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

Lastly, at only $6 something a tin you cannot beat the price.

Summary: An ordinary one dimensional smoke with a tendency to bite and turn bitter, high and strident with no bottom notes.

Lustra tried to improve it with a blend of MacBaren Scottish Mixture (horrible by the way). Others have tried Captain Black. I tried adding Prince Albert Choice Blend (quite good actually).

But why bother. Balkan Sasieni seems more of a RYO menthol cigarette blend in a can than a pipe tobacco.

If you need something equivalent to a piano with no keys to the left of middle C give it a try. I will not buy it again. But the presentation is perfect, tin aroma is excellent and I will reuse the tin.

Want the same flavor profile with high end tobacco? Try Davidoff Royalty, smooth, sweet and very satisfying, 100% better.

I had the great pleasure of smoking Sobranie (and still have a little bit that I guard carefully) - Sasieni is not Sobranie. Not the same thing at all. It lacks the full-on flavor and peculiar, delightful deep bass note that Sobranie has; they are different tobaccos.

To my taste, Sasienie is tangy at the top of the smoke, evolving into a mellow, creamy sweetness in the second half of the bowl, with latakia present throught. Unique and simply lovely, if you have the taste for it.

It is tasty, and it is interesting.

This mixture is particularly sensitive to temperature, it seems to me. Smoked ccol its flavors are too subdued for what I'd expect of a Balkan; once warmed, it provides a blast of something like salty licorice in a pipe bowl.

Once warmed and running, this is a pitched battle between the Orientals, which are spicy and pungent, and the Latakia. These flavors are often, but not always, experienced harmoniously.

I would highly recommend this blend to any lover of Latakia, or to those who wish for a more spicy version of the "frog". Although I never tasted the original Balkan Sasieni or the famous Balkan Sobranie, I have been told by others that this current blend by Peter Stokkeby Tabaksfabrik approximates it to a certain degree. Again, a highly recommended blend and one that I will be sure to stock up upon.

After going through four tins of this blend, I decided to buy the 16oz. bulk from Cup O Joes. I don't know if its an in-house blend from Cup O Joes, or whether it is from the original blend by Peter Stokkebye Tobaksfabrik A/S. However, I found that this blend, although it approximates the original blend, is missing something. Perhaps the freshness of Latakia? Or less of it?

So I decided to do something I have never done. Why not add Captain Black (White) to the Balkan Sasieni, at a 1:1 ratio. An "aromatic balkan" if you will. Although not an aromatic smoker (I prefer English and Balkan blends almost exclusively, with a little take of Pressed Aged Virginias from McClellen or sometimes Escudo in a group 2 Dunhill), I have always had a soft spot for ol' Capn' Black (White) from my early days. Well, I must say that I really like this new "aromatic Balkan" that I created and would recommend it to anyone, who wants the sweetness of Capn' Black (White) but also appreciates the depth of the Virginia and Orientals in Balkan Sasieni. In short, the latter replaces the bland Cavendish and Burleys background of Capn' Black.

So to conclude, I really like Balkan Sasieni, in both the tin and bulk versions (although the latter approximate the tin version and does not reach it completely). Balkan Sasieni is a spicey, Latakia-rich Balkan Blend, and I highly recommend it. Four out of four stars.

Typical Balkan aroma. Delicious alternance between sweet and spicey, this tobacco has a fabulous taste. Some tins, very rarely, will display a bit of a peppery taste sometimes. But overall, it is consistent and a steal for the price.

Just one downside; too wet out of tin. Needs couple hours (or more) drying out.

Btw did I say lots of latakia?

Yeah.. lots of latakia ;)

For those new to the tobacco world, let me mention in passing that properly speaking "aromatic" refers strictly to the natural aroma of the tobacco (after fermentation, smoke-drying, etc.), whereas other aromas (vanilla, chocolate, brandy, etc.) should be called flavouring or casing, as noted on this site in the review sidebar. This distinction has been confused by the manufacturers of popular Cavendish blends labelling their flavoured mixes as "full aromatic" etc.

I have read elsewhere that this blend was produced according to the original Balkan Sobranie formula by some of the original blenders of that famous mix after the name was bought by another company and the blend toned down to a Latakia mix with no exotics. I find this hard to believe; I smoked the original Balkan Sobranie for years, and this is not a patch on it - nothing like the strong character of that blend. The room note of the old original was powerful, distinctive and persistent (you either loved it or hated it), whereas Sasieni has a quite mild room note.

I found this tobacco somewhat harsh, though no worse than most other Balkan blends, with a fair bit of bite. I could detect no artificial casing or flavouring, which in a true Balkan blend is as it should be. The room note is either "pleasant" or "tolerable" depending on personal taste. I only recommend it because blends with the true Yenidje topnote are becoming hard to find.

A month ago, however, I picked up a tin of Balkan Sasieni and since can no longer inflict myself the injury of the tasteless cigarettes smoke. I am in love with this blend.

It is perfect, creamy and fragrant, leaving as captivating an aftertaste as it is intriguing throughout each bowl which I smoke down to a thin powder of whitish ash.

This tobacco is easy to appreciate and to smoke, which I can recommend for the novice, as I am. It burns well and smokes consistently, its delicate taste and scent remaining nearly unaltered until the end.

I alternate it with an artificially flavored tobacco (improperly but commonly referred to as "aromatic"), Blue Note, which I will review separately, but which also I find outstanding in its category.