Sobranie of London - Original Mixture pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
< PREVIOUS Showing reviews 61 through 70 of 70 reviews of this tobacco
preppypipe	02/24/2004	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
A dear friend of mine had a family member send this to him from his home land of Spain.Being the gentleman that he is,he gave me a pouch of my own.My only regret is that I'm going through it quickly and that it's no longer being sold in the U.S.This is one blend that lives up to it's reputation as one of the trulyly legendary smokes.Made up of oriental tobaccos,it's smooth and rich and tasty.It's simply wonderful and I'd encourage others to send overseas for a pouch or two of THEIR own. **Highly Recommended!** prep
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Tantric	02/04/2004	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Strong
Like many of the more traditional English blends, Balkan Sobranie's original mixture has changed hands a number of times, leading to different versions. I remember smoking the tinned one a number of times and then the one in the metallic paper pouch. They were definitely not alike. The tinned version (c. 20 years ago) had for me an almost mystical, incense-like quality, very powerful, that somehow induced a trance like state. I would light up and after the first few puffs, everything around me would cease to be important. The deep bitter sweet undertones of the mixture, combined with a certain degree of mineral saltiness had me transfixed, as if submerged within Alban Berg's music; a beatific state interrupted only when the wife, alarmed at the strong odor, would barge into the room--broom in hand--to chase me out of the house. Cool and slow burning, it was a tobacco that imposed itself on the smoker, providing a great variety of flavors within the Balkan range. Strong but never overwhelming, after a bowl of BSOM I felt satisfied enough not to smoke again for a number of hours. The newer version seems to me drier, saltier and sour. It has a certain raw edge to it that I don't really care for, and I find it lighter in flavor. It is not really bad, but something got lost in the transition. Though it is still a very good tobacco, the industrialized process of its manufacture has forced it to join the ranks of those blends (Gold Block, Rich Dark Honeydew, Highland Sliced or Three Nuns plastic pouch) that can only be a pale reflection of their old selves.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
ilDominante	02/01/2004	Very Strong	Strong	Very Full	Very Strong
This pipeweed is certainly an icon and one of the best oriental blends out there. Nevertheless, if you palate is not used to the strength of mixtures like the Dunhill my mix 965 and similar, you will not enjoy this blend very much. Especially in its latest version, which I bought in december 2003 in Venice, the tobacco is drier and stronger and thus obligates me to enjoy it only occasionally. The female nose is especially not fond of its room note. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most prized and well blended orientals that you can get your hands on. A must try!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Gae Richards	07/12/2003	Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
If this was still available,I'd smoke it at least three time's a day.It must be around 30 year's since I first tried it & loved it!Recently a friend sent me some from the USA & it was like being reunited with your best & favourite friend that you have lost track of for many year's.'Perfection' I have tried many different brand's over the year's,that claim to be a near perfect copy.'But none' have even come mildly close in anyway-as far as I am concerned. It's deep richness with a most profound & perfect taste is just so wonderful,that I can not begin to imagine it ever being captured again! A TRUE MASTERPIECE. 10+10 out of 10.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
howie	11/25/2002	Mild	None detected	Medium to Full	Strong
I have always liked this blend, and am in the process of smoking the last of my supply. This review is for the old, original Balkan Sobranie, prior to the removal from the US market. My tin was stored sealed from 1995 until 2002. This is a nice ribbon cut ranging from medium brown to dark brown to black in color, with a very dark tone overall. Packing characteristics are good, which I find true of all ribbons. The outstanding characteristic of this blend, to me, is the complexity and changing nature through the course of the bowl. Starting off astringent and downright sour, the middle section is dominated by exotic spiciness, particularly of cedar. The smoke intensifies through the bottom part of the bowl, with the low notes coming as a nice contrast to the bright sourness of the first light. I find this blend to be spectacular if allowed to sit, packed, for several hours to dry. Great result are also obtained smoking for 5-10 minutes and then letting sit for about 12 hours. Either of these methods do wonders in bringing forward the depth early in the bowl, which is otherwise experienced more toward the bottom. This remains, for me, the quintessential balkan blend, characterized by the strong oriental elements, but with enough Virginia to provide complexity and sweetness. Outstanding. November 2002
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Grundie	10/21/2002	Strong	None detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Somewhat regarded as a classic and rightly so, however it has become somewhat degraded in recent years, no doubt a by-product of being taken over by the Gallaher tobacco conglomerate. That being said it hasn't degraded too much and still is a extremely fine tobacco. If you like Latakia and lots of it, you will love this stuff, a true Balkan blend. The tobacco cut varies from rough to smooth and needs a bit of a rubbing out to help it burn evenly. The tobacco colour is very dark 50% very dark brown and 50% black. The pouch aroma is of very intense, almost overwhelming Latakia. Lighting is easy enough, but you may need to tamp it a bit. The inital flavour is of that lovely nuttyness that only Latakia can provide. Mid way the orientals take over and some sublime spicyness tkaes over from the Latakia. Nearing the end of the bowl the nuttyness from the Latakia returns to round off a wonderfully smooth smoking experience. It smokes very cool, but I find it burns quite quickly even when quite moist, which is odd for such a cool smoking tobacco. A fine grey ash results and despite the high Latakia content it doesn't flavour the pipe too much. Unfortunatley production of this tobacco will cease at the end of this year, so I will be stocking up as much of it as I can for the furure. A great tobacco, it will be shame to see it go.
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Flatcap	08/07/2002	Medium	None detected	Full	Tolerable
Having heard so much about this blend I was prepared to be under whelmed, but it really does live up to the hype. It lights easily, requires little maintenance and gives the most rewarding smoke I?ve had to date (I've not been smoking very long though to be honest!). Flavour becomes nuttier as the bowl is smoked and gives off a subtle aroma with an aesthetically-pleasing white smoke too. Thoroughly enjoyable and deserves a quiet hour or so to smoke it and really enjoy it. The perfect aid to peace and contemplation.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
mailman 5000	06/22/2002	Medium to Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable
The tobacco ? . This has more legends than any other and according to my tobacconist has been going downhill for years. When I first discovered it it had a unique quality, tasting like no other and though caused by the latakia which is present in large quantities, allegedly sprayed on by my doubting tobacconist. I thought I had found my tobacco. But 18 months ago the blend changed and was but a shadow of its former self, a truly dark day had dawned. But with the addition of straight cyprus Latakia about 33% seems to do the trick a very palatable smoke can be produced this is my tobacco. Curisoty and the words of that tobacconist, got the better of me when I saw an unopened tin from the sixties on Ebay. Really this is different tale, but the 40 year old stuff is the real deal as far as im concerned . Trouble is finding it!.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
KEF	04/17/2002	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
Why on earth did they stop selling this stuff in America? The first time I tried this tobacco was recently; it was a 6 year old 50g packet that had been well kept. On opening the pack it has a strong balkan sweet and sour scent (big surprise). It is almost all black and had compressed, so I broke it and rubbed it out. Once rubbed out I could pretty much gravity feed it into a pipe that is currently dedicated to it - a small to medium sized bent Dunhill shell dublin collector. Lights easily. Initial smoke is full and sweet, and the mix of latakia and turkish is beautiful. As I smoke this down the flavors mix nicely, and I'm done too soon. Usually one tamp and relight. Burns to a fine grey ash. I'm nursing my limited supply. I try to pick a time when I can set aside an hour to sit quietly and enjoy this fine tobacco. 9 of 10. - Kelly
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mparker	03/28/2001	Medium to Strong	None detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Man oh man oh man! I first discovered this stuff in the early 90's, and was immediately hooked. It's a classic balkan blend with very little virginia and lots of latakia and turkish yenidje. It is incredibly smooth and creamy, with a mild sweetness and a dry, salty smokiness that reminds me more of Syrian Latakia than Cyprian (I don't know for sure which one is present). It lights well, and burns fairly slowly as is typical for latakia/oriental blends. It remains extremely consistent throughout the bowl and I frequently smoke it to the bottom without realizing it at all. It leaves a fine grey ash, and cakes poorly, so I tend to break my pipes in with something else.
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