As some of you may remember around Christmas time I popped the lid on a tin of Bengal Slices from the early 90's. I don't typically write reviews of tobacco that you can no longer get, but this was such a popular tobacco I though I would write about my disappointment. Whats that you say? Disappointed, how could you be dissapointed in such an iconic brand? Don't get me wrong I like English and Balkan blends but there is so much out there that surpasses this stuff in quality and flavour that I didn't want to see someone pay an elevated price on ebay for something that wasn't worth it. So the good, nice slices, smells great in the tin. Great black colour. Unfortunaty thats the good. Hard to keep lit no matter how much its rubbed out. Very acidic pipe smoke, first time for tongue bite in years.. my wife says it smells like dirty socks. Honestly the taste was not much better. Some Latakia, but the Virginia was very forward and tasted like nails. So fellas sometimes the idea of a classic blend is much better than the actual experiance. Hope I have saved someone a hefty price tag. Oh and just in case anyone is wondering I spread the tin across six different pipe shapes. Same result.
20 Year old Bengal Slices
- Thread starter piperl12
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Thanks for sharing the review pal.
I'm feeling like we're so spoiled for great tobaccos today, that I don't need to shell out mad money for aged tins. That having been said, it is interesting to hear about an iconic blend.
I've heard it said, often, that Orientals and Latakia just don't benefit from aging. As I contemplate building my cellar I am trying to manage this by cellaring Virginias and VaPers but keeping relatively low levels of recent Latakia forward and Oriental blends as condiments.
If you have a flake or two of the BS left I'd be curious to try a bowl.
-- Pat
I'm feeling like we're so spoiled for great tobaccos today, that I don't need to shell out mad money for aged tins. That having been said, it is interesting to hear about an iconic blend.
I've heard it said, often, that Orientals and Latakia just don't benefit from aging. As I contemplate building my cellar I am trying to manage this by cellaring Virginias and VaPers but keeping relatively low levels of recent Latakia forward and Oriental blends as condiments.
If you have a flake or two of the BS left I'd be curious to try a bowl.
-- Pat
This tin has most likely reached its aging zenith some years ago and began its decline on the other end. That sucks, can't always get a winner.
Don't judge a heavy Oriental/Latakia blend by what others say about the aroma! Twenty yr. Bengal Slices is a far cry from the original incarnation. I had an old tin from about that time, maybe about 15 yrs old. It wasn't bad but it wan't anything I would seek out at premium prices.
I've had a number of 20 plus yrs aged Latakia blends which were AWESOME.....J.B. Russell Danish made Bengal Slices is not one of them.
Mike S.
I've had a number of 20 plus yrs aged Latakia blends which were AWESOME.....J.B. Russell Danish made Bengal Slices is not one of them.
Mike S.
About 12 years ago, a friend gave me some Bengal Slices knowing I had been eager to try them. I thought something must have been wrong with the tin because what I smoked was just not good. I knew the reputation of the product, and never could figure out why I disliked it so. Maybe the runs aren't consistent? I don't know, but I sure wish I had a chance to smoke the Slices that others have raved about.
Years ago I smoked a good bit of Bengal slices though I found it just a bit heavy.I had to be in the mood for it.I never tried it aged.
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