Lane Limited BLWB

These notes are my first impressions of BLWB. I’ve only had a few bowls of this, so far. I’m using it to break in my brand new Gardesana Bianca Lovat pipe. I’ve also had a large bowl in a meershaum. I suspect I’ll get to like it more over time. I agree with some of the other reviewers that there is nothing to get too excited about with this blend. But I like it. I find it to be very similar to Carter Hall, Prince Albert, Granger and the like, and I suppose that is Lane’s intention. Seems they succeeded very well. There is plenty of nuttiness here, it smokes smoothly, cooly and really doesn’t bite. The topping isn’t chocolatey. Just a gentle sweetness that is very pleasant. This blend packs easily, burns well and leaves no gunk and little moisture. Minimum re-lights. There may be some humectant applied, but if so, it seems minimal to me. BLWB does what it is supposed to do, and it does it very well. It is mild and unobtrusive, but still tasty. If you like mild, OTC, “old codger” burley blends, you can’t go wrong with BLWB. The price point is pretty good, too. Frankly, I don’t understand why this blend doesn’t get better ratings here. It is really very decent. Cheers!

This is my second review of this tobacco. Originally, it started off as a great starter for first-timers. I would have recommended it to anyone who wanted to start smoking a pipe. It smelled good in the bag and was mild and easy to light. But whoa, was I wrong. The second time I smoked it, it was bitter and awful. That goop others had mentioned, not apparent in the first bowl, was like a thick disgusting tar on the second. It seems to have left an everlasting taint requiring me to remove all the cake and go to the alcohol method of cleaning the entire pipe. I'm just glad I didn't use my meer. Horrible stuff!

Okay, to start off with, I've been smoking a pipe for about 8 years now with only one local tobacco shop within an hours drive from my house. It's the typical "we cater to cigar smokers" shop and only has a handful of Lane and Stokkebye bulks...that said, I really like this stuff and I smoke it more than the tinned stuff I buy off the 'Net. For me, it's the perfect everyday smoke. It has tobacco flavor underneath the topping (which I have a hard time tasting), it has that Captain Black aroma which others like, it has no bite at all and it burns and lights extremely well. I get no bitter taste like I do with Prince Albert or some of the other drugstore blends and I can enjoy both this and Granger when I'm out of some of my fancier stuff. This is the blend I load up in a trusty Grabow (with filter) and hunt Dunhills for at the local flea markets every now and then. LOL. My only con on the tobacco is that it smokes a bit wet in a full bent, so the Grabow filters are appreciated. I can honestly say that there's nothing wrong with this stuff in my eyes...

This is my favorite tobacco! A nice burley codger blend with a touch of vanilla. Moisture wise ready to smoke. The flavoring is perfect! You can taste the flavor & burley throughout the smoke. This isn’t an aromatic…no goop, no tongue bite, none of that blah taste after a few puffs. This can be an all day smoke. Highly recommend.

Jar note of coconut, vanilla, and earth. The brown Ready Rubbed tobacco is moist and may need a little drying. Burns moderately with few relights. The strength is mild and nic is mild. Flavoring is mild, with notes of vanilla, no idea where the coconut went. Taste is mild and consistent, with notes of very woody, molasses, bitter nuts, dry earth, toasted marshmallows, a mildly sweet toasted brown sugar background note, and a smooth retro. Burley is leading and the flavoring is half supporting. Room note is very pleasant, and aftertaste is great.

From the vast collection of assorted products, Lane Limited presents bulk variety BLWB an aromatic combination of White and Dark Burley compliments. It’s marketed claim to fame being Burley Light Without Bite, oh yeah! Crafted with a non-stingy dressing of cocoa, vanilla, and possibly other nameless concentrations, BLWB poses to offer a delighting and comfortable Burley lover’s aromatic excursion.

A respectable looking offering, mild mannered BLWB manifests as an attractive selection of finely ready-rubbed tobacco of variegated brown hues, delicate light to headier dark/fermented leaves. The quality of the strains within are standardly handsome and elegant at first appearance. The ratio of the different Burley types used within the recipe appear to be thoughtfully metered as well. Decidedly moist and bit tacky to the touch, the blend does require ample set-up time in preparation for the smoking.

By discovery, I found BLWB’s pouched nose to be earnestly top coating-centric, with little inkling of native ambience. Mainly, the aroma is pleasantly natured projecting a thickly sweet and dapper persona. Enfolded in this glazed essence, a portly chocolate stream and heavily creamed vanilla beset the olfactory in grand fashion. Interesting there is a tropical tinge not unlike toasted coconut paired with what I can only describe as a passive fruity note reminiscent of sugary pineapple of all things. Again, no witness within the registration of any of the Burley to speak of except a hint of latent earthy tart.

Let me state that, conditionally, someone speaks with a forked or rather scorched tongue more accurately. Namely, for me at least, Burley Light it is, Without Bite it is not. In specific, during the first 1/3 of the bowl, I absolutely had to take slow paused drawls else this dude chomped down unmercifully upon my whole palate, over sensitizing my entire mouth cavity. I partook numerous bowls in both briars and cob experiencing identical results with this perceivable Bela Lugosi concoction. A disappointing but not surprising development, let me explain.

Mainly, there is a high degree of chemical shadowing that does form upon the lips and along the palate making them feel dry, prickly and in effect bitten. As the bowl progresses, the noted discomfort did subside as the toppings settle into being more amiable team players. This distraction is truly more a function of the volume of PG in the coatings versus any guilt upon the part of the constituent Burley strains. Heavy PG bio-chemically sends my palate into a frenzied panic, hence one of the primary reasons I ceased smoking goopy aromatics for decades. Nonetheless, BLWB did stabilize, assuming a friendly posture for the balance of the smoking, thank God and no garlic required.

So, what does BLWB bring to the party? A reasonably balanced sugary note of vanilla-chocolate swirl provides the forward top profile. Creamy and milky, the chocolate is a tad bit more pronounced throughout the smoking session as to the facts. The clean vanilla tends to be a bit more graceful and relaxed in response. With united force, however, the coatings do earnestly suppress the natural attentiveness of native leaf taste but not to the extent of totally obliterating their inherent spirit.

With the Burley you get a mixed bag of resident flavor. Religiously BLWB maintains a righteously even keel of brown sugared pecan nuttiness and some decent herby spiced darker toned sweet wood, hickory perhaps. The intensity is certainly light in magnitude and the experience is a touch monochromatic so do keep that in mind. Nonetheless a meeker recognition of distinct Burley characterization stands true despite the dressing’s overt dominance as stated.

Modest accenting of this buttered Burley flavor celebrates with some tasty darker fruit tones, mulled molasses, and a low-lying thinned sourness. Additionally, a lessor remarking of allspice, zesty tart, and a little loamy coloring like fresh turned soil minimally bolster the envelop of seasoned earthliness. There is a steadfast smoky/charry undertone on the bottom line that trails the climax of the finishing registration. A decently respectful representation of the genre’s standard flavor nuances all be it a modest and tightly compacted configuration at that. BLWB, as measured, encompasses @ 81% of the leaf varietal standards achieving a “B” grading upon the scripted assessment.

No question there is evidence of a little bit of bumpiness in the blending quality that depreciates from the mixture’s earned merit. Honestly that weakness comes and goes with the smoking but in being true to my position of objectivity I have to make mention of this observation. Nothing horrible by any means but nevertheless noted inconsistency that has a harshening effect on the quality of the presentation.

In general, as a favorable trait, the tobaccos do burn with reasonable temperature and cadence. The smoke quality and aroma are key distinguishing features, as hefty pillows of sweeter nougaty “Burley-esqueness” scenting occupy the room with a level of enjoyable pleasantry. Furthermore, BLWB’s texture is comfortably dry and arguably more mellowing than not. Not an exceptionally high scorer on base mechanical or common flavor attributes, the blend did well even so in a couple select metrics regarding roundness/balanced and tiered depth of taste profile presentation.

BLWL counters as a very simple recipe as such getting a read on its standard overall character was a rather straight forward undertaking. A relaxed, low nicotine experience, BLWB renders itself as a feasibly casual daylong smoker. Basically, it is just a basic sweetener enhanced Burley compote for lack of a better description. Although Tobacco Reviews lists this mixture officially as an aromatic, it could easily fall into that Burley-based genre conceivably. As such, my feeling is that the blend stands as a potential cross-over offering for both avid aromatic smoker and Burley enthusiast alike. Not a stellar nor a robust performer by quantified standards, but many do favor its considerably so many respects to them. To each their own is always the final answer. 2.4 Pipes

I’m a burley guy. This was on my list as a must try but my expectations were tempered heading into this because simply said (in my opinion); Lane pipe tobacco is one small step above budget bags of tobacco in taste and quality. Sorry but for me, Lane gets no love. The best part of this was the unlit aroma. Once lit and puffed, it was all downhill from there, and quickly like an avalanche. So you get it, I have nothing good to say here. There are literally 100 other burley blends out there to try over this one and I’d suggest you do.

From my sample, the ribbon cut blend comes in the moist side but does not need any drying time. The aroma is rich Burley and Vanilla/Honey. It’s nutty, Sweet, and sports some molasses as well.

The blend tastes very similar to the aroma. The Burleys are Mahogany, similar to what is found in Prince Albert and many other classic OTC blends. They are rich, toasty, nutty, sweet, and warm in flavor with a natural molasses note. The vanilla topping is different then the vanilla found in many other blends. I find it more like a vanilla extract used for baking. I find notes of honey mixed in as well, and occasionally even a fruity note. The topping is more heavily applied then in other similar blends in this genre. It is always present and doesn’t die down as you smoke through the bowl. It is nearly tied with he Burleys. Over all the flavor is simple, consistent, and just a touch one dimensional. I’m on the fence as to call this an aromatic or not. The topping is heavily applied but the Burleys shine through enough that I would go with heavily topped Burley crossover.

BL/WB smoked just as it’s name suggested, without any bite. It stayed cool and never sported any harsh spots. It behaved well and required little to no relights, however does leave some moisture in the bowl. The Nicotine is hardly noticeable and combined with its easy going flavor make this a great contender for an all day smoke. 3.25 out of 4 stars.

I made an error when I ordered BLWB..it was my error, not the tobacco's failure..it just isn't what I expected..

I may salvage it yet..I have some Shandygaff that I find terribly bitter..I will try mixing the two at different levels to make an attempt at saving both orders..

Just not my cup..