Aging Balkins

[hoipolloiglasgow]

I've been wondering lately how some of my Balkin blends will hold up for the future. I have bought favorites and enough to last 15-20 years for when blends dissappeare or become rediculously expensive. My question is, will these blends still hold up well? Ive had Vintage Syrian at 9 years of age and it was delightful. Of course the latakia in is much older than 9 years old. Obviously, latakia will fade some and the other tobaccos will meld together. I've had nothing, but good results thus far. Most of these blends are latakia heavy. Just has me wondering about my stash. Everything is properly stored. To those who have more experience than I, how are the 20 and up year old Balkins? I know, everything is subjective.

 

[Searock Fan]

From your post and my squirreling away of English/Balkan tobaccos, I can truly say "Great minds think alike."

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

From your post and my squirreling away of English/Balkan tobaccos, I can truly say "Great minds think alike."

Yes. My plan is to have a cycle of aged blends that get replaced with new ones permitting they can be. And if shit hits the fan...I at least will have them for a while. I'm so not the guy buying more than I can smoke, just within reason ya know...I really wonder what the peak is and how long they will hold up?

 

[renfield]

I have some Lat heavy blends I’ve opened with 12 years on them (not by plan). They were very different than fresh. The Virginias were sweeter and the Lat had of course faded. The mouthfeel seemed fuller. Overall smoother. I expect the changes to be slow over the ensuing years. If those are the kind of flavor shifts you like then 15 years or more shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

I have some Lat heavy blends I’ve opened with 12 years on them (not by plan). They were very different than fresh. The Virginias were sweeter and the Lat had of course faded. The mouthfeel seemed fuller. Overall smoother. I expect the changes to be slow over the ensuing years. If those are the kind of flavor shifts you like then 15 years or more shouldn’t be a problem.

Sounds like a good thing overall. Can you still tell they are full Englishes?

 

[mortonbriar]

I also have only tested up to about 12 years, I really like how the latakia backs off/fades.

Currently smoking some 2013 Maltese Falcon I just popped, and the latakia is faded to perfection for my taste, also the fermentation of virginia etc is obvious in the smoke.

 

[kcghost]

Many members will say that Balkans age very well until the ten-year mark is reached. After twenty they claim that they have pretty well lost most of the latakia that gives the Balkans their wonderful flavor.

 

[VDL_Piper]

In my experience the Latakia will drift a bit but the Virginias will improve in an English blend and in the Balkan the same happens but the orientals really sweeten and shine. IMHO balkans are as good in the cellar as any good Virginia blend because of the orientals sweetening with age

 

[jaingorenard]

I agree with what others have said above. It won't be the same as a fresh Latakia blend, but I bought a lot of Latakia tins in about 2014/2015 (so roughly 10 years old), and smoking them now is a real pleasure. I have also smoked older tins that I've managed to find (maybe 20-25 years old) and, again, I found it quite pleasant. Don't expect a 'lat-bomb', but I wouldn't listen to those who say that it's not worth smoking aged Latakia at all.

Honestly, I prefer aged Latakia blends and it's been a while since I opened a fresh tin when new (besides a couple of select blends that I still enjoy fresh).

 

[newbroom]

Many members will say that Balkans age very well until the ten-year mark is reached. After twenty they claim that they have pretty well lost most of the latakia that gives the Balkans their wonderful flavor.

I have some latakia that belies your statement. It's pure Latakia whole leaf, and it stinks to high heavens. It was marketed in 1997. Want some?

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

Many members will say that Balkans age very well until the ten-year mark is reached. After twenty they claim that they have pretty well lost most of the latakia that gives the Balkans their wonderful flavor.

I have heard something similar before which is why I started this thread. The Lat in my 9 year old Vintage Syrian is gotta be from the 90s at the latest though. It's still going strong, although probably the reason Syrian is proportedly 'softer' than Cyprian may just be due to the age than the different aromatics used in processing. Definitely has a different flavor though than today's latakia stuff.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I love aged Balkans. Of all of the blends to age, these are my favorite. I don't think it loses its latakia, just becomes more married together. I like the fresh also, but aged it just has a more melded flavor.

 

[renfield]

Sounds like a good thing overall. Can you still tell they are full Englishes?

Yeah, there’s still plenty of Lat flavor.

 

[proteus]

Oh yes you'll be fine. Just monitor the temps and humidity in the area you store in. If sealed jars monitor the seal. Humidity has more of an effect on the seals not the tobacco. Seals can dry out over time.

 

[EchoPlex]

I have quite a few hyper-aged blends in my collection and the 25-30 year Balkans and English all smoke beautifully. Last week I shared some Balkan Sobranie 759 from 1997 with my neighbor and it was pretty sublime. 1998 Murray's Nightcap is incredible. Do they fade a little bit? Probably - I'd have to take a time machine to the late 90's to tell you for sure. And judging by taste alone, the fading has done no injustice to the ones I have.

I think heavily faded lats and orientals have more to do with improper tin storage, or being in a tin too long, than age. So many can't get over opening that old tin because it is worth some money. It really needs to go into a jar at some point, imo. Especially Mac Baren stuff. Tins breathe and they corrode.

My philosophy for long-term cellaring or for opening old rare tins is to jar them into several small jars vs. one big one. Half the old rare stuff gets an O2 absorber. The new stuff doesn't. It's all an experiment, right? Have fun with it and don't worry about those Balkans. They will be A OK.

 

[Strike Anywhere]

I love aged Balkans. Of all of the blends to age, these are my favorite. I don't think it loses its latakia, just becomes more married together. I like the fresh also, but aged it just has a more melded flavor.

I agree with this. Many people repeat that Lat blends or burley doesn’t age well, and it’s just not true. VA and VAPER flakes change the most dramatically from aging, but I’ve had LOTS of aged English, Balkan, and burley that was sublime.

With English and Balkan it’s a lot like chili. On the day you make it, you can pick out the individual spices and flavors. Day 2 and 3 the flavors meld and marry. It’s just better, to my tastes. I feel the same way about Lat blends. But for guys that love Lat bombs and that hairy tongue feeling, they probably want it fresh. For me? I’ll take a well-aged Balkan over almost anything else.

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

Another question I have is about C&D/Pease tins. How will they hold up as they are known to swell?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Another question I have is about C&D/Pease tins. How will they hold up as they are known to swell?

I've never had one fail, and of all tins, my cellar is almost one-third C&D tins.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

English/Balkans are good right out of the tin/jar, but with age they're much better. I think most people would agree. In my experience, at 5 years they're great, at 8-9 years they're exceptional, at 10-12 years they go back to being great. Not sure what it is, but when they hit that 8-9 year mark, they're just so much better.

I've bought several English/Balkan blends in bulk just to age them for the exceptional smoking period at 8-9 years.

 

[huntertrw]

Aging Balkins​

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