Arango Balkan Supreme

What high end Cabernet Sauvignon is to a wine aficionado this is to Latakia laden balken lovers. The difference? The price tag fits us middle of the roade incomers. This is a superb blend in every aspect of pipe smoking blends. I don't apologize for being a Latakia freak. Inserting whatever adjective or sensory perception I have for this tobacco seems shallow compared to me imploring to you Latakia lovers who haven't tried this blend yet:" DON'T DENY YOURSELF A BOWL!"

first, about me a little. I keep 40-50 tins of various blends on hand for at least a year before cracking open. I keep 6-8 pounds of various blends in ball 1-gallon jars on hand for everyday pleasure. a few quart jars of aromatics for when I have the urge. my primary go to is English and Balkan mixtures. This one and c&d super Balken are my favorites. super has perique and this one doesn't. this on rivals any out there no matter the cost. spicy, creamy, leather goodness. believe the reviews. its good. as a Virginia native I love my tobacco. learned to appreciate it years ago in the navy. if you are new to the pipe, relax your taste buds will change and adapt over time. just find what you like and enjoy.

The king of Balkans - I've tried many and few match the flavor, barbeque-esque smokiness, and full body of the smoke. Great evening smoke that leaves a very pleasant aftertaste in the mouth.

I taste orientals first and foremost, the Latakia presence isnt super strong and is well balanced. Sweet and sour, earthy, floral, a bit of woody smokiness which is all very buttery and creamy. A little bit of grassy, hay, and cocoa too. Surprisingly complex and builds in complexity there more you smoke it. Very light in body and low in nicotine. Super smooth, easy smoke. Packs well and rarely needs a relight.

Balkan supreme makes me wonder if I even need to try other balkan blends. It's that good. There's few lat blends I could smoke with frequency quite like this. Its the perfect "all-day" balkan/English. I don't plan on ever not having a huge jar of this around.

Excellent smoking experience for english / balkan lovers. No need to add to other experts comments. Requires full attention to packing and drying. Otherwise you will be frustrated with so many re lightnings. After going through my notes I have to add that Dublin type models (conical) gave me the best smoking experience.

A classic, near archetypal Balkan flavor that falls short just a tad on strength or "complexity." But that is made up for by the price and availability. Makes you wonder what all the fuss is over the other 1.5 million similar blends out there.

Good tobacco Burns great Perfect moisture from get go Tastes great Packs easy

Tips:

- Smoke in a small bowl: I personally get tired of the taste and feel after a short while.

- ashing not needed for most part but recommend ashing last 1/4 if smoking in a larger pipe as it started absorbing the ash taste around that point for me

This is a excellent smoke right out of the bag. It's definitely a Balkan it's smokey and tasty. The black Cavendish mellows the burn and makes it damn near perfect. If you're looking for a great tasting, cool smoking tobacco this one's for you.

Package note of sour fruit, smoky and spices. Tobacco is a thin ribbon cut of brown, dark brown, tan and black. Moisture content is great. No drying/prep needed. Burns moderately fast with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and mostly consistent, with notes of floral, smoky incense, tart fruit, spices, musty sour vegetation, tangy zesty citrus, wood, sugar, savory, toast, orange peel, buttery, a sweet herbal grassy background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Cavendish, Oriental/Turkish and Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.