-

A richer smoking mixture than our Balkan I. Same choice tobaccos, only higher in percentage of Turkish grades and Latakia.

BrandSutliff Tobacco Company
Blended ByCarl McAllister
Manufactured BySutliff Tobacco Company
Blend TypeBalkan
ContentsLatakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
FlavoringNone
CutCoarse Cut
PackagingBulk
CountryUS
ProductionCurrently available
Where to Buy TobaccoPipes.com
SmokingPipes.com
Cup O' Joes
Product Image
Strength
Mild to Medium
Flavoring
None Detected
Taste
Mild to Medium
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable

Favorite Of 1 Users

Reviews
4 star:
0
3 star:
8
2 star:
4
1 star:
0
Sort By
Please login to review this blend.
Emeritus Account Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
Emeritus Account (30167)
★★★☆
Mild to Medium Very Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a fine Balkan. Anyone who associates Ataldis with only goopy aromatics is in for a pleasant surprise.

This is oriental and latika forward but nicely balanced. Not a lat bomb bu any means. Nice sweet overtone.

This is a top notch smoke and a fine choice for an all dayer.

Give it a try.

9 people found this review helpful.

StevieB Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
StevieB (2080)
★★☆☆
Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Tolerable

Sutliff Tobacco Co. - Balkan II #512.

There's no arguing that the title Coarse Cut suits this blend well. Moisture's good, although maybe a little dry for long term storage.

The smoke has a good enough milder English flavour. I don't get the commonly found smack of smokiness, but lighter wood, and more of a wisp of smoke, from the Lat'. The Turkish gives a kind of 'dry' flavour, if that makes sense? The Virginia, although easily the lighter of the three, gives a sweetness that smoothes and mellows the smoke. I find the burn fairly good, even if it's somewhat quick, and the temperature cool.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: not particularly nice.

Although I can't say I dislike this, it bores me after a short while. So, it's lumbered with two stars:

Somewhat recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson Kinsale #XL11 P'Lip

Age When Smoked: One month

Purchased From: Cup O' Joes

8 people found this review helpful.

hoo-boy Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
hoo-boy (26)
★★★☆
Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant

A fine Balkin blend , lights and stays lit easy , burns to the bottom of bowl. No bite a tad smoother then other Balkin blends so You can smoke it all day. A good addition for your rotation I give this a 3 star rating try it and prove me wrong OR agree that's its worth a 3 star... hoo-boy

6 people found this review helpful.

Emeritus Account Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
Emeritus Account (30167)
★★★☆
Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable

This was a very descent tobacco. Not a complex or very rich English, it none-the-less was quite enjoyable. It could be bland at times but then at other times the virginias would shine through and become surprisingly good. For an Altadis blend, I found it to be a winner.

Soli Deo gloria!

5 people found this review helpful.

Capt Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
Capt (339)
★★★☆
Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable

Wide ribbon cut with a few straggling wide chunks. Great Balkan pouch note. Smoky, earthy, fragrant wood notes, and a sweet undertone.

The moisture in my 2oz pouch was perfect, not on the dry side like StevieB. Packwell, just break up any large chunks prior.

This Balkan has a certain spice note that isn't common with most of my favorite. Its spicy on the tongue, but its not unpleasant tongue bite. The orientals are floral, and pair well with the smoky and woody Latakia. A slight saltiness is always something I truly look for in a Balkan and this delivers that perfectly. The Virginia brings a nice bready sweetness to the mix.

Its been much cooler here in Michigan the past few days, dipping down into the low 50's up north. This has been a great companion with a cup of evening coffee, watching the sunset earlier and earlier each night.

I always dogged on sutliff and their goopy aromatics. But dang they make some nice solid English/Balkan blends!

3 people found this review helpful.

pipercavse Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
pipercavse (5)
★★☆☆
Extremely Mild Mild Very Mild Pleasant

If this is richer in strength than Balkan I, I'm sure glad I didn't get that one! This is very weak tasting to me. Probably would be a great all day smoke for those that like a lighter English. I guess my palatte is hard to penetrat because I do not find a blend like Night Cap terribly strong either. So take my word with a grain of salt!

Pipe Used: Mr Brog hammer #62

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: P&C

3 people found this review helpful.

Gentleman Zombie Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
Gentleman Zombie (729)
★★☆☆
Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm not terribly fond of this blend. The Turkish tobacco is a bit bland, lacking character. Too mellow with very little staying power. By the halfway point they have very nearly faded to the background. The Latakia is too light. The Virginias carry a little sweetness, but very little flavor. Having said all that, it's not quite bad enough to warrant one star. It is capable of giving a very modest amount of satisfaction. 2 stars.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

ForLord&Leaf Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
ForLord&Leaf (1)
★★★☆
Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant

Balkan II was the first Balkan style English that I smoked. While I have had better since, I still really enjoy smoking it and choose to do so often. I currently have 12 ounces cellared and will buy more when I run out.

The spicy Orientals take the lead but the Latakia plays in important role how do you smoky almost campfire aspect to the tobacco. The Virginia’s come into play in the background, Adding a sweet almost grassy flavor, especially as tobacco ages.

The room now is rather pleasant especially for an English/Balkan style tobacco. Even my friends and family members who generally dislike the smell of English tobaccos (unlike myself), comment on the pleasant smell, comparing to incense (as used at Catholic Masses). It is therefore one of the few non-aromatics that I will smoke when around non pipe smokers.

Overall, it’s a good blend, especially for the price.

Other blends I enjoy include Nightcap, Early Morning Pipe, SPC Plum Pudding, SPC Mississippi River, and PS Luxury Navy Flake.

Pipe Used: Stanwell Brushed, Flogglewerks Churchwardens

Age When Smoked: 1-4 years

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

ddmholst Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
ddmholst (23)
★★☆☆
Mild None Detected Mild Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note: smells like an English blend. Lat forward with a mild leathery smokiness.

I bought a small sample of this in bulk. Moisture level was smokable when it arrived but I always dry and put in mason jar for a month or two before sampling. It lights easy enough and stays that way. I get a taste of latakia initially that fades fairly quickly to oriental. The oriental ( I think) tastes kind of like rye bread or toasted rye seeds. The orientals dominate most of the way through then the whole thing just gets bland and harsh towards the end of the bowl.

This wasn't all that bad but there are so many more, much better tobaccos, blends like this that I will not be purchasing anymore.

Pipe Used: Various briars used only for english/balkan blends

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

DavidP Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
DavidP (25)
★★★☆
Medium None Detected Full Tolerable

This is not a complex smoke. It presents you with a woody smokiness over a rye bread crust sweetness. Smokes very easily as it arrived at an appropriate moisture level. While there isn't a whole lot going on with this one I really do enjoy it! It's akin to enjoying a simple smoked lager; simple, well-made, and simply different.

2 people found this review helpful.

Sosakan Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
Sosakan (33)
★★★☆
Medium Extremely Mild Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong

I have a few pounds of this. It is an “all day” blend for me, but as one’s tastes change...it’s not as alluring as it once was. It’s good, but there is better (Balkan Supreme). It’s smokey, sour, floral, fairly oriental forward. Not too strong, but flavorful.

1 person found this review helpful.

Green Leaf Reviewed By DateRating StrengthFlavoringTasteRoom Note
Green Leaf (15)
★★★☆
Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Strong

As a daily smoker I’m always looking for an economical smoke. Sure it’s nice to have the more expensive tobaccos but to smoke them all the time doesn’t agree with my Wallet. With that in mind I present you Balkin II. A tobacco that doesn’t ask for much but gives a lot. There is a tart flavor here. It’s almost like biting into an apple that isn’t quite ready yet. I imagine this is coming from the Latakia. A hint of a nutty flavor as well but barely noticeable. For the price you pay don’t expect much but it’s still a good smoke

Pipe Used: Hardwood

1 person found this review helpful.