Syrian Latakia?

[Manawydan]

So I have been reading The Perfect Smoke by Fred Hanna and he was talking about some of his favorite McClelland blends having Syrian latakia. I understand that it is hard to come by these days. Are there any blends out there still using it in their current releases? Solani White & Black?

 

[TakeThisCobAndStuffIt]

No. It's gone. Old tins have it, but production is no more

 

[greysmoke]

It’s gone for good. The last batch was sold by McClelland, I believe, several years ago. Sad, but plenty of other good baccies to move on to. It’s the Way of the Pipe. I have a few tins remaining that will disappear eventually.

 

[sablebrush52]

So I have been reading The Perfect Smoke by Fred Hanna and he was talking about some of his favorite McClelland blends having Syrian latakia. I understand that it is hard to come by these days. Are there any blends out there still using it in their current releases? Solani White & Black?

The last of the quality Syrian ran out in 2018, which a remarkably long time, since production has ceased about a decade before that. Evidently there are some remaining lots here and there, small amounts, or not good quality.

 

[Sig]

The last remaining bales were burned up in a fire where Greg Pease had his tobaccos blended many years ago. Im not sure if the fire was at C&D.....I USED to know, but forgot.
Anyways, the only way to find any is to find blends on the "second hand" market.
I have some MacBaren HH Vintage Syrian from years ago. Its very good.
If you want to try some, PM me your address if you're in the USA.
I have a bunch of it.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Interesting. I bought a two pound bag of the HH so called Vintage Syrian, and it was terrible. And I am pretty sure it was not a MacBaren product. Caveat Emptor.

 

[mingc]

I

Interesting. I bought a two pound bag of the HH so called Vintage Syrian, and it was terrible. And I am pretty sure it was not a MacBaren product. Caveat Emptor.

It was the first blend that Mac Baren sold under the HH line! I think of it as DFK supported by some old faded latakia.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I still have 2, 50g tins of McClelland - 3 Oaks Syrian, and a 100g tin of McClelland - Frog Morton Across the Pond. After that my stock of blends with Syrian Latakia will be gone. Which is unfortunate, as I really enjoy Syrian Latakia.

 

[kcghost]

No, it is history unless you happen a tin of the old stuff that still has it. Check out pipestud.com.

 

[Sig]

I

It was the first blend that Mac Baren sold under the HH line! I think of it as DFK supported by some old faded latakia.

Thats the difference with Vintage Syrian and other blends containing Syrian Latakia.....the Kentucky leaf. But, the Syrian used was the same that other companies were using at the time. The last big shipment was distributed between several companies. Maybe Georg Jensen is still lurking around here.....
But yes, all the Syrian in all the blends from all the blenders was probably a bit "faded" by the time it was imported 20+ years prior.

 

[anotherbob]

I still wonder if it was the Syrian Latakia I didn't like or if my palate just didn't like latakia yet.

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

HH Vintage Syrian is a really good blend and one of my all time favorites. I don’t see the Syrian in it as “faded” tasting, only slightly mellowed. Probably not much more than Cyprian of the same age. I think it’s known to be softer in nature anyway. The flavor is a bit more complex due to the herbs and smoking process. You can taste the red wine notes. It’s worth trying. The Syrian used in the McClellands and Mac Baren line are both from Mac Baren’s sourcing and purportedly top quality. They used the same stuff stretched out for years until they ran out. Gl Pease used the same stuff as well. Mac Baren had a bunch of it when it was around.

 

[jpberg]

I think Artisans Blend was one of the last ones that used Syrian. Not sure what year they switched.

 

[larryspencer]

The last remaining bales were burned up in a fire where Greg Pease had his tobaccos blended many years ago. Im not sure if the fire was at C&D.....I USED to know, but forgot.
Anyways, the only way to find any is to find blends on the "second hand" market.
I have some MacBaren HH Vintage Syrian from years ago. Its very good.
If you want to try some, PM me your address if you're in the USA.
I have a bunch of it.

Sig, that fire that destroyed Greg Pease's was in a bonded warehouse in Petersburg Virginia, I don't remember the year, but I was really into Bohemian Scandal at time.

 

[Sig]

Sig, that fire that destroyed Greg Pease's was in a bonded warehouse in Petersburg Virginia, I don't remember the year, but I was really into Bohemian Scandal at time.

Yes, it was in 2004........I looked it up earlier.
I have a tin of Ravens Wing and Mephisto in my cellar.
Had two of each, now one.
I will pop one this Fall, before I decide to quit piping again.

 

[mingc]

HH Vintage Syrian is a really good blend and one of my all time favorites. I don’t see the Syrian in it as “faded” tasting. Probably not much more than Cyprian of the same age. I think it’s known to be softer in nature anyway. The flavor is a bit more complex due to the herbs and smoking process. You can taste the red wine notes. It’s worth trying. The Syrian used in the McClellands and Mac Baren line are both from Mac Baren’s sourcing and purportedly top quality. Gl Pease used the same stuff as well. Mac Baren had a bunch of it when it was around.

If you have the chance to get some well preserved Syrian blends that predate the late 90s/early 2000s, you'll find that it's extremely smokey and bold instead of, well, faded. But if you like it, you like it and good for you.

Thats the difference with Vintage Syrian and other blends containing Syrian Latakia.....the Kentucky leaf. But, the Syrian used was the same that other companies were using at the time. The last big shipment was distributed between several companies. Maybe Georg Jensen is still lurking around here.....
But yes, all the Syrian in all the blends from all the blenders was probably a bit "faded" by the time it was imported 20+ years prior.

I just imagine it sitting in some non-temperature controlled warehouse in the Western Mediterranean, wrapped in burlap sacks, if at all, and forgotten for 20, 30 years. And we worry today about keeping opened tins in sealed mylar bags and jars!

 

[Sig]

If you have the chance to get some well preserved Syrian blends that predate the late 90s/early 2000s, you'll find that it's extremely smokey and bold instead of, well, faded. But if you like it, you like it and good for you.

I just imagine it sitting in some non-temperature controlled warehouse in the Western Mediterranean, wrapped in burlap sacks, if at all, and forgotten for 20, 30 years. And we worry today about keeping opened tins in sealed mylar bags and jars!

Oh, Ive been through many, many pre 2000 tins of blends containing Syrian. And many, many tins post 2000. I have never noticed much of a difference. At the old Smokers Forums I was involved with a group of guys who collected, smoked and traded some great tobaccos. Many out of production, short runs and limited release blends.
There are some pretty knowledgeable pipers who love Vintage Syrian and rave about it on tobacco reviews....including our own Jiminks, Pipestud, Bob Runowski(RIP)...... Vintage Syrian was a stand alone blend, according to Georg Jensen, the creator of the blend, in that it contained DFK leaf and 40% Syrian Latakia, which was more than most other blends. It was made to be different, again, according to Per Jensen......
Syrian is supposed to be a bit less smokey and less bold that Cyprian.
Syrian tastes more like "tobacco" with dark wine and fruit flavors and has much more nicotine than Cyprian. Cyprian tastes more like a camp fire and has less nicotine because its made with Oriental tobaccos versus the high nicotine leaf Syrian uses.......I forget the name of the tobacco they use, but its loaded with nicotine.
Twenty plus years ago I was a tobacco snob and hoarder......now im just smoking through the tobacco ive hoarded for a couple decades.
I have not bought any tobacco sinse 2019.....and that was just a couple pounds of my daily smokers.