What are the good Balkan Blends?

[pappymac]

Shikano53 I am about finished with my tin of Pike's Place and no longer worry about not finding another good Balkan Blend to move onto. I am no collating the data received and organizing it into a list of Balkans to buy.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I may be wrong but appears there are not lot of GLP fans here.

He used to be a lot more active on the forum, so his blends were first-most on our minds when latakia was mentioned. but, now that he avoids us on the forums, I rarely even think about his blends. It's like when a brand stops advertising, I just forget about it. But yes, GLP's Ashbury is another delicious Balkan.
To me, it's not about what is in the blend, but about the contents all working together for an incense-like aroma. I don't get that from regular Englishes. Regular Englishes just smell like... eh, nevermind. I am trying to be more positive. ::

 

[kirkland]

Any specfic reason why Greg left here ?
I've never tried his Ashbury..have to give it a whirl. Abington, Renaissance and Mephisto are my daily smokes.

 

[clickklick]

Balkan Beauty puts all others to shame.

Although others are great. Balkan Beauty from McClelland is on a completely different level of greatness!

 

[mcitinner1]

One ya'll missed is McClelland's No. 1 Grade Balkan. It's very goooood.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Any specfic reason why Greg left here ?

I have no idea, as far as I know he may be lingering in the background.

 

[unkleyoda]

GH Balkan Flake is sublime - though there is no Balkan in it!

It depends on your definition of 'Balkan'. GL Pease did a nice article about tobacco style names, and how they have changed. By definition, anything with 'orientals' or Cyprian latakia is a 'Balkan', because they are both from the 'Balkan region'. But in the last 30-40 years, 'Balkan' has come to mean 'oriental forward'.

 

[kirkland]

I loved White Knight when it first came out. So I bought 10 tins. Then my taste of it changed. I now have 10 tins cellared away. I'll have to give it another try.
SG's Balkan Flake I find to be a great blend. Years back I was a SG-aholic. For about 4 years all I smoked was FVF, ST James Flake, Blakan Flake and Best Brown Flake (IMO the best VA on the planet)

 

[unkleyoda]

http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/out-of-the-ashes/what-is-a-balkan-blend/

Here's the Balkan definition article I was looking for.

 

[thomasmartin]

I like the White knight but the white knight doesn't like me. No other tobacco gives me that much of a tongue bite.