Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Balkan Sasieni

The only reason for writing this review is that my opinion seems so at variance to most others that it may be worth recording. I had a small tin sent over from the states - where it is cheap - not knowing that this stuff was supposed to have something to do with Balkan Sob. which I used to smoke ages ago. I'm talking about the white 50g tin issued by Stokkebye - which I think may not be the same stuff that is reviewed elsewhere on this page. About three puffs into the first bowl I was sure that this stuff was rubbish - the blend has something in it that is SO PEPPERY as to be unsmokeable, and that's not the worst of it. In subsequent smokes in the same pipe you get pepper pepper and more pepper for weeks - no matter what tobacco that you use. I have tried a tiny bit of it added to other tobaccos as a flavouring to spice them up a bit - but still pepper is all you get. If you are going to try this tobacco, then I would strongly advise the use of a pipe that you can chuck out afterward, unless you are prepared to burn the taste away over time. I do not think that this is a poor quality product as such, but the peppery taste is unbearably strong - for me at least - and I am used to all sorts of strong tobaccos. Good luck with this one!

I completely agree with tabaco?s review just below.

Well maybe my hopes were too high, with the nice and somewhat Sorbranie looking packaging. I knew that it would be highly unlikely for this to be a replica; however, I thought it would at least be in the ball park.

I did not care for this very much; rather monochromatic and dull. I doubt if there is any Yenidge in this at all. I tried to detect it, alas none came through. I also found this tobacco burned too hot for my liking. There are much better tobaccos out there by G.L. Pease and CAO/DAN and others which cost a few dollars more but deliver much more satisfaction; as far as my palate goes.

Didn't take much to realize this tobacco was not for me. Everything I would expect from a English blend was there but I thought it all to be a bit flat. Nothing really stood out that would grab my attention. For me this tobacco smoked much warmer than I would have expected from a blend like this. I'll keep the rest around and use it to fill one of my knockaround pipes when I could use a quick nicotein hit. Thats about all it is good for. Overall a tired unsatisfactory smoke, I'll spend my time elsewhere.

This tobacco came as a free sample with my last tobacco order so I figured I had nothing to lose. They sent me enough for about four bowls but two was enough for me, the only good thing I found with this tobacco was the pouch aroma, it had a nice latakia leather smell but after that it was all down hill, in a word ?bland- I could find very little taste or aroma to keep me interested

This is supposedly the original version of the above blend, repackaged and re-distributed by the family that created it.

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"Repackaged" is certainly the word, as the packaging of the two is almost identical. However, the tobacco inside is quite nice, and I found

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I preferred it to the Sobranie. The flavors are very similar, to my indelicate palate at least, but I found this one to offer that indefinable

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"more". The flavor was a bit fuller, the taste had a tiny bit more zest. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is the Taurus SHO to the above

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comparison, but it at least has a more enticing exhaust burble. It burned smoothly to a fine ash, and while it was equally prone to bite me

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with that irritating Virginia snap, it offered up enough flavor to make it more worthwhile. I doubt I'll be adding this to my regular rotation

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any time soon, but it does at least get a better nod than the Sobranie.

This blend seems to have some sort of humectant casing and with it a plastic/chemical taste that many of us have experienced before. With that, all other potentially positive attributes are out the window. This stuff just tastes bad and I can't recommend it.

Smoke in Peace.

Preferring power in the pipe, and generally going for latakia in order to satisfy the requirement, I was recommended a tin of this by a tobacconist. Naturally, I was disappointed with its mildness, despite its inclusion of latakia.

Listen to me - I'm giving it to you straight. I got plans see, and there's no room in them for you. You couldn't never mean nothing to me - nothing special that is. You know what I mean.