Tobaccos Owl Shop - Harkness Tower

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	manno (50)	2013-12-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

It's all of what the other reviewers have said. For me it's a "pilgrimage tobacco" -- 75-minute drive north to New Haven and I'm under the shadows of the old Yale buildings in a cigar bar cum jazz club cum charcuterie that happens to sell a little pipe tobacco that old Joe blends for this shop and the one in Worcester, MA. Incredibly good stuff -- tin note is VERY latakia forward but it kind of ends there. Smoke is unctuous, creamy, round, rich (not heavy) and refined. I prefer light English blends but this one, despite the tin and room notes, delivers with an acceptable amping up (for me). My favorite of the shop is St. Johns which is EMP/Chelsea Morning on steroids. VERY pricey, and no quantity discounts (7 ounce baggies for $50+), but worth a punt occasionally (I dare say the co-eds across the street get cheaper smoking products delivered in baggies to their dorm rooms). Whatever, an eclectic find and well worth a visit to the store/bar/club if you're ever in New Haven (great booze, coffee, local bread, olives, Italian cheeses and cappy and prosciutto). And it's "smoke 'em if ya got 'em".

Pipe Used: Billiards

Age When Smoked: newly purchased but they age it some

Purchased From: Owl Shop, New Haven, CT

Similar Blends: Dunhill Standard Mix/London Mix/MM 965/EMP all in one bowl.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PastorPipe (21)	2011-07-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I am fortunate to live not too far from the Owl Shop in New Haven. I stopped in the other evening, listened to some great jazz by a local jazz combo, and bought some Harkness Tower. What a wonderful tobacco. This is the one blended by Joe Lentine, a master craftsmen who has been working there since the 60's. I have not tried the Harkness Tower sold at the Owl Shop in Worcester, but the next time I'm up there, I will definitely give it a try. I'm sure the same recipe is followed. Harkness Tower (named for Yale's tallest and most prominent academic building) is an incredibly smooth and flavorful Balkan with lots of Latakia and Orientals (Basma and perhaps some other yellow leaf Turkish varieties). It has a wonderful cedary aroma and taste along with a hint of sweetness. It burns well and smokes cool. I like Balkan Sasieni very much, but this is richer and more flavorful. I am told that it is a good alternative to the old Balkan Sobranie. I don't know as I never had the privilege of trying that much-celebrated blend. I do know that I like Harkness Tower very very much! The best way to smoke this is to go to the Owl Shop and enjoy the ambiance of that grand old tobacco shop. It's like taking a trip back in time to the early 1960's. However, if a pilgrimage to New Haven is undoable, they have a website and take mail orders.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-01-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a solid Balkan blend. I was not lucky enough to smoke Balkan Sobranie, so my review stands solely on the merits of this blend. It packs well and makes for a nice everyday English/Balkan. It should be noted though that this was actually blended, and I believe still is, by the Owl Shop in New Haven CT. There is some common history between the two shops, but blender Joe Lentine is the long time owner of New Haven's Owl Shop. I have been told that The Owl shop in Worchester has this as well as others blended by Joe. Either way, they are both fine B&M stores worth supporting.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Waccamaw (2)	2014-11-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Creamy, rich and smooth this wonderful tobacco heralds a luscious smoking experience. Oriental by design this mix appeals to the English smoker looking for depth and development. The depth is not one sided nor heavy. The taste structure builds, much like a craftsman using hand tools to produce a fine piece of furniture or a skilled carpenter framing a grand Victorian home. You discern a sense of quality all the way from tin note to ash.

I purchased this in the New Haven CT shop. Blender Joe Lentine is friendly and accommodating. The shop has a wonderful history.

I thoroughly enjoyed this smoke and recommend anyone looking for a Balkan moment to make an effort to obtain this timeless blend.

http://www.owlshopcigars.com/tobaccoblends.htm

Pipe Used: Billiard

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: The Owl Shop, New Haven CT.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-02-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I've come to love this English blend.

It is sort of like Dunhill's London Mixture, but with the Orientals standing out much less and playing in better harmony with the creamy Latakia. It is reminiscent of Peterson's Old Dublin (another favorite blend) but it is sweeter and has just that extra bit of flavor that OD lacks (and needs, imo). It smokes great, tastes great, is creamy, and is wonderfully, harmoniously blended by one of the last remaining small-time blenders.

The only drawbacks are 1) availability -- you have to live nearby and the Owl Shop's website doesn't seem to make internet transactions easy (I live nearby and buy in person) -- and 2) the cost. At $7/ounce, it is definitely pricier.

But it is worth it!

It smokes great in my dedicated Peterson De Luxe Rhodesian. It is a great English and is far better, for my current tastes, than most of the Englishes on the market... at least the ones I have tried. If you like balanced Englishes, and can get your hands on this, I suspect you will like it. It's a current favorite in my winter rotation.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2011-10-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I recently had a fellow reviewer send me five different samples of blends he believes comes closest to matching the famous Original Balkan Sobranie. This Owl Shop copy seems to carry some of the same flavor sensations as that classic, but is way too mild to compare favorably. The original BS has strength, this one does not. Still, if you do recall the wonderful flavor of the original BS, you might find a stretch of memory lane with Harkness Tower.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Bombadill (121)	2013-09-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Very nice classic English blend. Reminiscent of Old Dublin and Squadron Leader among many others in the English blend category. Mild in the Latakia department. A great everyday smoke!

Purchased From: Owl Shop- Worcester, MA

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WilDavis (5)	2013-05-13		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Hallelujah! I've found a replacement for the Finest Tobacco on The Planet!!! Thirty years ago, when I lived in the U.K. my tobacco of choice was The Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture; unfortunately that is no longer available, but FEAR NOT! (...and listen up for some tidings of comfort and joy) for at The Owl Shop in Worcester, there is a tobacco which is as near to The Balkan Sobranie as "dammit" is to swearing! Unbelievable, and totally wonderful! I bought some there last Friday, and have had four pipe-fulls since, and each one has been a trip down memory lane, and a reminder of what fine tobacco is all about! Let's hear it for The Owl Shop of Worcester! Thank you Pam (blender)!!! - Wil Davis

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr. Zoidberg (2)	2015-02-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This smokes like a nice medium bodied English Blend to me; fairly "Latakia forward" but not overpoweringly so. Owl shop's tobaccos tend to be on the dry side, but pack, light, and smoke beautifully. They take great pride in their mixtures and it shows. They tend to be pricey @ $5 per ounce, but are worth it.

Purchased From: Owl Shop Worcester, Mass.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-06-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This has become my morning smoke. Hardly a day goes by without enjoying a bowl of this. It is made as an alternative to Balkan Sobranie, though I never had that so I cannot compar it.

It is my favorite blend by George Photakis. It is medium flavored with a nutty nice sweetness to it. Like most of the Owl SHop blends, it is packaged dry. I prefer to throw a vaporette in the jar I keep it in to moisten it slightly.

Try the Delated enjoyment technique with this for treat. One morning I started a bowl but did not even make it half way through. A few hours later at Lunchtime I lit it up again and was blown away. Every flavor was just kicked up a bit.

I highly reccomend this blend!!!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kaun_Faelad (2)	2021-07-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Sadly, Joe Lentine the 2nd generation blender for this particular masterpiece of a blend passed away in 2015. But fear not, he left all of the original blend recipes to the ownership. Jim Richards is now the current blender for the Owl Shop, and he is doing a fine job.

This a fantastic English blend that reminds me of Presbyterian, and Early Morning Pipe by Dunhill (now Peterson). I have to say I get very strong flavors of maple syrup and waffles on the retro-hale. I recommend anyone who can get down there and try this blend. Perfect moisture, smokes very rich with a nice mouth feel. No tongue bite at all. Good news! The blend can now be ordered online at the following link: https://shop.owlshopcigars.com/product-category/tobacco-blends/owl-shop-pipe-tobacco/

Buyer beware, it is pricey though. I recommend buying the larger bag keeping about 4-5 Oz out for immediate use and cellaring the rest.

Pipe Used: Large Turkish Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: A few months

Purchased From: The Owl Shop

Similar Blends: Presbyterian, E.M.P., Peterson NightCap.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	salopst (15)	2012-04-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I know the Owl Shop in New Haven pretty well, but this was before I started smoking a pipe. So first off, I think it is the only place in CT that one can have a drink and smoke in public, although that has led to something of a dilution of the store as a pure tobacconists. But-- Harkness Tower is a masterpiece.

It is so easy to smoke, if you like Balkans, that you can almost forget you are smoking it at times if other things take over you attention, and they invariably will when you pack this wonderful mixture into a larger bowl. Lush and creamy, mildly peppery with a great burn from start to finish.

I'm rating this above the two other Balkans I've been smoking a lot of recently. Above Gawith, Hoggarth & Co's Balkan Mixture, which is excellent, and Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme.

The balance is just right for my palette on the Latika (and the Perique?), but I did find it biting a little towards the end of the bowl, when I detected a very "meaty" aroma. Not so strong on nicotine, so possibly an all-day smoker.

I'm lucky enough to still have friends in town, and also near their other store in Worcester MA... so I will be buying a boat load of this for the cellar.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Newbie2010 (18)	2010-03-10		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

After enjoying bowls of Bancroft Tower, and wanting more Latakia, I tried Harkness Tower, and it's terrific. I have not had the pleasure of smoking Balkan Sobranie, and most likely never will, but Harkness Tower was a wonderful introduction to Balkan blends. It is medium in strength and full on flavor with a nice lingering, tangy finish. The room note is pleasant, too.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Eonwe (22)	2007-12-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This blend from the Owl Shop in Worcester, Ma. is a blend that I can smoke all day and everyday. Blended by George Photakis for decades, it is a tasty and smooth English blend that will take you to a realm where latakia and oriental dance the forbiden dance. Its sold on the dry side, which IMO adds to the easy pack, easy lighting of this tobacco. almost no tongue bite, even with excessive puffing. smokes steady to the bottom, where you are greeted by bone white ash, mottled with dark grey specks. Get yerself to Worcester, and seek out this local delight.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2023-02-18		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

I first smoked this back in 2006 when a forum friend sent me a few oz, claiming this was his favorite Balkan Blend. I smoked about half of what he sent and forgot about the rest. I did remember it being a terrific fall blend.

Fast forward, I had a friend visiting the Owl Shop send me 7oz of this when he stopped in. When it arrived, it was like Christmas Day to me. It does seem to have much more moisture than I recall. I specifically remember my friend telling me it is fairly dry, and he likes to hydrate it a bit before smoking. I will say, this this stuff is super pricey. Like 83.00 for 14oz. Probably one of the most expensive production tobaccos out there.

The tin aroma cannot be beat. The sweet Virginias, coupled with the smoky Latakia and floral Orientals, make this incredible blend. There are some long strings, and some short ribbons as well. The blend packs super easy and is the perfect moisture to smoke on arrival.

Initial light is sweet, bready and smoky. The Latakia isn't overwhelming, not does it take center stage. It's a condiment. The Orientals are high quality and offer terrific floral notes. The room note is one of the best you'll find from a Balkan. Wife even loves the room note.

I say with 100% certainty that this is in my top 5 Balkan blends, if not #1. Yes, its expensive but soooo worth it!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stinkypipe (155)	2017-03-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A friend allowed me a bowl of this marvelously delicious blend. It was years old but the aroma was to die for. The opening aroma was outstanding and the flavor.....oh the flavor was simply perfect. I guess this is no longer available as per my friends opinion. That is a shame as this is one of the best blends I have ever smoked. I hated to see this smoke end. If you can find this get as much as you can because it is simply outstanding!!

Pipe Used: Boswell

Age When Smoked: Five to six years

Nobody has rated this review yet.