Hearth & Home WhiteKnight

White Knight is OK. It lights, stays lit and burns decently. For me it will occasionally smoke a little wet. But that may be the pipe used at the moment. It starts off a little harsh and bitey and tends to get mellow on the second half of the bowl. The taste is pleasant enough. But the room note is unpleasant. This is a Balkan blend so I understand it will be more Orientals forward. The problem is that the Orientals didn't really stand out. There is Latakia, but it's just barely there. I can't knock it for being what it is, and I've smoked worse, but it's not a stand out for me. Too mild.

I wish I could jump on the bandwagon for this tobacco, but my experience with it just doesn't match the rave reviews. It's not bad tobacco; but with all the great tobacco choices out there, I can't honestly recommend to somebody to spend money on this. I've smoked many pipes of this and I've yet to have that "ah hah" moment. It's more like a shoulder shrug and a "meh." I've tried hard to search for that epiphany with this stuff, but it just ain't happening.

This review is based on a tin I purchased back in 2016 with a couple of bowls missing from it now. I contend that the cut should have been finer which, I think would have provided a better burn rate. Myself as others have mentioned are having trouble with the burn on this one. Although it has garnished rave reviews from most TRs, I guess I'm one of a few dissenters who just didn't like it well enough to dig any deeper. I still have what's left & might sample it again in the near future. Besides the burning characteristic, I'm unable to explain why I didn't choose to finish it off but more understanding of this dilemma might be better understood in the next paragraph.

I'll confess to being a rather novice piper when it comes to English/Balkan blends but I loved the BSOM sampled from a fresh pouch from almost 20 years ago. I also loved Murray's MM 965, Aperitif & even finished off a tin of Nightcap which I liked OK & thought it was aptly named because it is a good beddy-bye blend. Of course, most of you "old timers" seem to like these Latakia blends quite well & I can get that because I have smoked the best of them. Problem is, most of the truly great Latakia blends are "gone with the wind." I've also sampled some Old Dublin & loved its unique flavor which seemed more like a Balkan blend than an English. I thought Robert Lewis's Tree Mixture was pretty good as well & even craved Mississippi Mud. D&S Levant & Crystal Palace are my favorite Balkan Blends & Arango BS is another top contender.

So, what was it with the White Knight... could it have been "too English" & not "Balkanish?" I'm not real crazy about English blends anyway as they are usually Lat bombs. Maybe I simply couldn't discern the difference. I don't know but will edit this when I sample another bowl & use a better "cob."

If it were left up to me, I'd simply refer to English/Balkans as Latakia blends & annotate the amount used on the tin label. However, I do feel confident in Russ Oullette's blending ability and glad to see that most of the pipers appreciated his blend. I appreciate all you reviewers for your experience & guidance. It's helped me to pick up on some of the finer points of the better blends & led me to some great smoking experiences. One last note... Isn't it wonderful that we're not all the same & are good Christians who can love one another despite our differences? Wouldn't the world be a better place if that were the case!

This review is based on a tin I purchased back in 2016 with a couple of bowls missing from it now. I contend that the cut should have been finer which, I think would have provided a better burn rate. Myself as others have mentioned are having trouble with the burn on this one. Although it has garnished rave reviews from most TRs, I guess I'm one of a few dissenters who just didn't like it well enough to dig any deeper. I still have what's left & might sample it again in the near future. Besides the burning characteristic, I'm unable to explain why I didn't choose to finish it off but more understanding of this dilemma might be better understood in the next paragraph.

I'll confess to being a rather novice piper when it comes to English/Balkan blends but I loved the BSOM sampled from a fresh pouch from almost 20 years ago. I also loved Murray's MM 965, Aperitif & even finished off a tin of Nightcap which I liked OK & thought it was aptly named because it is a good beddy-bye blend. Of course, most of you "old timers" seem to like these Latakia blends quite well & I can get that because I have smoked the best of them. Problem is, most of the truly great Latakia blends are "gone with the wind." I've also sampled some Old Dublin & loved its unique flavor which seemed more like a Balkan blend than an English. I thought Robert Lewis's Tree Mixture was pretty good as well & even craved Mississippi Mud. So, what was it with the White Knight... could it have been "too English" & not "Balkanish?" I'm not real crazy about English blends anyway as they are usually Lat bombs. Maybe I simply couldn't discern the difference. I don't know but will edit this when I sample another bowl & use a better "cob."

If it were left up to me, I'd simply refer to English/Balkans as Latakia blends & annotate the amount used on the tin label. However, I do feel confident in Russ Oullette's blending ability and glad to see that most of the pipers appreciated his blend. I appreciate all you reviewers for your experience & guidance. It's helped me to pick up on some of the finer points of the better blends & led me to some great smoking experiences. One last note... Isn't it wonderful that we're not all the same & are good Christians who can love one another despite our differences? Wouldn't the world be a better place if that were the case! I tend to go along with those who rated this with one or two stars which is all it deserved. Sorry, Russ.... not even close!

Alas, I am too young to have had the original Balkan Sobranie, so comparison is impossible. What I can say is that if BS was as good or better than WhiteKnight, then its legendary following is easy to understand. If you are a fan of Balkan blends, then WhiteKnight is a must to try. Russ's reputation as a master-blender is well deserved, indeed!

A creamy smokey blend with a sour edge that is oh so good.

The latakia is evident on the first light with notes of oak campfires and old leather. I work with leather as a hobby and I find the latakia here enticing. But it does not overwhelm the blend. The oriental variety(ies) is very pleasant—giving off a distinct sourness and a slight nuttiness that helps it stand apart from other oriental varieties that I have tried. Together with the latakia, they combine into a creamy-smooth yet complex smoke. I cannot distinguish any flavor notes from the Virginia tobaccos.

I can smoke White Knight all day.

After smoking for years looking for the perfect mix of latakia, in the end I found it in WhiteKnight. Some time I smoked it and it did not seem to be the right one, but one day experimenting I kept it with a stone boiled with water to moisturize the tobacco, after trial and error the humidity did not allow me to smoke it pleasantly, so I ended up airing it 15 to 20 minutes before smoking; vuala, surprise, I got it! Maybe it seems too much to do, but I assure you, moistening the snuff and every time you go to smoke, air 15 to 20 minutes. This mixture offers from the ignition sweet and sour tones like lemon I believe by the combination of the light Virginia base and the Yenidje. The Cyprian latakia sweet and soft like the Turk with incense tones. Does not bite anything. It's similar in my memory to the old My Mixture 965 who smoked 20 years ago.

I have never had the opportunity to try Balkan Sobranie. This review is based solely on my impressions of WhiteKnight.

The tin note is smoky, and herbal. The ribbons have very little moisture and are ready to smoke.

Upon lighting, I sense smokiness, wood, a citrusy sweetness, and an intense herbal explosion that’s both spicy and mouthwatering. It overloads my senses, and is pure bliss.

It smokes cool, dry, and burns at a moderate pace. It’s never harsh, even with quick puffing. It requires few relights. It smokes well in various size briars.

WhiteKnight is medium in body, and has a rich creaminess to it. The nicotine level is almost midway between mild and medium.

This is one of the best ‘Balkan’ blends currently available. If you smoke Oriental forward English blends, I highly recommend it.

Another complex blend with many levels of flavor. The one thing that did stand out consistently for me was the Yenidje. The mild soda note from the Yenidje was there from the char light to the last puff. Very interesting note that I enjoyed, but could see others wouldn’t. Additionally, there was the grassy Virginian, always lingering. A delightful smoke that I will most assuredly continue to enjoy.