Your Balkan Recommendations

[cullansghost]

I am wanting to try Balkan and/or Oriental blends that are light on the Latakia, or omit it completely. To be honest I'm a bit of a philistine when it comes to that pungent leaf. I do however enjoy WhiteKnight from time to time, and am curious as to what other blends are similar and worth trying.

 

[jackswilling]

WILKE No. 10

An exotic range of orientals are blended in perfect harmony with lemon Virginia and Latakia. A mild to medium English blend that can be smoked all day.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

HH Vintage Syrian is a good Balkan. It's got Syrian latakia, as the name implies, and it is much more delicate a smokiness I find. So that's one.

 

[ltstone]

Definitely try Breadloaf or Oriental dusk by 4noggins, for a Burley heavy, oriental forward with cigar leaf and almost no latakia.

 

[jpmcwjr]

John Cotton's No's. 1&2.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yenidje Highlander or any of McClelland's Grand Oriental line. Good Stuff!

 

[thomasmartin]

My favorites at the moment would be GLP Abingdon and Gaslight. White knight is tasty too, but it tends to bite me.

 

[newbroom]

Give C&D's Super Balkan a try. It's super AND it's a Balkan.

 

[stvalentine]

Recently I have been quite fond of DAN Tobaccos Bill Bailey´s Balkan Blend.

 

[prairiedruid]

John Cotton's Smyrna

 

[johnbarleycorn]

Since I am sure no one else is going to I will recommend my favorite Balkan - Sassieni. I love it.

 

[griffonwing]

I'd say pick up a couple of tins of goold ole 759 Mixture, and you will be good to go. :D

 

[mso489]

+1 on C&D Super Balkan. Russ O. may be working on a new Balkan blend; a while back he had an experimental Balkan M61 which is a mild refined version, very nice. It may resurface as a regular blend, likely somewhat tweaked. For now, Super Balkan is a fine one, and sold in bulk at a good price.

 

[edgreen]

McClelland's Balkan Blue, H and H Magnum Opus

 

[judcole]

I think it's useful, in threads like this, to describe what elements you want in a blend, and not try to label it. You specified in the OP

blends that are light on the Latakia, or omit it completely.

You also said "Balkan' - many of which, like Balkan Blue and Magnum Opus, are lat heavy. And, of course, the term "Balkan" is so widely used as to be almost meaningless.

If you like White Knight - which you said you do, from time to time, check out Balkan Sasieni, as mentioned by johnbarleycorn. That is not light on the alt, by any stretch.

If you want a Virginia blend, with a fair amount of Orientals and a smidge of lat - which, for me, is an Oriental - try SG Skiff, Dunhill EMP, London, or maybe MM Baby's Bottom -the last being far and away the best, in my book. John Cotton No 1 might work, too - have a tin, haven't opened it.

 

[edgreen]

I missed the light on latakia part. In that case I'd recommend Yenidje Highlander

 

[beastinview]

I think the OP was merely trying to say that he was interested in blends that highlight the oriental leaves with little to no latakia.
I'm interested in similar blends myself, so this thread is interesting.
I haven't tried them yet, but most of the blends in the McClelland Grand Orientals line don't have any latakia, and instead showcase one specific oriental leaf. I am very interested in them after trying McClelland - No. 2045 Oriental Mixture. It is a bulk blend that is very light on the latakia, heavy in the oriental leaves, and just smokes beautifully!

 

[cullansghost]

Thanks Gents, for taking the time to offer your recommendations.

 

[fmgee]

I have to agree with Jud and say SG Skiff Mixture. It is great stuff.

 

[jacks6]

I really enjoy the new iteration of Balkan Sobranie. It's just hard to find, but there's a reason for that.