Latakia

[alpinesasquatch]

I seem to be on a roll with two posts in one night. Well, I have three questions actually. I'll try to start in order from least difficult to most difficult. First, I've read about all the different pipe tobaccos' and their histories, but don't know how to pronounce one in particular. And that is Latakia. Is it pronounced Laa*TAKE*ee*uh or Laa*TACK*ee*uh or Lat*uh*KIA?

Second, my uncle smoked a briar with a symbol on the stem that was in the shape of a golf club, a straight billiard if my memory serves right. I wondered if you knew if that is a particular craftsmen, or if that might have just been a custom order on my uncle's part due to him being a golfer?

Third, I know this one might be a bit trickier, and everone's opinion will vary slightly or will be on two opposite ends of the spectrum, but I am a farmer by trade, and most certainly have a green thumb. My question to you is, what two or three breeds might you suggest to grow as for me to cure and smoke for my own pleasure? I already have seed for my cigarettes and chew but want to find a blending of multiple leaves for my pipe. One thing I know for certian is burley. Burley seems to be the go to for nicotine AND a blending base as my tolerance is astromonically high. So......hit me with your best shot!

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

+1 to Lah*tuh*KIA. I've read in a few different places that it is the CORRECT pronunciation.

 

[werdna]

Roth and cmdrmcbragg are correct.

You can listen to the pronunciation here:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/latakia?s=t

 

[bigvan]

The city in Syria is pronounced "la-TOCK-ia", but the tobacco is pronounced (perhaps colloquially) "lat-a-KEE-a".

 

[alpinesasquatch]

Tomato, Tomatoe, Potato, Potatoe. Atleast I have a good idea now. Thank you.

 

[bjarketn]

Merriam-Webster has something to say on the matter as well.
As for the golf club logo; My Bing's Favorite doesn't have one, rothnh.

 

[chervokas]

About 8 seconds in to this clip from Syrian TV you can hear a native speaker pronounce "Latakia." It's: la-ta-KI-a, definitely not la-TA-ki-a; and the T is really more of a D (the English spelling is of course a phonetic approximation of the Arabic). The female anchor repeats the word at the 35 second mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qovRFwg-e2I

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

How about we just call it "that stuff that smells like ketchup." Agreed?

 

[alpinesasquatch]

I didn't mean to get anything started Bragg

 

[iwbiek]

i've never in my life thought latakia smelled remotely like ketchup.
as an eastern kentucky boy, i grew up surrounded by burley. my family grew it for at least 3 generations (sold their shares five years ago). that being said, i don't like it in pipes. too sweet and nutty.
i'm a die-hard latakia fan and only tolerate virginia in it because it adds much-needed body. i tried stanislaw pure latakia once but the flavor was fleeting without the virginia and the tobacco was bone-dry out of the tin (then again, the two or three times i've bought stanislaw blends they've been dry).
my favorites are gawith commonwealth and navy flake, which i believe are both about 50/50 latakia and virginia. supposedly the navy flake has a hint of rum, but it must be a hint indeed because i've never detected it.

 

[bjarketn]

i've never in my life thought latakia smelled remotely like ketchup.

Agreed.
Also, Latakia is great. Have you tried Kong Frederik, iwbiek?

 

[chervokas]

i've never in my life thought latakia smelled remotely like ketchup.

Really, unless you think ketchup smells like a pine forest fire.

 

[iwbiek]

no, i have not, but i'm going to have to delve more into that site! that's a damn good price compared to the exhorbitant rates my tobacconist in slovakia charges! luckily a small tin lasts me at least a month, usually longer, so i can afford it. i gripe about my wife not letting me smoke indoors, but it does help my pocketbook.
i have to say, i'm not a big fan of ribbon cut. in my experience, it burns too fast for my taste unless it's a very coarse, thick ribbon (basically just a pre-broken flake, like commonwealth or squadron leader).
i had a friend on another site recommend pirate kake to me a couple times. he said it will clear a room fast, even a room full of veteran pipe-smokers, but my tobacconist doesn't stock it and i don't want to push my luck in the pubs here anymore than i already have. it's a good thing i like filthy dives, because nowhere else would tolerate english blends here. i can't complain though. i don't even remember what it's like to smoke in a warm and comfortable bar back home in the states...
thanks for the tip!

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I keep hearing people describe the smell of Frog Morton as smelling ketchupy.

 

[kyriefurro]

I keep hearing people describe the smell of Frog Morton as smelling ketchupy.

Naw, FM doesn't smell like ketchup. But many McClelland's other blends do - especially the VA based ones.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I didn't smell the ketchup either and that was the only one I have had -so far- from McLelland's. I have a can of Christmas Cheer I am yet to crack open, but I can't imagine that one smelling anything like ketchup.

 

[woodsroad]

Hello Bjarketn,
Kong Frederik: I thought that I had some coming to me in the last order from The Danish Pipe Shop, but, alas I opted for Hvid Balkan instead. Have you tried their Winter Special yet?

Their selection is very tempting. If I was just a bit more OCD, I'd buy one of each. Do they ever have a "tilbud"?

 

[bjarketn]

Kong Frederik: I thought that I had some coming to me in the last order from The Danish Pipe Shop, but, alas I opted for Hvid Balkan instead. Have you tried their Winter Special yet?
Their selection is very tempting. If I was just a bit more OCD, I'd buy one of each. Do they ever have a "tilbud"?

Hi, woodsroad. No, unfortunately I haven't tried it yet, I've only recently discovered that I like latakia.

As for the "tilbud", I'm not sure. I usually do my tobacco shopping at the Paul Olsen store since I live quite near it. But thanks for the suggestions, I'll be sure to check those out!