Rich's Balkan Superior
(3.25)
Born out of desperation,this was created to be as close to the original Balkan Sobranie as possible. It tickles the tip of the tongue and the back of the throat. A true classic recreated!
Details
| Brand | Rich's |
| Blended By | Steven Books |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Balkan |
| Contents | Burley, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Shag |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium to Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Very Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 02, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
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.
Only one other bad thing is there prices are a little high 5.40 for an ounce.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 02, 2007 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
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.
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.
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