Cornell & Diehl Palmetto Balkan

Right when think the classic tribute blends are a thing of the past, C&D not only brings one back, but they make it cool again! this is a special tobacco. The tin note is slightly smoky with a hint of sweetness. There is a sour note and some vanilla spice that is very faint and enjoyable. The use of the Orientals is masterful and the star of the show. These Orientals have something I love that you don't find in too many blends anymore and I have a hard time describing it, but I will try. The Izmir gives a "fizzy" seltzer like taste?.. feeling?...not sure,what it is but I love it. This is something I have experienced in older blends that are no longer available, more on that later. The flavors are all grounded in a base of red Virginia sweetness and earthiness that support the woody, slightly sour/tangy and lightly floral Basma and Izmir. The processed Cypriot Latakia if quite unique. The goal was to emulate Syrian Latakia and as far as I can tell they did a great job. I had to go and sample this back to back with a few English blends that I still have that have Syrian Latakia, namely McClellands Wilderness and the original Celebrated Sovereign from Ashton along with the recreated Ashton Artisan blend (when it had Syrian leaf). PB had the same slightly sweet and tangy dry red wine flavor that they all had, Wilderness seemed to have the exact same flavor and that may be due to it using both Syrian and Cypriot Latakia. Bravo! This isn't the centerpiece of the smoke but the flavors it adds really puts this blend in a class by itself relative to what is available today in English blends. The smoke is fairly complex and is best when sipped, the retrohale helps separate the flavor notes and leaves a pleasant after taste that lingers for quite awhile. If pushed, which I did do because I really enjoyed the flavor and got a bit excited in the first few bowls, it will get a bit harsh in the last third of the bowl but if sipped it will burn sweet and complex to the heel. Not a drop of moisture in my pipe when the experience was over. This needs a little drying time, One final tasting note, this is best in a briar by far. Cobs, clays and Meers are ok but the briar really makes this blend pop. The cob was my least favorite and it seemed to change the flavor quite a bit, and for me not for the better. I am looking forward to aging this blend almost as much as I am looking forward to the next bowl. I never got the chance to smoke any of the earl iterations of Balkan Sobranie, but I did get to try one of the last batches before it disappeared, with a decade of age on it by the time I got to it. My memory isn't that good when it comes to old flavors but it IS good enough to say that this is similar, if you loved McClelland Wilderness, this is a must try. The only Syrian blend I matched this up with that had no similarities was HH Vintage Syrian and I think that is due to the DFK in that blend really changing the flavor profile form a standard English. If you loved Syrian Latakia of if you never got the chance to try it before it disappeared, I would highly recommend this blend.