i am kinda new to this. Can someone please explain the difference between an English,an English Oriental, and a Balkan? Thanks in advance
Latakia Burnout - How Long does it Last?
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This thread had me thinking....I did pickup when Vintage Syrian when they discontinued in 2017. Have 8 1lb bags and dozens of tins. A quick review (like a titty squeeze) showed 1 bag had a small pin hole...Was getting a Crispy sound...The other bags are good...but will watch. Rehydrated with distilled water and all good.
"English" is a common American way of referring to what others call a Latakia mixture (typically a Latakia forward blend on a VA base, which may or may not include other components as well, so long as it's VA based and Latakia forward). It's technically a misnomer -- the Brits don't make or prefer this kind of mixture any more than us Yanks. Some of the more famous British pipe smokers favored VAs or VaPers, and tobaccos with Lakeland sauce would be a better candidate for a term like "English tobacco." Be that as it may, Latakia mixture is what people mean by English tobacco.
A "Balkan" is a variation in which Oriental tobaccos (meaning Orientals distinct from Latakia; Latakia is an Oriental tobacco, granted, but for purposes of popular tobacco taxonomy it is distinguished from Orientals) are more forward than the Latakia.
In other words, if a blend is VA, Oriental, and Latakia, and the Latakia dominates, then it's "English."
Whereas, if a blend is VA, Oriental, and Latakia, yet the Oriental dominates, then it's "Balkan."
I'm not sure, but "English Oriental" may be synonymous with "Balkan"? I am not clear on that point.
The term "Oriental Mixture" is sometimes used when Latakia is not a component. In other words, Orientals on a VA base.
And then there's the "Scottish Mixture" which apparently I don't understand at all, because I'd been told that that means an English in which Cavendish is traded out for the VA, but that turns out not to be the case. I'm all ears if somebody wants to clarify "Scottish" for me.
If the tobacco is in the same bag the seller sent them in? If so - and I bought one some time ago- the bag is too thin to prevent drying out on all of them.
Yes...From SP, TP and P&C. Only 1 of the 8 bags had a leak (at this time)...I will need to check every-now and then.
My point wasn't about a leak or a hole. It's that the whole bag isn't robust enough to prevent drying. (hopefully over a very long period.)
I lost all my tastes for Latakia or Orientals over a decade ago and it has never come back and I don't miss it. I like having a manageable cellar. I have 41 Va, Vaper and Vabur flakes plugs and a rope and two aromatics for when company comes over. I don't miss any English, Oriental or Balkan blend. It makes cellaring so much simpler.
It's been like a year and a half since I just don't like latakia blends. I have smoked a tin of Squadron Leader here, some Engine 99 there... hoping it gets back, but it just doesn't. My only complaint is that I have a few tins left that I don't know what to do with, since this time I have been enjoying a lot of other different blends.
When you reach the number of posts and time 'served', you can put them up for sale here. In the meantime:
Please put your location in your Profile, as people are forgetful.
Why:
That will save questions in the future as to where you live when you later mention local stores, weather, tobacco prices, availability, regulations, location of photos, wildfires, air quality, etc. In many instances that saves time for those who read your posts. It cuts down on posts or PMs asking where you are.
How:
Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down. Whatever you're comfortable with- town, city, county, state. province, etc.
2+/- years for me now.
It felt like overnight I just went straight to No-Lat at all; and, I have no idea why.
I have so many blends which I formerly loved, and I just have no desire to touch them anymore.
Is this some weird form of Latakia-Menopause? LOL!
It felt like overnight I just went straight to No-Lat at all; and, I have no idea why.
I have so many blends which I formerly loved, and I just have no desire to touch them anymore.
Is this some weird form of Latakia-Menopause? LOL!
It all depends how hardcore you’ve been. Smoked lat bombs for 10 years 24/7? Buddy you might never come back! But keep it balanced and don’t become too obsessed? Maybe you’ll make it out in one piece 
I love my lat blends, but i can get tired of bombs pretty quick. Several days of once or twice a day and I’ll usually take a few days off. No routine, sometimes I’ll skip lat for a couple months in the summer or sometimes I’ll smoke it for weeks in an American English style blend with just a seasoning of it. The palate is ever changing. I find that some diversity helps refine the palette and get some new perspectives.
I love my lat blends, but i can get tired of bombs pretty quick. Several days of once or twice a day and I’ll usually take a few days off. No routine, sometimes I’ll skip lat for a couple months in the summer or sometimes I’ll smoke it for weeks in an American English style blend with just a seasoning of it. The palate is ever changing. I find that some diversity helps refine the palette and get some new perspectives.
I'm still waiting to enjoy it the first time...
I did leave a jar of fox and hound sit for four or five years. It has helped. I think it was at least five or six years old when I got it. Every once in a blue moon I'll sample a bowl, still waiting.
I did leave a jar of fox and hound sit for four or five years. It has helped. I think it was at least five or six years old when I got it. Every once in a blue moon I'll sample a bowl, still waiting.