Okay, I like candy.

Lane's BS-005 is a very non-sweet smoke that I've been puffing away at for over thirty years. I've found other tobaccos I like as a very occasional change, but nothing to replace 005 as my favorite and steady smoke. LIke the store description says, this is the pure and real thing. I like it even better than Lane's quite good "superior" version - "Crown Achievement".

A note of criticism regarding reviewers, if I may:

One who dislikes Latakia, or English/Balkan blends in general, will never like this and has absolutely no business saying anything about it in a review. (Give ME any "aromatic", and I'm going to give it a determined thumbs-down every time.) My comment is meant solely to place various prior, and doubtless subsequent, comments in perspective; as well as to encourage those who might otherwise ignore this little masterpiece, due to false representation.

That having been said: paradoxically, to the unacquainted, I would NOT recommend my all-time favorite as an intro to English/Balkan blends. Just as, for example, one who thinks he doesn't like Scotch Whisky is hardly advised to start out with, say, the Isle of Islay's best pure malt, "Laphroaig".

My suggestion for an introduction would be one of the G.L. Pease blends: "Odyssey" or perhaps "Caravan". I came to my favorite Lane by way of Rattray's "Red Rapparee," but I'm not sure Rattray is the same as it was forty years ago and it is too heavy in virginia, anyway.

Another advantage this blend has is that it comes only in bulk and can be acquired quite inexpensively, especially if one has enough storage space to accommodate it in 5 lb. lots.

In fine, when it comes to real-McCoy ENGLISH, Lane BS-005 is, in Tom Wolfe's meaning of the phrase, truly the "Right Stuff."

First off, I LOVE English and Balkan blends. The aroma given off by smokey Latakia properly mixed with Turkish, Orientals, Virginias, even lawn grass, sends my nose into olfactory overload. My first bowl of BS-005 confirmed that I had found yet one more outstanding English blend and brought me into the inner circle of other Lane tobacco lovers.

The first bowl was an interesting experience - the first 1/3 was cool, satisfying and I kept thinking, 'hmmm not bad, but it won't last...it's not expensive enough.' During the second 1/3 of the bowl...'hey, this stuff is pretty good!' The final 1/3 had me wanting more. Truthfully, I wasn't expecting this. I've since tried several other Lane blends, including HGL Full English, which is not, in my humble opinion, as good as BS-005. (HGLFE seems to have a odd aroma reminiscent of my grandmother's perfume.)

By way of comparison, BS-005 is heavier in Latakia than Early Morning Pipe, Penzance, Renaissance, and Raven's Wing. It smokes dry, leaves a fine, non-goopy ash without residue and unlike Pipestud, I cannot detect any moisturizing agent. In fact, my preference is towards drier tobaccos and I'll often leave newly purchased bags and tins open for a couple days. BS-005 dried out so successfully I may have to mist it back to a slightly moister existence.

I give BS-005 4 stars. If you enjoy tobaccos like 965, consider putting BS-005 into your rotation.

-- U.L (Uncle Lew) approved.

BS-005 is distributed to pipe shops around the country to include as a bulk offering. It is one of those tobaccos that shops give proprietary names to. My local tobacconist sells it under the name Balkan Supreme. I grabbed some and took it to my pipe club meeting a year or so ago.

My tobacconist says it is not a very popular bulk blend. There is a reason, - it is quite foul. It boasts a notoriously nasty flavor, but it is steamed enough to be easy on the palate. Like many of the Lane bulk blends, it contains a moisturizing agent that women would die to get a hold of. Otherwise, it's forgettable indeed, particularly for you veteran smokers who appreciate some flavor with your pipe. IMO, BS-005 stands for the blender's BS descriptive of this blend times 5!