Brigham Enterprises Inc. Balkan Smoking Mixture

This is my every day mix. All natural flavours and while I don't do very well with tasting notes there is a nutty element on the tongue. Burns evenly and well turning to a white powder. At first light this tobacco comes off mild but as you work your way down the bowl it gathers some steam and increases in strength and flavour. I could not rate this as a strong blend however.

I gather that most aromatic smokers would not rate this very high but I don't get along with aromatic tobacco or added flavour as I find they bite. So there are no added flavours I can detect. This one is very smooth, leaves a pleasant after taste and no bite. The wife rating is a tough one 'cause I have to smoke in the garage even in our cold Canadian winters. There may not be enough Latakia in it for some English mix pipers but I really like this blend.

The top of the bowl tastes mostly like a classic virginia mixture. I can't seem to get more than a little taste of oriental or latakia. The bottom of the bowl is better - a little strength and body - maybe the latakia has had a chance to catch up to the overpowering virginia. Brigham uses some kind of casing or humectant and it's pretty apparent in this mixture. Overall, it's an easy smoke, but nothing exciting. It's sad that Canada has nothing really competitive to offer in a Balkan mixture.

Upon first smell and first light, the lemon-ey Virginias and the sourish Turkish make for a less than stellar first impression. Stick with it; after a few minutes you might take a liking to it.

This is my go to blend for a good smoke. When I first picked up some bulk from my local tobacconist I wasn't sure I'd be too crazy about it from the smell. It gave me a sort of salty impression but there was something about it that made me curious and it was love at first puff for me. It's a great blend in my opinion and it has only gotten better for me since I stopped smoking cigarettes. I'm tasting things in it that I never tasted before and it's like we've renewed our vows and have gone on a second honeymoon. If you can get your hands on it I say that you do immediately.

I love this tobacco A classic Balkan mixture of Latakia, Orientals, Lemon, and Red Virginias. This blend has a cool yet smoky flavour creating a dramatic, incense-like room note. i like it for a latakia as im arealy a latakia fan i dont know if id go as far as to say that the room not is incence but its harto day i think its more on the line of a latakia note as the latakia i find quite noticable and quite distinctive very delightfull smoke i like to smoike it as my second bowl in the morning the "English mixture"being my breakfast smoke perfect introduction to English style pipe tobacco. This blend is a traditional mixture of Red Virginia, Turkish, Burley, Latakia and Perique. This blend would be considered medium strength as English tobaccos go i like both of them very very much

While this is not my favourite Balkan blend, it is quite an acceptable smoke. And in a country where you can be hard put to find any tobacco that is not a heavily cased cavendish, any tobacco shop is likely to have Brigham tobacco or at least have access to it. While it is a bit on the damp side when you open the pouch, with the slightest bit of drying it lights and smokes well. Availablity and economical price, combined with the quality, make this one to ask for in Canada. The quality with either of the other two would probably be enough to recommend it, but with all three its well worth asking for.

The Brigham balkan is still available. Bought a pouch recently. Very nice smoke. Smokes cool and dry all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Used this to break in my Blatter and Blatter lovat. Sweet, woodsy, smoky. Very nice and enjoyable. Grab a pouch of this if you come across it's well worth a try.

Blenheim Bard pretty much hits it on the head on this one, although economical...not so much any more in Canada. We're getting skinned alive on baccy's (and booze). I digress...Not the greatest 'English' blend but not bad. Two thumbs down from my squeeze!