Balkan poll

[Ranger107]

Been reading a lot lately on Balkan blends. Penzance, Dunbar, Star of the East, And So To Bed, etc. Makes me want to do my own poll. So, to all you Balkan lovers out there. Please respond with your two most favorite/preferred Balkan blends. I can't justify buying them all, but I will pick out the top 2 or 3 and get them. Please, no unobtaniums. Aro and va/per fans need not apply, lol. I love Balkan Supreme but want to try a few others. Thanks for your input.

 

[Balisong]

My favorite is G&H Balkan Mixture, I recently found a 500 gram bag at Watch City Cigars. Laudisi is the current importer and they've been out of stock for a while, it's probably aging in some port (salt water, not wine) right now. My other two favorites are everywhere, G. L. Pease Charring Cross and Odyssey, in that order. I bought a few ounces of Balkan Supreme a couple of years ago and found that it was gunking up my pipes, I believe it was the humectants. My recommendations are chemical free to the best of my knowledge.

 

[ftrplt]

Try Charles Fairmorn's Lancers Slices, Pirate Kake, Margate, LJ Peretti's Tashkent (and others, check'em out!), the "heavier" GL Pease's (your choice, check'em out), SG Commonwealth...to name a few still available. The CF Lancer's Slices are a bargain bulk Balkan, smoky Latweed at a great price!! FTRPLT

 

[SteelyJ]

Penzance and And So To Bed are very good, definitely worth trying if you're ever able to get a hold of them.
Do you delineate between English and Balkan blends? It seems to me that the terms are used pretty interchangeably when referring to Latakia-dominant blends. Some people say Balkan's are heavier on oriental and that's what distinguishes them from any English blend.

Seattle Pipe Club's Plum Pudding and Plum Pudding Special Reserve are very good. Plum Pudding also has black cavendish like Balkan Supreme. I recently tried a bowl of White Knight, but it didn't do much for me with that initial smoke - I remember enjoying Blackhouse but it's been so long I need to crack that jar open. Dunhill Nightcap has always been one of my favorite lat-heavy blends, and I've enjoyed every bowl of it I've ever had. I have a tin of Bengal Slices I haven't opened yet - they might be worth a shot?

 

[daveinlax]

I smoke Balkan Supreme almost exclusively but I also smoke Balkan Beauty, Exotique, Abingdon, Spark Plug, Black House, Tree Mixture and Penzance occasionally.

 

[SteelyJ]

I smoke Balkan Supreme almost exclusively but I also smoke Balkan Beauty, Exotique, Abingdon, Spark Plug, Black House, Tree Mixture and Penzance occasionally.

I've long wanted to try Exotique - is it even produced anymore? I've never seen a tin pop up for sale or trade.

 

[RSteve]

Been reading a lot lately on Balkan blends. Thanks for your input.

Check your messages.

 

[Jazzer]

A "Balkan" blend, for me, should be at least reminiscent to the old Sobranie Original Mixture.
I know there can't be a match for that or any vintage blends. But, I would like to try something in that style,
where the basic components are similar.

Do you think Charing Cross is in that style? I haven't smoked that since it first released.

 

[Zeno Marx]

I just did a quick search to be certain of the definition of "Balkan", and this article did not help. What is your definition?
https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/the-mystery-balkan-blends
I was thoroughly impressed with Beck's Ol' Limey *******. I felt like it was as if I was walking back in time, and that is unique to my experience. So smooth and smokey. I believe sold exclusively at 4Noggins.
https://4noggins.com/collections/bulk-tobacco/products/becks-bulk-becks-ol-limey-*******
By the reviews, it doesn't appear I'm in the majority, though.
https://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/3367/b-b-tobacconists-llc-becks-ol-limey-*******

 

[Balisong]

I never tried any of the original Sobranie blends. Peretti's Tashkent is made up of only Balkan tobacco, Orientals and Latakia. I lump together English/Balkan blends that only contain at least two; Virginia, Oriental and Latakia. Charring Cross fits the bill with Latakia, Oriental and Virginia in that order of dominance. G&H Balkan Mixture also fits the mix with the Virginia a bit more forward than the Orientals. IMHO

 

[Jazzer]

>I just did a quick search to be certain of the definition of "Balkan", and this article did not help. What is your definition?

My definition is that the term "Balkan" comes from the "Balkan Sobranie" Original blend.

I don't think the style or "types" are meaningful. Most of the old British blending houses had two lines of blends. A Virginia line and an "Oriental" line. Sobranie of London did as well. I think of blends in that way.
Dunhill Blends were English blends (London) and Rattrays were Scottish (Perth) blends.

Red Raparee is a Scottish blends because of it's origin. It is also strangely unique even today!

Thanks for these responses!

I think I am looking for a blend that has less of that heavy Latakia character.

 

[Ranger107]

My definition is that the term "Balkan" comes from the "Balkan Sobranie" Original blend.

I don't think the style or "types" are meaningful. Most of the old British blending houses had two lines of blends. A Virginia line and an "Oriental" line. Sobranie of London did as well. I think of blends in that way.
Dunhill Blends were English blends (London) and Rattrays were Scottish (Perth) blends.

Red Raparee is a Scottish blends because of it's origin. It is also strangely unique even today!

Thanks for these responses!

I think I am looking for a blend that has less of that heavy Latakia character.

You might try Druquer Levant Mixture. I was gifted some by Balisong and while it is not BSOSM it is very good with lesser lat forward, more virginia. I smoked BSOSM all the way through college in the early 70's. The closest I have come to the original is Arango Balkan Supreme. Charring Cross, while not as lat heavy as Balkan Supreme is also quite good as is Lancer Slices. I thank Balisong for gifting these as they greatly expanded my Balkan experience.

 

[Timbo]

I second Plum Pudding especially the special reserve and Blakan Supreme is one of my favourites too.

 

[Scallywag]

Arrango balkan supreme is a good one. Of course Penzance but it’s more oriental forward. Only others I can recommend are discontinued, Balkan beauty and Balkan blue.

 

[Corncobcon]

Lately I have been enjoying C&D's Black Frigate.

 

[Mikem]

My two "favorites" would be Lancers Slices and Penzance.

 

[Jazzer]

I have about 6-7 ounces of Balkan Supreme in a jar. It is a good bulk blend but I lost interest in it
quite some time ago. (I would be happy to give it away or trade for something).

The last Sobranie Original I had was in 2004, which I found in a little shop in Rome. ("un tabacchi"). What a surprise.
I knew it had been out of production for over 10 years. Or was it? After returning to US, I found a few early Internet forums.
There, I read messages that it was still available in Italy and South Africa and a few other countries (Israel, I think?).
I was intrigued by the possibility that somewhere in the UK, this blend was still being produced and exported to only a few nations. The foil package was fresh and just as I remembered it in the 1980s

A few days later, while walking through back streets in Bologna I saw what looked like a pipe shop of sorts and went in.
It was the shop of pipe maker Alberto Bonfiglioli! I bought one of his pipes, which was the smallest one he had.
(I paid 75euros). He didn't have much available, and the others he showed me were strangely oversized. But, I filled my pipe with Sobranie Original mixture and finished the rest of that package when I returned home.

It was 2004 and I was a free man again. I had sold my first house after being the victim of several severe financial crimes known as "divorce". I really wanted to stay in Roma, but I had a decent paying IT job and came back to re-build the stolen finances.
A month later I purchased the house where I am sitting now, a much nicer place and more peaceful place that I had previously.

I will no longer look for a replacement of that Sobranie, as there are many other current blends of excellent quality.
But, thanks for your suggestions.

 

[motie2]

White Knight
Magnum Opus
Balkan Sasieni
And the memory of
The Balkan Sobranie I smoked 1963-1973.

 

[RSteve]

And the memory of The Balkan Sobranie I smoked 1963-1973.

Now, that's truly funny!

 

[urbino]

I've long wanted to try Exotique - is it even produced anymore? I've never seen a tin pop up for sale or trade.

According to what I'm told, it is not.