The following is a loose borrow from Pease, linked at the end. In it he makes the following observations based on his studies of history.
1. In the early 1900's the term "mixture" came into vogue and referred to so-called pure blends - no additives, humectants, flavorings, etc. At the least the early English blends were known to contain pure virginias and turkish/orientals (and probably some latakia which was there but not named). At this time there was actually a British "purity law".
2 The term "English" blend or mixture came much later to describe these same blends. Gradually by the 1960's there was some rough agreement on what came to be called "American" vs "English" mixtures or blends. The English blends remained pure and free of additives, while the American mixtures could contain all of these, and included burley and various flavorings.
3. It was not until the 1990's that the term "Balkan" became used to describe more than Turkish/Oriental tobacco components. At this time so-called "Balkan blends" came to mean English blends in which the oriental component was more forward than in the older English blends.
He points out though that the quintessential Balkan blend (Sobranie) and the quintessential English (London Mixture) are exactly the opposite of what we think of today as Balkan (oriental-forward).
Thus Pease refuses to affix labels like English, Balkan, Scottish, or Oiental, saying:
Instead he simply prefers to lump all together as Latakia Mixtures. Still, it may have some value as to how others define them:"If the quintessential "English" mixture is actually a "Balkan," by our terms, and the "Balkan" is "English," should we really even be using the terms?"
- English: biased toward latakia well forward
Balkan: more in balance with turkish/orientals
Scottish: more in balance with virginias
American: add mild aromatics (flavored cavendish)
Note: all of the above may be modified with Perique or unflavored black or brown cavendish
But that's just one view. Another seems to be:
- Va + Latakia = English
Va + Oriental/Turkish = Oriental
Va + Oriental/Turkish + Latakia = Balkan
Scottish is various combinations (Va, Oriental/Turkish, and Latakia) of the above with the addition of cavendish (either sweetened or unsweetened) and possibly a topping/casing of rum, scotch, etc. Also quite often pressed into a cake and "flaked" before tinning.
Depending on the blend/blender, Perique could be added to any of the above.
And yet another view points out that we are forgetting that even what we'd consider English - latakia forward blends - are still not based on latakia, but simply have a noticeable component of it. This view is that English blends are based on Virginias, then spiced, while Balkans are based on latakia, as follows:
- English Blends are focused on the blending of a Virginia, or blend of Virginia with Latakia, and then "spiced" with oriental.
A Balkan is about blending Latakia with Orientals, and then "spicing" or rather, "filling in" with Virginias.
And Scottish? Virginia blends that are lightly smoked up by Latakia, and are usually cavendished with not much oriental sense to them, though there is a little.
So what do I get out of this?
Just my impressions but:
- American: lighter, burley, semi or aromatic.
English: latakias on a virgina base, with other spices possible in the background.
Balkan: turkish/oriental in balance with the latakia, over a virginia background
Scottish: a real mish mosh of all of the above including cavendish and possible aromatics (but not burley).
Oriental: primarily turkish/oriental.
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http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/out-of-th ... kan-blend/
http://pipesmagazine.com/python/pipe-ne ... -the-same/
http://pipesmagazine.com/python/pipe-to ... -the-same/
http://brothersofbriar.forumotion.com/t ... -vs-balkan
http://brothersofbriar.forumotion.com/t ... hese-terms