Old Bengal Slices
- Thread starter murica
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Congrats on the tin holding up. It's kind of a coin toss. I'm happy with the new product, having compared it to the old. And I don't get scalped buying it.
:I have indeed smoked the fresh.
My thoughts are this. Just like any fresh blend when compared to an old, the edges are softer and the taste a little deeper. There is a zing in the virginias when fresh and a buttery taste and feel to the old. Both have their place.
The latakias are vastly different, but both still great.
I just prefer older tobaccos. I have stuff I have been aging for a good while now. Some out of production blends and some new stuff that I know cellars well. I just prefer all the things that come with older tobacco. YMMV.
My thoughts are this. Just like any fresh blend when compared to an old, the edges are softer and the taste a little deeper. There is a zing in the virginias when fresh and a buttery taste and feel to the old. Both have their place.
The latakias are vastly different, but both still great.
I just prefer older tobaccos. I have stuff I have been aging for a good while now. Some out of production blends and some new stuff that I know cellars well. I just prefer all the things that come with older tobacco. YMMV.
That's beautiful stuff! I love the new version and have quite a bit cellared. One day I'll find a tin of the original to compare it to. Thanks for sharing.
Indeed. Those oblong tins seem to have difficulty remaining sealed over long periods. I guess its all a matter of personal taste although at $149 for a tin for the old stuff thats one heck of a chunk of change. I saw some tins of another quite famous blend thats name escapes me at the Chicago Pipe Show and I was going to pick one up for Dan but when I realized they were not vacuum sealed I decided to give it a miss. Enjoy it!
First, the first of the new Bengal Slices: I got a tin when it initially was offered and the tin note was obvious/strong. Others found it distractingly vanilla, etc. I'd go with gingerbread. Awhile later, I followed up with a few more tins. Upon opening a tin from this second (new) batch, the tin note was only present when I actually buried my nose against the squash of crumble cake... so barely noted.
Thanks to murica's post here, I acquired one of the 1982 tins from ex-pat Brit Maxim Engel, now of Toronto. I was shocked by how this tin looked like it was brand new! The contents were intact and just the right moisture for a short airing of a couple of slices. Then into a 1977 Dunhill.
With the new tin note in mind, I went in search of it in the old stock.
My first smoke in the Dunhill was nice: this was certainly aged nicely, but no tin note. I followed in the footsteps of this thread's leader. Instead of a cob -- I have none, and proud of it -- I put the rest of the first bunch into a meerschaum. Holy smoke! In the first puff, there was the tin note I was looking for based on Russ' reintroduction.
As nobody knows less about pipe tobacco than I do, I sent sample flakes from my tin to some guys on this forum: all are flakes themselves...
Thanks to murica's post here, I acquired one of the 1982 tins from ex-pat Brit Maxim Engel, now of Toronto. I was shocked by how this tin looked like it was brand new! The contents were intact and just the right moisture for a short airing of a couple of slices. Then into a 1977 Dunhill.
With the new tin note in mind, I went in search of it in the old stock.
My first smoke in the Dunhill was nice: this was certainly aged nicely, but no tin note. I followed in the footsteps of this thread's leader. Instead of a cob -- I have none, and proud of it -- I put the rest of the first bunch into a meerschaum. Holy smoke! In the first puff, there was the tin note I was looking for based on Russ' reintroduction.
As nobody knows less about pipe tobacco than I do, I sent sample flakes from my tin to some guys on this forum: all are flakes themselves...
I am afraid so my friend unless someone does a number on the minions at the FDA you can kiss Bengal Slices goodbye in 2018!
Get a dozen tins of the new Bengal Slices, smoke a couple and put the rest down for a year.... Yummmmm!
First off, many thanks to snowyowl for sending me a sample to smoke. The sample was of the James B Russel version of Bengal Slices, which was made by A & C Peterson, and which differs from the original Sobrainie version.
The flake had a nice amount of bloom, and though dry, wasn't by any means dried out. It was at the optimum moisture for smoking. Bengal Slices always reminds me of good barbeque, smoky, spicy, sweet, and tangy. In that respect, the sample did not disappoint. The Latakia was still present, though much reduced in strength from fresh. This wasn't a bad thing, as the lessened Latakia allowed the savory Orientals and other components to carry more of the flavor. Added to this was a tanginess that reminded me of red Virginia, though I don't know that any red was used in the blend.
Altogether this was a very pleasant smoke and I was happy to make its acquaintance again. The new SToP version hits all of the notes, including that "good barbeque" flavor, and won't break your pocket book. Russ did an excellent job of matching the Russel version.
The flake had a nice amount of bloom, and though dry, wasn't by any means dried out. It was at the optimum moisture for smoking. Bengal Slices always reminds me of good barbeque, smoky, spicy, sweet, and tangy. In that respect, the sample did not disappoint. The Latakia was still present, though much reduced in strength from fresh. This wasn't a bad thing, as the lessened Latakia allowed the savory Orientals and other components to carry more of the flavor. Added to this was a tanginess that reminded me of red Virginia, though I don't know that any red was used in the blend.
Altogether this was a very pleasant smoke and I was happy to make its acquaintance again. The new SToP version hits all of the notes, including that "good barbeque" flavor, and won't break your pocket book. Russ did an excellent job of matching the Russel version.
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