Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. Balkan Mixture

Edited to knock off a star. The more of this I smoke, the less I like it. It seems to get duller and muddier with every bowl. I'm still a huge G&H fan, but this blend has fallen off my radar. Original review below:

This review refers to the bulk version of Balkan Mixture. I've not yet tried the tinned version.

I am a big G&H fan, and a lover of English mixtures, so this one was an obvious choice. Aside from the sauce, which I will discuss later, G&H's Balkan Mixture has a very similar flavor profile to many English mixtures that have the word "Balkan" associated with them. If I were to posit that English mixtures contain four basic flavor elements present in some particular character, strength, and proportion to one another (coffee stout, campfire, cinnamon/spice, and incense), AND that Dunhill's London Mixture has these four in precisely equal proportion, then I would also say that Balkan Mixture is balanced heavily to the coffee stout and campfire points of the compass in comparison. It is rich and sweet, with chocolate, coffee, and woodsmoke flavors dominating. The incense is present here, but in a small amount compared to my go-to London Mixture. Keep in mind that this "incense" flavor I am referring to is from the tobacco only (the Orientals, I think?) and I should have probably used the term "incense-like." I would also describe this flavor as nutty, tart, creamy, etc.

The sauce. Yes, I am pretty sure that, like Dark Birdseye (which is awesome), this blend is very lightly touched by some non-tabacco flavorants, and they are good. Just like in DBE, I detect a musky, funky, incense (real incense this time) aroma (cologne?). It is awesome in DBE, and good here, but makes this blend come across very different than any other "English mixture" I've ever had, even though the tobacco flavor profile is more-or-less the same. It tastes old and musty, but in a good way. It can come across a little muddy because there is so much going on, but I like the change of pace.

Highly recommended for any English blend smoker in a rut.

The cut is a medium ribbon. I prefer finer, but at least it is uniform.

I bought some of this remembering that my father used to smoke Sobraine Balkan when I was a boy. I hate it and no longer wonder why my dad stopped smoking a pipe.

7 May 2014. Just tried this again having let it dry a bit, it's better than I thought at first. I will finish what's left but probably won't buy any more.

doctorthoss sent me a sample of this, and before it was gone I had ordered my first kilo of it.

I normally don't care for flavorings or scentings in my tobacco. This is an exception. What we have here is a scented Lat blend. Balkan? Not in my book.

This tobacco has dark, chocolate-y notes that make my mind go straight to Kendal twists and Stonehaven. It's a very interesting and unique element in a Lat blend. Must be the Va's. Delicious, and gives the impression of backbone, although I've never gotten nic overload from this one. I do take a lot of snuff though, so my tolerance is high.

The Latakia is not present as the focus of this blend, but adds depth and smoke.

The scenting wafts in and out. I don't smoke Lakeland flakes, so I am probably detecting something that a palate contaminated by those could miss altogether. The scenting is as obvious as the nose on my face. It's nice though, a little floral perfume to mix with the other elements. I normally hate anything that seems wrong or out of place in a tobacco, much less a Lat blend, but I love this tobacco.

This is an unfortunately named, unique tobacco mixture that deserves the attention of every Lat blend lover. Probably a love it/hate it tobacco, I love it. I do have a pipe dedicated to this one, because you will taste this in the pipes you use with it.

update 21March2016: just wanted to add after smoking this for a few more years, I don't think Balkan misses the mark after all. The Orientals in this one are less tangy than what I was looking for when I originally reviewed this, but they're there in spades after all. Oily, mushroom-y, earthy, dark, they create a a flavor profile here that is wide and deep. I think those sourdough notes I associated with Oriental back then are more from the Latakia. So yes, absolutely Balkan, and the best in production. This would be as scarce as Penzance if people knew, so keep this between you and me.

A moist shag cut that nonetheless burned perfectly with no relights for me. I don't have a lot of latakia experience so I will have to pass judgement on its comparative merits, but as a standalone review I'd put this firmly in the "I like" camp. Nicely peppery... a no fuss burner that I could dangle from my mouth aimlessly. Went very well with a good cup of you-can-stand-your-spoon-in it Yorkshire tea this morning.

Out of the pouch it smelled a little like Dunhill's Nightcap to me. I've just ordered a few grammes of Peter Stokkebye Balkan Mixture for comparison, so we'll see how that goes.

Purchased from: www.thebackyshop.co.uk

This blend seems rather light compared to other "Balkans" that I have tried. By that I mean it does not overpower with a blast of Latakia. It is a smooth and fairly rich smoke with excellent burning characteristics. I rarely have needed a charring light and very few relights were required. The flavor is quite dry, where I normally would prefer some extra sweetness, but it is a very relaxing and satisfying smoke.

Despite being cellared for only a few months, I did find the blend took several days to "breathe" after being opened to reach it's potential.

I will be getting more.

I really like this balkan blend. G&H and SG both seem to have access to a particular Latakia that is rich, earthy, strong and oily, and this blend makes good use of that weed. Or perhaps that is the flavor that comes with the territory when we're talking about Lakeland balkan and english blends. Whatever the case, this blend is richly flavored, and one of my go-to blends when I'm looking for something that is rich tasting and Latakia-forward.

A beautiful, rich, spicy smoke. Full of flavour, and lights well, stays lit down to the bottom, burns to fine white ash. Full bodied, leathery, and tangy. Like licking a horse's saddle. Probably. I haven't tried that. Highly recommended.

god i love the way the english do latakia! this comes close to approaching some of my favorite english (not really sure if this is a balkan in the traditional sense) blends. This is a blend which engages the taste buds.. not as subtle and spicy as some but rather well rounded and more 'floral' than others.. It is, indeed, something that you should smoke when you are alone because it has a lot of earthy and swampy aroma - but latakia will often cause this.. this is very easy to smoke - it has that lakeland flavor that others have noted- but what pleases me is how well everything hangs together.. nothing stands out as obnoxious the ingredients all seem to be 'on the same page'.. but this is something I find with most imports from england.. surprisingly smooth smoke.. yet earthy at and rough at the same time.. I would say this is worth trying!

This is a very worthwhile tobacco, full of body and flavour. I would call it an English Mixture, though; people looking for a Balkan Sobranie sub won't quite find it here.

A small drawback is that Balkan Mixture tends to be too moist when you buy it pre-packed. The smoking experience is much enhanced by drying (this doesn't seem to apply when you buy it loose, though). It isn't, perhaps, for the newcomer to pipesmoking, because Latakia is very much an acquired taste. Also, the room note has the usual tarry/acrid fragrance of Latakia: if you like this fragrance, you like it, but I know a lot of people don't, so potentially there's an IB [= innocent bystanders] problem.

These are quibbles, though. BM is in all important respects a first rate smoke: cool, tasty and uniform all the way down the bowl, and there's absolutely no bite. If you like Latakia mixtures this is a very fine one indeed. A lot of people make the point about a 'soapy' Lakeland flavour. I must admit that I don't see this. Oddly enough - because contrary to what some reviewers are saying - I do think that BM would be improved by a little more Latakia; but I really don't find much to criticise here. Very good stuff. BM smokes a little quickly, I find, and leaves you wanting more; but the experience is well worth it while it lasts - and you can, I suppose, always fill up and start again. I'm not always in a Latakia mood, but this and Samuel Gawith's Commonwealth Mixture are my go-to tobaccos when I am.

Update, 6th November 2009: on an impulse, I bought 75 gm of BM and 25 gm of Cyprian Latakia and mixed 'em. The resultant smoke is, to me, superb: not to everybody's liking, I imagine, but not a Lat bomb - just much more body and richness than the untampered-with BM has. Give it a try: cuss me if you hate it, but give it a go. I feel (perhaps this is wishful thinking) that I've stumbled serendipitously upon something very like the old Craven Mixture. Alleluia! When the Latakia mood strikes me in future, this is what I'll go for.

Update, 16th May, 2012: Having not had any Balkan Mixture for a while, I just got a couple of ounces. I have to say that it's better than I remember it, either because GH&Co have improved it or because I've found new nuances and dimensions to it. I would still call it an English rather than a Balkan mixture, though. I'm inclined to promote it from my original three-star rating to four stars. This really is first-rate stuff. I hope the rumour that they're going to discontinue it is not true.