Tobaccos Solani - 779: English Mixture

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2003-12-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Many have compared this to Sobranie (which I have never smoked) and if this is a replica of it, I am glad this is available. This is a sleeper of an "English" blend. Visually, this blend is a beauty. There is partially-rubbed Virginia flake, Syrian Latakia and Turkish ribbons in abundance. The tin aroma is delicious, forget the pipe! Let's start chewing! Just kidding, of course. Moisture is perfect, packing is easy, let's go! Upon lighting you taste the mature virginia with the Syrian Latakia coming in about the second or third puff. About mid-bowl, you get a delicious flavor that has it all: sweet, smoky, bottom, highs, etc.. This is right there with Margate IMO with the difference being this has Syrian vs. Margate's Cyprian Latakia. Bottom of the bowl builds strength that is just right and ends with a fine, dry, grey ash. While this blend is not as full as my beloved "Balkan" blends, when in the mood for an English, this will be in my top 5. Rating 5 out of 5 points, a true Reformer Blend, Enjoy...

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Matsutake Slayer (11)	2017-02-04		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

After a decade away from piping, I returned on a pilgrimage to find my own, personal Holy Grail blend. Within a few months I've accumulated 25 tins of various English, Oriental and Balkan blends, mostly aged 5-20 years. Upon lighting my first bowl of this tin (2002 vintage) I knew instantly that I had found what I was searching for. The skies opened, the veil parted, and I was instantly transported to a hallowed space where I found myself communing with my ancestors, all of us gathered around a smoldering hearth in quiet fellowship. Successive bowls have been equally transcendant.

If this magical tobacco has not been similarly spectacular for you, then I heartily encourage you to set it aside for me, and I will happily trade you a tin of Margate, Charing Cross, Balkan Sasieni or others from my collection as you continue your quest for the key that unlocks the Hall of your ancestors.

Pipe Used: Large bowled ugly briars

Age When Smoked: 15 yrs

Purchased From: A gift from Valhalla

Similar Blends: There is nothing else quite like this, though New Balkan Sobranie is faintly similar (minus the transcedant trip to the Hall of my forbears.).

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Motoyoshi (68)	2014-06-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I was very excited to try this for many reasons: Solani makes high quality products, the usage of Syrian Latakia and it was considered to be a "tribute" to Sobranie.

Moisture level of the tin is very good. With just a little drying I think you could pack it with just 5 minutes of patience. The ribbon cut is very uniform and there weren't many stems or stalks in it. Every Solani tobacco has been up to this par (I guess that's why they cost a bit more, huh). I don't know if it's the Syrian Latakia or what, but this just smells like a Balkan Blend to my nose when taking a whiff of the tin.

I would go ahead and say that if you're looking for a heavier fuller flavored English, this is probably not going to be enough for you. If you want a Latakia bomb, check out Star of the East Flake or even a G.L. Pease blend like Odyssey.

This blend has a very mild yet consistent variety of flavors. The VAs are there but they just kind of support the Orientals and the Latakia. The interplay between the former two is what makes this blend interesting. Some puffs and you're getting the fragrant Turkish and behind it comes the Syrian Lat. What's nice about this blend is that it's just like they advertise it, easy on the tongue. This tobacco can be an all day smoke because it doesn't leave your mouth raw like some Lat bombs do. It's a nice smooth smoke that some may find boring, but I would call it refreshingly consistent and smooth.

I know the components are different and this is considered an "English" blend, but Peter Stokebbye's Balkan Supreme and this are very similar. Both of them, in some circles, are compared to the infamous Balkan Sobranie.

My one complain with Solani is that they don't sell in bulk and you're always paying for their quality tobacco, plus the price of the tin : (

Age When Smoked: 3

Similar Blends: Peter Stokkebye - Balkan Supreme.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2075)	2018-01-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Solani - 779: English Luxury Mixture.

Although there's plenty of glowing reviews it doesn't particularly suit me.

The moisture of my tin raises no issue. Happily, for my evening bowl last night, I could smoke it without waiting.

The Virginia and Latakia only 'season' the smoke. The Orientals take responsibility for the majority of the flavour. It's these which cause the problem: too caustic, acerbic and sharp. I want a lot more Latakia smokiness in an English, but this only has a very soft touch of Lat'. The Virginia gives the usual sweetness, but because of the Orientals causing pandemonium, get little recognition. It burns well, with no bite from the smoke.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: tolerable to strong.

Unfortunately I'll only award 779 one star:

Not recommended.

Pipe Used: A few

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-09-22		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I love this tobacco. I'm not an expert. I've smoked maybe 20 or 25 blends. Only 5 or 6 with much Latakia, but this one really stands out for me. I don't think I'm wrong to think that it will for some others as well. About two thirds through my first pipe of this I had a little mini enlightenment. So this is how good it can get right. I've smoked quite a few more since and my view hasn't wavered.

Everything about it just works. Sweet, smoky, nutty, a little fruity tang, all the flavors come together very nicely. The Latakia never dominates but gives just enough to surround and accent all of the other flavors. Really exceptional. Packs and smokes as well or better than anything I've tried, straight out of the tin. Produces a nice thick comforting cool smoke. No issues. All the way through the burn it just keeps building.

This tobacco stands very high on it's own without a comparison to the classic. I haven't tried the blend that this is compared to. But I wonder why they would try to latch on to old fame. This is a terrific tobacco. It seems to me more than capable of creating it's own reputation.

4 stars for being something I need to have on hand

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2005-08-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

After opening my tin of Solani 779 and loading up and lighting my pipe, it didn't take so long to figure out why most of our esteemed reviewers here enjoyed it. This is good stuff!

The smell in the tin is deep, dark and musty (in fact, the odor was much darker and compelling than the visual of the blend itself which was rather light.) The moisture content was perfect and the leaf needed just a very short whirl in my one speed food processor to be perfect for packing.

The latakia won't hit you like a sledgehammer but it won't feather slap your palate either. This is just a nice, bitter sweet and musty Latakia blend that stays lit well and burns evenly down to nothing but a fine gray ash. Highly recommended!

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fireball (36)	2011-03-18		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Delicious. Leaves a coating of cloves on my lips, I could smoke this at any time of day, including first thing. A mild-ish but flavoursome English, not as punchy as MM965, but far more flavour than any Rattray's I've tried, for example.

Was a little moist in the tin at first, but smokes very smooth and easily, it has intriguing, complex, subtle flavours that make me crave it.

Contains Vitamin N and is well behaved when tamping out and relighting an hour later - never bitter. I can imagine stocking up on this.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2011-01-26		Medium	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I opened the tin I had purchased in August 2008. I opened it right after the spine surgery I had on November 2010. And it was a very nice present to myself right when I got back home. Once you open the tin you are not able to detect the existence of the Latakia. It has the ideal moisture so it can be smoked right away (maybe because of the aging). The ribbon cut tobacco easily fills the bowl and it lights up in a snap, so that it can offer you a perfect taste and an ideal combination of Virginia, Oriental and Syrian Latakia. No matter how intense is your smoking it will not choke you, nor will it bite your tongue. If you smoke it calmly though, you will discover the sweetness of the Virginia and the taste of the Latakia which binds with spicy flavor of the Oriental. And all this, while smoking comfortably up until the end of the bowl, no matter how big it is.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-03-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

English Luxury Mixture #779 is described as a medium strength English blend and that it is, but not just another in the pack. This blend stands out for a lot of reasons. When you open the tin you are greeted by an aroma that is so inviting that you know this tobacco has to be something special. The color is light brown mixed with black, but overall it is lighter shades than you expect to find in an English mixture. The cut is a beautifully even ribbon. The taste right from the start is very smooth and it builds in strength as you smoke toward the middle of the bowl. This is delicious stuff and the Syrian latakia is wonderful. The Virginias are light and bright and of the highest quality. The tobacco stayed lit all the way to the bottom of the bowl and the flavor remained sweet and smooth. There was no bottom of the bowl bitterness often experienced with other English blends touted to be excellent. ELM #779 may initially strike you as pretentious, but it lives up to it's number and the associations made to a past blend of #759. This is not a replacement for the mythic Sobranie, but it is outstanding and deserves your close inspection.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-09-14		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

No way this can be considered an homage to Balkan Sobranie 759... The name would suggest so, and the colors on the tin too: Solani should be tortured for such a shameless trick!

This is an OK medium-light English blend, plesant but not memorable. I have never bought I tin but I was offered a bowl in several occasion: it never struck me as flavorful or complex enough to make me wish for a whole 50g...

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Arvel (4)	2020-06-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Ho comprato questa miscela in Svizzera, posso dire che la dicitura Luxury è sparita dal etichetta probabilmente perchè non utilizzano più latakia siriano ed in effetti durante la fumata si sente che il latakia è cipriota . Questa miscela viene descritta come un "clone" del famigerato 759, posso dire avendo fumato anche di recente il 759 originale ed avendone ancora qualche carica in cambusa , che non c'entra nulla con la miscela che cerca di imitare. Rimane comunque un ottimo tabacco dalla ottima qualità, taglio ribbon un pò grossolano, contiene poco latakia quindi non è una bomba latakiosa, sul dolce che verso metà fumata diventa più saporito e si fanno sentire di più gli orientali . Può essere un fumo tutto giorno senza troppi problemi . Miscela nel complesso ben strutturata e bilanciata.

Pipe Used: Vari

Purchased From: Dubini

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2019-03-06		Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

The room note was fairly pleasant, not extremely noticeable and didn't stink up the place like some stronger Latakia-dominant blends. I didn't get any sweetness from the Virginias and the mild Orientals were almost as tasteless as the Latakia & I didn't notice the Perique at all. However, although rather bland, the marriage of the various varietals took place at about the halfway point offering up a little bit of flavor but was exceedingly mild & rather bland for me. I guess I just prefer something a little stronger with more flavor. The burn rate was fast but smoked relatively cool. I can certainly understand why some pipers could find this appealing & I respect that & can understand why some found it rather un-pleasurable.

However, we all know that taste preferences differ considerably which is understandable & that's why we enjoy sharing opinions, right? I guess I fall somewhere in the center of the like & dislike category. Today, ten years later, I'm sure that I'd still find it a little too "wimpy" as I've come to enjoy blends that provide more of a "jolt" but that's just me. FWIW, those of you who enjoy a cool, & very mild smoke with a touch of Latakia, a goodly portion of Orientals with a pinch of mild Virginia & a smidgeon of Perique, this one's for you!

Pipe Used: Peterson Deluxe 9S & 11S

Age When Smoked: Fresh Tin

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Swiss-smoker (87)	2016-06-11		Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

A light and faint English mixture. Moisture in tin is ok for me, some may prefer to allow a short drying time. Very good stuffing, lighting and smoking conditions. My palate detects some minor casing (sweetness, among others) what I generally dislike. All developing tobacco flavours are rather pleasant and harmonious, but far too weak and faint for my personal taste. No aftertaste at all.

This mixture does not dig deep in any way. It’s a superficial everyday/anytime smoke. I would only recommend this mixture to beginners, to smokers in transition from other blend types into the world of English mixtures, and to a heavy smoker that has a pipe in his mouth all day long.

Age When Smoked: New, out of the tin.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2015-08-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Solani is expensive and there is a reason for that. They make great tobaccos! While all of their blends may not be four star ringers, all those I have tried have at least merited 3. This one is a 4 star blend all the way and is one of the finest lat (English) blends I have tried.

Fantastically balanced proportions on the standard English lineup of ingredients. None of those ingredients hog the limelight. You will not get overwhelmed with Latakia, but you will know it is there. Unlike many lat blends, this could be smoked all day. The same can be said about the orientals. The Virginias are sweet and smooth and taste like they may have a decent amount age to them.

There is not really a whole lot more I can say about it, but I loved every bowl of it I had.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (216)	2015-07-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is one of the best med. bodied lat. blends that I have tried. The orientals are a little sweet and slightly bitter. The VA's are sweet a little nutty (I think this is from the VA's). The Lat. is there, not a bomb but a nice quantity that allows the smoky, mustiness to come through and not over power the VA's or the orientals. Yet, the sum is greater than its parts. At 1 yr. it is very balanced and each of the varieties of tobacco come together in harmony that many lat. blends reach after a few years in the cellar. For this reason I think it would reach its peak in about 3-5 yrs, just my opinion; however, I will be picking up several tins to test this theory. A great blend well worth the price.

Age When Smoked: 1 yr.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2013-12-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Let me first say that my experience with #779 is based on a full tin from 2005 so it will have had some changes over the years. Solani makes some high quality blends IMO so I jumped on the chance to sample an aged tin of #779. At first light, #779 was off to a great start, offering smoky, musty and slightly sweet flavors. Unfortunately as each bowl progressed, the flavor for me went downhill. As result, I messed around with this tin for nearly a year before getting through it. The Syrian does add a nice component, but not enough to overcome the overall flavor. I think there is a casing added that while not dominate, made for a poor smoking experience and for me that was the difference. I can see why it seems to be a love or hate blend for folks, I find myself in the latter group so there won’t be a second tin in my future.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-01-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is absolutely the smoothest latakia blend I have ever smoked. That may be an overbaked statement for this tobacco, but it's true. In fact, I found that I could puff a little more vigorously than I usually do and not make this stuff bite or go bitter. Doing so actually brought out some additional flavors, although it did rough up the smoothness a little.

I like the term "English Luxury Mixture" because that's a good description of how I felt while smoking this. It's very luxurious and relaxing. Sometimes I found myself craving a little more flavor and robustness but then I have other blends to satisfy those needs. This one I think I'll keep around as a blend to kick back with and relax. It doesn't call much attention to itself - just a nice, smooth light latakia and oriental blend. Recommended for those who wear smoking jackets - it just seems to fit the profile. :)

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-04-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

After retrying this mixture 2 years after, I have noticed a significant difference in the cut and composition of this blend. And a negative one, I am afraid.

From a cut similar to the White & Black, but definitely more rubbed out, a nice mostly medium brown and black leaf,a tin aroma closer to natural tobacco combined with some Latakia and oriental; a slightly sweet taste combined with bolder VA/LA taste and an agreeable room note, this blend has evolved in an acrid, somewhat low quality smoke combined with a disastrous, very acrid room note.

I opened 3 tins in the hope of realizing I just had one bad tin but alas! all three were similar.

I do not know who made those changes. All I can say is: please, give us back to older recipe which was fantastic!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2004-05-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Although I appreciate the way 779 is balanced as a blend, for me, finally, it is not a top-tier choice for two reasons. First, I dislike the bitter undertaste. Second, this blend smokes too hot for me to compare it with the best Latakia blends I've tried.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2001-03-30		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Solani 779 is an oft overlooked English blend. The tin aroma is a nice musty English blend, that is about a 50% blend of dark and light tobacco. Good quality tobacco that packs well and lights easily. 779 projects a nice nutty smoky flavour, probably different from the use of Syrian latakia. A truly enjoyable blend that I think compares well to the 759 Balkan Sobraine that is no longer available. This tobacco is one of the best English tobaccos I have smoked recently. The Solani is priced a little steeply to be smoked all day, but it certainly is a special occassion tobacco. A must try from English tobacco lovers.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crosscountry (23)	2022-08-05		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Meh. I'm enthusiastic about English blends and Solani for their quality. I'm sure this is good quality, but I couldn't get into it. There are so many better English blends that I'd rather smoke. I ended up letting this one get too dry and now just use it to pack the bottom of a bowl for other, better blends and throw it away as dottle.

I'm sure it would be good for some who don't like heavy Balkans.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rattdogg99 (51)	2022-07-26		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A very interesting blend that's hard to describe. It has been many years since I have smoked Balkan blends but this would be a close match. The various tobaccos used in 779 are well balanced to the point that one does not overpower the others. Now the tough part of describing the taste. It taste like tobacco with a little musk and a pleasant, slightly sharp edge to it. That is all that comes to me other than to add that it is quite mellow and I like it.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: 1 yr.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Nuvoleazzurre (36)	2021-12-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Come noto Solani è uno dei marchi più famosi nel panorama tabagifero, creato da Rüdiger Lutz Will, che ha ideato questo nome “Solani” derivante dalla parola latina Solanum, da lla specie Solanacee quella della pianta del tabacco.

La latta ricorda il vecchio Balkan Sobranie, aperta osserviamo un bel ribbon variegato nelle sfumature del marrone, evidenza dei vari componenti. Interessante la prova a secco, in quanto sentiamo bene gli Orientali, il Virginia, il latakia è presente, ma in sottofondo. Questa impressione lascia perplessi, una EM povera in Latakia? Ohibò! Allora è una Balcanica, non English. Però non scoraggiamoci.

Il tabacco è abbastanza umido, ma al livello di essere fumato subito. Ritengo, però che la massima resa sia data una lieve asciugatura: un’oretta all’aria aperta.

La pipa preferita (una delle varie Billiard o Chacom o Ulrik), una bella presa di tabacco, carichiamo, portando attenzione per poter poter degustare le varie evoluzioni.

Formatasi la brace ecco che sentiamo il Virginia, ottimo terroso più che fruttato ed ecco l’affumicato del Latakia che si mescola coll’aroma precedente. Gli Orientali appaiono poco dopo come trait d’union per i due precedenti.

I tre tabacchi della miscela sanno integrarsi in modo molto intrigante poiché abbiamo una forza sempre media e una gentilezza di sottofondo. Di solito troviamo EM molto rudi se non aggressive, qui c’è una amalgama globale che mantiene toni garbati se non educati.

Mai forzare la fumata il tabacco diventa “acido”.

Se fumato in modo dolce, a fil di respiro, la miscela sa diventare anche corposa, il retronasale è piacevole, dando maggiore risalto al virginia; un ottimo contrasto: terra nel naso e affumicato in bocca.

Più la fumata va avanti e più i tipi di tabacco sanno declinarsi ora uniti, ora isolati, un bel giro di valzer.

Una miscela costruita in modo intrigante. Il Latakia non è predominante, certo si discosta dalla media delle EM, ma è presente, sa farsi percepire, senza essere preponderante. E pre un amante del Latakia come me so essere appagato. 

In questa disamina ho parlato poco degli orientali, ma è giusto; passata la percezione olfattiva a crudo, nella pipa si pone in ultimo piano, e serve da unione delle due tipologia principali di tabacchi dando forza al Virginia e donando morbidezza la Latakia.

Una bella EM, da fumare in tranquillità anche senza impegno. Ci vuol un tabacco da passeggio ogni tanto.

Può essere il secondo gradino per quel fumatore che entra nel mondo delle EM dopo aver fumato altre miscele più facili e gentili. Da avere in Kambusa.

Voto 4,8/5

Pipe Used: Chacom, Ulrik, Savinelli, Peterson

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2019-01-05		Very Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Back in 2009, I bought a tin of this just out of curiosity figuring I'd be in for a real treat. I had tried a few of Solani blends already & was quite pleased with them & especially liked the Silver Flake #660. I noticed that this blend had received some really good as well as some bad reviews. Oh well, I'll take a chance on it anyway. At the time, I was mostly into VA/Pers & VA/Burs as well as straight Virginias but thought I'd give a mild Latakia blend a trial run. This blend produced a mild & smooth smoke without any bite. Back then, I couldn't handle the heavy Latakia stuff. This mix was very mild & if not for the smoke and Latakia smell, it seemed to me like pulling on an unlit pipe... really wimpy & bland to me even after I got down to the halfway point. I almost went into shock & couldn't believe that Solani could turn out something I didn't like very well.

The room note was fairly pleasant, not extremely noticeable and didn't stink up the place like some stronger Latakia-dominant blends. I didn't get any sweetness from the Virginias and the mild Orientals were almost as tasteless as the Latakia & I didn't notice the Perique at all. However, although rather bland, the marriage of the various varietals took place at about the halfway point offering up a little bit of flavor but was exceedingly mild & rather bland for me. I guess I just prefer something a little stronger with more flavor. The burn rate was fast but smoked relatively cool. I can certainly understand why some pipers could find this appealing & I respect that & can understand why some found it rather un-pleasurable.

However, we all know that taste preferences differ considerably which is understandable & that's why we enjoy sharing opinions on Tobacco Reviews, right? I guess I fall somewhere in the center of the like & dislike category. Today, ten years later, I'm sure that I'd still find it a little too "wimpy" as I've come to enjoy blends that provide more of a "jolt" but that's just me. FWIW, those of you who enjoy a cool, & very mild smoke with a touch of Latakia, a goodly portion of Orientals with a pinch of mild Virginia & a smidgeon of Perique, this one's for you!

Pipe Used: Peterson System 312

Age When Smoked: Fresh Tin

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rob73 (77)	2016-10-30		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Maybebecause of two unfortunate tins, but 779 is more a Cavendish-based tobacco: almost no Latakia and poor Orientals and Virginia. The same "cardboard taste" i felt in some recent tins of Early Morning and 965. I don't know if I'll try these mixtures again. 2,5/5 in my personal rating system.

Purchased From: Dubini, Chiasso (Switzerland)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CoolPilot (69)	2014-12-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another english blend, another blend that someone find similar to the myth (Balkan Sobranie). Another brand which is lacking enough orientals to make it any special. Another blend with excellent latakia and blended carefully, perfectly lighting up. Not so strong, not so mild. But not memorable. Simply, too many other blends around are all very similar each other. This is not any special.

Pipe Used: savinelli champagne

Age When Smoked: 2 y

Purchased From: Dubini, CH

Similar Blends: many, many other english blends..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Vladlon (7)	2012-11-07		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

One of the best tobaccos I've ever sampled. All components are fused in incredible sense of perfection. You not feel it one by one , you not smoke this,you drink the the taste.It's very well balanced mixture. Just don't be a rush - a taste is gone as you speeding up....

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2012-02-19		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Tolerable

Smells like cinnamon, nutmeg, carnation and pepper.You will discover more as you go.Tastes fantastic.Won't bite.I strongly recommend to cellar at least 2 tins ,i have saved five for myself. Great tobacco!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2011-10-17		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

When I first started smoking English blends I loved this blend. However its been several years since I've smoked some so I decided to grab a tin a few weeks ago.

The first thing I noticed was the strong berry topping ( very similar to Peterson University Flake). If I were to guess, I'd say it was a black currant flavoring. This is a great tobacco and the Syrian Latakia is great but the topping is just too much. My tin has been opened for a couple weeks and the topping seems to be increasing in strength. This would be a 4 star blend if it wasn't for the topping.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-02-08		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

i love english blends and this is a very fine mild english blend.if you are into latakia like me, get it.you wont regret it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-04-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Preface: I have been smoking Dunhill Standard Mixture Medium for near-on 30 years, believing that it has no equal anywhere on earth. But it is gone now, and so I begin a quest for my Holy Grail: A substitute to replace the standard on which all English tobaccos are based:

779 is a good, honest, medium to full English blend. For once, a tin description has it right: "A hearty blend which is easy on the tongue". The tin aroma is rich and wonderful. The tobacco was a bit too dry for my preferences, but nothing on the scale of some newer American blenders who shall remain nameless. Burning too fast, just when we were getting started, the trip was over. It doesn't have the time to develop something wonderful, which would give it the 4th star. For drier tobacco enthusiasts looking for a good honest English, this would be a fine place to start. Slightly fuller than Squadron Leader and King Charles, but in the same vain, save for the dryness. The strength is perfect for an after-meal smoke. 779 contains none of the harshness associated with the more robust Balkan blends. Decidedly English.

It is also relatively expensive, which will likely have an impact on it's popularity.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stacey (40)	2008-04-21		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Updated on 4/21/08

I recently opened a new tin of this and immediately smoked a bowl and at first was dismayed - I couldn't taste the Syrian. I thought the quality was down hill. It tasted like an orange that had no sugar content. I was so dismayed that I wrote Steve Monjure and asked if the blend had changed. He said it hadn't. Then, out of curiosity, I tried it again and it was better. I noticed it had dried a bit, hmmm, Thag's got an idea forming in his head. I dried it for almost a day and this stuff was back to sublime! It was just amazing, the stuff was too wet. That is a first for me, because usually I find that a dry tobacco loses it's flavor. Not so with this one. This stuff is now my hands down favorite and I prefer it a bit over Balkan Sobranie. It's that good!

Original Review Follows

Picked this up at the pipe shop and was pleasantly suprised by this one. Smoked three bowls in a row and each one tasted great and competed well with the other guys smoking cigars. This packs, lights and smokes easily. No re-lighting necessary at all and it gives up big puffs of fairly dense smoke most of the way. Burns fairly quickly and tastes great. Most tobaccos I taste one day and not the next. It's hard to imagine that I would ever not taste this one. I'm not sure if the extra kick is from the orientals or not but this one seems loaded with Syrian to me, a good thing indeed. At least it seems to have more than the HH Vintage Syrian that I have on hand now. I like that one too but this is definitely the stronger of the two and that earns it an extra star in my book. In short, this smoke is mesmerizing and just flat awesome!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dubinthedam (133)	2008-04-13		Medium	Mild	Very Full	Pleasant

I am a novice to english blends, but I have to say this a top quality baccy, period, english, mild or not, the fruity (apple/apicote sauce) and edible qualities just goes so well with the latakia in this blend. I find it almost amazing that it works so well. The fruitiness begins to fade at the end leaving a lovely slightly bitter sweet latakia. Top marks, this will be a favorite for a long, long time.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2006-09-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend is extremely good, it tastes like good tobacco, you can barely make out the Latakia despite the fact that there is a fair proportion of it. This is natural tobacco at its best!!! Solani has pulled a brilliant performance with this blend.

The blend has tones of medium brown and black, with occasional shades of golden brown. It smells like rich, good yummy natural tobacco and the Latakia smell is not predominant. The cut is average, it packs very well and burns extremely well. I still remember the first time I smoked this I just said to myself "Wow! So this is what real tobacco tastes like!" There is this little sweet tone that lasts for a while, then slowly fades away.

This is not a strong blend, for an English blend, but as I just mentioned, you understand that it's not too flat like a blend like Rattray's no 7 would be (a great blend, but it's a light English blend, so perfect for anyone who wants to start venturing into English blends). 779 blend is fit for beginners in the English blends and represents a nice change of pace for the experienced smoker, never strong like My mixture 965 or Nightcap ( those blends are gorgeous, but I just can't smoke them, the strongness just cuts off my fun, I can barely finish my pipe full so I'm staying away from those blends now).

779 Blend would compare, in terms of strength, to Sasieni Balkan Mixture, but in way less dark in terms of tobacco colour.

I highly recommend Solani Luxury English, it is luxurious and tastes like good, natural tobacco. It's great!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	stoic066 (7)	2006-06-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

It is a fantastic tobacco!

I love virginia tobaccos but cannot smoke them regularly because they rough up my tongue. This one has great virginia and just enough other tobaccos to smooth it out.

779 is my number one blend at the moment although the quest for a holly grail of pipe tobaccos is not over yet.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kbosi (16)	2006-01-26		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a great blend that will only get better with age. Very smooth English blend.

01/25/206- Opened a tin that I had celled since January 2004. Well I was right . 2 Yrs. age on it and it tasted great.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-07-07		Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

Just the fact that the tin resembles the Balkan 759 one can be considered quite offensive. The blend itself is an abuse to the word "English mixture". Syrian latakia? Sure, but after a bleach treatment. It burns too hot and the taste lasts for a few puffs, then disappears making place to a sour taste. Not for me.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2004-10-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I won't downgrade this blend because I don't smoke it every day. I am going easy on the English-type blends these days so I can better appreciate all the teriffic Virginnia Flake types. I find that if you smoke any English (Latakia, Perique, or Oriental) before the lighter, sweeter types you can't savor the milder tobaccos as well. When I get back into the English types, this will most likely be right up there with 965, Presbyterian, Squadron Leader, Pelican, Blackpoint, and many others. Among all the fine English blends the 779 does stand out as somewhat unique. I also agree that moisture content has a good deal to do with the enjoyment of this and many other tobacco mixtures. I smoked some Dunhill Med. English that had become quite dry a while back and it became quite acrid due to faster burning. Since it burns faster, the percieved strength is much greater. I will go along with a 9 out of 10 rating. The only real downside is many good competitors and a bit hard to find compared to Dunhill, C&D, G.L. Pease, and McClelland.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2004-09-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This is heaven! I tried this tobacco because of the good reviews here. They are right! My tobacco-dealer here in Holland ordered 5 tins for me. He tried one for himself and now he will be ordering it for his shop, for himself and for me! It has it all. It is a delicious marriage of tobacco's. The taste is absolutly not-chemical. The latakia is present but surely not overwhelming. For those who likes the English this is a "must-try".

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2004-06-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

December 2003.Solani 779. I fell in love with this tobacco from the very first puff. Not as strong as Balkan Sobranie,Dunhill's Night Cap,Greg Peases Oddysey,Penzance or Balkan Sasieni. It offers all those nice qualities but in a gentler more serene way,but still delivers a depth of flavour. Lights easily and is a real pleasure to the bottom of the bowl where it leaves a nice grey ash.Highly recommended. 9 out of 10.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2003-10-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

The tin artwork,the black and gold color selection and the numbering of the blend all suggest Balkan Sobranie 759. The use of Syrian latakia also recalls the long lost blend.

Like many 759 loyalists I haven't actually smoked any of the stuff for many years and tend to romanticize its qualities just as I romanticize many of the experiences and events of my youth. Nevertheless this blend met all of my expectations. The tobacco evokes rememberances of bowls past and does so quickly. Unlike many of the stronger blends that require a certain forbearance through the first one third of the smoke 779's complexity kicks in early and quite pleasantly. Blender R.L. Will hit it right with this blend and I recommend it highly.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (431)	2023-03-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Tin note of smoky sour wine. Tobacco is a ribbon cut of brown and dark brown with a little tan and black mixed in. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and moderately consistent, with notes of herbal floral, spices, smoky, sugar, bread, wood, peaty vegetation, mild incense, sour hay, spicy, earthy, leather, sweet grass, orange peel/zest, mildly savory, a tart citrus background note, and a peppery retro. Oriental/Turkish is leading with Latakia and Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 1991 Ashton Old Chruch XX Prince

Age When Smoked: 5 years

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Nick Prof. (27)	2023-02-24		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Solani 779: An outstanding English blend, a tobacco I can smoke repeatedly during the day. Some folks describe the “weaker” presence of Latakia; that’s partly true. It’s there, as much as needed along with the other quality components to make a great and unique blend. It has a “low-enough” nicotine content to be easily repeatable, but also a “high-enough” nicotine content to satisfy a nice evening or late midnight smoke; however I would not hesitate to smoke it also earlier during the day. On average, may have a bowl once every couple of days, occasionally may be repeatable on a given day. It smokes very, very well in large bowls, both straight/bent billiard, bulldog type with deep bowl, and medium-large pipes (I will not smoke this in small pipes). No need of drying time, occasionally I may leave it sit in the air for 10 minutes. I prepare it medium dense and occasionally very dense as packing in the bowl. It is smoked in many different ways, but in my opinion Solani 779 needs larger bowls. It is a moderately spicy blend, not 1-dimensional, it has the complexity that can satisfy demanding English smokers and folks who smoke pipe/cigar/cigarette. This is because the Latakia offers the smokiness, but not the nicotine so much; it is the Virginias here which give the appropriate amount of nicotine and all components work together for an outstanding result. Some notes of fruit, woodiness, earthiness are there; it is a “bitter-sweet” oriental-forward blend with a good presence of nice Virginias and the amount of Latakia that many pipe smokers are looking for, for repeatable smokes or long-duration smokes of 1+ hour.

In summary: Solani 779 is a solid 4 star blend

Pipe Used: Savinelli KS 616, 111, 122, 114, Peterson XL13

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 6 months

Purchased From: Smoking pipes.com

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	archéologue (14)	2018-05-29		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Strong

This is a fine English blend. But, the Orientals seem to take over and at times, since they tend to be crisp and spicy, a slight tongue bite may happen. Nicotine level is low and the tobacco burns well but it might require a couple of lightings. The tobacco out of the tin is on the dry side. Don't leave it too much exposed to the air.

Pipe Used: Peterson churchwarden

Age When Smoked: new

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-01-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The Latakia is a bit weak but adequate. The Virginias are a bit weak but adequate. The Orientals are exceedingly sharp. If you can make it to the 3/4 point the sharpness rounds off and it becomes a decent smoke. The problem I have with that is I paid for the whole bowl, not just the last one quarter. Not recommended.

Pipe Used: MM General

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-12-06		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I totally agree with you PersianBaccy, a pale imitation of the English mixture. Like so many imitations that are oggi.direi. There's much, much better in the international market to try. But this I would say no!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-09-25		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A flat tasting cased English mixture, who needs this? I wonder. Not enough latakia taste, it tastes of everything and nothing. The artificial tasting casing puts me off too, when I smoked an english mixture with syrian latakia I'm not looking for candy in it. This is one of the bland, flat tasting and cased english blends to avoid. Maybe this one is blended for aromatic smokers, I don't know.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	don1688 (27)	2010-03-26		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This has to be scented. Can't put my finger on what it is, but I've smelled it in another tobacco before. When first opening the tin, I wasn't sure I liked the smell. But now that it's been opened a week or so, it's actually very nice. Maybe just sugar, but I can't describe. But, definatly not just Syrian Latakia, Va and oriental weeds.

Onto the smoking. This is a moderate English in my opinion and the leaf is of high quality. If you are wanting a full, smoky Cyprian type blend you are going to find this flat. If you would like a blend that allows the Va and orientals to let themselves be known, and like Syrians lighter and spicy quality I think you'll like this one. But, don't get me wrong, you can taste Syrian in all its beauty just not a sledgehammer. I find the Latakia more prevalent in the mid-bowl phase to be more precise. But this is fine, very flavorful weed that will be in my cellar always.

Why three instead of four stars? I think McClelland's "Three Oaks Syrian" has this one beat and what I will judge all Syrian blends against. I'll keep this around because the taste/scent is different enough to make this Syrian blend unique. Recommended!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-03-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Update jan 2011: After smoking a lot of Dunhill's, Synjeco's and Sam Gawith, the Solani casing has become a little bit off putting for me, still a good tobacco, still recommended, but knocked of one star. Have 4 tins aging, will report how they fare after they have some years on them.

Update: In january /february this became my favourite after-dinner smoke. However since the good weather started in june, I have not touched it. Now I smoke mostly Virginia flakes, plugs and twists. I start to discover that my taste changes with the seasons... Anyone else has that as well?

Original test:

Nice looking gold coloured tin. Alas, here in Holland half of the beautifull "Sobranie" style engraving stamped on the lid disappears under a very ugly anti- smoking slogan. Do sticky labels really improve public health?

The tobacco is pleasantly clean to the touch although the tinnote is a bit too syruppy for me. The smooth salty tobacco taste lingers on in a nice way after smoking.

Being a lover of Latakia I like the roomnote, but as ever my girlfriend hates it :)

This Solani offering has become one of my favourite Latakia tobacco's.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2010-02-28		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Golden Label is certainly a very good Medium English made in Germany. Recommended for a trip to English Medium Mixtures before facing heavier weights.

Great quality leafs, but in the lighter side. Delicious and sweet Virginia, balanced spicey Orientals and a Syrian Latakia a little bit shy.

I agree with respected previous reviewers in the dryness and fast burning, which prevents it from deserving a better score. I experience the dryness in the mouth aftertaste as well. My favourite ones leave me an enticing chewing sensation in mouth, not this dryness (Skiff, 965 and even Balkan Sasieni and Squadron Leader)

Rdx score (10 different pipes): 89.40

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-11-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This blend produces a mild & smooth smoke without bite. I'm mainly a VA blend person but this is a pretty good English. This mix represents a good marriage of quality tobaccos and the Latakia is not overwhelming as in some stronger English blends. This mix is so mild, if not for the smoke and Latakia smell, you'd think you were just pulling on an unlit pipe. A little too bland to suit me.

Room note is fairly pleasant, not extremely noticeable and doesn't stink up the place like some stronger Latakia-dominant blends. I didn't get any sweetness from the Virginias and the mild, aromatic Orientals were almost as tasteless as the Latakia. Burn rate was fast but smoked relatively cool. If a cool, & very mild smoke with a touch of Latakia is what you're after, well, here you go! Therefore, IMHO, Solani's 779 Golden Label merits three *s!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Skando (203)	2009-02-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

Again an old tin to clear off the cabinet.

It came about '98/'99. The friend who brought me from Switzerland said: "this is the continuation of Balkan Sobranie no 759 which is no longer produced". Oh yes, the tin shows the famous picture (not the wording Balkan which is nowadays so abused...) but the contents is visually something of the like of Standard Mixture Mild and the tin aroma also reflects a mild english mixture.

I don't know how long it will take to smoke the remainder, approximately 2/3 of the tin, not if I even will finish or throw it into the garbage (or may I bake it?)

It smokes hot and wet, bites the tongue, and poorly delivers anything worth to smoke.

I will have still a couple of bowls more, but I'm just feeling this is not for me.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-11-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I have recently purchased a couple tins of this tobacco, following a hiatus of 3 years with Golden label, and was extremely disappointed after realizing that this tobacco is radically different than what is was!

As where the leaf was in an almost rubbed-out flake state, composed of mostly medium brown, black and some golden brown leaf, this tobacco is loose cut, with a lot more golden brown and green leaf than it used to be. Also, on the tin aroma side,it used to be the smell of pure slighly sweet tobacco that was a delight to smoke despite the lack of strength; now, it is an acrid tin aroma and taste.

As where I consider Black and White to be an exceptional tobacco, Golden Label has strongly disapointted me. I don't know who modified the recipe at Solani, but it was a poor idea.

This is truly a pity!

Not recommended

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2006-12-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

779 appears to be another good tobak in the Solani line. The smell of orientals and latakia are welcomed upon opening the tin. Packs and lights with ease. If too aggressive, can be acidic. Sit back and enjoy at a smooth speed. You do not have to be above mach 1 to have your hair on fire! Will only improve with time. Still my favorite birds of the Solani lines are; 633 and 763.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2005-01-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

For some reason I expected this blend to be darker in the tin than it turned out to be. Expecting a higher proportion of dark Latakia, I instead found a lighter, golden blend heavy on Virginias and Orientals. It is a beautiful mixture, with black and varying shades of brown and gold and the occasional sighting of an almost olive drab-colored leaf, presumably an oriental varietal.

The tin aroma is heavy with Orientals and Latakia. The moisture was great and the cut, well the cut was one of those that makes you pause and realize the inferiority of the cut in so many other blends you?ve been smoking. It packed nicely and burned great all the way down with nary a relight. Given the high proportion of Virginias in the blend, I braced myself for some biting. But the bites never came. 779 turned out to be a very smooth and rich smoke. That richness, or complexity, was also a surprise. From its tin appearance I expected this to be pretty standard Virginia-with-a-little-latakia-thrown-in-for-body blends like Peterson?s Old Dublin, Pease's Piccadilly, or Dunhill Early Morning Pipe. As I smoked 779, however, I realized its superiority to any of those mixtures, owing largely to the great Orientals in this blend and the use of Syrian as opposed to Cyprian Latakia.

I can't comment on the whole Balkan Sobranie comparison issue, since I never had the pleasure of the old favorite, but I can say that I find this balkan/oriental blend much superior to the current Balkan Sasieni. If this is, indeed, similar to the old BS, then I can see how that venerable blend gained such a following.

779 is a bit pricey, though, which means that before I would purchase another tin of it, I would more likely spend the same amount of money (or less) and pick up a tin of GLP Renaissance or my beloved Robert Lewis Tree Mix.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2004-08-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

As I have just realized it, tinned blends tend to become better with both a fair amount of time and drying -- this blend is no exception. I have found that of the three non-aromatic blends from Solani (this one, 633 and Black and White), all need to be smoked almost at the point when the leaves become crunchy and upon first light they are all a bit "sharp" -- I can find no other words to describe the sensation.

Also, these three blends have several characteristics in common: very different tin aroma than any other blends, a great amount of taste, smoothness, and quality through and through (after that first light).

I have read that some think this is a sleeper blend -- great, more for me! I'll stock a dozen or so tins now and let time do the rest. This is definitely not a blend for the first bowl of the day, at least for me, but can be enjoyed two or three bowl in the afternoon or evening without getting boring or overbearing. I really like having this blend around as a change of pace from some of the othe powerhouse English blends.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2004-03-30		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

My review is from a sample of 779 provided by my local tobacconist.

This is a no nonsense, full English blend of high quality tobaccos.

Everything about this says expertise: well-aged, slow burn, cool, dry, decent complexity with variation of flavors throughout the smoke, and a nice balance considering the weight the Turkish and Latakia have (which is forward). This ends in white, fine ash.

If you prefer more Virginia sweetness, 779 is not for you, though it is more so than Margate, Crown Achievement or Balkan Sasieni.

I like more of the rich, caramelized flavors from Red Rapparee, 965, Night Cap, Squadron Leader, and Brebbia's Preludio due to the higher proportion of Virginia-type leaf.

The exotic charcoals used to prepare Latakia are evident in 779 and make up its charm. A nice change to my pace.

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