J. F. Germain & Son Balkan Sobranie

I didn't pick up the pipe until 2013 -- and therefore never experienced the original Sobranie that everyone is so poignantly emotional about from yesteryear -- so I'm just reviewing this fine ribbon cut of Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia Balkan blend from J.F. Germain, called Balkan Sobranie.

This is really good stuff. I bought a bunch of this at about the same time I bought a bunch of the Balkan Sasieni -- and I wasn't impressed by either (and in fact, I thought they were both one and the same -- I couldn't detect any difference between the two), because I was new to pipe tobacco, at a time when I didn't know what I was doing and/or smoking, and was only in search of bazooka blends of high-explosive nicotine that would blow my head off . . .

But I soon matured and mellowed.

Upon opening the jar (after 4 years), I found smoky-sweet notes of wood, some spice, a little leather and just a hint of BBQ. Wonderful, calm, pleasing smoke, perfectly melded -- no Diva's on this team -- Latakia showing off a bit, but everyone playing nicely, graciously complimenting one another. This iteration of Balkan Sobranie is, in fact, very similar to Balkan Sasieni, but it's not the same. Lovely stuff -- glad I bought as much as I did, when I did -- and will be securing some more (to pass on, after I'm gone, you see). 4-stars.

Ok, so I finally got my hands on it.

I've never smoked the old stuff, but I'm quite familiar with most of the top tier Balkan's. I prefer Magnum Opus, Blackhouse, Whiteknight, and Maltese Falcon to say London Mixture or Balkan Saseini. Plum Pudding is also up there, though I'm not fond of the cut.

So where does this Balkan Sobranie original compare to all the one's built off of its recipe? Let's have a smoke?

I think I can honestly say it is the best, but not by a lot, here's why.

First, this Germain tobacco in the tin is something to behold. Really, all of their offerings exemplify this characteristic in one form or another. The stuff just appears to have been handled really carefully. It's a beautiful cut at a perfect consistency to smoke. It packs like a dream.

Magnum Opus comes a bit dry and the other Hearth and Home Offerings while tasting on par just don't have this high degree of care of the look and feel of the tobacco. Maltese Falcon is the closest to this in taste and quality, but misses the quality by a smidgen.

As for the taste, all are great. I'm not overly fond of the Kentucky in Blackhouse although it doesn't stand out over the ideal taste of the entire blend, but I know its there because its a slight bit fuller and dirty. Magnum Opus has more unique oriental flavors that none of the others quite share and White Knight is a bit lighter by comparison. So, really the closest match I think is Maltese Falcon. Again, these differences would be slight to one not familiar with Balkans.

Now, none of these are far apart in how much I appreciate them, but when comparing them to each other I really think Balkan Sobranie by Germain only really rises above because of the way the tobacco has been cut and taken care of by Germain. It makes for a perfect smoke, and the taste is sweet/sour/ from the oriental forwardness - the way I think of as ideal.

All of the other blends are really close though, especially Maltese Falcon due to the cut and presentation of the tobacco from that tin.

I'm glad I have this stocked up a bit, but I wouldn't think I didn't know exactly what it tastes like, if I had smoked these other great blends though. There's not a lot of significant taste difference between them.

Balkan Sobranie is exactly what I expected, except a little better. It's a medium/full (more medium) English with oriental forwardness that is distinctly different than a regular English with less Oriental up front. Margate is the version of that they offer which also rates really high for me due to the quality of the cut and care of the leaf.

Germain really doesn't play around with their quality.

3rdguy

I have not smoked the previous versions so I have no hangups on this blend. Beautiful mixture with a unique after taste that I cannot quite pin down. Orientals are really nice. I really have to dry it out or it can be a raging bitch at times to keep lit.

Not super hard to obtain if you are patient and really stands tall for it's genre.

I’ve never had any other iteration of this storied tobacco, so there will be no comparisons, pining, or conjecture.

Having said that, I will say that this is a fine, fine, fine expression of Balkan-style blending. The Latakia played its part well. The Va’s made for a solid, flavorful and straightforward foundation. But the Orientals!!! They sing, they dance, they seduce, they elevate. The beautiful, exotic notes are what make this a striking tobacco for me. Definitely a gestalt experience... everything here works in lockstep perfection throughout the smoke in a way that I’ve not experienced often even in my favorite blends. The Orientals take a slightly prominent role - offering up incense-like delight with every puff.

This is a medium blend which I think seems richer than it is, because I could smoke several bowls of this a day without tiring of it, or growing fatigued. It is flavorful with all the components contributing in good measure.

It burns evenly, stays cool, and produces a creamy smoke that makes me happiest when it lingers on a windless day.

Like I said, it may or may not be the Sobranie of old, but is a great smoke in its own right, and I will happily buy more if/when I can find it!

I was fortunate to win this tobacco from the Country Squire in a drawing. My question while smoking it was "does this merit the hype?" I've never tried the earlier version(s), so this is a straight-up how is this version?-review.

Upon opening you see a nice, black-streaked mixture of lat and virginias. The tin note I found to be a subdued latakia smell, which for me reminds me of smoke and leather. It looked less like ribbon than shredded ribbons, making it actually quite easy to pack. The tobacco was moist but not as moist as aromatics.

The first puffs I found underwhelming. No significant taste-burst, just a mellow, creamy smoke. But, as time went on I found it developed a nice complexity and a nice spicy taste that wasn't too overwhelming. This subtle complexity is, to me, what makes this an exciting blend. Still, I didn't find it to be the powerhouse that others find it.

The room note, though, is extremely nice. Not as strong an incense smell as say MacBaren Latakia Flake, but stronger than Hearth and Home's Black House. Overall, I found it to be a really nice smell of rich tobacco.

I think this merits some of the hype. When I run out I'll probably try to find some more. But I wouldn't spend more than $25 on a tin of this. It's very very good, but not ridiculously so.

I opened this up to a moist container. No problem I fluffed it a little to let it breathe and it quickly came to a standard humidity. The tin smells sweet and smokey. And the flavor is sweet and smokey as well. A fine blend that can be enjoyed bowl after bowl with no tongue bite. The taste is strong but good. Like other Balkans smoke it slow and it is sweet and smoke it fast and it is smokey. Reserve this one for your finest English bowls.

Note: I love the way it seasons my pipes and makes the room smell.

This blend is a great Balkan. It Is very satisfying. A couple months in a jar makes this blend Much smoother, flavorful and mellows any harshness you may get fresh out of a new tin. Absolutely one of my top 5 all time tobaccos. Once you get aquatinted with this tobacco it will be one that is hard not to have in your stock. Tin note is woodsy , musty , and dark wet notes of grass, earth containing smokiness. While smoking this one it has a flavor burst of smoky woody Latakia flavor. it's indeed a nice strong Latakia taste throughout the pipe. Very grassy, Latakia laden, full flavored experience. Although BS is much lighter on vitamin N , I can compare it to the full flavoredness and and satisfaction level of nightcap however the flavors are not even close to the same. That being said it's another great after dinner/ late evening smoke that can take the place of that heady ol nightcap with a totally different flavor, but yes, still heady robust just a different flavor. You will know your smoking Latakia and you get a good punch to the palate of flavor as you do with the nightcap.Also, The shag cut keeps it burning with billows of thick smoke. I left mine in the tin for a couple weeks , then after it was dry enough to my liking I stored in a jar. It smokes much cooler this way. It's a good puff - highly recommend this to full flavored Latakia blend guys. If you don't like Latakia then don't even rate this tobacco. -

This is the Balkan that everyone knows. While there might be some debate as to how this compares to the original, it is a quality Balkan in its own right.

Like the Esoterica blends, which are also manufactured by Germain on the isle of Jersey, this re-release of a famed pipe tobacco is scarce and hard to come by. However, this is rather a new version of the also famous Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture than the revered No. 759 Mixture, which a lot of people still talk of in awed tone. Still, what the historic Balkan Sobranie Mixture made special was the high quality Yednije Oriantal and Syrian Latakia leaf it contained.

Because of its rarity, this seems to be (alongside with Esoterica Penzance) one of the Holy Grails of pipe smoking. Anyway, I was pretty excited, when I finally was able to procure a tin.

Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture comes in a fine ribbon cut a lot like Esoterica Margate, for example. There's a fair share of Zyprian Latakia in it, but no Yednije, which is very rare nowadays. The tin note says Latakia all over: it's rich and oily with earthy scents of leather and peat fire, but also an underlying floral sweetness.

Filling and lighting your pipe is easy. In doing so I prefer the Frank or air pocket method.

Balkan Sobrani has a full bodied, smoky, spicy flavor with some sweetish, exotic, floral aftertaste. At first, the Latakia dominates the taste, but as the bowl progresses it makes room for the Orientals and the Virginias. That way it burns down slowly and coolly leaving behind some dark grey ash, all the time being mild on your tongue. In spite of the full taste, nicotine content is medium high. It's a great, balanced, satisfying all day smoke.

The room note is fumy and incense-like.

Is is worth the hype and the price? Yes and no. The new Balkan Sobranie is a wonderful tobacco that will highly please any lover of Oriental blends, and some say it comes close to the original mixture. But some replicas as Balkan Sasieni are almost or even just as good, but cheaper. What they mostly lack is the mystique of the name.

It would be really great though, if J.F. Germain came out with their version of No. 759 Mixture.