Pre-Owned. In its aged form, I still prefer 759. If this was still available,I'd smoke it at least three time's a day.It must be around 30 year's since I first tried it & loved it!Recently a friend sent me some from the USA & it was like being reunited with your best & favourite friend that you have lost track of for many year's. 2. Starting off astringent and downright sour, the middle section is dominated by exotic spiciness, particularly of cedar. Balkan Sobranie White, the finest tobacco I ever encountered. It was so unique, especially since I was smoking drug store brands of pipe tobacco. The first time I tried this tobacco was recently; it was a 6 year old 50g packet that had been well kept. On the contrary! I'm no expert but I think that both today's Sobranie and Sasieni (made by Stokkebye) are using poor quality VA's that produce that (combined) effect and sensation of, as another reviewer has written, "smoking hot air". Still nowadays the TBS and the 759 are THE benchmark for all Oriental Mixtures. And long gone. Perhaps all of the above. The mixture was overwhelmingly harsh and acrid really vile stuff. I am puzzled about availability. It has a sweet & salty flavor with an enticing aroma. 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. I remember this was what it was to smoke a pipe. You are using an out of date browser. The flavor is rich, dark, smokey, spicy, somewhat like a cigar, but ever so much more complex. This is a blend made for thoughtful and careful puffing. I also liked other mixtures of Sobranie of London, like the rare Birdseye Cut, and the famous 759 for example. Finally got some, opened it up looked and smelled fantastic. Resembling the tobacco in my 1981 tin. I wish I could. In my honest opinion J.F. For those who liked the resinous Oriental perfume, Dunhill's Durbar is quite nice. A wonderful combination of light body, full flavor and tobacco "goodness". Germain version. Hopefully, the rumors are true that this is being brought back blended by Germain. Nunca esta disponible, pero es de lo mejor que nunca jamas he probado, un equilibrio y sabor casi perfecto a un precio correcto. You do not need to tamp it a lot and it burns down nicely to a grey ash. I follow the Machiavalian point of..availability. They perfected Sobranie (which simply means ?parliament? The production ceased in 2005. I think that I've had a bit of this once in a while. So it is a keeper. . Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would findpleasurable. 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. The winelike aroma of the virginias translates to the flavor and is sublime in the mix. A few pouches from the mid-nineties survive and I hope they keep well. 1999, pretty nice but nothing compared by the old original. After a couple of years, I was also gifted with a small portion of a pouch of real early 80's Sobranie White. In my opinion , Balkan Sobranie is just a name for a tobacco not available since circa 1980. This is really your most fowl smelling tobacco! identity verification to validate that fact. | I can see why this tobacco is the one that started the whole "Balkan" designation. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. of spice and a mild sweetness. 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. I cannot add anything significant to your eloquence. Is this THE Balkan Sobranie? Im glad to hear your thoughts. For the better part of the 20th Century, this blend was made by Sobranie House under the aegis of the Redstone family. Very minimal relights, burns down to a fine, dark gray ash. Another old favourite of mine back in the day. The Latakia is signific antly more dry than the virginias and orientals, and perhaps because of that the mixture is not well blended. I still have a dozen unopened tins from 1981 and 1982. The scarcity of Balkan Sobranie has elevated it to mythical status, which is just a bit over-doing it IMO. The orientals were there, but didn't liven the mix as much as the only other balkan blend I've smelled (that being Crown Achievement from Lane). The Latakia-based blends status as a legend is due to the exceptional sweet and rich qualities of this particular tobacco mix. I know it seems heresy to give this blend three stars. If I was given the difficult choice of one tin, either TBS or 759, I would go for TBS. In fact, if there is any downside to this tobacco, it is that it smokes too cleanly to yield a proper cake (In any reasonable time). tin. British tobacco was it, too. Note to "sounds7": For your taste, how many "parts" of the Wellauers Latakia do you use? CAO Flavours Pipe Tobacco It's all about the orientals. Now I really hope that Arango and Germain also will bring out Mixture 759 and Virginia no. Balkan Sasieni Ive got most of the recommended blends here but will have to look into a few of the others. I have been fortunate to smoke many of the older tins, but the leaf lacks the punch it contained when fresh. The nic-hit is just short of the center of mild to medium. All rights reserved. The female nose is especially not fond of its room note. If my wallet actually agreed with me, I would be seeking out much more of this wonderful English blend. This is also the case with Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture. Sobranie, all in all, is a wonderfully rewarding smoke. The fine ribbon cut needs some airing out. So if you are going to feed me, feed me but don't dangle a carrot in front of me and then take it away because it makes me angry. If this is the case and the viewpoint hasn't been romanticized too much, I can see why this was a Hall of Fame blend as even the era that I smoked was excellent. My buddy brought this over to try. The latakia plays a supporting role despite there being a significant quantity of it in the blend. Recommended. Just like every other pipe smoker on the planet I really wanted to try this. To be a very good blend in the downfall years speaks to how excellent it was in years past. (50 Grams) After a few puffs the sweetness comes forth, the Virginia's. Add to Wishlist. Currently made by Germain in UK. Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. The 2011 Chicago Pipe Show's "Balkan Sobranie Throwdown" was a competition to see who could produce a blend that most perfectly emulated the revered Balkan mixture. I have found many delicious blends that perfectly match my needs, and I enjoy smoking them as much as I did TBS. But despite the large demand the tobacco became less and less available and the production finally stopped. I've tried dried deer tongue leaf broken or crumbled in blends and gotten nothing out of it. 524 (excellent, but not a "Balkan Sobranie") and No. For my next smoke I will prepare a bit better though, I will leave the tobacco to dry for 15 minutes or so and also I will accompany my pipe with a bottle of strong red Argentinian Syrah or Californian Zinfandel, maybe even Croatian Dingac if my wallet allows it. 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 suppose I should move on and find something that grants me such pleasure again. Initial Flavor: Pungently sweet! The strength is a couple of steps short of medium. Still, a very delicious smoke. Not particularly heavy on Latakia. It's just I don't think there is anything quite so good. Specifically, the yenidje! My initiation into pipe smoking was with a tin of this 'nectar' Yes, I was permanently spoiled. Smokingpipes has been down for a few days for maint. Digging my memories I still remember the great surprise I received from this incredible, incense-like, perfume. It has now disappeared altogether. . Predominant Latakia did a good job of giving the mixture that full body which I like so much. 1, I'm not quite sure how old this can is as it was a gift and 2, I did not smoke my usual 2oz for the review. Published review content of this website is considered the The burn is cool, smooth and easy to maintain. 10/12/07 ? Curisoty and the words of that tobacconist, got the better of me when I saw an unopened tin from the sixties on Ebay. What I'm amazed to see is how much wrong info circulates about this tobacco now. Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor. What can I say about this blend. RM BXP2A6 - Advertisement for Balkan Sobranie cigarettes used in magazine circa 1927. I do hope they reintroduce the 759 as I would be more intersested in it, but they have done a fine job with this. But, the memories are grand! A smooth mellow blend that is simply delicious. I simply loved the flavor. I didn't get tongue bite, but if I smoked multiple bowls per day I would, which reminds me of said Turkish at least until aged some. It probably was the best Balkan mixture long ago and it's a shame it disappeared. The smell of the tobacco was very moist and incredible, unlike any other brand save for a few English blends that I had experienced. 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. Limit One Tin Per Customer I can't describe it to you - I'm not a wordsmith. Yes, WAS. 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've had no luck trying to blend existing blends to emulate the original Balkan. I kept the tin unsmoked for quite long time, just opening it and smelling that wonderful aroma. But producing vast quantities, no, they cannot do that. The orientals jump to the fore at the match, producing thick clouds of creamy, heavy smoke. Ok, I'm a bit of a nicotine wuss so I do not smoke it on an empty stomach. This is fact for both, The Balkan Sobranie and the 759 Mixture. This is a nice ribbon cut ranging from medium brown to dark brown to black in color, with a very dark tone overall. The latakia and yenidje play an excellent accompaniment, and all the flavors balance beautifully. For those who seek a refined latakia-oriental blend rich in flavor, but retrained in raw power and bluster. Maybe the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje, possibly a Coumarin infusion? You see, this story is what I think of when I hear the name Sobranie. I have drank from the Holy Grail and the wine was awesome! 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. Could many honest and erudite pipe smokers be deceived . The tinned version (c. 20 years ago) had for me an almost mystical, incense-like quality, very powerful, that somehow induced a trance like state. I have about 1.5 ounces left and it will only be smoked with good friends. Its appearance, though quite similar, shows more light leaf, however slight. I am not going into the subtle differences of these two blends of heaven. I've never had a freshly opened tin that was not perfect for smoking. Never a dull or harsh moment, I savor every sip from the pipe. Here this rare feature stretches and completes the finish.For everything else polished and majestic that Balkan Sobranie displays; this is the one virtue that crystallises the experience and it and sets it apart. It's clear to me that smoked fresh this is no lightweight English/balkan. What else can I say about this blend that hasn?t already been said? None came close to the White Tin with the neat wagon on the front of the tin. Quite moist in the tin, it smokes fine directly from the tin but a little drying time is recommended. Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco. 'But none' have even come mildly close in anyway-as far as I am concerned. O.k., whatever you say. 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. . Current Stock: Decrease Quantity: Increase Quantity: Add to Wish List. Like many of the more traditional English blends, Balkan Sobranie's original mixture has changed hands a number of times, leading to different versions. Both generate wonderful clouds of leather and oak, and upset the women. All of that said this is a 4 star smoke. The subtle interplay between the Orientals and the Latakia along with the suspected aged virginias became sublime.as well as whatever word denotes that which is greater than sublime. in it. I don't see how one could find fault in this fine blend. There are no words to describe this wonderful, fantastic, exciting english mixture. Sobranie of London was able, in the old days, to procure the finest Yenidje tobacco. Except the lucky few. If you stop being attentive to the way you smoke, it can bite. A dear friend of mine had a family member send this to him from his home land of Spain.Being the gentleman that he is,he gave me a pouch of my own.My only regret is that I'm going through it quickly and that it's no longer being sold in the U.S.This is one blend that lives up to it's reputation as one of the trulyly legendary smokes.Made up of oriental tobaccos,it's smooth and rich and tasty.It's simply wonderful and I'd encourage others to send overseas for a pouch or two of THEIR own. But when I first tasted and smelled that wonderful exotic smoke I was hooked. This is by far the best English Balkan blend ever made including the suppose Gallagher version. This one gets two stars. Both reek marvelously, are roughly at the half-way mark as far as Latakia, and seem to have less Oriental than either the Pease mixture mentioned above, or the Cornell & Diehl mixture. My tin was stored sealed from 1995 until 2002. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better & better until the very end. Smell from the tin: Yummie! I find this blend to be smooth, gentle on the tongue and glorious whe n rolled thru my nose. As with my girlfriend hehehe.. The light unflavored soda note or two along with some dry wood, earth, floralness from the yenidje is always noticeable. Don't see something you want? 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. When taking the little built-in triangular ?knife? 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? Well worth the wait , subscribe to be notified upon restock, and grab up as much as you can. Now it seems to follow the path outlined by Balkan Sasieni, since it looks like that more and more: same cut, same colour, almost same taste. Trouble is finding it!. JavaScript is disabled. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is great. I have opened two tins of this in the last 5 years both from t he original release 2011. Strength: Room Note: Taste: Customer Reviews (22 Total) Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars