Syrian Latakia Recommendations

[durham270]

First off a big 'Thank You' goes out to jah76 for sending me a tin of McClelland's 3 Oaks to try. This is some awesome stuff!
So this is a blend which contains Virginia, Syrian Latakia and Oriental. I have to say with my limited experience in sampling different English blends this has to be my all time favorite. I cannot get enough of this stuff. Can someone suggest other brands with blends along the line as this one I might enjoy as well?

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I don't know about other ones, but if you like the 3 Oaks Syrian I would buy a bunch to cellar. Whatever Syrian latakia that is left is all there is, so when it runs out so will this blend.

 

[hfearly]

Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian

Bombay Court

are both amazing too!

 

[pitchfork]

I'm a fan of 3 Oaks Syrian, as well. My experience with Syrian is limited, but I can give you a blend that I do NOT recommend, however. That would be Frog Morton Across the Pond. It has Syrian latakia in it, but not very much. Plus, I found the whole blend to be somewhat acrid and bitter, and not in a good way.
Your post reminds me of how much I enjoyed the 3 Oaks and that I should probably stock up. As someone else pointed out, once it's gone, it's gone for a long time.

 

[salewis]

I think that McClelland's 3 Oaks Syrian or 3 Oaks Original are the best of the blends with Syrian latakia. I like 3 Oaks Syrian the best.

 

[judcole]

I'll second the HH Vintage Syrian. Ashton's Artisan is a similar blend in that vein.

It would seem logical for blenders to continued to claim a blend contains "Syrian Latakia," but the actual amount of real Syrian leaf be minuscule.

Syrian and Cyprian latakia taste different,though. Not that many blenders ever claimed to use Syrian; McClelland and MacBaren are the big ones, - MacB only uses Syrian, and always has. ::

 

[foggymountain]

I love 3 Oaks Syrian & have about 85 cans put away. Does Bombay Court really have Syrian as mentioned above?

 

[axelseed]

Dan Tobacco: gordon pym

 

[kenoshakid]

3 Oaks Syrian is one of my favorites. Too bad Bohemian Scandal isn't around anymore, as that's even better. As far as the Syrian latakia shortage, I first heard about it almost ten years ago, and yet there's still blends available today that contain Syrian latakia. Hopefully those blends will still be available ten years from now, but in the meantime, stock up just in case.

 

[rmbittner]

I first heard about it almost ten years ago, and yet there's still blends available today that contain Syrian latakia. Hopefully those blends will still be available ten years from now, but in the meantime, stock up just in case.

Syrian latakia hasn't been produced in over a decade. The Syrian leaf you're seeing in blends is older leaf that was bought and warehoused when it was available. (This isn't unusual at all. MacBaren has a burley/Virginia blend that actually contains leaf from the 1970s and 1980s.)
I love Syrian latakia too, though, and highly recommend the following:
McClelland's Frog Morton across the Pond (although it's possible that they've now switched from Syrian to Cyprian; check the label)

McClelland's Grand Orientals: Yenidje Highlander (which contains both Syrian and Cyprian latakia)

Dan Tobacco's Gordon Pym

Brebbia's Preludio Mixture No. 60 (similar in style to Pease's discontinued Raven's Wing, IMO)
McClelland also produces Syrian Full Balkan and Syrian Super Balkan, but I was very disappointed in these blends and cannot recommend them.
Bob

 

[estumpf]

Any advice on how to "cellar" tobacco bought in tins?

 

[rmbittner]

estumpf:
Put the tins in a cool, dry place. Then forget about them for at least three years.