First a BIG thank you to Shaintiques for his generosity! This was a wonderful surprise and a real treat!
Now the disclaimer. The following is completely subjective. I didn't try multiple bowls in multiple pipes. Comparing the two seemed like a fun thing to try, and when would I ever have another opportunity? I had a limited supply for this experiment so this is an impression based on that limited sample. I used matching Barling pots as I find that Balkan blends do very well in a pot. I smoked a couple of bowls of each, going back and forth, to taste what seemed different.
Do they taste the same? No, of course not, but the profile is very similar. The 35 year old Sobranie presented a more delicate, less robust profile, but the overall balance was quite similar. The bloodline comes across in the White Knight. The years have muted the latakia in the Sobranie, but it has also blended the varietals so that one is presented with a unified flavor. In the White Knight, I can taste the separate components. The smoky latakia is more pronounced and the tea-like note of the yenidje is clearly present. I think that While Knight is certainly more successful than the new Balkan Sobranie, which I found pleasant but bland. Is White Knight a good representation of what '80's Balkan Sobranie was like back in the day? Possibly, but I can't say definitely. It is, however, pretty damned good.
I mostly smoked Sobranie in the early 70's and that version, as I remember it, had a more pronounced spice and floral component to the smoke than either of these.
Anyways, this is one old geezer's opinion based on a limited sampling and gradually diminishing cranial activity.
Now the disclaimer. The following is completely subjective. I didn't try multiple bowls in multiple pipes. Comparing the two seemed like a fun thing to try, and when would I ever have another opportunity? I had a limited supply for this experiment so this is an impression based on that limited sample. I used matching Barling pots as I find that Balkan blends do very well in a pot. I smoked a couple of bowls of each, going back and forth, to taste what seemed different.
Do they taste the same? No, of course not, but the profile is very similar. The 35 year old Sobranie presented a more delicate, less robust profile, but the overall balance was quite similar. The bloodline comes across in the White Knight. The years have muted the latakia in the Sobranie, but it has also blended the varietals so that one is presented with a unified flavor. In the White Knight, I can taste the separate components. The smoky latakia is more pronounced and the tea-like note of the yenidje is clearly present. I think that While Knight is certainly more successful than the new Balkan Sobranie, which I found pleasant but bland. Is White Knight a good representation of what '80's Balkan Sobranie was like back in the day? Possibly, but I can't say definitely. It is, however, pretty damned good.
I mostly smoked Sobranie in the early 70's and that version, as I remember it, had a more pronounced spice and floral component to the smoke than either of these.
Anyways, this is one old geezer's opinion based on a limited sampling and gradually diminishing cranial activity.
