I welcome other reminiscences, additions, corrections; but, N.B. It is well blended. Alot of people complaining that it is never available, most of the best tobaccos are hard to find which is one of the things that makes them so good. However, for many, the newer blends are just as enjoyable, if different. Sobranie of London was able, in the old days, to procure the finest Yenidje tobacco. It has a slight, salty flavor in the Orientals from the ocean breeze blowing onto the leaf & has an enticing aroma. Part of that is that I've missed the glory days of Sobranie. It's got a nice beat, and I can dance to it - even if it's a slow dance over in a dark corner. 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. Both should be tried. RYO cigs had become the rage, and we were always hitting the tobacconist for Drum, Three Castles, etc Well, I always went for the Sobranie White Pack. Although, you may want to let the tobacco dry a bit before smoking. In my early days of pipe smoking, I was on the quest for the best tobacco. Smoking this mixture was a unique experience. Now I really hope that Arango and Germain also will bring out Mixture 759 and Virginia no. Related products. follow discussion on this recipe here and if you have anything to add please chime in. I will remain a former smoker! (I use quotes here because I know it has gone through several incarnations and is quite different than what it was decades ago.) Perhaps it was the tin that attracted me, the white one with the two women on the front. It's just really hard to find. Be The First To Know About Exclusive Products And Deals! I must confess I did not notice the Turkish in the beginning but later during the smoking it came to my attention and the experience was not all that superb. I am smoking this in my wide chambered Savinelli Baronet Bruyere 315 EX PrinceThe smoke is exotic, well rounded and brightly mouth filling, running the entire length of the palate.There is so much going on, but still the flavours seamlessly intertwine tip to tail and even marry. rather than ?tobacco.? 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. This traditional mixture of rich Virginia, Latakia and rare Yenidje tobaccos is Sobranie's oldest blend and offers a mild yet rich taste. Well, it was far less strong than I expect, and regarding the taste/body who knew anything about that? . Penzance now that is another story :) Hope this helps those who can't get their hands on it I speak the truth, my friends. In my opinion, no. It leaves a fine grey ash, and cakes poorly, so I tend to break my pipes in with something else. I like subtleties up to a point, beyond which I cannot detect them. It has now disappeared altogether. The female nose is especially not fond of its room note. It just takes over the senses. Really this is different tale, but the 40 year old stuff is the real deal as far as im concerned . I was lucky. Its hard not to look at the whole ball of wax and not say that this was one of best blends ever made. 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". it touches upon every flavor component.. sweet, bitter, salty, sour, savory, spicy etc.. but it remains one package.. it is not a shocking experience.. it is kind of gentle and simple in a way. 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 smoke Virginia. The high quality of the tobacco in Balkan might have been just as important as the types of tobacco in it. Russia and settled for some time in the Balkans. Probably nearly forty percent Turkish leaf maximum. The smoky latakia was always there, but kind of pushed into the background by the orientals. The sad history of Balkan Sobranie after its initial sale, years later, is available in other reviews on this site. and they are just as good if not better. This is not merely a Balkan, it can be said this is possibly the Balkan that the term Balkan refers to about similar blends. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos 2 Reviews; 2 Reviews. 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. copyright intellectual property of the reviewer and STC Holdings LLC and may not be One of the best pipe tobaccos i have ever smoke. The amount of red Virginia was decreased by 1982. I sampled a 50 gram foil pack from Italy vintage 2007. This tobacco is so fine that if it was food you were eating, you'd want to regurgitate it and eat it again. I can now fully enjoy Abingdon and any other mixture that I can relate to as my ideal Latakia mixture, my holy grail. Both reek marvelously, are roughly at the half-way mark as far as Latakia, and seem to have less Oriental than either the Pease mixture mentioned above, or the Cornell & Diehl mixture. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. Smoked slowly, this is cool, deep and satisfying without being overwhelming. 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. Tin note was of english blend, but unremarkably so. 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. Add to Wishlist. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component. & Conditions | DMCA Everything about this blend is perfectly balanced. Starting off astringent and downright sour, the middle section is dominated by exotic spiciness, particularly of cedar. Price: At 4noggins a tin of this new version costs $10.19. It's a little like a bowl of Squadron Leader but even smoother and milder, and without the spicy and sometimes peppery 'orientals'. Nic-hit was felt in the mouth and throat but nowhere else. It was new and perfect one ! in Slavic languages) either there or in London, their eventual home, along with their delightful, white Turkish cigarettes, and their renowned Russian Black and Gold (- tipped) cigarettes. This blend consists of dark brown and black ribbons in the pouch along with a few flecks of tan. And sometimes I cut in some Turkish. After a decade, being reminded of the Sobranie flavor made me want to buy a pipe and some tobacco ASAP. 10+10 out of 10. Low and behold a yahoo mail message pops up at the top of my screen saying its in stock on Friday the 13th. Yenidge bulk- Purchased from Carole at Pipeworks and Wilke. Germain has really done a fine job with this blend, so much so that for my personal taste, the new era BS wins hands down! I dont know if this tobacco have the same strength, flavor and intensity that 70's or 80's sobranie, but anyway this sobranie is a spectacular tobacco with a Latakia very present from start to finish. The flavor is very deep and rich and burns to a clean white ash. This used to be my favorite English blend before it became so hard to get. The overall flavor profile reminds me of a glass of Lagavulin scotch thoroughly diluted with seltzer water. Mid way the orientals take over and some sublime spicyness tkaes over from the Latakia. It is too late and the tins that are still around are selling for hundreds each or more. There were also undertones of olives and spice. Not terrible, but nowhere as good as the many Dunhill mixtures I occassionally got to try. I had never smoked a version of the tobacco in her presence but when I was puffing away a "Jeeeezzz.. What are YOU smoking?? . If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incredible almost magical! Combustibility: As with every version I know, excellent. I simply do not like cigarettes and the foul smell and taste of such tobacco! Most importantly,unlike many other "Balkan" blends this one has "real" depth. Noooo idea, I've never smoked that one like I said before. My choice back in the 70's was the 759 more than the white. It was worth the wait. Not when Hearth &am p; Home makes an equally good and much more available blend. 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. All tobacco is made the old fashioned way. The job ended before I did. 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. It probably was the best Balkan mixture long ago and it's a shame it disappeared. In short..the blend against which all others must be compaired (save Red Raparee). This is probably the most famous Balkan blend ever. Individual reviews are the opinion(s) of the contributor and do not reflect the opinion(s) escaped her lips. I know this is it usual but Years ago I was an occasional cigarette smoker and I really enjoyed the cigarettes made from this brand. I am a Latakia devotee and have combusted a number of Balkans and other Latakia infused blends over the years. Original Review 12-25-11 This review is for the newly released J.F. What I was missing in the 1981 version were the oriental tobaccos that halfway the bowl began to sing the dominant part. This review covers the latest, pouch version. PS: Save your coin if you think that Sasieni is going to get you any closer to those bygone days I personally think it's somewhat better than BS but not much. Easy to understand why it is treated as the gold standard in Balkan style blends. I'll start with the presentation in the tin. Esoterica Pipe Tobacco 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. Gallaher's Balcan Sobranie lit up fast and quite uniform and first puffs hit me with the smoky Latakia, not quite as strong as I expected but still strong enough to be enjoyable! The whole pouch seemed like a big pouch of black cav. 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. People say 965 is the standard to judge English mixtures by. was it merely an oversight at the factory, or is this really some kind of mythic witches brew. The resurrection of this blend has been so well received there are continuing shortages. Nice english, occasionally a hint of soap on the lat. The tobacco colour is very dark 50% very dark brown and 50% black. I don't see how someone can give it "one star" based on them missing the drop..? I just smoked one of my last bowls. It has a peaty, brackish astringency that is quite unique as a taste?it reminds me of some olives, in a way. This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. 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. Incense notes abound, the latakia is over the hill though. 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. It is surprisingly mellow and not at all high in nicotine. Here is the thing, for those of you waiting patiently to try it, it's just ok. An all day well balanced smoke. As I said in my first review, it is difficult to make comparisons with this blend because even in the days prior to the current Germain production, there were many changes to BS. Luscious but actually capable of giving you a hangover if you smoke it all day. My favorite came with a black label and I think it was called Mixture #759. 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'm nursing my limited supply. Again, whatever. I have tried a bunch of English-- mid to full-- blends and a few Balkans over the years. My lucky day. I used to smoke this tobacco mixture back in the early 90s. As much as I loved (and continue to love) latakia, I can't say I ever really loved this particulat mixture. Save yourself some time -- they might be good smokes in their own right, but if they don't list Yenidje as an ingredient, they _cannot_ be even close. I had the same experience with 759. 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. The Balkan Sobranie Cigarettes Tobacco Tin Turkish England Opens in a new window or tab. I remember this stuff from back when it was cool to smoke a pipe. 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. We have in stock for your choice! as it blooms midway down the bowl. I give it a 75. Rather sweet base, campfire room note. RM 2E8Y7W8 - Balkan Sobranie Turkish Cigarettes. Though the original manufacturer has since ceased production, Germain's revives the iconic blend, comprising Latakia, Orientals, and Virginias for an exceptionally traditional English mixture. Really good stuff excellent flavor & I'm not a big Latakia fan but it facilitates this blend's sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. When I first discovered it it had a unique quality, tasting like no other and though caused by the latakia which is present in large quantities, allegedly sprayed on by my doubting tobacconist. The quality of the tobacco is excellent. tin. However, how does one describe the indescribable? The same topping as the 1981 and pouch version. It was so unique, especially since I was smoking drug store brands of pipe tobacco. Varia: Regarding lady nicotine you can notice that you are dealing with an "elder" tobacco. I still wonder if the dumbest thing I ever did with regards to this hobby was to not buy that second tin. The Original BS smoked mellow, cool, dry and somewhat sweet. I can't make a comparison, but this Original Mixture seems very good to me. 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! This blend is the peak for me: 10+ out of 10! Awesome smoke and definitely the finest Balkan I've tried so far! A great smoke. I almost feel that one star is too good for it! 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). The first cigarette I ever smoked was a Sobranie Black Russian, one of the great looking black ones with a gold tip. Seeing this in the hall of fame put me on a quest to find it again, with no luck. Its tangy,Smokey and sweet at the same time. It's the real deal. Strong blend that, while very pleasing, rubs you raw after too many bowls. 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. Four stars despite the number of changes that occurred. 2000-2023 Laudisi Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. I have smoked it many times since, but it never became part of my standard repertory. THE LEGEND. Blend with a characteristic, a bit stronger room note and taste. (50 Grams) Packaging: Tin Limit One Tin Per Customer 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. until their sale in the '70s. 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. The orientals are definitely the main player here, they're spicy and complex. My friends i have just opened a 200gr tin of Sobranie Original and i am smoking it in a Dunhill group5 shell aplle. Misrepresentation of your I LOVE IT! I remember coming home with a can of Balkan Sobranie. The tobacco note was odd, phenolic, like TCP (trichlorophenol), a smell you sometimes encounter on the London underground. And when it is gone, I will miss it. The year tells you how good it is. Its moderately smooth with a very consistent, mildly sweet and savory, lightly floral, very grassy flavor. Aroma of very delicate floral Orientals, slightly sour, smoky latakia and just a kiss of sweetness from the Virginia. So it was very perplexing when I got tongue bite, tongue bite, tongue bite. 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. The taste is silky, rich, complex. A masterpiece, perfect to smoke in the evening. If I had plenty of money, I'd have more Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture. It was a full aroma latakia with a delightfully light body. Having not had the opportunity to smoke the original when it came out I cant speak to a true comparison but I have smoked the old Balkan Sobranie with a lot of age. I already once said before that I can instantly recognize latakia holding Dunhill tobaccos when I smoke them. Balkan Sobranie She doesnt always have it in stock though. Predominant Latakia did a good job of giving the mixture that full body which I like so much. I packed and lit it up. Anyway I am basically a English/ Balkan smoker Very few other satisfy. The smoke, always changing yet always characteristic and steady, could never be ignored, no matter what you were doing: each draw was a conscious pleasure, the whole, like true art, more than the sum of its parts. . I'm glad to hear your thoughts. Had a lightly lingering after taste and room note. Outstanding. I am still smoking it occasionally, out of tins remaining from the 70's through the 90's. 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). Its appearance, though quite similar, shows more light leaf, however slight. Whatever it was, I spent several years following this up by trying to find another "balkan". Is this THE Balkan Sobranie? But also of the Smoker's Heaven tobaccos that for years counted as THE replacement for the original Balkan Sobranie tobaccos. Well, here in Italy the traditional and legendary 759 isn't available anymore, so I haven't had a chance to try it. And I see no difference after the update and stuff. Since 1912, Providing Premium Cigars, Quality Pipes, High Grade Pipe Tobacco, Not much piquant, pretty monochrome. If you air it out, the bite disappears. One day the manufacturer stops making the blend or closes their doors. The very first thing that stands out for me is how "buttery" the Orientals are in this blend verses others. Pipeworks and Wilke has two blends with Yenidje: No. Maybe 965 with a heaping of wet lawn clippings. The best of the very best. I remember the room note. Smokers are delighted in its medium-to-robust body, incense-like aroma and satisfying taste. The other flavors always floated above it, with sweet and spicy notes. It still is a very tasty, oriental-dominated blend, and one which has no equals. Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would findpleasurable. That and its uncompromising flavour do not augur success with the masses. So many talented blenders out there these days who have put their spin on it and have done well! $7.99. The first time I tried this tobacco was recently; it was a 6 year old 50g packet that had been well kept. BALKAN refers to the Greek Macedonian yenidze [ jenidze, yenidje, etc.] Had a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste and room note. There were many very nice old Dunhill and GBD pipes along with about 50 odd assorted tins of aged tobacco. This is my favorite in the old Sobranie line. I added only a small portion of the cavendish (about 1/3 of what the other tobaccos were. I left out room note as I lived alone at that time. Product: Sutliff Balkan Sobranie 759 Match Bulk. Certified secure site accepts: Milan Tobacconists, Inc. The unequalled art of original TBS and 759 is the most perfect ever marriage of the very best Latakia with the very best Orientals in a bed of robust Virginia, delivering an overwhelming palette of aromas. Strong but never overwhelming, after a bowl of BSOM I felt satisfied enough not to smoke again for a number of hours. I am going to smoke this tin. Their room note bespeaks a gentleman's presence. I may try it again when I have some extra money. I started loving the pipe when I was a teen. Since our culture today is one of over-blown expectations and manufactured exclusivity I was a tad sceptical. Rating?I can't smoke it "all the time", due to supply?however, this is a "Four Star Blend". BSOM has been the very first meeting with latakia mixtures (the second was the John Cotton's 1&2). Disclaimer: This review is based on four bowls as this is a late 80's tin and I am savoring it slowly due to its demise. The can was fitted with a new flip top key pull that unsealed the vacumn and aroma as you looked inside. Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. 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. Especially in its latest version, which I bought in december 2003 in Venice, the tobacco is drier and stronger and thus obligates me to enjoy it only occasionally. There are reasons for so many accolades and sagacity for such a fine tobacco. Per tobaccoreviews.com: "Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is one of the most legendary Latakia-based blends in history. Just a slight leathery flavor in the background. None have answered, though many are excellent. Borkum Riff Pipe Tobacco leaves fingers a bit sticky from the natural tobacco oils, not from humectants. My buddy brought this over to try. Something like an espresso without sugar. I've been at it for about 3 weeks to revive the Balkan as it was dryer then the Gobi desert, but I had good faith as the smell of the tobacco was really good and strong. The tobacco cut varies from rough to smooth and needs a bit of a rubbing out to help it burn evenly. 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. Balkan made them all, including Krumble Kake, which was Balkan pressed and sliced, considered by ?flake? 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. Germain & Son willing to make the tobacco. factory. I suspect that one of the blending tobaccos was an unflavoured Cavendish. Every new tobacco reviewer has to start with Balkan Sobranie - it might as well be the law. So, I finally opened the tin and took my time burning through it. Countless proficient blenders have tried hard to copy it. A few pouches from the mid-nineties survive and I hope they keep well. The stars are unrelated to this spectacular tobacco. However, I have never been able to get too far away from a good Balkan flake/mixture. I don't think it was ever labelled by Smokers' Haven. (Whom, similarly, imported Sasieni) Upon opening the packet I was anxious to sample its aroma?it was still delightful, quite as you would expect from a fine, fresh English. I had the good luck to come across a previously opened but sealed tin, half full, stored in a consistent temperature. 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. I'm impressed by the quality vs. price. For that reason, we limit the purchase of this tin to one per customer. The smell of the tobacco was very moist and incredible, unlike any other brand save for a few English blends that I had experienced. 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. Packing and lighting are straightforward. Over the past few days, I've had Gaslight, Plum Pudding, Balkan Sasieni, White Knight, Sextant. I think I'll pack another bowl! I don't remember seeing 759 until Balkan was sold. 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. Inc. All Rights Reserved. Still a great tobacco, notwithstanding all the evil that the companies that have manufactured it have made to worsen it. Quick view. Is this THE Balkan Sobranie? Just like every other pipe smoker on the planet I really wanted to try this. Oh yeah, I forgot, "It's not the way it used to be, when it had yenidje, and I walked up hill both ways to school during blizzards, and used pliers to pull out my own tooth". A fine grey ash results and despite the high Latakia content it doesn't flavour the pipe too much. IMO, the 70s version, which is the oldest I have smoked, was outstanding. This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! Is it back in production or is this old stock? 4. Cost about $4. The last part of the bowl is the best as all the different tobaccos harmoniously sing together. The pouch aroma is very strong -- latakia and orientals. 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? This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! On ebay, astronomical amounts were (and still are) asked and paid for these tobaccos. A must try! Now I know how was the original and now i can compare. Similar Blends: Ashton's Artisan, Peterson Balkan Delight, Old Ironsides.. Is anyone e lse having the same problem? Finished! I would say this tobacco smokes better a bit drier that most others even of the same species. 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. If I had to choose but one tobacco this would be it. Enjoyed the original many moons ago. Burns moderate with few relights. 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. At the recent Chicago Pipe Show (2004) I found someone who was selling a 2 ounce "pop top" tin from the late 70's at a reasonable price and bought it. A tin was once given to me as a Christmas gift by my sister-in-law. The quality of the tobacco is very high. Likewise akin to Smokers' Haven's Krumble Kake and Esoterica's Penzance in flavor and strength, but like comparing a profesional ice skater to a hockey player.