A tour of the Balkans

[LuckyBriar]

After a weekend without much to smoke, my first internet order of pipe tobacco showed up today, precisely 20 minutes after I left for work (doesn't that just figure). The wife got home and confirmed that the package was there and took it in, but pleaded tired and said she wouldn't be heading my way tonight, so I'd have to wait until I got home to dive in. T-minus 30 minutes and counting...

With the prologue out of the way, I thought I'd start this thread for both discussion and posterity, to keep my thoughts on the different English blends I sample, comparing and contrasting. Rather than horning in on someone else's thread or cluttering up the board with individual bits here and there, I figured consolidating in one place would be neater and more convenient. As I'm a bit of an aspiring shutterbug, I thought I'd provide some photo documentation along with my impressions, for those of you that are more 'visually stimulated'. Do keep in mind I'm a novice at this, having only had a handful of tobaccos prior to this order. I'd welcome any guidance, wit and wisdom that you all might impart to me.

Without further ado, the packing list:

Balkan Sasieni - 50g tin
G&H Balkan Mixture Bulk - 2oz
GLP Charing Cross - 2oz tin
GLP Odyssey - 2oz tin
GLP Westminster - 2oz tin
Ashton Artisan's Blend - 50g tin
Peter Stokkebye Balkan Supreme Bulk - 6oz
Peter Stokkebye Proper English Bulk - 4oz
Presbyterian Mixture - 50g Tin
"965" Dunhill Match Bulk - 2oz

One MM Country Gentleman Straight Pipe, because I don't have a cob, and one can never have enough pipes.

After sitting around all night thinking about what to smoke first, I still haven't a clue. I do know that this should prove interesting and great fun...

 

[PipePuffer]

PS Balkan Supreme and Presbyterian are among my favorite tobaccos, but all the tobaccos on your list are worth trying. Have fun!

 

[LIPIPE]

I've smoked many on your list. My suggestion is to start with your #1. Balkan Sasieni is one of my favorites. It may very well be yours as well.

 

[LuckyBriar]

Good things do come in small packages! I got home from work and after a bit of time with the dogs and the wife, I got right to work on my goodies.

I have to say, I'm a bit enamored with the tins. The artwork, the low profile, and especially the ffssssssPPP that it makes when you pop them open. There's something old world, visceral, about them. The bulk stuff will be jarred appropriately tomorrow. The brand spanking new MM Country Gentleman is hanging out with the new 'baccy.

The hardware:

On top is my no name eBay estate that I received today, separate from the tobacco order. It was lucky happenstance that it showed up the same day as the rest of the stuff. Below it is my trusty Stanwell that I've been smoking up until now. It's been around the block with me more than a few times and I've gotten to know it pretty well. It's sort of my testbed for the other pipes and tobaccos, since I know how it behaves.

Another shot of the new guy, crummy reaming and all. It's got a big bowl, and I wanted something larger than my Stanwell.

And on to the smoke. As LIPIPE suggested, I went with the Balkan Sasieni. To kill two birds with one stone, I decided to try it out in the MM Cob. My initial impressions of the cob: lightweight, sturdier than I imagined, and the stem feels cheap, cheap, cheap! I kept waiting for the whole thing to bend when it wasn't supported by my hand. I can see why people replace their cob stems with something stronger. It's not as aesthetically pleasing or robust as briar, but I can see the appeal for a cheap, light, no-worry pipe. I think this one will certainly get some use around the yard and in the garage come summer. But I digress...

With the lid off the Balkan Sasieni, I immediately caught the tin note. Not strong or overpowering, but a mildly sweet smell, musty without being smokey, and with a light floral note to it. I don't know if its the casing they use or what, but it reminded me of peoples description of Lakeland VAs...floral and soapy. Not overty so, but there in the background, on top of the typical English tin note.

Getting into the tin, I was immediately stuck by how tightly packed the thing was. Hardpacked, I had to dig it out with my nails (in hindsight, using a pipe tool would probably have been a better idea). Long, thin ribbons, a good bit of Latakia in with the lighter VAs and Orientals. It was a pretty typical looking English blend.

Sasieni packed easily in the cob. The moisture content was just about where I like it, right out of the gate. Not sticky or wet but not dusty dry either. Next bowl I'm going to let sit on a paper towel for 5-10 minutes and see what happens with the flavors. In retrospect, I packed the bowl a little on the light side for my taste. I'm not sure if that was due to the tobacco or my unfamiliarity with the cob.

Charring light was nice, I immediately tasted the Orientals and the sweetness of the VAs before it went out. A second light and an easy tamp with a minute rest, and then a third light got the bowl moving. My initial impression is how mellow it is compared to the Proper English I usually smoke. Earthy and smoky, the Lat moves forward as the Orientals take a back seat and move to the nose. The first third has an excellent interplay between the Lat and the Orientals, with everything being nicely balanced. Underlying the entire flavor is the sweetness of the VAs. The second third was good quality, if typical, English, with the Orientals making guest appearances from time to time. It's a subtle and complex smoke, with the Orientals lending a citrus note to the smoke of the Lat. There's a cinnamon spiciness that playfully stings the nostrils here. The final third is like a dying campfire. Ashy, though not in an unpleasant way, and the VAs take on a stronger role here, with the Orientals almost gone from the flavor.

Good solid ash and smoked dry, though I don't know if that was the Sasieni or the Cob. I never got a bite from it, though I puffed a hard once or twice to see what happened. I do think it rewards a slow, careful smoker. I even caught whiffs of the floral note from the tin when I let a sip of smoke linger. Sasieni is an intriguing, if mellow smoke; salmon and salad to my usual hearty steak. I can see this being particularly good in the hotter months, where it could be an excellent all-day smoke. I certainly look forward to spending some time with it, in different pipes, to see what other flavors and textures I can suss out.

 

[pipe dreamer]

nice review.Buy more cobs.you will need them.They keep us honest. :lol!:

 

[LuckyBriar]

Pipe newbie alert! I went to clean my Cob this morning, as I usually stir the ash and let it sit until cool before cleaning. What did I find in the stem but a Medico filter! I'd either completely missed that they came with them, or read it and forgotten. Anyway, I can't help but think that some of the mellowness from my first round of Sasieni came from the filter. I'll give it another go sans filter later on and update my impressions.

This morning's bowl came from the Stokkebye Balkan Supreme. I've been on the PS Proper English for about a year now, so I was excited to try their more 'Balkan' offering. I set out a bit and let it air for a minute. The smell was sharp English, with lemony citrus tones and a maple sweetness not present in the Proper English. It was a bit drier than Sasieni out of the bag, but I attribute that to it being a bulk blend. Certainly smokable, as I tend to like my tobacco a bit dry. The cut was thin, with larger chunks of Latakia and some strands of Cavendish.

I packed a bowl in my eBay Billiard. It's shocking how much larger the chamber is; I was in for a big smoke. It packed easily and cleanly. The charring light was fragrant, like spiced tea. It took multiple lights to get the bowl going, but that may be due to the large and somewhat uneven bowl of the pipe. Once it was going, it stayed going. The 'balkan-ness' of the tobacco is apparent immediately. Big, bold flavors of Latakia interwoven with the Orientals. Much like Proper English, but larger and more forward. It's not all Lat, though it's there. It's the engineering of the blend that makes it big, the swing between spice and smoke that attracts people to big English blends like this.

About mid bowl, things settle down and mellow a bit, and with gentle sips I got some flavors of dark chocolate, a creamy smoothness that wasn't present in the beginning. This is about the subtlest point of Balkan Supreme, a robust English experience, full of smokey Latakia. The mouth feel never gets thin, as other English seem to. It's a medium rare steak with a side of mashed potatoes. A full experience that without some tempering could lead to burnout, I suppose. The tobacco doesn't burn as evenly as the Sasieni, leaving a chunkier, darker ash, but that may be due to the large and somewhat uneven bowl on the pipe as much as the tobacco. The bottom third really mellowed, with the Latakia smoothing out and the 'nose bite' lessening. The bowl finished with an ashy taste and a bit of harshness, along with some fine dottle, but nothing out of the ordinary. All in all an excellent smoke. I do think it has the 'size' I'm looking for in an English blend, and the price is certainly right. I'm going to try it next in my smaller bowled Stanwell to see if the Orientals move around in the mix at all. I'll certainly be returning to this one again.

 

[innovador]

. Anyway, I can't help but think that some of the mellowness from my first round of Sasieni came from the filter. I'll give it another go sans filter later on and update my impressions.

It probably is!!. For me Balkan Sasieni is anything but mellow. I tried a tin that I kept for 8 years and the strenght was still there.