Mostex Stanislaw Balkan Latakia

Horrible tobacco! There is no connection with Balkan Sobranie. That's a lie and delusion.

Excellent tobacco with a high percentage of Latakia, oriental and Virginia. If you have the opportunity - make sure you buy it! Some even say that it strongly resembles legenedary Balkan Sobranie! And not alone in that opinion!

This blend is pretty awful. The taste is dry and lacks any nuances. Totally flat, if you will. I felt like something cobbled together without any knowledge with the hope that latakia will give it some semblance to an English (or Balkan) blend. The worst latakia mixture I have ever had. Enough said.

There's an important point in producing this blend which most users are unaware of. Josef Stanislaw, the owner of Mostex, is not a tobacco blender or producer, he's a retailer that distributes an array of imported brands in Czechia and other conuntries, mostly in the Eastern Block. He also distributes tobacco blends and pipes under his own brands sourcing them from various foreign producers. In case of the Air Line Collection (which Balkan Latakia is part of) the producer is Dan Tobacco. Mostex don't make secret out of it and clearly state "Made in Germany" on the pouch.

Stanislaw Balkan Latakia is actually a rebranded Dan Tobacco 's Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend. Just compare the two descriptions and guess which is which:

"This full strength blend consists of the best Virginia grades with various Oriental tobaccos, 10% dark fired Kentucky leaf and over 40% latakia with a pinch of perique."

"Made from selected Virginias, Orientals, 10% black Kentucky, 40% Latakia with a pinch of Louisiana perique."

So, don't expect Balkan Latakia to be a substitute for a certain English blend and don't judge it as such cause it isn't one. If anything, it's a representative of a style in its own right: the "German Englishes", which are very different from the classic English blends in that they often contain large (if not prevalent) doses of Burley and Kentucky and are often heavily cased in that idiosyncratic German aromatic casing you never meet in English mixtures. It's a peculiar style, you either like it or not.

Me, I like "German Englishes" (like McLintock Syrian Latakia, Ashton Artisan Blend etc.) not so much. I should say however this tobacco is free from the heavy obtrusive casing that ruins most other blends of its kind, which is a great advantage. The casing is still present but just in a tiny quantity. I also don't care for the vicious bite it may give when puffed just a bit too fast. From another side, I liked the Latakia here: it's powerful and fragrant. Some official descriptions say it's Syrian, and I'm ready to believe that given how different it is from the more familiar Latakias in the proper English blends. Tastewise, it's exactly the same leaf as in McLintock's Syrian Latakia.

It's a mild and fragrant mixture, full of Latakia aromas, you just need to find the right packing technique and smoking pace to enjoy it fully. It's not a cheapo ersatz for an English blend. It's not Czech, after all, it's German. And as far as "German Englishes" go, it's better than the competition.

I recommend to try it, but I don't care for the entire style, so two stars. "Somewhat Recommended".

this one is for latakia lovers. i found a bit hard to detect other ingredients. it burns well and it is very good, unexpensive tobacco.