Dan Tobacco Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend

So I popped a tin of Bill Baily's Balkan Blend, very dry in the tin. Not so dry it cant be smoked, actually probably the perfect level for a Balkan, just never had a tin come so dry that it was at the perfect level for this type of mixture. Tin aroma was not as strongly of latakia as I expected, a little musty from the Orientals. This tobacco packed well and lit readily. My first sensation was a little mouth bite, not so much from heat, but more from the agents in the tobacco...perhaps the Kentucky? Perique? The bowl settled down some and though I could not detect as much latakia in the tin aroma, I certainly could in the smoke....WOW...LAT BOMB! The description of this blend is 40% latakia and now I believe it. I had to control myself from smoking too quickly, but no worries, I was forced to slow down since this is some strong stuff and my stomach was getting a little upset. I slowed down for the second half of the bowl, after the first part of the bowl tasting mostly of latakia and perique. I detect little in the way of Orientals, save some mild floral and musty flavor toward the end of the bowl. When inspecting the aroma, my nose stings and sinuses produce a little fluid, I blow my nose and continue. The last part of this bowl seems to be more of the same, Lat and Per, the Virginias are supporting the smoke, I'm sure, but not in any salient manner.

I finish the bowl and though I am a little nauseated, I feel very "full" from this strong smoke. I think this blend is too Latakia loaded for me and the "pinch" of perique (yeah right)made it less than enjoyable. All in all I'm glad I tried this, but this will be finding a home with a friend of mine who has a greater constitution for tobacco like this.

Latakia overkill. Not much subtlety here. The latakia used is a very smoky variety. The tobacco packed and burned well. I recommend this only to those that love their latakia stong and smoky. Curiously, I found this to be a good mixing tobacco because of its smoky quality. I put a pinch of this into several different blends that needed a little oomph and found it worked well for that. I had a tin of Old Ironsides on hand as I was smoking this tin and found it to be more satisfying as strong latakia slices go.

I don't get it, why all the horrid reviews, this blend isn't all bad, is it? The stuff smokes like a champ, real easy to light and smokes at a smolder . Besides that, the taste and complexity are muted. It starts with a blast of Latakia from the light, then after 10 puffs the Latakia is gone and the Orientals hit you , then nothing , the Kentucky mutes everything, yes, some creaminess. Better than a drug store brand but only by a little, well maybe not , most of the DSB's leave a nice room note! Too much better stuff out there to buy again, I guess it really isn't that good!

The first thing to say is that this is NOT a Balkan blend, despite its name. The second thing is that this is an heavy mixture: not full or strong, just heavy, probably due to the amount of out-of-place kentucky (what the hell does kentucky do into a balkan blend?). It's a nice smoke anyway, but to me it becomes boring after half a tin.

Strong blend, not really a pure Balkan, but a blend "made to seem" a Balkan. I like it, it's not that bad, but Kentucky is quite boring in a Balkan after a while. Won't be in my rotation.

Went to Germany yesterday. There I buy my Nightcap. From the man in the store I got a little of this stuff to try out. Well I must say that it is not bad. tastes like a Balkan. It is a very tasty, spice tobacco. But not as fine as my Sir William (English latakia) or Nightcap. But when I lived in Germany (what I do'nt) I would smoke the stuff now and then. Not bad at all.

A good full english blend , though much like a lot of other english latakia blends on the market . Good , but not memorable .