Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Balkan Sasieni

(3.08)
Original formula Balkan smoking mixture was created in London at the beginning of the century by the master of Tobacco Blenders who first combined the aromatic pleasures of the choicest of Macedonia and Latakia leaf with the richness of Old Virginia to give the pipe smoker an unrivaled smoking pleasure.

Details

Brand Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG)
Blended By Peter Stokkebye
Manufactured By Scandinavian Tobacco Group
Blend Type Balkan
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 50 grams tin
Country Denmark
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.08 / 4
119

91

51

22

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 283 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 06, 2011 Very Mild Very Mild Mild Pleasant
I've been wanting to smoke this for a long time, and finally got my hands on a tin. Couldn't wait to open it. Expectations sky-high. Oh, this stuff smells good!

Packed it in one of my better pipes, settled in front of the tv, ready to watch David Attenborough, anticipating a very good smoke ahead.

My first impression was that this blend is soooo much lighter than I expected. I was expecting a smokey, heavily latakia-flavoured hour. What I got instead, was much more subtle. In a world where tobacco blends are compared to bourbons, whiskeys, coffee and chocolate, this reminded me of fine red wine. Not the taste, but the complexity. There are nuances to be discovered in this tobacco. Everything is so well-balanced, so expertly blended. This is really to be enjoyed in a contemplative way, on a quiet evening.

I found this tobacco to be perfectly balanced. It burns well, and it leaves a fine aftertaste which lingers. The room note was excellent. What an experience!

I can see myself smoking this tobacco for many years to come. Definitely a firm favourite.
76 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 06, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
The smokey, woody, earthy, floral, lightly sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component. Playing an able support role is the woody, earthy, floral, herbal, vegetative, lightly sweet and fairly sour, spicy Orientals. The grassy, bready, sugary, very mild tartly citrusy Virginias is the base for the other tobaccos to shine. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is a step below the medium mark. Has a little roughness at times. May bite a fast puffer. Burns clean and lightly warm at a reasonable pace with a little inconsistency in the over all mildly sweet and more savory, spicy flavor. Requires an average number of relights. Leaves little moisture in the bowl. The after taste lingers a bit. Has a tolerable room note. Two stars.

I've smoked a few pouches of this over several years, and sometimes, one pouch would be spicier than another. When it was less spicier, I thought it was more complex because the other components got to shine. Whether quality control has improved since my last go at this blend (which was 2018), I don't know, but I'd rate it three stars for the less spicy, deeper flavored and more complex productions, and one star for the spicer, less complex. That’s why I rated it with a two star compromise.

-JimInks
57 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 10, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I don't care what version it's compared to . As far as the current tin ... it's fantastic ! I don't smoke many variety of " English " blends . I tend to find a damn good or great one and stick with it . I was a fan of the Murrays Dunhill Std Mix Medium and even the PS English Oriental Supreme , which employed some Cavendish . The balance of Oriental and Latakia is to my liking , which is to say more oriental forward and the Virginia isn't super bright . This is a cool burning well rounded smoke that starts with the Orientals up front , melds in the middle with the Virginia and latakia and ends a little stouter and youre left with ash at the end . This is one of three English blends I smoke anymore . It's my wifes favorite so I never run out and it is always available . Every few months , the " English of he month " gets discussed and disappears from the sites etc .. do your self a favor . Let the hoarders and whomever chase down the " blend of the moment " ... try a tin of this and if you love it , you can buy all you want

Edit 3/2017

I have some aged Balkan Sasieni from 2001 ... the blend ages well and the virginias seem to stand out bit more than fresh . It's " brighter "
Pipe Used: Multiple briars
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh tin and aged tin
42 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 06, 2009 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Tolerable
I used top smoke the Balkan Sobranie for years before it became discontinued. Many swear this tobacco is not the same as the original Sobranie. It is not the same but that said I still lose myself in the smoke when smoking this tobacco. I don't remember the Sobranie being that much better. I enjoy the Balkan Saseini as if the Sobrani was not the yardstick to measure the Saseini but the Saseini is delicious on it's own right.I discovered Penzance and although it is delicious I would stock the Saseini but will only stock 20 tins Penzance. It is hard to find good pipe tobacco in Vancouver Canada.I woud recommend this blend to anyone. It is my favorite this far. I tried MCcellands 2030 mixture which was good but the Bill Baily's Balkan Blend tastes a bit dull for me.The Penzane Bulk was enjoyed but the Penzance in Tin is worth writing another review. I prefer the Saseini though. UPDATE 12/15/09 I still enjoy this blend the most and find I do not tire of it. I have Penzance in tins which are aging and I have a half full tin I occasionally smoke but for my alltime blend I find the Balkan Saseini is my brand.I can smoke it and I can chew it which I do not do . Point is this tobacco works for me in all conditions. If a smoke is wet I still enjoy this tobacco. I love the stuff. It gratifies me more than the Sobranie did when I smoked it but I smoke only a few bowls per day now. I find the less I smoke the more I savour and I find myself savoring this tobacco three times a day.
34 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 07, 2014 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Tolerable
I feel very fortunate to have discovered Balkan Sasieni. To be honest, the tin just about scared me off with it's burnt rubber aroma. But then I was reminded of the smoked green tea that completely won me over upon drinking it. All I can say is what a pleasant surprise! Perfect moisture level, perfect burn, and very smooth taste. I pick up a very unique flavor, hard to describe, but in addition to the mild spices and smoky taste, there is a hint of clay taste. I know that clay is an odd way to describe a flavor, but this is a good taste and it is hard to put a name on. I don't think that the room note is much to brag about, but Balkan Sasieni does leave a very pleasant aroma in my beard. If I had to choose one tobacco to take on a week-long outing, this would be it. A 3.5 star rating gets bumped to 4 for value at $6.35/50g.
Pipe Used: cob
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
31 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 24, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
Presentation is ribbon cut, mostly dark and medium, with some light brown tobaccos. Tin note is a nice balance of Latakia and Oriental tobaccos, with minimal mustiness and a savory aroma with just a tiny hint of natural sweet amid a base of exotic spice, leather and pine. The tobacco is at optimal moisture level and requires little to no drying time. This blend takes a match well and is off and going after the charring light and one true light. Copious amounts of thick, creamy smoke are produced.  

This is a remarkably smooth blend, starting out mild then leaning towards medium in strength and exhibiting rich, full tobacco flavors. Balkan Sasieni's strength is a harmonious balance of proportion with the savory Orientals and the familiar leathery and earthy flavors of Latakia. The Virginias bring a slight, subtle touch of natural sweetness to round out the edges of this savory blend.  Overall, the blend leans towards the Orientals and is no "Lat-bomb".  Latakia here is in just the right condimental proportion. 

 As expected of a good Balkan blend, Sasieni smokes with absolutely no bite.  There is a very rich, creamy mouth-feel here that exceeds the expectations of the otherwise medium strength blend.  The final third of the bowl amplifies the Latakia component, translating into a mustier, damp leaf flavor that, still rounded out by the Orientals, is not unpleasant. Virginias here are simply a light condiment touch to an otherwise dry, creamy blend that caresses the mouth without zest, tang, or bite. 

Overall a good medium Balkan blend, rich and creamy, with the expected full mouth-feel.  Recommended for those who enjoy a good Balkan without gratuitous Latakia overload.  I appreciate the lack of tangy, ketchupy notes often found in more Virginia-forward English blends.  The Balkan, Oriental-forward style means Sasieni smokes and burns very dry, down to a small amount of clean, grey ash. 

25 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 14, 2010 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
Many have commented on the value of this blend, nearly a third less than that of comparable Balkans, and Sasieni has scored high marks for its relative fullness, attributes that have made it quite popular.

The blend is obviously hampered by the adoration and legendary properties of its predecessor, Balkan Sobranie, which isn't quite fair. There's no Yenidje in here, but there's plenty of spicy Macedonian leaf--Dubek, or whatever it may be. Your nose will tingle like sucking on a cough drop, clearing away the sinuses.

Sasieni smokes well, if predictable, with a hefty portion of Latakia--its presence in the tin pushing about fifty percent. A bit greater than medium in body, Sasieni is a filling smoke, and rightly stands alongside its peers (and my favorite Balkan, Charing Cross).

I can understand the popularity here, and I would say the reputation is well earned. If Sasieni should fall like his brother, I believe the family would be missed.

Nice tin art, by the way.

Four of Five
23 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 22, 2013 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
A very nice blend with interesting characteristics. It opens with a blast of Oriental spices. As the bowl progresses the Orientals mellow ever so slightly and the Latakia begins to make it's presence known. Eventually a near perfect balance is achieved between the two. It remains spicy from beginning to end. Not sure, but some of the spice may be coming from the Virginias in the background. All in all, well worth trying.
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 11, 2001 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable to Strong
Pouch Aroma: Musty Latakia for the most part, along with some sweet Virginia undertones.

Appearance: This tobacco is probably 75% dark brown/black, perhaps 15% medium brown and 10% yellow and pale green, in a short, narrow ribbon cut.

Packing and Lighting: Being in short ribbons, this tobacco packed quite easily in my old Hardcastle "Hallmark" pot and lit up easily with very little crown. The initial flavor was very smoky and rich, but with some initial sharpness and sweet tones that I consider a a warning sign for potential tongue-bite. Still, there was some promise here as I picked up undertones of holiday spice and some of the mustiness of old leather.

Exposition: My main problem is that the initial light-up flavor didn't last - what started out mouth watering and spicy rapidly turned sour and musty. There were still hints of what lay beneath, but I was having trouble picking them out.

OK, fifteen minutes into the bowl and things are a little better - some of the sourness has turned darkly sweet and the mustiness is reduced. There is a wonderful sense of rich, smoked meat that I get from Balkan blends, but it's rather thin in this one...is it the pipe?

The Story: I've hit the halfway point now, and things aren't much better. The sweetness has turned from dark brown sugar to something like cheap sulphured molasses, the spice flavor has faded to a whisper and the latakia just tastes...ashy. I tried dumping the ash, using pipe cleaners, letting it rest for a few minutes, all to no avail.

Denouement: Down at the bottom, the tobacco didn't want to stay lit and the flavor had turned bitter and sharp, both factors conspiring to give me a mild case of tongue bite. Argh! I think I'm going to just dump the rest out.
20 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 29, 2012 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I have been smoking Balkan Sasieni on and off for the past three years. I would describe it as “reliable.” It was love at first puff, but over time it kind of fell by the wayside. I am again smoking it and my tins are all from the last two sleeves I purchased in 09'. So with that in mind, I find BS to be a fairly straight forward Balkan blend, whose moisture content is near perfect upon opening the tin. It greets the nose with a wonderful of leathery pungency and greets the eyes with the typical medium English appearance. BS isn't very complex and therein lies the problem for me. It doesn't have the complexity (for me, but maybe not for others) that I am looking for. Now, three years later, the Virginia's have sweetened and it gives the blend an extra dimension. BS is easy to pack, and it burns cleanly all the way to the bottom of the bowl with no bite. Toss in the fact the price point is low for a tinned blend of this quality and I regret not cellaring more of it. I think BS is an excellent choice to begin a journey into Balkans and I would recommend it.
19 people found this review helpful.
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