Straight Orientals?

[fredo]

So, there are a bunch of straight Virginias, but are there any straight orientals (i.e. without latakia)? There are many subtle flavors in the Virginia tobaccos department, shouldn't it be the same for orientals?

However, any oriental/English blend seems to be based on latakia (although I like latakia, out of my 15 blends (as a newbie), I don't notice the other characteristic as latakia overwhelms it all, unless I do a side by side comparison where I can notice some differences).

So, any straight orientals out there, where one could discover what Greek/Turkish tobaccos taste like outside of the smoky latakia?
In the same line of questioning, are there Va/orientals, Orientals/burleys, or others (without latakia)?

 

[thomasw]

Oriental tobaccos are for the most part used in background, condiment roles in blends. One could smoke them straight if wished; obtain some as blending tobacco in bulk for that purpose. For a burley forward blend that has orientals playing a supporting role you could give C&D's Big N' Burley a shot.

 

[mikefu]

I buy Peter Stokkebye #313 Oriental and use it as a blending component to boost the oriental flavor. Smoked straight, its pretty spicy, dry, woody and incense like. I like to add it to Burleys, like Thomas suggested, as well to sweet Virginia bases to give them some oomph. My most frequent use is to add it to Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme, to give it a bit more power. Also good with most any English blend I find too flat. You may also like Cornell and Diehl's "Oriental Silk" which is just Virginia and orientals with a little perique to give it a bit of figgy sweet zip. It cellars very well.

 

[64alex]

Peretti Tashkent is the one I am aware it is only Oriental with no Virginia or Burley. It has a little bit of Latakia but is minor and in the foreground and also keep in mind Latakia is derived from Oriental. It is a very good blend and it should be tried by anyone looking for Oriental blend.

 

[balkisobrains]

Pretty sure that their Ori #40 is also supposed to be Ori-only, including Lat. Tastes like it could be.
Meant to add that the D&R Blenders Bench Oris are really good straight Oris.

 

[slowroll]

Outside of the above mentioned Peretti blend, there isn't much, since MacClelland shut down. Their Grand Orientals line was superb. Nobody else has much along that line that I'm aware of. McConnells has a good oriental,but it's in the unobtanium series.

 

[64alex]

[Outside of the above mentioned Peretti blend, there isn't much, since MacClelland shut down. Their Grand Orientals line was superb.]
I agree MC Grand orientals were superb and I cellared most of them. However, they have a major base of Virginia but still definitely great.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Before it was retired at Leaf Only, I bought a few pounds of Yenidje. Very nice mild smoke with a little spice.

 

[balkisobrains]

I like checking in at the whole leaf sites, that seems to be a good way to get some good stuff. I'm hoping that they get more of that Prilep in somehow, but some of the other stuff there is probably pretty good at leafonly and wholeleaf.
::

 

[rmpeeps]

A decent supply of D&R’s Basma would be a nice thing to find.

 

[mikefu]

Just to reiterate, the Stokkebye 313 is straight Oriental, from the Macedonian region, according to Stokkebye. It’s worth getting a few ounces to try straight and then blend.

 

[ryuszero]

Fairly positive that C&D Izmir Turkish is pure oriental as well.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think that the reason most blenders use Orientals as an additive, instead of as a straight crop, is cost. Jitterbug had sent me samples of the Orientals that he grows a few years ago, and they smoked great by themself. Some are excellent as a straight smoke. But, they are smaller plants, so you have to devote more real estate to growing quantity.

 

[oldtoby]

Mikefu, where do you get the PS #313?

 

[mikefu]

Oldtoby- I've always gotten it from P&C, in fact I just got another 8oz in the bulk sale this month. It comes really dry, so 8oz is more like a lb volume of most blends. and a little goes a pretty long way. It's a great price, too.

 

[oldtoby]

Many thanks.

 

[mikefu]

De Nada!

 

[balkisobrains]

I can't remember if I have had the stuff or not, so I picked up an ounce of Stokkebye 313 Oriental, & some Newminster 84 VA/Ori to see if that is the same or different from PS-84 Turkish Export, which is also an VA/Ori. I'm pretty familiar with PS-84, so I'm expecting all of these to be at least somewhat similar in some respects, although I think that I have heard that the two 84s are different. :puffpipe:

 

[mikefu]

Nice. I’d love to hear your comparison comments and thoughts after you try them out.

 

[dottiewarden]

I see no need to seek out a straight Oriental, other than for blending, when it marries so well with Virginia. Enjoying Bijou at this very moment, a delicious Oriental forward blend by C&D. Nothing to improve upon here.