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

[octavius]

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]

Good question.
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/out-of-the-ashes/what-is-a-balkan-blend/

 

[jpberg]

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]

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]

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.

 

[stogie37]

How could I forget to list my newest favorite?? NYPC's Hell's Kitchen. Outstanding!

 

[taerin]

I read the article and now I am even more confused as to what a Balkan is, thanks a lot :P

 

[marmal4de]

You must try McC Blue Mountain.

 

[judcole]

I read the article and now I am even more confused as to what a Balkan is, thanks a lot

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.

 

[stogie37]

Jud - I agree with this point you highlighted. This is my understanding, and "usually" bears out in my experience as well.

 

[cortezattic]

The quote that Jud provided seems to be about as succinct and accurate an answer as I've ever read.

G.L. Pease's Odyssey meets the definition nicely.
You will find other definitions in Jason Newquist's The PipeTobacco Aging, Storage and Cellaring FAQ.

This should provide hours of interesting reading.

 

[xray]

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.

 

[pitchfork]

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

 

[mountainman]

H&H Ten to Midnight is an excellent Balkan blend in my book.

 

[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.

 

[marmal4de]

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

 

[xray]

Originally posted by pitchfork:

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

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.

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.

Weren't those laws repealed in the 80s?

 

[marmal4de]

They were, but GH and SG maintain the practices iirc.

 

[pitchfork]

Great info, guys. Thanks.
Nice crowd, this pipesmagazine forum.

 

[gecko13]

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: