I have a tin of this stuff and i am on the fence about cracking it. I am a fan of english & balkan blends, but always tend to lean more towards virginias and burleys (but maybe thats just the warm weather talking). I have also been curious about Syrian latakia, but based on videos and reviews, am not sure i will enjoy this as much as someone who knows that they love the stuff. Which brings me to this question - Should i pop it open and smoke the now discontinued tobacco, keep the tin and stare at it every now and then, or part with it?
HH Vintage Syrian - Smoke, Cellar, or sell?
- Thread starter midcentry
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Unless your strapped for cash I say smoke it. But that's what I'd do if it was me.
My advice, as someone who bought some because I heard it was going away and subsequently sold it when my tastes drifted away, is try ODF and a bunch of English blends that have Kentucky as an ingredient. Try ODF mixed into English blends and see if you like it. I found the Kentucky presence in Vintage Syrian to be a put-off
How old is it? The blend changed to my taste around 2015-2016. I suspect they began to mix some Cyprian with the Syrian at that point to keep it in production as long as possible. After loving the blend from 2008/2009 on I then tried a newer tin around 2015 and was disappointed.
Well the fact that there won't ever by Syrian again, i would say keep it, decide later.
Interesting if you don't know the story...
For years Syrian latakia had been used in cigarettes and pipe tobacco. But it was taking its toll on the Syrian environment. Native hardwood and shrubs were used to fire-cure the shekk-el-bint leaves. Unfortunately there weren’t much farmable grounds in the area. Because of this natural resources were being used and consumed FAST. Also during the period 1850 – 1950 extreme damage to the forests in Syria was done. First by the construction of the Baghdad and Hedjaz railways, both were still operated with wood for fuel during WWI. Later from the ravages of WWII during which forest fires were purposefully set as a protest against the controlling foreign regime. So the Syrian government decided to place a moratorium (a what?? A delay or suspension of an activity) on the production of latakia in 1960. “But I smoked Balkan Sobranie and other mixtures which contained Syrian latakia in the 60’s and 70’s!” some of the old pipe smokers would say. Yes that is true. Most tobacco companies had hoarded the stuff so it was only around the beginning of the 80’s that they ran out of it. Some mixtures survived this by gradually switching from Syrian to Cyprian latakia.
Interesting if you don't know the story...
For years Syrian latakia had been used in cigarettes and pipe tobacco. But it was taking its toll on the Syrian environment. Native hardwood and shrubs were used to fire-cure the shekk-el-bint leaves. Unfortunately there weren’t much farmable grounds in the area. Because of this natural resources were being used and consumed FAST. Also during the period 1850 – 1950 extreme damage to the forests in Syria was done. First by the construction of the Baghdad and Hedjaz railways, both were still operated with wood for fuel during WWI. Later from the ravages of WWII during which forest fires were purposefully set as a protest against the controlling foreign regime. So the Syrian government decided to place a moratorium (a what?? A delay or suspension of an activity) on the production of latakia in 1960. “But I smoked Balkan Sobranie and other mixtures which contained Syrian latakia in the 60’s and 70’s!” some of the old pipe smokers would say. Yes that is true. Most tobacco companies had hoarded the stuff so it was only around the beginning of the 80’s that they ran out of it. Some mixtures survived this by gradually switching from Syrian to Cyprian latakia.
Arno van Goor of the Dutch Pipe Smoker blog helped create this Cyprian latakia rumor. However, in his blog, he reports that Per Jensen finally emailed him to disclose that, at the end of the run, Mac Baren used a number of different batches of Syrian latakia which made it taste different. Syrian Latakia | Dutch Pipe Smoker - https://dutchpipesmoker.com/2013/02/07/syrian-latakia/#respond. Per also posted in this very forum that they never used Cyprian in Vintage Syrian.
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I say sell. I have a fair amount jarred and tried it fresh and have been underwhelmed every time I try it. I never dreamed the tins I kept would sell at anywhere near these prices.
I had some, I sold it, I’m fine with that. There‘s lots of available tobacco that I love to smoke. A little extra cash is always welcome 
Smoke it. And when you smoke it, don't overthink the Syrian flavour thing, just enjoy it (or not) for what it is.
Better start smoking them soon, Latakia blends are known for "going flat" after a while.
I have a tin of 2004 Rose of Latakia that's basically a virginia/burley blend now - comparing it to a 2012 tin it's like two completely different blends.
I have a tin of 2004 Rose of Latakia that's basically a virginia/burley blend now - comparing it to a 2012 tin it's like two completely different blends.
I've always wondered when and why latakia production started on Cyprus since it seems like it was in production at the same time Syrian was still being produced.
100% keep and smoke. You said you're a fan of English and Balkans blends and Syrian is now a rare locality. This is beautiful blend and with each passing day it will get harder to find. You don't have any other Syrian represented, so why sell - you have it right now!