Tobaccos Peterson - Balkan Delight

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipesterJim (47)	2013-12-10		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

If you had to pick out a problem with this new blend from Peterson then I think top of most people's list would have to be the name. This just isn't what I think of as a Balkan. For a start, there are no oriental varietals in this blend - the tin description makes no mention of them and needs updating here. To me, a Balkan with no Orientals isn't a proper Balkan, so initially we have a blend with a misleading moniker (YMMV).

I also don't think there is really that much Latakia here. No orientals and no Latakia. Not much of a Balkan then! Sure, some Latakia is definitely present, but to me the dominant force in the blend is definitely the Perique, of which there is no small quantity.

So, not a Balkan, but a VA/Per/Lat mixture with an emphasis on the peppery and pungent perique. Having gotten my criticism out of the way, it's actually pretty awesome. Plenty strong and with plenty of flavour. I have been working through my tin at a rate of knots, but as another reviewer pointed out, it never leaves me feeling unsatisfied.

Very easy smoking in terms of moisture levels and relights. It is a little rough around the edges, but it's a new blend and I am sure that a tin with a few months of age on would smooth out considerably - in fact, it would probably benefit from this much more than the Lat-bomb Balkan I expected. I think it would also be an excellent candidate for seasoning to taste with a bit of blending Latakia (something I am coming to regard as an essential in my cellar). In fact, I think I might do that this evening.

In summary. Not what I was expecting, but an excellent companion for the likes of Artisan's Blend and GH&Co Balkan Mixture, sufficiently different from both of them, but offering similar levels of flavour and vitamin N.

Definitely 3 stars. A tin with a few months might well get 4. I should order some more and find out.

Edit in Response to Gentleman Zombie: You know, I have been wondering if I had fooled myself! Like I said, there's no mention of them, but sometimes I think they are there too. Nevertheless, if so then they certainly aren't that forward to my palate.

Pipe Used: Blakemar 'bash, various cobs.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: MySmokingShop

Similar Blends: Nothing I can recall..

29 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2013-10-12		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a spicy Balkan blend that reminds me of C&D's Bayou Night, one of my favorites. The tin note is pleasant with just a whiff of smoke and chocolate. The 1st half of the bowl is complex with the latakia up front closely followed by the orientals and then the perique. The Virginias reside in the background. As the bowl progresses the perique and orientals take over and it turns into a bit of a spice bomb. Not so much to be unpleasant, but you'll definitely notice. It remains that way to the finish. Burns well and burns cool. It's a nice long lasting smoke. I can only recommend it to those who love strong blends. Others probably won't care for it. I like this blend a lot. Enough to stash a few tins in the cellar to see how well it ages.

UPDATE: 10/25/2013 The more I smoke this the more I like it. Upgrading from 3 stars to 4.

UPDATE: 12/10/13 Wow. No Orientals in this blend? I fooled myself. Ah well, it ain't the first time and it won't be the last.

24 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (179)	2014-01-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I think the name is meant to suggest "Balkan Light," but they cannot use the word "light" in a tobacco name anymore. So they use an added syllable up front for "de-light," which the blend is for a medium English smoker. Not so much for a heavy Latakia smoker (like Odessey).

The ribbon blend is straight tobacco, cool and burns steady, but does not seem as nearly heavy or full as any Balkan I know. I personally detect a soft bed of Virginia only with a interesting flavor combo of perlque and latakia. Don't know how much. It is lighter then somewhat spicy at times from the perique-Latakia combo, but not spicy in the sense of a blend empowered by much Turkish (Durbur or Sobranie). Could be some hidden Turkish in it.

I personally like the taste (as others do) but it may be unusual to someone who is not into the Perique or favors more Latakia. The combo here comes across bitter at times, but in a good way.

So recommend as something a little different for medium English smokers. I gave it four stars rather than three as I personally do like it.

Pipe Used: Wiley devil anse and Peterson bulldog

Age When Smoked: new tins

Purchased From: Mayan Imports, N.O., LA

Similar Blends: Dunhill Nightcap (stronger) and Dorisco.

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2014-06-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Peterson - Balkan Delight.

Arrives with a decent level of hydration. The aroma's quite enticing, there's a slight earthiness which I find beguiling!

The smoke: although the Latakia gives a crisp smokiness it's not a Lat-Bomb. This situation's prevented by the Perique, lending just enough spice to brighten, yet not dominate, the smoke. The Virginia acts as the stage, being present but not piquant. The burn's superb, even and cool, and it doesn't bite one bit.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: not the best.

Balkan Delight? Four stars:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Mr Brog

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoke King

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmileyOrb (17)	2014-04-05		Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not quite what I expected in that this is a very mild tasting balkan mixture....but wait for the deepening taste as you continue to smoke! This is a nice melody of woody spice tastes and it grew in my appreciation. Good with a single malt for the evening. I have left the tin a month after opening which I know may sound scandoulous but this has matured the taste. I am having my bowl whilst writing this down.....I have tried most Petersons and Im always apprehensive as some of their mixtures are not that good. But....I count this as actually very good. Welldone Petersons.

Enjoy! :0)

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2014-05-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Balkan Delight is good. It's funny Peterson calls it Balkan when it has no Orientals into it. This VA/LA/PE is definitively dominated by the LA from beginning to end. The VA kick in every once in a while, bringing a sweet note to the smoking expoerience, and the PE starts manifesting itself, with its peppery notes, during the last third.

Not really complex, it's far from being monotonous. I find it balanced in its elements.

This tobacco burns extraordinarely fast for a LA/VA/PE but it's never hot.

Pipe Used: Dunhill, Chacom, Stanwell

Age When Smoked: Brand new

Purchased From: 4noggins.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	balkan_boy (49)	2014-11-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

After smoking few bowls of this tobacco, aged for about a year, here's what I think of it:

Firstly, it's not a Balkan blend. Perique adds spiciness, but not the Balkan way, the way orientals do. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just saying. Very easy to keep lit, and smokes smoothly all the way down the bowl. This is the first latakia mixture with a lot of Perique that I actually like. Per is present in small quantities in many blends, but this one is loaded with it. And in a strange way, it's nice and pleasant. Some describe it as a nicotine bomb, but I didn't notice such thing. I like latakia blends, and am very sceptical towards unorthodox Balkan/English blends such as this one. The tin aroma is gorgeous however, and I enjoyed smoking it. I'll give it four stars.

Pipe Used: Calabash, cobs, and various briars

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jevverrett (106)	2014-08-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Having just now finished my first tin, I have decided to write. I bought this tin some time ago and left it to sit after the first 3 pipes I smoked of it for about 4 months. I vacuum seal what I plan to let be for awhile to see how it develops having been introduced to air. I bought this during my va/per phase, solely bc it said it had perique in it on the tin. The first smoke was pretty wet to my taste. I let the next few breathe a bit and it worked out better for me. After 4 months, it sang in comparison.

In the tin it presents as a standard peterson does, well mixed ribbon cut. There's little chunky pieces of what I think is the perique. This was one of my first dalliances with Latakia btw. Upon opening the tin, I was struck by how piney it smelled. A little smokey, with an underlying hint of peppery sourness that I did recognize immediately. It packed well enough, although it did better after it aged a bit.

On the char, I choked a little lol. It wasn't what I expected at all. Very smokey, and a strong whiff of the pine forests of northern Maine after a strong rain. I could almost taste the pitch, which is not pleasant if you've been meaning to taste pine sap. I let it go out while I decided whether or not to smoke it. I decided I paid 15$ for it, so I was going to give it a chance.

The smokey flavor increases as it burns down to about halfway. The pine lets up considerably after the first quarter. The perique comes through nicely in the last third, which is what I bought it for anyway. I also notice a bit of that feeling in the back of my throat I get from Kentucky dark fired, although it's not listed. After it matured some in the tin, it performed much better with much the same taste. It burned much more cleanly and nice and dry. Excellent nic content

I would recommend this, as I have to come to appreciate it on a deep level. It is not my favorite, but it made a great transitionary blend that got me into the English varieties. Anyone who is considering trying some English, and is working mostly with va/pers or va/bur blends may find this to a great stepping stone.

Pipe Used: MM Legend

Age When Smoked: Fresh tin, left to sit

Purchased From: Wallingford tobacco, Wallingford ct

Similar Blends: Nothing I have tried so far.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bob323 (46)	2014-01-10		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well, I don't know about being Balkan but, this certainly is a Delight...As mentioned in a previous review there is no mention of Turkish/Orientals in the tin description...If they are there, they are very light...Still and all this is a tastey blend and a 'delight' to smoke.

Pipe Used: various for testing

Age When Smoked: fresh from Smokingpipes

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spitfire1 (15)	2014-07-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Very quick burning for a Latakia Tobacco. The taste is somewhat "softer" than Samuels Gawith's Balkan Flake. The burning is much quicker and the VA is sweeter. A very good Tobacco even one you could smoke the whole day long ! The only problem is the quick drying of the Tobacco ones the tin is open. I surely will keep this Tobacco in my rotation.

Pipe Used: Peterson S80 Bulldog

Age When Smoked: brand new

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Shipibo (1)	2014-07-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Latika is dancing with Perique. Hmm, It's delicious. It is a little bit similar to Dunhill Nightcap just not too strong. Highly Recommended who loves latakia/perique.

Pipe Used: Peterson

Age When Smoked: new

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2014-01-12		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is one of the best latakia blends ever tried! No bite, full of taste and smooth! Although not my cup of tea, I take my hut off to its high quality. I easily smoked a couple of pipes while watching a movie and I actually used the rest of the tin to give some roundness and smokiness to other blends that needed a character and nicotine touch with big success! If you like latakia you must have it! If you don't, you must try it! Well done peterson! You are back in the game again!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	stevie (3)	2013-12-05		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

now this is superb,plenty taste here to get your taste buds going fairly strong but not to strong I think this reminds me of the old balken sobranie my old dad used to smoke, latakia lovers will enjoy this one ,I will be buying more of this another top quality smoke from Peterson.

Pipe Used: peterson 301 smooth

Age When Smoked: new tin

Purchased From: leith pipe shop edinbourgh

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crackonosh (8)	2013-11-27		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

One of the biggest disappointments of last months. Being a huge Latakia/Balkan/Oriental lover, I really wanted to taste this particular blend by Peterson as soon as possible. However, I haven’t noticed any of typical Balkan components during my five or six smokes. Just boring, flat mixture, not enough latakia in it at all. Just stick with Old Dublin or try much better Balkans than Delight: Gawith Hoggarth Balkan Mixture, Stanislaw Balkan Latakia or Samuel Gawith Balkan Flake (in case you don’t need any orientals).

Update: Several months later, the taste in opened tin has improved a little bit. Still not satisfying enough, but two stars seem to be fair.

Pipe Used: JanPipes Prince Spigot Sandblast

Purchased From: Austria, one of the first tins on the market

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-10-26		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

I've been moving to Balkan/English blends for the last few months and my regular burn has been Dunhill's Nightcap for a while, just recently also Gawith Hogarth's Balkan Mixture for a less intense version of the genre.

This week though, my local friendly tobacconist produced this Balkan Delight which he'd speculatively ordered in for me. I've not had much fun with Peterson baccies so far, but holy crap this stuff is perfection for my current tastes. It's immediately promoted to my Go-To-Tobacco. Yes, it's strong, but not in an aggresive way. Very full range of flavours in the taste which for me remains pretty consistent from about a quarter way through the bowl to the fine ashy conclusion. It burns cool, and I've seen just two vestas get me through the whole bowl even with a little housekeeping tamp a couple of times.

I don't need to dry it out at all even though it seems to be packed slightly moist. Even so, I get little or no gurgle in my preferred pipe - a Falcon "Coolway" briar (cheap but very good smoker) and it's not needed more than one pipecleaner during the smoke.

The tin aroma is for me nothing like the actual smoking flavours. It smells quite smokey, but I don't find that to be very present in the actual smoking of it.

I don't enjoy nicotine at all. I've put aside several tobaccos for giving me a spinny head. Nightcap for example, is to be treated with respect I find. This Balkan Delight stuff doesn't seem to be high in Nic to me, although given the types of tobaccos in this blend it surely must be quite high with it. Well if it is, I don't feel it, so I'm happy with that.

For me, this is a perfect blend. It packs easily, it behaves itself throughout, and most importantly it tastes full and quite excellent. I know I'm really enjoying the taste of a tobacco if I catch myself nodding in approval. As I have with this. Good work, Peterson.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	incendio (45)	2018-03-02		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The best descriptor I can apply to this blend is "imported drugstore tobacco."

The complexity is quite low and only perceptible with restrained sipping. Push this blend and the complexity disappears completely, leaving a hot acrid mess. The laudable qualities of this mixture don't survive long, and no matter how carefully you sip it, it never survives the half-bowl mark.

It's not terrible. A little more depth in the Virginia department would have improved this mixture dramatically. And the Latakia appears to be "bargain-basement," sufficing to do what it must to fulfill its condimental role, without contributing character or depth whatsoever.

It could be a workaday, all-day blend, especially for some of the less contemplative activities of the day.

This was my first Peterson blend. I'm curious about the plugs and flakes, but frankly this blend has scared me off trying any of the others.

*UPDATE 6 March 2018

My sense of smell was a little more acute yesterday, due to a tin of palate-cleaning mild ale. I was able to detect a pleasant complexity to the aroma of this blend that I hadn't noticed earlier. A natural Virginia sweetness similar to blueberries. A delicious but very fragile aroma. In agreement with my earlier evaluation, this blend has no body to hold any complexity and all of these pleasantries vanish somewhere around the half-bowl point.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2017-09-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Begins as an Oriental forward but still quite smoky English – I believe some Orientals are used here… Quite soon Perique emerges as black pepper spiciness which gets more pungent as the bowl progresses. There is a toastiness that makes me also think of English style unflavoured Cavendish . I can also feel nutty and dark chocolate notes – not from any added flavoring though, also a suspicion of mushrooms which could be from the Perique.

To me Balkan Delight tastes like an Oriental forward perique-enhanced medium to full English blend which has complexity and which evolves quite nicely to become very spicy in the end. It has a medium to full strength and I find it to be a very satisfying smoke. Can bite a little if pushed.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	riobrew (80)	2017-05-17		Mild to Medium	Strong	Full	Strong

A very strong latakia smoke. Perique is in background. Not a strong bite from the Perique. It plays more of a spice roll. The star up front is the latakia. The Virginia is next in line as a filler. It's not strong on strength but strong on latakia taste. Really between mild and medium strength. Had three bowls in a row with no issues. My tin showed signs of age when opened. The paper was dark and stained. Nice mellow smoke.

Pipe Used: Pot and Billiard

Age When Smoked: Bought 3 months age, but showed signs of age.

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stinkypipe (155)	2017-03-10		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Just too much perique for in this mixture for me. It's a good smoke but I am not a perique fan and this has enough to make its presence strongly known. If you are a perique fan you will love it. Just way to spicy for my taste.

Pipe Used: Boswell

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2015-04-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

I am not an English tobacco purist. In other words, I like variations on the Latakia/Turkish/Va theme.

So it doesn't bother me that this has no Turkish or Orientals, and that it has Perique; one of my favorite tobaccos is C&D Bayou Night.

But this is very much a European tobacco without Burly and unlike any C&D product. Balkan Delight is extremely smooth and mouth filling, like a Latakia chocolate desert, and totally bite less.

I do not find it that high in N. Full tasting yes but not as full in body.

I have made a mix of GH Kendal Dark and Balkan Delight and this mixture I truly love, it's powerful and rich and biteless and tastes like an English with a heavyweight knockout punch, and not a bit of mouth irritation (many typical English mixtures bother me for some reason).

I highly recommend my own hybrid mixture to myself. I can see a lot of English/Balkan smokers looking for more complexity and coming up short with this, however, it is right for me (when strengthened with KD).

Similar Blends: Vaguely similar to Nightcap or to C&D's Bayou Night, but not really all that close..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipenick (28)	2015-03-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Balkan delight...absolutely amazing blend...except there's no orientals so why in the hell it's named Balkan.As the lock of the tin says generous amount of latakia and is there...it's not too over powering but it's right there...virginia gives a little sweetness and good old perique gives the spicyness which I like.Just a another good blend from Peterson's...next time I'll visit my local tobacconist I shall get 3 tins more.

Pipe Used: Pete,Stanwell,Savi and cob

Age When Smoked: 2 months

Purchased From: Local tobacconist

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AE1PT (8)	2014-07-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Many people seem to really enjoy this tobacco blend. I am not one of them. The tin opening note was good and heavy--filled with the promise of a satisfying smoke. My first visual observation was that the blending was rough--meaning that the majority of the Latakia was over to one side of the can. Very odd, and had not ever seen anything quite similar before.

So I mix it up a bit and let enough for a bowl dry out for about half an hour. The charring light caused the tobacco to present quickly, requiring a very quick tamp to contain tobacco that was falling out the top. On the smoking light, my disappointment began.

First, the Lat made itself known. Cyprian is a bit more forward than the Syrian I usually smoke--but this is the sort of Cyprian that has notes of burning rubber in the leading edge. Before this really sunk in the Perique showed up and in an unhappy, bitey manner. This all tamed down in a bit to a fairly tame smoke. But it seems rather muddled and to be missing 'something.'

Not to judge any tobacco on first blush, I am now almost through an entire tin. Smoked in different pipes with different chamber sizes and geometries. My opinion has not changed. To me this tobacco misses the satisfaction mark and is something that others will will need to find a liking for.

Pipe Used: Pete 8S and various others

Age When Smoked: New Tin

Purchased From: SmokingPipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-10-20		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Having a scotch with the wife- I lit up a bowl & half way through she retired for the night- but I stuck around to finish the tasty, smoky, lat-filled treat. I probably should have went to bed when she did- as when I was finished- I got the spins from the nic. I haven't felt that way since last year when I puffed hard on some OJK. Crazy thing is that when I woke up this morning- I went right back to the Balkan for another pipeful- just more cautious this time. It's good stuff, not for the faint of heart- but complex & nothing similar to their other offerings in round tins (Nutty Cut, etc). The lat is superb & the perique in the background, as it should be IMO. Similar to Nightcap- but different. I won't have any issues finishing the tin, provided I respect the strength. Good job Mr. Pete!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lager (53)	2020-10-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Ok, so is it a Balkan? Who knows and what's in a name anyway. My tin says Balkan mixture and by definition this isn't, but I digress. The Perique is a nose tickler and to me not overly done. The Virginia is layered in along with Latakia in equal amounts. Nicotine level is a notch above medium. I smoke my tins fresh and then with some age after opening as I find the intro of air can change the flavors and remove sharp edges.This lights and packs well, smokes with no bite, and leaves no moisture. Smoke it slow and it's wonderful, push it and it will flatten. Not an all day smoke, but it does go great with a nice lager or stout. If your sensitive to Nicotine be cautious. Recommend

Lager

Pipe Used: Savs, Petersons

Age When Smoked: New to 3 months

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Italo Svevo (26)	2020-02-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I agree for the most with the description above, this blend is tasty yet smooth and gentle. However, I cannot distinguish what here is described as "tranquil peppery bitterness". The first third or so is dominated by Virginia sweetness and Latakia smokiness/woodiness, then the smoke becomes more earthy, robust, cigarish and creamy, which means that Perique takes over from Virginia I suppose, leading the dance together with Latakia. I don't know why there is always this reference to pepper when describing Perique tobacco, this really puzzles me. Anyway, this is a top-notch mixture. It doesn't bite a bit, it's tasty without being overwhelming, requires an average number of relights. I wouldn't smoke this inside though. Definitely Balkan in character, even without Orientals. Brought me back to the good ol' days of Sobranie, for a few seconds!

Pipe Used: Various

Purchased From: Private retailer

Similar Blends: Sobranie of London - The Balkan Sobranie.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rhonn (4)	2018-12-31		Strong	Strong	Full	Pleasant

I am a dedicated non-aromatic guy who has for over 50 years smoked Dunhill 965. (See my other review. Alas, Dunhill is no longer making pipe tobacco, and in anticipation I bought 5-years'-worth of tins. My wife wasn't thrilled. But I digress.) I was trying other tobaccos, figuring it was a fool's errand. But just as I was about to give up my quest, OMG, I tried Balkan Delight! Maybe it's just the right amount of perique, who knows? I don't buy tobacco to analyze it -- only to smoke it. It's absolutely delicious and has such a such a great nutty aroma. It's so good that I puff slower to savor it, and so a bowl will last longer. If you are a non-aromatic tobacco lover, you owe it to yourself to try it. And hopefully Peterson will continue making it along with their pipes so you don't have to mourn it's loss.

Age When Smoked: 70

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2018-11-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Sand to black colored ribbons and clumps with a tin nose of latakia and a breadish Virginia. I really didn't whiff any perique. Clumpy stuff tended to clog a couple of my pipes but I was eventually able to work around this annoyance.

Unfortunate name aside... as I classify a "Balkan" as a blend heavy on orientals... this reminded me of one or two of the Sam Gawith latakia-no oriental blends I've smoked. And it suffered the same fate, which I hasten to add is a personal preference. To my tastebuds, orientals make latakia snap into focus, and this blend never really did. It started as latakia forward and the lat was always prevalent. The perique picked up relatively quickly and replaced the Virginia as 2nd lead. By the time this blend settled in, it was the usual smoke and spice of latakia with a mild pepper from the perique. The Virginias lacked the sweetness I prefer and mostly acted as a base for the two condiments to rule. There was a slight bready quality to the VA but this was a "spice forward" blend. To my mind, condiments are supposed to be just that, and asking them to take this much of a lead provided a bitter smoke that was very dry and murky. Very one-dimensional. As a test, I smoked it while I was outside in the fall air raking leaves and it performed best in that capacity. It was problematic as a sit-down contemplative smoke - just too much jumping about with the smoke and pepper. If you like this type of thing, however, give this a whirl. K&K does a very credible job of recreating blends and I have no reason to doubt the quality of the leaf. This one was just not for me. I need those orientals with latakia to provide depth and focus.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2018-10-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

The blend name and several reviews here tempted me to purchase a tin.from the tin discription i realized that this is no balkan blend but an english/perique one.once the tin opens a nice smell comes out.lots of pepper notes accompanied from some smokey and citrusy notes prepares you for a unique smoking experience.the blend is dry and the ribbon cut makes it easy to pack,light and hold the burning without lots of relights.while burning the flavours are complex and very natural.latakias are smokey,sweet,woodsy and coaly.perique is the star here adding lots of peppery notes and spices with some plumy notes.rarelly some sour notes pop up.finally the virginias offer mostly citruses and fruits making the experience complete and wonderfull.generally the flavours combine perfect to a nice and natural result.burns somewhat qiuck and very cool to pefect ash with a few moisture left at the filter.nicotine level is medium and the aftertaste is nice.room note is unpleasant and heavy.no tongue bite appeared to me.though i do not prefer smoking latakia blends all day this can be an all day blend.generally this blend is kinda unique and left me only positive feedback.totally recommended!

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Calamiti (86)	2018-01-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

I don't really understand why Peterson makes such a secret of the presence of Oriental Tobaccos in Balkan Delight. I can't imagine other source of that extra bit of typically Oriental tang in Balkan Delight than Orientals. Naming the blend a Balkan and not mentioning Oriental content in it leads (as we may see from so many reviews, including this one) to a lot of argument, conspiracy theories and hype. Which, essentialy, well might be the desired effect! What if they try to follow the ingenious marketing strategy of Presbyterian Mixture, when the maker by nor confirming neither defying the presence of Latakia leaves the mystery on customers' own guess, adding in this way to the popularity of the product?

All in all, Balkan Delight is a good tobacco. It's rich, bold and flavoursome. Fairly full of nicotine and generous in good Latakia. A true delight to savour.

Highly recommended.

Similar Blends: Nightcap by Dunhill.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ash K (12)	2016-10-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

It was the first blend I tried moving away from aromatics, after reading good reviews here. Now I'm no expert, I didn't know the difference between perique and latakia, but at once I found that this blend is delicious. A certain spiciness and sweetness that isn't really present in other blends that I've tried, and so far not something that most can compare to.

All in all, a delightful smoke.

Pipe Used: Peterson Billiard

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2016-03-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Balkan Delight’s tin note is smoky with a little bit our sour. I prefer my tobacco a little drier than this is out of the tin, so I did allow for a little bit of dry time. In the pipe it is a “woody,” smoky, slightly sweet blend that burns cool and without a bite. The Perique is very noticeable, but I wouldn’t call it overwhelming. It offers a pepper quality to the blend although I didn’t find it too spicy. The flavor is pretty rich and deep with moderate complexity. As each bowl progressed, I taste the Perique more and the spice does increase, but again, not over the top. The mild sweetness does diminish on the later stages of the bowl, but I really didn’t get the bitterness described in the notes. The ample amount of Latakia plays a leading role, but leaves enough room for the other component tobaccos. Peterson has their blends produced by more than one manufacturer and I am not sure who make this blend, but my guess is that it is German. Although very different blends, I enjoy this more than Old Dublin, although neither would be a four star blend for me.

Age When Smoked: New

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mitchell Alan (22)	2023-04-12		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

At the moment of writing, I have just tried this tobacco for the first time. I had 3 bowls almost back to back. Honestly, there’s nothing too overwhelming, and there’s nothing to distinct. This is definitely a Latakia forward blend, and I love it for that. The Virginian definitely shines in the retro. Many characteristics similar to nightcap. Simple and good tobacco, I definitely enjoyed this

Pipe Used: Italian Briar

Age When Smoked: 1yr

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars

Similar Blends: Nightcap.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	North State (72)	2020-09-03		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Extra Full	Extra Strong

Wow - I think I've met my match. Or rather, I've met an english blend that is too 'strong' for me. For comparison, I do enjoy blends such as Old Dublin and Nightcap, and find them miles lighter and tastier than this. To be honest, it's a bit like trying to smoke a railway sleeper - already when opening the tin, the tobacco has the same colour, and the tin note resembles a burnt-out campfire made from splinters of old sleepers. Not bad enough to throw away either, but definitely not an all-day smoke for me and needs to be sipped in small quantities with black coffee, cognac or something like that as a chaser.

Many seem to say that it's the perique that makes this strong, but to my taste it's the latakia that sovereignly dominates this - I have not noticed the same effect in other perique-heavy blends that I have generally liked. Also, other reviewers point out that this isn't really a 'Balkan' blend without the oriental leaf, which only makes me more intrigued to try a true 'Balkan' blend now.

So, add that to the shopping list and cross out Balkan Delight from the 'English blends to be bought again'-list. Only recommended for fans of latakia/english blends, cautiously.

Pipe Used: Gasparini, Chacom, corn cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin

Purchased From: The Danish Pipe Shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Konstantin (2)	2019-10-16		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Smokes very cool, taste very straight all smoking time. Have to humidate. Wait twenty eight days after humidation. No rest need while smoking. Better with thick bowl pipes

Pipe Used: Peterson, straight buldog

Age When Smoked: Tin 2 years

Similar Blends: Dunhill Early morning pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steerpike (156)	2019-04-13		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Unusual mixture, and the name, as others mentioned, is misleading. Still, it's a pleasant enough smoke if you like Latakia-Virginia mixtures.

Open the tin and the aroma is predominantly latakia smokiness. This doesn't mean it's a very heavy latakia blend, but the Virginia and Perique don't make themselves prominent at this stage. The leaf is cut very unevenly, some very fine shag, some wide ribbon, and various bits of broken up Perique. Mostly brown peppered with black, some flecks of gold. The last few bowls from a tin will be mostly crumbs, which worsens its tendency to burn away quite fast.

It takes a flame easily, and will burn all the way to the end without relights. The flavour is mild to begin with, the Virginia and Latakia harmonising to make a flavour like well done toast. As it progresses the flavour before richer, with some leathery notes making themselves known, and the Perique adds a subtle spice and sourness toward the end. The Latakia is never heavy, but its the main player here. It's not a big nicotine hit, but satisfies, and there's no tongue bite.

Overall, it's a bit one dimensional, but I may be biased as I like a good dose of Oriental leaf in my English mixtures. Worth a try for a change of pace if nothing else, I can't think of a mixture quite like it, it's just tickling the upper end of medium in terms of flavour and strength for a mixture.

Pipe Used: Meerschaum claw, calabash, Briars for English mix

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Miss Moran's tobacco shop, Belfast

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gerry P (39)	2019-01-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This blend is a strange one, but in a good way.

The ribbon cut and moisture content are ideal. It's cool smoking, and my first bowl needed no relights.

The strange part: The 3 listed components are present in balanced proportions, but I swear it seems like there are some Orientals in it. Maybe it's the power of suggestion from the name, or maybe it's a "secret ingredient" consisting of Orientals. It could be the way the tobaccos interact that gives it bit of an incense-like note. At any rate, it's very well put together and should appeal to fans of both English and Balkan blends.

UPDATE 5/12/2019: I just learned that Balkan Delight has been renamed Balkan Mixture and, according to Smokingpipes.com, it contains Orientals.

Pipe Used: Peterson Donegal Rocky 01

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: Mayan Import Co., New Orleans LA

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rafalgdansk87 (12)	2018-04-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

It could be nice tobacco but peppery taste of perique, gives a nasty bite in my mouth, which ruin the smooth taste of latakia and virginias. Only for perique lovers, for me it's way too hot. Balkan Flake or Commonwealth Mixture in my opinion are much better choice, if somone is looking for this kind of blends.

Pipe Used: Mr.Brog - Churchwarden

Age When Smoked: Fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tiedemann (13)	2018-04-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Nice, strong tin smell, plenty of fermented Perique and smoky, woody Latakia.

Taste is similar, but with more earthy Virginia notes coming through after a little while. Peterson have succeeded well in making the Latakia and Perique play in harmony. The smoke becomes deeper and more complex mid-bowl, and I taste something sour and spicy in the background which I would have thought was Turkish (maybe Samsun), although this blend is supposed to have no Orientals at all (but then why call it a Balkan?).

Nevertheless, this is very good tobacco for your money. Pretty strong room note, but that is unavoidable with healthy doses of Perique and Latakia in the mix.

Pipe Used: Various briars and cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Cup O'Joes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Bombadill (121)	2017-12-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This blend was a very pleasant surprise. English/latakia blends are my absolute favorites and I was a little sceptical trying a "new" blend that was light on latakia. Also, some light latakia blends disappoint me because they don't satisfy my Vitamin L requirement. Balkan Delight is not one of them. The latakia flavor was smooth and omnipresent without reaching medium strength and accompanied by the very nice spicy touch of the perique. A very satisfying all day smoke. I smoked the tin along with one of Nightcap and can attest it is notably lighter on latakia than the Dunhill mix. Similar to My Mixture 965. An excellent smoke. Bought 02/2014, opened 07/2016, finished 12/2017.

Pipe Used: Peterson, Kaywoodie, Grabow

Age When Smoked: 2 years plus

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: Nightcap, My Mixture 965.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Phil Theharp (16)	2016-08-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I waited until I got some way down the tin before setting down my thoughts. Hitherto I have found Peterson blends somewhat underwhelming. The range of choice at my local emporium being limited I set aside my skepticism and made a purchase. The initial nose and appearance was promising, rich and fruity. The first bowl was frankly disappointing, burning too hot and quick to deliver any flavour. But I now conclude that was more to do with my packing and draw. I switched to a Peterson rustic with a bigger bowl with much more satisfying results. A You Tube reviewer detected a hint of Lakeland at the end of the taste and I picked that up too over the next two or three bowls. But this diminished as I worked through the tin and began to fully appreciate the juicy Virginias, the dark pepper of the Perique I recall from my Escudo days, and the bliss of the Latakia. Smoked steadily the heat has gone and I can get an hour or more out of a bowl, rather than an half hour. And the tobacco has some strength so I tend to leave it until after midday to smoke and relish it for the last pipe of the day before I retire. Great to enjoy with some Coltrane on in the background. I will certainly be returning to BD.

Pipe Used: Peterson, Stanwell

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin.

Purchased From: Smoker's World

Similar Blends: But sweeter than Punchbowle.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AcworthAl (38)	2016-08-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Serendipity that is what it is. Received two packages today. One contained two tins of Peterson’s Balkan Delight. The other contained a Big Ben 433 from Al Pascia. My guess is they are the only ones selling this small pipe. I filled up the pipe and smoked it. This may be the best tobacco I ever smoked. Read the description it tastes like that. This is a fantastic pipe tobacco. After smoking the Big Ben 433 I loaded Sav Hungarian bent and it too was amazing You must try this great tobacco..

Pipe Used: Big Ben 433 from Al Pascia

Age When Smoked: New out of tin

Purchased From: smoking pipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TheMadPiper (5)	2016-06-03		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is an amazing blend, I must admit! I think it is quite the treat for such a robust blend. Goes good with a nice, robust coffee or espresso. More of a savoury blend.

Right off the bat for the tin note it is distinctly latakia. Aromas of burning wood smack your senses instantaneously with a sort of sweet backing to it. I cannot think of the specific wood for the tin aroma, but it is one that you'd notice from its intriguing aroma. The moisture level from the tin is fairly good. A tad moist, but not so much so to impede on enjoyment or cause any gurgling. Packing is fairly easy to work with. Charring light went over well!

Now with the first few drags, it was really mild flavour. I could get some nice notes of woodiness (I got some cedar/pine/coniferous wood), with a bit of pepperiness and a rather nice bouquet from the Va/Per side to it. Midway in with some retrohales, the wood and pepper notes seemed more and more prominent. Oral notes seemed to follow with the same path as with the initial draw, yet more prominent. Very nice blend! Flavours followed through evenly to the bottom of the bowl. Very minimal dottle left. Only had to give it a bit of a bit of a relight midway through, with which it seemed to contribute a little more.

EDIT: Just remembered to add this in. This isn't a GENUINE Balkan blend. There is a prominent lack of oriental tobaccos in this. Regardless, it is still a nice blend. Burns fairly hot and can get a bit bite-y so I advise using a churchwarden or long stemmed pipe to smoke this.

Five out of five for this blend. Keep it up Peterson!

Purchased From: Local B&M (Cheap Smokes & Cigars)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leandro (13)	2016-04-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

I like very much this one. The tin aroma is delicious and absolutely promising: Nutty, woody and smoky, denoting a perfect blend of English Medium Style. It packs easily, burns cool and very clean. The Latakia is present all time (in the right amount) but is less strong to the end of the smoke. The Perique is fine: Adds complexity and spicy flavor to the mixture. Balkan Delight is a high quality tobacco: Pretty rich, complex and deep. Very mouth and heart filling.

Pipe Used: Captain Fortune 25 Lovat

Similar Blends: Nightcap (vaguely).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theosprey247 (73)	2016-03-10		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Lights easily and burns well. Good flavor with an occasional sweetness, but every once in a while a sour taste pops up, so I can't give it 4 stars.

Pipe Used: Peterson bulldog

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doktorstamp (11)	2016-02-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The never-ending quest for Nirvana continues apace. First impression of the initial bowl was not fantastic, however I am not one to pass judgement from a single bowl, having now smoked most of the tin, I have re-ordered. I find this a tobacco that grows on you, the more you smoke it, the more discoveries await you. Some would say it's complex, I would say it holds surprises in store for you. A minor niggle is the lighting, yepp, it can be a real bugger to get going, also the tobacco was fairly dry, and as a consequence burnt a tad too quickly once going. Certainly, for now at least, it will stay in my rotation. When the new lot arrives it will be placed in a jar with a stone to up the moisture content somewhat. Dryness seems to be a trait among Peterson's tobaccos, the opposite of SG

Pipe Used: Various Petersons

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Alfie Turmeaus

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King John (2)	2015-11-15		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I have been trying for years to recapture the delights of the Balkan Sobranie smoking mixture, which was my regular smoke throughout the 1960's and 70's. Schurch's Torina, Pease's Odyssey and Westminster, Ashton's Artisan Blend, are in the right direction but don't quite get there. I have been unable to obtain Hearth and Home's White Knight or Blackhouse, said to be good matches, but would like to try these if anyone can help me get them, in the UK. Meantime Peterson's Balkan Delight comes closest to my memory of that legendary tobacco, when it was actually made by Sobranie. "A long cool smoke to calm a troubled world" and an aroma to answer all life's worries.

Purchased From: Kapp & Peterson

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wandyhee (16)	2015-10-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

not quite satisfied with this latakia blend. bit bitter for my taste, maybe for some other pipe smoker out there.

tak sedap, kurang lancar masuk tekak & rasa pahit agak jelas. abis satu pek taknak dah beli lagi

Pipe Used: Golden Gate Bent Apple

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kentishman (7)	2015-07-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I bought and smoked this tin immediately for a "Balkan delight"' which was lacking indeed. A whole chunk of V and someone swept the mixing table floor and found some Latakia from somewhere. Very disappointed and the Virginia was too moist anyway.

Having given up trying to find the holy grail oriental mixture I forgot about this for a year or so.

Trying again I was much happier and did indeed find some Balkan spice. I would dry it out if I were you and give it a go then. Still, don't expect too much. Las Vegas versus Paul Daniels springs to mind.

Pipe Used: My regular

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: My local

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrDyson (148)	2014-04-07		Medium	Mild	Mild	Tolerable

As someone else has pointed out, this isn’t really a Balkan; it would be better described as a medium-strength English mixture. It’s all right, but there’s not much (apart from a dash of Perique) to distinguish it from (say) Gawith & Hoggarth’s No. 25 mixture. A bowlful doesn’t last long, either, and this is a big minus as far as I’m concerned; I like a nice long smoke. I thought from time to time that it’s not unlike Presbyterian Mixture; but I don’t have the world’s most discriminating palate. On the odd occasions when I fancy a bit of Latakia, I’d go for G&H’s No. 25 every time. Balkan Delight is recommendable, but no more so than several other Latakia mixtures. Worth a try, like anything else, but I wouldn’t queue in the rain to buy it. Sip, or it'll burn hot and bite you.

Pipe Used: Piave Rhodesian

Age When Smoked: New, straight from the tin

Purchased From: Online

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmileyOrb (17)	2014-04-05		Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not quite what I expected in that this is a very mild tasting balkan mixture....but wait for the deepening taste as you continue to smoke! This is a nice melody of woody spice tastes and it grew in my appreciation. Good with a single malt for the evening. I have left the tin a month after opening which I know may sound scandoulous but this has matured the taste. I am having my bowl whilst writing this down.....I have tried most Petersons and Im always apprehensive as some of their mixtures are not that good. But....I count this as actually very good. Welldone Petersons.

Enjoy! :0)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2014-03-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

The name is definitely misleading. The missing orientals would make this one a balkan blend, Peterson seems to have missed that when putting this one together. So much for truth in advertising. What they have here, it seems to me, is much more an English blend. Based on that assumption, I would say it is a very good blend that comes together nicely. It lights well, stays lit relatively easily (some relights may be needed) and is a slow burner. It burns down to a nice ash at the end of the bowl. The moisture level is quite alright. You may need to dry it for a bit first, YMMV. All in all, I would recommend this if you are looking for a nice English blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CTS (138)	2014-01-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Complex flavor - perique and latakia complement each other well in this blend. Retrohale delivers a nice spice along with the latakia smokiness. Burns clean. 3+.

Pipe Used: Alpha Executive 35+ years old, Grabow

Age When Smoked: B&M shelf placement date of NOV 2013 noted on tin

Purchased From: Corona Smoke Shop, Jackson, MI

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ChristianBarrett (1)	2013-11-12		Mild	Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

I was very disappointed with this blend, I thought it had little or no flavour. I attempted to smoke three bowls over three days... I have decided to cellar the remainder and return to it in the future. I am a Lat lover (bolder the better), it just didn't sing with my palette. It's getting 4* reviews, must be me!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TomekKGG (1)	2013-10-24		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

One of the best latakia blend i ever tried. Not as strong as Dunhill RY. LA must have

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CoolPilot (69)	2013-10-14		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Stronger than Nightcap, more spicy, more intense. Easy lightning and burning. At half bowl you get to the virginias and the orientals, delightfully blended. Not an all-day smoke, for most people this is just too strong. But after dinner, it's going to be a must.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Nathaniel (38)	2023-05-06		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The smell from a freshly opened tin is pretty typical Latakia, but with no oriental tang. Taking that scent’s place is a faint sweetness, which I chalk up to the Virginias, though it’s not hay-like or grassy to me, just sweet.

The leaf is a little moist, but not overly so. It’s a Saturday morning, and I’m in no hurry. Pinch out a bowlful and spread it out on the tin lid for a bit. A cup of Café Bustelo accompanies. After a short drying time, I pack and light up. The tobacco takes the flame nicely. The latakia is there, smoky and salty and slightly bitter. I was expecting a Latakia-dominated smoke, but the Virginias are holding their own. I get notes of brown sugar, brown bread, and yeast, all of which play nicely with the smoke, pine and hardwoods of the Latakia.

I do not get much perique at all. I had to double check the description here to make sure that the blend included it. The spice note I’m getting— and it’s a significant one— tastes like oriental to me. I don’t get any of the fermented fig and raisins that I associate with perique. I smoked this in a Ferndown lovat dedicated to Va/lat blends, not my English pipes.

I always think of latakia as a winter smoke, but this is very pleasant on an early May morning. It’s not heavy or pungent, and while I like a stinky ripe English mixture as much as anyone else, I’m thoroughly enjoying the lighter character of this blend. I would put it on the lighter side of medium. Flavor-wise, that is. This smoke has a good body to it, nice hearty clouds of smoke. The several flavors meld nicely too. You can pick them out fairly easily, and almost change the character of the smoke just by concentrating on the taste you like most. For me that’s the bread, yeast and sugar of the Virginias, which I get most by sipping. Which you’ll want to do anyway, since this burned a little warm for me. Quick too.

This is a simple blend, executed with panache. It’s not the blend you’ll want to start with if you’re into aromatics, because the sweetness is a different kind. It’s all very natural, very tobaccoey. But if you have a limited tolerance for oriental leaf, like I do, and if other Englishes just push you with too much latakia, this just might be your ticket. Just two tobaccos allowed to do what they do best.

Pipe Used: Ferndown lovat

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (557)	2023-03-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Tin of Peterson's Balkan Delight has note of smoky pungent sour. Tobacco is a ribbon cut of black, dark brown and tan. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild to medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and moderately consistent, with notes of floral, smoky, fermented sour vegetation, wood, leather, herbal incense, spicy, mildly sweet raisin, buttery, zesty and tangy citrus, spices, toast, orange peel/bitters, acidic, a sweet lemon-grassy background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Virginia and Perique supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 1991 Ashton Old Chruch XX Prince

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MeNoVa (8)	2023-02-17		Strong	Medium	Full	Pleasant

It is very tasty. I haven't smoked tobacco with this taste for a long time. Perique plays a miraculous role in this mixture. After finishing this tin, I will miss this taste and have to buy a few more tins.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TheBeam19 (4)	2023-02-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Tin full of stems.

Nothing unpleasant in flavor, just mild and one dimensional. Not a balkan.

Smoke is floral and full. Nearly soapy its so floral.

An all day smoke.

Pipe Used: Various cobs and briar

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (151)	2023-02-01		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

“Balkan Blend”. The majority of pipe smokers, reading this, think of tobacco with a good portion of oriental, generously flavored with latakia and a little support from Virginia... Well, and maybe a little perique. But there are no orientals in this blend. In fact, Balkan Delight looks more like an English blend consisting of several varieties of Virginia, a fair amount of latakia and a pinch of perique. So, we are faced with an "impostor"? Let's see. By the way, Europe mercilessly erased the word "Delight" from the name of the blend a few years ago, and now it's just called “Balkan Mixture”. The composition, however, has not changed.

Appearance: the tin I got in my hands had a "Q1 2014" excise stamp, but the design of the label indicated that the tin had been packed somewhat earlier. Based on this, I would venture to say it was released in late 2013. A relatively small amount of light Virginia has taken on the color of very light roasted coffee. Overall, however, the blend color was closer to the color of bitter chocolate. The cut was a very neat short ribbon. The tobacco has dried out just a little over almost ten years in the tin, but didn't need to be moistened.

Flavor: tan leather and a fair amount of sour barley mash was the first thing I smelled from the tin. Almost immediately, unobtrusive notes of tar, wood, and baked fruit appeared in the overall aroma, but the first two notes didn't let up easily, holding somewhat apart. The allspice and fig notes of perique are in the background, being more of a sause for the base. When the tobacco had a little air, the leather and sour notes almost merged with the other notes, but were still clearly distinguishable.

Taste: soft and smooth, with no prominent notes. Initially, the dried fruit and spicy perique notes are barely perceptible, and it feels like there's only Virginia and latakia in the mix - the taste is dominated by woody tones with a slight sweetness, some smoke, a slight earthiness and a fair amount of grilled meat. But this feeling quickly passes, although the small amount of perique does not allow you to get a real spicy note, and the fruit notes mixed with Virginia are not so pronounced in the flavor. Interestingly, the perique notes are much more noticeable on the retrohale than on the inhale. Gradually, towards the middle of the pipe, the taste becomes even flatter, the notes of tobacco weave into one bouquet. Unlike Gregory Pease's Piccadilly with a similar composition, where the emphasis is on Virginia, here, no doubt, the latakia plays first fiddle, but does not stand out too much. Surprisingly, there is also a bit of sourness in the taste, as if a bit of oriental tobaccos had been added to the blend. The strength of the blend I would remark as medium, in a extra large pipe, it is probably capable of a slight nicotine hit. The tobacco slowly, evenly and coolly burns into a light gray ash of medium fraction, but no lumps, leaves no moisture in the pipe and is smoked whole. The tobacco flavor is the same in straight pipes and in bentas. The aftertaste is woody, slightly sweet, not persistent.

The smoke from tobacco has a distinct woody smell with a slight tang of tar. It's not very persistent, though it's quite plentiful.

What's the result? To me, the name "Irish Stout Mixture" would suit this recipe better. Overall, like most Peterson blends, the tobacco is quite ordinary. I can't say I'm particularly impressed with it, but it's pretty solid. It's easy to smoke, forgives the novice for overheating, sets off the whiskey flavor nicely, and is quite capable as an everyday tobacco. Two and half, I suppose.

Pipe Used: Peterson 69, 106, D20, POTY 2007

Age When Smoked: Autumn 2013

Purchased From: Online

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Carolus (29)	2022-08-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This blend made sense once I read Stan's review from 2014-01-10 who explained the name as "Balkan light". It tries to be that, I guess. Personally, I prefer a Balkan over a VaPer, so that forshadows my verdict.

A consistent burner, but not a full boddied smoke, light on the latakia with some tangy perique (not spicy, I did not notice any orientals).

Not my cup of tea, but it might well be if you enjoy VaPers.

Age When Smoked: A couple of years

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MangoLegs (72)	2021-12-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Preparation & Burn: 7/10 Burns a bit hot. Cut is lousy. This used to be better ribbon. A bit dry too.

Taste: 11/20 Pretty rough. Used to be lovely, don't know what happened.

Mildness: 7/10 My idea of a good smoke is a relaxing, low nicotine session. Therefore, the milder the better. Not much nicotine here.

Total: 25/40

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PaulMcCoy (78)	2021-10-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

It’s not a bad blend, but I could do with a little less perique. The Latakia and perique are the main players. The Virginia’s are dark, and woody, almost unnoticeable to me, and I swear I can taste a faint amount of orientals. I don’t think I’ll be buying another tin, but I’d recommend it to Perique fans.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: New to 2 years

Purchased From: Widmer’s Tobacco Shop in Secane PA

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Braka1995 (2)	2020-11-01		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As all have mentioned , name is mileading and as a new pipesmoker, i wanted to get my nose on thos orientals everybody was talking about. First sniff on tin: disaapointed (after trying the aromatics Peterson has). First sample smoke on pipe: more of a vaper i would say. The smoke production is satisfying, the smell is decent and not very strong and the taste gets awful after finished the bowl (maybe its just me but havent experienced this before with other tobaccos). The taste while smoking is a bit of sweet, i can definitly say i find its light and the nicotin doesn't hits very hard (well, it depend if you had any lunch 😁). I can say it is very spicy at the end , not like peppery or chily spice. It's more like medieval spice feeling...

Pipe Used: Unlabeled ebony poker

Age When Smoked: New out of tin

Purchased From: Local tabacco shop

Similar Blends: None.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipeDave (12)	2020-07-08		Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Strong

Another tobacco, like Early Morning Pipe, which doesn’t make sense. Balkan isn’t an English blend nor is it a Balkan.

If you want an English, try Standard Mixture or My Mixture 965. A Balkan - well just search Balkan and you will find several reviews for real Balkans on this website.

The tin note is very smokey, and quite amazing. The first couple of puffs upon lighting are not bad but it soon becomes bad. Was very wet in the tin and needed to be dried for a long long time before it was smokable. Plus it had to sit in a jar for weeks. Then it became much better and smokeable. But still, it didn’t make sense. Like EMP the Perique in this blend is just weird.

If you want a Latakia blend, try MM 965 or Nightcap. If you want a Perique try Peterson de luxe navy rolls, or Elizabethan Blend. This blend is confused.

Not a good representation of what Dunhill/ Peterson can offer.

I would recommend avoiding it and Trying the other blends I have suggested, as these do what they say on the tin.

Sorry to be negative - I don’t want to be as I love Peterson. Just want you the reader to know what this blend is not.

Nicotine - low Room note - bonfire (but not a nice one) Strength - medium Flavour - confused and not particularly pleasant Balance - not balanced, strange and just odd.

I threw away the rest of the tin. Please do try the other blends I suggested instead

Age When Smoked: Fresh, also jarred and left To mature

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