McClelland Syrian Super Balkan

What I was hoping for: a full Syrian Balkan with some extra perique zing.

What I got: McVinegary virginias and muddled weakness from everything else.

It's too bad that they were so stingy with the Syrian. Syrian is more subtle than Cyprian so I wasn't expecting a lat blast, and granted, it does play nice with the perique to me. Kind of an interesting mix of flavor that has characteristics of both the lat and the perique. But well underneath. The virginias dominate in this blend and they're just not that great. Age does not seem to have done much other than smooth them out and accentuate the ketchup taste, and to my tastes it just doesn't work so well here.

I did like the orientals and there is juust enough.

When I added a pinch of a different lat-heavy english (forget which) to it, it perked it right up - there is potential that just wasn't reached. Just not blended as well as it could be, and the tang of the virginias (I love virginias normally) kind of take away the greatness that could be.

Not a bad one by any means, but not excellent.

The one thing that sets this apart from other Balkans is the Syrian Latakia, while not overly done, I think it could be better. Syrian lat provided a different flavor and anyone who hasen't tried it should give it a go. This is not a strong Balkan that I would normally prefer, but that doesn't distract from a mild flavorful smoke. I was hoping for a more heavy hand with the Lat, and for that reason I cannot give it an outstanding rating. Worth a try if your new to Balkans.

While visiting some out-of-town friends, I stumbled onto to the local tobacconist's shop and dropped in to look for something different I could try. After inquiring about what I usually like to smoke, the proprietor grabbed a tin of Syrian Super Balkan off the shelf. He explained that, while he likes to sample all the different tobaccos he sells, this is the only mixture he smokes purely for his own enjoyment. He told me it was fuller-flavored and more satisfying than either Nightcap or British Woods, two of my own favorites. With that recommendation, I bought the tin, suspecting all the while that SSB wouldn't live up to its billing-- and it didn't. It's neither as full or as rich-- or as strong-- as either of the two mixtures I mentioned above, but is rather "middle-of- the-road" in all the important criteria. The flavor lacks the complexity that I look for in a good Balkan; the Latakia is less assertive than I like, and the Oriental tobaccos are barely heard from. The perique is a nice touch, but stays well in the background. The flavor remains fairly consistent from beginning to end of a bowlful of SSB with no surprises, pleasant or unpleasant. Some drying is recommended as a fresh tin is a bit moist. SSB packs and lights well when dried a little, and shows no tendency to bite. The high quality tobacco and familiar vinegary tin aroma identify it as a McClelland mixture, beyond question; room note is that of a fairly strong English mixture-- no aromatic this. Syrian Super Balkan isn't bad, but there are other Balkans I much prefer to it-- Pease Odyssey or Charing Cross, Balkan Saseini, and even the bargain-priced Iwan Ries Balkan Supreme all have more of the Balkan character I look for.

Flavors in this one are bit muddled/muted compared to the similar components in Syrian Full Balkan (which does not have the perique). Very similar smoking characteristics between these two, but the flavor distinctions and enjoyment are lacking in the Syrian Super, which also required some re-lights, when compared. 2*.

Picked this blend as a possibility in my quest for a full-bodied Balkan/English mixture. As other reviewers have indicated, rather weak in the flavor dept. Very mild blend-just not what I personally am looking for in the way of a richer mixture, although I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to an aromatic smoker who might be experimenting in this direction. As I have indicated in reviews of other McCs' offerings, what they seem to consider a full-bodied blend is to me quite mild. Awarded a solid 2 stars only.

I smoked this a few years ago and loved it. It was extremely cool burning with a nice amount of sweetness, spice, and a unique metalic tang or worcestershire sauce flavor. I was all geared up and ready to defend this blend against all detractors when I popped open a three-year-old tin two weeks ago. Sure, it's not a balkan, but judging it by what it actually is, I thought, would be favorable.

Alas, after smoking it about 16 times, I cannot defend it. Sure, sometimes it tastes like a really nice Va/Per blend with just enough latakia and orientals to round out the flavors. When you get a good bowl, it is really good. I noted fruity flavors, figs and plums, brown sugar, caramel, and chocolate, all without being too sweet. Also, I thought I might have detected some fenugreek spice, though that might be a stretch. If it was always or almost always like that, I would definitely give it four stars. And interestingly, it had changed quite a lot from the newly packed tin I had before, with almost none of the worcestershire sauce flavor. It still burned very cool.

But too often, for whatever reason, all of this goodness was overshadowed by a very unpleasant, dirty, brackish flavor. Someone told me that was the Syrian latakia, but that is doubtful in my mind because I've had over eight tins of Syrian blends, four of them from McClelland, the most recent being Frog Morton Across the Pond, and had NEVER tasted this dirty flavor before. But in 1/3 to 1/2 of the bowls of this tin, and of another one I bought to see if mine was just contaminated somehow, it was either present or overbearing. That's just too often and negates the times it was good. Strangely, that is a problem not noted by other reviewers here, so it may be a problem of my own tastes, but since I only have my own tastes I can't ignore it for reviewing purposes.

I, too, seem to have developed a perique allergy, but I won't judge this blend by that idiosyncracy. But it will definitely help to keep me away from this in the future.

If McClelland could blend something that was consistently like this was when it was good, and renamed it to indicate it was not a balkan, they would certainly have something for those who love perique but don't hate latakia.

Syrian Super Balkan - Wow theres the expected Ketchup smell...how is that and why? Is McClelland casing their blends in Heinz? Anyway onto Super Balkan. Reviewer Pipeline summed this blend up best in their update.

This is hard for me, as well, to identify as a good Balkan blend little alone a Balkan blend...shoot what does this taste like? I am dissapointed...I was expecting the Balkan to end all Balkans hence Super Balkan...uh...not this time. =( On to the next. Try Frog Morton On The Bayou or On The Town instead.

Update January 2006: Neither intersting as an English blend or Balkan. It does not seem to be really either. It smells good burning, though. Yawn.

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This is more closely akin to McClelland's Syrian Full Balkan than Rose of Latakia from the same folks. All three were released at the same time. All three are top quality.

Each of the three has the same cut and burning qualities, so I will not duplicate here what I have said about the other two already. Though, Super did burn a bit more moist than either RL or SFB. Even with the Perique, SSB seems to have less black in the tin than SFB. RL has the least of the three.

The components of Syrian Full Balkan play better together than they do here in Super Balkan. There seems more competition than cooperation. Perhaps time will bring Super Balkan into greater harmony (Ypdate: Time just flattened the components out).

That being said, while I cellar more for aging (Update: not anymore), I will keep opening tins and enjoying this fine Balkan in the meantime (Update: not really). Full Balkan will get the most of my attention of the three.

A decent smoke. The Latakia is subdued and the orientals dominate but the perique adds some depth which saves this blend.