This week we will continue riding the
Dan Tobacco train and talk about another one of their offerings:
Bill Bailey’s Balkan Blend.
When I first got into pipe smoking – and more specifically, English blends – I was excited to try my first tin of a real Balkan blend. To my surprise, I discovered that BBBB was actually a closer cousin to, say, Dunhill Nightcap…except it contained even more of my favorite component: Latakia!
The ingredients are as follows: 10% Kentucky Dark Fired, 40% Cyprian Latakia (!!), some Virginias, some Orientals/Turkish, and a small amount of Perique. But enough of this…let’s get into how Bill Bailey’s smokes!
The tin note is heavenly…rich and earthy, with notes of stewed fruit greeting the nose. A beautiful ribbon-cut allows for effortless bowl-filling, and it takes the match well. There’s complexity in this blend, and it’s worth your while to be mindful of how the flavor profile evolves as you work through the bowl. The heavy portion of Latakia is well-balanced with the other varietals, and although no single leaf or flavor ever dominates on the tongue, you will experience brief interludes of savory, nutty, and sweet profiles that will make you crave more and more.
What I’ve said so far may sound a little biased…and truthfully, it may be, as I consider this blend one of my all-time favorites. I hope you’ll try it! I have a feeling it will quickly become one of yours as well.
Bill Bailey’s Balkan Blend is a full-flavored English blend, and even though its name includes the term “Balkan” I find that it’s not “Oriental forward” enough to be classified as a true Balkan. Not that any of this matters; it’s a delicious smoking mixture regardless of what it’s called.
5 Pipes on the rating this week and, oh yeah… Puff On!™
