Really great because you can taste the love and craftsmanship. Sutliff: Balkan Sobranie Original Mix Match Pipe Tobacco Product Number: 005-443-0347 Sutliff's Balkan Sobranie Original Mix Match combines sweet Virginias, Latakia, and Macedonian Orientals for a familiar smoke based on the classic, time-honored blend. 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. Inc. All Rights Reserved. All in all, highly recommended for this wall of honour blend, an excellent starting place for Aromatic or Virginia pipers all briar brethren of the good leaf whom intend and desire experience with the genus Balkan or English. Balkan's near universal appeal in those days to lovers of English/Balkan/Oriental blends as a steady or special smoke attests to that fact. My 5 star rating is based on the original blend but I have never tried this newer iteration. 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". 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! This is also the case with Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture. I left out room note as I lived alone at that time. Balkan Supreme Bulk - TobaccoPipes.com The 2011 Chicago Pipe Show's "Balkan Sobranie Throwdown" was a competition to see who could produce a blend that most perfectly emulated the revered Balkan mixture. Is it back in production or is this old stock? It seeped into my jackets and the children when young used to love sniffing at those jackets. Regardless, it does have a decent nicotine punch, more so then Penzance or Caravan. Surely not! It contains Virginia, Syrian Latakia and eastern Tobaccos. It is surprisingly mellow and not at all high in nicotine. I remember this was what it was to smoke a pipe. RM BXP2A6 - Advertisement for Balkan Sobranie cigarettes used in magazine circa 1927. Dunhill 965, Standard Medium, and London were in the same range, but smoked quite differently. No bitterness. Be patient your time will come.. I am going to smoke this tin. I feel very fortunate to be able to have enough of this legendary tobacco to offer this, my first review. This will provide you with the best smoking experience. Easily qualifies as a rating that's off the chart IMHO, of course!!! Surprisingly, Sutliff's recreation is close to the original. The cut of the tobacco out of the pouch was very rough, and had a good number of twigs, etc. Buy Sobranie Cigarettes With affordable prices | Cigsway.com The strength is a couple of steps short of medium. Great result are also obtained smoking for 5-10 minutes and then letting sit for about 12 hours. Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco (1.76oz) $ 21.98. Purchased a new tin of The Balkan Sobranie when a small batch became available on SmokingPipes.com in December 2019 for about $15. 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. When the towel is dry, I'll gently mix the contents and repeat until the moisture level is right. The dominating Virginias bring a good amount of tang and subdued sweetness that sometimes, play with the Orientals that are deliciously sour with a sparkling taste, for lack of a better word. It has a grayish hue to it, which upon closer inspection, is a wonderful sparkly crystallization. Peterson Pipe Tobacco Nightcap (Dunhill)1.76, Peterson Pipe Tobacco My Mixture 965 (Dunhill Blend)1.76oz. Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. During the pursuit of perfection, excellence was achieved. It probably was the best Balkan mixture long ago and it's a shame it disappeared. Matter of personal preference. What made Balkan Sobranie unique was probably the incense like scent of the Yenidje. I gently separated the cake and allowed it to absorb some of the water vapor from the water below. The outstanding characteristic of this blend, to me, is the complexity and changing nature through the course of the bowl. 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? The tobacco feels so soft and silky. This is a 2.5 star blend compared to Black House or Nat Sherman 536, rating it "recommended" only if you're determined to try it and can find a tin cheap. It just takes over the senses. It may not display this or other websites correctly. About a month ago, my best friend who owns a cigar shop did inventories and found some old stuff under the counter he really couldn't sell anymore. I have been told that Smoker's Haven 'Our Best Blend' is a near-match to the Balkan Sobranie white, and that their Exotique is very similar to the Balkan Sobranie black. Ideally, I should have kept it in the freezer. So I'm writing what I think I recall here. Quite frankly, this tobacco is much better than I remembered. Militaire, and his masterpiece, the original, Collector-sized Cognac (#9621), made exclusively of Greek briar (as were Charatans). The tobacco is a very different experience than I expected. Unequalled tobacco, this mixture remains a mystery. FREE Shipping on all US orders over $95 | When Will My Package Ship? I love orientals, latakias, and Virginias, but burley gives me some trouble. The incense like aroma and fantastic taste is hard to describe and must be experienced at least once. The can was fitted with a new flip top key pull that unsealed the vacumn and aroma as you looked inside. It is tasty and boasts a super-fine ribbon cut that behaves beautifully when loading and lighting. 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. until their sale in the '70s. His life experience was invaluable to me in many ways. My first pipe experience whatsoever came when I told my mentor that I just didn't have the palate for fine cigars (the $3 ones tasted the same as the $30 ones to me) and that I was far more interested in trying pipe tobaccos. 5 This is one of the greats. IMO, the 70s version, which is the oldest I have smoked, was outstanding. Filters. And then, pure bliss. The lighting, and smoking qualities are indistinguishable from the Sasieni. Better! 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. Hope to increase production, now the demand is far greater than supply!!! Nope. On ebay, astronomical amounts were (and still are) asked and paid for these tobaccos. I kept the tin unsmoked for quite long time, just opening it and smelling that wonderful aroma. It is smooth but not overly so. I feel like a snobby tobacco smoker when this is in my pipe. Lights easily. 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. All in all, it was a very pleasant experience and I am looking forward to repeating it. I do however know that Latakia loses its edge over time and Virginias mellow down a bit. !Thats my opinion.Exellent in all respects. Smoked Balkan Supreme.love yet again. 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. I used to smoke this back in college days and of course, at the time had no idea what I had in my bowl. 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!). Smoke a bowl and cherish it! Take care of and estimate your favourites, they may disappear as suddenly as TBS did. Really this is different tale, but the 40 year old stuff is the real deal as far as im concerned . The virginia presents itself in the form of a winelike aroma. I like subtleties up to a point, beyond which I cannot detect them. Price: At 4noggins a tin of this new version costs $10.19. The room glowed with the fullness of the Blend. I smoked a few tins of this several years ago (before it became a classic) and found it good but unmemorable. Roomnote: The old Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture was (in)famous for it's for most people baaaad roomnote. This is my favorite in the old Sobranie line. Something like an espresso without sugar. If you are asking if it's same blend as when it was smoked some time ago. The tobacco came super-dry in the pouch and required almost a month of rehydration. Similar Blends: My favorite, Wilke's Crystal Palace. I say ?real? Having said that, however, this old Balkan Sobranie White (truly made by Sobranie) is the best tobacco I've ever, ever smoked. It is less overwhelming and subtler, perhaps more suited to all-day smoke. The tobacco presents a fine white ash when burnt. 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 finish is cool and dry. I will remain a former smoker! The tin note was nice. It is good smoke and I'm glad I got a hold of a couple of tins but, that's about it. Burns cool, clean and a tad fast as its thinner cut now. They were definitely not alike. The taste throughout was awesome. I hear you can get this across the pond. I've tried Balkan Sasieni, the current Balkan Sobranie, the current Best Blend from the current Smokers' Haven, and Balkan Sobranie throughout the '70s, '80s, 90's and '00s, as well as Margate (probably the currrent Best, as Germain now blends for Smokers' Haven, I've heard), Caravan, Penzance, McClelland's Yenidje Highlander and Yenidje Supreme (which lacks latakia), and countless other English/Balkan/Oriental blends from the late-lamented Dunhills to those corner tobacconist bulk-bought or hand blended attempts to clone Balkan. I was fortunate enough to come across some on ebay at a resoanble price (of course it was only for the packaging). or Best Offer +$5.40 shipping. The last part of the bowl is the best as all the different tobaccos harmoniously sing together. 524 (excellent, but not a "Balkan Sobranie") and No. 1, I'm not quite sure how old this can is as it was a gift and 2, I did not smoke my usual 2oz for the review. Rattray's did not come close at all. Yes, WAS. So they have found J.F. There is an acidic nuttiness like roasted walnuts, and a perfect sweetness as well. Published review content of this website is considered the It still is a very tasty, oriental-dominated blend, and one which has no equals. Pipe Tobacco The BS at that time was basically a latakia dump with just enough VA and oriental leaf to add a hint of sweetness. Burns at a reasonable pace, cool, clean and moderately smooth with a very consistent, mildly sweet and floral, savory, campfire flavor. Noooo idea, I've never smoked that one like I said before. 2001-2023 STC Holdings LLC, a division of Mac Baren USA. I was telling that story to my wife a year ago, and started getting back int to the pipe since then. The insistent Turkish twang was fun, but not all the time. Is this the best tobacco in pipe history, as many smokers claim? It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. When available. One of the best pipe tobaccos i have ever smoke. I believe that now there are better blends of this kind. Here's the package of Balkan Sobranie cigarettes for the people never saw it. of STC Holdings LLC. Mid-bowl: Aah! I had heard the stories. http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/109613-homemade-. For some reason, this seems to be listed twice here, so this review is the same as the Sobranie of London entry. To enjoy this blend, the best way is use a pipe with small bowl. Create New Wish List; SKU: 100-7906 UPC: 781755017115. The virginias appear to be aged nicely. Master blender Russ Ouellette was the hands-down winner, and this is his championship mixture: Black House, comprising a variety of tobacco for a complex English blend. Thoroughly enjoyable and deserves a quiet hour or so to smoke it and really enjoy it. They, too, were masterpieces. 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. 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. The Yenidje is noticable. Then Gallaher produced this blend until the mid-2000s. This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! Blend with a characteristic, a bit stronger room note and taste. Most related blends already contain Virginia and latakia, so the ratios are problematical. Balkan Sobraine is the mix to judge any Latakia blend by. Some reviewers have claimed this to be sharp or harsh and I did not have that result, but it could be due to the age of the tobacco. I want to savor every bit of this room note that I can. This was one of the first pipe-tobaccos that I really enjoyed on all levels, and, naturally, it was the pipe-tobacco everyone else hated. The aroma is heavenly, and I repeatedly left the room and re-entered so I could enjoy the room bouquet. The flavors are deep and I really can't do justice in words how great the aroma is, both from the tin and the smoke, just exquisite. 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. The last time I smoked the real Balkan Sobranie Original mixture was in Italy 2004 (still produced but not much distributed then). But who could resist, especially after retrieval of an eight ounce can from a ten can rotation, grabbing an immediate smoke? In short, Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is back! Medium bodied smoke, you get enough lat, but it's not really an extraordinary English. It's 1977 and my local Tobacconist at the Alpine Haus in Casper, Wyoming sold me a tin saying, this was the best. Medium strangth was fascinated me, nearly full taste was enchanted me. Initial Flavor: Pungently sweet! Having said that, I want to be perfectly c lear I DO believe it is a solid tobacco blend worthy of some distinction. what i like most about it is not necessarily the overall impression.. i like the details and the subtlety. Like many of the more traditional English blends, Balkan Sobranie's original mixture has changed hands a number of times, leading to different versions. Tobacco Type:Latakia, Oriental, Virginia. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incredible almost magical! 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. S. smoker . The orientals jump to the fore at the match, producing thick clouds of creamy, heavy smoke. Very close to what I remember, perhaps Ed Klopin Sr. wanted to duplicate the mix. The magic of the sensory delight linked to the focus of imagination. A year later in 1966, I graduated to a curved Briar pipe and the Sobranie Original Mixture. I remember the blend being "light and dark" ribbons but this 25 year old tin of tobacco (dated to 1979) was "dark and darker". I've never seen a tobacco change so much even from year to year (maybe just the Dunhill 965 did). You could taste the latakia and orientals, but they were not ove rstated. But, the memories are grand! [email protected] Use Coupon Code "SPECIAL15" On Order Over $190 And Get 15% Discount. It leaves a fine grey ash, and cakes poorly, so I tend to break my pipes in with something else. Very little hydration needed. As far as Italy is concerned BSOM does remain the only mixture you can truly name "balkan". That just isn't the case. Countless proficient blenders have tried hard to copy it. I'm missing it. There are no words to describe this wonderful, fantastic, exciting english mixture. Buy Sobranie Cigarettes online with free delivery today! rather than ?tobacco.? It may need a couple of relightings, but after each one of them the taste seems to get even better and richer. It has a certain raw edge to it that I don't really care for, and I find it lighter in flavor. 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? Get exclusive updates on all our fresh offerings, sales, and promotions -- right to your inbox. I never thought a blend containing Latakia could be enjoyed so much until I smoked The BSOM. I loved this classic, and will always remember what a special experience it was to have some. It was a creamy, well rounded smoke with the perfect balance of Latakia, Virginias and Oriental tobacco. We will deny any order we believe has been placed by a minor. To my knowledge, the only other ingredient, that which imparted some of the creaminess and the hint of vanilla, was deer tongue, the leaf of a weed(!) A crowning achievement in the tobacco blending craft without question. Orientals dominate the taste, almost to the exclusion of all else. Varia: Regarding lady nicotine you can notice that you are dealing with an "elder" tobacco. Here's a current review for March 2018. Bottom Line: The ultimate expression of the oriental leaves. One cannot regret smoking this, it really is a great smoke. Russia and settled for some time in the Balkans. Despite that I was allowed to finish the bowl, the darling :) So here also: points for authenticity! |Home 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. I simply do not like cigarettes and the foul smell and taste of such tobacco! 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". Peterson Pipe Tobacco Is it as good as the 70's, 60's and before version? It was a beautiful blend just like it was in the 1980s. It's definitely not worth that kind of price. This is due to the blend's extremely limited production. It comes pretty wet out of the tin. The Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture Pipe Tobacco Truly a delicious smoke to be sure. Supremely rich and dense in flavor, yet as light as a souffle. First: I never really imagined smoke the legendary The Balkan Sobranie. This tobacco burns well and packs soundly in all of my pipes. This was true for me into the 80s too, but by the time the 90s came about, the blend had changed and not for the better. If you are even remotely interested in Balkan blends, you owe it to yourself to try this. This used to be my favorite English blend before it became so hard to get. Current Stock: Decrease Quantity: Increase Quantity: Add to Wish List. . 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 rarely smoke now. Lucky for me the Turkish did not impose itself too much so I just ignored it. Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) - Balkan Sasieni - Tobacco Reviews That's part of the hype I hear also; that it's such a great Latakia bomb it's super strongall lies. 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 can usually say "I wish this blend had something more" but not here. Together with Penzance some of the best tin-smells ever. 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. For that reason, we limit the purchase of this tin to one per customer. Im not very fond of Latakia heavy blends and was pleasantly surprised that the Latakia doesnt overpower the Orientals or Virginias. They had two and I only bought one to try it. Per tobaccoreviews.com: "Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is one of the most legendary Latakia-based blends in history. Air time and letting it open a bit was all it took to take this to a new level. Happy Smokin'. This remains, for me, the quintessential balkan blend, characterized by the strong oriental elements, but with enough Virginia to provide complexity and sweetness. This is not merely a Balkan, it can be said this is possibly the Balkan that the term Balkan refers to about similar blends. Not as heavy on the Latakia as 759 and plenty of that marvelous old Yenidje leaf to sate the palate. Pleasant smoky aroma, with a slight odor of burnt sugar. Happy Smoking! I need to first say that below, Leiconnsel's review must be the gold standard for all reviews on this amazing blend. BALKAN refers to the Greek Macedonian yenidze [ jenidze, yenidje, etc.] . Overall: A classic Balkan that I hope someone re-introduces again in its original form. I give it a 75. It's simply that good. Finally got to smoke my fabled white whale, Balkan Sobranie.TRANSCENDENCE!!! was it merely an oversight at the factory, or is this really some kind of mythic witches brew. Size: 1.76 Oz. In that one, the smoky, woody, earthy Cyprian Latakia is the lead component, but lacks the depth and mustiness of earlier productions, and little less is here than before. |Forums 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. View All (61) Balkan Sobranie Balkan Sobranie 50g Reviews. It finishes, of course, full and strong. Without question this was the most anticipated tin I have ever opened. Balkan Sobranie $ 30.00. The leaf was long and stringy - like seaweed. . If you can find this blend, do yourself a favor. Im not one of the people who grabs everything to sell on eBay or put in a cellar for their great grandchildren to smoke. I have read so much about this blend I had to try it. I think I'll pack another bowl! The room note is unique. I am not going into the subtle differences of these two blends of heaven. I don't think it was ever labelled by Smokers' Haven. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incrediblealmost magical! We opened this tin of tobacco at the Chicago Show and laid a portion out on a newspaper to dry a bit. So, I finally opened the tin and took my time burning through it. IF you can obtain it. The Latakia-based blends status as a legend is due to the exceptional sweet and rich qualities of this particular tobacco mix. I just received 50 more grams of it in today's mail. A masterpiece, perfect to smoke in the evening. | This is a blend made for thoughtful and careful puffing. Same Day on in Stock Items If ordered before 10 am EST. Easily qualifies as a "five" star blend IMHO, of course!! In short..the blend against which all others must be compaired (save Red Raparee). However, it isnt one that is widely smoked or one most pipe smokers have even been lucky enough to try. or related products to anyone under the age of 21. I can now fully enjoy Abingdon and any other mixture that I can relate to as my ideal Latakia mixture, my holy grail. Ive got most of the recommended blends here but will have to look into a few of the others. With the history and price tag/availability of this blend came concerns it could be a bit of a letdown but those were swiftly erased almost immediately after lighting my first bowl of Balkan Sobranie. This BSOM makes you reach for that elusive flavor with each draw. Availability: . Once rubbed out I could pretty much gravity feed it into a pipe that is currently dedicated to it - a small to medium sized bent Dunhill shell dublin collector. You do not need to tamp it a lot and it burns down nicely to a grey ash. This is a review about the 2011 made by Germain Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture: Sometimes a product that is no longer available becomes legendary. I surmise that tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. The taste is a step past that center. Virginia, Latakia, Yenidje (oriental) of the best quality. 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. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos Aroma: Smoke, sweet vinegar, wood chips, cherry pit, concentrated fig, pomegranate jam. 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. I can't describe it to you - I'm not a wordsmith. The cut was rather coarse and zigzagy, not quite a proper ribbon cut, and the tin note was tangy, sort of fermented, because of the orientals. As others wrote before, the current production has really few to do with the old. Balanced to a fault, yet it's the sum of its ingredients that makes it so distinctive and so hard to imitate. In all other respects, the tobacco is identical. I think it is awful, as I did the last tin of it. There has been said a lot about this tobacco, mostly praised to the skies, it's all true. Sutliff Balkan Sobranie Original Mix Match Pipe Tobacco Personally I've never smoked that real old version and I think there was not so much wrong with the pouch version. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. : the above description is not an unattainable, sentimental concoction born of distorted, rosy memory: it is as accurate as I could make it. I don't see how one could find fault in this fine blend. It's a slow burning, cool and dry smoke with an incense like aroma, very smooth. Pipe Manufacturer & Retailer Spotlight | Enjoyed the original many moons ago. I had heard, and I thought they were exagerated. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. However, for many, the newer blends are just as enjoyable, if different. Yes, the contents were a bit moist and could do with a couple of days' drying, and were springy thanks to the ribbon cut. 320 N McPherson Church Rd Fayetteville NC 28303. Sutliff Tobacco Company - Match Balkan Sobranie 759 - Tobacco Reviews Very fine shag (described as ribbon but is much more fine than most) cut in long strands. Borkum Riff Pipe Tobacco The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. 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. 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. Size: 1.76 Oz. This review covers the latest, pouch version. Its good. Wonderfull nutty flavors with a boost in nicotine levels. Its hard not to look at the whole ball of wax and not say that this was one of best blends ever made.