About the toughness, I did not see the difference. It could be because my wife tended to overcook the regular bacon to render more fat out, and quite often the bacon got a bit crunchy. But now that you have mentioned the taste...
It could be simply that you have a more discerning palate, but you made me wonder. Being the curious type, I will have to get to the heart of the matter, and have to do a more detailed A/B test for myself.
See the trouble you caused? A minute ago, I was happy with the status quo. Now, I wonder if I miss out on something.