Anyone try BALKAN SOBRANIE PIPE TOBACCO yet?

[johncorosz]

Balkan Sobranie
Curious as to the taste of this stuff. Is it more of that burning wood taste? I have tried some of these "Balkan" blends I think and if I remember they smell like beef Jerky and taste like burning wood'?!?

 

[igloo]

I grabbed a tin when it first came out to see what all the fuss was about . To me it tasted like a good solid heavy english blend . Did I buy another tin ,no . But someone likes it as the seems to be out of stock just about everywhere . http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-tobacco-reviews/balkan-sobranie-re-release-review-and-throwdown/

 

[ghost]

It's never in stock when I'm doing an order, so either not enough is made or they're doing something right. It's on my must try list for when I branch out from aros further...

 

[foggymountain]

I smoked it from 1957-58 until the end of the century. It was the best tobacco I ever smoked. Now that you say it isn't like the original, I will stop trying to find some. Their cigarettes in the white paper were extraordinary as well. All Turkish, too good to believe. A great company. What happened to them? Does anyone know?

 

[philobeddoe]

I bought some when they first reissued it, after so many years of hearing how this was the greatest pipe tobacco ever conceived by the hand of man. Well, it tasted very OK, it is a nice medium English blend, that's all. I expected an orgasm with the first puff, it's not a bad smoke, there was just too much hype to live up to. I was never able to smoke the original, so I cannot say how close they are, but I have to guess that the original had more heft and flavor. I put a few tins away for aging but I don't expect much.

 

[jpberg]

A very well done history of Sobranie House.
http://www.apassionforpipes.com/vintages-project/
As to the new iteration, it's a very nice Germain blend, reminiscent of a couple of the Smoker's Haven Blends. The hype, however, exceeds the product.

 

[johncorosz]

But yet no mention of a smokey taste? sweet taste? light taste? deep earthy taste? etc.

 

[scurvydog]

I just opened a tin several days ago and have only have two bowls. Moisture was perfect, ribbon cut, the tin is resealable, smoke is medium to medium/strong, earthy flavor / smokey flavor with what I would describe as english/oriental. The smoke is similar to C&D sunset harbor flake. I like!

 

[uberam3rica]

I have some of the new Balkan Sobranie that was bought in January of 2011. I have yet to open them, I am saving on tin for new years eve.

 

[JimInks]

I used to smoke it in the 1990s up until it was discontinued in the early 2000s. I always enjoyed it greatly. I bought 4 tins in Feb. of this year and am ageing them, so I can't comment on the new blend yet. It's hard to get as everyone knows, but if you have the money and want a good substitute, Synjeco sells Torina. It's not an exact match, but I think it's a little closer than H&H Black House (which is more of an alternative to BS 759), which I also enjoy. In fact, I'm smoking that now.

 

[john218]

herbindave, you're probably talking about Peretti's Royal Blend. I got some a few days ago after seeing the reviews. After the first pipeful I was hooked. I'll be smoking a lot of this blend in the future.
I smoked the original Balkan Sobranie from the 1960's throught the 1980's, when I stopped smoking (now I'm back). It's too long ago for me to do an exact comparison to anything today, but Royal Blend does remind me of the old Balkan Sobranie.

 

[harkpuff]

I have tried the new Balkan Sobranie but find that I actually like Balkan Sasieni better.

Balkan Sasieni is easier to get and in my opinion a top notch Balkan with a wonderfully complex smooth and creamy flavor and aroma. Side-by-side I believe the tobacco in the tins look nearly identical.

Harkpuff

 

[matchstickman]

I read the Throwdown that Adam did here some months ago, and while I have never smoked the original Sobranie, I DO have a tin of GL Pease Meridian, which Adam did say tasted quite a bit like the sample of the original that he smoked. I am waiting for the right time to pop it open and try it to see if I agree with Adam, but I will say that Adam has never steered me wrong before.

 

[sparroa]

I liked to try ANY version of the original, as well as the new incarnation of Balkan Sobranie.
I don't think it is fair to expect the new blend to match the old since the tobaccos that they once used are most likely unavailable today...
I'd just like to experience them for what they are rather than what they are supposed to be...

 

[sparroa]

Wonderful article, I read it before but it is always good to encounter it again.
It makes me laugh about how people will pay ridiculous prices for Gallaher era Balkan Sobranie when it was a shadow of its former self according to these sources...