Balkan Supreme producer.

[Ranger107]

Does anyone know if the Balkan Supreme from P&C is the same as the Arango Balkan Supreme blended by Scandinavian Tobacco Company? The first time I ordered from P&C it said Arango on the bag. Last time I ordered from them I specified Arango BS. The tobacco I received looks the same but does not say Arango on the bag and does not smoke the same. Should I order from Smoking Pipes instead?

 

[RSteve]

Arango Balkan Supreme was manufactured by Peter Stokkebye for the Arango Cigar Co.

 

[ftrplt]

P&C isn't listing "Arango Balkan Supreme" at the moment. It is listing a "Balkan Supreme."

 

[Ranger107]

Thus my confusion. First time I ordered it clearly said Arango BS. Don't think what I got the second time was the same. Smoking pipes and cup o joes clearly lists Arango BS which was really good.

 

[ftrplt]

Thus my confusion. First time I ordered it clearly said Arango BS. Don't think what I got the second time was the same. Smoking pipes and cup o joes clearly lists Arango BS which was really good.

The "Arango BS" is one superb pipe tobacco!! Love the stuff!! FTRPLT

 

[Ranger107]

Agree, that is why I ordered more. Just don't think the second order I got was the Arango blend.

 

[RSteve]

From P and C's Russ Ouellette:
The reason that it's not listed under Peter Stokkebye is that they make this for Arango. It's not distributed through the normal distribution channel for Stokkebye (Lane Limited), but exclusively through Arango, so it's technically not a Stokkebye blend.

 

[RSteve]

Agree, that is why I ordered more. Just don't think the second order I got was the Arango blend.

There's also this consideration to make. Crops of tobacco are ever changing and even though the recipe may remain the same; proportions of latakia to Virginia to orientals to cavendish, etc., the change in the tobaccos may result in a blend that may not be identical to a prior "vintage." I've experienced this in my own blending. I thought I duplicated a blend in exact proportions and tobaccos, but the final blend was not identical to the one I intended to replicate.

 

[ftrplt]

Most any good cigar and/or pipe tobacco blender will tell you that just using a given/fixed percentage/proportion (i.e., recipe) will not work over time. The crop/s change a bit each year. Pretty safe bet that the first run of BS 759 tasted a bit different than the last one! Over time, it was hard to detect any difference because the blender made small/fine adjustments to the tobacco based on the crop results in a given year. Casings and/or toppings have to be adjusted also based on these differences. Being a tobacco blender is much like being a pipe maker. It's easy to make a "one-off" original...Now, go make a thousand tins of the exact same thing...year after year!!!!!!! FWIW, FTRPLT

 

[Ranger107]

I understand there will be variance over time, but I ordered these less than 5 months apart. I don't think the second batch was the Arango blend, but P&C's own concoction. I sent an email to p&c asking that question.

 

[daveinlax]

P&C isn't listing "Arango Balkan Supreme" at the moment. It is listing a "Balkan Supreme."

Yeah that confused me too but I reluctantly ordered 10 pounds in February during their IPSD Promo. I requested and was shipped 2 sealed 5 pound bags of Arango Balkan Supreme. (For the record it’s the same as the older bulk PSBS and the tinned Balkan Sasieni and the Danish version of Pelican)

 

[ftrplt]

Well, for shit's sake; no wonder I love the stuff!!! I got's a whole bunch of old PSBS, Arango BS, and Balkan Sasieni all jarred up!! Guess we need to move part of this thread to the "Same blend, different packaging" one!! Great info, Dave!!! FTRPLT

 

[RSteve]

For the record Arango Balkan Supreme's. the same as the older bulk PSBS and the tinned Balkan Sasieni and the Danish version of Pelican)

Guess we need to move part of this thread to the "Same blend, different packaging" one!!

I'd guess this is far more common than producers would like us to know.