Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend

[American Psycho-Analyst]

This handblended tobacco is produced by the notable Dan Tobacco of Germany. It is sold in both 50g tins (usually costing about $10) and 8oz bulk packages (sold for only $16 via smokingpipes.com). http://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/...acco/index.cfm

Upon opening the tin one sees the typical wax-paper and, beneath it, a circular card with a short description of the blend on it. Looking beneath these, one encounters a tobacco that is about 35% dark brown, 45% medium-light brown with the remainder being even lighter. This blend, according to Dan Tobacco, is constituted with 40% Syrian (?) Latakia, a hardy amount of red and brown stoved Virginias, and an assortment of spicy orientals. The smell of oriental tobaccos and latakia dominate the olfactory system upon opening the tin; surely, a sign of good things to come.

I've found, after smoking several tins of this in about a dozen pipes, that this blend smokes best in a medium-bowled pipe; particularly, it smokes best in my Stanwell Colonial (straight billiard). It seems to me that the most suitable packing method for this tobacco is the Frank method (I've done some experimenting with this as well).

Upon lighting, there is little if anything exceptional about this blend. Indeed, one tastes a mouthful of quality Latakia, yet, beyond this, little else. Yet, if you wisely decide to refuse to give up on this blend so early in the bowl, you will, within a dozen or so puffs, be rewarded by an ever-increasing complexity which is atypically hard to describe. No tobacco that I've ever smoked is such a developmental tobacco. Moments after getting the bowl well lit, there follows a very rich smoke that is as close as imaginable to being perfectly balanced. In the flavor of the smoke one can find just about everything requisite to satisfy even the most discriminating connoisseur: top-notch stoved Virginias, spicy, smokey Latakia, and a wealth of orientals which make this blend what it is. At the end of the bowl the only regret that you will probably have is that a larger bowl wasn't packed (you begin to ask, naturally, How much more complex and satisfying could this blend possibly have become?). This is a very spicy, heavy Balkan with a helluva nicotine kick.

Bottom line: I've smoked a lot of Balkans (discluding, though, the famed Sobrannie), and this is the best that I've smoked. Easily earns 90% out of 100 quality points.

-Josh

[Cheeto]

Sounds very satisfying

Thanks for the review, makes me want to go try some Balkans, I've never had any.

[Alpedhuez55]

Nice review...I have a tin of this that has been aging for a year and a half now. I am sure I will get around to cracking it open one of these days!!!

[American Psycho-Analyst]

Originally Posted by Alpedhuez55

Nice review...I have a tin of this that has been aging for a year and a half now. I am sure I will get around to cracking it open one of these days!!!

That's going to be one hell of a smoking experience. You'll have to let us know what you think of the blend.

[GAW]

Originally Posted by American Psycho-Analyst

This handblended tobacco is produced by the notable Dan Tobacco of Germany. It is sold in both 50g tins (usually costing about $10) and 8oz bulk packages (sold for only $16 via smokingpipes.com). http://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/...acco/index.cfm

Upon opening the tin one sees the typical wax-paper and, beneath it, a circular card with a short description of the blend on it. Looking beneath these, one encounters a tobacco that is about 35% dark brown, 45% medium-light brown with the remainder being even lighter. This blend, according to Dan Tobacco, is constituted with 40% Syrian (?) Latakia, a hardy amount of red and brown stoved Virginias, and an assortment of spicy orientals. The smell of oriental tobaccos and latakia dominate the olfactory system upon opening the tin; surely, a sign of good things to come.

I've found, after smoking several tins of this in about a dozen pipes, that this blend smokes best in a medium-bowled pipe; particularly, it smokes best in my Stanwell Colonial (straight billiard). It seems to me that the most suitable packing method for this tobacco is the Frank method (I've done some experimenting with this as well).

Upon lighting, there is little if anything exceptional about this blend. Indeed, one tastes a mouthful of quality Latakia, yet, beyond this, little else. Yet, if you wisely decide to refuse to give up on this blend so early in the bowl, you will, within a dozen or so puffs, be rewarded by an ever-increasing complexity which is atypically hard to describe. No tobacco that I've ever smoked is such a developmental tobacco. Moments after getting the bowl well lit, there follows a very rich smoke that is as close as imaginable to being perfectly balanced. In the flavor of the smoke one can find just about everything requisite to satisfy even the most discriminating connoisseur: top-notch stoved Virginias, spicy, smokey Latakia, and a wealth of orientals which make this blend what it is. At the end of the bowl the only regret that you will probably have is that a larger bowl wasn't packed (you begin to ask, naturally, How much more complex and satisfying could this blend possibly have become?). This is a very spicy, heavy Balkan with a helluva nicotine kick.

Bottom line: I've smoked a lot of Balkans (discluding, though, the famed Sobrannie), and this is the best that I've smoked. Easily earns 90% out of 100 quality points.

-Josh

Excellent review Josh - wish I had some BS left to send you to do a head to head comparison.This one I have read about but never smoked before I threw in the towel on modern Balkans.Being only an occasional pipe smoker these days I'm on an all Va diet but this will be high on my list if I venture further afield someday. Jerry

[American Psycho-Analyst]

Originally Posted by GAW

Excellent review Josh - wish I had some BS left to send you to do a head to head comparison.This one I have read about but never smoked before I threw in the towel on modern Balkans.Being only an occasional pipe smoker these days I'm on an all Va diet but this will be high on my list if I venture further afield someday. Jerry

If you want, PM me your addy and I could send you a small batch to sample.

[American Psycho-Analyst]

Originally Posted by GAW

Excellent review Josh - wish I had some BS left to send you to do a head to head comparison.This one I have read about but never smoked before I threw in the towel on modern Balkans.Being only an occasional pipe smoker these days I'm on an all Va diet but this will be high on my list if I venture further afield someday. Jerry

Well, now that I've tried the venerable Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture I can offer a head-to-head comparison of the two blends, yet I don't really believe that a head-to-head comparison could possibly be very elucidating as these two blends are ENTIRELY different. Let me just say this: Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend is nothing at all like the original BS; but this is not necessarily a bad thing at all. Indeed, so it seems to me, Bill Bailey's Balkan by Dan Tobacco is one of the first Balkans produced that is not an obvious attempt to provide consumers with a cheapened version of the disappeared Sobranie. It is an altogether different Balkan, and, since trying the original BS, my opinion of Bill Bailey's Balkan is even higher. Why not? The original BS is, don't get me wrong, possibly the best tobacco I've ever smoked, yet, however, Bill Bailey's Balkan provides for a Balkan experience that no other blender has yet provided. Bill Bailey's Balkan explores gustatory terrain that no other blender has yet trekked through. Bill Bailey's Balkan will not relieve you of the delerium of BS withdrawl, but it will, however, provide you an entirely new smoking experience.

[GAW]

Originally Posted by American Psycho-Analyst

Well, now that I've tried the venerable Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture I can offer a head-to-head comparison of the two blends, yet I don't really believe that a head-to-head comparison could possibly be very elucidating as these two blends are ENTIRELY different. Let me just say this: Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend is nothing at all like the original BS; but this is not necessarily a bad thing at all. Indeed, so it seems to me, Bill Bailey's Balkan by Dan Tobacco is one of the first Balkans produced that is not an obvious attempt to provide consumers with a cheapened version of the disappeared Sobranie. It is an altogether different Balkan, and, since trying the original BS, my opinion of Bill Bailey's Balkan is even higher. Why not? The original BS is, don't get me wrong, possibly the best tobacco I've ever smoked, yet, however, Bill Bailey's Balkan provides for a Balkan experience that no other blender has yet provided. Bill Bailey's Balkan explores gustatory terrain that no other blender has yet trekked through. Bill Bailey's Balkan will not relieve you of the delerium of BS withdrawl, but it will, however, provide you an entirely new smoking experience.

Neat you could compare these two blends Josh. At 40-80$ per oz for the glorious one - depending on exactly what vintage one acquires - I think most will opt for new gustatory terrain.I still think for that Yenidje rush Pipeworks & Wilke's Mixture No. 524 nails it - for my palate at least.Again it is not a match - maybe a first cousin - but it is a pan-fired Va,Syrian Latakia,Yenidje classic of sorts.Good smokes your way... Jerry

[American Psycho-Analyst]

Originally Posted by GAW

I still think for that Yenidje rush Pipeworks & Wilke's Mixture No. 524 nails it - for my palate at least.Again it is not a match - maybe a first cousin - but it is a pan-fired Va,Syrian Latakia,Yenidje classic of sorts.Good smokes your way... Jerry

Wow, just looked this blend up on both tobaccoreviews.com and on Pipeworks and Wilke's site. Very nice price, very intriguing tobacco.

[brado]

My local B&M had taken this and put it in one of the big, glass containers. I was able to buy 2oz of it, and I have really enjoyed it so far. I have been mostly smoking aro's and I wanted to give something else a go. The proprietor suggested BBBB and I am really glad that he did.

[dmkerr]

Excellent! Comparative reviews are the best kind. Having smoked Balkan Sobranie ( still have a tin left!) I now have an idea where the Bill Bailey's fit in. Thanks for a great review!

[SailorJack]

I am a reformed Latakia junkie, now smoking mainly virginias and burleys. I always wanted to try it and never got around to it. I now only smoke Latakia when it is used solely as a condiment tobacco in small quantities. I'll keep this one in mind if the urge for the demon weed returns.

[JAX]

Outstanding review and spot on!

I was gifted a few ounces of this great 'baccy not long ago (Thanks again Bob aka: Python) and immediately became a huge fan of it. It presents an excellant balance between the dominating spice and supporting sweetness from the VA and Smokiness from the Latakia. I can't imagine a balkan blend getting any better than this.

This is one 'baccy I'll always keep on hand.

[paperairplane]

This is high on my next to order list - having been woo'ed to the balkan / oriental side of the fence.

Any comparison to GP blends, RRaparee, Sasieni, etc.