James B. Russell Bengal Slices
(2.96)
Long cut Virginia and latakia, pressed into perfection.
Notes: Bengal Slices was, originally, the flake version of Balkan Sobranie. When Gallaher took over the Sobranie mixtures from the Redman family the original blenders finding the composition too complex and costly, they simplified it.
After Gallaher stopped making the simplified Bengal Slices, Mr James B Russell arranged for a composition similar to the Gallaher revision to be made exclusively for them by A & C Petersen, Horsens, Denmark.
A & C Petersen has recently been sold to Orlik A/S, of Assens, Denmark, which promptly discontinued the manufacture of Bengal Slices. A replacement, under the James B Russell ægis, has been released, approximating the A & C Petersen blend. FOR THE NEW PRODUCTION BENGAL SLICES SEE LISTING UNDER The Standard Tobacco Company of Pennsylvania
Details
| Brand | James B. Russell |
| Blended By | A & C Peterson |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50g. Tin |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.96 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 28 of 28 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2010 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Review based on a pre-2000 tin, opened January 2010; so this comes with more than a decade of age on it. (It always seems a bit pointless to review a blend no longer in production. But maybe there are tins still hanging around out there for the curious...)
I largely agree with the reviewer here who wrote: "Of the blends of today, it would be somewhere between Esoterica Penzance and J.F. Germain Special Latakia Flake." Bengal Slices, however, lacks the distinctive Oriental presence that makes Penzance such a unique and wonderful smoke. Minus the orientals, it is an ultra-smooth and soft mixture that seamlessly blends a constant latakia presence with an equally constant VA/Cavendish underpinning. It is surprisingly mild in flavor.
It is also surprising in its production of smoke from the bowl: This is the smokiest blend I've had in a long, long time. Not a concern whatsoever, unless you're in the company of others who don't share your love for a fine English mixture.
I haven't had the original Bengal Slices -- the flaked version of Balkan Sobranie -- since it was in production. But I can say that this is a completely different blend. The original bore the distinctive spice and rich latakia presence of a true Balkan blend; later-era Bengal Slices had moved into quite different territory. Both are enjoyable. But the original still remains a truly amazing -- and unduplicated -- mixture.
I largely agree with the reviewer here who wrote: "Of the blends of today, it would be somewhere between Esoterica Penzance and J.F. Germain Special Latakia Flake." Bengal Slices, however, lacks the distinctive Oriental presence that makes Penzance such a unique and wonderful smoke. Minus the orientals, it is an ultra-smooth and soft mixture that seamlessly blends a constant latakia presence with an equally constant VA/Cavendish underpinning. It is surprisingly mild in flavor.
It is also surprising in its production of smoke from the bowl: This is the smokiest blend I've had in a long, long time. Not a concern whatsoever, unless you're in the company of others who don't share your love for a fine English mixture.
I haven't had the original Bengal Slices -- the flaked version of Balkan Sobranie -- since it was in production. But I can say that this is a completely different blend. The original bore the distinctive spice and rich latakia presence of a true Balkan blend; later-era Bengal Slices had moved into quite different territory. Both are enjoyable. But the original still remains a truly amazing -- and unduplicated -- mixture.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 24, 2007 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
This was among my first good ventures into english/balkan blends, after the light english mixtures - Rattray's no 7, Blatter & Blatter Light english Mixture, for example- were not enough anymore in terms of strength.
There are not many latakia flakes on the market; this one was very tasteful, satisfying, but not extremely strong. The black Cavendish mellowed it down.
The flakes were very dark, with a bit of brown and golden streams, easy to rub out but harder to keep lit because of the overall darkness colour. Slow burning, obviously, big latakia taste - I suspect syrian- and VA, kind of heavy room note.
Too bad, I haven't had it in a while, would love to retry it but can't find it anywhere!
A good flake, recommended!
There are not many latakia flakes on the market; this one was very tasteful, satisfying, but not extremely strong. The black Cavendish mellowed it down.
The flakes were very dark, with a bit of brown and golden streams, easy to rub out but harder to keep lit because of the overall darkness colour. Slow burning, obviously, big latakia taste - I suspect syrian- and VA, kind of heavy room note.
Too bad, I haven't had it in a while, would love to retry it but can't find it anywhere!
A good flake, recommended!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 25, 2004 | Extremely Mild | Medium | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
I still have old tins from this stuff when I smoked it twenty years ago. It was good stuff, albeit a bit too moist and thus needing rubbing out first. Also, the flavor was near excellent, but didn't match other slices that I was smoking at the time (I was into slice a lot at the time). A find old brand, that almost is a great one, but has a very slight undercurrent of blandness almost like there was cheap burley mixed in or something. Nonetheless, the drier it got, the better it smoked, and was always in the rotation.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 12, 2004 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Rich and flavorful. Probably won't pass the wife test due to the latakia. Rub it out good it smokes cooler that way. Well balanced medium english smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 19, 2002 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Tolerable |
Is it that we're so spoiled by the likes of great Dunhill, C&D, McClelland and Peace blendings - that the old mainstays are vanishing? There is certainly genius at work in today's American crafters and time tested quality from Britan...here, is a dull but faithful companion. Mild, not potent...simple, not exciting. Perhaps it takes a tour on the sub-continent and yearnings for the cool, damp, green countryside to generate warm feelings for the comforts found in Bengal Slices. I have one tin in a well sealed glass jar on my shelf - that's enough.
Hmm-m-m-m. I wonder if I mixed it half and half with Penzance if that would.....
Oh, why waste the Penzance. If you want this sort of profile, but with flavor...then that's what you should have in your pipe anyway!
Hmm-m-m-m. I wonder if I mixed it half and half with Penzance if that would.....
Oh, why waste the Penzance. If you want this sort of profile, but with flavor...then that's what you should have in your pipe anyway!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 08, 2002 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I purchased my tin of Bengal Slices 3 years ago so I am not sure who made it at that time. In any case with everything I had heard about this tobbaco I was very excited to try it. I was very disappointed. The taste was almost not noticeable. It is a flake and rubs out easily. But I had a hard time tasting much. I thought it could be me so I left it for about 1 year and came back to it. Same story. Flat. Do not recommend this to anyone. It was not repulsive at all, just a lack of anything flavorful. It did have some flavor of latakia but that was it. Two stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 30, 2002 | Medium to Strong | Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Visions of the days of the Empire, the Raj, and Kipling, made this a must. This tobacco, like some others, have either dissapeared, or have been reborn into a different but simular configuration. Bengal Lancers chasing after the Turks, make for good reading, and this tobacco is a good accompaniment. Upon opening the can, one can smell the rich musty smell of Latakia, and Cavendish. The flakes are small, but bold, and break apart easily. Filling is no problem, since this tobacco is related to Krumble Kake. Lighting emits a smokey presence, that is enjoyable, and somewhat acrid. The Latakia, and Virginia's are well blended, and the Cavendish is the glue to the whole mixture. Tasty, and familar, this is a easy smoke, on all in the area, except maybe PC cranks. Unfortunatly, this tobacco may vanish. Here, Here, for the folks at JBR, for trying to keep the old blends around.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 27, 2001 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Very Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Tin Aroma: This blend smells heavily of molasses or caramel mingled with Latakia. A wonderful mix of smoky and sweet notes make for a tobacco scent unlike any other.
Physical Characteristics: Very dark sliced of pressed latakia, cavendish and stoved virginias. These slices are slightly smaller than most virginia flakes. The rub out to a chunky broken flake, but are too small to fold and roll, as is popular to do with virginia flakes. Burns slowly and smoothly to a fluffy white ash. I do find this blend slightly too moist upon first opening a tin, but after a day or two, it normalizes to a nicely smokability.
Notes: This is a very full-flavored mixture, suitable as an after dinner or evening smoke. The molasses and caramel notes I detected in the aroma are present in the flavor as well. I very much enjoy this sweet note, and so do not accompany this blend with any alchoholic drink, as they all seem to overpower the sweet note. Tea does seem to go well with it, I particularly like it with a Lapsong Suchong!
Physical Characteristics: Very dark sliced of pressed latakia, cavendish and stoved virginias. These slices are slightly smaller than most virginia flakes. The rub out to a chunky broken flake, but are too small to fold and roll, as is popular to do with virginia flakes. Burns slowly and smoothly to a fluffy white ash. I do find this blend slightly too moist upon first opening a tin, but after a day or two, it normalizes to a nicely smokability.
Notes: This is a very full-flavored mixture, suitable as an after dinner or evening smoke. The molasses and caramel notes I detected in the aroma are present in the flavor as well. I very much enjoy this sweet note, and so do not accompany this blend with any alchoholic drink, as they all seem to overpower the sweet note. Tea does seem to go well with it, I particularly like it with a Lapsong Suchong!
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