Tobaccos Arango - Balkan Supreme

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2016-05-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The richly deep smoky, woody, earthy, musty, sweet Cyprian Latakia is the star component, although the others have their say. The Orientals and Samsun add a fair amount of smoke, wood, earth, herbalness, vegetation, spice, a little buttery sweetness and sourness with a light floral essence, all of which are very noticeable in every puff as a strong second lead. The black burley cavendish is unsweetened and offers a smooth, toasty creaminess as a condiment. The Virginias are somewhat crowded out, but they offer a little grass, bread, sugar, tart citrus, floralness and spice in the background. The strength is medium, while the taste is a couple of steps past that mark. The nic-hit is a slot below the strength level. Has no dull or harsh spots, and won’t bite. Has few rough edges. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a mostly consistent, mildly creamy sweet and savory, floral, smoky, spicy rich flavor from top to bottom. Burns to ash with little trouble, and hardly leaves any moisture in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste, though the room note won’t get you any dates. Not an all day smoke. Four stars.

-JimInks

60 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cobacco (52)	2014-08-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A sweet Balkan with lots of flavor! Bag note = Balkan + Dark Chocolate. Moisture level = ready to smoke. Charring light and initial flavor is a basic Balkan. As the bowl warms, the sweetness and flavor build. Flavor is fantastic to the bottom of the bowl. This is almost a shag cut and there was no junk; 100% good tobacco! 2 ounces will fill a pint jar. Very nice pipe manners... cool, no bite, and clean. Smokes to an almost nonexistent ash. N level is medium-. I think most folks will adore this stuff, as long as they're expecting the sweet flavor of the blend. I'm glad I tried Arango Super Balkan and will surely keep a regular supply. Put it on the shelf between Balkan Sasieni and C&D Super Balkan. Happy smoking. Hope this review is helpful.

Pipe Used: Stanwell 9mm Featherweight

Age When Smoked: Fresh Bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes

38 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2016-07-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have been up and down the block with a variety of bulk English blends and this is so far the best that I have smoked. I found Arango's Balkan Supreme to be every bit as delightful as any of my favorite Englishes, proof positive that it's possible to blend a top-notch mixture, that's readily available and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

The cut is similar to a lot of the currently available classic English mixtures (e. g. Sam Gawith, Dunhill, Planta's Presbyterian); thin cut ribbons designed to create a harmonious flavor that's full of subtle nuances rather than the dramatic shifts in flavor that one can get from a chunkier, less even cut. The smoke is herbal, lightly sweet and fragrant with a very pleasant aftertaste and aroma. Each puff finishes with a delicate wintergreen like sensation along with a lingering hint of wood smoke and spice.

Balkan Supreme pushes into the medium flavor-strength spectrum although nicotine is mild to medium. This is a superb, cool smoking and even burning mixture with delicious end-bowl flavors. Frankly, I can’t think of anything more that I would want from an English style tobacco blend.

27 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2015-04-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Who are these , "Arango Guys ?" , I only see ONE blend listed on this site, but it's a good one. It seems in 2009, "Arango Cigar", bought the rights to "Buteras" line which includes: Butera’s Royal Vintage produced by McClelland , Esoterica and Specialty families of tobaccos, which include the Kingfisher blend produced by JF Germain and Peter Stokkebye, Ltd., of Denmark makes the Pelican . Maybe, we in America, should be blaming Arango for the poor supply of these very convoluted manufacturing and distribution practices of these fine blends ?

This blend, "Balkan Supreme" , was chosen as the "Best English Blend 2014 at the Chicago Pipe Show" . It's a creamy well balanced Balkan blend, that needs 3 months in a mason jar to bring out its best. . The blend has a nice balance with the Latakia, is smooth and has an easy to work with " Dunhill like" ribbon cut. The Virginias are behind the Orientals , not a real sweet smoke but not bitter or sour either, the Cavendish is hard to find. Mild to medium "N". A great all day smoker or as an" in between" heavier offerings, ( I really like this feature). I've tried this as a morning smoke but it didn't have the kick I needed for my first smoke of the day ( slightly less than my usual EMP) .. Nice sweet oak fragrance when French Inhaled in little wisps brings out the touch of Samsun Oriental.

I've ordered more, so it gets 4 stars.

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: Bulk- Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Maybe Dunhill Aperitif with less Latakia?.

25 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2016-10-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Arango - Balkan Supreme.

The pouch contains quite a simple ribbon cut blend, with very few twiggy bits and no cubes or broken flakes; it doesn't qualify as a mixture in my mind. The smell is that of a Lat strong Balkan, enough said. The moisture's perfect, and it lights easily.

The flavour? To me, the Latakia's the leading taste, without a doubt. But this doesn't mean the others are redundant: the Orientals give good back-up, whilst the Black Cavendish sweetens the smoke. The Virginia can be noticed, but in comparison to the others it seems boring.

The nicotine's a little milder than a lot of Balkans, not fully mild, but mild to medium nevertheless. The room note's pleasant enough, but nothing special.

The summary of this, to me, is a Lat' rich Balkan with a slightly soft edge.

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Peterson Dracula #999

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

22 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pinko (52)	2016-07-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

So this blend IS Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme. It's also the winner of the 2014 Chicago Bowl, Best English Blend.

Not much more needs to be said, the difference between 3.3 and 3.9 stars is probably a combination of the number of reviews and the fact that Stokkebye is seen as a budget manufacturer.

If anyone wants some evidence: http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/so-pampc-does-carry-peter-stokkebyes-balkan-supreme#post-677233

http://pipesmokersforum.com/community/threads/arango-or-peter-stokkebye-balkan-supreme.47773/#post-1243136

etc.

Age When Smoked: various

Purchased From: 4noggins, P&C

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2015-02-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a superb Balkan blend! Lat. is there and it is earthy, smokey, a little leather. It competes with the Orientals as which is dominate. Sometimes it is at others they are. The Orientals are musky, perhaps a little floral too with a note of spice. The VA's are a sweet base. There is a creaminess about the smoke as well. But what is important here is what I don't taste. Often a black Cavendish gives a prominent brown sugar note. But I don't get that here. I have to say this is by far and away the best Balkan blend that includes Cav. that I have tried and that includes Black House too. A very good blend that seems overlooked and reminds me new of Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme when it was new.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wmf (14)	2017-02-08		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Smoking some of this that has been jarred for 2yrs. Insanely smooth! You'd need to smoke a BIG bowl to push any strength out of this. Upper end of mild I say. A little lighter than I like for evening, but this is one creamy, chocolatey, woody sweet, leathery masterpiece. Not sugar sweet, but natural tobacco sweetness comes thru. The latakia, for me is subdued. It's almost as if the other components are toying with the latakia and won't quite let it reach the top of the heap- but in a good way. If gentle lat blends are your thing, look no further. Great morning/ all day smoke.

Pipe Used: Grabow big pipe, bjarne brandy

Age When Smoked: 2 yrs.

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mooncycles (2)	2014-07-14		Very Mild	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Quite a unique Balkan blend. The interplay here between Black Cavendish, Latakia, Orientals, and Virginia is endlessly fascinating and tasty! No bite for me at any smoking speed. This is currently in a rotation including McClelland No.1 Grade Balkan, GL Pease Odyssey, Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme, and Cornell & Diehl Super Balkan. This is hands down my preferred smoke! Hazy memories of Balkan Sobranie from the Seventies aside (I have only come back to pipe smoking in the last 6 months), this is the best Balkan I've experienced thus far! It's available in bulk! I've read a lot of reviews here of cheaper Balkans which lack depth and/or complexity. I suspect that this one will satisfy many! :-)

Pipe Used: Falcon Coolway 24

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (220)	2018-12-21		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I would describe Arango’s Balkan Supreme as a “full English” rather than a Balkan, but “full English” doesn’t really describe it, either. The tobacco is cut to short ribbons that range from tan to medium red-ish brown, along with a whole lotta very dark stuff. Bag note is mostly (and I do mean mostly) deep, soft Latakia that IMO gets better after some airing and some rest. Arango says there’s VA, Oriental/Turkish, and Cavendish in there, as well, only they are barely perceptible in the bag note. This blend loads, lights and smokes down without difficulty. I treated my first bowl like a Balkan, which is to say I gravity loaded it into an ODA pipe and let it rip. I did that just the once. No, nothing bad happened. Instead, the VAs, Turkish and Cavendish in this blend pretty much serve up an entirely unrealistic, huge amount of Latakia, not just with impunity but it’s enjoyable! Believe me when I say that every taste and effect other than Latakia is the chorus here. I now use a group 4 English pipe to get just a little more from the other varietals, and only this allows me to proclaim that all the tobaccos used here are nice. While it’s hard to mentally strip away the Latakia, I can say that the smoke ABS produces is somehow thick, rich, voluminous, light and creamy, all at once. The lot is quite savory, with some wood, musty earth, meadow grass, and kabob spices, and it sours a little down the bowl. Strength is mild. Tastes head toward full from medium as a bowl progresses. Room note is tolerable. Aftertaste is a slightly metallic and blunt best of the smoke.

So, is ABS a “Lat Bomb”? As rich and Latakia forward as it is, I have to say, no, because some synergy I can’t seem to get a handle on makes it more than just that. Now that you’ve been warned about the Latakia, and despite I’ve smoked but little Latakia for years, I have to give Arango’s Balkan Supreme 4 stars for doing what it does so well.

Pipe Used: # 4 English briars preferred

Age When Smoked: from bag and rested 1 month

Purchased From: Cup o' Joes

Similar Blends: Compare/contrast to actual Balkans: Compton of Galashiel's Balkan or GLP's Kensington.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leaf Packer (30)	2016-04-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

When received I smoked 3 bowls, with different shapes and maker. The blend was so -so in ajar it when for 8 months. What a difference I could hardly believe it was the same tobacco. Smooth as silk & very relaxing after a stressful day. Latakia is front runner YOU HAVE TO LIKE LATAKIA, just this side of a lat. bomb. It is creamy and rich tasting and the Orientals are just superb. This is easy a all day smoke for Lat. lovers. ordering more this week. Enjoy

Pipe Used: Sasieni, Peterson, Stanwell

Age When Smoked: fresh and 8 months

Purchased From: pipe and cigars

Similar Blends: Sasieni, Sobraine, Crown Achievement.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Obi (2)	2020-01-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

Much more Latakia than Sobranie or Royal. Mildly sweet, a bit of citrus, not much in the way of incense. I mean, there’s some, but it’s nowhere near as layered and intense as the other Balkans I’ve been smoking recently. No buttery undertone, more campfire. I’m not sure where the cav is in my bowl, but that’s likely a very good thing given the intent of the profile; it’s hard to take a full on lat seriously when it’s dosed heavily with vanilla sugar.

I realize a lot of the draw for this blend is its price point. I believe, as of writing this, it's sitting at about $40/lb on most major retailers. And, for that price you can't really go wrong if you're concerned about some hyped up tobaccopocalypse or have a tighter tobacco budget. Honestly. This is a perfectly OK bulk English blend.

The problem is the price point shows for me in this blend. I feel like it generally does with most English bulks. The heavy use of latakia attempts to cover up lower quality leaf. This got acrid when pushed even slightly- I was able to tame it down, but it certainly wasn't the gentle kitten a number of other reviewers are claiming.

In a world where Germain's Balkan Sobranie is available, with a little leg work and some cash, it's difficult for me to justify my smoking time on blends that don't hit a similar level of quality. Peretti's Royal Blend is an exceptionally high quality Balkan (which I rank higher than Sobranie, once it's had a little nap) and is $64/lb as opposed to Sobranie's $170. Royal would be my go to bulk Balkan- and, quite frankly, is worth every penny of the $22~/lb increase over this blend.

If you're concerned about your budget or just want to put away a bunch of a smokeable lat blend, this is probably a 3 or 4 star blend for you. If you're more interested in the highest possible quality blends, I would get a sample before going crazy with it based on these reviews.

Somewhat recommended, but I wouldn't buy it myself.

3.8/10

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Country Bladesmith (18)	2019-08-06		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I give credit to this site for me finally trying this tobacco. I had seen it before on online shops, but didn’t know who this Arango company was or why they only had one blend to sell, so never tried it until reading about it here. Glad I did.

This is a really good bulk blend. I now have another bulk tobacco that I’d be willing to buy by the pound, along with PS luxury navy flake.

Tin (baggie) note is a heavy barbecue smell from the Latakia. The smokiness mostly masks anything else that might be there, but sometimes I think I catch the faintest whiff of Mexican chocolate.

The ribbons are pretty uniform, and take a packing and a match very easily. The moisture is perfect to smoke right away. If anything, I would feel better if there were just a touch more humidity to it, to allow for the drying that can occur in the jar.

The Latakia is the star of the show from charring light to the bottom of the bowl, and is creamy, smoky, and burns cool. There is some synergy between the Latakia and the Orientals, producing that balsam or incense presence that we all crave in a Balkan. I suppose the types of Orientals used has a major impact on that, and I’m not sure which are in this blend. To me, black Cavendish has a smoothing role in blends like this, and I like that it is unsweetened and present in just enough proportion to do its job. It just kind of helps bring things together. There is some sweetness, but it is a mild natural sweetness, not like sugar-water casing. I’d say it’s probably from the Virginias, though I cannot seem to taste them distinctly enough to say for sure, as they stay mostly hidden in the background, melding into the overall taste.

Smokes at a moderate to fast pace, due to the thin ribbons present in the mixture, and makes a fluffy light gray ash with hardly any dottle. A deep bowl may collect just enough moisture to make an occasional sharp/harsh spot at the very bottom of the bowl, but it is quite minimal. Doesn’t usually need any relights until near the bottom of the bowl.

I prefer this in a fairly narrow, deep briar. Cobs tend to allow too much draw for this blend in my opinion.

The nicotine level is fairly mild in my opinion, mild enough that this could be an all day smoke for Latakia lovers that are experienced smokers. New smokers might need a respite, but it is certainly repeatable even for new smokers or smokers with a low nicotine tolerance.

I like the heavy, woodsy, fragrant room note, but my wife absolutely hates it. She can always tell when I smoked this blend, even if I didn’t smoke around her. It will definitely cling to your clothes, facial hair, etc., and I figure it won’t win over any non smokers.

Goes well with tea, hot or cold, or a nice lager, but coffee kind of overwhelms some of the subtleties of the tobacco.

This is becoming my favorite blend.

Pipe Used: Various cobs and briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2015-06-12		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I will say this is a typical Balkan with sweet, sour and creaming taste, but not complicated and a little rough on the edge. Two and half stars if take the price into consideration. The bulk price is a charm.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gr8tefuldawg (87)	2020-05-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Arango- Balkan Supreme

This Balkan blend hits it right on the head, for the bulk price cannot be beat, if you want the total Balkan experience this is it.

I’ve not smoked this much recently but each time I do I wonder why I waited so long. The Latakia never overpowers and the Turkish and other components give this a nice sweetness.

Great blend, for a great price. I’ve got it jarred and will come back to it more frequently.

Pipe Used: Comoy dunbar

Age When Smoked: 11 months

Purchased From: Tobaccopipes.com

Similar Blends: Cornell & Diehl - Sunset Harbor Flake, Dunhill - Baby's Bottom (My Mixture BB1938).

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2019-01-12		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

After sampling a few bowls of Arango, I can easily understand how most lovers of Balkan blends find this mixture appealing & I concur with some of the other reviewers in that it is somewhat similar to the BSOM. However, although similar it seems to me that it does lack that certain subtle sweetness & unique flavoring of the "Original" mixture that I tasted in each & every draw. It does possess some sweetness as the varied tobaccos begin to interact after about maybe one third of the way down through the smoking session & at the halfway point is when it really begins the melding process reaching a truly exhilarating Balkan flavor. Also, is there Yenidje in this mixture? I don't think so but couldn't tell for sure but If not, the other Orientals seemed to act as a fitting substitute. At least it didn't have an overwhelming Anise flavor that I dread... a little can enhance the flavor, as in the J. F. Bell Three Nuns but too much & it spoils the mixture.

My one half pound bag arrived with the perfect moisture content, meaning that it required some drying to be at a proper smoking level. I think many so called Balkan blends are more English than Balkan due to a Latakia overload that detracts from the flavor of the Oriental & other varietals. The aroma of Arango from the pouch is enticing & one can immediately determine that it is not overladen with Latakia but rather seems to be just the right amount for a Balkan, considering the aroma & smoking flavor. I do not consider this a Latakia bomb as others have stated.

I have many additional varietals on hand to alter the taste of any blend of this nature & can add to it just about anything to alter the flavor to bring it closer to the "original" or whatever suits my taste preference... like maybe a little extra Yenidje, maybe a smidgeon of Vanilla flavored Cavendish, vintage red Virginia, etc. I like it just fine the way it is but I think there is room for improvement. I always like to experiment with blending trying to make something really good a little better or more suitable to my taste preference... & the price? At two saw-bucks for a half pound it's a steal.

Pipe Used: 312 Sterling Pete, Country G/Cob, Cavicchi Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh Pouch

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: HH Balkan Blend, Murray's MM 965, like Crystal Palace if it were sweeter, Close to the BSOM & a few of the better clones...

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JohnH (24)	2018-04-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Looks like a Balkan, smells like a Balkan, kinda smokes like a Balkan.

Quite dark to look at with the Latakia and black Cavendish, a few strands of lighter Virginia, but definitely a dark Tobacco.

It stinks of Latakia, which I love, big and smokey, starts getting me excited for a Latakia laden smoke.

The charing light presents an almost flowery, pungent somewhat indescribable array of flavour, which disappears a quick as it presents itself, somewhat unique and very enticing. Once lit and smoking the same flavour is present, but takes seat next to an array of more familiar flavours.

I'm going to keep this short as I want to smoke a bit more before I formulate a definite opinion. The reason for this is I'm not totally agreeing with other commentors, and don't want to do the tobacco an injustice, but right now for me I have to say I'm really rather underwhelmed. Let me leave it at that and revisit this review after a few more smokes.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gripsholm (43)	2022-01-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Arango’s Balkan Supreme is a Balkan like no other! I’m plenty familiar with Latakia and that flavor, and Virginias and those flavors, but Balkan supreme has a flavor like I never tasted before. Is it the Turkish Samsun? Some other exotic Oriental that’s only mentioned as an Oriental? It certainly couldn’t be the Cavendish! Could it? Some strange aromatic Cavendish?

It’s a full on punch you in the face savory flavor! I want to say pungent, almost skunky, but in a good way, addictively so. I can understand why guys buy this stuff by the pound. It’s affordable, it’s available, and it’s unique. It seems like it should be one of those exotic tobaccos that’s impossible to get a hold of and very expensive, but it’s not!

NOW I’m curious about Turkish Samsun! Are there other mixtures out there that include it as a component? Would I get the same experience as I do with Balkan Supreme? Who knows! It’s definitely something I’ll be focusing on, at least for a while anyway.

If you like Balkans and you haven’t tried this, then I say it’s a must try.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PKT (30)	2019-09-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A fully satisfying Balkan with full flavor and a creamy smoke. The black cavendish makes a difference. Taste most satisfying in a good sized pot. Arrived a little on the dry side but very smokable.

Pipe Used: Wilke pot, Wilke bent bulldog, Everyman billard

Age When Smoked: Bulk

Purchased From: Tobacco Pipes

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WorkingClassChap (197)	2022-01-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Smoking now:

Bag note is typical English Balkan Latakia aroma. It smells less Latakia ladened though. Has a tangy ketchup smell to it. Perfect moisture, pack and light.

The taste is interesting. I wouldn’t call this a lat bomb but the Latakia is certainly noticeable but they are velvety and smooth not harsh or overly smokey. The orientals are woody while being slightly sour, buttery, and floral. The Latakia is herbal, smoky, slightly musty. It’s rather on the dry side. It all is really even keeled. I suspect the cavendish helped with that as it just is smooth. I would not call this sweet at all. It is rather on the dry tasting side. Nothing dominates the blend. It’s seems to be very balanced between all the flavors. The retrohale is nice. Seems to burn faster than average but not hot. It went quicker than others in my Peterson B42. Did behave well, smokes to ash. A very “cool”’smoke.

This blend really gets nice at the half way point where the orientals pick up the pace. The woody sour and buttery notes are more apparent. Does have some spice to it and an after taste but if you like English blends you’ll be ok. Nic hit is almost medium to medium.

A nice Balkan blend even in the morning with black coffee after breakfast. Very flavorful fuller bodied while not being over powering. Well deserved 4 stars. If you like Balkan blends this is a must try.

Purchased From: SP

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gnova (10)	2021-09-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Great tasty english blend where the oriental leaf plays a major part in the flavour profile.

Packs easy and stays lit without much TLC.

Could smoke all day.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2020-05-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm not quite sure how this one escaped being added to my reviews, probably because I smoke so much of it, I thought I added it after the first 4oz order.

I'll start by saying, this is probably my MOST often smoked Balkan blend ever, if not my most smoked blend period. If I haven't smoked 4 pounds of this, I haven't smoked an ounce.

Pouch aroma is rich of sweet and sour, with a perfectly added smoky element. This blend makes my mouth water in anticipation each time I open the jar.

Appearance is majority black leaf, with a helping of brown. Specs of bright Virginia are littered throughout, but make up the least of this blend.

Moisture is on the drier side, which is my preference. Packs easily enough, and requires only the initial light for the most part.

This blend is nothing short of PERFECTION. Perfectly balanced. Perfect burn. Rich, smoky leathery notes, with just enough sweetness to keep everything in harmony. Next to the smoky Latakia, the Samsun is the star here. A rich nuttiness that has a sunflower seed flavor, it will draw you back continuously. Delightful clean feeling on the palate! This blend smokes better with a few months to a year of age. It can be somewhat "green" if smoked fresh. But give it some time, and this will be a staple for you as well. Pick up a pound or five!

Pipe Used: several

Age When Smoked: from 3-12 months

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nkulk8r (90)	2019-01-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Life’s like a box of chocolates – ya’ never know what you’re gonna’ get.

After reading all the nice things people had to say about this Arango Balkan Supreme, I just couldn’t wait to try me some Arango Balkan Supreme. So I got two pounds of it.

It says in the notes for this Balkan Supreme that it won Best English Blend at the 2014 Chicago Pipe Show. After I tried some Arango Balkan Supreme I can see how it won a prize for Best English Blend at the 2014 Chicago Pipe Show – it was just that good.

Some people say this Arango Balkan Supreme is actually made by another man with the name of Mr. Peter Stokkebye – and that this Mr. Stockkebye also calls it Balkan Supreme. Whether it’s Mr. Arango’s Balkan Supreme or Mr. Stokkebye’s Balkan Supreme really doesn’t matter all that much to me. What matters to me is what come in the box that the UPS man delivered to my front doorstep.

When I opened the box, Balkan Supreme smelled a whole lot like smoke – but real smoky smoke – the kind of smoke you get when you burn wood chips, tree bark and dried leaves all at the same time, only from a little distance. And it tastes a lot like the same way it smells, except only better and sweeter (but not sugary-sweet, the way a stack of Mama’s buttermilk pancakes all smothered in maple syrup would taste). Some people say they can taste chocolate in this Balkan Supreme, but I didn’t taste any chocolate. I did taste sweet and spicy all at the same time however. If this is what people call a “Lat-Bomb,” then I guess I must like Lat-Bombs, because I sure do like this Balkan Supreme.

Call me crazy, but if I didn’t know any better, I could swear that Mr. Arango or Mr. Stokkebye or whoever made this stuff up might have put just a teensy-weensy dewdrop of chipotle adobo into his Balkan Supreme – but I could be wrong about that.

I believe this is the least expensive pipe tuhbakkuh I have ever bought. Mama would say it's "cheaper than chips," but I wouldn’t call Balkan Supreme “cheap” because that would imply a second-rate or substandard product, and Balkan Supreme is neither second-rate or substandard by any stretch of the imagination, but rather one of the finer creations I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying in the bowl of a briar. And based on what other people say, I expect this Balkan Supreme to taste a whole lot better after spending some quiet time inside a fruit jar and stored in a very dark closet along with all the rest of my tuhbakkuhs.

I haven’t smoked all that many tuhbakkuhs compared to a lot of people on this website, but I know what good tuhbakkuh tastes like. This tuhbakkuh tastes as good as any tuhbakkuh I have ever had. So I gave Balkan Supreme 4-stars.

And that's about all I got to say about that.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WolfmanSam (37)	2018-10-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I first tried Balkan Supreme last summer after receiving a generous sample from one of our members (thebriarpatchforum.com). It lasted about a week. This review is based on that sample and many subsequent bowls.

Sometimes a smell or odor reminds me of a person or event from my past. This can be pleasant, but sometimes not so much. In the case of Balkan Supreme, the tin note took my mind on a journey that I could only describe as intoxicatingly nostalgic.

It’s a cold, clear and very quiet night. I’m alone in a rural setting. It’s likely late November. The stillness is broken when I smell smoke from a nearby chimney. That’s my impression of the tin note.

The tobacco barely contains any moisture. Upon lighting, my olfactory senses are blissfully flooded. I note wood, incense, campfire notes , and a mouthwatering citrus-sour note that’s sweet. It’s essentially smokey, leathery, and creamy.

It burns at a moderate pace. It’s full in body, and the nicotine level is slightly less than medium. It’s never harsh, even with quick puffing. It smokes well in cobs and various briars.

Balkan Supreme is not an all day smoke. It works best for me at the end of the day. I highly recommend it.

Age When Smoked: Fresh and three months

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2018-09-17		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Most of us know that Balkan supreme is a multi branded blend between Arango and Peter Stokkebye and simply being branded as Balkan supreme. This is a great blend at a great price. Latakia forward with a nice round smooth flavor. This for me is similar to Hearth and Home Ten to Midnight. But I like this blend much more vs. Ten to Midnight due to it being less sweet. Also very similar to Ashton's Artisans Blend. Even though the Latakia in Balkan Supreme is Cyprian, both blends have a similar inscent smoky quality. Middle of the road blend that can be enjoyed all day at a great bulk price.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mikefu (20)	2018-08-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Great Balkan bag note, with the smoky Latakia leading the way. Nice thick cut ribbons with a few wider chunks, 60% Black and 40% brown, approximately. Good moisture level from the bag. Packing is a simple stuff and tamp, which typically leads to a 1-3 relight smoke. Initial taste is a deep, smoky sweet leathery Latakia. After the first few puffs the magic begins as the bowl warms. Notes of dark chocolate, cedar, sandalwood, and leather dominate, creating a dance of flavors as the bowl progresses. Sometimes chocolate takes the lead, and then gives way to cedar, which then fades to leather and incense. Sweetness is understated but always present at a complimentary level. Occasional whiffs of fresh roasted coffee beans and floral notes begin past midway, creating a wonderful sensation of Turkish coffee and chocolate cake. Not much brininess as with some Cyprian Latakia heavy blends. Burns cool and at a medium pace, with very little moisture. Nicotine is on the mild side of medium, allowing for repeat sessions in a day or evening. Gets much better after 3-12 months in the cellar, with the flavors melding overall, but allowing more nuanced layers of flavors, by rounding the sharp edges of youth. Overall a great mild but complex Balkan, which I highly recommend!

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh, 3 months, 1 year

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SCURVY DOG (3)	2018-07-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Cool, Tastey English, Nice Range of Flavors

[Tin/Bag - Old shoe leather, then a little smokiness. Moisture ready to go.]

Great-Full-Balkan. Smooth blue Latakia conjures in the mind upon light. Not super heavy in the smokiness. A little lemony tang and spice. No burning candles quite, which I often get a sense of with intense Latakias. Tiny hint of wood, then some pretty strong spice and nose tingle after stoking and tamping well. More spice less of the smooth latakia back and forth as it goes along, with small detection of virgina periodically in the retrohale. I really like this one.

A little more spice than Stokkebye Luxury English. Like it about the same, but a little more. Burns excellent, cool, no moisture left over, easily managed.

A little more full or roundedness than HH 10 to Midnight. Better burning too. Arango/Stokkebye = much better price too. Smoked up to one saved bowl left, which was saved to compare to the 5 pounds that are en route for delivery. Great any time smoke!

Pipe Used: Diplomat Cob, Kirsten, HWiebe, Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 5 months

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com, PipesAndCigars.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonius Blok (192)	2021-12-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

As its name indicates, it is a good quality Balkan blend, with a good balance between smooth and tasty. It produces a smoke with a silky texture that is very pleasant to the mouth. I have the impression that it burns faster than average. Highly recommended

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Singularis (18)	2018-05-31		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I guess I'm officially a Balkan fan now, after falling in love first with C&D's Super Balkan, and now this one.

A full but soft and sweet smoke. Wonderful to smoke, but even better in the after taste, where I'm getting loads of lingering woody sweetness, probably mostly from Samsun -- though I'm guessing the Black Cavendish and Virginia contribute.

Comparing this to Super Balkan, I can guess at how it is different because of the absence of Perique: especially because Balkan Supreme is a bit softer and cedar-like. I love them both a ton, but I have to say that this may be the better offering (though these are both effortless 4 star blends)!

If you are wanting an approachable smoker, that is still very satisfying for the experienced smoker, you may try this before Super Balkan. If you want that Perique spice and kick, go for C&D's excellent offering. Get them both to compare.

Highly recommended. Will definitely return to this in greater quantities.

Pipe Used: Amadeus Bent Billiard

Age When Smoked: 1 week old

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: C&D Super Balkan, Lane Limited BS-005.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LaroldC (5)	2018-01-05		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

A wonderful mid-strength Balkan, leans toward the English side. Big, rich flavor is the selling point. Smooth start, gradual flavor ramp-up, wonderful smoke to the end of the bowl. Arrived in bulk bag ready to smoke, no drying necessary. Upon researching the brand's media presence I would call it highly underrated. A great smoke by any measure.

Pipe Used: medium briar pot, petite meerschaum churchwarden

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

Similar Blends: (not necessarily all Balkans) Comoy's Cask #11, Cornell & Diehl Super Balkan, Dunhill Standard Mixture.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wmf (14)	2017-02-08		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Smoking some of this that has been jarred for 2yrs. Insanely smooth! You'd need to smoke a BIG bowl to push any strength out of this. Upper end of mild I say. A little lighter than I like for evening, but this is one creamy, chocolatey, woody sweet, leathery masterpiece. Not sugar sweet, but natural tobacco sweetness comes thru. The latakia, for me is subdued. It's almost as if the other components are toying with the latakia and won't quite let it reach the top of the heap- but in a good way. If gentle lat blends are your thing, look no further. Great morning/ all day smoke.

Pipe Used: Grabow big pipe, bjarne brandy

Age When Smoked: 2 yrs.

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Anthony Caridi (30)	2022-09-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

What high end Cabernet Sauvignon is to a wine aficionado this is to Latakia laden balken lovers. The difference? The price tag fits us middle of the roade incomers. This is a superb blend in every aspect of pipe smoking blends. I don't apologize for being a Latakia freak. Inserting whatever adjective or sensory perception I have for this tobacco seems shallow compared to me imploring to you Latakia lovers who haven't tried this blend yet:" DON'T DENY YOURSELF A BOWL!"

Pipe Used: No name briar

Age When Smoked: 1year

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	willie b (37)	2022-09-02		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

first, about me a little. I keep 40-50 tins of various blends on hand for at least a year before cracking open. I keep 6-8 pounds of various blends in ball 1-gallon jars on hand for everyday pleasure. a few quart jars of aromatics for when I have the urge. my primary go to is English and Balkan mixtures. This one and c&d super Balken are my favorites. super has perique and this one doesn't. this on rivals any out there no matter the cost. spicy, creamy, leather goodness. believe the reviews. its good. as a Virginia native I love my tobacco. learned to appreciate it years ago in the navy. if you are new to the pipe, relax your taste buds will change and adapt over time. just find what you like and enjoy.

Pipe Used: 320 ks for this one

Age When Smoked: fresh and aged.

Purchased From: tobacco pipes

Similar Blends: lots of Balken blends. as well as English..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	jomafro (2)	2021-09-27		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

The king of Balkans - I've tried many and few match the flavor, barbeque-esque smokiness, and full body of the smoke. Great evening smoke that leaves a very pleasant aftertaste in the mouth.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Poodlejuice (51)	2021-08-19		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

I taste orientals first and foremost, the Latakia presence isnt super strong and is well balanced. Sweet and sour, earthy, floral, a bit of woody smokiness which is all very buttery and creamy. A little bit of grassy, hay, and cocoa too. Surprisingly complex and builds in complexity there more you smoke it. Very light in body and low in nicotine. Super smooth, easy smoke. Packs well and rarely needs a relight.

Balkan supreme makes me wonder if I even need to try other balkan blends. It's that good. There's few lat blends I could smoke with frequency quite like this. Its the perfect "all-day" balkan/English. I don't plan on ever not having a huge jar of this around.

Pipe Used: Pots, Billiards, cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh & 1-2 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	stratego (5)	2020-09-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

Excellent smoking experience for english / balkan lovers. No need to add to other experts comments. Requires full attention to packing and drying. Otherwise you will be frustrated with so many re lightnings. After going through my notes I have to add that Dublin type models (conical) gave me the best smoking experience.

Pipe Used: Several

Age When Smoked: Unknown

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2018-08-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A classic, near archetypal Balkan flavor that falls short just a tad on strength or "complexity." But that is made up for by the price and availability. Makes you wonder what all the fuss is over the other 1.5 million similar blends out there.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gpioneer (1)	2018-06-13		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Very Strong

Good tobacco Burns great Perfect moisture from get go Tastes great Packs easy

Tips:

- Smoke in a small bowl: I personally get tired of the taste and feel after a short while.

- ashing not needed for most part but recommend ashing last 1/4 if smoking in a larger pipe as it started absorbing the ash taste around that point for me

Pipe Used: Savinelli Trevi 616KS

Purchased From: smokingpipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rufus T. Firefly (24)	2018-06-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a excellent smoke right out of the bag. It's definitely a Balkan it's smokey and tasty. The black Cavendish mellows the burn and makes it damn near perfect. If you're looking for a great tasting, cool smoking tobacco this one's for you.

Pipe Used: Ashton brindle Rhodesian

Age When Smoked: Right out of the bag

Purchased From: Cup o Joe's

Similar Blends: Atlas Super Balkan.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pacific Captain (17)	2023-01-15		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Low price, high quality Balkan blend? Sign me up. It comes in bulk for a serious deal and outperforms fancy tins all day. The tin note is complex, sour and smells like neighborhood fireplaces burning on a snowy winter night. It’s really a nostalgic smell, like cold nights coming home after work. Packs and lights great, is never harsh and has a robust flavor. Latakia up front but orientals are accounted for in a serious way. It’s a bit of a lat bomb but that’s what i want in a big, royal tobacco like this. The cavendishes smooth it all out and add a sweet dimension. If you think of blends as spices this one is Chinese 5 spice. Complex and you can pick out individual ingredients but if you think about it, it’s one flavor as well. I guess I’ll just let the rest of my balkan tins age another year because I can’t stop reaching for this jar when I want a full English.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HeadmasterOfHerf (25)	2023-01-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This stuff blows other Balkan blends out of the water.

Open the jar and you’re met with the barbecue tang common to most English blends. Do yourself a favor and pack it nicely—not too dense, not too loose. Give it a light and be taken aback by the smokey, rich, almost meaty flavors. The cavendish adds a sweetness to the mix too, along with a little creaminess.

Always makes for a good smoke and I’d advise you to order it by the pound.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Boone

Age When Smoked: 4 months

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (166)	2020-06-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Like many others I decided to try this one after reading some positive reviews on this site. That was a year ago, and my first impressions found this respectable but falling short of my expectations. Six months ago I tried it again and found it noticeably improved. Now, in the last eight weeks I've been frequenting this often as it has proven most satisfying. I've also done some sessions comparing this directly against some other bulk English/Balkan offerings by Gawith, Newminster, Patton, Planta, Stokkebye, and even a five year old tin of Sasieni. In all comparisons this was the winner.

So, how has this evolved over this past year? When fresh the flavors were good but nowhere near as developed as they are now. There was a pungent herbal overtone in the aroma, and a slight rawness on the back of the throat. Six months later the rawness was gone and the aromatics were greatly improved, now smelling of grilled gyro meat! 3 stars at that point.

In the last couple months this is the same pattern each time: starts with a little herbal bitterness that always concerns me, but within minutes this is gone and then comes the toasted "everything" bagel and roast meats. Something very satisfying about those flavors, and a nice, savory finish.

Simply because of the slow start, this isn't quite up to my best 4-star blends, but I wouldn't be surprised that if given more time this will evolve into further greatness. When you factor in the value of this bulk offering, I nudged it from three and a half to a full four stars.

Pipe Used: meers, briars (unfiltered and 9mm).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kokinhenik (93)	2020-04-29		Medium	Medium to Strong	Very Full	Tolerable

I love finding these bulk blends that totally deliver. Arango's Balkan Supreme gives the best of the tin blends a run for their money. It's delicious, reasonably balanced, and has a really nice creamy full mouth feel from the Black Cavendish's interplay with the smokey herbal Latakia. The Latakia plays a big forward role, but the cavendish is really affective in softening the dark edges of this lat-bomb. Tasty waves of Cavendish and Latakia interplay with a strong note of fine turkish Samsun, with a bit of floral, spicy, nutty sweetness. The Virginia is much harder to detect but offers a touch of grassy citrus. A real meal but not overwhelming, its just right. The nic hit is mild, even in a large bowl. 4 stars for me. Definitely a lat-bomb but its really good and beats the random English blends I have open right now (Artisan Blend, Skiff mixture, Margate).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (222)	2020-04-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

This is a good full English blend that comes close to a lat bomb but not quite . It is really well balanced actually for me . The cedar woodsy smokey latakia is in front but the Virginias and Orientals definitely play their part . Toasty bready red Virginia sweetness and buttery creamy floral sweet but not too dry or sour Orientals shine nicely . I do seem to get a brown sugar taste to the cavendish but no metallic taste at all which is great . It is not too dry at all like some other full English type blends . I like it . I think the cavendish in this blend elevates it greatly . Probably 3 1/2 stars . Not quite a four though . I will probably buy it again and recommend it for sure .

Similar Blends: Nightcap Dunhill.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr. Dunhill 23 (39)	2019-12-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Deeply woodsy and smoky with a very complex note . The creamy Orientals offset the Latakia which is very forward but not overpowering. The aroma of the smoke is something I could smell all day long. It will probably run the wife out of the room but it is very rich. This is most definitely one of my regular blends and it ages very nicely. Some accuse it of being a Lat Bomb but it's really just Latakia forward.

It is very well balanced and you will taste many different flavors as it is quite complex. Don't miss out on this one. It is very reminiscent to Balkan Sobranie and I like it equally but it's almost always available and you can buy it in bulk. Some say it's the same blend Peter Stokkebye uses for his Balkan Supreme. I will leave that up to you to decide.

Age When Smoked: fresh to 6 months

Similar Blends: Peter Stokkebye Balkan Supreme, Smoker's Haven Our Best Blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lager (53)	2019-12-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another fantastic Balkan! I love the ribbon cut that packs and lights easy. In my opinion this is more lat forward then some but nothing to worry over. Smoky, rich and perfectly blended. If your looking to try Balkans, look no further. The other reviewers have said it all so I'll wrap it up. Highly recommended.

Lager

Pipe Used: Pete's, Savs

Age When Smoked: New to 2 months

Purchased From: Smoking.pipes

Similar Blends: Balkan Sasieni.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jan Teeter (5)	2019-06-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Balkan supreme by arango,

Vanilla and oak creaminess , warm spice on the retrohale. Mid part through the bowl it started picking up some sweetness that reminded me of citrus peel and berry flavors. Latakia presence is big , but it doesn’t overpower the orientals. They both work together, orientals providing the complexity and Latakia giving the smoky depth and backbone.

I let this one dry out for 5 hours and it smokes effortlessly now. I bought 4 oz just to try the blend - but I definitely want to cellar a pound. ⅔ into the bowl the fruit flavors are rising as well as the acidity - this is such a nice smoke !

Well , overall this is an awesome English/Balkan , not even sure if age will benefit it . It might calm the flavors down into mediocrity. I will age some to see , but encourage you all to give it a go right away.

Pipe Used: Ser Jacapo bent dublin

Age When Smoked: 2019- fresh

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: white knight, blackhouse, English oriental supreme, Balkan sasanie.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2019-04-18		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

After sampling a few bowls of Arango, I can easily understand how most lovers of Balkan blends find this mixture appealing & I concur with some of the other reviewers in that it is somewhat similar to the BSOM. However, although similar it seems to me that it does lack that certain subtle sweetness & unique flavoring of the "Original" mixture that I tasted in each & every draw. It does possess some sweetness as the varied tobaccos begin to interact after about maybe one third of the way down through the smoking session & at the halfway point is when it really begins the melding process reaching a truly exhilarating Balkan flavor.

I guess this contains some Turkish Yenidje but couldn't tell for sure & If not, whatever Orientals used seemed to act as a fitting substitute. My one half pound bag arrived with the perfect moisture content, meaning that it required some drying to be at a proper smoking level. I think many so called Balkan blends are more English than Balkan due to a Latakia overload that detracts from the flavor of the Oriental, unsweetened Cavendish & other varietals.

The aroma of Arango from the pouch is enticing & one can immediately determine that it is not overladen with Latakia but rather seems to be just the right amount for a Balkan, considering the aroma & smoking flavor. I do not consider this a Latakia bomb as others have stated. I have many additional varietals on hand to alter the taste of any blend of this nature & can add to it just about anything to alter the flavor to bring it closer to the "original" or whatever suits my taste preference... like maybe a little extra Yenidje, maybe a smidgeon of Vanilla flavored Cavendish, vintage Red Virginia Ribbon, etc.

I like it just fine the way it is but I think there is room for improvement. I always like to experiment with blending trying to make something really good a little better or more suitable to my taste preference... & the price? At two saw-bucks for a half pound it's a steal.

Pipe Used: 312 Sterling Pete, Country G/Cob, Cavicchi Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh Pouch

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: HH Balkan Blend, Murray's MM 965, like Crystal Palace if it were sweeter, Close to the BSOM & a few of the better clones...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2019-03-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

After sampling a few bowls of Arango, I can easily understand how most lovers of Balkan blends find this mixture appealing & I concur with some of the other reviewers in that it is somewhat similar to the BSOM. However, although similar it seems to me that it does lack that certain subtle sweetness & unique flavoring of the "Original" mixture that I tasted in each & every draw. It does possess some sweetness as the varied tobaccos begin to interact after about maybe one third of the way down through the smoking session & at the halfway point is when it really begins the melding process reaching a truly exhilarating Balkan flavor. Also, is there Yenidje in this mixture? I don't think so but couldn't tell for sure but If not, the other Orientals seemed to act as a fitting substitute.

My one half pound bag arrived with the perfect moisture content, meaning that it required some drying to be at a proper smoking level. I think many so called Balkan blends are more English than Balkan due to a Latakia overload that detracts from the flavor of the Oriental & other varietals. The aroma of Arango from the pouch is enticing & one can immediately determine that it is not overladen with Latakia but rather seems to be just the right amount for a Balkan, considering the aroma & smoking flavor. I do not consider this a Latakia bomb as others have stated.

I have many additional varietals on hand to alter the taste of any blend of this nature & can add to it just about anything to alter the flavor to bring it closer to the "original" or whatever suits my taste preference... like maybe a little extra Yenidje, maybe a smidgeon of Vanilla flavored Cavendish, vintage red Virginia, etc. I like it just fine the way it is but I think there is room for improvement. I always like to experiment with blending trying to make something really good a little better or more suitable to my taste preference... & the price? At two saw-bucks for a half pound it's a steal.

Pipe Used: 312 Sterling Pete, Country Cob, Cavicchi Dublin

Age When Smoked: Recently obtained

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: HH Balkan Blend, Murray's MM 965, Crystal Palace if it were sweeter & other clones...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HY.Zheng (1)	2023-05-23		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I kept this in the jar for a year, it is very dry blend, drier even more, 2 or 3 cups of tea or some berry fruit would also help.

The quality is so stable and rich of all kinds of flavour, typically a balkan blend, with some woody, earthy, flowerie taste, and a bit sugar, though the sugar is weak. It is an interesting experience that the first 3/5 of the bowl taste the same, like it will never ends, good company to a book, a movie or a TV show.

Then in the 4/5, the sugar taste comes out a bit more, and all the flowrie taste disappears, instead of which is a very notable, or maybe strong taste of sour, like someone's working all day evening feet sweat, that is the Latakia.

After that, that sour decays, more sugar taste leads by a fragrant nut flavor, till the end.

It burns slow, needs a few relight, and burns well to white grey ash, leaves a clean bowl. No need to care about the burning or first lit, it will do its own job.

I won't say it is a good all day choice because it is too dry, but all in all it is a decent blend

Pipe Used: Rattary's Terry

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: dreamingpipes.com - bulk

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Peterson314 (43)	2023-05-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

First Take: This is an exceptional Balkan.

This is a rich, bold, flavorful blend. It has a toastiness that greets you on first light and stays with you the entire bowl. This blend has an umami quality that suggests it would be a perfect smoke after a big steak or backyard burger. There's a natural sweetness reminiscent of toasted wheat or roasted peanut shells. It is pleasing from first light to ash.

I found all of the flavor of this blend at the low end. All of the nuance went away as soon as this blend got hot. This smoke would be a waste on a windy day.

Nicotine in this blend matches the richness of the tobacco. The aftertaste is primarily nutty. It burns clean, leaves no moisture in the bowl, smokes beautifully, and only required a relight after I tamped.

If you like Balkans, this is a must try.

Pipe Used: Ser Jacopo Hawkbill

Age When Smoked: 3 months

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hmoya (38)	2023-02-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

My first impression was "it is very intense for me", but after a while, I like it a lot. It is a very intense aroma of a supreme exponent of a Balkan mixture. With strong aromas, nice smoke, and good temperature, invite you to a complex and nice smoke. Good for an evening with nature or reading a book in a quiet room.

Pipe Used: Peterson Aran Smooth Nickel Mounted

Age When Smoked: 1

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doc pipes (110)	2022-10-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The consensus that this is a four star blend is clear, and I felt I needed to try this blend. I was expecting something more along the lines of a traditional Balkan, or even a Scottish blend. This has more Latakia that either of the above traditionally would. The pouch aroma is pure Latakia. It is spicy, smoky, and herbal. There is a little sweetness that hides in the background. The blend is a variety of olive, red, yellow, brown, and black ribbons. The room note is sweet and smoky, tolerable to most.

Goldilocks dryness leads to an easy char light that gives a smooth mouth filling and incense like experience. The true light allows the Latakia to step forward, and it remains the dominant figure from here on. Vegetal, floral, Eastern dry aromatic spices, herbal notes all point to the oriental samsun as a supporting character to the Latakia. Savory, spicy, and smoky. The campfire notes are strongest at the end of the bowl. I find the the Virginias kind of get drowned out in this Arango offering.

There is plenty of nuance here, but one must make a concerted effort to discover some of the gems that this relatively inexpensive bulk reveals to the patient smoker. This is by no means a bad blend, but I found it to be much lighter bodied than expected. The smoke is exceedingly mild and smooth. Not flat necessarily, but thin if you will. The BC must do a great job smoothing the other components, but I can’t taste it independently and I wouldn’t guess it was sweetened. I’ve got to be a voice of dissent here. This is a good blend, but when compared to similar options it’s kind of meh…

Pipe Used: Numerous briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh bulk

Purchased From: SP

Similar Blends: Smoking this makes me wish I had filled my pipe with EMP or Chelsea Morning.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jorge Soler (203)	2021-07-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

The addition of a substantial amount of latakia in a blend does not make it full by or in itself. Having said that, yes, this is a rather good and satisfying blend. The sweetened black Cavendish it contains marries quite well with the smoky profile of the latakia, and the inclusion of both Virginia and Oriental leaf adds a sweet and spicy dimension to the formula. This is a Balkan forward blend, that is, an English mixture, with sour and vanilla or chocolatey undernotes. I am finding the smoke progression sublime getting better and better every quarter of your bowl. It could be smoked all day, but I'd recommend it as an evening blend to wind yourself down after work. I cannot detect any toppings or tongue-bite, and the room note is smokey and pleasant. Because of the addition of Virginia leaf, I can see a huge cellaring potential here. In addition to this, it is easy to find and the price tag means you can never go wrong even if you do not like it in the end, so 4 stars this time.

06 August 2021 (edit):

I have added a small amount of burley to this tobacco and it has improved a lot. I did this because I thought that such a nice combination of Orientals and Latakia was somehow lacking in strength and body. Against this fuller backdrop, and taking into account the previous candied fruit notes, it reminds me a lot of the former Balkan Sobranie.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BrokenRecord (124)	2020-06-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A Quintessential Balkan

The Cyprian Latakia melds with the Turkish/oriental leaf into a cohesive flavor—mixing a creamy cedar-smokiness with a profuse floral-tartness. Both are at the forefront of this smoke, as I would expect with a Balkan. Even with so much Latakia present, the body of the smoke and nicotine are on the lighter side of the spectrum. The Virginia leaf offers some sweetness and I cannot taste the cavendish.

Altogether, it is a solid Balkan blend, but something keeps it from reaching perfection. While bold in flavor, it lacks body.

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