Sadly, the traditional 100gr tin with slices of ideal size and weigth, has been discontinued and replaced with 50gr tins the same size as for example Univeristy Flake.

This is a tobacco for 'anyday, anytime', it's always good. There are tobacco's I consider more luxurious, like a gourmet meal, but this one is like 'our daily bread' to me.

Well, our colleague pipestud had a 50g pouch from March 2001 listed in his consignment shop for $5. Not only a steal, but I had to have it for what it was. During the transaction period with pipestud, he noticed the outer cellophane wrapper was slit open and he felt the tobacco too bone dry to sell. I contacted him and said I would take it anyway. I am sure glad I did! After removing the outer cellophane wrapper, there was the distinct aroma of licorice. The pouch itself was still solidly sealed, and hard as a brick - like a plug tobacco. Upon opening the pouch there was the distinct aroma of butterscotch. I had no trouble separating a very dry flake from the rest of the pack. Folding it in half split it like dry wood, but I managed to stuff the two pieces into the bowl of a slim billiard. I breathed into the top of the bowl and through the stem as per pipestud's suggestion and I lit up. The butterscotch flavor came to the forefront and thus began a real treat. The tobacco smoked very cool and dry till the end. The butterscotch taste lessened by mid-bowl, but never totally disappeared. I couldn't detect any of the licorice. The Virginia used certainly had time to age in my pouch and its presence was was delicious and spicy without being grassy. The Burley component rounded out the smoke by giving it just the right amount of body. I was very satisfied by the bowl's end. Occasionally, I was treated with a mild soapiness, which actually added character to the smoke. I do remember this from the original Troost Special from years ago, but have not experienced this with the present day incarnation.

I would have to say that the three versions of Troost are very similar, however, they are different enough to stand on their own. The Slices, in my opinion, are closer to the Aromatic Cavendish in appearance and overall flavor. Before smoking the Slices, I would have thought them to be the Special Cavendish before being rubbed out. I believe it is the butterscotch addition in the Aromatic and Slices versions that tie the two together in overall smoking characteristics. I do wish the Slices were available in the USA as I would definitely add that version to my rotation. I rank the three starting with my most favored; Special, Slices, Aromatic. Thank you Steve for not chucking out that dry pack!

UPDATE 9-21-12: I recently bid and won a 3 1/2 ounce tin of Troost Slices off of ebay. The tin was very old looking and rusted top and bottom. While the tax stamp was intact, the tin had lost its vacuum seal - and I don't think it was opened by the seller for prior inspection. There were two coupons inside for a Van Rossem Delft Blue Tobacco Jar and from what I can tell this tin of tobacco goes back to at least the 1970s, making this tin 30-40 years old. The tobacco was wrapped in a gold foil wrapper and totally stuck to the content. I needed to tear it with the end of a pipe tool and peel the pieces off in strips. The flakes were very dark indeed - dark brown to black. The initial tin aroma was tobacco in nature with a hint of spice/must. The flakes were not tinder dry, but close. The flakes still were peel-able from one another and slightly pliable, breaking apart when bent in half. I took the entire wad and placed the flakes into a thin zip lock bag and then in another, slightly thicker zip lock. By the next day, what a beautiful bag aroma! My first impression was of ginger with perhaps a bit of cinnamon, smelling like Ginger Snaps were baking. One of my daughters thought maple syrup. At any rate, this is a very pleasant smoke and very different from my first encounter with the slices (see above). I'm sure the aging did wonders for these flakes and I am very tempted to plunk down the money necessary to get this directly from a shop in Europe that will ship this to the states for comparison. There was not one hint of bite nor did it smoke hot - even with fast, hard puffing. A truly delightful encounter.

UPDATE 10-7-12: I recently purchased 3 tins of the currently produced flake from the Netherlands. Although very good, it is not the same as my 30-40 year old find, but a very well prepared Virginia/Burley flake that I quite enjoy for it's mildness and subtle sweetness. I do wish it was imported to the states like their Troost Special and Aromatic Cavendish.

UPDATE 1-6-13: This smokes best when very dried out - almost to a crumble as it has a definitive chocolate taste that is very satisfying.

If there's one tobacco left in this world, let it be Troost Slices.

The slices were wrapped in paper in a vacuum sealed "sardine tin". At 13.40 Euros ($19.97 CDN) for 100 grams its half the price of 2, 50 gram pouches of Captain Black sold in Canada.

Troost slices is a mixture of coarse shred Burley compressed with thin shred virginia with something else in very sparse quantity which I cannot identify.

The taste is burley nuttiness with a pinch of spice which lingers on the tongue....nothing too heavy, but you do notice it. I found no real tongue bite. In my opinion a very, very nice after-dinner slow smoke with a cup of dark roast Colombian coffee. Not heavy in nicotine.

Aroma in my opinion is just honest Burley/Virginia smoke.........nothing really aromatic about it.

I wish I could find this stuff in Canada, I'd stock-pile this stuff like a loony squirrel storing nuts. But each tin would probably cost me a week's pay in Canada.

You can be sure I'm going to enjoy this tin ever so slowly. An excellent smooth and satisfying smoke to relax with.

If you can get your hands on this, make sure its in the tin, not the pouch (its not the same) and the label says "Original Recipe".

If you're new to flakes, this might well be the best start because it's the easiest burning flake I have tried. It's easy to light and a smooth smoke, not to high on nicotine either.

It's just too "normal" over here and I tend to go for the more exclusive brands, just because trying new tobaccos is half the fun!

I'm not usually an aromatic smoker, but this may well change me, or would if it were more readily available. It rubs out with ease and burns very well, if a little wet. It can bite if smoked too fast, and in any case the flavor is better if you can smoke it as slowly as possible. I'd suggest you smoke it in smaller pipes, as it seemed to get a bit tiring toward the end when I smoked it in a larger pipe.

This is definitely flavored, but I can't tell what it is flavored with, which is a good thing. Nutty burley flavors are the most noticable, with subtle notes of sweet spices. It smells wonderful, like baking cinnamon scones.

Overall, the best aromatic I have tried. If you can get some, you won't go wrong.

Needs to dry out a little, tasty cookie, sweet bread taste, not overpowering though, nice and mild, but not too mild. For once something the dutch make well and at a great price...a rare thing indeed.

Troost Slices were my all-time favorite. Whatever the secret ingredients were in Van Rossem's recipe, I've yet to try anything close to it.

Long after the original Troost Slices became unavailable stateside, to my surprise, I spotted a few 5 packs at a local Tinderbox. They turned out to be harsh, bad impersonations of the original masterpiece, not even a ghost of the former blend.

Reading this thread, I wonder if these cheap imitations are what some of our esteemed colleagues tasted? I find it hard to believe that any serious piper could hate the original Troost Slices.

If there is a Heaven for pipesmokers, perhaps we'll smoke TS again. :^)

Slices is the best tobacco in the Dutch style that I have smoked and it is a pity that it is not more widely available. It can hold its own against the likes of Marlin Flake, Full Virginia Flake or Stonehaven. It is also an education for those who might be inclined to sneer at aromatics on principle. A delight not only for the smoker, but also for those around.

If there are any pouches of this lingering in the shops, pass them by. They are a poor imitation. I have forgotten which particular conglomerate owns Van Rossem's recipes (it's the one that owns Dunhill, Lane, et al), but they haven't yet managed to bugger up the tinned version of Slices. There is still that baking bread, slightly spicy, chocolatey-burley, delicious Virginia flavour. I have found that as well as the requirement to smoke only the tinned version, a clean pipe is very important for full enjoyment. Some year I'll dedicate a pipe or two to this flake. Which I'm sure will single-handedly cause it's demise.

There are enough four star reviews for Troost Slices to make this addition superfluous. Except I know the best place to get more of this manna! So far, my experience with amsterdam-cigars.com has been wonderful, so I won't change. While you're at it, if you're feeling the slightest bit adventurous, do try the Troost "Baai" tobacco. Also very tasty, and quite different.

Uh oh, honey colored and honey smelling slabs of tobacco. A combination I have learned to avoid. It did rub out and pack easily. I lit up with fingers crossed..... it was harsh, bitey and mild in the nicotine department. Once the bowl was consumed I felt like someone had sandpapered the back of my throat.

Okay fellas, you got me. )-:

I disagree with the top description; my perfectly presented flakes are not broken. I do concur whole heartedly with most of the previous reviewers on the taste and smoking characterisics, especially the observation that it needs a few minutes to really blossom. I suppose its most recognizable comparison would be to MacBaren's Navy Flakes, although Troost lacks their characteristic MB honey taste. The sweetness here is more virginia and clovery. I keep trying to discern burley, but cannot. Excellent morning smoke, particularly for spring walks by the river. It goes well with coffee. It improves attitude.

I'm told this is an inexpensive tobacco, so my dutch comrade is likely getting a bargain with his now defunct Mephisto in trade. I don't care, this would become a standard for me if it could. Thanks, Martin!