Help with understanding Balkan Sobraine - history etc.
Allen
I was wondering if anyone has done a good webpage on the history of
Balkan Sobraine? Who made it and how it changed over the years etc.
I've become interested because my new Brother-in-law totally surprised
me with a foil-pack of Balkan Sobraine- unknown age. I would love to
know how to tell the age, and a bit about this old venerable leaf.
I have a few ounces of a very old tin that I've been saving for a
special day (likely when I finally graduate). It's great to have this
batch as well. I'll likely jar these in two separate jars, as I believe
them to be of different vintage.
Thanks for all your help!!
-Allen
ps- my Bro-in-law doesn't know much about pipes and got this for a great
price on ebay of all things- [he's hilarious with ebay- bought a mexican
wrestler mask once] I'd say he's done a good first job of things. ;)
I shared a bowl of Frog Across The Pond- another excellent Christmas
present from my sister with him as his first try at pipe-smoking. :)
He enjoyed it, and hopefully we'll share a bowl again soon.
To everyone on ASP- I wish your New Year to be filled with more joy than
the last, for it to bring you new surprises that make you laugh, and for
every bowl to be one that helps you enjoy life even more. My best!!
[Woo hoo! 2007!]
--
------
a.s.p. Brother of the Briar
May 2001
Straightgrain
Although I haven't checked its accuracy, this is from a prior post:
From "PipeSmoke" magazine, Summer 98
Volume II
Issue 1
In the last two decades of the 19th century, there was a quantum shift
in the taste of pipe tobacco blended for English gentlemen. Mixtures
of "Oriental," meaning Turkish, Macedonian, Greek, and Syrian
tobaccos, along with Virginia and Carolina tobaccos, became the rage
among upper-class pipesmokers. Rich and smoky, redolent with the
exotic aromas of the tobaccos smoked in the Middle East, Balkan
Sobranie Smoking Mixture was developed for the officer and diplomatic
class concentrated in the St. James district's clubs. Balkan referred
to the growing regions of the flavorful leaf, and suggested intrigue
to the English gentleman. Remember where WW I started, and look at
Eric Ambler's spy novels of the 1930's.
Several generations of the Redstone family blended this tobacco from a
secret formula, renowned worldwide. Then, in the early 1980's, Dr.
Isadore Redstone (an M.D. - "an indiscretion of my youth," he once
told TBTM) sold the trademarks to Gallaher, one of the English
conglomerates, which made it, albeit with a modified formula, for
three decades. When Gallaher ceased exporting Balkan
Sobranie to the U.S. in 1995, Dr. Redstone got another company to
produce the original formula for export. While "Balkan Sobranie" is a
trademark - the term refers to the upper house of the bicameral
legislature, or "Bulgarian Senate" (sorry to kill the romance) - the
regional term Balkan is not copyrightable. To remedy this obstacle,
Redstone partnered with Dan Blumenthal, of James B. Russell, Inc., who
owns the Sasieni trademark, to revive the great old standby
under the slightly altered "Balkan Sasieni," in a package suggestive
of the earlier iterations.
So what is there to Balkan Sasieni besides a name? The blend itself,
which is full of deep, dark, rich, complex, and suggestive flavor, is
beautifully finished and smooth, like a great cigar. Balkan Sasieni
manages to keep the sweetly tarry overtones of the Latakia in a
perfect balance with the dryly pungent Turkish and Macedonian leaf,
punctuated by the natural sweetness of the American tobaccos. This is
an extraordinarily satisfying mixture, at its best indoors where none
of the aroma is dissipated. Great for pipe dreams in a large
curved pipe.
Frank
tobakokolektor
thought it was a cheap knockoff!! Does it come in tins?
Happy new year!
Straightgrain
Though different than Balkan Sobranie, Balkan Sasieni is still a very
good smoke. It has a more Oriental character at first but deepens
nicely once it gets going, producing a rich, creamy, spicy and slightly
sweet smoke. Well worth the few Dollars, Euros, etc. it costs to give
it a try.
tobakokolektor
Straightgrain
It did come in 200 gram tins but they're getting harder and harder (but
not impossible) to find. Whether or not the tin has been discontinued,
it appears to be the case but I'm not certain.
Vance W.
that carry it and
have it in stock. I looked at a few and there were a couple that said out
of stock, but there
were many who had it. Hope that helps.
Vance
Booze is like jet fuel, and I'm a rocket
ready to blast off baby!!!!!!
"Straightgrain" <straig...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1167667819.9...@i12g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
tobakokolektor
Allen
> Hello Allen,
>
> Although I haven't checked its accuracy, this is from a prior post:
>
> From "PipeSmoke" magazine, Summer 98
> Volume II
> Issue 1
Straightgrain (and Tobackokolektor and Vance)! I almost forgot I posted
and asked this. Thankgoodness I looked- wonderful information- Thank you!!
Ok, so we're most likely looking at a recent version of Balkan Sobraine
in a foil-pack, eh? I figured this would likely be the case, but I
wasn't sure, and wanted to check.
Thanks everyone! I greatly appreciate the replies to my post! I wish
you all a fantastic New Year! I hope you have one in the zone smoke
very very soon!
-Allen
Straightgrain
I picked up several pouches of BS in Italy back in 1999 that were
stamped "Sobranie of London" while my brother, who was just there in
November, picked up several pouches for me that were stamped
"Gallahers" and "Made in the UK". John Loring did a very good piece on
dating Balkan Sobranie tins and on dating tins imported by JB Russell,
which is posted below.
JB Russell
When found, the changing address of one important importer, James B.
Russell, can be quite useful for dating purposes. A Russell address of:
· W. 56th Street dates the tin to the 1960's or earlier;
· W. 61st Street dates the tin from the 1960's to the early 1970's;
· Van Brunt Street dates the tin from the 1970's to mid 1980's; and
· Parkway dates the tin from the mid 1980's to present.
[Please note that the dates given here are approximate and somewhat
speculative. Hopefully response to this article will allow for some
more definitive dating.]
Balkan Sobranie
· Tins labeled as manufactured by Sobranie Limited, Sobrainie House
appear to date from the 1970's or earlier;
· Tins labled as manufactured by Sobranie Limited, 17 Worship Street
appear to date to the '70s for a brief time just after 'Sobranie
House';
· Tins labeled as manufactured by Sobranie Limited, Chichester Road
appear to date from the late 1970s;
· Tins labeled as manufactured by Sobranie of London, 65 Kingsway
appear to date to the early 1980's;
· Tins labeled as manufactured by Sobranie of London, 34 Burlington
Arcade appear to date to the 1980's; and
· Tins labeled as manufactured by Sobranie of London, 13 Old Bond
Street date to the 1990's.
Frank
Allen
Frank!
Thank you again! Wonderful information! I greatly appreciate it. It's
also great to learn that Sasieni is a nice blend as well. [I'll have to
pick some up in the near future.]
A closer look at my foil back shows the following:
Sobraine of London
13 Old Bond Street
London W1, England
So, this sounds like 1990+ date on the foil pack. It's labelled Made In
The United Kingdom. So, I think I'm looking at an older foil pack.
:)
Do we know when Yenidje started to become scarce and the Syrian regional
tobacco was blended together?
Thank you a ton again for the info! A very happy New Year to you!