They perfected Sobranie (which simply means ?parliament? I remembered a friend describing to me that the difference between the "old" and "new" is the Latakia in the "new" is more noticable. I do not know if this is a result of aging or as it was at that time as I was an avid cigar smoker in those days and never smoked a new tin. Rather sweet base, campfire room note. Buy Sobranie Cigarettes online with free delivery today! This stuff have cool somoke, something light and very rich. If youre fortunate enough to find this blend in stock, get it while you can. 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! Tobacco Shop in Roanoke, Virginia, USA. Tobacco Type:Latakia, Oriental, Virginia. Notice | Advertising Not sure what to say but it nothing like the original and there are FAR better quality pipe blends than this. 'But none' have even come mildly close in anyway-as far as I am concerned. 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. On opening the pack I was greeted by the well known Latakia scent, followed by sweetish notes of Virginia and the last came to my attention the Turkish tobacco, very much similar to cigarette tobacco. Track Order. Yesterday I opened my last remaining pouch of the 1994 Sobranie Mixture, to see whether it would bring back memories. Super smooth, blended perfectly. Retailer name please. Not so heavy, incredibly smooth tobacco, giving a gentle sweetness and a dry, salty smoking that reminds me of Syrian Latakia.It was smoked easily until the end of the bowl. & Conditions | DMCA I've tried dried deer tongue leaf broken or crumbled in blends and gotten nothing out of it. Ill post a screenshot of the tin as its listed on the site. Burns to a fine grey ash. What's in there, you smell! I give it a 75. In short..the blend against which all others must be compaired (save Red Raparee). Rarely, is that the case with a balkan. Once my pipe was filled I went out in the hall of the resort to light it. 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. 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. Virginias, and other fine tobaccos for a bold, earthy smoking experience with notes The overall flavor profile reminds me of a glass of Lagavulin scotch thoroughly diluted with seltzer water. No flavorin g detected. 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. A TRUE MASTERPIECE. 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. The tobacco in the tin is finely cut, almost a shag. The sample I got was aged, obviously. I could tell it was loaded with my beloved Syrian Latakia and something else I might have tasted just the barest hint of in Balkan Sasieni, probably the Yenidje. It was like a big glorious hit of midnote with some bottom. Not sure what to make of this. The unflavored soda note from the yenidje is virtually missing. 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. No bite whatsoever. Balkan Sobranie. I find this blend to be smooth, gentle on the tongue and glorious whe n rolled thru my nose. Another old favourite of mine back in the day. I would say this tobacco smokes better a bit drier that most others even of the same species. If you ever get to try this blend, don't rush past savoring the pouch aroma! For my tastes, the #1 of all of these Hall of Fame blends. It was always ?caviare for the general?, and not, lately, much of a money-maker: English tastes, in this as in everything else, have become coarsened and vulgarised; and so, once it was deprived of its big American public, this blend simply became problematic and unprofitable. It's taste was definitely much better than it's smell, full-bodied and smoky, and the room note was not too aggressive, there's somewhat of a "tang" to it, but you could easily smoke it unnoticed in a group of cigarette smokers. Very minimal relights, burns down to a fine, dark gray ash. What else can I say about this blend that hasn?t already been said? It's not even Balkan Sobranie 'Lite', but just has to be seen as a new thing - comparison to the old stuff is useless and misleading. Finished! None came close to the White Tin with the neat wagon on the front of the tin. On ebay, astronomical amounts were (and still are) asked and paid for these tobaccos. 5 This is one of the greats. 1999, pretty nice but nothing compared by the old original. Limit One Tin Per Customer apparently admissible under the non- adulteration laws at the time, which prohibited all topping but did permit Cavendish. If you get your hands on some you are in for a treat! I've had no luck trying to blend existing blends to emulate the original Balkan. Filters. 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. What I remember about Sobranie is the "dirt" taste, similar to a Guiness Stout. Still Fresh, Purchased From: Pipestud's Consigment Shop. Awesome smoke and definitely the finest Balkan I've tried so far! 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. Somehow, with all of that, it managed a very pleasant room note. However, how does one describe the indescribable? and ?protean? The orientals jump to the fore at the match, producing thick clouds of creamy, heavy smoke. The flavor is very nice but, could use a bit more weight to it. Sutliff Pipe Tobacco. Highly recommended. I've been smoking this as long as it's been an option to me- the last four years. Majority of medium brown leaf, with specs of bright Va and black dark fired. I smoked a pretty good amount of the BS that was sold in the 1990s, and just recently opened a pouch of the last version (sold outside the U.S. until around 2005, if I understand correctly). Stop the madness boys you're reviewing something that no longer exists. Similar Blends: Ashton's Artisan, Peterson Balkan Delight, Old Ironsides.. A fine cut mix of dark and light Virginia's, Macedonian tobacco and Cyprian latakia. It seeped into my jackets and the children when young used to love sniffing at those jackets. 4-5 lights to start and it would go out ocasionally. I think it's both over-hyped and well deserved. It was a creamy, well rounded smoke with the perfect balance of Latakia, Virginias and Oriental tobacco. Only the name remains. But despite the large demand the tobacco became less and less available and the production finally stopped. Purchased From: Some tobacconist in Spain. Pipe Tobacco The Balkan Sobranie Cigarettes Tobacco Tin Turkish England Opens in a new window or tab. I bought some in the spring from Boswells in Chambersburg, PA. Smoked slowly, this is cool, deep and satisfying without being overwhelming. After reading the whole story about Balkan Sobranie I decided to buy a pack og 50g Gallaher packed tobacco, just to see will it live up to the reputation. It is a brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured. I would smoke this one regularly if it were available. Cyprian latakia is present along with turkish in the nose. Pipeworks and Wilke has two blends with Yenidje: No. Product: Balkan Sobranie Balkan Sobranie 50g, Just a few hours after the e-mail, I miss it again, that only after a few hrs of being available it's again sold out Germaine is producing some of the finest tobacco available and this is no exception. The room note is unique. I can only imagine how good the original issue was; I smoked it in my college days (1970s) and also smoked the Sobraine-made Smokers' Haven blends (which I still smoke in their Germain incarnation) but the taste memory has faded over the years. I remember this stuff from back when it was cool to smoke a pipe. New Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco | PipesMagazine.com Who knows? Those who regularly smoke them in the past, already know. Then it was no fills in Virgins, and then it was fills in them, too. 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. A cool and long-lasting smoke. That just isn't the case. Germain's Balkan Sobranie 3-Pack of 50g tins - Year 2022 This blend is the peak for me: 10+ out of 10! Nope. I LOVE IT! For those who liked the resinous Oriental perfume, Dunhill's Durbar is quite nice. I find this blend to be spectacular if allowed to sit, packed, for several hours to dry. but that makes sense considering this is considered the benchmark, therefore a lot of imitations have hit upon it, and some very well. Price: At 4noggins a tin of this new version costs $10.19. |Retailer Directory All rights reserved. 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. Requires few relights, and leaves little dampness in the bowl. Something about the mystique of the name made me click the "favorite" button but, oddly, I never reviewed it. This is a nice ribbon cut ranging from medium brown to dark brown to black in color, with a very dark tone overall. I opened this tin given to me as a gift by dm14 and I thank him for it. Then I happened on a shop in the Rockies while I was on assignment there. )which would make this more of an english blend than a Balkan. Without question this was the most anticipated tin I have ever opened. It probably was the best Balkan mixture long ago and it's a shame it disappeared. I was impatient while filling my first bowl straight out of the pack which I later regretted, but I will come to that. 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. 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. What a revelation it was! The mystique surrounding this blend from years past is well deserved. 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). I try to pick a time when I can set aside an hour to sit quietly and enjoy this fine tobacco. Notify me when this product becomes available! The Latakia-based blends status as a legend is due to the exceptional sweet and rich qualities of this particular tobacco mix. It has a sweet & sometimes salty flavor when the right taste receptor is hit & has an enticing aroma. And when it is gone, I will miss it. Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would find pleasurable. Maybe the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje? It reminds me of two blends sort of: Pease's Charing Cross and Bohemian Scandal. I simply loved the flavor. Mid-bowl: Aah! So, how does it taste? Packing/lighting: Packs well with a lot of spring. At least for this one time, the cost of the tin was well worth it. This blend is the "BESTEST" tasting blend ever! Both should be tried. On ebay, astronomical amounts were (and still are) asked and paid for these tobaccos. This tobacco in my humble opinion should be the standard by which all Balkans are judged by, it is that good. An all day smoke that lacks the depth and complexity of past manufactures. The tobacco ranges from black to dark brown, there are some lighter bronze strands but overall it's a dark mixture. Tobacconists does not sell cigarettes on this site, nor do we sell tobacco This is fact for both, The Balkan Sobranie and the 759 Mixture. I was young and callous and therefore felt that this blend was very harsh. A few pouches from the mid-nineties survive and I hope they keep well. 4. During the pursuit of perfection, excellence was achieved. Well if they put this in their new age purses, maybe I'll listen. The fine ribbon cut needs some airing out. There has been said a lot about this tobacco, mostly praised to the skies, it's all true. It has a grayish hue to it, which upon closer inspection, is a wonderful sparkly crystallization. Just lit you almost taste the pure latakia. 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. what i like most about it is not necessarily the overall impression.. i like the details and the subtlety. Outsanding!! And even with the utmost care and dedication it fatigues my palate after I'm done. It is almost all black and had compressed, so I broke it and rubbed it out. It's kind of funny. I packed and lit it up. ** 4 tins per customer only, we will reduce any order to that, sometimes you have to share !! One cannot regret smoking this, it really is a great smoke. The Virginias drive this tobacco for the most part, with the Orientals making an appearance from time to time, all this under the supervision of a most delicious Latakia that has a red wine like flavor. To be able to enter the world of English/Balkan mixtures this way, spoiled me. I can usually say "I wish this blend had something more" but not here. or related products to anyone under the age of 21. I would like to start out by saying that i am extremely annoyed by the two main ways this blend seems to be reviewed.. on the one hand, there is the reactionary camp who compare their current experience to the echoes of memories of long lost years.. then there is a progressive camp that seems all too willing to embrace and wax poetic on something they have recently discovered. I was lucky enough to snag a couple of tins when the past shipment arrived. The bowl burned downed slowly to a fine ash. All Balkan fans should give this one a try. As for flavorits ok. Everything was perfectly balanced and smooth. July 01, 2020. I dont really find the blinds to be similar but this one stands on its own is a goo d Balkan. It was, however, obvious that the tobacco had become thoroughly dried over the years. Digging my memories I still remember the great surprise I received from this incredible, incense-like, perfume. 2011.. Arango Cigar Co. became the one that acquired the rights of Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture. No Syrian or Yenidje in it though. If you are asking if it's same blend as when it was smoked some time ago. Well, it's nothing like the original one, but it still stands above the mass of English mixtures. With that said . Close . All tobacco is made the old fashioned way. In another order of things, the scores here should be granted for the tobacco's quality and not because someone failed to buy it. WARNING: Smokingpipes.com does not sell tobacco or tobacco related products to anyone under the age of 21, nor do we sell cigarettes. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better until the very end. 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. Not strong or overpowering at all. Matter of personal preference. Perhaps it was the tin that attracted me, the white one with the two women on the front. Purchased a new tin of The Balkan Sobranie when a small batch became available on SmokingPipes.com in December 2019 for about $15. Be The First To Know About Exclusive Products And Deals! 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. It still is a very tasty, oriental-dominated blend, and one which has no equals. There wasn't much virginia citrusy virginia "pep" but you could still smell it's "expensive cigarette" qualities, I think you can blame the age of the tin for that. Good English, definitely nowhere near the top. All rights reserved. IMO, the 70s version, which is the oldest I have smoked, was outstanding. It's in current production. follow discussion on this recipe here and if you have anything to add please chime in. 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. Except the lucky few. Regardless, it does have a decent nicotine punch, more so then Penzance or Caravan. 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 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. It's a sweet and smoky treat. Unfortunately, there was no Original Mixture. For some reason, this seems to be listed twice here, so this review is the same as the Sobranie of London entry. It contains Virginia, Syrian Latakia and eastern Tobaccos. I am puzzled about availability. Pouches continued to be manufactured but this is another story. . Now I really hope that Arango and Germain also will bring out Mixture 759 and Virginia no. In America these days, if I remember correctly, there's a bunch of funny self help ladies running around talking about 'Aroma-therapy'. People say 965 is the standard to judge English mixtures by. this blend builds up to a medium to full strength. A pipe smokers nirvana. leaves fingers a bit sticky from the natural tobacco oils, not from humectants. 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. It's different, actually, in its deepness, due to different oriental leaves and the different proportions of the components. Joe made a similar agreement with GBD, and became the largest distributor of that pipe in the world. And sadly the latakia does not age gracefully, losing much of its potency after 40 years in the tin. Balkan Sobraine is the mix to judge any Latakia blend by. 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. Unfortunately, by now the cigarette industry had turned its unblinking eye upon turkish tobacco, consuming all there was. I used to smoke this back in college days and of course, at the time had no idea what I had in my bowl. FREE Shipping on all US orders over $95 | When Will My Package Ship? It is good smoke and I'm glad I got a hold of a couple of tins but, that's about it. If my wallet actually agreed with me, I would be seeking out much more of this wonderful English blend. 1981, transition year to the Gallaher production, good but really just not it. Gross!" The room glowed with the fullness of the Blend. I never had the original one, but this tobacco is quite good in its own right. The BS at that time was basically a latakia dump with just enough VA and oriental leaf to add a hint of sweetness. Free 877-70MILAN (64526) customercare@milantobacco.com As Balkan blends are a bit lighter on the Latakia and heavy on the Orientals it is a bit different than a regular English blend, but not as light as P resbyterian Mixture. You could taste the latakia and orientals, but they were not ove rstated. Balkan Sobranie 50g Tin - watchcitycigar.com Certified secure site accepts: Milan Tobacconists, Inc. In an age where everyone grows up eating McDonalds, stove top stuffing, drinking diet soft drinks and smoking mass produced cigarettes most people wouldn't know quality when they taste it, be that food or smoke. This will provide you with the best smoking experience. . The sweetness is there, the smoothness is there, the complexity is impressive, the Latakia is not overwhelming. But I have since then tried a very well-kept tin from (I think) the 40s or 50s, which was a little dry (but moistened back up with a small piece of orange peel), inherited by a friend of mine by his late grandfather. 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? until their sale in the '70s. We're all poorer for the loss. And I truly mean that. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incredible almost magical! Are there better bl ends? This is by far the best English Balkan blend ever made including the suppose Gallagher version. This is SOMEWHAT of a comparision, understanding that I am comparing a new tin verses an aged tin and the 90's era Original Mixture was, by most accounts, not the best era of the blend. Balkan Sobranie 759 Match | Smokingpipes.com Samuel Gawith full Virginia Flake (Rubbed out well). Maybe the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje? I have read so much about this blend I had to try it. However, I have never been able to get too far away from a good Balkan flake/mixture. I simply loved the flavor. I open one of my remaining stock every 10 years and will savor each bowl over the next few months. Balkan could smoke wet if you didn't dry it out just right, and hot and bitey if too dry. Those were the three pipes he believed in, BBB, Petersen, Comoy, Sasieni and even Barling having already begun to slide. 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. Top of the top. 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. Published review content of this website is considered the This BSOM makes you reach for that elusive flavor with each draw. I can find nothing wrong with any aspect of this blend, if in stock constantly it would be my every day/ all day smoke. No Virginia top notes here. My favorite came with a black label and I think it was called Mixture #759. I would have rated this version of the BS as a two star blend, or maybe 2.5 if I were feeling generous. For that reason, we limit the purchase of this tin to one per customer. Throughout the 60's I smoked this regularly. Lots of moisture. I've never seen a tobacco change so much even from year to year (maybe just the Dunhill 965 did). Requires few relights, and leaves little dampness in the bowl. There aren't any really. The return of the classic Balkan Sobranie now manufactured by JF Germain in the British Isles! but still smooth. Room note is a killer to those who don't smoke. You can see how it is a hard composition to blend, with ingredients often hard to obtain, and whose consistency over 130 years has been variable to say the least! Aging will do wonders to this I'm sure. 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. But not in a bad way, think Crme Brule. Oriental tobacco was standardized and sold uniformly, no more to be readily had as the local varietals with exotic names. I welcome other reminiscences, additions, corrections; but, N.B. The strength is in the center of mild to medium. Gawaith's Commonwealth is supposed to be 50%-50% Virginia-latakia and is not caked. Eventually I got myself a Churchwarden and took up the pipe. I added only a small portion of the cavendish (about 1/3 of what the other tobaccos were. Outstanding. Perhaps, despite the common wisdom, Balkan used it fresh. A wonderful smoke. After a decade, being reminded of the Sobranie flavor made me want to buy a pipe and some tobacco ASAP. (the 'very pleasant' under room note is my opinion, not someone else's) This is definately a mood altering substance. Peaty and earthy, briny, peppery and a little bitter, leaves a dry sensation on the tongue and a smoky mineral aftertaste. Add to Wishlist. Let the smoke slowly out of your mouth and inhale through your nose and you'll see what I mean, all the hype about this tobacco is true and th ats a rare thing, when it's available again, make sure you get some, because out of the hundreds of different tobaccos I've tried over the years this would have to be one of, if not the best I've ever had, just remember, if your not into latakia, don't bother, blue smokes a tanging, enjoy. Product: Sutliff Balkan Sobranie 759 Match Bulk. And for now it seems it's here to stay. 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. The winelike aroma of the virginias translates to the flavor and is sublime in the mix. On the contrary! Easily qualifies as a rating that's off the chart IMHO, of course!!! I had no trouble keeping the pipe lit, and was pleased I chose a group six pipe to smoke it in. UPDATE: This mixture just has a taste of its own. My buddy brought this over to try. It is considered as The Holy Grail of Pipe Tobacco! Here's the package of Balkan Sobranie cigarettes for the people never saw it. as it blooms midway down the bowl. Please let me know: pearsond -at- odsgc.net. Perhaps its uniqueness is one of the reasons why so many pipers love it. It works for me. The Mighty Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco has returned. This blend did not achieve legendary status for no reason. That's an English, this is a balkan. I also liked other mixtures of Sobranie of London, like the rare Birdseye Cut, and the famous 759 for example.