Balkan Blends

[Slow Puffs]

A couple of years ago, I had a terrible cold and the flavours of tobaccos disappeared accept for one that was named Balkan # 1 at the local B&M. Tonight, without a cold or the flu, I tried a recent arrival:
Balkan # 504 (C&D)

This tobacco is akin to Balkan # 1... it packs a punch.

Do any of you have favourite Balkan blends that you enjoy?

Paul

 

[Carlos]

I have been smoking mostly Balkan's and English for months now. Nightcap, Margate, Red Rapparee, Marc's Mixture, Sterling Balkan 759, Lancer's Slices, Krumble Kake. And more. I am in a Balkan boxpass which should arrive in the near future. Lot's more to try in there.

 

[pipetongue1]

Morn' Puffs, I really like G&H's Balkan mix., Ken.
Pacem en Puffing! :tongue: irat:

 

[Funn]

Every time I smoke what I think is a Balkan I read a new description which disputes it..so I'll list my favorite english tobaccs. Balkan Sas, Squadron Leader, and 20th Anniversary Blend. Are these Balkans,or English or Orientals or what. Oh yeah..love some Preb. Mix, which I've heard is an Oriental.

Funn

 

[Meerorbriar]

I have been smoking mostly Balkan's and English for months now. Nightcap, Margate, Red Rapparee, Marc's Mixture, Sterling Balkan 759, Lancer's Slices, Krumble Kake. And more. I am in a Balkan boxpass which should arrive in the near future. Lot's more to try in there.

Carlos, let us know about your impressions of the blends in the Balkan Box pass.

Happy puffin'
Meer :flower:

 

[ftrplt]

Way back in the 60's, I worked in a tobacco/pipe shop (long gone) in Raleigh, NC. One day, several of the various tobacco/pipe company reps were in the store; and this question about the differences between English/Balkan/Oriental came up. One rep summed it up this way: Basically,

Virginia+Latakia=English
English+Turkish=Balkan
Balkan-Latakia(or Virginia+Turkish)=Oriental

Seemed logical to me! Notice no reference to Burley, Cavendish, or Perique. Nor did he further refine the various types of "Turkish" or "Virginia," which we know will affect the taste of the blend; depending on the combinations used.

We do know that various "English" blends contained some measure of Cavendish. "American" blends added some combination of Burley, Cavendish, and/or Perique to either the English or Balkan blends to create another unique style. I've smoked "English" and "Balkan" blends that used Burley as the base, not Virginia! A local B&M has a very nice "English" blend with a bit of sweetened Cavendish in it....very nice smoke, I might add.

Bottom line...I use the three defs above as a starting point; realizing there are many "variations on a theme!"

Now...somebody please explain to me what constitutes a "Scottish" mixture?????? FTRPLT

 

[smokey422]

One of my favorite Balkans is H&H Ten To Midnight by Russ Ouellette at Pipes and Cigars. The only problem I have with it is that sometimes it's hard to get crumbled up.

Smokey ipe:

 

[Buddy Springman]

One of my favorite Balkans is H&H Ten To Midnight by Russ Ouellette at Pipes and Cigars. The only problem I have with it is that sometimes it's hard to get crumbled up.

Smokey ipe:

I keep reading about this crumbling thing re Ten to Midnight, but the only batch I've purchased was fully rubbed-out when it arrived. Guess I got an outlier.

Buddy

 

[jj1015]

10 to Midnight is excellent, but I really believe the top-of-the-line Balkan on the market today is GL Pease's Odyssey. Some other good offerings are the aforementioned 10 to Midnight, GLP's Abingdon, Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme, and Cornell and Diehl's Star of the East.

 

[smokey422]

JJ, I hear you on the Stokkebye Balkan Supreme, it's one of my top smokes.

Smokey

 

[scottyb]

Bill Bailey's Balkan is the best of the best, IMO.

 

[SailorJack]

When I think of Balkans, I think of more orientals and less latakia. My absolute favorite in that category is CAO's 'Midnight Ride'. It has a wonderful aroma of oriental incense like Frankincense or Myrrh or something of that sort.