If it's true that this means a tobacco never is as good as when fresh, this tobacco must be magical, as it is as good or better than any balkan I've ever smoked. There are very few aromatics that I like anymore. I also liked other mixtures of Sobranie of London, like the rare Birdseye Cut, and the famous 759 for example. Apparently thats what it takes to get this stuff. Inventory changes daily, call us at 630-834-7777 to place an order. Had a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste and room note. It has a certain raw edge to it that I don't really care for, and I find it lighter in flavor. When the product becomes available, the alerts will be sent in the order in which customers signed up for the alerts. Then I happened on a shop in the Rockies while I was on assignment there. My first experience with this mixture dates to 1962 when I was given a tin by a friend who had been in London on vacation. Gawaith's Commonwealth is supposed to be 50%-50% Virginia-latakia and is not caked. It is well blended. It's got a nice beat, and I can dance to it - even if it's a slow dance over in a dark corner. This is something everyone should try and find. But, the memories are grand! One day the manufacturer stops making the blend or closes their doors. Cost about $4. to try and capture it, but one couldn't. : the more it tries to be, the more it is not. Product: Sutliff Balkan Sobranie 759 Match Bulk. 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). If you try this, the best thing to do is open the tin, put it in a jar and introduce air every so often(read once per day) for a couple of weeks. If you ever get to try this blend, don't rush past savoring the pouch aroma! It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. O.k., whatever you say. Is this THE Balkan Sobranie? The Orientals are less potent, offering earth, wood, floralness, a light dry sourness and a touch of buttery sweetness, along with a little spice as a supporting player. View All (61) Balkan Sobranie Balkan Sobranie 50g Reviews. He also was the proprietor of the finest tobacconist in town; alas defunct due to the health Luddites and their diligent spreading of manure. Related products. Very very nice tobacco, I love it, If you can only choose one tobacco, I choose Sobranie. The virginias are present and provide their own standard notes for the first half of the bowl, but as the smoke strengthens they fall deeper into the background and the smoky, spicy flavors take over. Finally got some, opened it up looked and smelled fantastic. What is the next Balkan Sobranie? :: Pipe Tobacco Discussion Unfortunately, there was no Original Mixture. Anybody out there game? A fine cut mix of dark and light Virginia's, Macedonian tobacco and Cyprian latakia. 5 years from now, a tin of this stuff will be as sought after as the old stuff. It needs to be dried out quite a bit before smoking. and Related Accessories to Discerning Cigar and Pipe Smokers From Our 5 This is one of the greats. They also make all the Esotericas. The yenidje seems to have been the same in all versions. It lights easily, requires little maintenance and gives the most rewarding smoke I?ve had to date (I've not been smoking very long though to be honest!). 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. But is it good, absolutely. My friends all wondered how I could smoke such strong tobacco. 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. So they have found J.F. Dont pass up the chance to try this. After having smoked Rattray's Black Mallory, Pease Caravan, Renaissance and Samarra, and Esoterica's Penzance, I now understand the difference between a Balkan and an English. No Virginia top notes here. The nicotine content is not heavy at all, but a solid medium. More's that pity that it is now defunct. Note: It is easy to go overboard with the Syrian (The stuff is so delicious! As time went on and I matured, this blend slowly grew on me . Curisoty and the words of that tobacconist, got the better of me when I saw an unopened tin from the sixties on Ebay. Highly, highly recommended. The room note was pretty awful (until you were hooked), almost as gross as that of a yesterday's cigar. Sadly, though, it's not hard to understand why. The Latakia is leathery, smoky with an characteristic peat flavor. I think that I've had a bit of this once in a while. No pipecleaner needed during the smoke. Last year a friend picked up some pouches from Japan: the tobacco was good, but a pale shadow of its glorious former self. Put my name on the list to try the new one out. Maybe 965 with a heaping of wet lawn clippings. what i like most about it is not necessarily the overall impression.. i like the details and the subtlety. Sutliff Balkan Sobranie #759 Match, sold by Oz - CupOJoes.com Mailing Address: 550 Highway 9 East, Longs, SC 29568 Telephone: Local/International: (843) 281-9304 Toll Free: (888) 366-0345. During the pursuit of perfection, excellence was achieved. Sasieni, Macedonia Mixture, Odesa, and on and on. I am no expert, but this stash is an education for the senses. Yes, WAS. 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. I wanted to make sure my review didn't reflect a myth. Is it inexpensive? Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco (1.76oz) $ 21.98. and not as part of the weekly rotation. Comparisons to Balkan Sasieni are obvious due to the tin art but Sobranie is miles ahead in flavor and depth. What I remember about Sobranie is the "dirt" taste, similar to a Guiness Stout. Everyone has different tastes, that's what makes the world go round. The cut of the tobacco out of the pouch was very rough, and had a good number of twigs, etc. Actually another word comes to mind, but we'll leave it at junk for the younger more impressionable segment of our fellow readers. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better until the very end. Men wept when the original supply was discontinued. Specifically, the yenidje! I myself reproduced the old artwork (tin and insert-card) and e-mailed that to Arango and Germain. smokers to be superior. I won't waste time on deep rambling discourse. Together with Balkan Sobranie Mixture 759 and Balkan Sobranie Virginia no. No other tobacco I've ever smoked had so many simultaneous flavors going on, where you could taste and smell each one, yet still experience the balanced whole. Nic-hit was felt in the mouth and throat but nowhere else. 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. British tobacco was it, too. Think I like it better than penzance. Nunca esta disponible, pero es de lo mejor que nunca jamas he probado, un equilibrio y sabor casi perfecto a un precio correcto. -----------------------------------------------------------------. Cool and slow burning, it was a tobacco that imposed itself on the smoker, providing a great variety of flavors within the Balkan range. No one was able to come near this excellence. Once lit, I walked back through the cloud of smoke that had been produced and of course, a rush of great memories came back to me. I came to the pipe in the latter part of my smoking career, since I was and still am a cigar enthusiast. This GeoTrust Sampled from a fairly fresh 50g pouch; This BSOM makes you reach for that elusive flavor with each draw. 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. It is good smoke and I'm glad I got a hold of a couple of tins but, that's about it. I like it, not as aromatic as I remember from the 70s. For those who liked the resinous Oriental perfume, Dunhill's Durbar is quite nice. 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. I could smoke it all day (and did). Finally, with my Sobranie blended to my satisfaction I jarred it and set out enough to fill my rather large Meerqueen bowl. 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. So many of the reviews for this mixture are perorations for something beautiful that is gone, and entirely appropriately so. The Virginias offer some grass and hay, a little dark fruit, and a hint of citrus. I can't make a comparison, but this Original Mixture seems very good to me. The Latakia is signific antly more dry than the virginias and orientals, and perhaps because of that the mixture is not well blended. 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. Only the name remains. Shows what they know. 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. The virginias provide a solid backdrop for the supporting cast of Turkish tobacco of which, to my tastes at least, Smyrna (not izmir) is the star. Initial lighting the Orientals show their true floral, slightly spiced flavors. If you are even remotely interested in Balkan blends, you owe it to yourself to try this. The third part was on the strong side. There is a constant swirl of flavors all in a perfect balance. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. Almost no sweetness, the olive notes tasted rancid, and the latakia was so muted as to be undetectable. Really good stuff excellent flavor & I'm not a big Latakia fan but it facilitates this blend's sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. Matter of personal preference. The original Balkan purportedly contained latakia (I don't know if it was Syrian, Cyprian or both), Virginia (I don't know the varieties, but none of these ingredients were toasted except, of course, the latakia), high grade English Cavendish, and Yenidje from Macedonia, as advertised on the can. Another reason I think it's Smyrna, and please correct me if it isnt, is that when smoked fresh it is a little harsh on my tongue and palate. Under no circumstances did it live up to everything I have heard and read all this time, unless it is not the same blend any more. I loved this classic, and will always remember what a special experience it was to have some. I remember the blend being "light and dark" ribbons but this 25 year old tin of tobacco (dated to 1979) was "dark and darker". Together with Penzance some of the best tin-smells ever. The Orientals (Macedonia being one of them) provide a lot of earth, wood, floralness, a light dry sourness and buttery sweetness, along with a little spice and leather as a supporting player. I give it a 75. This is a gentle mixture that I'd smoke any time of day were it not for its rarity. Most of the time, I like stronger blends over weaker ones and in larger pipes than smaller ones. 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. Balkan Sobranie Tobacco - TobaccoPipes.com 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. But who could resist, especially after retrieval of an eight ounce can from a ten can rotation, grabbing an immediate smoke? This blend did not achieve legendary status for no reason. Like probably so many other pipers, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to find this blend in stock and purchase. 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.. I had no trouble keeping the pipe lit, and was pleased I chose a group six pipe to smoke it in. Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. On ebay, astronomical amounts were (and still are) asked and paid for these tobaccos. It reminds me of two blends sort of: Pease's Charing Cross and Bohemian Scandal. 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. I have always liked this blend, and am in the process of smoking the last of my supply. 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. The special cut of Virginia & Perique has a place in almost anyone's rotation. Balkan Sobranie The return of the classic original Balkan Sobranie blend. The 1980's and later versions used Cyprian Latakia which added a little different sweetness to the mix. Current Stock: Decrease Quantity: Increase Quantity: Add to Wish List. I never had the original one, but this tobacco is quite good in its own right. It has now disappeared altogether. It is not a Latakia blast; however, the Latakia is more in the background keeping the groove solid as a drummer often does in jazz. I surmise that tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. The tin note was sweet and smoky it had an Oriental smell to it, but the Latakia was wonderful. All rights reserved. I think it is awful, as I did the last tin of it. A fine grey ash results and despite the high Latakia content it doesn't flavour the pipe too much. 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. Vintage The Balkan Sobranie Cigarette Empty Tin Box Made In England Opens in a new window or tab. The taste is medium. Virginias, and other fine tobaccos for a bold, earthy smoking experience with notes 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. While he had Baby's Bottom, Three Nuns, various Dunhill blends and many others, along with a logically progressing series of tinned, Lane-blended American tobaccos exclusive to the store, the main event was a complete line of English tobaccos based on Balkan/Best. 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. Happy Smokin'. As good as this blend was, I still prefer both of the Pease blends mentioned. A very good pipe tobacco is that there are few opportunities to buy it. Free 877-70MILAN (64526) customercare@milantobacco.com Ran out in the late 80's. Once I opened a can and discovered that one of the stems (it had its share of stems) was in fact a rusty nail. I thought to myself "Yes, this is exactly what my palate envisioned pipe smoking would be, and it is Good.". Ok, I'm a bit of a nicotine wuss so I do not smoke it on an empty stomach. The taste always had a somewhat bitter start - somewhat like Nightcap - but the rest of the experience was addictive. Balkan Sobranie Original Mix Match | Smokingpipes.com 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. It was unavailable on any of the internet sites, so I called one of my local B&M suppliers and found he had 3 tins instock. Resembling the tobacco in my 1981 tin. There were many very nice old Dunhill and GBD pipes along with about 50 odd assorted tins of aged tobacco. It is easy for me to say that Balkan Sobranie is/was my favorite tobacco of all time. All rights reserved. I've never seen a tobacco change so much even from year to year (maybe just the Dunhill 965 did). I just smoked one of my last bowls. The bowl burned downed slowly to a fine ash. balkan sobranie cigarettes 10 to a white tin (Old style) Also, I'd not get any sweet or earthy notes from the virginia leaf. When I first reviewed BS, I did it with the old TR website and compared several eras to the new blend by Germain. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incrediblealmost magical! Pouch Aroma: Rich, woodsy, smokey, leathery, hints of nuts Packs: very easily Lights: Very easily. It's deep richness with a most profound & perfect taste is just so wonderful,that I can not begin to imagine it ever being captured again! If this was still available,I'd smoke it at least three time's a day.It must be around 30 year's since I first tried it & loved it!Recently a friend sent me some from the USA & it was like being reunited with your best & favourite friend that you have lost track of for many year's. I finally summoned the courage to open the first tin. It's similar to Sasieni, just the balance of the blend is more harmonious. An elderly and dear gentleman who resides on my street, was gracious enough to give me a couple of tins for Christmas. Dunhill 965, Standard Medium, and London were in the same range, but smoked quite differently. Balkan Sobranie is, perhaps, the most legendary pipe tobacco on the market. You could taste the latakia and orientals, but they were not ove rstated. I never thought the day would come and I would open it, but finally given to temptation here I amSo,the tobacco has indeed had quite a bit of age on it, but it was still quite moist and the surrounding paper stained. I wish more could be imported, I think I ordered a tin from here and I have gotten a few elsewhere. 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 a flavor additive? I remember this was what it was to smoke a pipe. It contains Virginia, Syrian Latakia and eastern Tobaccos. Medium strangth was fascinated me, nearly full taste was enchanted me. The tobacco cut varies from rough to smooth and needs a bit of a rubbing out to help it burn evenly. At least for this one time, the cost of the tin was well worth it. Perfectly worth buying here, and wildly overpriced on the secondary market everywhere else. Surprisingly, Sutliff's recreation is close to the original. 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. Possibly both types of Latakia, maybe some unsweetened Black Cavendish, maybe a "smidgeon" of Deer Tongue or a pinch of Vanilla Cavendish, who knows? I don't see how one could find fault in this fine blend. If you get your hands on some you are in for a treat! It came in a pouch and in a large tin. Anyway, there is more latakia then in the pouch version. Published review content of this website is considered the The blend was fairly dark and seemed to pack very well. I simply loved the flavor. If you like Latakia and lots of it, you will love this stuff, a true Balkan blend. For some reason, this seems to be listed twice here, so this review is the same as the Sobranie of London entry. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. AAHhhhhhhh. Then Gallaher produced this blend until the mid-2000s. Requires few relights, and leaves little dampness in the bowl. Balkan Sobranie - The Country Squire Tobacconist It smokes very cool, but I find it burns quite quickly even when quite moist, which is odd for such a cool smoking tobacco. I know of no other in which this essentially condimental tobacco is so much to the fore. Between 1965 and 1970 I smoked pound after pound of the real Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture. This is my first and regretfully one of few remaining experiences with this wonderful tobacco; angels doing the tango on my tongue. 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. 4th Generation Pipe Tobacco This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. on SP.com, with quantity-based discounts as well. I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved this. Before lighting the first bowl I was scared by a possible great strength and power. Nevertheless, if you palate is not used to the strength of mixtures like the Dunhill my mix 965 and similar, you will not enjoy this blend very much. I think it's both over-hyped and well deserved. Packing/lighting: Packs well with a lot of spring. Now I know how was the original and now i can compare. It was all I'd hoped it would be and so much more! Somehow, with all of that, it managed a very pleasant room note. But producing vast quantities, no, they cannot do that. Im not very fond of Latakia heavy blends and was pleasantly surprised that the Latakia doesnt overpower the Orientals or Virginias. Two days ago I got my paws on an old tin of BS. It was a little dry so I had to add a little humidor to revive it. Good English, definitely nowhere near the top. It was very simalar to the Original Mixture only much fresher and fuller in taste than those acient Tins you will find on ebay. I smoke Virginia. I think I'll pack another bowl! in any case, all humor aside, it hasnt effected the quality of the smoke. Every bowl. 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. 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. I had never smoked a version of the tobacco in her presence but when I was puffing away a "Jeeeezzz.. What are YOU smoking?? Balkan Sobranie. I've never smoked anything like it before or since. Much cheaper too, about $2.50/oz. Free Shipping Posted by mark on 20th Dec 2022 . Not so much a difference of taste, as one of attitude! My tin was very damp. Balkan Sobranie for sale | eBay Who knows? Well, I was not dissapointed. The pouch aroma is of very intense, almost overwhelming Latakia. By the mid 1970's, as inventories of the real stuff had disappeared, the changes became obvious. 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. I packed and lit it up. Not strong or overpowering at all. Here is the thing, for those of you waiting patiently to try it, it's just ok. Balkan Sobranie 759 Match | Smokingpipes.com Recent pouches were also drier. Not everyone appreciated the room aroma. Not a lot of spring. Is the cigarette tobacco anything like the pipe tobacco? Pipe Tobacco 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. Both generate wonderful clouds of leather and oak, and upset the women. I opened this tin given to me as a gift by dm14 and I thank him for it. One of the best pipe tobaccos i have ever smoke. If you have a chance to try some, by all means, do it. Watch City's "Nor'easter" (Bulk by the Ounce) Watch City Tobacco Co. $5.49 Named for the infamous New England Winter . The lighting, and smoking qualities are indistinguishable from the Sasieni. I've had no luck trying to blend existing blends to emulate the original Balkan. This is the grail, the standard by which all other Balkans are measured, and with good reason. Great result are also obtained smoking for 5-10 minutes and then letting sit for about 12 hours. After 45 minutes of drying I loaded it into a brand new Peterson 317 that had never been smoked. I removed the cake of tobacco and set out to re-hydrate it thus: Placed in a kitchen type strainer (sieve) over a pot of boiling water for a few moments the tobacco softened. The production ceased in 2005. I am a Latakia devotee and have combusted a number of Balkans and other Latakia infused blends over the years. IF you can obtain it. A very good friend of mine that smoked pipe since his youth in the 1930's passed away a couple of years ago. Ill see how it grows on me. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. As my palliate progressed, I would dip into my tin every so often, to the point of really liking it. Though I was not accustomed to latakias at the time, I instantly loved it, from the first smell from the can to the last puff. The return of the classic Balkan Sobranie now manufactured by JF Germain in the British Isles! I'm missing it. (Or by virtue of present supply, Sasieni). 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. Us Requires an average number of relights, and leaves little dampness in the bowl. Thousands of pipe smokers have been lamenting since. I had no experience with the blend previously but, had tried the others years ago. I know it seems heresy to give this blend three stars. Pouches continued to be manufactured but this is another story. This is fact for both, The Balkan Sobranie and the 759 Mixture. Having heard so much about this blend I was prepared to be under whelmed, but it really does live up to the hype. It remains extremely consistent throughout the bowl and I frequently smoke it to the bottom without realizing it at all. Initial smoke is full and sweet, and the mix of latakia and turkish is beautiful. Rewarding to smoke. In my honest opinion J.F. However, how does one describe the indescribable? There aren't any really. I was lucky to score several pouches a few years ago. That was at the age of 15 behind the cycle sheds at Grammar school. When he passed, I was notified by his widow that I had been left his cellar and pipe collection. Most related blends already contain Virginia and latakia, so the ratios are problematical. For the better part of the 20th Century, this blend was made by Sobranie House under the aegis of the Redstone family. However, for many, the newer blends are just as enjoyable, if different. Because this is the weak spot of J.F. A great smoke. Currently made by Germain in UK. I have drank from the Holy Grail and the wine was awesome! Latakia is leading with Oriental/Turkish and Virginia supporting. 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. You see, this story is what I think of when I hear the name Sobranie. 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. Sutliff Tobacco Company - Match Balkan Sobranie 759 - Tobacco Reviews Maybe these are the good old days! This should be approachable to all but the most puny of smokers. So, I finally opened the tin and took my time burning through it. Blend with a characteristic, a bit stronger room note and taste. 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. The tin note was nice. I've heard that its inclusion is why Balkan was labelled a ?smoking mixture? Almost as if someone had tossed some diamond dust into the tin and shook it up. Balkan Sobranie literally was Our Best Blend at that time. , Dont Buy It If You Arent GoingTo Smoke It, When can we have the goods? 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! And when dried properly, leaves no dottle in the bowl. The strength is in the center of mild to medium. . Leiconnsel, yours is the finest review I've ever read here. I feel very fortunate to be able to have enough of this legendary tobacco to offer this, my first review. I'm getting low on Sutliff Balkan Sobranie 759 Match that I've enjoyed right along, from SP. It finishes, of course, full and strong. The flavor is rich, dark, smokey, spicy, somewhat like a cigar, but ever so much more complex. It probably was the best Balkan mixture long ago and it's a shame it disappeared. 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.