4noggins Britt's Balkan

This is a review from notes in 2011. I don't even know if it can still be purchased these days. It smells like a good Balkan blend in the pouch. I use a tiny "smidgeon" of vanilla flavored Black Cavendish when I blend my own Balkans & maybe use it along with some unsweetened Black Cavendish & Yenidje & or other Orientals to improve the taste of an overladen, English Latakia bomb. Upon first light, my initial impression was too much vanilla flavoring in my mixture. Maybe the blender stubbed his toe while mixing my batch. Other than that... not bad & I still rather liked it. I was hoping the vanilla taste would subside and leave a more Balkan-like flavor in the smoke but it hung in there all the way to the very end.

Well, FWIW & IMHO, just a tiny pinch of vanilla might have worked better. An excessive amount of vanilla flavoring didn't work well in this Balkan but just the right amount is, in my opinion, needed in a good Balkan blend to bring out more flavor and give it that extra dimension. I decided to sample this because the description stated a "slight hint" of vanilla. That slight hint was overwhelming to me & I have since been blending my own Balkan mixtures. It could have been a very good Balkan but instead, my sample was simply an above average aromatic. It burned cool & didn't produce much condensation & burned down to a semi-dry gray ash. A lot depends on the pipe used, however.

As every tobacco with latakia, the room note is rather strong but the taste is sweet. Take care of not smoke too quickly or the taste will be bitter with a queasy aftertaste. Prefer to smoke it in a airy place, mostly if you're not alone.

A typical Balkan blend with some vanilla topping. Kind of ironic but the melt in wonderfully. The negative side is not the vanilla topping; it's the mild flavor that bothers me.

A perfect introduction to the world of eastern varieties, for the profane. The vanilla element will satisfy the aromatic camp although it may seem a bit too much to the Latakia devotees. A satisfying all day smoke, which won't bother your company with its smell.

Creamy smoke loaded with Oriental flavours and a pinch (very, very light) of something sweet (can't tell its vanilla , just a sweet taste) ! Rich is an amazing blender!

I have had this one in a jar for over a year.A fantastic Balkan blend that is well worth seeking out.This with Essence Of Vermont also from 4Noggins are in my top ten tobaccos.

This is interesting mix that should be treated with all due respect because of its strength. I recommend giving this one a test run.

I really enjoy the room note of this tobacco and my wife likes it too, but I have to agree with the review from Punchy farther down - the pain to pleasure ratio for me with this blend is too far out of balance. I've tried in multiple pipes, varying degrees of drying out, drawing very carefully, and still consistently get a bite from this blend. This one's not for me.

A surprising twist on an English-style blend. A 4Noggins house blend, I received a sample of this. Great that 4Noggins will send a sample of any of their house blends upon request with any order placed.

My sample arrived at just about the right moisture level. loads and lights easily and stays lit. Slow burning, no gurgle and no bite. The Virginia does come through but sting is tempered by the other components. I tasted no vanilla, but the room note does have just a slight, pleasant sweetness to it, which makes the typical "burning rubber" smell of latakia much more tolerable, and also perhaps due to the quantity of latakia in it vis a vis the amount of oriental.

A "full" classic Balkan? I'm not sure I'd go that far. Another house blend Balkan I keep in my rotation, Blatter's Reserve, is a whole lot "fuller", and tastier than this blend or even P.S. Balkan Supreme, for that matter, which I rated as wimpy. But I don't think this blend is intended to be an intense Balkan, rather, an easy-going, friendly English with a nice twist.

If I could compare it to another brand, it reminded me of a milder version of Blatter's Oriental Pleasure (very nice) and Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme (far from supreme) with a nice accoutrement.

An all-day smoke? Well, I think more than a couple of bowls in a day may just eventually sting the tongue somewhat, but it is absolutely delightful to smoke daily, for sure. I love it!