Owl Shop Harkness Tower
(3.69)
Made as an alternative to the original Balkan Sobranie.
Notes: Made since the early 1900s, endorsed by famous New Haven Judge John Munro Woolsey. He often ordered Harkness Tower by the pound.
Details
| Brand | Owl Shop |
| Blended By | Jim Richards |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Balkan |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.69 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 31, 2010 | 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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 07, 2011 | 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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 01, 2013 | 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!
PurchasedFrom:
Owl Shop- Worcester, MA
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 17, 2015 | 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.
PurchasedFrom:
Owl Shop Worcester, Mass.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 29, 2012 | 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.
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.
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