However, how does one describe the indescribable? And it is worth every dollar cent! 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. To this is added a large quantity of fiery, tenebrific, real, SYRIAN latakia, all of it held together by the background?and it is very much a background?of red Virginia. Packing first with the gravity technique, and finishing off with a medium pack. In short..the blend against which all others must be compaired (save Red Raparee). I remembered a friend describing to me that the difference between the "old" and "new" is the Latakia in the "new" is more noticable. For my next smoke I will prepare a bit better though, I will leave the tobacco to dry for 15 minutes or so and also I will accompany my pipe with a bottle of strong red Argentinian Syrah or Californian Zinfandel, maybe even Croatian Dingac if my wallet allows it. . Log ged in and had two in less than 30 seconds. 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. It's different, actually, in its deepness, due to different oriental leaves and the different proportions of the components. The smoke is creamy and smooth. As Balkan blends are a bit lighter on the Latakia and heavy on the Orientals it is a bit different than a regular English blend, but not as light as P resbyterian Mixture. 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's definitely not worth that kind of price. This review covers the latest, pouch version. I still have a dozen unopened tins from 1981 and 1982. Also, I'd not get any sweet or earthy notes from the virginia leaf. I first got in to this when I was 19. Four stars despite the number of changes that occurred. When he passed, I was notified by his widow that I had been left his cellar and pipe collection. It works for me. History. Easy to understand why it is treated as the gold standard in Balkan style blends. Purchased From: Pipestuds Consignment Shop. My friends i have just opened a 200gr tin of Sobranie Original and i am smoking it in a Dunhill group5 shell aplle. Is this a masterpiece Absolutely. but still smooth. This is very rare and hard to get! The next thing I know, I have 4 pipes and about twelve blends of tobaccos in hand, along with a quick education from a master. This is also the case with Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture. Quite frankly, this tobacco is much better than I remembered. I still wonder if the dumbest thing I ever did with regards to this hobby was to not buy that second tin. 910 864 5705 [email protected] Information. I just opened a 200 gram gold foil bag of the three remaining I purchased in 1967. The virginias are of the higest grade. the blend i am smoking is the current j f germain version. It is quite close to the original Sobranie, although like Balkan Sasieni it uses generic oriental rather than Yenidje. 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 Milan Tobacconists, In short, Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is back! Super clean taste. It's deeply came to me with amazing satisfaction. Finally got some, opened it up looked and smelled fantastic. I'll start with the presentation in the tin. Price: At 4noggins a tin of this new version costs $10.19. A very smooth smoke that developed slowly and continuously. Anyway, there is more latakia then in the pouch version. And yet, the aromas and flavors of the other ingredients were not overwhelmed. It probably was the best Balkan mixture long ago and it's a shame it disappeared. The blend was found to be too costly to manufacture and so it was simplified, being produced by Gallaher through the 1970's, 80's and then finally ceasing in 1995, with the last tins reaching eager pipesters in 1996. Has a rich experience for me and this tobacco was a unique in months because even when stored for so long, still provided good smoked, full of flavor. I've never smoked anything like it before or since. Packs a punch! If you air it out, the bite disappears. This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. Is it inexpensive? The special cut of Virginia & Perique has a place in almost anyone's rotation. Because it is with this tobacco as with wine. I guess I first tried it nearly 35 years ago. Finished! Out of stock. Moisture content is great. Yet they did not update the tobacco selections. Personally I've never smoked that real old version and I think there was not so much wrong with the pouch version. Like many of the more traditional English blends, Balkan Sobranie's original mixture has changed hands a number of times, leading to different versions. Every bowl. After a few puffs the sweetness comes forth, the Virginia's. Still, a very delicious smoke. I smoke Virginia. There are very few aromatics that I like anymore. Is it as good as the 70's, 60's and before version? It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. The tobacco in the tin is finely cut, almost a shag. 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 am no expert, but this stash is an education for the senses. I am still smoking it occasionally, out of tins remaining from the 70's through the 90's. This pipeweed is certainly an icon and one of the best oriental blends out there. Here's a current review for March 2018. A two or three months ago one friend called me on the facebook messenger, and says me: "Hi, i have a some tins from The Balkan Sobranie". Legends. My 5 star rating is based on the original blend but I have never tried this newer iteration. or Best Offer +$5.40 shipping. Perhaps all of the above. I wish more could be imported, I think I ordered a tin from here and I have gotten a few elsewhere. Is this the best tobacco in pipe history, as many smokers claim? Virginia, Latakia, Yenidje (oriental) of the best quality. Virginias, and other fine tobaccos for a bold, earthy smoking experience with notes Simply amazing stuff, and I mourn that it's almost gone. I smoke this in a group 5 straight billiard and it is quite nice with hot tea, coffee, or in the evening with a fine single malt scotch. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. Could many honest and erudite pipe smokers be deceived . I don't know, but it should be among the top five. As one spun the lid, cutting out the inner lid, one caught the full old-leather, old-whisky, old-wood aroma that promised the same consistent taste as always. Sobranie, all in all, is a wonderfully rewarding smoke. Posted by mark on 20th Dec 2022 . Still is. It's a sweet and smoky treat. Much cheaper too, about $2.50/oz. The year tells you how good it is. Size: 1.76 Oz. I think it's both over-hyped and well deserved. Find the perfect balkan sobranie stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. A great smoke. Its post-modern re-incarnation, BALKAN SASIENI, is the same mix, yet not the same mix at all: the grade of tobaccos and the proportions may be the same, but modern-day orientals seem to be blander, more generic than formerly, and the Cypriot ?latakia?, a nice tobacco in itself, is like California ?chablis? tobacco that gives this blend its characteristic flavour and aroma. . That includes, Sutliff, Black House, and even Blue Mountain. When I first opened the tin and looked at the contents I was a little surprised. His life experience was invaluable to me in many ways. Well if they put this in their new age purses, maybe I'll listen. It's the same for Dunhill, Rattray and other traditional brands. Resembling the tobacco in my 1981 tin. A fine cut mix of dark and light Virginia's, Macedonian tobacco and Cyprian latakia. The tobacco for what it is worth did seem a bit dry (just the way I like it). Since in Italy it's still fully available, I can submit a review of the latest pouches. Initial smoke is full and sweet, and the mix of latakia and turkish is beautiful. Here's the package of Balkan Sobranie cigarettes for the people never saw it. Joe worked closely with GBD on developing new shapes, e.g., #263 extra long Canadian, the ?glass-blasted? Close . AhhhhhhBalkan Sobranie. I first tried this in college. All of that said this is a 4 star smoke. Pease. Composition: The composition is that of the pouch version and the '80's Gallaher version. I simply loved the flavor. 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. 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. Yesterday I opened my last remaining pouch of the 1994 Sobranie Mixture, to see whether it would bring back memories. Balanced to a fault, yet it's the sum of its ingredients that makes it so distinctive and so hard to imitate. Clean taste of mostly virgina and orientals through the bowl with just enough smokiness from the latakia. 10 it became kind of the Holy Grail of the pipe tobaccos. This blend is the peak for me: 10+ out of 10! It's one of those tobaccos that you can't help smoking an immediate second bowl of, and I caught myself doing just that numerous times. This is the grail, the standard by which all other Balkans are measured, and with good reason. of spice and a mild sweetness. I hope that I hear something of it.. All rights reserved. The taste always had a somewhat bitter start - somewhat like Nightcap - but the rest of the experience was addictive. The blend was fairly dark and seemed to pack very well. Tobacconists does not sell cigarettes on this site, nor do we sell tobacco It was like smoking butter. Again, whatever. I would call it a shame, but there are too many truly great mixtures around now to mourn this stuff at all. What can I say about this blend. This tobacco in my humble opinion should be the standard by which all Balkans are judged by, it is that good. 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. I want to start this review by prefacing a few things. Published review content of this website is considered the Free Shipping The quality is very high in the Orientals are the star of the show in this blend. The lack of clarity is the fact that the site has two listings for BS [sic] THE B S. If Gary Pease ruled the world you'd all have your pipes confiscated and your palates tested for nerve damage. I tried the over priced ebay offerings of Vintage Sobranie mixtures and was delighted but it was aged so much that it dried out (So it wasnt as good as my first experiences with this great tobbaco mixture. What I was missing in the 1981 version were the oriental tobaccos that halfway the bowl began to sing the dominant part. The latakia plays a supporting role despite there being a significant quantity of it in the blend. We're all poorer for the loss. Notes: Presently, the best readily available production/date information is per John C Loring's "DATING ENGLISH TINNED TOBACCO", 1999: 1970s: (and prior) Sobranie Limited, Sobrainie House 1970s: (briefly) Sobranie Limited, 17 Worship Street 1970s: (late) Sobranie Limited, Chichester Road 1980s: (early) Sobranie of London, 65 Kingsway 1980s: Sobranie of London, 34 Burlington Arcade 1990s: Sobranie of London, 13 Old Bond Street. In the late 70s and 80s I took this mixture for granted and smoked a lot of it and I highly appreciated it until it suddenly disappeared. Not a terribly expensive blend, so value is not really a concern. Well, it was far less strong than I expect, and regarding the taste/body who knew anything about that? Not everyone appreciated the room aroma. by the House of Sobranie and now produced in the Esoterica Tobacciana I have not tried either yet. It was like a big glorious hit of midnote with some bottom. The strength is in the center of mild to medium. However, the guys at Ed's Original Tinderbox in Santa Monica hooked me up with their Balkan blend. 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? The sad history of Balkan Sobranie after its initial sale, years later, is available in other reviews on this site. The high quality of the tobacco in Balkan might have been just as important as the types of tobacco in it. 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. I'm glad I bought a tin at the price I paid for the novelty and to satisfy my curiosity, but there are plenty of comparable blends that are frankly more pleasing to smoke. Pipe News |, |About Escudo Navy De Luxe Pipe Tobacco I was very sad. Happy Smoking! Mixture is comprised primarily of Latakia with a mixture of Orientals, Pease Caravan. The label on the tin is cheap looking and not printed well but I dont care I want whats inside. Dan Tobacco Pipe Tobacco There are other options like the mentioned here from Peretti and White Knight , Magnum Opus and others. Not sweet, but not really bitter like some oriental-heavy blends are. First: I never really imagined smoke the legendary The Balkan Sobranie. So I will back off of this stuff until there is an adequate supply and then I will buy a truck load of it because I really like it. A must try! Perhaps all of the above. If youre fortunate enough to find this blend in stock, get it while you can. and I think nobody needs any further comment. Hope to increase production, now the demand is far greater than supply!!! I have been fortunate to smoke many of the older tins, but the leaf lacks the punch it contained when fresh. or related products to anyone under the age of 21. I would light up and after the first few puffs, everything around me would cease to be important. Better! But also of the Smoker's Heaven tobaccos that for years counted as THE replacement for the original Balkan Sobranie tobaccos. I had no experience with the blend previously but, had tried the others years ago. It's got a nice beat, and I can dance to it - even if it's a slow dance over in a dark corner. An elderly and dear gentleman who resides on my street, was gracious enough to give me a couple of tins for Christmas. Taste: Regarding taste the tobacco is a good mix of the pouch version and my 1981 tin version. Very nice once-a-day smoke. By the mid 1970's, as inventories of the real stuff had disappeared, the changes became obvious. Either of these methods do wonders in bringing forward the depth early in the bowl, which is otherwise experienced more toward the bottom. And I truly mean that. Im glad to hear your thoughts. But I may be deceived. 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 still haven't cracked the tins I recieved from him.) This is kind of like hearing a pipe organ with a big 32 foot stop after hearing smaller ones for a while. For those who like how the Latakia played with the Turkish, and both were supported by Virginias, smoke either GLPease's Westminster, or Cornell & Diehl's 968R (Red Odessa). Tobacco Type:Latakia, Oriental, Virginia. Currently made by Germain in UK. It has a slight, salty flavor in the Orientals from the ocean breeze blowing onto the leaf & has an enticing aroma. The BS at that time was basically a latakia dump with just enough VA and oriental leaf to add a hint of sweetness. 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. OK. Get advance notice on pipe specials, tobacco sales, freebies . All Balkan fans should give this one a try. Leiconnsel, yours is the finest review I've ever read here. Packing characteristics are good, which I find true of all ribbons. And sadly the latakia does not age gracefully, losing much of its potency after 40 years in the tin. The virginias appear to be aged nicely. Anybody out there game? We used words like ?ephemeral? Had a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste and room note. Germain's Balkan Sobranie 3-Pack of 50g tins . 4. 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. It's a great mouth pipe, hand pipe, and sitter. Samuel Gawith full Virginia Flake (Rubbed out well). Is this new iteration of the blend worthy of all the hype? Easily qualifies as a rating that's off the chart IMHO, of course!!! The sad part is that this tobacco is no more. You must log in or register to reply here. It burns very cleanly and leaves a white/grey ash. Davidoff Pipe Tobacco Im not very fond of Latakia heavy blends and was pleasantly surprised that the Latakia doesnt overpower the Orientals or Virginias. In my opinion, no. 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. There were also undertones of olives and spice. Not terrible, but nowhere as good as the many Dunhill mixtures I occassionally got to try. The return of the classic Balkan Sobranie now manufactured by JF Germain in the British Isles!

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