PCCA Full Balkan Reserve - Syrian

I have asked myself why bother to review an old blend, but given the growing demand and high price for some of these aged blends I think it’s worth a few comments. This is based on a tin of Full Balkan Reserve Syrian from the early 90’s and the very first word that comes to mind with this McClelland made blend is “depth.” At least to my taste, it isn’t quite as smooth as Full Balkan Reserve from the same era, but the flavor is more complex. It offers the wonderful incense like taste of Syrian Latakia and along with some spiciness too albeit a light spice. The spice component is for me what separates it from its sister blend. Like the majority of the McClelland made English/Balkan blends I have smoked, it is pretty mild, especially in the nic department. The Virginias offer a bit of sweetness which could be due to age. The surprise for me is how well the Latakia has held up over the years. As with most McClelland made Balkan blends, the Orientals are top notch. I do prefer the Cyprian version of this from the same era a bit more. The only negative is that near the end of the bowl, the flavors do become a little mottled. Given the fact that old tins of this can still be had for a somewhat reasonable price, I think it’s worth the extra coins.