I feel very fortunate to be able to have enough of this legendary tobacco to offer this, my first review. However, how does one describe the indescribable?

This blend consists of dark brown and black ribbons in the pouch along with a few flecks of tan. The pouch aroma is very strong -- latakia and orientals. If you ever get to try this blend, don't rush past savoring the pouch aroma!

The orientals jump to the fore at the match, producing thick clouds of creamy, heavy smoke. The room note is unique. It smells like sandlewood incense! This is not present in the taste, but it stays in the room note from match to the end.

Orientals dominate the taste, almost to the exclusion of all else. It almost borders on being monochromatic unless smoked slowly. No Virginia top notes here. This is a pure Turkish smoking experience. Big, full, round, heavy, large, expansive. It just takes over the senses. Yet at the same time, it is cool, smooth, soft, and velvetly. Never bites. Not sweet, but not really bitter like some oriental-heavy blends are. There is very little of the campfire and leather latakia-type taste. It's all about the orientals. Specifically, the yenidje! It finishes, of course, full and strong. Note that a bowl or two will ruin your taste buds for the night for any other subtle, delicate smoke!

I've tried a number of blends that tout themselves as a "replacement" for Balkan Sobranie and I dreamed of what the original must be like. Save yourself some time -- they might be good smokes in their own right, but if they don't list Yenidje as an ingredient, they _cannot_ be even close. I'm anxious to try the new Grand Orientals series from McClelland to see how they compare to BS (specifically, Yenidje Supreme, Yenidje Highlander, and Yenice Agonya) and will update this review at that time. Pipeworks and Wilke has two blends with Yenidje: No. 524 (excellent, but not a "Balkan Sobranie") and No. 400 (closer, but not close enough). Both should be tried. The closest I've come to this heavenly blend is Macedonian Mixture by Compton's of Galashiels. It hints at this blend -- maybe it needs more Yenidje??

This blend is the peak for me: 10+ out of 10! There are so many old blends I'll never get to sample, yet I've managed to fulfill a dream by getting to try this one. It was all I'd hoped it would be and so much more!

Thanks, Jeff, for the experience!

Note to "sounds7": For your taste, how many "parts" of the Wellauers Latakia do you use? Please let me know: pearsond -at- odsgc.net. Thanks.

Here is what my journey eventually brought me to. I bended my own Balkan Sobrane Original Mixture with these 6 top of the line tobaccos:

Wellauers- Latakia .Which is true Syrian Latakia (The real thing)I had five tins sent from Tabac Rhein in Switzerland. Costly but nothing like buying Tins of Sobranie off ebay.

McCranies Red Ribbon (Red Virginia)

Samuel Gawith full Virginia Flake (Rubbed out well)

McCleland Oriental blending tobacco

Yenidge bulk- Purchased from Carole at Pipeworks and Wilke. She doesnt always have it in stock though.

Unflavored black Cavendish also bulk from "PW&W"

I haven't gotten the percentages down to a science but I started with equal portions of the virginia's, Orientals, and Yenidge. I added only a small portion of the cavendish (about 1/3 of what the other tobaccos were. I then flavored it in with the Syrian Latakia until it reached the smokiness I desired (I had some Sobranie on hand for comparison purposes). Note: It is easy to go overboard with the Syrian (The stuff is so delicious!)which would make this more of an english blend than a Balkan. It was very simalar to the Original Mixture only much fresher and fuller in taste than those acient Tins you will find on ebay. Aging will do wonders to this I'm sure.

follow discussion on this recipe here and if you have anything to add please chime in. Happy Smoking! http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/109613-homemade- balkan-sorbanie-original-mixture.html

I first got in to this when I was 19. RYO cigs had become the rage, and we were always hitting the tobacconist for Drum, Three Castles, etc...

Well, I always went for the Sobranie White Pack. It was cheaper, and it had the stronger flavor I liked without being Galoises(sp?). Eventually I got myself a Churchwarden and took up the pipe. My Girlfriend hated it, told me I looked like a Hippie Farmer. My friends all wondered how I could smoke such strong tobacco.

I was telling that story to my wife a year ago, and started getting back int to the pipe since then. After a decade, being reminded of the Sobranie flavor made me want to buy a pipe and some tobacco ASAP.

What I'm amazed to see is how much wrong info circulates about this tobacco now. I've seen countless references to the Balkan Sobranie cigs being black and gold (wrong, Nat Sherman's), etc... It's kind of funny.

What I remember about Sobranie is the "dirt" taste, similar to a Guiness Stout. The other flavors always floated above it, with sweet and spicy notes. Somehow, with all of that, it managed a very pleasant room note. The cut of the tobacco out of the pouch was very rough, and had a good number of twigs, etc. in it.

All in all, it was a very pleasant experience and I am looking forward to repeating it. For my next smoke I will prepare a bit better though, I will leave the tobacco to dry for 15 minutes or so and also I will accompany my pipe with a bottle of strong red Argentinian Syrah or Californian Zinfandel, maybe even Croatian Dingac if my wallet allows it.

My first pipe experience whatsoever came when I told my mentor that I just didn't have the palate for fine cigars (the $3 ones tasted the same as the $30 ones to me) and that I was far more interested in trying pipe tobaccos. The next thing I know, I have 4 pipes and about twelve blends of tobaccos in hand, along with a quick education from a master. Being a master, he didn't start me on the kiddie-poo dessert blends like Black&Gold, no, no. He gives me a pouch of early-90s Sobranie White.

I remember this stuff from back when it was cool to smoke a pipe. I remember the room note. I remember this was what it was to smoke a pipe. I packed and lit it up. It was like smoking butter. That's about all I can say. I thought to myself "Yes, this is exactly what my palate envisioned pipe smoking would be, and it is Good."

After a couple of years, I was also gifted with a small portion of a pouch of real early 80's Sobranie White. This too tasted wonderful, but... But. The latakias has utterly melded and permeated the rest of the blend. It was like a big glorious hit of midnote with some bottom. It was velvety and luxurious, but I could tell that this would have floored me if it was ten years newer and the orientals could come out and play more. And the latakia, for all that time, seems to have lost its oomph. The whole pouch seemed like a big pouch of black cav.

After losing one of my 80s pouches to mold, I've now jarred all of them up in Mason jars in the basement and sealed them up tight. I occasionally pack up some Sobranie just to enjoy it, and I fully believe the tales of yore about how good this blend was. But the new blends out there (Paul Olsen's, Ten Russians, Larry's Strike Force, Penzance, Knightsbridge) are all certainly worthy heirs to the throne, and I don't feel cheated that I like at a time where I can have such a wide range available to me.

In comparison with all those others, Sobranie certainly stands up well, even at this late date. It's got a nice beat, and I can dance to it - even if it's a slow dance over in a dark corner. I give it a 75.

I've been smoking this as long as it's been an option to me- the last four years. It has cost 8 Euros for 50 grams and I have no problem with that, I'd pay twice the price.

So, how does it taste? It's the smokiest smoke I've ever had. Rather sweet base, campfire room note. (the 'very pleasant' under room note is my opinion, not someone else's) This is definately a mood altering substance. In America these days, if I remember correctly, there's a bunch of funny self help ladies running around talking about 'Aroma-therapy'. Well if they put this in their new age purses, maybe I'll listen.

Smoke it if you've got it.

What made Balkan Sobranie unique was probably the incense like scent of the Yenidje. It seeped into my jackets and the children when young used to love sniffing at those jackets. The taste always had a somewhat bitter start - somewhat like Nightcap - but the rest of the experience was addictive. At least I find it impossible now to say from the room note alone what Balkan has been smoked, but with Balkan Sobranie there never was any ambiguity.

The last of my tins went up in fragrant smoke recently. A few pouches from the mid-nineties survive and I hope they keep well. Last year a friend picked up some pouches from Japan: the tobacco was good, but a pale shadow of its glorious former self.

In remembrance of things past ...

Isadore Redstone sensed this void in 1995 and negotiated with the Lane Company to manufacture the old blend under a new name "Balkan Saseini." Unfortunately, by now the cigarette industry had turned its unblinking eye upon turkish tobacco, consuming all there was. Oriental tobacco was standardized and sold uniformly, no more to be readily had as the local varietals with exotic names. Hence the new blends simply could never be the same. Finally, even the Saseini was taken over by Orlik a few years ago, closing the chapter on the book of Sobranie with finality.

Ah well, this is a blend so beloved, that many have tried to replicate it but none have succeeded for this very reason. However, for many, the newer blends are just as enjoyable, if different. And sadly the latakia does not age gracefully, losing much of its potency after 40 years in the tin.

Appearance: Over 80% black leaf, with a few nut brown to dark brown strands, ready rubbed in a medium cut ribbon.

Aroma: Smoke, sweet vinegar, wood chips, cherry pit, concentrated fig, pomegranate jam.

Taste: Smoky-sweet, nutty, round, mellow. Almond butter, butter cream frosting, meringue, brown bread, plum pudding, candied fruit, pinot noir, armagnac. The heavy dense smoke floats lightly over the palate. Supremely rich and dense in flavor, yet as light as a souffle. Rewarding to smoke.

Comparisons: Similar to the GL Pease blends in the same way a red crayon drawing resembles Rothko's "Red on Maroon"; the flavors are there; but this is infinitely more complex and more subtle. Likewise akin to Smokers' Haven's Krumble Kake and Esoterica's Penzance in flavor and strength, but like comparing a profesional ice skater to a hockey player.

Bottom Line: The ultimate expression of the oriental leaves. For those who seek a refined latakia-oriental blend rich in flavor, but retrained in raw power and bluster.

Appearance and Tin aroma: medium broad-cut ribbons. Turkish and VA dominate the aroma, but latakia is still there firmly.

Packing and Lighting: easy to pack, but a little fussy to light. I had the same experience with 759. 4-5 lights to start and it would go out ocasionally.

Initial Flavor: Pungently sweet! The Yenidje is noticable.

Mid-bowl: Aah! Incense notes abound, the latakia is over the hill though. Room note is a killer to those who don't smoke. I think I prefer 759 more than this one. Still, a very delicious smoke.

Bottom of Bowl: It is over too quickly. this blend builds up to a medium to full strength. I could not smoke this all day, but could smoke 2-3 bowls in a row if this were still obtainable. What to compare it to? It reminds me of two blends sort of: Pease's Charing Cross and Bohemian Scandal. As good as this blend was, I still prefer both of the Pease blends mentioned.

Overall: A classic Balkan that I hope someone re-introduces again in its original form. Balkan Sasieni, while good, is not close to the original. In its aged form, I still prefer 759. Too bad I was too young to try it when fresh and available. If this were not a gift, I could not justify the outrageous prices I have seen ($100-165. U.S).Yes, this is the standard by which all other Balkans are compared to, but I do think Greg Pease has surpassed it IMO.

Pipe: GBD Bull Moose, group 3 bowl Cut: rubbed out, moisture on the perfect side of dry. Pouch Aroma: Rich, woodsy, smokey, leathery, hints of nuts Packs: very easily Lights: Very easily

I won't waste time on deep rambling discourse. After having smoked Rattray's Black Mallory, Pease Caravan, Renaissance and Samarra, and Esoterica's Penzance, I now understand the difference between a Balkan and an English. This is the grail, the standard by which all other Balkans are measured, and with good reason. The flavor is rich, dark, smokey, spicy, somewhat like a cigar, but ever so much more complex. There is a constant swirl of flavors all in a perfect balance. There is an acidic nuttiness like roasted walnuts, and a perfect sweetness as well. The latakia and yenidje play an excellent accompaniment, and all the flavors balance beautifully. A masterpiece, perfect to smoke in the evening. If you can lay your hands on a pouch, do so. A wonderful smoke.

This is probably the most famous Balkan blend ever. The sample I got was aged, obviously. It smoked cool, it burned well, and the balance and flavor was fantabulous. A very smooth smoke that developed slowly and continuously. Not strong or overpowering at all. Being a Balkan, the Oriental is the star of the show, followed by the Latakia. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. The finish was not abrupt, not harsh, it just sort of faded away.

What else can I say about this blend that hasn?t already been said? If you have a chance to try some, by all means, do it. It won?t be easy to find, but it is floating around out there.

4 Stars well earned.

Alas, the blend changed. The last few years that this tobacco was marketed it was nothing like the blend that I experienced in the early 80's.

At the recent Chicago Pipe Show (2004) I found someone who was selling a 2 ounce "pop top" tin from the late 70's at a reasonable price and bought it. It had been 15 years since I had seen this "Varietal".... and before I spent the $95 I thought twice.. and then, of course, pulled the trigger.

Everyone has different tastes, that's what makes the world go round. Having said that, however, this old Balkan Sobranie White (truly made by Sobranie) is the best tobacco I've ever, ever smoked.

Sobranie of London was able, in the old days, to procure the finest Yenidje tobacco. That is what makes this blend so wonderful. I can't describe it to you - I'm not a wordsmith.

We opened this tin of tobacco at the Chicago Show and laid a portion out on a newspaper to dry a bit. The leaf was long and stringy - like seaweed. The Virginias had darkened quite a bit. I remember the blend being "light and dark" ribbons but this 25 year old tin of tobacco (dated to 1979) was "dark and darker".

Once my pipe was filled I went out in the hall of the resort to light it. Once lit, I walked back through the cloud of smoke that had been produced and of course, a rush of great memories came back to me. Indeed, this is my old friend and it has mellowed with age but still has that "oomph" that only the Balkan Sobranie White has. It was truly like meeting an old friend, after many years of not seeing them, and picking right up where we left off.

The sad part is that this tobacco is no more. And, I will not ever, EVER, pay as much for a tobacco again.

What I wanted to do is to see if this tobacco lived up to my memory of it. You know how things get distorted after so many years... "ahh, those were the GOOD old days...."

Yes, this tobacco is all that I remembered it to be. I have about 1.5 ounces left and it will only be smoked with good friends. Balkan Sobranie White, the finest tobacco I ever encountered. We're all poorer for the loss. But, the memories are grand!

You can see how it is a hard composition to blend, with ingredients often hard to obtain, and whose consistency over 130 years has been variable to say the least!

That and its uncompromising flavour do not augur success with the masses. It was always ?caviare for the general?, and not, lately, much of a money-maker: English tastes, in this as in everything else, have become coarsened and vulgarised; and so, once it was deprived of its big American public, this blend simply became problematic and unprofitable. It has now disappeared altogether.

I guess I first tried it nearly 35 years ago. I have smoked it many times since, but it never became part of my standard repertory. It was an occasional treat, like the driest gin. The insistent Turkish twang was fun, but not all the time. I always found its sister blends, RATTRAY?s Red Raparee and DUNHILL?s London Mixture more conservatively and more finely integrated; in comparison, Sobranie seemed a little bloated sometimes, a little relentless. Its post-modern re-incarnation, BALKAN SASIENI, is the same mix, yet not the same mix at all: the grade of tobaccos and the proportions may be the same, but modern-day orientals seem to be blander, more generic than formerly, and the Cypriot ?latakia?, a nice tobacco in itself, is like California ?chablis?: the more it tries to be, the more it is not.

I suppose a classic chapter in pipe-smoking is now closed, although I am sure that lovers of this blend in its heyday would envy us our personal acquaintance with people like, say, G.L. Pease. To everything there is a season, if I may coin a phrase.

I have just recently secured a few 50gram packets of "Balkan Sobranie" Original Smoking Mixture. These packets, though lacking any dating, were "Made in the United Kingdom" and were imported by (the now defunct) James B. Russell, Inc. of Upper Saddle River, NJ. (Whom, similarly, imported Sasieni) Upon opening the packet I was anxious to sample its aroma?it was still delightful, quite as you would expect from a fine, fresh English. It was, however, obvious that the tobacco had become thoroughly dried over the years. I removed the cake of tobacco and set out to re-hydrate it thus: Placed in a kitchen type strainer (sieve) over a pot of boiling water for a few moments the tobacco softened. I gently separated the cake and allowed it to absorb some of the water vapor from the water below. The room glowed with the fullness of the Blend. In just a few minutes I judged that the tobacco was moist enough, placed it on a dish and then a few minutes later, into a "ZipLock"?.After allowing the moisture to migrate throughout, overnight: Sobranie vs. Sasieni The pouch aroma is very inviting (noticeably more so than Sasieni). Its appearance, though quite similar, shows more light leaf, however slight. The lighting, and smoking qualities are indistinguishable from the Sasieni. The Sobranie has the properties of the newer Sasieni in full measure; but, if there is a difference: I would describe it as softer, or less sharp! In fact, the difference might be compared to that between the Glenfiddich Scotch (sharp) and the Glenlivet Scotch (soft), albeit not so distinct?. Not so much a difference of taste, as one of attitude!

The blend smokes reliable from top to bottom with the flavor shift of full and soft to spicy then sweet/sour. The balance of Virginias, Orientals & Latakia: favors the Orientals. More so, for instance, than the "Frog Morton" which leans toward the Latakia; or Bill Bailey's, which is "over the edge" with Latakia. Sobranie, all in all, is a wonderfully rewarding smoke. Its ash is light and gray, without noticeable cake. In fact, if there is any downside to this tobacco, it is that it smokes too cleanly to yield a proper cake (In any reasonable time). My humble recommendation: Try the Sobranie or Sasieni in larger pipes that have been broken in with other "Englishes"?.These blends are a treat, and relights are uniquely satisfying. Their room note bespeaks a gentleman's presence. Rating?I can't smoke it "all the time", due to supply?however, this is a "Four Star Blend". If I had to choose but one tobacco this would be it. (Or by virtue of present supply, Sasieni)

I can't make a comparison, but this Original Mixture seems very good to me.

A typical English blend, in the vein of Dunhill London Mixture and 965, but more rounded and less full in its taste. It is less overwhelming and subtler, perhaps more suited to all-day smoke. The Latakia presence is less intrusive, and as a whole it is a very satisfactory smoke.

Despite the pouch, the tobacco comes rather humid, and needs to be broken a bit to be packed correctly.

It may need a couple of relightings, but after each one of them the taste seems to get even better and richer. It leaves the pipe rather clean.

Recommended. UPDATE February 2004: Ok, in the past 2 years I had the chance to smoke several tins of the old version of Original Mixture, and also of 759. Comparing old tins of 759 and Original sees 759 as the winner: sweeter, rounder, tastier. But the Original was almost just as great...

The new pouched version of Original, while good, is vastly inferior to both 759 and Original of old: not as rich, and sometimes a bit too pungent and harsh, a bit out of balance. Recent pouches were also drier. It still is a very tasty, oriental-dominated blend, and one which has no equals. This doesn't mean that there aren't better Balkans or latakia mixtures: it just means that Original still has something that makes it different and immediately recognizable, and which is missing from ALL other imitations.

I can confirm that, while in decline, this blend is still a staple for any serious pipesmoker.