Schürch Torina (SOB)
(3.47)
Now, here's a revelation: No modern mixture comes closer to the old Balkan Sobranie Mixtures, precisely "759". Fans of the old Sobranie have been very happy to find such a perfect substitute. What more can be said! (Only the looks of the mixture are not those of Sobranie.)
Details
| Brand | Schürch |
| Blended By | Hans Schürch |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Coarse Cut |
| Packaging | Bulk, 50g Tin |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.47 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2004 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
When I first tried this blend in bulk, I found it not as tasty or complex as Onyx. It was delicate, not pungent but not completely round and smooth either. I appreciated the rough cut and the smoking qualities, but it lacked some personality... and it sure wasn't Balkan Sobranie by a long shot!
Later, I tried the tinned version which is called SOB (like in SOBranie...): the tin can only be found in Switzerland, and Synjeco doesn't sell it, as they only have the bulk version. Too bad, because in the tin it is better! It's a very good full EM! The tobacco in the tin is identical: rough cut, low moisture, clearly handblended. But probably the better seal of the tin compared to a plastic pouch really helps.
It packs well, burns well, and has a very nice aroma: similar to a cross between Timm London 1000 and a spicier Balkan. Lots of flavour, never aggressive, and with an underlying pleasant sweetness. I only had three bowls (offered by a friend who had bought a tin), but I look forward to smoking more as soon as I will make a trip to Switzerland!
So I strongly recommend you SOB, while I think you should sample the theoretically identical Torina before buying a large quantity...
Later, I tried the tinned version which is called SOB (like in SOBranie...): the tin can only be found in Switzerland, and Synjeco doesn't sell it, as they only have the bulk version. Too bad, because in the tin it is better! It's a very good full EM! The tobacco in the tin is identical: rough cut, low moisture, clearly handblended. But probably the better seal of the tin compared to a plastic pouch really helps.
It packs well, burns well, and has a very nice aroma: similar to a cross between Timm London 1000 and a spicier Balkan. Lots of flavour, never aggressive, and with an underlying pleasant sweetness. I only had three bowls (offered by a friend who had bought a tin), but I look forward to smoking more as soon as I will make a trip to Switzerland!
So I strongly recommend you SOB, while I think you should sample the theoretically identical Torina before buying a large quantity...
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 04, 2008 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
A good blend, very pleasant. Like Balkan Sobranie ? SURE NOT ! Who tell that this one is like Balkan Sobranie is a criminal !
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 07, 2005 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I smoked both the bulk and the tinned versions and I agree with Beer, the tinned is better. This one can be considered a Balkan blend, for the generous amount and deepness of the pungent orientals, despite a moderate latakia content. It packs easily and smokes cool and even. The goal of the blender was to recreate the original Balkan Sobranie 759 formula: he failed, if it had ever been possible to succeed...I don't think so. This is a very good tobacco indeed, but presenting it as a 759 clone can just create expectations that are doomed to be disappointed; just think about it as a fine English Mixture and you'll very satisfied with it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 29, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
I am not too sure about the 759 comparison. This 50g bag of Torina I have left thoroughly dry out. It is a sort of wild cut mixture consisting of latakia, what appears to be and tastes like red Virginia, and orientals. At the risk of being repetitive, I think the description, "creamy," is the operative word. This is a Balkan blend and you can taste the orientals. The latakia is judiciously applied and so all the components are available to taste in the smoke. I would probably smoke this with some frequency if it were readily available in the States. This blend is extraordinarily smooth in the mouth and a bit tingly in the nose, similar in effect, but not in taste, to a fine cigar. The quality of the tobacco and the straight tobacco flavors could very well make this an all day smoke for the latakia/oriental lover. I think you could enjoy the pleasure of living with this tobacco in your pipe from dawn 'til dusk. Highly recommended. Paddy.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 29, 2002 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
The blender openly says this is an attempt to recreate Balkan Sobranie 759. It certainly does not look or smell like 759 in the pouch and frankly I don't taste that much similarity either. That being said, this is an outstanding tobacco. I troubled over how to describe a particular flavor in this tobacco until I read a review of one of the other Schurch tobaccos that used the word creamy. Yes! That's it! It has a hint of Dr.Brown's Creme Soda. As I smoke down the bowl every puff has a slightly different nuance of flavor. I always prefer a tobacco that has that "every puff is a little different" quality and this blend certainly has that. The room aroma is far less offensive to others than 759 and I don't get that light headed buzz from this either.
The tobacco comes vacuum sealed in a plastic pouch. It comes just a little more humid than is my taste and some of the ribbons must be broken down somewhat to get it to pack right, but this is easily done. Once dried a little and the ribbons shortened it lights and burns very well.
While this will never be my regular tobacco, it is nonetheless excellent and has a unique flavor that sets it apart from the average latakia blend.
This tobacco is available at synjeco.ch from Switzerland. Like several other reviewers, my order arrived remarkably quickly. Their website has an extensive list of tobaccos many appearing to be quite unique. Check it out.
ADDENDUM
My initial review above was based on smoking Torina about 10 times. I subsequently set this aside for several months, in which time the tobacco dried out somewhat. This blend has a different character when it is on the dry side. It is almost like a different tobacco when it is dry. In a drier state, the tobacco is more Balkan tasting and burns particularly well. This truly is an excellent Balkan.
The tobacco comes vacuum sealed in a plastic pouch. It comes just a little more humid than is my taste and some of the ribbons must be broken down somewhat to get it to pack right, but this is easily done. Once dried a little and the ribbons shortened it lights and burns very well.
While this will never be my regular tobacco, it is nonetheless excellent and has a unique flavor that sets it apart from the average latakia blend.
This tobacco is available at synjeco.ch from Switzerland. Like several other reviewers, my order arrived remarkably quickly. Their website has an extensive list of tobaccos many appearing to be quite unique. Check it out.
ADDENDUM
My initial review above was based on smoking Torina about 10 times. I subsequently set this aside for several months, in which time the tobacco dried out somewhat. This blend has a different character when it is on the dry side. It is almost like a different tobacco when it is dry. In a drier state, the tobacco is more Balkan tasting and burns particularly well. This truly is an excellent Balkan.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 31, 2002 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Being a new reviewer here, I was glad to see that Paul Booker beat me to the punch in being the first to review Torina. Whew, pressure's off! Anyway, this is the 3rd blend from Schurch I have tried, the others being Mogano and Onyx. (Love them both.)
In the pouch, Torina has a pleasant latakia aroma, not overpowering, with a little -- what? -- stewed fruit smell. It was a bit of a chore to pack, as there were plenty of big pieces of tan leaf to break up. While I usually like my tobacco a bit drier, Torina seems to smoke better right out of the pouch. Go figure.
The char light just explodes with tangy and creamy flavors -- very promising. The room note is terrific and my lovely wife voiced no displeasure. The creaminess stays fairly constant throughout the bowl. Sadly, that's about where it ends. Not much in the complexity department and it's maybe a bit tiresome toward the end. Recommended for a change of pace, but I'll stick with GL Pease's Odyssey as my stand-by Balkan mix.
In the pouch, Torina has a pleasant latakia aroma, not overpowering, with a little -- what? -- stewed fruit smell. It was a bit of a chore to pack, as there were plenty of big pieces of tan leaf to break up. While I usually like my tobacco a bit drier, Torina seems to smoke better right out of the pouch. Go figure.
The char light just explodes with tangy and creamy flavors -- very promising. The room note is terrific and my lovely wife voiced no displeasure. The creaminess stays fairly constant throughout the bowl. Sadly, that's about where it ends. Not much in the complexity department and it's maybe a bit tiresome toward the end. Recommended for a change of pace, but I'll stick with GL Pease's Odyssey as my stand-by Balkan mix.
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