J. F. Germain & Son - Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 15 of 15 reviews of this tobacco
Peppino	05/31/2013	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
A very good tobacco, it reminds me of DH Early Morning both smoke light with orientals coming through just right. The Latakia is there but in the background. It holds it's flavor and tends to get richer at the 1/2 way point of the bowl. The finish is very nice leaving a nice gray ash that looks great in the pipe rack with that ash....I know ...what the hell does he care how the pipe looks in the rack? I just love to see all those pipes with a nice gray ash, waiting for their next trip.....OK it might be weird????LOL
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Gus Tation	05/27/2013	Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant
This tobacco is wonderful. The tin art could have been more elaborate, but such a minor point. The tin aroma is musty and smoke like...very alluring. This needed a little drying time and after fluffing up the top layer in the tin and then recapping it loosely, it was ready to go in a few days. This packed easily enough, lit quite well and what can I say?...Delicious!! The smoke was creamy, nutty in an exotic manner, pungent, just perfect. The bowl burned cool, no bite and though this is an expensive treat, It was worth the 17 bucks I put out for it at my local B&M (I captured 3 tins in total). When people talk lovingly of the previous BS they will, in time, certainly talk about its progeny in the same manner. May Jesus bless your life, my fellow followers of the briar.
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Hottgunn	02/27/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Smells like raisins and very good Baklava out of the tin. Laid back Latakia and a dominant incense aroma. I think this is what most would call a Balkan mixture as opposed to an English mixture. A nice, somewhat complex taste and aroma. I think the Oriental tobaccos are what I am tasting and are what give this tobacco it's signature character. Very nice and refreshing after heavy English blends. Recommended. I am raising my rating to 4 stars after smoking a tin. Toss up for me between this and Pease Meridian
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VellumWhite	02/21/2013	Very Strong	None detected	Full	Pleasant
It is IPSD 2013 and I finally broke into my one and only tin of Balkan Sobranie! I never thought the day would come and I would open it, but finally given to temptation here I am...So,the tobacco has indeed had quite a bit of age on it, but it was still quite moist and the surrounding paper stained. The tin note is unmistakably dominated by the Latakia, but the Orientals and Virginias in the right proportion also add a lively distinction of their own. There has been so much praise written already about this blend and on this day I can say that it is all true! I am smoking this in my wide chambered Savinelli Baronet Bruyere 315 EX Prince...The smoke is exotic, well rounded and brightly mouth filling, running the entire length of the palate.There is so much going on, but still the flavours seamlessly intertwine tip to tail and even marry. Bright spices highlight carefully layered creamy notes of full creosote and there is an unidentifiable charming "classic" room note surrounding it all.The gravity and power are there too, so it must be respected.Let it brood and let it come in its own time. Most importantly,unlike many other "Balkan" blends this one has "real" depth. Here this rare feature stretches and completes the finish.For everything else polished and majestic that Balkan Sobranie displays; this is the one virtue that crystallises the experience and it and sets it apart. There is truth in this legend!
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Virginia lover	01/12/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I got a tin as a gift from a fellow smoker. I never had the pleasure of smoking the original mixture so this mixture will be reviewed on its own merits. Nice tin artwork, the smell off the tin is very intriguing. Fast burning shag cut tobacco that packs well and burns to a white ash. The Latakia is there in a supporting role with the Virginias and Orientals balancing the act. If puffed too fast, a cigarette like and bitter taste shows up so be warned. A classic Balkan mixture that would be a hit if more were available. Alas in Montreal it's impossible to find and I consider myself a very lucky man for having this one tin. Overall, an addictive smell when unlit and even more so when puffing away.
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Adam S	01/05/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Since I liked the review of 430pat a lot I will do the same :) 1. I have only tried few times from a fellow at pipe club 2. I had the pleasure of smoking the original. I even smoked the original the same week. 3. Very nice and enjoyable smoke that changes over 4. Did bells and whistles go off? Yes 5. Would I pay a premium? Yes 6. Would I purchase? yes! If I have a chance 7. Are there other blends closer to the original? yes I must say I loved this blend. It is hard to compare to the original, because it has years of aging. Let's say that I would rather purchase a tin of Germain version than the original when I think of price/performance ratio...
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430pat	01/04/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
1. Couldn't resist paid a premium for a tin 2. Never had the pleasure of smoking the original 3. Very nice and enjoyable smoke 4. Did bells and whistles go off? no 5. Would I pay a premium again? no 6. Would I purchase again? yes only at standard pricing 7. There are many quality tobaccos out there that are the same quality or better.But the Balkan Sobranie really is very good. On my third bowl I guess I would pay a little extra
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Relapse	01/02/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I've been a lover of "Balkan" (English/Latakia) blends since my first contact with THE ORIGINAL during the autumn of 1967, through a tin that a dear auntie of mine —my father's eldest sister– brought me as a present on her return from a trip to London. Albeit 45 years have passed since that first taste, I still remember with clarity the tangy aroma as I opened the tin and the complex nuances of the blend on the first light. They are burned in my neurones as well as the taste of the first kiss from my first girlfriend. =) I kept smoking it whenever I could get my hands on some tins —importing tobacco to Mexico was extremely difficult then– until 1989 when I quit tobacco altogether; relapsed some years ago only to find that Balkan Sobranie had all but disappeared from the face of the earth. Since my return to pipe smoking I've been on the quest for the successor. Tried Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader, Balkan Sasieni, all the classic English blends of Gregory Pease, Lagonda, Sextant, and finally Hearth & Home Black House which I deemed the closest to what my taste and smell remembered as THE Balkan. Right now I'm comparing two almost identical meerschaums from Sinan Altinok that I've devoted exclusively to Balkans, one filled with H&H Black House and the other with the present incarnation of Balkan Sobranie; both from freshly opened tins. I must say that tho the new BS is a superb blend in its own right, the Black House is truer to the 1967 blend. Here are my senile asessments on the BS: The smell on opening the tin is a bit bland and lacks the pungent tang of the old. Here Squadron Leader takes the palms. The packaging is cheaper too. Gone are the nice card stopper and the finely pleated paper. The new treatment is, simply, cheap. Kudos to Greg Pease in this step. The color of the mixture is different, somewhat redder, and the cut thinner. Practically gone the lemon Va's. It's also quite wet and requires a good amount of drying to get a cool smoke. The old blend was a joy to load on the pipe, this one is a bit tasking and demands a light hand. Gone is the sweet first taste that the very elegant Virginias provided; also gone is the sour-sweet taste of the orientals. The Latakia is rather prominent without being overwhelming, which is as I remember it. The room note is decent. Here, on the taste comparo, as I said before Black House gets the prize. OK, those were the gripes. Now let me tell you that this is an extremely good Latakia blend and that it's worth every expensive penny you will pay for it. It's not the old king but it's a true crown heir. A year of aging in the tin and it will mature to a real ruler. Nevertheless, it will have several pretenders to the throne and the list is long. You and I, as Balkan smokers can only benefit from the struggle. The variety has made for a great rotation list. Happy puffs!
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SteelCowboy	12/26/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Here is the issue with those that compare this to days gone by: When BS was in production, there were many changes made to the blend at different points in time. The 90's era of BS was not the exact same recipe as the 70's era (and not as good IMO) and so on. So to say that this doesn't compare, then the question is, "to what?" I have smoked 3 tins of the 90's era BS along side with the new Germain era tins. I find them to be very close from a quality standpoint. Now, the 90's stuff had the benefit (or lack thereof as more often than not the Latakia softens) age on the tin. The fact is that there are so many different BS versions that to compare them is pointless. The bottom line is that the new stuff is very good. With that said, is it worth the extra coins that are being charged on some sites or on ebay? In my opinion the answer is NO. Hopefully Germain will bring more to market and the demand will naturally die down. But since they can't meet demand for many of their Esoterica blends, I'm not holding my breath. The new BS is a very good quality medium Balkan blend with some nice Orientals. It is cut very thin and needs to be packed with care. It also needs a little "dry" time. The smoke is somewhat creamy and very balanced. If you enjoy medium Balkan's than this is worth a try.
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CPT/VSG	11/24/2012	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I smoked the original mixture back in the 1970s when it was available and the Gallagher pouch version more recently. Honestly, I don't recall enough of the flavor profile of the House of Sobranie product to comment except to say that, as one who "grew up" as a pipe smoker on Smoker's Haven's Our Best Blend,I was always told that the two were very similar. That remains the case today, partly due to the fact that Germain blends both now (originally OBB came from House of Sobranie) and both have something of that distinctive (and good) Germain character. The modern BS is a fairly full English blend, with a bit more latakia note than OBB to my taste buds. It does come very close to the Gallagher version that I revived from largely dried out pouches. Just a wonderful, rich, mix of fine orientals and virginias with enough latakia for the added smokey spice. I really like the new BS and have been buying tins whenever I see them as they are hard to find. Highly recommended.
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Aeronius Hook	11/17/2012	Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant
Managed to pick this up a few months ago for somewhat of a premium. I guess I'll start by saying that this review is based on only one bowl I've had, though I feel I have experience with enough latakia mixtures to do a fair review. I've no experience with the original, so this is based solely on the blend's own merits. Due to the fact this is so hard to come by, I probably will only smoke this for special occasions, that is unless J.F Germain decides to release a few more batches that don't get sold out instantaneously. On opening the tin, the fragrance is strong and thick, similar to some of the more robust latakia mixtures available. It comes in a very fine shag cut, slightly moist, but still burns well. First off, I would say that this mixture has a very unique taste to it. I would describe it as almost like how a nice cinnamon potpourri smells, though I don't detect any sort of casing. I can guess that is achieved through the combination of high quality latakia, orientals, and cavendish. I don't believe I've experienced such a taste in any other tobacco before. There's a very good balance of ingredients, with a hearty dose of oriental. I think there are some virginias in this, but I can smell it more than I can taste it. Overall, the taste is interesting, highly complex, and quite delicious. It also leaves a pretty distinct and pleasant aftertaste. And though one would expect a decent nic kick from a blend like this, I don't believe I felt anything. It would be nice if this were more widely available, then I could stock up, but sadly I have to hold on to what I've managed to find. If you're looking for a very good latakia mixture and are fortunate enough to come across this at a fair price, grab a tin, you won't be disappointed!
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DrDyson	10/31/2012	Medium	None detected	Full	Tolerable
English/Balkan mixtures are an acquired taste, and certainly an acquired smell; if you don’t like Latakia, they’re intolerable. Personally, I prefer Virginias on the whole, but I sometimes get into a Latakia mood. When I do, I usually go for Gawith & Hoggarth’s Balkan Mixture or No. 25 Mixture. I have to say, though, that this new incarnation of Balkan Sobranie is good stuff; and, especially, it’s much more robust and complex than the other two. I don’t have a discriminating enough palate or a sufficiently accurate memory to be able to compare it to the “old” Balkan Sobranie. It’s enough for me that the orientals, Latakia and Virginia components are well-balanced and skilfully blended in terms of flavour and consistency. This is an interesting and rewarding smoke all the way down the bowl, with no negatives that I can identify (apart, possibly, from the room note considered from the point of view of the Innocent Bystander). I suspect that there will soon be a scarcity problem - because Germain will not want to flood the market with it, and people will hoard it (i.e. the same problem as there is with Penzance). If you can get it, though, and if you like Latakia mixtures, you really can’t do better than this.
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N7 Renegade	10/30/2012	Medium	None detected	Full	Strong
Opening the tin there is a tang. A good tang. A sour tang. I LOVE sour tobacco. I like bitter drinks as well but I like my orientals sour and that is what I got. The smell isn't quite on par with Presbyterian (with me, I have sang her virtues since I discovered her in 2004), but it is very yummy. Even my wife liked it. Actually she loves english blends for some reason, doesn't like Va's that much. I don't either although there's a few I enjoy. Honestly at first glance I was thinking I was going to get a lat bomb but although it is there, it isn't the star here. Cut is rather strange, reminds me of a moist version of G&H Birdseye somewhere between a shag and ribbon. Packs well. Will plug a pipe though if some touch isn't used. I usually just run a cleaner through and unclog it. First light is pure ambrosia orientals taking the stage again until about midbowl when for some reason it seems to flatten out and lose some flavor. It just stops, damnest thing. However it seems to come back with a rich fullness towards the end. Leather. Brine. Butter. Not going to make a comment about ash, ash is ash to me at least. I have smoked about half of this thing in 2 days. I keep thinking about it when I am away. I wonder if it hasn't become my precious or something. I am looking at it now wanting to stop writing and fill up again. I never had the original nor could I afford to. However it is going into my top three. Perhaps sitting on my guitar amp for a year and being aged gently to death metal helped I dunno but well worth it. Final Verdict: Awesome. For someone who never had it you are in for a treat, if you are part of the Codger Society of Eluciated Breathren you will likely bemoan the loss of the original but you may be surprised. Edit: This is from a quick review I did on a message board a few days prior. Haven't finished the tin yet as I am trying to save what is left until I can glom on to some more. Germain believes apparently, that quality takes time and cannot be rushed.
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Lochinvar	08/14/2012	Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong
It has been so long I can not truly tell if this replicates Sobranie to the letter or not, but it is a top notch smoke. It reminds me of when I started smoking in the early '90s, the English tobaccos, though they all had their individual differences, all had a rich scent and were all well matured, not rushed into the blend too early. These days when I open a tin I'm never sure if I'm going to get "peat reek", raw smelling tobacco, musty/mildewy smelling tobacco or if it will just smell "botanical" instead of "tobaccinal". This is Dunhill by Dunhill, Rattray by Rattray, Three Nun's, John Cotton...in other words, this is tobacco the way it was supposed to be smoked. Enough hyperbole and memory lane. On opening the tin, you get the oriental/Balkan nose. The cut is fairly uniform and the moisture is on the wetter side of perfect. Loads easily, lights easily, stays lit, and burns to an snow white ash. On the first few puffs, I knew they had gottn it right when I got the old Balkan pinch in the upper part of my nose. The smoke is well meshed, with neither Latakia nor Oriental being overly dominant, you just get the Balkan taste all the way down. Toward the last quarter of the bowl, the taste gets a little spicier, but is still enjoyable.
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derlict311	05/29/2012	Medium to Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong
I just opened my third tin of Balkan Sobraine. What a find! And what great art on the tin! I have zero knowledge on the Original version or its various incarnations, other than a few articles, however, I can tell you Germain's revival of Balkan Sobraine is very impressive. It's flavor is rich and, dare I say, sophisticated. Plus, it's a blast telling your buddies your about to smoke a bowl of "Balkan Sobraine"(So- brain-ee for those that don't know)...which makes a good conversation piece. I smoke many different kinds of tobacco, but when I load a bowl of Balkan Sobraine, I feel like a real pipe smoker. It is really good. It has the potential to stand out among the pantheon of tobacco blends on the market today. The only negative is that I can't smoke more than a bowl or two a day without dulling the buds. Other than that, a stellar smoke. Puff on, brethren.
Showing reviews 1 through 15 of 15 reviews of this tobacco