Sobranie of London The Balkan Sobranie 759

What a shame that the old staples of the 70s are no longer available. I suppose that pipe smoking was on the wane even by that time, and I remember being stared at as a young UK pipe smoker in my 20s in those days as being something of an oddity. Compared to the white tin standard Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture, this was a degree closer to appreciating Latakia at the expense of some Virginia (I think) in the blend. If my memory serves me correctly then the blurb on the little cardboard label inside the tin indicated that Latakia was added in extra measure. I always found it a bit too smoky in flavour with a propensity for the tobacco to dry out in the tin once opened. I well remember friends and family pleading with me to smoke out of the room when smoking any of the Balkan Sobranie tobaccos, and this blend was the worst culprit for attracting their disapproval.