Hearth & Home Fusilier's Ration
(3.21)
Russ Ouellette's interpretation of the classic Bengal Slices contains Cyprian latakia, Oriental leaf, bright Virginias and a hint of unflavored black cavendish. Lightly scented and hot pressed.
Details
| Brand | Hearth & Home |
| Series | Marquee Series |
| Blended By | Russ Ouelette |
| Manufactured By | Sutliff Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Other / Misc |
| Cut | Krumble Kake |
| Packaging | 1.76 ounce tin weight |
| Country | Unknown |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.21 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 21 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 05, 2013 | Medium to Strong | Mild | Very Full | Pleasant |
Fusilier's Ration is an interesting blend and one I wanted to try from the time I heard about it. I received a goodly sample from Russ Oulette at the 2013 NASPC show. Now, I have read and been told that this blend is a re-creation of Bengal Slices. Well, I've smoked it and, although enjoyed it, I can't quite grok that it is Bengal Slices. Here's why.
The sample I received and the tin I received it from were in ready-to-use loose form. This is contrary to both the H&H description and to my clear memory of Bengal Slices. I have fond memories of popping open those little black rectangular tins to reveal the neatly positioned perfectly sliced krumble kake-style morsels. Also, the H&H tobacco I was given was dry - not dehydrated but not at all oily and wax-like, as were the BS slices. And, I remember rubbing-out the slices and always having to wash my fingers afterwards. Although I couldn't identify the bulk aroma of FR as Bengal Slices, a smoking buddy of mine who has been smoking as long as I have and has smoked many tins of BS, did identify it as the aroma of the old product straight away.
OK - let's smoke this blend. I filled a magnum-sized, John Eells-designed, Ardor-fabricated half bent billiard and had at it. The mild casing really didn't enter into the smoke that much but the solidly english undercurrents were wonderful. My smoking buddy and I puffed away happily and, in what seemed like too short an amount of time, I was in the bottom third of the bowl - a really big bowl. I had read that this blend smokes rather quickly and that seemed to be the case. Who cares - it was wonderful!
The only negative I experienced with this blend was a noticeable spiceyness on the tongue that persisted down to about the midpoint of the bowl. Then it smoothed-out. I next mixed-down a portion of the remainder with Dunhill Early Morning Pipe (my current mix-down blend) and - bam! What a wonderful and perfect smoke. All-in-all I'm happy with this blend and would/will buy more. However, the mix-down equals three stars - but I still recommend it to all english smokers.
The sample I received and the tin I received it from were in ready-to-use loose form. This is contrary to both the H&H description and to my clear memory of Bengal Slices. I have fond memories of popping open those little black rectangular tins to reveal the neatly positioned perfectly sliced krumble kake-style morsels. Also, the H&H tobacco I was given was dry - not dehydrated but not at all oily and wax-like, as were the BS slices. And, I remember rubbing-out the slices and always having to wash my fingers afterwards. Although I couldn't identify the bulk aroma of FR as Bengal Slices, a smoking buddy of mine who has been smoking as long as I have and has smoked many tins of BS, did identify it as the aroma of the old product straight away.
OK - let's smoke this blend. I filled a magnum-sized, John Eells-designed, Ardor-fabricated half bent billiard and had at it. The mild casing really didn't enter into the smoke that much but the solidly english undercurrents were wonderful. My smoking buddy and I puffed away happily and, in what seemed like too short an amount of time, I was in the bottom third of the bowl - a really big bowl. I had read that this blend smokes rather quickly and that seemed to be the case. Who cares - it was wonderful!
The only negative I experienced with this blend was a noticeable spiceyness on the tongue that persisted down to about the midpoint of the bowl. Then it smoothed-out. I next mixed-down a portion of the remainder with Dunhill Early Morning Pipe (my current mix-down blend) and - bam! What a wonderful and perfect smoke. All-in-all I'm happy with this blend and would/will buy more. However, the mix-down equals three stars - but I still recommend it to all english smokers.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 24, 2020 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
A very nice crumble cake with plenty of Latakia, that produces a thick creamy smoke and burns slow and cool until the end. A medium bowl of this can last VERY long, without rarely becoming tiresome. I have never smoked Bengal Slices so I can't make a comparison, but this is a good blend on its own.
My only minor complaint, is that its taste strongly varies according to bowl shape and size: in some of my pipes it was quite flat and with a thin body, and I can't explain why since in others it really shone. In some pipes it's mellow and sweet, in others it shows a bitterish edge. If it weren't for this variability and if it had just a tiny bit more orientals and complexity, it would be 4 stars for me.
My only minor complaint, is that its taste strongly varies according to bowl shape and size: in some of my pipes it was quite flat and with a thin body, and I can't explain why since in others it really shone. In some pipes it's mellow and sweet, in others it shows a bitterish edge. If it weren't for this variability and if it had just a tiny bit more orientals and complexity, it would be 4 stars for me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 03, 2016 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
My bias is towards English/Oriental blends; my prejudice is against toppings. But variety is good, and the reviews of Fusilier's Ration were intriguing. I liked the first tin well enough to order more: good flavor and aroma, but most important the topping did not dominate. My experience with subsequent tins has been uneven. Perhaps the amount of topping varied with batches or I smoked it too much, but I found it beginning to cloy and hide the taste of the tobacco. At these times it helps to put the pipe down and let it (or the taste buds) rest a bit. Certainly it is difficult to isolate the flavors of the component tobaccos as some reviewers are able to do. And whether the topping tastes of plum or vanilla or brandy or... (as different reviewers guess), do you want to taste tobacco or a plum? For me, it is still a "three-star" blend, but one that might best be smoked about once a week.
PurchasedFrom:
pipes and cigars.com
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 03, 2014 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This one is really enjoyable. Arrived via pipesandcigars.com's current 3-for-2 sale on Hearth & Home blends. (They have one on Dunhill blends too!)
Only things I can add to the review by DK, who nailed it imo, are that: (1) I agree with Fr. Tom re the thinner smoke/mouth feel of this compared to other English blends; and (2) if I had to guess, the topping has a generous proportion of anise or licorice, but it's done well, with a gentle hand. Also, I found the nicotine level noticeable but far from overpowering.
Only things I can add to the review by DK, who nailed it imo, are that: (1) I agree with Fr. Tom re the thinner smoke/mouth feel of this compared to other English blends; and (2) if I had to guess, the topping has a generous proportion of anise or licorice, but it's done well, with a gentle hand. Also, I found the nicotine level noticeable but far from overpowering.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 30, 2019 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Caveat: review is also based on a new Pipe break-in. Excellent smoke. Nice floral notes. Smokey but not off-putting. Well balanced. Atmospheric notes as opposed to room note is pleasant. A relatively cool smoke that improved with each bowl. I did not find it spicy in the least. I would purchase again and will probably cellar a few tins.
Pipe Used:
"New" Molina Olive Wood Bent Apple
PurchasedFrom:
Pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked:
recent purchase
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2015 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a quality tobacco with a great flavor profile. Smooth and mellow smoke that is both earthy and slightly sweet. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys Latakia blends that are on the sweeter side. This one reminded me of Frog Morton's Cellar, but not quite as aromatic as the casing isn't as pronounced. My only complaint with this one was the presentation inside the tin, it looked as though someone had just wadded the tobacco up inside of a paper ball and tossed it in the tin. I know that it doesn't affect the tobacco in any way, but the presentation is part of what makes smoking a pipe so fun.
Pipe Used:
various briars
PurchasedFrom:
PipesandCigars.com
Age When Smoked:
New from tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26, 2023 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Tin note of smoky, vanilla, and anise. Tobacco is dark brown and black Krumble Kake with flecks of light brown. Moisture content is good, some may want to dry it a bit. Breaks and rubs out with little effort. Burns slow with a few relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. Flavoring is mild to medium, with notes of vanilla and anise, but both quickly relegate to the background. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with complex notes of floral, smoky, herbal incense, wood, earth, leather, spicy, tangy citrus, dry, sour, orange peel/zest, bread, acidic, spices, musty vegetation, bitter, a sugar and lemon grass background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Oriental/Turkish, Virginia and Black Cavendish supporting. Flavoring shows strong support in the beginning but then falls by the wayside in the first 1/4. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is great.
Pipe Used:
English Captain Black Sandblasted X188
PurchasedFrom:
pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked:
5 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 11, 2019 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Nice, thick sliced Krumble Kake that is dark and chocolaty looking. Came a tad moist, but a brief drying time fixed that easily. Very oriental-forward initially, with smoky, salty, leathery Latakia and the sweet-and-sour Orientals blending seamlessly. I get a lot of cocoa notes, dark fruits, a touch of coffee, and some good VA sweetness, augmented by the creamy, sweet cavendish. I believe there is a bit of a topping that tastes a bit sweet and vanilla or bourbon like. Smolders along very well after the initial light, and burns clean. A very good oriental forward sweet English.
Pipe Used:
Various briars
Age When Smoked:
6 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 11, 2019 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
This krumble kake came a little dry, but smoked beautifully. Mechanically a very easy smoke after preparation. No chance of tongue bite, and stays lit well.
First impression was that this blend was very distinctive and the flavor fluctuates quite a bit. The topping is hard to pin down, but doesn't overpower any of the tobaccos. The oriental is just slightly stronger than the latakia, but not so much as a balkan blend. The latakia comes off almost more like smoldering polished wood, perhaps an interaction with the topping? That sounds bad, but it works well. The virginia is there adding some grainy sweetness, as does the cavendish, but far in the background typically. Again, the tendency was as new components would catch, each component tobacco would solo a bit more. The retrohale brought out more of the latakia and provided some buttery richness from the orientals that was very pleasant.
Overall, this is on the milder side of H&H English blends, but it's a pleasant experience.
First impression was that this blend was very distinctive and the flavor fluctuates quite a bit. The topping is hard to pin down, but doesn't overpower any of the tobaccos. The oriental is just slightly stronger than the latakia, but not so much as a balkan blend. The latakia comes off almost more like smoldering polished wood, perhaps an interaction with the topping? That sounds bad, but it works well. The virginia is there adding some grainy sweetness, as does the cavendish, but far in the background typically. Again, the tendency was as new components would catch, each component tobacco would solo a bit more. The retrohale brought out more of the latakia and provided some buttery richness from the orientals that was very pleasant.
Overall, this is on the milder side of H&H English blends, but it's a pleasant experience.
Pipe Used:
Falcon Int'l with briar Algiers bowl
PurchasedFrom:
Tobaccopipes.com
Age When Smoked:
3 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 27, 2019 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Fusilier’s Ration has a nice tin note of a typical English blend. I detect brine, earth and spice. The crumble cake is very easy to rub out and didn’t require any drying before smoking. A note of caution though is to not rub the tobacco out too much otherwise it becomes very difficult to keep lit.
The briney, bbq smokiness from the Latakia as well as an earthy pepper are the dominant flavors. The flavor and burn remain consistent throughout most of the bowl and the earth note comes through a little more toward the final third.
Overall, Fusilier’s Ration is a well balanced English blend that requires a bit more technique to pack and smoke a bowl. However, when well packed, it required only a moderate number of relights and is a great smoke to end the day with.
The briney, bbq smokiness from the Latakia as well as an earthy pepper are the dominant flavors. The flavor and burn remain consistent throughout most of the bowl and the earth note comes through a little more toward the final third.
Overall, Fusilier’s Ration is a well balanced English blend that requires a bit more technique to pack and smoke a bowl. However, when well packed, it required only a moderate number of relights and is a great smoke to end the day with.
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