Brebbia Serenata (Mixture No. 28)

This tobacco comes out as a substitute of the former No.8 Brebbia Tobacco ( which was just sold in pouches and at a cheaper price) , Like his "ancestor" is a fine English Mixture with Burleys added . It's a honest tobacco. It isn't perfect but a bowlful after work it's a contribute to peace of mind and a prelude to cooling off. The latakia ( I wonder where they can find SYRIAN Latakia - as stated on the tin box- nowadays) is nonetherless sophisticated. A fine mixture at a medium price , more expensive than the former pouched edition but still less than many other brands presumably made by the same blender. ( Even if Brebbia is an Italian company, I guess the blend must be either Dutch or German).

Serenata was a Syrian Latakia forward blend with supple supporting Virginia leaf that I found to be quite tasty. There was also a lot of burley leaf in this one that caught be my surprise with its body building support without offering much Burley flavor. The combination somehow worked and I would have loved to lasso a few more of these tins for my cellar. With Syrian now extinct, that ain't gonna happen.

This is a short ribbon (chop cut?) of mostly mid browns with scatterings of light and dark leaf. The tin note is complex. Underneath the obvious Latakia are sweet and spicy aromas.

Takes a few lights to get going but once underway is a trouble free baccy.

This is a sweet and savoury smoke, possibly a little too sweet for my tastes, that has enough mid range wood and leather aromas to provide interest.

There is a suggestion in the reviews of this blend's previous incarnations that there is a sweet topping to this. I honestly don't know whether it is natural or not, but it is certainly a sweet blend. It has a very nice room note and gave no bite or wetness but did burn on the hot side, indicating that the Virginia component here is substantial. YMMV.

I like the evolution in this blend. It starts as a nice VaBur with a light smoky background. The smooth Syrian Lat catches up around the halfway mark and it becomes a nice American English. There is an added sweetness that really hits the spot. It's very well done. It does require a few relights even though I smoke my tobacco very dry. That's the only complaint I can muster. 3+, but not enough to give it 4.

Mild in body. Medium in taste. Added sweetness is very mild. Could burn a little better.

This tobacco is just what the name says, a Serenata for your mouth. It is one of the first pipe tobacco I smoked and I really appreciated it. The tase is somewhat bittersweet, especially on the last part of the smoke, but still not too tough, and the smoky rumor is also perceptible in the smell. The peculiarity in the Syrian Latakia is probably the reason behind a first confusion on whether you ike it or not, very special and enjoyable. I think the flavour is the very strength of this tobacco and I feel to recommend it.

Update: May 2018. After experimenting with some top notch American English blends I wanted to update this review. This tobacco stands the test of time, at least my relatively short pipe smoking time line....Peretti is to me the world heavyweight champ of American English blends. To me that is defined as the expert application of Burley to the traditional English equation. It is also knowing how to use Turkish/Oriental tobacco's (which ones and in what proportions). That said, the paisans over at brebbia know what they are doing. The Burley leaf, Turk/Oriental's are blended with skill and the light application of Syrian Latakia harmonizes this blend. I have a few tins cellared and may seek a few more.

I have found the Brebbia line of tobacco's to be on par with the best in the industry, their Balkan Blend being the best Balkan I have ever smoked. Serenata has a very full tin note with a McClelland like vinegary sweetness from the Virginias in the foreground and the smoky Latakia in support. The ribbon cut shows the lighter burly and darker brown Virginias mixed with the dark Syrian Latakia. The strength is medium, the burly has a nutty and strong presence balancing nicely with the Virginia's. The Syrian Latakia is not heavy handed but is the main focus in this smoke. As the bowl progresses past the half way point the Latakia and the and Virginia's meld together to give a graham cracker like flavor to the smoke, which may also be in part from the top notch burley in this blend. Much sweeter than expected with no noticeable flavoring added. It seems that the burley, Latakia and Virginia harmonize to create the sweetness. The bottom third of the bowl starts to taste like caramel corn thrown in a campfire. A really enjoyable smoke. This is like a dessert tobacco as the sweetness is quite surprising given the blend but very pleasant and welcome.

The best Syrian Latakia I have ever smoked. Amazing the aromatic complexity coming from the Syrian tobacco: not only smoked wood but also moist moss, resin, roots, earth, mushrooms, twigs and dried leaves burnt, smoked grass. In a word, a woody aroma and taste. A very full taste. If you like Syrian Latakia this is ideal, perfect, the smoky taste of the past. For Latakia lovers. In my personal rating system (from 1 to 10) my score is 9 but only three stars because of the strength: too mild.