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Favorite Balkan....??? Definition of a Balkan...???

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octavius

octavius

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 15, 2011
125
1
Ok... so since the Balkan Showdown at the Chicago Pipe Show... the question begged is... What is your favorite balkan? Maybe more importantly, who can give the best definition of the difference between a Balkan and English? Is there a difference???

 
pitchfork

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
606
Good question.
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/out-of-the-ashes/what-is-a-balkan-blend/

 
jpberg

jpberg

Lifer
Aug 30, 2011
2,953
6,691
I'll let someone else do the semantics, I never put a lot of time into labels. My favorite (available) Balkan is Compton's.

 
judcole

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,177
33,416
Detroit
Favorite balkan. Hm. Um. Scratch head. I guess Larry's Blend from pipesandcigars.com,although I also enjoy SG Balkan Flake. (But sorting out definitions gets complicated.)

 
stogie37

stogie37

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 24, 2012
673
3,489
Southport, North Carolina
I really like Balkan blends - tough to narrow it down, but I would say that these two are at the top of my list:
G.L. Pease Kensington

Brebbia Balkan Blend
Oddly enough, I have been underwhelmed by McClelland's Blue Mountain, and have yet to try Blackhouse - both from the 2011 Chicago throwdown.

 
taerin

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
I read the article and now I am even more confused as to what a Balkan is, thanks a lot :P

 
judcole

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,177
33,416
Detroit
I read the article and now I am even more confused as to what a Balkan is, thanks a lot
Click to expand...
I think this is the crucial sentence from that little essay. This is what I think if when I see the term, "Balkan mixture".
In fact, it wasn’t until some time in the 1990s when the neologism, "Balkan blend," rose up from the murky waters as pipesters sought to differentiate Latakia blends that seemed more oriental-forward than English mixtures, but produced from similar components.
Click to expand...

 
X

xray

Might Stick Around
Oct 1, 2011
79
0
NJ
Here's another article:
http://pipesmagazine.com/python/pipe-tobacco/the-mystery-of-balkan-blends/
PipesMagazine.com: If you had to, how would you describe what makes a Balkan Blend a Balkan Blend?
Mary: The term ‘Balkan Blend’ is a loosely used term referring to any blend that contains Balkan tobaccos. Generally speaking, we tend to define it as a Balkan blend if it has a pretty good amount of Balkan tobaccos in it.
Russ: Over the years it has come to mean, to me, a Latakia blend in which Orientals are the secondary note. So that means that after the main influence of Latakia, the next thing that you notice is the influence of the Oriental and Turkish tobaccos. That then, to me, fulfills the kind of antiquated description of Balkan.
GLP: I can’t answer that question because, as I said in my article - What is a Balkan Blend?, I think the term is pretty much meaningless. But it does bring up some interesting points for discussion.
Craig: Our description of a Balkan Blend is as follows: Latakia and Orientals are added to a base of Virginias. English blends may or may not have a percentage of Orientals but Balkans will always have a percentage of Orientals.
Click to expand...

 
pitchfork

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
606
Craig (Tarler?) implies that some "English" blends have no orientals. I didn't no such a thing existed. Any examples?

 
cortezattic

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
re Pitchfork's question...

I think what he had in mind are the many natural tobacco blends that comply with England's archaic purity laws.

Esoterica's Tilbury (Va & Burley only) comes to mind; in fact some of J F Germain's Royal Jersey blends too.

This is just a WAG on my part, but I've heard of Va's and VaPer's referred to as English because they were all natural, irrespective of their Oriental content or lack thereof.

 
X

xray

Might Stick Around
Oct 1, 2011
79
0
NJ
Originally posted by pitchfork:

Craig (Tarler?) implies that some "English" blends have no orientals. I didn't no such a thing existed. Any examples?
Click to expand...

If the posters in the following threads are correct:
http://forum.pipes.org/messages/24/58154.html?1190612649

http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/pipe-related-reviews/293943-rattrays-accountants-mixture.html
Originally posted by cortezattic:

re Pitchfork's question...

I think what he had in mind are the many natural tobacco blends that comply with England's archaic purity laws.

Esoterica's Tilbury (Va & Burley only) comes to mind; in fact some of J F Germain's Royal Jersey blends too.

This is just a WAG on my part, but I've heard of Va's and VaPer's referred to as English because they were all natural, irrespective of their Oriental content or lack thereof.
Click to expand...
Originally posted by marmal4de:

I happen to be a huge fan of England's "archaic" purity laws, my favourite SG tobaccos would be very different otherwise.
Click to expand...

Weren't those laws repealed in the 80s?

 
gecko13

gecko13

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 2, 2011
898
1
Goodyear,AZ
Right now my favorite is Sterling Balkan by Jack Peterson from Sterling Tobaccos. Good stuff, and with a few months aging, its really good.
:puffpipe:

 
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