Jim's GLP Bankside Review.

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JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,852
553,810
The release date is Nov. 8 at 6 pm EST.

GLP Bankside:
The bright and red Virginias provide a wealth of tart and tangy citrus, vegetative grass, bread, sugar, some tangy ripe dark fruit, floralness, earth, wood, light sour lemon, spice, and touches of cream, vinegar and acidity. The bright is a little more noticeable than the red, and their inherent sweetness allows them to be top team players. The dried plumy, peppery, earthy, woody, lightly sweet Saint James perique is nearly the equal of the Virginias mostly because the dried plum aspects of the perique virtually match the fruitiness for recognition. Otherwise, it plays a support role. The dark fired Kentucky produces a little earth, wood, herbs, floralness, spice, vegetation, smoky barbecue, mild dry sourness, and a hint of nuttiness. The Cyprian Latakia offers light smoke, earth, wood, musty sweetness, incense, floralness and vegetation. There is some interplay between the dark fired and Latakia as they occasionally rise past each other for attention. Overall, they are a variable slot or two above the condiment line, and generally form an important bass note to the experience. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps past the medium mark. The taste is a notch stronger. There’s no chance of bite or harshness, but there are a few small rough edges which are typical for this sort of blend. The broken flakes are mildly moist, and as per my usual custom, I did not dry them. It has a little inconsistent complexity, and burns cool, clean and slow with a fruity, peppery, floral, smoky, mildly sour flavor that extends to the moderately lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few more than an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Three and a half stars.
 

Mrs. Pickles

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 8, 2022
162
690
AZ, USA
There’s no chance of bite or harshness, but there are a few small rough edges which are typical for this sort of blend.

Mr. Jim, firstly please allow me to thank you for your tobacco reviews. As a newcomer, they've been a great help to me in learning more about the flavors and histories of the many products out there, past and present. Of all the qualities of your reviews that make them easily understandable and useful, I especially appreciate the care you've taken to use a consistent consistent lexicon. This brings me to my question:

When you comment on a tobacco's propensity for bite , you'll often use the phrase "small rough edges" -- could you say more about the "rough edges" you describe here? Does this describe a flavor? A mouthfeel? A sensation like tongue bite (but not quite)?

Thank you.
 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,852
553,810
Mr. Jim, firstly please allow me to thank you for your tobacco reviews. As a newcomer, they've been a great help to me in learning more about the flavors and histories of the many products out there, past and present. Of all the qualities of your reviews that make them easily understandable and useful, I especially appreciate the care you've taken to use a consistent consistent lexicon. This brings me to my question:

When you comment on a tobacco's propensity for bite , you'll often use the phrase "small rough edges" -- could you say more about the "rough edges" you describe here? Does this describe a flavor? A mouthfeel? A sensation like tongue bite (but not quite)?

Thank you.
I thank you for compliments. I try hard to do my best each time I write a review. As for your question, rough edges do not indicate flavor or tongue bite in any way. It's about the texture of the tobaccos. Tobacco, by nature, is rough, and if you ever tried to smoke unprocessed tobacco or tobacco that was uncased with no toppings, you will experience a rough smoke with no smooth qualities to them. Toppings and/or heavy casing generally disguise that roughness in varying degrees. Quite often, when a blend is lightly cased and lightly topped, some of that inherent roughness will show through.

It's sort of like what happens with oatmeal. If you don't cook it, it's rough. Even cooked in whatever way you prepare it, e.g. adding water or milk, it may still have a rough edge or two despite being softened by preparation.

Hope this explanation helps.
 

Mrs. Pickles

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 8, 2022
162
690
AZ, USA
I thank you for compliments. I try hard to do my best each time I write a review. As for your question, rough edges do not indicate flavor or tongue bite in any way. It's about the texture of the tobaccos. Tobacco, by nature, is rough, and if you ever tried to smoke unprocessed tobacco or tobacco that was uncased with no toppings, you will experience a rough smoke with no smooth qualities to them. Toppings and/or heavy casing generally disguise that roughness in varying degrees. Quite often, when a blend is lightly cased and lightly topped, some of that inherent roughness will show through.

It's sort of like what happens with oatmeal. If you don't cook it, it's rough. Even cooked in whatever way you prepare it, e.g. adding water or milk, it may still have a rough edge or two despite being softened by preparation.

Hope this explanation helps.
That helps a lot -- particuarly the oatmeal comparison. Thank you!
 

pipingfool

Can't Leave
Sep 29, 2016
369
1,475
Seattle, WA
I thank you for compliments. I try hard to do my best each time I write a review. As for your question, rough edges do not indicate flavor or tongue bite in any way. It's about the texture of the tobaccos. Tobacco, by nature, is rough, and if you ever tried to smoke unprocessed tobacco or tobacco that was uncased with no toppings, you will experience a rough smoke with no smooth qualities to them. Toppings and/or heavy casing generally disguise that roughness in varying degrees. Quite often, when a blend is lightly cased and lightly topped, some of that inherent roughness will show through.

It's sort of like what happens with oatmeal. If you don't cook it, it's rough. Even cooked in whatever way you prepare it, e.g. adding water or milk, it may still have a rough edge or two despite being softened by preparation.

Hope this explanation helps.
That is such a great analogy! Thank you for that.

Reminds me of one I used to use when I conducted wine seminars years ago.

People would ask what "body" meant and what was the difference was between a "light-bodied", "medium-bodied" and a "heavy-bodied" wine.

I told them that "body" refers to the "weight" of the wine in the mouth.

Think of it this way...

Light-Bodied = Skim Milk
Medium-Bodied = Whole Milk
Heavy-Bodied = Half-n-Half

Not that a light-bodied wine had the same weight as skim milk, but it was just to give them a point of reference to understand the concept of "body".

Again, love the oatmeal analogy!
 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,852
553,810
That is such a great analogy! Thank you for that.

Reminds me of one I used to use when I conducted wine seminars years ago.

People would ask what "body" meant and what was the difference was between a "light-bodied", "medium-bodied" and a "heavy-bodied" wine.

I told them that "body" refers to the "weight" of the wine in the mouth.

Think of it this way...

Light-Bodied = Skim Milk
Medium-Bodied = Whole Milk
Heavy-Bodied = Half-n-Half

Not that a light-bodied wine had the same weight as skim milk, but it was just to give them a point of reference to understand the concept of "body".

Again, love the oatmeal analogy!
Thank you. I always appreciate the opportunity to explain aspects of my reviews when asked because I know it helps the reader to make their own decision on the blend.

I'm not a drinker, but I like the analogy you offered. Makes a lot of sense to me.
 

Cigarstopipes

Lurker
Sep 19, 2022
32
62
Picked up a few tins and really looking forward to this blend. The Latakia DFK combo is intriguing. Thanks for the review
 
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SmokestackLightnin

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 4, 2022
232
4,846
So Cal
Picked up a tin this weekend and am finishing up a second bowl, so not much to go on yet. Generally, I find it to be a really flavorful blend, with different notes hitting as I work down the bowl. In both bowls, the bass note, as @JimInks described it, is what’s been most interesting. I’ve been averse to Latakia lately and almost avoided getting the blend, but the DFK-Latakia combo provides a some nice bbq smokiness.
 

Jaylotw

Lifer
Mar 13, 2020
1,062
4,063
NE Ohio
Just got a tin last night and had my first go at this blend. Luckily I had a nice long drive on back roads, with some very pretty snow falling, to enjoy and relax with a pipeful.

At first try this stuff is really nice. The dark and smokey notes from the DFK and Latakia are unusual to me in what is mostly a VaPer flake, and they're right in the goldilocks zone of being present and defined but underneath the brighter VAs and Perique. First smoke definitely held my attention and it was a perfect companion on a slow, snowy cruise down some back roads.
 

coys

Can't Leave
Feb 15, 2022
336
780
Missouri
Jim, I would also share my thanks with you for your quality reviews. They have been invaluable to me in narrowing down what to choose out of broad categories, or determining what the differences between similar sounding products might be. I’ve mainly stuck with popular blends that you have given four stars, and it hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

I always appreciate that your reviews are descriptive and factual, and that they steer mostly away from statements of opinion that aren’t helpful.

You’ve obviously put many hours and years into the volumes of reviews you’ve written, it’s very appreciated and it’s been a great help.