Compton's of Galashiels Balkan

Absolutely the finest Balkan I have have ever smoked! Nutty, rich, and absolutely sumptuous! If you love Balkans as much as I do try this one. 5 of 4 stars!

Pipe smokers -- me included -- are suckers for a good fantasy -- puffling while imagining oneself a dreadlocked Mayan in the shadow of the Chichen Itza pyramid, or jodhpur booted Spitfire pilot (Squadron Leader!) puffing while defending England. I am old enough to recall the cutter white can of Balkan sobranie of London -- the exoticness of the tin note, and mouth scorch after smoking, and the rural Bakan scene cartooned in paint on the can. Cue the sound track of "From Russia With Love" filmed in Turkey.

And antiquity is often part of the fantasy -- one of the highest compliments of any blend is the claim it was made on ancient machinery, using ancient methods, using the last leaf of the remotest hills.

All of which is (he says, casually relighting) ridiculous.

The Compton's of Galashiels fantasy is among the most ridiculous. An ancient blend book obtained from remote descendants, then years of experiments to overcome ingredients and methods being long gone. And presto! A recreation of blends not seen since 1929, that no one now living (or the blenders!) ever tasted.

Here's the unkind part: Compton's of Galashiels Balkan Mixture is the best tobacco I ever smoked. Unkind because it appears to be unavailable even on the vintage tin market.

The leaves of are equally brown and black. They are finely cut, and short -- tho' that may reflect that most of what I have left are crumbs. The tin note (well, the note of the mylar bag dated 2015) is strong and smokey -- plus something exotic -- an oriental leaf I imagine. It packs easily, and can be compressed easily with a finger without reducing the draw. I can't rave about the "complexity." To me, the strength of this blend is its consistency -- very pleasantly oriental forward, more floral (in an oriental leaf sense) than sour. It is at least as smooth as (say) McClelland's Balkan Beauty, but better tasting. Nicotine-wise a medium hit. Clouds of quickly dispersing smoke.

My previous favorite was McClelland 3 Oaks (Cyprian).

Max... if you can't bring this blend back, can you license it to someone that can?

Smell being the sense most tied to memory, and when I tobacco blend disappears it takes history -- personal history -- with it.

Yet another excellent blend from Compton's cool, very rich, no harshness at all even if you puff like a Shay Locomotive.

You can tell these folks are not simply following a recipe and put a lot of attention and care into their blends, using base tobaccos of the highest quality. Indeed, a tad expensive compared to others but well worth it. The quenching level is very high, often one bowl or two bowls is sufficient; one is not left wanting. And the nice part is you'll be looking forward to the next one. One could say a somewhat seductive blend.

An evening with such a fine blend is quite the pleasure, Balkan and English enthusiasts ought to do so.

It's surprisingly difficult to compare with Compton's Macedonian since both are superb. I cannot say I prefer one over the other, why not enjoy them both, an open relationship.

This comes in an 100gr vacuum packed foil pouch. The delightful pouch aroma is mostly Oriental with fragrant Latakia. The cut is a rather coarse Ribbon of mostly dark leaf. The flavor is wonderful, dark and mostly Oriental and Latakia, the VAs are there too but not as sweet as Macedonian Mixture. 9 out of 10 stars.

Sorry but I must to write my history with this tobacco: My first experience with this tobacco was 6 years a go (2002), when I was a novice pipesmoker. I order a Maxim Engel a Pipe and in the box was included a unique gifth... a pouch Comptom´s Of Galashiel´s (COG) Balkan was my first non aromatic tobacco... and I must say It was a revelation!

After tried different english or Balkan tobaccos, including the extint Balkan Sobraine, GL Pease´s Odisey-Renaissance-B.Scandal-Westminster and Mephisto, the Dunhill´s series and the Presbiterian Mixture, but the memory of the COG´s Balkan still in my mind.

This year (2008) I order a new pipes to Maxim Engel, and a new pouch of this wonderfull tobacco was inside the box... that was a great reunion... me and COG´s Balkan.

If you love the english-balkan blends this tobacco is the one for you. Has a nice strong virginia foundation, with red an flake virginias, a very good proportion of oriental and latakia... the smoke is creamy and nutty, very pleasent with no bite. Easy ligth or religth. Smoke this tobacco is a real pleasure.

The problem is a litle expensive, but worth every cent that you pay.

In addition Maxim Engel improves the pouches of the tobacco, keeping the tobacco fresh for weeks.

Somehing more? Yes, dont hesisate... try this tobacco. Bests.

Luis Barra Ahumada

a full-steam-ahead balkan, with loads of latakia and orientals. a very satisfying smoke for late in the day. it may not be as elegant or refined as other compton's blends - first of all because i feel that the orientals have less character than in, say, their macedonian - but it's rich and fullfilling. medium strength nicotine, full strength flavour. smokes dry and fine if you don't puff like a locomotive.