The Joys Of Not Being A Latakia Fan

[shanez]

Okay, I actually like Latakia but I'm not its biggest fan. I liken it to a peaty Scotch. Most people either love it or hate it but I'm just to the hate it side of the middle.

I don't always care for it but when the mood strikes nothing else will do. This is where not being a fan comes into play. I enjoy both Artisan's Blend and Nightcap but I don't smoke them that often and as much as it pains me to say it I think Penzance is was my top blend with Latakia. Mild but fantastic Latakia flavor and a nice creamy smoke.

The pain of Penzance is actually only due to availability and cost. Until last night that is. Last night I tried Arrango Balkan Supreme for the first time. I'm not comparing the two blends but the way thee Latakia came across just did it for me. I now have enough Penzance for the rest of my life as I now no longer have to be conservative with the amount I had and won't have to pay replacement prices either. I'm sitting here at work wanting more Balkan Supreme, remembering it flavor from last night, and I'd swear there's still a hint of it's smell in my nose.

Advice for new smokers who are curious about Penzance: Skip it and try some Balkan Supreme instead. If you really like it you can buy 3 Lbs for the asking price of 8 oz of Penzance. Stock up or diversify your cellar with the cost difference.

Top blends with Latakia (for me):

Arrango Balkan Supreme
Ashton Artisan's Blend
Dunhill/Peterson Nightcap
Esoterica Penzance
SPC Plum Pudding SR

Top peaty Scotches (for me):

Lagavullin 16
Compass Box Peat Monster
Jura Superstition

That's it. Just had to get this out there.

Edited to add SPC PP SR to the list.

 

[americaman]

I stocked up on all sorts of English blends when I first got into piping (pounds of Nightcap, EMP, and McClelland’s AM Pipe) but this past year it seems all I really smoke are Virginias. Right now I am breaking that trend with some EMP in a Dunhill Shell Briar pot and a cup of black coffee as I work from home. I’m understanding why people love EMP.

I bought a lot of Vintage Syrian before it went out of stock, and came across a stash of Artisan’s Blend with Syrian Latakia. I prefer the Syrian Artisan’s more than Vintage Syrian.

Penzance is great. Probably my favorite. I have plenty of it. My go to might actually be McClelland AM Pipe. Just a great go-to smoke.

 

[olkofri]

I'm not a latakia fan either. I can enjoy it every now and then, like tuna (I hate fish and seafood, but some of it I find edible and even tasty with the proper spices and plants mixed in), but I don't crave it like I do aromatics. Plus, I've found latakia tends to irritate my throat.

 

[rushx9]

So, I just had my first taste of Penzance, and while I enjoyed it very much, the similarity to Balkan Supreme struck me immediately. While Penzance provided a bit more nuance and heady fermentation flavors, they were similar enough for me to decide I'll never search for it again. Aged Penzance may be another story, but fresh... idk. The only drawback to Supreme for me is that I do taste it the next day and most lat blends seem to taste flat for a few days after. Factoring in cost and availability, I can see now why @chasingembers plugs it so often!

 

[cshubhra]

A few more Latakia blends to add

1. Smokers Haven Our Best Blend
2. Esoterica Margate
3. HU Tuarekh
4. Smokers Haven Exotique

and a few peaty whiskeys

1. Caol Ila 12yo
2. Limited Edition - Balvenie Peat Week 14yo
3. The ubiquitous Laphroaig 10 yo and Quarter Cask
4. Ardbeg Ugeadail
5. Port Charlotte

 

[Chasing Embers]

Factoring in cost and availability, I can see now why @chasingembers plugs it so often!

Really it's the only English/Balkan I'll ever recommend. It has aspects of all the greats, is widely available, and very affordable. I do prefer Black Frigate for its near absence of latakia, but for a heavier lat presence it's hard to beat.

 

[rushx9]

5. Port Charlotte

Is this available in your state? It's been on my list of must tries for a while but I've never seen it on shelves in the (state run) ABCs in NC.

 

[cshubhra]

I found it once. It is available in NJ, but rarely seen in shelves

Is this available in your state? It's been on my list of must tries for a while but I've never seen it on shelves in the (state run) ABCs in NC.

 

[shanez]

So, I just had my first taste of Penzance, and while I enjoyed it very much, the similarity to Balkan Supreme struck me immediately. While Penzance provided a bit more nuance and heady fermentation flavors, they were similar enough for me to decide I'll never search for it again. Aged Penzance may be another story, but fresh... idk. The only drawback to Supreme for me is that I do taste it the next day and most lat blends seem to taste flat for a few days after. Factoring in cost and availability, I can see now why @chasingembers plugs it so often!

Glad I'm not the only one to notice a little similarity. The first thing I thought when I lit it up was "my that makes me think of Penzance".

 

[shanez]

A few more Latakia blends to add

1. Smokers Haven Our Best Blend
2. Esoterica Margate
3. HU Tuarekh
4. Smokers Haven Exotique

and a few peaty whiskeys

1. Caol Ila 12yo
2. Limited Edition - Balvenie Peat Week 14yo
3. The ubiquitous Laphroaig 10 yo and Quarter Cask
4. Ardbeg Ugeadail
5. Port Charlotte

Laphroaig & Ardbeg scare me. I'll give them a try once life returns to normal and my favorite lounge is open again.

 

[timelord]

Laphroaig & Ardbeg scare me. I'll give them a try once life returns to normal and my favorite lounge is open again.

Laphroaig is my whiskey of choice (and I'm Irish!)

 

[mso489]

I seem to like burley and burley blends first and foremost, but other genres too. My falling out with Latakia isn't that I don't like Lat blends, but that it became the default condiment and was put in seemingly half of all non-aromatic blends, to a degree that makes it banal and annoying. It's a lovely leaf/process, and I do enjoy it in various blends, but I don't want it salted into every third English blend introduced. There are many other options, some now being explored, like dark-fired, Cavendish of various types, cigar leaf, Orientals, Semois, and a number of others, some of which I don't even know because someone is always stoking up my blends with Latakia. It's like, you love your aunt Martha, but you don't take her to work nor on dates, okay?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Laphroaig & Ardbeg scare me. I'll give them a try once life returns to normal and my favorite lounge is open again.

Laphroaig Is a good one though I prefer Glenfiddich.

 

[mahew]

I do enjoy Latakia blends, I have been enjoying Peter Stokkebye’s English Luxury lately. While it isn’t a Scotch, Triple Smoke by Corsair is worth a try for those that enjoy a peaty single malt.

 

[Bowie]

I've never had Penzance, so I cannot make a comparison, but I smoked Arango Balkan Supreme for the first time recently and absolutely loved it. The room note does stay with me for awhile, stuck in my beard. Good stuff. It may be the first tobacco I buy a pound of at once.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've never had Penzance, so I cannot make a comparison, but I smoked Arango Balkan Supreme for the first time recently and absolutely loved it. The room note does stay with me for awhile, stuck in my beard. Good stuff. It may be the first tobacco I buy a pound of at once.

Arango and Stokkebye Balkan Supreme are the same blend if you can't find one or the other. Some sites sell it in five pound bags.

 

[3rdguy]

Ten Russians.

I am not scared.

 

[shanez]

I ordered 2 Lbs of Arango Balkan supreme today from SP. Got a weird automated call (from Cigars International Group) later about how it might take a little longer than expected to get to me but that it would and I didn't need to do anything. Nice of them to at least let me know.

Now I'm putting in the instructions box on everything I order that as long as I eventually get what I ordered for the price listed they needn't hurry or take any risks on my behalf.

 

[elessar]

Laphroaig Is a good one though I prefer Glenfiddich.

I also like both. Try Glenfiddich Fire and Cane. It uses a portion of peated Glenfiddich (Yes they apparently make a peated malt) and is aged in rum casks.

 

[gervais]

Really it's the only English/Balkan I'll ever recommend. It has aspects of all the greats, is widely available, and very affordable. I do prefer Black Frigate for its near absence of latakia, but for a heavier lat presence it's hard to beat.

Ever try PS Balkan Supreme? For comparison?