Sobranie of London The Balkan Sobranie
(3.69)
This traditional mixture of rich Virginia, Latakia and rare Yenidje tobaccos is Sobranie's oldest blend and offers a mild yet rich taste. A cool and long-lasting smoke.
Notes: Presently, the best readily available production/date information is per John C Loring's "DATING ENGLISH TINNED TOBACCO", 1999:
1970s: (and prior) Sobranie Limited, Sobrainie House 1970s: (briefly) Sobranie Limited, 17 Worship Street 1970s: (late) Sobranie Limited, Chichester Road 1980s: (early) Sobranie of London, 65 Kingsway 1980s: Sobranie of London, 34 Burlington Arcade 1990s: Sobranie of London, 13 Old Bond Street
Then Gallaher produced this blend until the mid-2000s.
Details
| Brand | Sobranie of London |
| Blended By | House of Sobranie |
| Manufactured By | Gallaher |
| Blend Type | Balkan |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50g Pouch, 50g Tin, 100g Tin, 200g Tin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.69 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 30 of 93 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 11, 2020 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Very Pleasant |
I want to start this review by prefacing a few things. 1, I'm not quite sure how old this can is as it was a gift and 2, I did not smoke my usual 2oz for the review. I received the full can, but it was open and dry. I spend a few days carefully rehydrating the contents to the perfect RH %.
Tin appearance of black, dark brown and medium dark leaf comprise this magical blend. It has a grayish hue to it, which upon closer inspection, is a wonderful sparkly crystallization. Almost as if someone had tossed some diamond dust into the tin and shook it up. Very evenly cut short ribbon pieces, and a bit of dust at the bottom which I assume is from being dried out for a period of time.
Aroma of very delicate floral Orientals, slightly sour, smoky latakia and just a kiss of sweetness from the Virginia. Judging by the crystals that encase the leaf, the blend had a good amount of natural sugars.
Packing first with the gravity technique, and finishing off with a medium pack. Not a lot of spring.
Initial lighting the Orientals show their true floral, slightly spiced flavors. Matched perfectly with the smoky and woody Latakia. Just a slight leathery flavor in the background. The Virginia is semi-sweet, bready, touch of graham cracker, and in perfect harmony to round out this blend. Complex, but not over the top. Never a dull or harsh moment, I savor every sip from the pipe. I prefer to take it slow, just so thin wisps of smoke emit from the pipe. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. I prefer it in the truck on a road trip, or in the evening sitting in my smoking chair. I want to savor every bit of this room note that I can.
Very minimal relights, burns down to a fine, dark gray ash. Leaves the bowl clean and dry, and leaves a clean refreshed smoky palate. It's no hype when it comes to this blend. It's the real deal. I have smoked quite a few BS "matches" and none come close to replicating this blend. That includes, Sutliff, Black House, and even Blue Mountain. If you can find this blend, do yourself a favor. Smoke a bowl and cherish it!
Tin appearance of black, dark brown and medium dark leaf comprise this magical blend. It has a grayish hue to it, which upon closer inspection, is a wonderful sparkly crystallization. Almost as if someone had tossed some diamond dust into the tin and shook it up. Very evenly cut short ribbon pieces, and a bit of dust at the bottom which I assume is from being dried out for a period of time.
Aroma of very delicate floral Orientals, slightly sour, smoky latakia and just a kiss of sweetness from the Virginia. Judging by the crystals that encase the leaf, the blend had a good amount of natural sugars.
Packing first with the gravity technique, and finishing off with a medium pack. Not a lot of spring.
Initial lighting the Orientals show their true floral, slightly spiced flavors. Matched perfectly with the smoky and woody Latakia. Just a slight leathery flavor in the background. The Virginia is semi-sweet, bready, touch of graham cracker, and in perfect harmony to round out this blend. Complex, but not over the top. Never a dull or harsh moment, I savor every sip from the pipe. I prefer to take it slow, just so thin wisps of smoke emit from the pipe. I do not like to smoke this outdoors. I prefer it in the truck on a road trip, or in the evening sitting in my smoking chair. I want to savor every bit of this room note that I can.
Very minimal relights, burns down to a fine, dark gray ash. Leaves the bowl clean and dry, and leaves a clean refreshed smoky palate. It's no hype when it comes to this blend. It's the real deal. I have smoked quite a few BS "matches" and none come close to replicating this blend. That includes, Sutliff, Black House, and even Blue Mountain. If you can find this blend, do yourself a favor. Smoke a bowl and cherish it!
Pipe Used:
several
PurchasedFrom:
gift
Age When Smoked:
at least 2o years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 22, 2018 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I deem this an excellent, one of the best Balkan blends ever & I'm not a big Latakia fan but it facilitates this blend's sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. Sampled from a fairly fresh 50g pouch of the Gallaher version that was eight years old when purchased back in 2010. This BSOM makes you reach for that elusive flavor with each draw. After a few puffs, the tobacco flavors begin to meld & it just keeps getting better & better until the very end. The perfect pipe tobacco in every respect... It has a sweet & sometimes salty flavor when the right taste receptor is hit & has an enticing aroma.
Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would find... pleasurable. While I'm smoking this, my mindset is... This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! I simply loved the flavor. This stuff tasted so good in fact, it makes me ponder; How does a tobacco blend that tastes this good, be made without a topping or flavor additive? Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor.
Maybe the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje? Possibly both types of Latakia, maybe some unsweetened Black Cavendish, maybe a "smidgeon" of Deer Tongue or a pinch of Vanilla Cavendish, who knows? Perhaps all of the above. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incredible... almost magical! Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco & if I could even come close to another blend that was as tasty as the BSOM, I'd be a happy camper for sure.
I see why this blend commands a premium & if I had plenty of money, I'd have plenty more Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture. It works for me. A crowning achievement in the tobacco blending craft without question. I never thought a blend containing Latakia could be enjoyed so much until I smoked The BSOM. During the pursuit of perfection, excellence was achieved. Easily qualifies as a rating that's off the chart... IMHO, of course!!!
Very tasty and I feel this blend is one most any pipe smoker would find... pleasurable. While I'm smoking this, my mindset is... This is what a pipe tobacco is supposed to be! I simply loved the flavor. This stuff tasted so good in fact, it makes me ponder; How does a tobacco blend that tastes this good, be made without a topping or flavor additive? Maybe tobacco grown in the Balkan region has some affect on the flavor.
Maybe the preparation or selection of red & brown Virginias topped off with tasty Yenidje? Possibly both types of Latakia, maybe some unsweetened Black Cavendish, maybe a "smidgeon" of Deer Tongue or a pinch of Vanilla Cavendish, who knows? Perhaps all of the above. If all this good smoke is coming from the tobaccos alone, that's incredible... almost magical! Whatever or however the process, this is the Holy Grail of pipe tobacco & if I could even come close to another blend that was as tasty as the BSOM, I'd be a happy camper for sure.
I see why this blend commands a premium & if I had plenty of money, I'd have plenty more Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture. It works for me. A crowning achievement in the tobacco blending craft without question. I never thought a blend containing Latakia could be enjoyed so much until I smoked The BSOM. During the pursuit of perfection, excellence was achieved. Easily qualifies as a rating that's off the chart... IMHO, of course!!!
Pipe Used:
Peterson Deluxe 9S & 11S
PurchasedFrom:
Pipestud's Consignment Shop
Age When Smoked:
8 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 21, 2016 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Very Mild | Pleasant |
Yesterday I opened my last remaining pouch of the 1994 Sobranie Mixture, to see whether it would bring back memories. It was dry as dust, despite being sealed. Ideally, I should have kept it in the freezer. The tobacco note was odd, phenolic, like TCP (trichlorophenol), a smell you sometimes encounter on the London underground. The smoke note however was more like what I remembered, though for a more accurate Proustian journey I will have to try to obtain an unopened tin from the 1960's if they still exist.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 2012 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Without question this was the most anticipated tin I have ever opened. So it was very perplexing when I got tongue bite, tongue bite, tongue bite. Every bowl. I've never had tongue bite from a Balkan before. Not sure what to make of this. Is anyone else having the same problem? As for flavor...its ok. I find Nightcap, Penzance and Black Mallory to be more complex.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 03, 2012 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Ok ..lets all get over the Balkan Sobraine tag because this stuff isn't anything like the stuff I smoked in the '60's and 70's, in fact, it reminds me of Bill Baily's Balkan a bit. All of that said this is a 4 star smoke. It needs to be dried out quite a bit before smoking. I also like the shag cut because it burns easily without many relights and leaves a gray ash in the bottom of the bowl without excessive moisture contamination.
It is well blended. The various component tobaccos weave a tapestry of flavors that seem to change constantly and there is enough Latikia to keep my attention. So it is a keeper.
My only gripe is that 70% of the blends that I smoke are made by Germain and most of them are almost impossible to come by. I could see this becoming my "go to" blend except that it to is mostly unavailable. So if you are going to feed me, feed me but don't dangle a carrot in front of me and then take it away because it makes me angry. So I will back off of this stuff until there is an adequate supply and then I will buy a truck load of it because I really like it.
It is well blended. The various component tobaccos weave a tapestry of flavors that seem to change constantly and there is enough Latikia to keep my attention. So it is a keeper.
My only gripe is that 70% of the blends that I smoke are made by Germain and most of them are almost impossible to come by. I could see this becoming my "go to" blend except that it to is mostly unavailable. So if you are going to feed me, feed me but don't dangle a carrot in front of me and then take it away because it makes me angry. So I will back off of this stuff until there is an adequate supply and then I will buy a truck load of it because I really like it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 25, 2012 | Overwhelming | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Unnoticeable |
Stop the madness boys you're reviewing something that no longer exists. The "Junk" you're writing about is produced by J.F. Germain, not the "Real McCoy" or even the 2005 Gallaher version for that matter. The lack of clarity is the fact that the site has two listings for BS [sic] THE B S. If Gary Pease ruled the world you'd all have your pipes confiscated and your palates tested for nerve damage. I've never had any version other than Germain's entry and again it's "Junk"! Actually another word comes to mind, but we'll leave it at junk for the younger more impressionable segment of our fellow readers.
PS: Save your coin if you think that Sasieni is going to get you any closer to those bygone days I personally think it's somewhat better than BS but not much. I'm no expert but I think that both today's Sobranie and Sasieni (made by Stokkebye) are using poor quality VA's that produce that (combined) effect and sensation of, as another reviewer has written, "smoking hot air"
PS: Save your coin if you think that Sasieni is going to get you any closer to those bygone days I personally think it's somewhat better than BS but not much. I'm no expert but I think that both today's Sobranie and Sasieni (made by Stokkebye) are using poor quality VA's that produce that (combined) effect and sensation of, as another reviewer has written, "smoking hot air"
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 24, 2012 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Strong |
Like probably so many other pipers, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to find this blend in stock and purchase. Finally I was able to secure a tin. I must say I am very disappointed. I never smoked any other version of this, but the original had to be 100% better than this flavorless stuff to acquire it's legendary status. There are much better offerings available today and I will not be purchasing another tin of this "one tin per purchase" rip-off (and I truly expect my review will be "ripped" into, so have at it guys).
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 28, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This review covers the latest, pouch version. It is a quite good tobacco, which to me ranges somewhere in the medium spectrum of things, occasionally jumping up to full strength but never settling there. First third of the bowl is quite mellow and mild, but the flavour and complexity increases the further down the bowl you go. This is a blend made for thoughtful and careful puffing. If you stop being attentive to the way you smoke, it can bite. And even with the utmost care and dedication it fatigues my palate after I'm done. I won't go into the more esoteric territories trying to describe it (others have done a good job on that already, both for the original and the reincarnation), suffice to say I do enjoy it, but not every day and in modest quantities.
Having never tried the original might have made me impervious to the persuasion of the brand name, but to be perfectly honest, the tobacco that was inside my pouch came across as highly overrated and ultimately a pretty unremarkable affair to me. I am however glad I got a pouch for the sake of having tried it, but I doubt I'll go hunting for another pouch in the future.
Having never tried the original might have made me impervious to the persuasion of the brand name, but to be perfectly honest, the tobacco that was inside my pouch came across as highly overrated and ultimately a pretty unremarkable affair to me. I am however glad I got a pouch for the sake of having tried it, but I doubt I'll go hunting for another pouch in the future.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 04, 2008 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I have tried this blend recently, I do agree with fellow reviewers that it is a brilliant blend, it is creamy and smooth, burns really cool with a nice hint of sweetness in the background. I fell in love with it immediately, my stable of english blends are rather limited since I reach for it only when in the mood for Latakia which is about once or twice a week, I have to add that this is a blend, not a latakia orgy which really agreed with me. Great stuff and ill be stocking up. One cannot regret smoking this, it really is a great smoke. This blend did not achieve legendary status for no reason.
Two days ago I got my paws on an old tin of BS. I remembered a friend describing to me that the difference between the "old" and "new" is the Latakia in the "new" is more noticable. I picked up exactly that. In all other respects, the tobacco is identical
I do however know that Latakia loses its edge over time and Virginias mellow down a bit. IMHO it is exactly the same blend, the difference is simply that the one has aged and the other is relatively new.
Mo
Two days ago I got my paws on an old tin of BS. I remembered a friend describing to me that the difference between the "old" and "new" is the Latakia in the "new" is more noticable. I picked up exactly that. In all other respects, the tobacco is identical
I do however know that Latakia loses its edge over time and Virginias mellow down a bit. IMHO it is exactly the same blend, the difference is simply that the one has aged and the other is relatively new.
Mo
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 26, 2004 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
For starters, I guess it goes without saying that I don?t really smoke this regularly. I wish I could, but that just ain?t happenin?. I was lucky enough to get a sample of this legendary blend, and I just had to do a review. I am basing this review on only two bowls, as I intend to keep the rest of what I have and make it last as long as I can. And when it is gone, I will miss it.
This is probably the most famous Balkan blend ever. The sample I got was aged, obviously. It smoked cool, it burned well, and the balance and flavor was fantabulous. A very smooth smoke that developed slowly and continuously. Not strong or overpowering at all. Being a Balkan, the Oriental is the star of the show, followed by the Latakia. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. The finish was not abrupt, not harsh, it just sort of faded away.
What else can I say about this blend that hasn?t already been said? If you have a chance to try some, by all means, do it. It won?t be easy to find, but it is floating around out there.
4 Stars well earned.
This is probably the most famous Balkan blend ever. The sample I got was aged, obviously. It smoked cool, it burned well, and the balance and flavor was fantabulous. A very smooth smoke that developed slowly and continuously. Not strong or overpowering at all. Being a Balkan, the Oriental is the star of the show, followed by the Latakia. The Va makes itself known in a very subtle way, lending a hint of sweetness to the mix. The finish was not abrupt, not harsh, it just sort of faded away.
What else can I say about this blend that hasn?t already been said? If you have a chance to try some, by all means, do it. It won?t be easy to find, but it is floating around out there.
4 Stars well earned.
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