Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Balkan Sasieni
(3.08)
Original formula Balkan smoking mixture was created in London at the beginning of the century by the master of Tobacco Blenders who first combined the aromatic pleasures of the choicest of Macedonia and Latakia leaf with the richness of Old Virginia to give the pipe smoker an unrivaled smoking pleasure.
Details
| Brand | Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) |
| Blended By | Peter Stokkebye |
| Manufactured By | Scandinavian Tobacco Group |
| Blend Type | Balkan |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.08 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 111 - 119 of 119 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 12, 2010 | Mild | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
The tin aroma was very nice, and was almost entirely latakia. The orientals pop up until after a few puffs. The room note was perfectly agreeable. A bit of nicotine hit at the end. Aired out the tin for 45 minutes and it smoked dry, no gurgles. Barely left any trace on the bowl. I have nothing negative to say about it. It works for me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 22, 2010 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
Very good english/balkan blend. It may lack some finesse, but for the price it deserves 4 stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 07, 2010 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Well, Balkan Sasieni is a tobacco I do like. It has a solid and sweet Virginia base, good spicy Orientals and, of course, very noticeable Cyprian Latakia –smokey and leathery-. In some big bowls it can be a little bit harsh at the end, but nothing especially aggresive.
I've read it is produced by same producer as Paul Olsen MOB Balkan (P.Stokkebye, in Denmark), and some think it is the same mixture, but I find this one richer, fuller, more creamy and less artificial.
Perhaps it is in the borderline between a Balkan and an English Mixture. I just think it can be recommended for those in search of a good mix of Latakia, Virginia and Orientals. And at a very reasonable price.
RdX score (tasted in 10 different pipes): 90.10
I've read it is produced by same producer as Paul Olsen MOB Balkan (P.Stokkebye, in Denmark), and some think it is the same mixture, but I find this one richer, fuller, more creamy and less artificial.
Perhaps it is in the borderline between a Balkan and an English Mixture. I just think it can be recommended for those in search of a good mix of Latakia, Virginia and Orientals. And at a very reasonable price.
RdX score (tasted in 10 different pipes): 90.10
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 13, 2009 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Update 03/23/2009
I have tried Maltese Falcon recently and was very disappointed by this blend. The taste is very pleasurable at first but quickly settles into the bland side, as where Balkan Sasieni remains consistent all the way, picking up in strength, spiciness and sweetness past mid-bowl.
Add the fact that it is inexpensive, and I can only recommend Balkan Sasieni. Once more.
Update 01/13/2009
Still very satisfied with this blend. The positive side is the outstanding and highly competitive price, compared to other blends offered on the market. Not the greatest of Balkan/English, but BS beats a lot of them out there.
Every time I open the tin, I am welcomed by that rich aroma of Latakias, sweet Orientals and matured VAs. Every time I light up, the Orientals and Latakia combine in a sweet and spicey combination that leaves me speechless for a long moment. A bit harsh at first, but it quickly settles towards creaminess.
Stokkebye certainly pulled their weight for this blend. Bravo!
Original Review 07/29/2008
Gentlemen, let's face it and get over it: the original Balkan Sobranie has been discontinuated!
" But what we have with Balkan Sasieni is never as good as the original!",so I have read numerous times. AT LEAST, we have an alternative to the original mixture!
Balkan Sasieni, even and especially produced by Stokkebye, is actually a very decent tobacco and has nothing to envy to Dunhill, which is now produced by Orlik ( And, apparently, has derived from the original recipes, so I was told) and has skyrocketed in price over the last months! Balkan Sasieni has nothing to envy to other Balkan classics, in my humble opinion.
Dear colleagues, this mixture DELIVERS! A fine cut, shorter than the original, yes, but still dark with Latakia: lots of Latakia! Yes, Stokkebye managed to stick to the Balkan Sasieni original recipe. It's as if it was still produced in London by Sasieni!
A bit harsh upon lighting, but for a very short period, the mixture then smoothes down in a nice creaminess; my palate was elevated to a metaphysical state upon tasting the oh so spicy, rich Latakia and the sweet oriental that compose this mixture.
Pure pleasure of the senses and an acceptable nicotine level, all this under 6$. I don't know for you, distinguished colleagues, but I am stocking up!
I have tried Maltese Falcon recently and was very disappointed by this blend. The taste is very pleasurable at first but quickly settles into the bland side, as where Balkan Sasieni remains consistent all the way, picking up in strength, spiciness and sweetness past mid-bowl.
Add the fact that it is inexpensive, and I can only recommend Balkan Sasieni. Once more.
Update 01/13/2009
Still very satisfied with this blend. The positive side is the outstanding and highly competitive price, compared to other blends offered on the market. Not the greatest of Balkan/English, but BS beats a lot of them out there.
Every time I open the tin, I am welcomed by that rich aroma of Latakias, sweet Orientals and matured VAs. Every time I light up, the Orientals and Latakia combine in a sweet and spicey combination that leaves me speechless for a long moment. A bit harsh at first, but it quickly settles towards creaminess.
Stokkebye certainly pulled their weight for this blend. Bravo!
Original Review 07/29/2008
Gentlemen, let's face it and get over it: the original Balkan Sobranie has been discontinuated!
" But what we have with Balkan Sasieni is never as good as the original!",so I have read numerous times. AT LEAST, we have an alternative to the original mixture!
Balkan Sasieni, even and especially produced by Stokkebye, is actually a very decent tobacco and has nothing to envy to Dunhill, which is now produced by Orlik ( And, apparently, has derived from the original recipes, so I was told) and has skyrocketed in price over the last months! Balkan Sasieni has nothing to envy to other Balkan classics, in my humble opinion.
Dear colleagues, this mixture DELIVERS! A fine cut, shorter than the original, yes, but still dark with Latakia: lots of Latakia! Yes, Stokkebye managed to stick to the Balkan Sasieni original recipe. It's as if it was still produced in London by Sasieni!
A bit harsh upon lighting, but for a very short period, the mixture then smoothes down in a nice creaminess; my palate was elevated to a metaphysical state upon tasting the oh so spicy, rich Latakia and the sweet oriental that compose this mixture.
Pure pleasure of the senses and an acceptable nicotine level, all this under 6$. I don't know for you, distinguished colleagues, but I am stocking up!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2003 | Strong | Medium | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
16th-Sep-2003. The Balkan Sasieni,I'm enjoying at the moment,has been aged for 5 Year's.It's the closest tobacco,I have found,to taste like Balkan Sobranie!What Balkan Sasieni taste's like,without any age(I Don't Know) One thing,I'm sure about is this,I'll definitely be buying more.And if it's to fresh,I will cellar it.It lights easy,smoke's superbly & has that same slight saltiness to it,just like the legendary Balkan Sobranie.Plus the superb textured flavour's,if not reushed.Leaves a clean white ash,& smoke's dry. If Balkan Sobranie is rated 10 out of 10.Then this deserves 91/2 out of 10.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 22, 2023 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
One of the reasons I so enjoy Tobacco Reviews is that the reviews are heart-felt and often accurate. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if one reads five or six reviews, one can get some of the nuance.
For me, this is like using Yelp to review a restaurant. You get people who show up at a place with 10 people at rush hour on a weekend night and are frustrated they are not seated immediately. Since this would never be my issue, I discount that review. Same with tobacco reviews. I listen to a group of reviews and pull out the nuance.
Balkan Sasieni is excellent. It is milder tasting than the tin smell might suggest. GLP’s Westminister or Quiet Nights is a stronger ‘version’ of the Latakia-forward English blend, but as others have said, Balkan Sasieni is complex and very enjoyable. Like anything, some drying time is of value.
I love the taste and the room note, though I am always outside when I smoke a pipe. Or smoke pork for that matter.
For me, this is like using Yelp to review a restaurant. You get people who show up at a place with 10 people at rush hour on a weekend night and are frustrated they are not seated immediately. Since this would never be my issue, I discount that review. Same with tobacco reviews. I listen to a group of reviews and pull out the nuance.
Balkan Sasieni is excellent. It is milder tasting than the tin smell might suggest. GLP’s Westminister or Quiet Nights is a stronger ‘version’ of the Latakia-forward English blend, but as others have said, Balkan Sasieni is complex and very enjoyable. Like anything, some drying time is of value.
I love the taste and the room note, though I am always outside when I smoke a pipe. Or smoke pork for that matter.
Pipe Used:
Brigham
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 14, 2008 | Mild | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This blend is awesome. It's very difficult for me to tell the difference between this blend and the much heralded Balkan Sobranie. In fact I have been smoking BS (The Original Mixture) for the last week and I don't think I would be able to tell the difference between the 2 blends with one noticeable difference - the sweetness of the Virginia's. I can tell I will smoking a lot more of this blend.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 01, 2008 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I've gone through several pounds of this in bulk in the last few years, until recently I've never bought the packaged or tinned version. I've always found it to be a nice medium-taste Balkan. I've now opened a new tin (purchased from Pipes and Cigars) and it seems very similar to the bulk version I've been smoking. This is a fragrant mixture, with the emphasis on the Orientals, the Latakia follows and the VAs stay in the background. To my taste more tangy than sweet. 8 out of 10 stars.
Note: Balkan Supreme, from Stokkebye [same manufacturer], is similar and pleasant.
Note: Balkan Supreme, from Stokkebye [same manufacturer], is similar and pleasant.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 18, 2007 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
Several reviewers have commented that Peter Stokkebye's "Balkan Supreme" is the same blend as Balakan Sasieni. Well, PS may manufacture both Balkan Sasieni and Balkan Supreme, but the two blends are not identical, in my opinion.
The two blends are similar - no question, but there are both differences in physical appearance and taste between the two blends. To me, Balkan Sasieni is a more elegant and refined blend with less up-front Latakia and it tastes (paradoxically) sweeter and has more tangy "sourness" than Supreme.
It's that unique sourness of Balkan Saseini that I love and Supreme does has some of this, but at a much lower level. I'm probably splitting hairs here, because there is a lot of similarity between the two blends and Supreme is much less expensive, but Balkan Sasieni is the better blend in my opinion (and perhaps, due to its more expensive price, should be!)
And, despite the Danish heritage and PG shared by both blends, Balkan Sasieni is in a class by itself and remains my favorite Balkan. At once sweet, sour, rich, and mild. Balkan Sasieni delivers these attributes uniquely and the Balkan lover is treated to a tremendous smoking experience.
The two blends are similar - no question, but there are both differences in physical appearance and taste between the two blends. To me, Balkan Sasieni is a more elegant and refined blend with less up-front Latakia and it tastes (paradoxically) sweeter and has more tangy "sourness" than Supreme.
It's that unique sourness of Balkan Saseini that I love and Supreme does has some of this, but at a much lower level. I'm probably splitting hairs here, because there is a lot of similarity between the two blends and Supreme is much less expensive, but Balkan Sasieni is the better blend in my opinion (and perhaps, due to its more expensive price, should be!)
And, despite the Danish heritage and PG shared by both blends, Balkan Sasieni is in a class by itself and remains my favorite Balkan. At once sweet, sour, rich, and mild. Balkan Sasieni delivers these attributes uniquely and the Balkan lover is treated to a tremendous smoking experience.
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