Rich's Balkan Superior

My first time going to this store and I got the feeling that this wasn't a family business anymore, maybe Im wrong. Also I tried to ask the lady there what was good, and she replied "I don't smoke". Ok thanks for the suggestions. So inspite of that I took my chances with 2 oz. of Royal Superior. I have to say it is pretty good stuff and it stays lit... but not quite as good as L.J. Peretti or T.D. Tobacco from Albany, Oregon. Something about this tobacco just doesn't compare to the quality of Peretti.

Only one other bad thing is there prices are a little high 5.40 for an ounce.

The cigar blend number 10, it's been said that the mixture had latakia and was part of the cigar mixture, well in fact there was never any latakia in the mixture ever and never has been in the 100 years of the Balkan cigar blends. I'm not naming names because that would be not fair. Mixtures do change to some degree over the decades. The cigar blend had two types of cigar leaf, and was a very heavy broad cut flake.

I highly recommend this to the English/Balkan fan who enjoys a blend with a higher-proportion of turkish/orientals than latakia. It has a very minor proportion of Egyptian virginia, a healthy dose of Syrian latakia, and tons o? the usual oriental suspects (Yenidji, Mahalla, and Dubek). There is NO burley in this blend. The difference from the original starts with the pouch note, which is smoky/acrid latakia and resinous herb smells. The original would gobsmack you immediately with Yenidji and minor smoky notes. It was like opening a fresh package of expensive incense. Mr. Books speculates that the Yenidji will become more pronounced as it ages so I?ve cellared a quantity. I?ll report back in a few years on the results.

Top-third tastes are latakia and orientals foremost, with sweet virginia whispers. The original had a more pronounced Yenidji/Oriental note at the start. By mid-bowl the orientals move forward and the virginia is more pronounced. Here is tastes almost identical to the original. The finish is mostly virginia with smoky undertones emanating from a clean grey ash.

Although it is not a 100% faithful recreation it easily places in the 90s. I prefer this to Mr. Books 759 mixture due to the higher-proportion of orientals and what I feel is a better balance of flavors

This does well in briar and can be smoked in meerschaums or a calabash to capture the nuances.

I never tasted the original Balkan Sobranie so I can't comment on the authenticity of this remake, however I will say it is good. This is a full tobacco that relies heavily on Latakia and orientals as its base. The Virginias do weave in and out , but this really is a very strong Oriental Mixture. Although not a Latakia Dump,it is rather heavy in that department.I found it can get a little bitter about three/ fourths of the way down. It does not detract from the smoke that much though. In any case, this is for those who appreciate a cross between "Ashton" and "GLP" blends.I personally prefer their "OLD FASHIONED 759" blend to this one. That had more complexity. THis is for the time when Pirate KAKE is too heavy and FOG MORTON just is not an option. A solid 3 stars!