Orlik Tobacco Company A/S Golden Sliced (Red Tin)

a good deal better than i remembered it, really. quite surprising, as it's mostly the other way round when you revisit the classics of your youth. i used to know a lot of law students, all of whom of course smoked this - so i had my fair share of ogs.

hay like pouch aroma. a whiff of... caramel? easy to pack, light and smoke. as most orlik tobaccos, it's well crafted. taste is slightly caramelized, as it's a sweetened tobacco, and grassy/citrusy. my smoking it has revealed no burley nor perique, both of which are reportedly present in small amounts. taste varies very little from start to ash.

all in all, a pleasant smoke which is a little on the light side, strength wise as well as flavour wise. a little lacking in caracter, i feel - but as it's a tobacco you can still get just about anywhere here in denmark, i don't mind buying it if i'm out of any of my favourites when traveling.

update: I got back to it and it's a lot better than I remembered. Upping my rating to three from two. Give this tobacco five minutes, man. I mean to say, don't hurry smoking it, and I think you'll see, it gets better round mid-bowl, the nuttiness, but is sweet all along.

Old review: Not my favorite. There is just some taste in there, somewhat like a grassy clove or something, that just kind of irritates me sometimes. It's supposed to get much better with aging, so I will leave it in the tin and not throw it out for a while. Maybe I'll get back to it someday and it will be better. For now, though, I've really avoided it.

This is only my second Virginia experience, but I found it to be very enjoyable. The sweet "hay" or "grassy" flavor is definetly there however, I found it as a positive instead of a negative taste. Until I find something better, I'll be buying more of this.

For me this a summer tobacco, a lightish Virginia blend for the warmer months when heavier tobaccos are just too much for the palate. there is a pleasing VA sweetness to the taste, but it needs to be smoked carefully or it will bite. An occasional pleasure then, but one to be kept for those occasions when nothing else will do.

This is a wonderful flake. It is mild, no tongue bite, and complex. Dont worry about rubbing this out, I find it smokes best just left alone. A must try.

This is the tobacco I base all others on. my only Four Star tobacco as It meets all my requirements. I tried many and always return to Golden Slices. Light, Clean, Sharp, Little bite throughout. The first light taste mainly like smoke and it has to build for a minute. The first third if concentrated on has wheat, grass, light sweetness that builds into a floral nature. 2/3 into the bowl strength has built into Honey Suckle, Light Nuttiness reminding me of the old candy 'Bit-O-Honey'. The Grass/Green note remains throughout. The last 3/3 is wheat/nut virginia flavor, rare and occasional caramel note that doesn't leave your mouth stained or jaded. This is no doubt likely the best all day VA smoke. Rushed does not work well with it, the taste is fragile. A hurried smoke makes for a 'greener' smokier,- but still a decent VA. I have noticed, and perhaps the reason for so many opinions on this- A cheap briar, or a wet one without adequate cake brings out the 'green/grass' notes and hides the others. I hate to break in a pipe on this one. If you are jaded, or smoke a lot of latakia- you will not be able to taste the fragile nature of this. If this is you, Try McClelland Christmas Cheer, Rattrays Marlin Flake, Or Hal O' The Wynd for a natural Virginia that you can still taste. If you want a cheaper option, yet similar, Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Navy Twist is a less diverse but tasty option. Dunhills Light Flake is similar in many ways with zesty nature versus honeylike, I suspect a fan of one would like the other. Remember, use a clean palate, and a good VA dedicated pipe with good cake or you are wasting your time and money.

PS: Golden Slices (Red) in Europe there is an Orlik 'White' that is aromatic. Orlik manufactures dozens of types but only some are availible in the US. Also, The can reads 'Is Harmfull To Health' for the curious....

2 reviews here:

I wonder me about the attached (red). Is there another un red golden sliced?. At whatever rate, this is travel in tongue bite. Nothing but a weak and weak tasting tooth tweaker.

Tin (100 gram) left half full to rot alone. . . 6 months later, rotten or not, this is a tastey and smooth smoke. Nary a bite, although nary a flavor too boot, when sipped there is something to enjoy. Yet, not enough for me to re-order. Did finish the tin, and the last bowl made me think, hmmmmm, maybe?? Maybe not. I'll try Dark strong KY next.

This is a flake that simply doesn't do it for me. It's base is good VA, but, as Eulenburg said, the added Burley makes it a dull smoke.

For people who still smoke a pipe out of habit rather than out of connoisseurship.

As soon as I went into a pipe tobacco shop, I found this pure VA smell. Did not wait any longer, I bought a dozen.

The one I got is 50g pouch package, which is not listed above. However it's not impacting the quality. Gloden leaf, sweety smell, dry enough for one match light.

I used to roll the weed without rub-it-out, which results in a slow, mild and cool breezing. Personally, I hate the final 1/3 that is smoky and full of nicotine.

During the whole process, an acid taste in the background.

It's good to keep some.