw power and bluster.
Oak Lawn Cemetery Cook County, Illinois,
Used Tiny Homes For Sale In San Antonio Texas,
Articles B