Kyle Weiss
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
- Messages
- 11,988
- Reaction score
- 7
I fell down the rabbit hole, once again, because I have discovered I like Latakia a lot. Granted, I frown upon my own unfortunate timing in this regard, as I'm faced with less choices in this area, especially with the Syrian availability and debacles therein, but I can enjoy the smoky, setting sun of this fine tabak. For now.
I happened upon a couple of tins of the newly-released Balkan Sobranie, and with that, trying to discern (without popping open the tins like a kid not wanting to sully his new toy in the box, mind you) exactly what I was in for.
As with a vast majority of Greg's writ and wit, worth the read:
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/out-of-the-ashes/balkan-sobriety/#more-5519
This article was searched-and-found after the most recent obtuse and hyperbolic review of the same stuff on tobaccoreviews.com, which besides piquing interest to find the referenced article, said nothing of use to anyone except perhaps himself and a few of his ilk--meanwhile somehow weirdly connecting the article to support his opinion. Hey, to each his own.
Greg's article simply states that the history, product and pursuit of this tobacco has gone through many changes, and creatively seemed to say, "It is what it is now, and what it is probably isn't what it was. Godspeed."
After the ace article, I'm even more curious to see what Balkan Sobranie is now. I actually feel lucky not being an older-generation smoker, having not tried Pipe Ambrosia, because at this point: I can't! It isn't the same thing as sitting down with your grandfather and listening to an old 78 record so you can experience "how it used to be," since that's all the poor old guy talks about. Comparing an old, discontinued pipe tobacco mix to the new stuff is a pipe smoker's generation gap of infinity. Forever ignorant, we must go on. Maybe we'll tell some snappy 30 year old, when we're older, how Balkan Sobranie was so much better in 2012, because it had (XX%) real Cyprian Latakia in it rather than the Taiwanese box shavings they just add liquid smoke to--or worse, "...too bad tobacco's all illegal, I sure miss my pipe..."
(*Disclaimer:* ...all references to perceived ageist statements, while making a point, should be taken with a tone of respect, and any other reference is purely coincidental...) :lol:
With that said, I'll be embarking on an entirely new journey with this stuff when I finally crack the tin open, and my "I Just Tried" report will be a new tongue paired with a totally different breed of Balkan Sobranie. I look forward to it, and I encourage others in my position to do the same: find out for themselves.
8)
I happened upon a couple of tins of the newly-released Balkan Sobranie, and with that, trying to discern (without popping open the tins like a kid not wanting to sully his new toy in the box, mind you) exactly what I was in for.
As with a vast majority of Greg's writ and wit, worth the read:
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/out-of-the-ashes/balkan-sobriety/#more-5519
This article was searched-and-found after the most recent obtuse and hyperbolic review of the same stuff on tobaccoreviews.com, which besides piquing interest to find the referenced article, said nothing of use to anyone except perhaps himself and a few of his ilk--meanwhile somehow weirdly connecting the article to support his opinion. Hey, to each his own.
Greg's article simply states that the history, product and pursuit of this tobacco has gone through many changes, and creatively seemed to say, "It is what it is now, and what it is probably isn't what it was. Godspeed."
After the ace article, I'm even more curious to see what Balkan Sobranie is now. I actually feel lucky not being an older-generation smoker, having not tried Pipe Ambrosia, because at this point: I can't! It isn't the same thing as sitting down with your grandfather and listening to an old 78 record so you can experience "how it used to be," since that's all the poor old guy talks about. Comparing an old, discontinued pipe tobacco mix to the new stuff is a pipe smoker's generation gap of infinity. Forever ignorant, we must go on. Maybe we'll tell some snappy 30 year old, when we're older, how Balkan Sobranie was so much better in 2012, because it had (XX%) real Cyprian Latakia in it rather than the Taiwanese box shavings they just add liquid smoke to--or worse, "...too bad tobacco's all illegal, I sure miss my pipe..."
(*Disclaimer:* ...all references to perceived ageist statements, while making a point, should be taken with a tone of respect, and any other reference is purely coincidental...) :lol:
With that said, I'll be embarking on an entirely new journey with this stuff when I finally crack the tin open, and my "I Just Tried" report will be a new tongue paired with a totally different breed of Balkan Sobranie. I look forward to it, and I encourage others in my position to do the same: find out for themselves.
8)