Dan Tobacco Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend

First of all, let me say that I am not an English or Balkan expert. I know only what I do and don't like. When you open the tin there is a smell of leather and a bit of smokiness. The moisture was perfect and the stuff is ready to be smoked. Upon first light, the spiciness of the Perique comes through and lets you know that you are in for a good smoke. I tend to pack a little tighter than most and tamp often. However, I never needed a second light. As the bowl progresses, the Perique stands down and the Virginia shows itself as a mellow but full player. Towards the bottom, the Perique and Burley run the show. The nicotine level is pretty high and that is a definite positive for me. Now, don't confuse all of this spice with tongue bite. It seems that some cannot tell the difference. If you are smoking correctly, spice will hit you on the upper palate and back of the throat, while bite will simply sting the tongue. I only mention this because there is a good deal of spice at the beginning and end of the smoke. The ash is fine and white. The pipe is left clean and ready for more. I am not old enough to have smoked all of those "true" Balkan tobaccos back in the day. But I know what I like and I love this somewhat Americanized take on the genre. Great tobacco is as great tobacco does. This is true whether it is pure or an amalgamation.

The debate as to whether this is a true Balkan mixture is mostly an academic exercise. The days of the true to die for Balkan mixtures are mostly over ... although I must give kudos to Greg Pease. He manages to work magic in a world where the distinction between fine Oriental and Macedonian varieties is almost history.

BBB is a very fine mixture, although not a Balkan strictly speaking. It provides you with a serious Latakia blast with some Virgina sweetness and some Oriental spice. It is not terribly complex but it is very reliable and burns well ... I like this a little on the dry side. There is some burly type tobacco in the mix which adds some body to the smoke. This tobacco must be smoked slowly for the flavor to develop ... mostly Latikia and Virginia with the Orientals peeking in and out here and there. While this is a fairly strong smoke there are some delicate nuances that the experienced smoker will appreciate. I like to smoke this while drinking a bottle of Shiraz .... if the smoke doesn't set your head spinning the wine will.

This is a solid 5 star offering. If however you expect true Balkan with all the trimmings you may be let down a bit. Approach this stuff as you would a friendly mutt and have some fun.

I like this one. It is a good balkan blend. Good latakia and all the tobaccos work together.

Best on a winter's night. Not the same in the summer.

I've been smoking a pipe for a little over a year. The variety of tobacco is amazing, and a little overwhelming. In my limited range of experience ,Bill Bailey's Baklan Blend is hands down my favorite tobacco. It's powerful, strong latakia, a note of raisin or fig. The moisture content is perfect for me, and smokes wonderfully in my favorite pipe.

I like this blend. I save a jar in my celler, i ll buy it again.

This tobacco confirmed me as a pipe smoker. Although I have found another Dan tobacco I prefer (Holly's Discovery), I still heartily recommend BBBB! There are so many flavors going on in this smoke. It is smoky, of course, but also nutty, spicy, creamy, and other sensations at different times throughout the bowl, and it smokes cool and dry. 3.5 stars!

Again, another blend I really like. And if this blend is a definition of a latakia fest, then I must really like a latakia fest. Interestingly, this blend doesn't really remind me of a Balkan blend, not that I'm a true connoisseur of either English or Balkan blends. I can only say that it slightly reminds me of an old favorite called Xtra Rich (no longer available) from the former Smokers' Haven on Bethel Road. That tobacco was a very robust English blend of latakia, Virginia and Perique (no Oriental tobacco). Even though not reviewed here, Xtra Rich was referenced in oldmanpipe's review of Peretti's Blend 500, hinting at its strength. And that's what BBBB is, robust but in a distinguished way. I don't ever recall getting overwhelmed by the latakia, smokiness or the nicotine effect that some blends can give (Butera's Vintage Latakia No. 1 comes to mind). A few reviews have commented on this blend's creaminess and, as strong as it can be, it does have that subtleness. This creaminess creates the unique characteristic I look for in any blend. And it intermingles very well with the peppery perique and smoky latakia. Three pluses for me is BBBB smokes well right out of the tin, smokes constistently throughout the entire bowl and it didn't appear to "age" or change after opening as time went on. Basically, the same tabac aroma and taste from the first to the last bowl. I typically limit my purchases to tins or small 2 oz. pouches. However, BBBB is sold in bulk and at a very reasonable prices. I like this blend so much I just may break down and buy an 8 or 16 oz. bag. Highly unusual for me. Highly recommended.

Update. As promised, early this year I purchased a 16 oz. package of this and just opened this afternoon (9/25/2010). Wow! The same great aroma upon opening the foil package as I received upon opening my first tin. That's important since I've heard complaints of bulk blends not being the same as their tin counterparts. Also earlier in the year, I took a chance and purchased 16 oz. of Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme. Really, it was not too much of a gamble with all the great reviews. Another great blend. What I found interesting is take PSBS, add a little zest, add a tad more spice and a bit more latakia for heaviness and you have BBBB, in my opinion.

I believe oldmanpipe summed this tobacco up perfectly, particularly his remark that Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend is a Teutonic interpretation of a Balkan. I happen to love this interpretation; I opened an 8 oz. mylar bag of this several days ago, transferred the contents to a canning jar, and have been smoking nothing but BBBB since. The blend has the perfect moisture level right out of the jar; I will rub it out a bit and break down some of the longer strands to make packing a little easier. In smoking, the blend is smooth, creamy, non-biting, DGT's wonderfully, has a flavor that continues to develop as the bowl burns down and finishes with a fine gray ash... no wet dottle, no sourness. The flavor is semi-sweet with a certain amount of tang and spice. It has, for me, adequate nicotine and four to five pipe bowls a day satisfies my craving for nicotine. My wife has not remarked on the room note, as she sometimes does (negatively) when I'm smoking Penzance or GLP's Haddo's Delight. I intend to purchase more of this; while aging might improve it, it might also diminish the effect of the latakia. On my next purchase I'll include a 2 oz. tin for the purpose of aging... the 8 oz. bag I'll go ahead and smoke. Highly recommended.

On lite up there you?ll notice the Latakia right off. Latter into the smoke the burley comes into play. In the tin it smells very smoky, and spicy, very pleasant.

Stays lite very well, does not have a great deal of heavy moister content. Pure white ash, bluish smoke.

No bite here, very smooth, full body and flavor. From lite up to bottom very pleasing taste, mid bowl all the blends come together, varying smooth taste . Some nuty qualities, and the presence of Latakia always in the air.

This is a full bodied and flavored as the double Maduro Nicaraguan cigars I smoke, good companion. This can be purchased in bags that is much better priced than the tins. A milder and yet flavorful companion pipe smoke is the Dunhill 965 SAVOR THE FLAVOR guys!

If you enjoy a full bodied cigar maduro like myself, you'll really like the Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend guys.

It is true this is not a British type blend and can become after to bowls a bit much. Dunhill 965 is really the best for all round enjoyment.

SCIENCE: WHY IS TIN TOBACCOS DIFFER FROM BULK