I'm considering Balkan.

[daytonsean]

Putting together a new TAD and I'm gonna try a Balkan, amongst other things. Need suggestions.

 

[philobeddoe]

Blackhouse or poss. Blackhouse, or if your feeling saucy you could try Blackhouse.

 

[mick]

I don't think it's popular, but I really love Robert McConnell Oriental. Its tin note is strong on latakia, but when you smoke it you realize how the latakia and other leaves are really in harmony.

 

[captainsousie]

Charles Fairmorn Sterling Balkan is very nice. I have some McClelland Syrian Full Balkan coming and I can let you know how it is if you'd like.

 

[philobeddoe]

I might have forgotten to mention Blackhouse.

 

[captainsousie]

Hey, philobeddoe. I wonder what baron would suggest here.

 

[garyovich]

Balkan Sasieni is a very good mildish representation of the style. If you like it you can branch off into other variations. If you don't like it, I guess you don't care for oriental leaf.

 

[philobeddoe]

I've tried dozens of heavy English/Balkan blends, Blackhouse is simply the best one. Just trying to save others the cash for all those tins of OK Balkans, just skip right to the best.

 

[mick]

Hey, philobeddoe. I wonder what baron would suggest here.

Nothing. He'll just say to see his signature. :rofl:

 

[rcstan]

+1 on Sasieni and Fairmorn Sterling Balkan
Tasty but somewhat pricey and spotty availability at times : SG Balkan Flake
Then there's Frog Morton on the Town, Stokkebye English Luxury, Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme, Stokkebye Proper English ..... that is, if we define Balkan as " VA, Orientals and Latakia" ; hopefully that discussion won't be resurrected ::

 

[garyovich]

+1 for not resurrecting the "what is a Balkan" discussion. If the blender describes it as Balkan that's good enough for this guy.

 

[doctorthoss]

Any of GL Pease's balkans. Odyssey, Abingdon, Charing Cross, Blackpoint, Caravan, etc. They're all top-notch.

 

[daytonsean]

Ive got blackhouse on my wishlist. But i love frogs. Hrm, the choices.

 

[baronsamedi]

 

[thesmokindragon]

Black house

NYPC Hell's Kitchen

SPC Plum Pudding

SG's Balkan Flake

MC Blue Mountain

MC Bombay Extra
Just a few greats there....

 

[ghost]

Maybe Blackhouse? I'm not well versed in Balkans, but I suspect it may be a solid choice.

 

[judcole]

But i love frogs

The Frogs are not Balkans. They are light English blends.
I second the suggestion of SG Balkan Flake. I personally like McClelland Blue Mountain better than Blackhouse.

Hearth & Home Larry's Blend is a fine Balkan, as is Altadis Balkan II.

 

[doctorthoss]

I wouldn't call SG's Balkan Flake a "Balkan" at all, as it contains no orientals whatsoever (latakia and Va only). And FMOTP describes itself as a Balkan, believe it or not!

A lot of our recommendations will come down to how we define a Balkan, I imagine, or how much stock we put in the label descriptions (I'm not an exception to this ).
I do agree that Larry's Blend is a very good one to start with. It's an excellent example of what I call a "Balkan," which is a VA-latakia mixture with a very generous (some would say predominant) emphasis on orientals like Drama, Basma, etc.

 

[igloo]

Rattrays Three Noggins . I think of Balkan blends as less Latika and more Orientals . YMMV .

 

[judcole]

I wouldn't call SG's Balkan Flake a "Balkan" at all, as it contains no orientals whatsoever (latakia and Va only). And FMOTP describes itself as a Balkan, believe it or not!

So whose definition of a Balkan are we using? Are they Balkans if the blender says they are? If so, then both Balkan Flake and the Frog mentioned are both Balkans. :nana:
If we exclude BF because it doesn't have orientals, then I'll stick with my previous recommendations of Altadis Balkan II, H&H Larry's Blend, and McClelland Blue Mountain. (Black House is good, too, but everyone is already raving about that.)