D & R Tobacco Ramback Balkan

I bought a few bags for the cellar. I mix this with some "Old Dark Fired" and other tobaccos to get tastes from yesterday. '70s. Good memories.

Hmmm... a synonym for pipe is “tube”. Tubes made of thin paper could be considered pipes, I suppose. OK then, this is pipe tobacco, likely to be sold near bags of other pipe tobacco, on racks above boxes of empty paper pipes. That style of pipe frequently is scented with menthol and is intended for one use only. As long as they are referred to as pipes when filled with pipe tobacco such as this, with special pipe filling machines, the foaming-mouth regulations and taxes for c****ettes don't apply, at least until politicians get fed up with this silly name game and do away with exemptions intended (fairly or unfairly) for bowl pipe tobacco once and for all. Then it's cellar time.

Yes, Ramback is a roll your own (actually stuff your own if a pipe filling machine is used) product. In all fairness, D&R refers to it as “dual purpose” tobacco, and I believe they are being honest in doing so. One can and should try this in a pipe.

Appearance: as far as I can tell, the only readily discernible difference between this and conventional bowl tobacco is the cut. It is wider and shorter than shag, what some call bugler cut, likely named after another dual purpose tobacco of considerable history. In the standard cello rack-hung bag, it is bunny soft, moderately moist (potting soil), raisin scented (no, not bunny raisins) and fun to bury your fingers in. It is an unremarkable mix of light to medium browns. Many people believe Balkan tobacco should contain latakia (I'll refer the gentle reader to other sources for that tempest-in-a-bowl), but there is none in this mixture. Some think turkish tobacco smells, well, farm-like. This doesn't. It smells like products sold in paper pipes that shall not be named. I like it.

Taste: my first impression was paper pipes. Specifically Ramses brand, possibly Camel. Once 25% in, it becomes more briar pipe-like. Unfortunately, it tends to be monochromatic and never quite achieves notability. There is little to no sweetness, nor any ashy taste. I had hoped for fragrant, cedary, aromatic notes, but the few that are there don't provide what I sought. I am a fan of McClelland Blending Oriental, q.v., but this isn't it. If you're looking for a cheap version of what most of us call a balkan blend, this isn't it either. At mid-bowl to the bottom, it is at its (limited) best, and most enjoyed inhaled through the nose when it leaves the mouth. Room note is at its best at this point. I mention this because this blend seems unique in that room note improves as the bowl progresses.

Pros: it remains mild and bite free. Unlike many finely cut tobaccos, it is forgiving of loading density and does not burn hot. I've smoked it in large and tiny bowls with similar results. There are no humectants, no flavorings, just simple tobacco taste. It is economical in 14 oz. bags.

Cons: too simple. Many would consider its low nicotine a con.

For a RYO bulk, it's probably far better than most, though admittedly, I've not tried many others. It deserves to be called a dual purpose product. I recommend this as a blender. I like it mixed with Mac Baren Virginia No. 1 and with Skandanavik Regular.

Update: I'm adding a star. This improves in a deep bowl and is becoming my go to summer smoke. Really nice mild blend.

What was noticeable about this blend, especially in contrast to regular Ramback is how well balanced this blend is. I have to credit it to the addition of those balkan virginias that round out the turkish/oriental tobaccos. I also found there is somewhat of an appreciable nicotine level beyond but closer to mild than medium so, there is some satisfaction in that department which straight turkish usually lacks. The flavor and aroma is mild with a woody-sweet character punctuated by stronger turkish character from time to time. It doesn't quite bite but there can be a little warmth to the smoke aside from the basic blend components may be do to it's total lack of moisture/casing. Very pleased with this and probably will buy it in larger quantities. Connoisseurs of turkish leaf sans latakia need to try this excellent straight blend.