It's been quite a long time since last time I had a bowl, but I was very familiar with this tobacco, so I can rely on many pleasant recollections to write this review. In short..the blend against which all others must be compaired (save Red Raparee). Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. Since 1912, Providing Premium Cigars, Quality Pipes, High Grade Pipe Tobacco, The first time I tried this tobacco was recently; it was a 6 year old 50g packet that had been well kept. In my book this blend scores 5 points out of 5, which equates to 4 well deserved stars. Questions, or to order by phone: 888-689-6876. I occasionally pack up some Sobranie just to enjoy it, and I fully believe the tales of yore about how good this blend was. Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. Why on earth did they stop selling this stuff in America? It was cheaper, and it had the stronger flavor I liked without being Galoises(sp?). Is it as good as the 70's, 60's and before version? Germain's Balkan Sobranie 3-Pack of 50g tins - Year 2022 A cool and long-lasting smoke. I can see why this tobacco is the one that started the whole "Balkan" designation. More recently Balkan Sobranie has reappeared, produced by S. F. Germain for persons having the legal right to the Sobranie name. After 45 minutes of drying I loaded it into a brand new Peterson 317 that had never been smoked. I rarely smoke now. Either of these methods do wonders in bringing forward the depth early in the bowl, which is otherwise experienced more toward the bottom. You must log in or register to reply here. No pipecleaner needed during the smoke. Sobranie, all in all, is a wonderfully rewarding smoke. Funny how all the tobacco is in the old closet of a humidor that had been the cigar area, and the cigars are now in a nice large humidor up front where the tobacco had been. 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. Published review content of this website is considered the Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com Mac Baren Pipe Tobacco This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! I've never had anything labeled Balkan that was remotely close to this. Rather sweet base, campfire room note. I prefer to take it slow, just so thin wisps of smoke emit from the pipe. I've never seen a tobacco change so much even from year to year (maybe just the Dunhill 965 did). it was distinctive enough to evoke comment and to me had a more than discernible hint of leaves being burned on a damp Autumn day in England. Very rich complex flavors.. Worth every penny! Add to Wishlist. 1971, oh tremendous!!! I was very sad. O.k., whatever you say. Balanced to a fault, yet it's the sum of its ingredients that makes it so distinctive and so hard to imitate. We apologize, but this item is temporarily out of stock. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better until the very end. Germain & Son willing to make the tobacco. IMO, the 70s version, which is the oldest I have smoked, was outstanding. So J.F. Rich and full of flavor this blend is a satisfying smoke to be savored slowly. smokers to be superior. (50 Grams) Trouble is finding it!. 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. In short, Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture is back! I can't describe it to you - I'm not a wordsmith. Mo's flavor profile seems right to me. The special cut of Virginia & Perique has a place in almost anyone's rotation. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to smoke plenty of TBS for many years. Being a Balkan, the Oriental is the star of the show, followed by the Latakia. Once I opened a can and discovered that one of the stems (it had its share of stems) was in fact a rusty nail. So it was very perplexing when I got tongue bite, tongue bite, tongue bite. Finished! 1981, transition year to the Gallaher production, good but really just not it. Pipe Tobacco This was an open secret at the store by the '60s, and many's the two, four or eight ounce can of Our Best Blend we opened and found inside the Balkan Sobranie rice paper or card stock insert. The year tells you how good it is. The finish was not abrupt, not harsh, it just sort of faded away. 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. Join Milan Tobacconists on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest for Real-Time Countless proficient blenders have tried hard to copy it. I find Nightcap, Penzance and Black Mallory to be more complex. This Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco is a reintroduction of the legendary original recipe made famous I was telling that story to my wife a year ago, and started getting back int to the pipe since then. The pipe smoking market appears to be . I spend a few days carefully rehydrating the contents to the perfect RH %. Very neutral aroma that does not disturbs the room. 10/12/07 ? The cut is comprised very thin ribbons that are a little too moist, but given the cut, it dries quickly. From 1962-63 through 1978 when I stopped smoking a pipe regularly, my tobacconist sent me two 8 ox tins of Balkan Sobranie each month and that included my tour in Vietnam in 1967-68. 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. The first cigarette I ever smoked was a Sobranie Black Russian, one of the great looking black ones with a gold tip. And it is worth every dollar cent! Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. Something that was better in the pouch version. I have smoked for three years this unforgettable tobacco. Individual reviews are the opinion(s) of the contributor and do not reflect the opinion(s) Bottom of Bowl: It is over too quickly. I was fortunate enough to come across some on ebay at a resoanble price (of course it was only for the packaging). I wish I could, but that just ain?t happenin?. My humble recommendation: Try the Sobranie or Sasieni in larger pipes that have been broken in with other "Englishes"?.These blends are a treat, and relights are uniquely satisfying. Ones ?below? Balkan Sobranie - The Country Squire Tobacconist This is a pure Turkish smoking experience. . As my palliate progressed, I would dip into my tin every so often, to the point of really liking it. What I was missing in the 1981 version were the oriental tobaccos that halfway the bowl began to sing the dominant part. 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. Here is the thing, for those of you waiting patiently to try it, it's just ok. Very nice once-a-day smoke. Now I am back to the pipe after a time out for raising two great sons. 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. Notify me when this product becomes available! Without question this was the most anticipated tin I have ever opened. Balkan Sobranie Tobacco - TobaccoPipes.com Us |Contact That's about all I can say. Awesome smoke and definitely the finest Balkan I've tried so far! SUTLIFF BALKAN SOBRANIE #759 MATCH. Though it is still a very good tobacco, the industrialized process of its manufacture has forced it to join the ranks of those blends (Gold Block, Rich Dark Honeydew, Highland Sliced or Three Nuns plastic pouch) that can only be a pale reflection of their old selves. Moisture content is great. That one's been in production since at least the mid 2000s. Almond butter, butter cream frosting, meringue, brown bread, plum pudding, candied fruit, pinot noir, armagnac. it has been 40 years since I have smoked any. My lucky day. or Best Offer +$5.40 shipping. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco (1.76oz) $ 21.98. The smell alone is divine. Matched perfectly with the smoky and woody Latakia. 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. But when I first tasted and smelled that wonderful exotic smoke I was hooked. This is a gentle mixture that I'd smoke any time of day were it not for its rarity. 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? Here you can really notice that there is more of the dark smoked leaf in the 2011 version. The other flavors always floated above it, with sweet and spicy notes. Davidoff Pipe Tobacco Penzance now that is another story :) Hope this helps those who can't get their hands on it I speak the truth, my friends. But I may be deceived. Availability: Out of StockPrice: $19.00 USD, Select Another Pipe Tobacco Brand: Ideally, I should have kept it in the freezer. 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. After a decade, being reminded of the Sobranie flavor made me want to buy a pipe and some tobacco ASAP. Great stuff and ill be stocking up. It remains to be seen if the new production, coming from a quality blender that currently has trouble meeting demand for its best blends will be able to supply enough product and of high quality. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incredible almost magical! OK. Get advance notice on pipe specials, tobacco sales, freebies . Perfectly worth buying here, and wildly overpriced on the secondary market everywhere else. The BS that was available to me in the 1990s could be purchased at just about any tobacconist as well as many chain grocery stores and drug stores. http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/109613-homemade- balkan-sorbanie-original-mixture.html. Despite that I was allowed to finish the bowl, the darling :) So here also: points for authenticity! It's a classic balkan blend with very little virginia and lots of latakia and turkish yenidje. Somewhat regarded as a classic and rightly so, however it has become somewhat degraded in recent years, no doubt a by-product of being taken over by the Gallaher tobacco conglomerate. Bottom Line: The ultimate expression of the oriental leaves. The tobacco cut varies from rough to smooth and needs a bit of a rubbing out to help it burn evenly. But the new blends out there (Paul Olsen's, Ten Russians, Larry's Strike Force, Penzance, Knightsbridge) are all certainly worthy heirs to the throne, and I don't feel cheated that I like at a time where I can have such a wide range available to me. Quite frankly, this tobacco is much better than I remembered. Unflavored black Cavendish also bulk from "PW&W". Note: It is easy to go overboard with the Syrian (The stuff is so delicious! but that makes sense considering this is considered the benchmark, therefore a lot of imitations have hit upon it, and some very well. It just takes over the senses. . For me, this is a very difficult tobacco to review as I don't really have anything to compare it to. You know how things get distorted after so many years "ahh, those were the GOOD old days.". The Original BS smoked mellow, cool, dry and somewhat sweet. That being said it hasn't degraded too much and still is a extremely fine tobacco. was it merely an oversight at the factory, or is this really some kind of mythic witches brew. Those were the three pipes he believed in, BBB, Petersen, Comoy, Sasieni and even Barling having already begun to slide. I need to first say that below, Leiconnsel's review must be the gold standard for all reviews on this amazing blend. I had no experience with the blend previously but, had tried the others years ago. I was really interested in buying some, seeing how hard it was to come by. I almost feel that one star is too good for it! More so, for instance, than the "Frog Morton" which leans toward the Latakia; or Bill Bailey's, which is "over the edge" with Latakia. Finally, with my Sobranie blended to my satisfaction I jarred it and set out enough to fill my rather large Meerqueen bowl. I would currently rank this as my second favorite right now. I feel it can be smoked anytime of the day accompanying many pleasurable activities be it reading a novel, fly fishing, walking the dogs, even after cigars and cask strength single malts. 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. Being too young to have ever bought this over the counter, I felt I had to try the blend that everyone in the pipe club lamented they could not buy anymore. Now I really hope that Arango and Germain also will bring out Mixture 759 and Virginia no. None have answered, though many are excellent. It has cost 8 Euros for 50 grams and I have no problem with that, I'd pay twice the price. Balkan Sobranie Pipe Tobacco One of the most sought after pipe tobaccos still produced today, Balkan Sobranie is a Latakia-based blend that even the most dedicated enthusiast often has not been able to try. The Latakia-based blends status as a legend is due to the exceptional sweet and rich qualities of this particular tobacco mix. I have been fortunate to smoke many of the older tins, but the leaf lacks the punch it contained when fresh. The middle part was a bit heavier but still a good medium taste with a full room note and ample white smoke. Current Stock: Decrease Quantity: Increase Quantity: Add to Wish List. 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. It smells like sandlewood incense! This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. The ribbon cut was tricky to load, and if clumped up could cause voids. I'm missing it. The room note was pretty awful (until you were hooked), almost as gross as that of a yesterday's cigar. It was all I'd hoped it would be and so much more! Burns at a reasonable pace, cool, clean and moderately smooth with a very consistent, mildly sweet and floral, savory, campfire flavor. Smokingpipes has been down for a few days for maint. 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. Maybe the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje? I find Nightcap, Penzance and Black Mallory to be more complex. This is a ?blue-collar? At least I find it impossible now to say from the room note alone what Balkan has been smoked, but with Balkan Sobranie there never was any ambiguity. It is not really bad, but something got lost in the transition. Available for both RF and RM licensing. The tobacco for what it is worth did seem a bit dry (just the way I like it). Almost no sweetness, the olive notes tasted rancid, and the latakia was so muted as to be undetectable. Easily qualifies as a four star blendIMHO, of course!!! Pipeworks and Wilke has two blends with Yenidje: No. I've never had tongue bite from a Balkan before. I had no trouble keeping the pipe lit, and was pleased I chose a group six pipe to smoke it in. And sometimes I cut in some Turkish. Especially, if it means spending outrageous sums of money. Pouch Aroma: Rich, woodsy, smokey, leathery, hints of nuts Packs: very easily Lights: Very easily. 10 it became kind of the Holy Grail of the pipe tobaccos. I think that I've had a bit of this once in a while. Is it inexpensive? A wonderful smoke. Is this the best tobacco in pipe history, as many smokers claim? IMHO it is exactly the same blend, the difference is simply that the one has aged and the other is relatively new. Lucky for me the Turkish did not impose itself too much so I just ignored it. Tin note is mostly Virginia/ Oriental. Had a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste and room note. Us On one hand I was glad I did, on the other I was sad because it was one of the few sachets circulating all over the world. All in all, it was a very pleasant experience and I am looking forward to repeating it. This review is not meant to disparage older versions of the BS, as I've never tried any of them. Legends. If you stop being attentive to the way you smoke, it can bite. You are using an out of date browser. My tin was stored sealed from 1995 until 2002. sobranie cigarettes for sale: Search Result | eBay This is probably the most famous Balkan blend ever. I can't make a comparison, but this Original Mixture seems very good to me. 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. I was young and callous and therefore felt that this blend was very harsh. I've tried dried deer tongue leaf broken or crumbled in blends and gotten nothing out of it. Once open the tobacco rests in a paper as is often customary with on top of that a thin round insert with nothing on it. I hear you can get this across the pond. I remember the blend being "light and dark" ribbons but this 25 year old tin of tobacco (dated to 1979) was "dark and darker". Top of the top. As another old codger, I am grateful for Leiconnsel's review below on this truly classic tobacco. The smell is definately english/balkan in nature. I have smoked quite a few BS "matches" and none come close to replicating this blend. 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'm glad to hear your thoughts. Unlike most Latakia blends, the room not of Balkan Sobranie is rich and pleasant, think incense or a just-spent fire. Somehow, with all of that, it managed a very pleasant room note. Comparisons to Balkan Sasieni are obvious due to the tin art but Sobranie is miles ahead in flavor and depth. The flowery notes are likely their stock of Yenidje. The latakias has utterly melded and permeated the rest of the blend. Pipe Tobacco 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!). It comes pretty wet out of the tin. 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. 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. You could taste the latakia and orientals, but they were not ove rstated. The orientals are definitely the main player here, they're spicy and complex. The balance of Virginias, Orientals & Latakia: favors the Orientals. RF 2K702D2 - Kyiv, Ukraine - September 03, 2022: A pack of Sobranie Gold cigarettes closeup on white. by the House of Sobranie and now produced in the Esoterica Tobacciana In fact, the difference might be compared to that between the Glenfiddich Scotch (sharp) and the Glenlivet Scotch (soft), albeit not so distinct?. Wow. Nic-hit was felt in the mouth and throat but nowhere else. They've been sold out. Specials, and Other News! Strong but never overwhelming, after a bowl of BSOM I felt satisfied enough not to smoke again for a number of hours. Luscious but actually capable of giving you a hangover if you smoke it all day. Layer after layer of astonishing tobacco flavor all perfectly put together. I am no expert, but this stash is an education for the senses. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. Here's a current review for March 2018. The room note is unique. of spice and a mild sweetness. Old tins these days are just too mellow - although still MARVELOUS! I prefer it in the truck on a road trip, or in the evening sitting in my smoking chair. I remembered a friend describing to me that the difference between the "old" and "new" is the Latakia in the "new" is more noticable. Not a terribly expensive blend, so value is not really a concern. I am going to smoke this tin. There aren't any really. They also make all the Esotericas. Middleton Pipe Tobacco Aroma of very delicate floral Orientals, slightly sour, smoky latakia and just a kiss of sweetness from the Virginia. Varia: Regarding lady nicotine you can notice that you are dealing with an "elder" tobacco. Notice | Advertising The Virginias had darkened quite a bit. This is probably the best English/Balkan type tobacco I ever had and I can only wonder if I will ever smoke it again. I'll start with the presentation in the tin. There has been said a lot about this tobacco, mostly praised to the skies, it's all true. Strong blend that, while very pleasing, rubs you raw after too many bowls. Is this THE Balkan Sobranie? Size: 1.76 Oz. Before the (retroactive) taste test, here's some more history. 2(No detectable difference was found when compared to Balkan Sobranie)for Only $9.95 with no limit on the number of tins!! The high quality of the tobacco in Balkan might have been just as important as the types of tobacco in it. My favorite came with a black label and I think it was called Mixture #759. The very grassy, citrusy, barely dark fruity and earthy Virginias have little of the complexity it once had, and theres more of here than before. Like probably so many other pipers, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to find this blend in stock and purchase. If you are asking if it's same blend as when it was smoked some time ago. 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. I need to find a source, because I'd smoke this all winter. 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. History. Highly, highly recommended. Similar Blends: Any latakia blend, but not quite. I think it's both over-hyped and well deserved. UPDATE: This mixture just has a taste of its own. The sweetness is there, the smoothness is there, the complexity is impressive, the Latakia is not overwhelming. So many of the reviews for this mixture are perorations for something beautiful that is gone, and entirely appropriately so. When I first opened the tin and looked at the contents I was a little surprised. Is this a masterpiece Absolutely. 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. 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! Thoroughly enjoyable and deserves a quiet hour or so to smoke it and really enjoy it. Nice detail, previously the House Sobranie made the Smoker's Heaven tobaccos.. The origins of the Balkan Sobranie blend is somewhat shrouded in mystery. because that was the last of it. Posted by Andrew P on Jun 13th 2022. I try to pick a time when I can set aside an hour to sit quietly and enjoy this fine tobacco. Joe had some sort of preferred agreement with Charatan, I believe, and also sold lots of Dunhills. 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. Balkan Sobranie - Anstead's Tobacco Company I don't know if he wholesaled GBD to other dealers in the U.S., but certainly he bought his stock directly, and at all times had just about every grade of every shape they made on hand and available in the periodic brochures he sent to those on his huge mailing list. Sorry, I havent been around long enough to know better. I'd do it again. Track Order. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component. $7.99. I opened this tin given to me as a gift by dm14 and I thank him for it. I received the full can, but it was open and dry. Easily qualifies as a four star blend off the chart IMHO, of course!!! The production ceased in 2005. Tobacco Reviews | Sobranie of London - The Balkan Sobranie Rating?I can't smoke it "all the time", due to supply?however, this is a "Four Star Blend". A musty, fermented, sour and Latakia rich smell invades the nostrils as I fill my pipe. This is by far the best English Balkan blend ever made including the suppose Gallagher version. 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. Please for the life of Pete, tell me where once again I may get this fine tobacco that I have been without now since the 1990's. There is a constant swirl of flavors all in a perfect balance.