Do You Prefer Cyprian Latakia, or Syrian?

[katarn07]

Katarn, what do you mean by linked tins?

Sorry, I don't like the quoting system of this forum and didn't take the time to quote the post I was referencing:

I'm wrong. There are a bunch more from McClelland.
here
and here
and Syrian Star too.

It is a limited time thing and it will run out one day. It makes one want to experience before it's too late. I personally doubt I'd be able to discern a real difference. My palate isn't quite at the same level as a lot of folks here seem to have.
EDIT - My quote doesn't have links in it like the real post does. Scroll up for the actual hyperlinks.

 

[madmurdoc]

Cult Blood Red Moon, Dunhill My Mixture 965, Dunhill The Royal Yatch, and Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian are all making it into my next order. Never had any of them.

 

[judcole]

Almost all lat blends have Cyprian; that includes Dunhill, SG, etc.

in light of the diminishing availability of Syrian, I don't think I want to cultivate a strong taste and longing for it. It happens I enjoy many blends and single leaf tobaccos without Latakia, so why stoke dissatisfaction?

A very good point by MSO - I frequently don't comment on issues of this sort for that very reason.

 

[lochinvar]

I prefer the Syrian but like both. If it were tea, it would be Hu Kwa v. Chinese Lapsang Souchong. Syrian is more delicate, and has a different flavor under the smoke. To me it's drier and sweeter, with a hardwood smoke flavor, and very clean on the palate. Cyprian tastes earthier to me, perhaps a little sooty and occasionally metallic to my palate, and a smoke flavor that seems to me more resiny, like smoke from a pine fire. For big, bold smokes, I think Cyprian is the way to go.

 

[hawky454]

I use to love 3 Oaks Syrian but my tins are aged and it has gone "soft" so I'd have to find a fresh tin of 3 Oaks, although since the Syrian some blenders have is from old stock I imagine that it has all lost some of its potency over the years. I now prefer Cyprian as it is more bold and complex to my pallet. It would be interesting to compare both if both were in current production.

 

[4etecjonathan]

Problem is You can't find any PURE SYRIAN LATAKIA because of the fu**ing war going on in that Country. Suppose that their was a fire in a warehouse that burned up the remaining stocks of the stuff!!!I really don't know whether to believe that story or not.
Give me the REAL SYRIAN tobacco any day.
Jon :puffpipe: :puffpipe:

 

[moriarty]

I prefer Cyprian but it's nice to have the variety of both versions. For me, Syrian is lower key, more subtle, more complex, and has wine-like tones to it. Cyprian is more robust and bonfire-like, and I find that more satisfying. I'm a big fan of 3 Oaks Syrian, though, and it is one of my favourite blends. It has both varieties in it but you'll taste the difference that the Syrian brings and it's a great showcase for the tobacco.
McClelland and Mac Baren both have Syrian latakia stock. But it's the last of the breed and once that's gone there may never be any more. Like others have said, the Syrian will likely fade over time and it isn't going to be really satisfactory for hoarding. So I recommend you try it now, fresh, and see if you like it. But learn to appreciate the Cyprian because some day soon that's all there will be.

 

[judcole]

Problem is You can't find any PURE SYRIAN LATAKIA because of the fu**ing war going on in that Country. Suppose that their was a fire in a warehouse that burned up the remaining stocks of the stuff!!!I really don't know whether to believe that story or not.

The war has nothing to do with it. They stopped making it in the late 1990s, due to the scarcity of the wood used in smoking it. Of the American stock, McClelland had their own supply; the rest was in a warehouse that was destroyed in a fire. (This obviously didn't harm the supply that MacBaren holds.)

It doesn't matter if you believe it or not; it happened.

 

[jerwynn]

+1 with Jud's first entry in this thread: "They are very different critters; what they have in common is the smokey flavor. I don't prefer one over the other; it depends on the mood I am in."
Three Oaks Syrian was really one of my first mega "favorite" blends... so much so, that after trying it, I went and bought 10 tins of it... something I actually never do. Then after about a year, the mystical preference monster moved on to something else. I still keep TOS and Samovar both in my cellar for when the mood strikes. Then there are all the too-numerous-to-mention blends with Cyprian that are always in my regular rotation. One thing I found interesting: Syrian latakia blends just seemed to taste better to me in a meerschaum... so now there is one here that is dedicated to TOS and Samovar and would be for any other Syrian-containing blend as well. It's probably my imagination but I gravitate to it every time.

 

[okiebrad]

I'm sure I couldn't tell you the difference in a blind taste test but Ashton's Artisan's Blend is my favorite English blend so I would lean towards liking Syrian more than Cyprian.

 

[jitterbugdude]

but Ashton's Artisan's Blend is my favorite English blend so I would lean towards liking Syrian more than Cyprian.

Does Ashton's still contain Syrian? Most tobacco adverts on the Internet still use old product descriptions. There are very very few blends that actually use Syrian. McConnels Pure Syrian still is advertised as having Syrian in it when in fact it is all Cyprian.

 

[okiebrad]

Very good question jitterbug. I do not know and not sure how to find out.

 

[okiebrad]

After checking out kohlhase-kopp.com the Ashton Artisan's Blend page states,
"Der Hauptbestandteil dieser würzigen Mischung ist Latakia, der mit kleinen Mengen von Virginia, feuergetrocknetem Kentucky, Black Cavendish und Perique abgerundet wurde."
or "The main ingredient of this exotic combination is Latakia, which with small amounts of Virginia, fire-dried Kentucky, Black Cavendish and Perique was rounded."
If I had a product that still used Syrian Latikia I would make damn sure I told everyone. I would guess from this description they are using a more abundant Latikia. However that is solely my opinion.
No matter, it's still my favorite. :wink: