Balkan Sobranie

So, I occasionally go online to see if I can find a tin of Balkan Sobranie and Penzance, tobaccos that are almost always out of stock, as you are aware. Yeah, these are tobaccos with a huge following but nothing special for me besides a tin once in a blue moon.

It has been a while since I've done any tobacco shopping and I decided to take a quick look today.

Balkan Sobranie is going for 35 bucks per tin! and it's still out of stock!

Really?

I understand the hubub over Penzance. I like it and it is somewhat unique. It's not worth the price people pay for it, but I can see paying a small premium for it.

The demand for Balkan Sobranie leaves me scratching my head. Its not a bad tobacco, but its nothing special. There are far better, readily available blends out there for a third of the price.

As far as Penzance goes IMHO there are FAR BETTER English blends made by others to spend any big bucks on and the newer BS is just a matter of many folks who have more $s than sense as far as blends go. For me, BOTH would be a waste of my briars ! Now if BS 759 was still produced as it was in the early 70's, THAT one would be worth the $s  

Dave_In_Philly wrote:

I understand the hubub over Penzance. I like it and it is somewhat unique. It's not worth the price people pay for it, but I can see paying a small premium for it.

The demand for Balkan Sobranie leaves me scratching my head. Its not a bad tobacco, but its nothing special. There are far better, readily available blends out there for a third of the price.

B. Sobranie is, as you said, good stuff, but not 35 bucks a tin good. I suppose this is entirely subjective. To be honest though, before B.S. was discontinued, it wasn't considered "the holy grail" or anything particularly interesting.

I suppose the same would happen with any tobacco that gets discontinued and brought back years later after having other blenders do "matches" and "renditions."

monbla256 wrote:

As far as Penzance goes IMHO there are FAR BETTER English blends made by others to spend any big bucks on and the newer BS is just a matter of many folks who have more $s than sense as far as blends go. For me, BOTH would be a waste of my briars ! Now if BS 759 was still produced as it was in the early 70's, THAT one would be worth the $s  

Everything tobacco is, of course, entirely subjective. If the New B.S. is your all time favorite I can kind of see the price, but I still don't think it's as good to justify the insane demand.

I do, subjective or otherwise, think some stuff is way over rated.

I still have a goodly portion of the BS I brought back from South Africa in 2008. Great tobacco, but I would not pay $35 a tin for the stuff!!!! Same for Penzance; have quite a bit, enjoy the hell out of it; but no way am I paying an exorbitant price for it. Now, as others have stated, somebody recreates a 1964 version on BS 759; I'll buy the damn stuff!! FTRPLT

ftrplt wrote:

I still have a goodly portion of the BS I brought back from South Africa in 2008. Great tobacco, but I would not pay $35 a tin for the stuff!!!! Same for Penzance; have quite a bit, enjoy the  hell out of it; but no way am I paying an exorbitant price for it. Now, as others have stated, somebody recreates a 1964 version on BS 759; I'll buy the damn stuff!! FTRPLT

I don't know if this would be close enough, but here it is for what is worth: Hearth & Home Series has a blend called White Knight that is supposedly close to the original thing, might be worth the shot for 10 bucks a tin.
Never tried it myself, so I can't tell you specifics, but the reviews do say it's close.

Smokey-smokey wrote:

I don't know if this would be close enough, but here it is for what is worth: Hearth & Home Series has a blend called White Knight that is supposedly close to the original thing, might be worth the shot for 10 bucks a tin. Never tried it myself, so I can't tell you specifics, but the reviews do say it's close.

With the H&H stuff, just to separate the apples from the oranges, Black House is inspired by 759, WhiteKnight is inspired by BS Smoking Mixture or what is referred to at BS White. The Germain BS is also modeled after the white. Both H&H mixtures are quite good.

DrumsAndBeer wrote:

Smokey-smokey wrote:

I don't know if this would be close enough, but here it is for what is worth: Hearth & Home Series has a blend called White Knight that is supposedly close to the original thing, might be worth the shot for 10 bucks a tin. Never tried it myself, so I can't tell you specifics, but the reviews do say it's close.

With the H&H stuff, just to separate the apples from the oranges, Black House is inspired by 759, WhiteKnight is inspired by BS Smoking Mixture or what is referred to at BS White. The Germain BS is also modeled after the white. Both H&H mixtures are quite good.

I'll second that!
The White Knight sample that Russ gave me was sublime!
Same goes for the Black House.

DoverPipes wrote:

DrumsAndBeer wrote:

Smokey-smokey wrote:

I don't know if this would be close enough, but here it is for what is worth: Hearth & Home Series has a blend called White Knight that is supposedly close to the original thing, might be worth the shot for 10 bucks a tin. Never tried it myself, so I can't tell you specifics, but the reviews do say it's close.

With the H&H stuff, just to separate the apples from the oranges, Black House is inspired by 759, WhiteKnight is inspired by BS Smoking Mixture or what is referred to at BS White. The Germain BS is also modeled after the white. Both H&H mixtures are quite good.

I'll second that!
The White Knight sample that Russ gave me was sublime!
Same goes for the Black House.

Yes to all and thanx for the info!!! I have the H&H plus the McClelland #759 "clones!!" All quite delicious; shoot, if they put these in a replica BS #759 tin I wouldn't be able to tell the diff!!! Too old and taste buds to shot to tell!!! I really meant that if BS rose from the dead and could recreate the 1964 version (my first shot at the blend!!), I would buy it!! Ain't gonna' happen as we all know!!! FTRPLT

far too many fine tobacco's in stock and readily available from all the usual suspects online to go chasing the flavors of the moment. Never tried Pelican and got in on the the last go-around from SP. Glad the had a limit of 2. I'll eventually finish the one I opened but the other will be used as trading stock someday. I can buy 8oz cans of Gaslight all day a about $32 and IMO a much better product.

If you have a disposable, cool $1750, you too can have some vintage BS. (Yeah, I know what I did there.)

http://www.vintagepipetobacco.com/

"Balkan Sobranie 4 pack in original packaging. Made in England.4 x 50 gms. 1 x Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture (B&W), 1 Balkan Sobranie x 759 Mixture, 1 Sobranie Reserve Blend No. 3, Virginia Mixture, Sobranie Reserve Bland No. 7 Virginia Mixture, Year pre 1980 because the tins are only marked in ounces. Importer James B. Russell Engelwood, New Jersey. This set is perfect as new. 4 x 50 gm. $1,750.00 for the 4 tins. We will not break up the set."

Zeno Marx wrote:

If you have a disposable, cool $1750, you too can have some vintage BS.  (Yeah, I know what I did there.)

http://www.vintagepipetobacco.com/

"Balkan Sobranie 4 pack in original packaging. Made in England.4 x 50 gms. 1 x Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture (B&W), 1 Balkan Sobranie x 759 Mixture, 1 Sobranie Reserve Blend No. 3, Virginia Mixture, Sobranie Reserve Bland No. 7 Virginia Mixture, Year pre 1980 because the tins are only marked in ounces. Importer James B. Russell Engelwood, New Jersey. This set is perfect as new. 4 x 50 gm.  $1,750.00 for the 4 tins. We will not break up the set."

I've had the Capstan early 80s and it everlasting gobstopper of delicious flavors.  I certainly would not pay that price!!!

Vintage Pipe Tobacco wrote:

Capstan Navy Cut Medium. Made in England. A flake that rubs out easily. It is full flavored, burns slowly, evenly and never bites. It has a casing that enhances but is very, very slight. Considered one of the very best Medium Flake's ever. Many have said it was Tolkien's tobacco of choice. Tin is Year pre late 1980's - mid 1990's. US Importer James B. Russell Engelwood, New Jersey. Tin is perfect. 2 x 50 gm. $ 215.00 a tin

At their pricing, I can't afford to smoke many of my older tins!! The Edgeworth they sold for $175, Pipestud has sold for $75!! And I have 11 tins of the stuff!!! Ho-Lee-Chit!!! FTRPLT

ftrplt wrote:

At their pricing, I can't afford to smoke many of my older tins!! The Edgeworth they sold for $175, Pipestud has sold for $75!! And I have 11 tins of the stuff!!! Ho-Lee-Chit!!! FTRPLT

The stud is always a viable option for those looking to reduce their 'baccy footprint while not suffering the angst that is e-prey.




Cheers,

RR

Brewdude wrote:

ftrplt wrote:

At their pricing, I can't afford to smoke many of my older tins!! The Edgeworth they sold for $175, Pipestud has sold for $75!! And I have 11 tins of the stuff!!! Ho-Lee-Chit!!! FTRPLT

The stud is always a viable option for those looking to reduce their 'baccy footprint while not suffering the angst that is e-prey.




Cheers,

RR

Well put!

Hi guys, newbie to the forum here. My .02 worth. Smoked the original BSOSM back in the 70's in college. Haven't found a worthy substitute yet. As to the H&H White Night, those who say it is closest to BSOSM obviously did not smoke the original from the 70's. White Night is NOTHING like it. Better choice is H&H 10 to Midnight. Smokes great, not BSOSM, but still very good. Downside is it makes your clothes smell like you laid over a campfire all night. If I could get past the "room note", I could smoke it all the time. FWIW. Wish I could still get FMOTT.