Tobaccos Peretti - Royal Blend (English Blends)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2014-06-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was told by one of the guys who worked at Peretti that this product was as close to the old Balkan Sobranie as I could get. I detect several differences, e.g. the spice content is higher here and it’s a little sweeter, but it is similar in several ways, too. Rather than focus on that, I’ll write about what this is. The woody, earthy, floral, herbal, mildly buttery, dry, sour Yenidje (different than that used in the old Balkan Sobranie) is enjoyably obvious in every puff as are the other zesty, earthy, woody, herbal, vegetative, spicy sweet and sour Orientals, which are the star flavors. The Cyprian Latakia is lightly sweet with the smokey, woodsy, earthy, musty aspects one expects it to have, and is the second star in this blend’s firmament. The Virginias play a supporting role with some tart citrus, and mild grass notes as it's drowned out a little by the other components. The strength and nic-hit are medium, while the taste is a step past that mark. Won't bite or get harsh, but it does have a few rough edges. Burns at a moderate rate with a cool, clean very consistent mildly sweet and very savory, floral, spicy flavor from top to bottom. Hardly requires a relight. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Has a very pleasant after taste that lingers a little. The room note is not everybody's liking. Is almost an all day smoke for the experienced smoker.

-JimInks

27 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2014-01-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Royal Blend is one of two excellent Oriental blends (the other being Tashkent) from LJ Peretti in Boston. It has a wonderful musty, slightly smoky scent and in the pouch. I like Yenidje a lot and IMO it is the star of Royal Blend. The Latakia and Virginias play a supporting role with the Virginias offering a little sweetness. It is stronger in “N” than some of the other Oriental blends on the market I have tasted, but shouldn’t bowl over most pipe smokers. Royal Blend has a bit more body too. It burns cleanly with no moisture build up, but I find its best not to push it. RB is also one of those blends that cellars well too and as such occupies a few spots in my cellar.

Age When Smoked: New, and up to 6 years

Purchased From: LJ Peretti

26 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldmanpipe (62)	2006-10-07		Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Strong

Only in the past few months have I discovered L.J. Peretti, after 35 years of pipe smoking. The shop is in Boston and my smoking years have been spent in the midwest, which could explain taking so long to discover this fine old shop. I can only thank this website for the introduction.

The gentlemen at Peretti's are especially vigilant about not divulging the inner workings of their blends, especially to newcomers. But their website is frank about Royal Blend containing a high measure of Yenidje tobacco. That alone was enough for me to place an order; my first truly satisfying smoking experience was with Balkan Sobranie's Original Mixture. For those who have never tasted that classic blend, you have missed Heaven in a pipe.

Royal Blend is as close as one can come today. To expect any blend to be EXACTLY like any other is folly; many secrets are taken to the grave. Any great tobacco mixture (and Royal is certainly among these) is far more than the sum of its parts. Whatever the constituent parts of Peretti's Royal Blend might be, they are brought together with unusual care and finesse, resulting in a rich, full, fascinating tobacco.

Best smoked after a rich evening meal, Royal Blend will introduce itself with a powerful handshake of Latakia, followed with the Turkish Yenidje. The Virginias can be recognized in the background, but only if one knows they are there. Lacking any English sweetness or piquancy, Royal is a Balkan blend, period.

Certain to win many friends among Latakia and Turkish smokers, Royal blend is a sure bet to lose as many among people who hate any tobacco smoke, let alone one as full as this.

But with friends like those, who needs friends?

Four out of four stars.

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2017-05-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

steelcowboy hit the nail on the head with his review of Royal Blend, it is indeed as stout an Oriental forward mixture that I have ever smoked. I have not actually smoked this one in some years, but have just ordered a dozen Peretti offerings based solely on the fact that I've not had them in awhile and always appreciated them. Royal Blend has depth all over the place, due in part to the top shelf and obviously well aged Yenidje. The Latakia was there, but softly and the Virginia, typical of Peretti, was of quality and a nice amount of depth. Not a smoke that will take you over the top, but will take you to the edge with excitement.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2015-06-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Looks and smells like Balkan Sobranie in the bag. Then again, we smokers have been promised dupes of that blend for years and, while some are sort of close, none of them could reasonably be called matches. That includes this one.

I think of Balkan blends as those with a heavy dose of orientals to the front, the latakia being a close second, followed by the Virginias to the rear. Royal Blend fits that category. The Yenidje is up front and this oriental has an almost mutualist relationship with latakia - the two always bring out the best in each other. I think there's an awful lot of Yenidje floating around in blends these days where the oriental variant simply isn't specified. In Royal Blend, the latakia is heavy enough to take advantage of this symbiotic process but doesn't overwhelm the Yenidje. So those two are working well. My one issue with this blend is the lack of Virginia sweetness. The original Balkan Sobranie had this (and a "soda note" that reviewer Jiminks so aptly described) and the blend was both sweet in a non-phony way and had a tastebud jump factor that I have yet to see duplicated. This is a very good blend, but should be taken on its own merits. However, in so doing, that Peretti-esque tendency of having Virginias that lack character and sweetness still hits me as this one's Achille's Heel. Even while this blend is supremely smokable, it doesn't make my rotation. But I do recommend giving this a spin if you love Yenidje and how it interacts with latakia (and vice versa).

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Phonomet (44)	2014-01-25		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

After so many glowing comments about Peretti's on the pipe forums, I decided to give this one a try, particularly after one member said this is the closest blend to the old Balkan Sobranie. My 8oz order came in a snazzy old fashioned can. When you pry off the paint-can lid the tobacco is firmly packed with a plastic bag liner. It took me a couple bowls to begin enjoying the smoke. I could taste some amazing flavors but it was rather harsh. I took the tobacco out of the paint can and let it breath a bit. This made all the difference.

What a tobacco! A lot of zingy high notes penetrate the palate balanced by a profound latakia. Boldly blended, it toes the line of astringency allowing for a full magnificent flavor. Smoothness can be found, but it's more on the leathery end of the spectrum than buttery.

I recommend you take a break from your normal tobacco retailers, give the brash Bostonians a call and get some of this tobacco! The guy taking your order may sound like he's doing you a favor by filling your order...but after trying this blend I realized that he is.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	incendio (45)	2016-07-12		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This is the first time I can recall that I have been immediately tempted to smoke a second bowl. This is one of those classic English blends that I will forever incorporate into my rotation. A very noble mixture, with considerable depth of character. The components are exquisitely balanced between the Virginias, perfumed Orientals, and the spicy, leathery Latakia. Delicious, and in no dimension lacking.

The cut is rather large, and rough-looking, and so packs perfectly. After a few minutes of drying it smoked perfectly. There was very very little condensation within the pipe, and no sour or bitter off-notes.

This blend that you don't tire from. Another odd observation about this (and a few of the other non-aromatic blends from Peretti I am presently sampling) is that it does not burn the tongue under any condition (at least, none I employ). Nor does this blend leave an after-taste in the mouth after smoking. Unexpected!

I would say that this blend resembles Ashton's Artisan's Blend, but with a little less body, and certainly great complexity. A blend I look forward to experiencing for many years to come.

Pipe Used: Butz-Choquin lovat

Age When Smoked: recently purchased - bulk

Purchased From: J.L. Peretti - mailorder

Similar Blends: A province in the triangulation of Balkan Sobranie, Dunhill My Mixture 965, and Ashton's Artisan's Blend, with excellent, unique qualities of its own..

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-12-09		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Royal Blend reminds me of what many a Balkan used to be,15 years ago. This one is quite full and rich as the name Royal Blend implies.

Appearance: Upon very close inspection I can detect at least 5 different hues of leaf in this mixture Red and Lemon Virginias are in abundance, darker browns of Oriental with nearly jet black Latakia. The cut is a somewhat varied rough ribbon cut.

Tin aroma: This is one the most complex mixture I have ever encountered. It immediately says ?Balkan? in a very rich and full variety. The Virginias are evident, with rich earthy tones and under-currents of fig/raisin and cocoa. The smoky Cyprian Latakia makes the main statement, complex and enticing, plenty of smokiness with underlying astringent tones of bergamot and sandalwood. Just under the surface I detect the Orientals giving the mixture?dryness? and lending even greater depth to the mélange of flavors. Finally, we have what is said to be a large amount of Yenidje.

This tobacco is nearly perfect in moisture and I employed the ?once like a baby, once like a lady, finally like a gentleman? method of layered packing.

Lighting usually is easy, and with a friendly ?lighting tamp? I was well on my way. As expected, the initial flavor is very smoky with an astringent (very gently so) quality I?ve come to expect from Orientals. Latakia and Orientals tend to live ?nasally? for me, so I often employ the ?French curve? method of inhaling the slipstream smoke. The Virginias and Yenidje set a firm background and foundation on which the Latakia and Orientals build. This blend slowly builds in flavors and complexity with each puff.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the fullness tends to build and the flavors gaining intensity in unison. The initial strength of the Latakia is slowly giving way to other components, the Orientals slowly numbing (not at all in a bad way) my soft pallet and nasal regions. Flavors and scents of bergamot and sandalwood, leather and smoke are abundant and rich. The Virginia comes through a bit more assertively from time to time with rich fruity and sweet tones. Each mouthful is slightly different and unexpected tones creep gently in from time to time. Royal Blend is complex almost in the extreme, requiring my full attention. Somehow it remains subtle and constantly changing it is a contemplative smoke.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, I?m pleasantly taken to that place far from the daily grind and it's troubles. The fullness and character of this blend really come into their own during this final stretch. The Virginias have deepened to a wine like goodness and the Latakia and Oriental has widened yielding leather and forest tones. While not particularly strong in nicotine the final third of the bowl is far fuller in flavors and depth than one might expect from where the blend begins. Layer upon layer of flavor develop and by the home stretch I can't imagine wanting more. Royal Blend finds the perfect balance of refinement and power, is never harsh and has plenty to satisfy even the most discerning of palates.

Peretti are one of the oldest tobacconists in the United States. They have a fine lineup of English/Balkan mixtures.

Supplemental Notes: In my humble opinion, Pirette's offer fine blends that stand side by side with GLP and other top blenders of our time. Rating for those interested in numbers **+

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BostonPipe (84)	2004-01-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Another winner from L.J.'s. The blend is a ribbon-cut that packs easily and seldom needs a re-light. The Yenidje leaf definitely interplays with the Virginia and Oriental throughout the course of the smoke, gaining intensity toward the second-half, never in a cloying or overpowering manner. I seldom need more than one relight if I tamp as I go. It burns to a nice white ash without a moisture issue.

I like to smoke this blend in one of my older Charatan, "Extra Large" pipes with a good cup of black Kenyan coffee. A Great "End of the Day" smoking experience.

=I feel the need to update my measure of this blend. I do find this blend to be more of a "Balkan" than an "English" type. However, after sampling various balkan blends over the past several years, I am always drawn back to this blend. While I still enjoy several of the McClelland Orientals, this is my first choice of this genre.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (221)	2020-10-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I like these balkan type blends and this one may be the best I’ve tried . The Yendije Turkish is to my liking as most Oriental varietals are . The blend is buttery and smokey and has a citrus sweetness . A little spicy at times .Not pepper spice but Cooking spice like Oregano and basil and Parsley. The Orientals are forward but plenty of Latakia and Virginias for balance . Herbal and floral . Very smooth and easy to smoke . It doesn’t change much , when you fire it up you know what you are going to get . I would say you have to love Orientals to get this blend . Not the average English blend for sure . Not the average Balkan blend either . Very funky . 4 stars /- RB has the tastiest orientals out there and Margate has the finest Latakia I have smoked . So mixed together, the wow factor is off the charts . Try it .

Similar Blends: Blackhouse but more Turkish forward ..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Perique (163)	2017-01-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Royal, like all Peretti products, arrives dry and ready for immediate smoking. And like many Peretti tobaccos, the presentation is a ribbon cut by hand, chunky and irregular, covering the entire spectrum of light to dark browns. Tin note is intoxicating, with a melange of spicy, herbal, smoky, and sweet aromas. There is a hint of sweetness on the charring light that in the true light melds into more distinct spicy and woody Yenidje flavors, a whisp of smoky Latakia, and a detectable measure of Virginia sweetness that lends an herbal tone to the overall flavor profile.

Royal smokes so dry that it's difficult to classify as an English blend. The Virginia here is masterfully woven into the tapestry of this blend. The smoke is cool and dry, the mouthfeel creamy and coating, the burn slow and easy. This seems to me to be Tashkent, or perhaps No. 40, with the addition of Virginia.

So smooth-smoking that Royal could be an all-day choice. Yet there's enough complexity here for a more contemplative evening smoke. A world-class tobacco.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theodore Moore (14)	2014-12-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is truly a top blend with a wonderful room note. It leans a little to the dry, sour, slightly-heady side of things and comes up a tad short in slip stream complexity which I'm always searching for. Not that it doesn't score very well in this department, but is more sour-piquant as opposed to a rich, full spectrum of flavors, if you know what I mean. This no doubt comes from the yenidje and like other blends that lean on this leaf, Royal Blend also lists to port in this regard. While I think this blend must take a back seat to Hearth & Home's - "White Knight" in overall balance and complexity, it is still in the lead car; and others may very well find this more to their palatal preference than mine. This blend also beats out most of Pease's Balkan blends by a mile. IMHO, TR's overall 3.7 star rating is spot on.

Similar Blends: Balkan Sasieni.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	W.B. (13)	2014-07-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

having returned to pipe smoking after a 20 year hiatus (after 20 years as a pipe smoker) I am compelled to write a brief review of Peretti's Royal blend. In my return to pipe smoking I have started in the places where I I left off: English blends such as Dunhill standard, 965 etc as well as 1Q and Peretti's 432 (similar, but despite what others have written, vastly superior to 1Q). In any event, I was happy to discover Frog Morton's Cellar. It is a wonderful smoke!. I Finally got around, however, to order a lb. of Royal Blend. I had smoked this blend so many years ago. While it is expensive, and while cellar is terrific, there is no contest. Royal blend is, in my view the perfect English style blend. Not so overwhelming on the Latakia that it is oppressive but, truly, much more flavorful than Frog Morton. It comes very tightly packed and is at the perfect moisture level. The flavor is more pronounced than Frog Morton but not completely different. So, if you like Frog Morton's Cellar ( which every pipe smoker should try) I think that you will find that Royal Blend is similar but more enjoyable. When my next 100G tin of Frog morton is gone I may just re-soak the stave and put it in the Royal blend tin!

Pipe Used: L'anatra Poker

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: L.J. Pertetti

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Bombadill (121)	2009-06-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This mixture has something special in it that makes it outstanding. There's a slight salty, almost sweat-like tang to the taste and room-note that is out of this world. This is the first blend I've tried that is so delicious and satisfying I simply have to get some more! I am a long time cigar smoker who started smoking pipes in December '08. I've tried several Peterson aromatics and other Peretti American and English blends and this is the first one that just blew me away!

Fantastic!

UPDATE 09/11/10: I just finished another bag of this stuff which means I've smoked two in the intevening years since my initial review. I still find this to be an OUTSTANDING oriental from first to last puff and bowl. An excellent, excellent blend I could smoke all the time except I'm still sampling blends from all over.

Of interest: Perretti says this and Oriental #40 are their closest blends to the mythical, long-lost Balkan Sobtranie.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gew1898 (8)	2021-04-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Ever since this sight turned me on to Peretti’s oriental forward blends I have been hooked. I started with Tashkent and Oriental Nr.40. I then ordered Omega and Royal. Not being a lover of Virginias I was expecting to be less enthusiastic about this blend than I was about Tashkent and Oriental Nr.40. Having now tried Royal, I can say that I love this concoction. The Virginias that are in this blend are only just detectable but they don’t seem sweet, as Virginias most often are, they are hardly even noticeable. The Virginias might increase the nic. levels a bit. The real beauty of this blend lies in the wonderful interplay between the fragrant orientals and the musty Latakia. The orientals seem to be different, or at least in different in proportion, than either Tashkent or Oriental Nr.40. The Latakia isn’t so heavy as to overpower the orientals. This is a truly beguiling blend of tobaccos.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 616

Age When Smoked: One month

Purchased From: L.J. Peretti.

Similar Blends: White Knight.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2020-10-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I bought an ounce of this about 4 yrs ago and just recently smoked through it. I only really bought this upon the recommendations of others while placing a large order and I am glad that I only purchased on ounce. This was not to my personal liking, but still was far from bad.

I have gotten to the point where these VLOs (Virginia, Latakia, Oriental blends) that are sharp and edgy and mostly sour are too tiresome on my palate and I find this to be amongst that variety. I tend to prefer the "creamy and smoky" or the "really sweet with a touch of sour and smoke" varieties.

In this blend, I had pinpointed the oriental used as yenidje before I knew it was in the blend. I find it a distinct flavor to pick out. I do not really like the taste of this leaf, particularly when it is used in a relatively large quantity, but the aroma from the sidestream is out of this world. Such is the case with this one and the primary reason I did not care for it. I found the Yenidje to be too assertive for my tastes, but sniffing the pipe bowl as it burned was a pleasure. So I will leave this at a 2.5 rounding up to 3 stars.

Age When Smoked: 4 yrs 7 mths

Purchased From: Peretti

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	1979 (62)	2017-10-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Peretti's - Royal

I'm finding, particularly toward the beginning of the bowl, the same sort of light sweetness I found in Tashkent, but dialed back a notch.  Also the same sort of leathery but dialed back a couple notches.

This smoke is more astringent, with a certain piquancy that I'm having a little trouble conjugating.  I notice, particularly on a snork, this flavor of rye (bread, not whiskey) that I'm really enjoying and some yenidze spice. Again, the latakia is well balanced, here almost to the point of subtlety, and I like how it and the oriental varietal get along (as DK has already expounded upon nicely).  The flavors give way from the slight leathery at the start, to the light toasted grainy rye thing in the middle, to a pleasant understated buttery sweetness towards the end.  At times this blend has a certain clean, almost refreshing quality about its taste and mouthfeel.  Nicotine hit is more to the mild side.

This is my third Peretti's blend and they're batting a thousand so far, so to say.  This one is an elegant, aptly named blend, exactly the sort of tobacco triumph I always hope for.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	riobrew (80)	2016-07-03		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Well had the Peretti Royal Blend yesterday and this morning. It's great. The Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia are a Nice blend. The latakia is second to the oriental. Which is strange because you smell the latakia in the bag but when light up the oriental is the front. Mild taste burn with one light to a clean ash. I've read some call this a Balkan blend. I can't wait to try others of Peretti blends. Will probably get more of this. Highly recommend this blend. Hope you fine the useful.

Pipe Used: Peterson Aran Pot

Age When Smoked: Just received by mail from Peretti

Purchased From: L J Peretti

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Iron Word (4)	2014-10-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

The initial note from this blend got my hopes up for something spectacular but i was quickly let down. i got a peppery smell that reminded me of 3 oaks syrian but is changed to a a nasty taste in my mouth that i can only describe as ashy. Maybe this blend needs to "sit" for a while im not sure. The orientals smell nice but the balance tips of to something else. When i left the room and cam back for a relight i detected a strange smell that i could not describe, not bad just odd. I tried the relight to see if it would be different but it was more of the same. I would say look elsewhere after paying for shipping and whatnot there are better tobaccos out there. I will come back in a few months to update. i smoke black house, balkan sobriane, blue mountain, golden sliced type tobaccos. i would rate this on a scale from 1 - 10 as a 5

Pipe Used: Savanelli billiard

Purchased From: Peretti

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wellpipe (66)	2012-02-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

There are two things I love about all of the Peretti blends I have tried so far: 1) The high quality tobaccos used and 2) the ready to smoke right now moisture level. Royal blend is no exception in either of these aspects and the flavors of this tobacco blend are fantastic - rich, smooth, slightly sweet and buttery. Aptly named - no king or emperor ever smoked anything finer than Royal Blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	derlict311 (71)	2011-06-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This was from my first order of Peretti's tobacco's...others being 333, Tashkent, Oriental #40, and Omega. Each one is excellent. Each one is worth buying and having on hand. I've read that every Peretti's tobacco is top quality and now I have the evidence to dutifully recommend their product.

Royal Blend is high class, snooty, pipe snob blend. And deservedly so. It's very good. It also happens to be the most accessible of the five I ordered. By my way of thinking, any pipe smoker would apprecitate the half hour of smiling that this baby brings on. The Yenidje leaves sprinked in it have no equal and are pure music to the palate. It made me want to pick up a brush and paint a mountain or something(I don't paint), or write a poem (I hate poetry). I very strenously recommended it. Four stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-10-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

The only Balkan blend that I smoke these days. Yes, it reminds me of the Sobranie's Original Mixture but I certainly don't mistake it for that classic blend.

Love the type of leaf used and the proportions. This tobacco is fairly smooth and cool smoking for me but it does contains a light colored virginia base. So it can smoke too hot if drawn too hard.

I have a one year old tin and aging these Peretti blends does help diminish the rough edges like it would any others.

Update:

As much as I like this blend I've given up on it. This tobacco always gets too hot about 5 minutes into a pipefull. It's a shame because I love the components, it's aroma in the tin and while burning. It's just too damn hot.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ravkesef (12)	2023-04-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Back in the day, I smoked Balkan Sobranie (the Original) almost exclusively, and had an ongoing mail-order subscription. There are some imitators, and without mentioning brand names, a couple that come close, but IMHO, this one comes as close to the original as is possible these days. The Yenidje and other orientals give a wonderful bit of sour tang to the tobacco, and while the Latakia isn’t what it was, this tobacco holds an honored place on my rotation. For those who are searching for an English blend that brings back the good old days, this may be the tobacco for you.,

Pipe Used: Charatan, Dublin

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: L. J. Peretti

Similar Blends: Balkan Sobranie (1970s).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hobo Piper (8)	2021-03-14		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Let me stary by saying that I am on a quest to find my favorite balkan blend. My requirements are that i want it to have a full complex taste, medium or more strength, some sweetness but most importantly I want it to start out with a tantalizing sort of zing to the tastebuds and meld on from there. Royal blend is an excellent Balkan blend. It is woody, smokey, slighly saltted buttery and has a little sweetness, grass and spice. It builds to a little deeper interplay as you get down the bowl and then melds into a singular woody taste. Royal Blend however doesn't start with a tantalizing zing to my taste buds. Its kind of starts off how i want my ideal balkan to be about midbowl. That is its only fault. If you dont need that more agressive jumpstart at first light this may be a winner for you. The taste and mouth feel is medium. The nic hit is mild to medium. Edited to add there is a slight peppermint topping

Similar Blends: White knight.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	jackgowild (9)	2020-03-23		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am a Huge fan of Peretti tobacco . i have tried several of the blends and have been to the store many time while in Boston. this blend has many of the flavors that i like , it is a nice well balanced English style blend. I would say its half way down the list of my favorites from them . give it try. as with all there products they are very well crafted with great ingredients . its a 3.2 in my book

Pipe Used: pipa croci , castello sea rock

Purchased From: LJ Perettis online and store

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cedombek (3)	2018-07-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

40 years of pipe smoking have led me to this point. I’ve been in search of a replacement for Balkan Sobranie for most of that time. Upon recommendation of a friend I have tried Perretti‘s royal mixture and proclaim it the closest I’ve found to the original Balkan Sobranie. The flavor of the Orientals comes through as a buttery sweetness that is most pleasing. The Latakia is perfect albeit Cyprian.

Pipe Used: 40 year old Peterson Standard System

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Peretti

Similar Blends: Balkan Sobranie , Blue Mountain.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	corncobcolombiano (9)	2015-12-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Royal Blend has been my favorite balkan for a couple years now, and among my top period. I have tried many of the best rated balkans on this forum, and am always trying new and comparing, but this blend does my palet right! (I favor balkans, english, straight virginias most of the time). This is a wonderful blend with the right combinations and perhaps the Yenidje is indeed the star of the blend, as it plays with the latakia and virginia. Such a deep, rich, rewarding balkan. In my opinion, it's worth your time and could turn into a daily smoke. I have noticed differences in batches, but do believe it is probably simply a difference in age. My most recent batch now has over a year and a half in a jar with me and I can tell and enjoy the age.

Purchased From: Peretti

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lochinvar (78)	2014-10-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is my favorite blend from Peretti. Oriental is the main note here and it is awesome. From the first light the Yenidje takes center stage, with Latakia and Virginia playing base. The note from the Orientals are dry, pinching way up in the sinuses, with curry and bitter orange notes. Think incense over smoky sweet leather.

Similar Blends: Rattray Red Rapparee..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-10-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

This is simply one of the best (tied with Dunhill London Mixture & Three Oaks Syrian) English/ Balkan blend you can buy. It is absolutely delicious and the Turkish tobacco used is unlike anything I have ever tasted. It has a very luxurious buttery mouthfeel and has plenty of nicotine. Peretti blends are at the perfect moisture level for immediate smoking BUT they tend to dry out fast so make sure you have a way to keep it moist or order a small amount at a time.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tripjoker (65)	2011-04-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Original Review 04/06/11 I don't think a more spot on review is possible with this blend than that offered by kilted1 in 2005. That is important because the blend is exactly what he describes 6 years later. This will tell you that there is complete and reliable consistency to be found with Peretti blends. That speaks volumes by itself.

You can't miss with this Balkan (yes, I used the term...lol) blend in any way. The orientals are right up there with the front row players. Just a great blend that tells me that we still have what should be comtemporaneously considered "legendary blends" and not appreciated for what they are until they are dead and gone. Please do yourself a favor and give this a try, IMHO you won't be disappointed.

Cheers!

Update 04/25/11 After this blend has seen some air time, the buttery smell of Yenidje has started to come full on. The nose translates to the flavor and is sublime! I don't think I have ever had a tobacco blend so flavorful in my life. This will be hoarded with enthusiasm by me. I never want to be without Royal Blend. The secret to this blend is letting it jar age and slowly introduce some air from time to time over a couple of weeks. What an evolution this has made. Buy four ounces and follow my method here, you will not be disappointed.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-02-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is the first Peretti blend I have tried. I ordered this because its description includes some yenidje tobacco, which of course was one of the condiment tobaccos in Balkan Sobranie 759. Apparently the yenidje is the light olive green ribbons, because this blend had that also.

Like all of the Peretti blends in my order, this is a ribbon tobacco that comes quite dry. The ribbons in some of these blends are on the longish side and need to be broken down somewhat for best packing. Burning qualities are excellent. I noticed that I was lighting this less often than some of my regulars. The flavor is of medium latakia with some of the condimental tobaccos, presumably the yenidje, producing some interesting flavors. The Virginia element is not particularly strong. The bowl starts out a little bitter, but then evens out and builds flavor to the bottom. It produces a fine white ash and leaves almost no dottle.

This is an excellent tobacco that I'm sure will find a place in my rotation.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-01-11		Mild	None Detected	Extra Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

through the kindness of a fellow pipe smoker, i recently received samples of all 14 of the perretti english blends. the first one i tried was the royal blend, and if the others are as good as this one, mr. perretti has a customer for life! royal blend is a very attractive tobacco. ribbons of yellow leaf are interspersed with several shades of brown and black leaf. the pouch aroma is sour, and probably the only unappealing quality of this blend. but we buy our tobacco to smoke, not sniff, right? royal blend packs easily, and lighting is no problem, with a minimum of relights. the moisture level of the tobacco seems just right. it burns down to a very fine grey ash. no pipe cleaners were needed while smoking, and one pass afterwards with a little everclear cleaned the stem and bowl nicely. and now the best part; this is one of the finest mild to medium english blends i have ever tasted! the virginias, oriental, and turkish tobaccos compliment each other perfectly, with a creamy taste that finishes with a pleasant spicy tang from the turkish right at the bottom of the bowl. the best comparison i can make is to C&D plantation evening, another of my favorites . both share the same appearance and flavor, with perhaps a slight edge going to the royal blend. 4 stars to L. J. Perretti and their royal blend. i can hardly wait to try the others!!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2018-05-28		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

Fine turkish blend, good quality tobacco, and proportioned for turkish tobacco smokers. I usually spend more time with a blend before reviewing it but this tobacco has been with me everwhere and everyday. I really hope this blend stays in production, I will be purchasing pounds of this. Ive been searching for a red ribbon replacement this is not red ribbon but I could smoke this all day everyday like red ribbon, this is a sweet, musty, and smooth natural turkish tobacco taste. Peretti has a new loyal customer here for sure.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: LJ Peretti mail order

Similar Blends: None.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2015-12-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a one of a kind tobacco I really like it a lot! The Latakia is not the main player here and the Orientals really make this one shine. It's tasty and elegant.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-01-19		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This blend is outstanding with a capital "O" just a great, high-quality tobacco and blended by the masters

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-06-16		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

First review for me.....I'm fairly new to pipe smoking, or rather newly returned with a new fervor. I immediately gravitated to English blends though I have tried and will review others as well.

I've tried several tinned blends that I picked up in travels through Europe, but Peretti is on my doorstep here in Boston and I went in and asked for several samples, based on my preferred tastes. They threw in a baggie* of Royal, and it was one of the later ones I tried.

What an amazing smoke! It was the first blend that I thought about a lot long after I had smoked it, and even now I crave it at times.

The blending is masterful, resulting in a cool, easy-burning, and rich smoke. I'm not keen enough yet to identify the different elements of the mixture, but I can say that this is probably the best tasting English blend I have yet tried.

* the baggies used for smaller amounts of the bulk blends at Peretti are the only negative I can give to them. Tins hold a lot of appeal, and a better packaging would do wonders. I suppose this is not a game changer, and I will be buying it in tins from now on, so moot in this case, but......

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-04-28		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Packs easily, burns slow, excellent flavor. You couldn't want anything more from a pipe tobacco. Highly recommended to those looking for a mild, great tasting english blend. Sipping on a pipe of this is relaxing.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-07-13		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I got my care package from Perettis today and one of it was Royal Blend. I must say they are one of the Top Blenders but they NEED to do do something with this ROLLED UP SANDWHICH BAG WITH SCOTCH TAPE. Enough said about the packaging.

This is another great Tobacco coming from Perettis. Its a medium in strength tobacco can be smoked daily. For those who love orientals which I do. The Portions of Orientals is alot this maybe could be consider as a Balkan. it has that sensation from your lips that only comes from alot of oriental tobacco. Although I should not compare tobaccos but this beats all the Mcclellands Grand Oriental lines. Only draw back is the Room and your skin note is a bit musty. I smoked this Outside and when I walked in the house my wife and even my 2 dogs was barking at me to take a shower or change my shirt.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-06-22		Medium	Medium	Mild	Strong

I received Some Royal Blend and first I noticed a really nice fire cured smell. I've smoked lot's of different tobacco's and I also grow tobacco. if Peretti made cigarrettes Camel would be in trouble.

It's obvious from observing a few samples I received that L.J. Peretti really has high quality tobacco. Also I noticed Royal Blend seems to give me an mellow euphoric high.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-03-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

The first Peretti tobacco I tried was their British mixture which I didn't enjoy as much as this one.

Without trying to stir anything up, I'd consider this more of a Balkan blend (Orientals from Greece and Turkey dominate) than an English blend (Latakia dominates).

Most Balkan mixtures I've smoked start out with the taste of Orientals (Greek, Turkish, etc.) and finish with the taste of Latakia (Syrian/Cyprian), this was just the opposite and it took me bit by surprise.

Royal starts out slightly sweet & mildly smoky with the taste of Latakia, around mid bowl the Orientals kick in and stay till the end, finishing with the dusty/leathery taste of the Orientals. It can burn your tongue if smoked too fast.

Room note is of Orientals not Latakia

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-04-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

This reminds me of their British Blend with a little bit more oopmh... I think the British Blend is great for lazy mornings, this has a bit more meat to it and is good for later in the day or after meals. I recently tried Omega... only had one bowl but it was a tad too sweet for me. Too soon to tell for sure. I was told that British, Royal, and Omega are basically the same tobaccos with different ratios, and they claim that Omega is the strongest, but from my tasting so far I'd say Royal one-ups the Omega. But again, too soon to be totally sure on that one.

Royal is definitely a winner and I plan to keep good amounts of both British and Royal on hand in the future.

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