Blue Mountain/Balkan Blue

This blend was first released as Blue Mountain, later renamed Balkan Blue; the maker stated the recipe was preserved through the name change. Records indicate the inspiration was a legendary tin of 759 that had been cellared for twenty-one years. It won the audience-choice award at a comparative tasting at the 2011 Chicago pipe show.

The blend's center holds a generous amount of Cyprian Latakia, joined by Oriental tobaccos like Basma and Yenidje along with Virginia. It's ribbon cut. The smoke is dark, sooty, and deep; the Oriental tobaccos bring spice and tangy sweetness, while the Virginia supplies the sugar side. Given the high Latakia proportion, it falls within the territory of those used to full-bodied Balkan mixtures.