Re-released Balkan Sasieni

[Ben]

I remember smoking my fair share of Balkan Sasieni before it disappeared from the market. It's been back for a little while now, and I'm curious about how it's smoking. No need to compare it to the old stuff, I suppose, but how is the blend tasting right now?

 

[paddy-boy]

It tastes exactly like PS's Balkan Supreme to me.

 

[Kapnismologist]

It tastes exactly like PS's Balkan Supreme to me.

It is PS Balkan Supreme, just tinned.

 

[Don S]

It tastes exactly like PS's Balkan Supreme to me.

It is PS Balkan Supreme, just tinned.

I recently encountered a dealer who actually is passing off cheaper tobacco marked as if it was Balkan Sasieni. Now that I see from you that this is also being done with the tins, I wondered if you knew if this deception is originating in Denmark or in the USA.

 

[Winslow]

I ordered a tin of this last year and was not taken by it.I found it to be uninteresting
and bland.I never recall smoking the real deal years ago when you could buy it
in Walgreens,yes Walgreens late 1960's.I do find MacBaren's HH Vintage Syrian
blend better than this stuff.......the best I've ever had of this type was Compton's
of Galoshes which Max Engel sells over at Pipes2Smoke.

Winslow :sunny:

 

[Kapnismologist]

It tastes exactly like PS's Balkan Supreme to me.

It is PS Balkan Supreme, just tinned.

I recently encountered a dealer who actually is passing off cheaper tobacco marked as if it was Balkan Sasieni. Now that I see from you that this is also being done with the tins, I wondered if you knew if this deception is originating in Denmark or in the USA.

I do not think it is a deception nor is it at all unusual. It is made and dist. by PS / Villigar:

http://www.peterstokkebye.com/pipe_balkan.htm

And this is pretty clearly indicated on the bottom label as I recall. Were not the older 200g. / 7oz. tins as made by PS as well? As to bulks / tins with different names and such, this is pretty common with the EU blending houses as far as I know.

 

[Don S]

The 200g can was produced under the licence of A. Oppenheimer & Co Ltd. and said: "Made in Denmark".

The current 50g tin says "Made in Denmark for Peter Stokkebye Tobaksfabrik A/S" and "Imported and distributed by Villiger Stokkebye International."

But the tobacco itself didn't change. and even the bulk remained consistent from year to year. It was only after one specific store owner didn't increase his Federal SCHIP tax by $1.73 a pound as other dealers did that cheaper substitutions began to be passed off as Balkan Sasieni, which gave the dealer himself some financial flexibility.

 

[Kapnismologist]

The 200g can was produced under the licence of A. Oppenheimer & Co Ltd. and said: "Made in Denmark".

The current 50g tin says "Made in Denmark for Peter Stokkebye Tobaksfabrik A/S" and "Imported and distributed by Villiger Stokkebye International."

Yep, both PS products then. PS lined up with Villiger around the time that the 50g. tins were introduced on the US market as I recall (A. Oppenheimer as dist. to shortly before that). One thing which is important to remember is that the way things are produced in the EU is very different than the situation we have here in the US (a la McClelland and C&D) - multiple exports to multiple markets with different labels, names, etc. - just look at the current BAT pipe tobacco lineup, for example, or those produced by Orlik.

 

[JohnnyO]

It tastes exactly like PS's Balkan Supreme to me.

It is PS Balkan Supreme, just tinned.

I have smoked tinned Balkan Sasieni and bulk Balkan Supreme...I did not find them to be similar. Balkan Supreme to me had more emphasis on the latakia, while Balkan Sasieni had light spice scent and flavor to it from the orientals.

 

[Kapnismologist]

What a difference tinning makes over bulk distribution. It is amazing how different the same blend can look (esp. color and brokenness of cut) and taste (esp. loss of subtle top flavors) if it has been tinned from the factory rather than sent out in bulk. It is always fun to compare the two when they are easily available (such as e.g., some of the Dan products, K&K's Rattrays, some of the P/S stuff like this one, etc.). The magic process of storage, aging, air, light, and all the rest. Enjoy!