Hearth & Home Black House

This is a great Balkan. Anymore I don't trust my taste memory enough to tell you if its a dead ringer for the original, but its in the same camp, and stands on its own as a great Balkan.

What I get throughout the bowl is a full, dark Balkan flavor. The taste is a big, woodsy, cool latakia, with the orientals coming around the sides with hooks and jabs. The flavor is spicy, but is tempered by a very dry sweetness (aided in no small part I'm sure by the cavendish). And it is smooth, more than almost any other modern Balkan.

This blend never got harsh or bitter, staying cool the whole smoke, and being full without wearing out the mouth. I am not a sipper of tobacco either, I loaded this up in a very generously sized Castello bulldog for its inaugural smoke and it never bit or got harsh, even with my freight train smoking style.

As far as new Balkans go, this is one of my favorites, right up there with the new Balkan Sobranie and the Compton's balkans.

There is dark fired KY as the base, some cavendish which is forgivable. The lat. is good and strong in this blend. The oriental and Turkish tobaccos are more forward than most blends even for balkan's and the VA is a sweet creamy element. Beautiful smoke without bite.

Updated 10/23/12 _Ok things change, I'm a believer! This starts out with a blast of Latakia, then it smooths out to a flavorful, creamy Oriental . Just don't push it as I did with my original review. Orientals / Turkish and Latakia in nice balance, not real sweet but not bitter either, A late evening smoke . This would be 4 stars but if you push this, even slightly, it gets hot and bites, half way I seem to get some grating on the back of my throat. I don't understand the description saying for, " Virginia Heads", that's the only tobacco I don't find in this blend? I do find that this blend doesn't burn real well , but it is good on relights.

original review:I'm sorry, but this tobacco doesn't impress me. I find the taste mottled between the Orientals and latakia, neither one shines. The overall blend is hot and spicy from the Kentucky and without any sweetness from the Virginia. Too many better blends out there to buy again. Very surprised at all the 4 star reviews and from reviewers who I usually agree with. It must just be my chemistry, I find Kentucky(bites)& Cavendish(blah) both a problem.

I've only smoked three bowls of this, but so far it seems to be better and better every time. Very rich and earthy. I think the Kentucky and BC add some greatness to what might otherwise be a very stereotypical Balkan. This is good stuff. I feel like I'd have to smoke a lot more before it warrants a four star quite yet.

A nice recreation of an old, classic (so I hear) blend. Good job Russ.

I bought this on a whim, as I liked the picture on the lid. It's quite pleasant so I'm quite happy - I don't often try tobaccos from American blenders, partly due to having been underwhelmed by the few I tried many years ago, and partly due to the difficulty of obtaining them here in the UK. I've also never tried Balkan Sobranie or 759 - I can't compare to the blend this claims to emulate, so have judged it entirely on its own merits.

The tin contents are black and dark brown, with barely any bright leaf, prepared in a very wide ribbon cut. Moisture content is perfect - on the dry side. The aroma starts with a yeasty smokiness, with treacle and old socks. It smells a little like Nightcap, but sweeter.

The flavour comes through well from the light, with smoke, leather, creosote, black tea and a brown sugar sweetness. The latakia smokiness grows as the bowl is consumed, and the sweetness develops a treacle like character. In terms of component contributions to the flavour, I'd say the Latakia and Cavendish are foremost, offering a decidedly sweet smokiness. Orientals are a background element, with some wood and the barest hint of spice. I'm not all that well acquainted with Kentucky tobacco beyond the lovely (and uniquely punchy) Toscano cigars, and I can't say that I discern it amongst the other parts here, nor does the Perique really make itself known. I think these leaves and the Virginias meld together as a background flavour.

Once it's smouldering, a few relights are required towards the end of the bowl and it does leave some dottle which is best left. Other than this it's very well behaved, smooth and doesn't bite. While it's fairly full flavoured, it is not excessively strong in terms of nicotine, and can certainly be enjoyed in a large pipe.

So here it is, a blend of many types of tobacco, but that doesn't necessarily equate to a complex smoke, and to me, this is not a complex blend. It's nice as an evening smoke, and I'm quite happy to puff on it while I'm studying, it's not distracting but it does satisfy. It's a medium to full mixture where Nightcap and Aperitif are full, and it certainly shares some characteristics in common with those blends, if not their complexity. I would also second comparisons with Rattrays Black Mallory, although it's been some years since I last enjoyed that good stuff. Will I buy it again? Perhaps, if I get the chance.

good tobacco but Larry's blend is better IMHO this is sweeter though so if that's what your looking for go for it