Balkan Sobranie

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steyrshrek

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 1, 2012
252
1
Cup o Joes has a limited Supply of Balkan Sorbaine Sobranie, I managed to snag a tin. Good luck.
Edit: Sorry had to fix the spelling, L.

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
Why is it the hard to get stuff always becomes available when my budget's not ready for it?

 

gwtwdbss

Lifer
Jun 13, 2012
2,945
16
53
What is this stuff like? I've never tried it and there isn't a review on tobaccoreviews.com. I know the vintage tins go for hundreds and thousands of dollars sometimes.

 

lordnoble

Lifer
Jul 13, 2010
2,677
14
Why is it the hard to get stuff always becomes available when my budget's not ready for it?

Tell me about it. With preparing for my camping trip in one week and the usual bills, I had no extra cash to get a tin. I'll console myself with the fact that a pound of Black House is en route.
-Jason

 

choch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 10, 2011
128
0
Cincinnati, Ohio USA
img_20120808_220334-600x450.jpg

I found Balkan Sobranie for the first time today, at Straus Tobacconist store over in the Northern Kentucky suburbs. The smell upon opening the tin is excellent-rich sweet orientals and smoky latakia, exotic and aromatic Almost incense like. Balkan Sobranie has ribbon cut that's almost identical to Germain/Esoteric's Margate. Unlike Margate though, Sobranie has a some lighter colored tobaccos intermingled with dark ones, which I assume to be Virginians. Sobranie smokes like a lighter version of Margate, with a very creamy texture. This could be an all day smoke for me.

 

rickpal14

Lifer
Jun 9, 2011
1,432
2
It looks like shipments have gone out recently as I was able to pick up 5 tins over the last couple of weeks at 3 different shops... :P
Jason, I'll bring a tin for us to sample at the Habana Premium meet on the 17th!!!
PS: That's 5 tins total guys...... didn't want you to think I was one of the dreaded "hoarders".....LOL

 

choch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 10, 2011
128
0
Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Yea, $16.00 is rather expensive, I bought it for $10.50 at Straus today. Of course Kentucky does have some of the lowest tobacco taxes in the nation.

 

lordnoble

Lifer
Jul 13, 2010
2,677
14
Of course Kentucky does have some of the lowest tobacco taxes in the nation.

Sure. Rub it in, choch... While you're at it, why don't rub some salt in the wound as well... grumble grumble 75% NYS Tobacco tax grumble grumble...
-Jason

 

choch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 10, 2011
128
0
Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Lordnoble, I usually shop at the Straus location in Downtown Cincinnati, or at Carrousel which is in Cincinnati as well. I had not been to the Straus store in Northern KY for a while. After today you can bet that's where I'm going to shop from now on.

 

radio807

Can't Leave
Nov 26, 2011
444
7
New Jersey
I bought 1 tin when I was at Wingenroths in Lebanon, PA for $16.00.

I bought a tin there last week on my first visit to the place. Although I got a bit of sticker shock I thought it was worth it because there it was right in front of me, no online searching for stock, no shipping, etc. It's a very nice smoke, but I don't know that it's good enough to warrant the effort and expense to make it a regular smoke.

 

will

Might Stick Around
Jul 8, 2012
98
0
Actually 16 bucks is not so bad imo, if I want to buy decent tin tobacco local it usually runs around 19 bucks a tin for the good stuff.

That said I normally buy online.

 

atwageman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 25, 2010
263
0
NC
Well Ive managed to add 15 tins of it to my cellar. I like smoking it. The owner of my local B&M asked me how many tins I wanted and told him 10. I went ahead and paid him for it before I got it, even though he told me not to worry about it until it arrived. He knows Im good for it either way.

 

shawn622

Lifer
Jul 22, 2012
1,081
2
Mount Sterling, Ohio
I have heard from an old timer that the new stuff isn't on par with the legendary authentic version and you are better off getting P&S Balkan Supreme if you want something "in the ballpark" plus its 28 a pound. This old timer smoked the original for 20 or so years so i just took hid word for it. Food for thought. If any of you who smoked the original, and are currently smoking this, could do a review, comparing the 2 I would like to read it.

 

sparroa

Lifer
Dec 8, 2010
1,466
4
That's interesting.
Peter Stokkebye Balkan Supreme is definitely a good value, but it isn't my favourite latakia mixture by a longshot.
The fact of the matter is that memories, and taste memories in particular, are fallible. I find it hard to remember the differences between English tobaccos that I smoked a few months apart.
Even by buying and smoking vintage Sobranie, you are probably experiencing a product that is past its prime. (Not to mention that they had several changes of blending houses, if I am not mistaken)
Either way, I'd love to have 2 tins of the new Balkan Sobranie, but unfortunately it is out of stock. I'd smoke one right away and put the other aside for 3 or 4 years just to see how it developed.
If I could only get one, I'd pay around $30 a tin because that's how expensive OTC tobacco is around here anyway...

 

shawn622

Lifer
Jul 22, 2012
1,081
2
Mount Sterling, Ohio
I'm a greenie man. I only really know what others tell me. I heard from another fella that H & H Black House is sililar. I went on google after i read your post sparroa and looked into the Sobranie legend and it seems noone can make up their mind what the heck they think of this new batch except that for the most part its good stuff!!!! I myself am dying to try it out...

 

sparroa

Lifer
Dec 8, 2010
1,466
4
Shawn,
I am pretty new in the scheme of things and I never had a chance to try this acclaimed tobacco, so I am in the same boat. I don't really think we can go back to the past and replicate old blends to the tee, so I think you have the right attitude - if it is good, enjoy it in the here and now for its own merits.
All the same, a comparison to the old Sobranie is a great marketing hook! It really grabs your attention; even if you don't know what the original tasted like exactly, the legend makes you want to smoke whatever it's compared to... Whether or not it is better or worse, I am definitely interested in the new Sobranie!
My last word on the subject is that there are so many great blends out there now that we shouldn't lament too much about the ones that are gone already; we should instead be worried about the coming attacks upon pipe tobacco as we know it, and savour the variety of blends that we currently have.

 
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