Cigar Asylum Cigar Forum - View Single Post - Semi-Fake Original Mixture Balkan Sobranie

Mister Moo · 10-06-2011, 02:21 PM

D'oh! The stuff is a kissing cousin to another JF Germain blend once sold by Smoker's Haven in Columbus. Sadly, it has been off their shelves for about two years. 20th Anniversary Import is what Sobranie-2011 reminds me of. It's a fine cut long shag that packs/smokes beautifully and burns to ash (almost!) even when it's kinda damp.

I smoked it right out the tin in a big oriental-dedicated meer. It never actually gurgled but the tobacco was on the moist side and probably held back some flavor. It doesn't run as sweet as the few good examples of Balkan Sobranie I remember but it does have that special thing going in the last half of the smoke. When I smoke some that's been dried out a bit, tomorrow maybe, it oughta show better.

Sweeter than Squadron Leader without the lakeland thing but similar cut.
A couple of levels above McClelland Blue Mountain (which I think is pretty darn good).
A bit below Compton's Macedonian Mixture from Canada's finest blender and worst shipper, Max Engel.

I haven't mentioned 20th Anni since 2009 due to lack of availability but here was my last reference: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showpo...4&postcount=12

Smoker's Haven 20th Anni Import has always been underdiscussed, probably because the name is too long to type. With the awful yellow label this JFG blend was about $35 x eight-ounces a few years ago or $4.35-ounce. Today, at $5-ounce, it is highly discussed with its shorter name (Balkan Sobranie) and nice white label.

10-06-2011, 02:21 PM	#7
Mister Moo I barely grok the obvious Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dan Location: Lizard Lick, NC Posts: 1,417 Trading: (3)	Re: Semi-Fake Original Mixture Balkan Sobranie D'oh! The stuff is a kissing cousin to another JF Germain blend once sold by Smoker's Haven in Columbus. Sadly, it has been off their shelves for about two years. 20th Anniversary Import is what Sobranie-2011 reminds me of. It's a fine cut long shag that packs/smokes beautifully and burns to ash (almost!) even when it's kinda damp. I smoked it right out the tin in a big oriental-dedicated meer. It never actually gurgled but the tobacco was on the moist side and probably held back some flavor. It doesn't run as sweet as the few good examples of Balkan Sobranie I remember but it does have that special thing going in the last half of the smoke. When I smoke some that's been dried out a bit, tomorrow maybe, it oughta show better. Sweeter than Squadron Leader without the lakeland thing but similar cut. A couple of levels above McClelland Blue Mountain (which I think is pretty darn good). A bit below Compton's Macedonian Mixture from Canada's finest blender and worst shipper, Max Engel. I haven't mentioned 20th Anni since 2009 due to lack of availability but here was my last reference: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showpo...4&postcount=12 Smoker's Haven 20th Anni Import has always been underdiscussed, probably because the name is too long to type. With the awful yellow label this JFG blend was about $35 x eight-ounces a few years ago or $4.35-ounce. Today, at $5-ounce, it is highly discussed with its shorter name (Balkan Sobranie) and nice white label. __________________ "I hope you had the time of your life." Last edited by Mister Moo; 10-06-2011 at 02:28 PM.