And I am always happy to try and evaluate new mixtures. Trough the bowl the mixture burned well, did not have to relight my pipe at all except after some tamping which was necessary after some half bowl was gone to ashes. Four Big Stars for the new Original Mixture! Latakia is leading with Oriental/Turkish and Virginia supporting. Tin note of musty sour vegetation and pungent smoky. Incense notes abound, the latakia is over the hill though. I never smoked any other version of this, but the original had to be 100% better than this flavorless stuff to acquire it's legendary status. It was velvety and luxurious, but I could tell that this would have floored me if it was ten years newer and the orientals could come out and play more. The above review doesn't cover the current version. 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. I also like the shag cut because it burns easily without many relights and leaves a gray ash in the bottom of the bowl without excessive moisture contamination. I know it seems heresy to give this blend three stars. - Kelly, Join over 18k members to reviewexclusive content. More recently Balkan Sobranie has reappeared, produced by S. F. Germain for persons having the legal right to the Sobranie name. In my early days of pipe smoking, I was on the quest for the best tobacco. If you want to obtain a tin you have to keep an eye out on international fora and tobacco sites and just be VERY lucky because when it is available, poefff it's already gone.. Maybe the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje? If you smoke yourself you will not notice that but people around you will utter their displeasure. Smoking this mixture was a unique experience. Per tobaccoreviews.com: "Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is one of the most legendary Latakia-based blends in history. 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. I went into the smoking car of the NY Central RR, opened the tin and smoked. Most related blends already contain Virginia and latakia, so the ratios are problematical. Age will make all the difference. Close . Hard to find but worth the wait. Carey Magic Inch Briar Tobacco Smoking Pipes, Captain Black Pipe Tobacco Pouches & Cans, or for half the price, try our English Blend No. Recommended. Happy Smokin'. During the pursuit of perfection, excellence was achieved. 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. The room glowed with the fullness of the Blend. Perfectly worth buying here, and wildly overpriced on the secondary market everywhere else. For virginia smokers (such as myself) that think balkan mixtures cannot contain the depth of a good VA flake, this one makes a strong argument for the defense. balkan sobranie in stock : PipeTobacco - reddit Strong but never overwhelming, after a bowl of BSOM I felt satisfied enough not to smoke again for a number of hours. All Balkan fans should give this one a try. !Thats my opinion.Exellent in all respects. For that reason, we limit the purchase of this tin to one per customer. It is not nearly as heavy with Latakia that Penzance is, nor is it quite as creamy regarding the mouth feel although there's some. I still wonder if the dumbest thing I ever did with regards to this hobby was to not buy that second tin. 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. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. For those who seek a refined latakia-oriental blend rich in flavor, but retrained in raw power and bluster. I have just recently secured a few 50gram packets of "Balkan Sobranie" Original Smoking Mixture. 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. I never had the original one, but this tobacco is quite good in its own right. So I began a quest to find some, and I found several pouches. tobacco that gives this blend its characteristic flavour and aroma. It's all about the orientals. Posted by Andrew P on Jun 13th 2022. 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 wasn't just commuting to my suburban home. Initial Flavor: Pungently sweet! I miss it still. 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. 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. They, too, were masterpieces. Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. I had no experience with the blend previously but, had tried the others years ago. Black House - Hearth & Home Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com Wonderful tobacco provided by one of the best online tobacconists. The orientals were there, but didn't liven the mix as much as the only other balkan blend I've smelled (that being Crown Achievement from Lane). I cannot compare this to the original, but on its own merit, this was one great smoke. 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. My friends all wondered how I could smoke such strong tobacco. It hints at this blend -- maybe it needs more Yenidje?? I have smoked for three years this unforgettable tobacco. It only took four years to find but now I know. Originally there was Syrian latakia in it but for yeeaaars that was no longer the case.. Is this THE Balkan Sobranie? Yet they did not update the tobacco selections. It has a grayish hue to it, which upon closer inspection, is a wonderful sparkly crystallization. It was an occasional treat, like the driest gin. balkan sobranie cigarettes 10 to a white tin (Old style) It was all I'd hoped it would be and so much more! Smoking the mixture leaves you with what I would call a heavily clouded atmosphere of smoke left in your room that is similar to London Fog. A very smooth first part with lots of latakia flavor and well balanced taste. 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. 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 was lucky enough to snag a couple of tins when the past shipment arrived. Tobaccos Treasure Island (Spiced Rum) Rated 4.89 out of 5 $ 5.50 - $ 54.99 Select options. Perhaps a Sobranie cocktail cigarette once every few months. or Best Offer +$5.40 shipping. Happy Smoking! It's different, actually, in its deepness, due to different oriental leaves and the different proportions of the components. Is anyone e lse having the same problem? The virginia presents itself in the form of a winelike aroma. I simply loved the flavor. The strength is a couple of steps short of medium. Hence the new blends simply could never be the same. Regardless, it does have a decent nicotine punch, more so then Penzance or Caravan. One of the best pipe tobaccos i have ever smoke. 10+10 out of 10. The heavy dense smoke floats lightly over the palate. Please let me know: pearsond -at- odsgc.net. Don't see something you want? Had a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste and room note. Fresh it is fairly straightforward, a little harsh, full flavored English tobacco. Everything was perfectly balanced and smooth. I had the good luck to come across a previously opened but sealed tin, half full, stored in a consistent temperature. It is legendary for a reason, and it certainly isn't nostalgia. He was instrumental in my starting to smoke a pipe in the early 80's as he hated my cigarette habit. 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. This is, indeed, an excellent balkan. It leaves a fine grey ash, and cakes poorly, so I tend to break my pipes in with something else. Then I happened on a shop in the Rockies while I was on assignment there. factory. This was an open secret at the store by the '60s, and many's the two, four or eight ounce can of Our Best Blend we opened and found inside the Balkan Sobranie rice paper or card stock insert. BSOM brings me back to the mid 70's. It's the same for Dunhill, Rattray and other traditional brands. Primarily floral notes upon the nose, delicate once humified. As time went on and I matured, this blend slowly grew on me . Finally I snagged a few tins of this blend. I welcome other reminiscences, additions, corrections; but, N.B. I hope that I hear something of it.. They've been sold out. Max: $ 30 . JavaScript is disabled. Joe made a similar agreement with GBD, and became the largest distributor of that pipe in the world. Those were the days, my friend, I thought they'd never end. Being a master, he didn't start me on the kiddie-poo dessert blends like Black&Gold, no, no. I've had no luck trying to blend existing blends to emulate the original Balkan. AAHhhhhhhh. It was very simalar to the Original Mixture only much fresher and fuller in taste than those acient Tins you will find on ebay. The smell of the tobacco was very moist and incredible, unlike any other brand save for a few English blends that I had experienced. I was lucky enough to get a sample of this legendary blend, and I just had to do a review. We have in stock for your choice! Before the (retroactive) taste test, here's some more history. It was the perfect blend IMHO. Add to Wishlist. Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would findpleasurable. 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. I simply loved the flavor. Very rich complex flavors.. Worth every penny! I never thought a blend containing Latakia could be enjoyed so much until I smoked The BSOM. It's just really hard to find. The finish was not abrupt, not harsh, it just sort of faded away. 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. (50 Grams) Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. In the full-English range, so over forty percent Latakia, and around twenty five percent Oriental. Packaging: Tin I could smoke it all day (and did). Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco Tins at TobaccoPipes.com Due to limited availability, we are only allowing purchases of 2 of each of the limited edition Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco.If multiple orders are placed, they will be cancelled & charged a 10% cancellation fee.or for half the price, try our English Blend No. The latakias has utterly melded and permeated the rest of the blend. If you can lay your hands on a pouch, do so. Sobranie of London was able, in the old days, to procure the finest Yenidje tobacco. An all day well balanced smoke. The Balkan Sobranie Cigarettes Tobacco Tin - EMPTY - Medium Size $34.00 Free shipping Vintage, THE BALKAN SOBRANIE, No.759 MIXTURE, TOBACCO TIN (4 Inch Diameter) $8.50 $4.50 shipping Tobacco Tins Vintage EMPTY Lot 7 MY LADIES DUNHILL FLAKE BALKAN SOBRANIE & MORE $95.00 $20.15 shipping or Best Offer Current Stock: Decrease Quantity: Increase Quantity: Add to Wish List. So it was very perplexing when I got tongue bite, tongue bite, tongue bite. New Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco | PipesMagazine.com The quality is very high in the Orientals are the star of the show in this blend. Won't bite or get harsh. This is probably the best English/Balkan type tobacco I ever had and I can only wonder if I will ever smoke it again. But, the memories are grand! It only was a matter of time when someone would want to bring out again the legend. You must log in or register to reply here. Similar Blends: My favorite, Wilke's Crystal Palace. The balance of Virginias, Orientals & Latakia: favors the Orientals. 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. Rattray's did not come close at all. What a revelation it was! A must try! Balkan Sobranie 759 Match | Smokingpipes.com Buttery is a nice description. Sure, a truly faithful representation would cost a lot, but what a ready market in the curious, and in anyone else who wanted to smoke heaven to the extent his budget permitted. You could taste the latakia and orientals, but they were not ove rstated. 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). Good smoke! I may try it again when I have some extra money. That was at the age of 15 behind the cycle sheds at Grammar school. This is not present in the taste, but it stays in the room note from match to the end. But later he said, these tins are the Original Balkan Sobranie, and was propriety from a collector, who died and your daughter gave me. Here is what my journey eventually brought me to. We apologize, but this item is temporarily out of stock. I occasionally pack up some Sobranie just to enjoy it, and I fully believe the tales of yore about how good this blend was. Only a few got somewhat near to it. Unfortunately, by now the cigarette industry had turned its unblinking eye upon turkish tobacco, consuming all there was. Having said that, however, this old Balkan Sobranie White (truly made by Sobranie) is the best tobacco I've ever, ever smoked. The light unflavored soda note or two along with some dry wood, earth, floralness from the yenidje is always noticeable. 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. The orientals are definitely the main player here, they're spicy and complex. 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. What I paid was ten times the original price tag still on it. 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). That being said it hasn't degraded too much and still is a extremely fine tobacco. No Virginia top notes here. There are much better offerings available today and I will not be purchasing another tin of this "one tin per purchase" rip-off (and I truly expect my review will be "ripped" into, so have at it guys). 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. It was new and perfect one ! Once my pipe was filled I went out in the hall of the resort to light it. The taste throughout was awesome. I wanted to make sure my review didn't reflect a myth. Smokers are delighted in its medium-to-robust body, incense-like aroma and satisfying taste. It's a great mouth pipe, hand pipe, and sitter. , Dont Buy It If You Arent GoingTo Smoke It, When can we have the goods? But dried out some, this is a pretty terrific blend for a special occasion. I am basing this review on only two bowls, as I intend to keep the rest of what I have and make it last as long as I can.