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The End of Syrian Latakia

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greenmonster714

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We here at FTT have been discussing Latakia quite a bit lately. This evening I was checking my email and got the title of this thread in my mail from pipesandcigars.com. I wonder if this is just a ploy to move more product or if it is true due to the unrest of Syria. Here's the message I got....:


Latakia was first made in Syria. Regional tobacco would be smoked in barns over a smoldering fire of aromatic wood and herbs. The Syrian version hasn't been made in more than a dozen years due to governmental restrictions, and with the unrest in the region, even if the restrictions were lifted, it would be unlikely that they would start production again.

A few companies had a good supply, including our friends at McClelland. When we were recently informed that they were almost out of this rare tobacco, we asked what blends they had left. When they told us, we agreed to take whatever they had available. In the mix are some of their most well-regarded mixtures. We have a decent stock, but based on this news and the popularity of the tobaccos, you'll probably want to load up.

Russ
 

deluxestogie

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It's true. I was surprised several years ago to find that some Syrian Latakia was still available and being used in some blends. (The city of Latakia appears regularly in news about bombings in Syria.) I seem to recall that a huge supply of it burned down in a warehouse fire in Pennsylvania a few years back.

Although Don has a supply of Cyprian Latakia, as do others, I understand that Latakia production in Cyprus is on pretty shaky ground.

As for the difference between Cyprus and Syria Latakia, they differ a bit in aroma, probably due to a difference in the available wood types. I consider the Latakia from Cyprus to be excellent. In sampling a McClelland blend a few years ago, I was not particularly dazzled by the stated Syrian Latakia content. But many fans swear is way better than the Cyprus Latakia. (My recollection of numerous Latakia blends dating back ~45 years is that I could never tell the difference between Syrian and Cyprus, once the Latakia was blended.)

Bob
 

greenmonster714

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It's true. I was surprised several years ago to find that some Syrian Latakia was still available and being used in some blends. (The city of Latakia appears regularly in news about bombings in Syria.) I seem to recall that a huge supply of it burned down in a warehouse fire in Pennsylvania a few years back.

Although Don has a supply of Cyprian Latakia, as do others, I understand that Latakia production in Cyprus is on pretty shaky ground.

As for the difference between Cyprus and Syria Latakia, they differ a bit in aroma, probably due to a difference in the available wood types. I consider the Latakia from Cyprus to be excellent. In sampling a McClelland blend a few years ago, I was not particularly dazzled by the stated Syrian Latakia content. But many fans swear is way better than the Cyprus Latakia. (My recollection of numerous Latakia blends dating back ~45 years is that I could never tell the difference between Syrian and Cyprus, once the Latakia was blended.)

Bob

Not totally surprised it is true. Syria has been in civil war for a long while now. I recently watched a documentary of the brave young men who dig folks out after a bombing. Damn shame those folks have to live through that. Hardest to deal with are the children in harms way. There's no glory in war. Anyways, I can see now that I'm going to have to order some Latakia from WLT so I can have some around for blending.

How far does a pound of Latakia leaf stretch? Do the leaves already have the stems removed or is it okay to consume them as well? I've read where most folks do not smoke it alone and mainly use it in blending with other tobacco. I've never tried it alone. Hell, I didn't even know what it was till I joined this forum..lol.
 

Jitterbugdude

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The guy (forget his name) that came up with the blend for 3 Oaks Syrian said about a month ago that McClellend's Syrian was all gone. MacBaren's has repeatedly said their Syrian will run out around 2017 or so. Get some HH Vintage Syrian while you can. The Civil war in Syria has nothing to do with the production of Syrian Latakia. If you believe internet rumors the supply ran out because the Syrian Government put a moratorium on growing it, citing the destruction of the forests. If, however you tend to believe fact then you will believe the tobacco documents from the '50's that state that all of the major cigarette companies were taking Syrian Latakia out of their blends thus creating a worldwide glut. When you have a worldwide glut you tend to stop production in order for prices to rise again.

McClellends and MacBarens are the only 2 companies left with any Syrian.
 

greenmonster714

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Well, that is a interesting twist to the story. I guess ultimately whatever the reason there is a shortage of this stuff and it may even disappear from the market all together.
 

LordPipestoke

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The production of Syrian Latakia was first stopped sometime, I believe, in the eighties and did reflect that Syria had lost nearly all the trees supplying relevant wood for the smoking process. I think I heard Per Jensen from MacBaren say that there was a brief period in the nineties where production was re-established but that it only lasted a short while. Aside from the ceasing of the production back then, there is also the question whether the Syrian process is mostly lost. Those who manufactured it in the nineties were not likely to be newly trained young people but rather older people who still knew how to do it.

Cornell & Diehl lost their stock of Syrian Latakia in a fire, and so did G.L. Pease who had his stock stored with them.

The Syrian Latakia used in production now is, as far as I'm aware, all stock from the eighties. It's interesting (and sad) that McLelland are now out of stock – MacBaren expects to have enough to last until sometime in 2018. MacBaren bought up great amounts of tobacco to store away back in the eighties and a lot of that stock is now being used in their HH series of tobaccos, of which Vintage Syrian is one. Their Old Dark Fired (which I'm enjoying in a pipe right now) is made from tobacco they bought in 1984. Some of the blends use stock going back as far as the seventies.

As for the difference between Cyprian and Syrian, I get the difference. I like both, but for a long time I avoided Latakia blend as they seemed to all dry out my mouth awfully. The Syrian ones don't. To me, the Syrian version is mellower, more smokey rather than 'slightly burnt' as I feel Cyprian is and I also find the Syrian more fragrant in a way slightly akin to good quality incense. My wife cannot stand it when I smoke Cyprian blends, but doesn't mind it when it's Vintage Syrian. None of this is scientifically significant, but is my experience of the two. At this stage, I do enjoy a few Cyprian blends, too.

My family has a long history with tobacco, and I suppose part of my fascination comes from that. MacBaren was built on a company bought from a part of my mother's family in the late 1800s. That company was just one of several tobacco companies founded by four or five brothers and cousins in each their town in Denmark where I grew up. Sadly, there's little left of that these days. Later on, my great-grandparents and grandmother were cigar rollers and there are quite extensive buildings still left in my hometown which were originally built for tobacco manufacture.

I like the thought that I'll, hopefully, be producing some of my own soon. :)
 

greenmonster714

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Very interesting input. I appreciate your take on the subject. I am new to Latakia blends and I try to keep an open mind to all types of tobacco. You mentioned HH. What is that?

Having limited experience I can only say I really did enjoy the John Cotton 1&2 blend I recently tried via a suggestion from a friend. You have sparked my interest in the Syrian blend. Do you have any suggestions?

Thank, Jeff
 

Jitterbugdude

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. You have sparked my interest in the Syrian blend. Do you have any suggestions?

Thank, Jeff

Not much anyone can suggest since the only Syrian tobacco still on the market is HH Vintage Syrian.

The "HH" series is something MacBaren came out with a few years ago. It denotes a more "pure" pipe tobacco that has minimal casings.
 

LordPipestoke

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Yes, HH is MacBaren's 'special' line. HH denotes Henrik Halberg. Halberg bought the factory from Svend Bønnelycke in the 1890s.

Just so you know, Vintage Syrian is not a 'Latakia-bomb,' as I've seen some blends described. It is more subtle than that. You won't be in any doubt that there's Latakia in there though. I think they use about 45%.
 
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