Bengal Slices Bengal Slices White
(3.79)
From P&C's website: Bengal Slices White is the newest entry in the Bengal Slices line. This is a flavorful and fragrant blend of fine Virginias combined with a fair amount of rich Cyprian Latakia along with some amazing Orientals that creates an exotic flavor and amazing aroma. Using the same crumble cake format as the original, Bengal Slices White is easy to prepare, and the blend is just a touch lighter than Bengal Slices and has no top note added. The finish is so clean that this can be smoked before a meal without interfering with your ability to taste your food. If you enjoy complex Latakia blends, this is one you'll love.
Details
| Brand | Bengal Slices |
| Blended By | Russ Ouellette |
| Manufactured By | Sutliff Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Krumble Kake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.79 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 14 of 14 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 2023 | Mild | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
I bought this on a whim and didn't look at the reviews until afterwards. After which, I was a little reluctant to crack it open because of the repeated mentions of the sort of animal/bodily funk. So I let it sit there on my shelf for a while. One day, a few weeks back I finally thought, "what the heck, might as well give it a try." I can't disagree about the funk. It's definitely there in both the tin and the smoke but I think it's been a bit overstated. And thankfully, I find it more barnyard (which I enjoy) than butt (which I don't).
Mostly because there have been several mentions, if you're reading these reviews looking for a Penzance replacement (which let's face it a lot of us are going to have to do at some point), this may or may not work for you depending on your expectations. If you're expecting an exact clone, you'll be pretty disappointed. If you're expecting a very good medium-full Latakia blend that has perhaps one or two small areas of overlap with Penzance, this could be it. But speaking in relation to other blends, I find this to be much closer to Westminster than anything else. Very close in fact. Except with the spicy/sour/salty Oriental leaf from Skiff Mixture.
In the pipe, it's very pleasant. There are some blends where the blender's trick is for all the components to remain distinct, and then there are some where the trick is to have them all meld together. This is more towards the latter. Maybe it's the pressing? Anyway, the flavor stays pretty consistent throughout but Latakia peeks it's head up the highest in the first half while the Oriental leaf becomes more assertive in the second half. The quality of the smoke is very thin and quite dry. Sidestream aroma is great for the person smoking it. French inhale and retrohale enhance this. Lingering moustache reminder is great. Burns HOT for me even when breath smoked. No big deal though. Just set the pipe down for a while to let it cool.
Will it make it into the permanent rotation for me? Not sure yet. Time will tell. But at the moment, I'm liking it and would definitely recommend it.
Mostly because there have been several mentions, if you're reading these reviews looking for a Penzance replacement (which let's face it a lot of us are going to have to do at some point), this may or may not work for you depending on your expectations. If you're expecting an exact clone, you'll be pretty disappointed. If you're expecting a very good medium-full Latakia blend that has perhaps one or two small areas of overlap with Penzance, this could be it. But speaking in relation to other blends, I find this to be much closer to Westminster than anything else. Very close in fact. Except with the spicy/sour/salty Oriental leaf from Skiff Mixture.
In the pipe, it's very pleasant. There are some blends where the blender's trick is for all the components to remain distinct, and then there are some where the trick is to have them all meld together. This is more towards the latter. Maybe it's the pressing? Anyway, the flavor stays pretty consistent throughout but Latakia peeks it's head up the highest in the first half while the Oriental leaf becomes more assertive in the second half. The quality of the smoke is very thin and quite dry. Sidestream aroma is great for the person smoking it. French inhale and retrohale enhance this. Lingering moustache reminder is great. Burns HOT for me even when breath smoked. No big deal though. Just set the pipe down for a while to let it cool.
Will it make it into the permanent rotation for me? Not sure yet. Time will tell. But at the moment, I'm liking it and would definitely recommend it.
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh from the tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 11, 2021 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
First of all, Bengal Slices White has beautiful tin art. So there's that. Inside, there are usually 1 to 3 very dark, thick slices of crumble cake, which are easily rubbed out. Upon opening that tin, there is a slight fecal scent. Yes, "fecal". When I broke off a piece and rubbed out about a bowl's worth, that sharp fecal scent grew much stronger. It's a musty, earthy, unmistakable butt scent. Not the mulch-like barnyard scent, but sharper and... I don't know how to describe it. Luckily, however, user "beaupipe" wrote a great review for Cornell & Diehl's Star of the East Flake... part of which applies perfectly to my experience with Bengal Slices White... here's the excerpt:
"...an almost sour, bright note and a kind of sweaty, fecal, Bikram yoga-bum smell, which I personally find enormously appealing. Devotees of things like Munster, Epoisses, mature wine, properly aged duck confit, Andouillettes, smell-my-finger-games, and unsanitary bedroom practices from the rear pages of the Kama Sutra should find this immensely satisfying, perhaps even erotic."
Yep. That's exactly what I'm referring to. Beaupipe described it well. Upon lighting up, that scent is much less apparent in the smoke. First puffs are dominated by the latakia and Orientals: earthy, musty, and a bit funky. The Orientals are more sour and woody with a bit of funk rather than incense-like. And the latakia is the typically smokey campfire. The Virginia's are back there providing a nice fermented sweetness. The overall combination is that of a sharp, musty, fragrantly funky Balkan. As the bowl progresses, this is one of those blends that tends to change quite a bit... the Virginias come out much more and it becomes much sweeter.
Bottom line: Sharply musty, smokey, sour, sweet, funky with barnyard overtones. It's robust, and it's good. I keep switching between 3 and 4 stars, because while it's a very good blend, I just don't know if it's on the same level as other 4 star blends. I'd say it's a 3.5, and round down.
"...an almost sour, bright note and a kind of sweaty, fecal, Bikram yoga-bum smell, which I personally find enormously appealing. Devotees of things like Munster, Epoisses, mature wine, properly aged duck confit, Andouillettes, smell-my-finger-games, and unsanitary bedroom practices from the rear pages of the Kama Sutra should find this immensely satisfying, perhaps even erotic."
Yep. That's exactly what I'm referring to. Beaupipe described it well. Upon lighting up, that scent is much less apparent in the smoke. First puffs are dominated by the latakia and Orientals: earthy, musty, and a bit funky. The Orientals are more sour and woody with a bit of funk rather than incense-like. And the latakia is the typically smokey campfire. The Virginia's are back there providing a nice fermented sweetness. The overall combination is that of a sharp, musty, fragrantly funky Balkan. As the bowl progresses, this is one of those blends that tends to change quite a bit... the Virginias come out much more and it becomes much sweeter.
Bottom line: Sharply musty, smokey, sour, sweet, funky with barnyard overtones. It's robust, and it's good. I keep switching between 3 and 4 stars, because while it's a very good blend, I just don't know if it's on the same level as other 4 star blends. I'd say it's a 3.5, and round down.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2023 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Tin note of pungent sour smoky. Tobacco is a Krumble Kake of black, dark brown and tan. Moisture content is great. Kake breaks apart and rubs out easily. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild to medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and fairly consistent, with notes of smoky, floral, lemon grass, toast, wood, spices, sugar, spicy, leather, rich earth, citrus, orange peel/zest, musty sour vegetation, dry herbal hay, incense, savory, a tart and tangy stewed fruit background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Oriental/Turkish and Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.
Pipe Used:
1991 Ashton Old Chruch XX Prince
Age When Smoked:
2 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 08, 2022 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I bought this as many others did, with no recollection of the original blend of years gone by. Having tried (and loved) the new Bengal slices, I was immediately interested in this blend when it was released.
On opening, you find 1 or 2 crisp little brownies. Unsliced and ready to crumble. Not a loose crumble kake, but not requiring a knife either.
This blend is a magic of some sort. It has all the delightful nothingness that leads men to drink English tea, eat mushrooms and smell fertile soil. Like oatmeal with cinnamon and butter. I mean to say it is both satisfying, without scratching any particular itch.
It has Virginia's yes, but they are not the dominant flavour. Latakia as well, but that is subdued. It is far from a lat bomb.
The star of the show are the Orientals. I expect there are Izmir and Yenidje both. Basma is quite likely also.. Sour at times, earthy at times, lightly bitter, with a floral quality. It is that last characteristic that leads me to suspect Basma. As you reach the midpoint of the bowl, there is a woody vinegar aroma. Like wet cedar. I can't quite say what I enjoy about it, but enjoy it I do. To the tune of 4 stars. I think I'll buy another 10 tins or so.
Masterfully blended. Russ Oullette is just showing off at this point.
On opening, you find 1 or 2 crisp little brownies. Unsliced and ready to crumble. Not a loose crumble kake, but not requiring a knife either.
This blend is a magic of some sort. It has all the delightful nothingness that leads men to drink English tea, eat mushrooms and smell fertile soil. Like oatmeal with cinnamon and butter. I mean to say it is both satisfying, without scratching any particular itch.
It has Virginia's yes, but they are not the dominant flavour. Latakia as well, but that is subdued. It is far from a lat bomb.
The star of the show are the Orientals. I expect there are Izmir and Yenidje both. Basma is quite likely also.. Sour at times, earthy at times, lightly bitter, with a floral quality. It is that last characteristic that leads me to suspect Basma. As you reach the midpoint of the bowl, there is a woody vinegar aroma. Like wet cedar. I can't quite say what I enjoy about it, but enjoy it I do. To the tune of 4 stars. I think I'll buy another 10 tins or so.
Masterfully blended. Russ Oullette is just showing off at this point.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Donegal Rocky 105
PurchasedFrom:
4noggins.com
Age When Smoked:
2 years
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