Cornell & Diehl Atlas Balkan

This is a very nice blend. Not sure it should be called a Balkan, but it is a good smoke. I get equal amounts of flavor from each component. It's smoky, spicy, earthy and mildly sweet. Medium bodied and flavored. A pleasant smoking experience.

It's hard to get this blend be called "Balkan mixture". It has both Burley and Latakia and Perique, but it is an attempt to blend called US tobacco as Balkan, or English. Tobacco came in excellent condition, not too dry, not moist. Excellent as nic- bomb before bed, but I am latakia freak, and I have to admit that the presence of Latakia I barely felt. Perique is present, and Burley does not have the sweetness he should have. Well, this is an excellent tobacco, and I think he will get into my regular rotation, certainly as the last tobacco in the day! Yes, this is definitely tobacco with character!

This is an interesting blend, a very strong burley, with hints of Latakia and Perique. It does not, to me, taste like an English blend. This stuff is strong and not as smooth as other burley mixtures. I enjoyed it, so three stars

Pouch appearance of medium and light brown ribbons, the majority of the two the lighter burley. Smoky dark Latakia dots the remainder of this blend.

Aroma of the strong, sour Perique is most forward, with a touch of smokiness from the Latakia. The burley offers a slight toast and nuttiness, but is mostly drowned out by sour Perique.

A few exceptionally long strings of tobacco, almost shag cu,t appears randomly throughout the pouch. Loads very well, with just a touch of springiness.

Initial lighting is effortless, as with most C&D blends. The fact they ship on the dry side, they light easier and you get more mileage out of your purchase! As much as the Perique shows in the pre-lit aroma, its actually fairly tame in the smoke. It's always been hit or miss with me and C&D burleys, but this one is amazing. Notes of peppery and slight sour notes from the Perique, toasted notes of burley and dry smokiness from the Latakia. The spiciness increases as you get further down the bowl. No sweetness anywhere to be found, but I'm content with that! Solid 3.5 stars!!

This one is apt for the "all day smoke" category, I think. Not that it's so wonderful that you will crave it all day, but more that it's a mid-strength blend with enough flavor and smoothness that it won't burn out your palate. It goes well with coffee after dinner. If you took a road trip and could only bring one mixture with you, this one offers enough depth and character to hit the spot several times a day.

It smokes well, doesn't get gross near the end of the bowl. It has very notable Latakia and Turkish content, with a slight sweetness that doesn't overpower. A touch of Perique lends it a nice zest. It does have a hint of papery-ness that never gets too obtrusive, but the moisture content will affect that, so it is best smoked when generally humidified, but not moist. It is also not bad when fairly dry, so it travels well.

I like it, but I won't call it a standout. It's a nice, agreeable smoke with no real downside. Absolutely worthy of cellar stock or just to keep handy. Simply put, it's basically good stuff for Balkan fans. I prefer it to many other Turkish-forward blends of similar notoriety.

The colors range from tan to dark chocolate brown with typical flake cut. The scent from the sample bag I received is mild and characteristic of air cured tobacco - really quite pleasant. It burns well and leaves the bowl with little residue. This is a smoking experience that builds as it progresses, starting out not unlike sliding into an old pair of Lucchese - at once accustomed to familiar ways. It builds, not to any particular climax but more like meeting an old friend you've not been around for awhile. The latakia is quite smooth with sweet flavor that reminds me of smoked nuts. Smooth and easy I find it to be a most pleasant smoke. As yet another chapter in the chronicles of English blends I would not be opposed to having it around. There is no heavy presence I can detect so I dunno about the allusion to Nightcap, but I can certainly see why it's been around for awhile. This blend will please a broad range of tastes without being unduly assertive. Maybe, with a little syrian leaf........ Meerschaum Man smoking an old CAO Bacchus