Lane Limited BS-005

I'll make this short, but not sweet. I hate sweet, whether it's pipe tobacco or cutesy-poo, in any form.

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."

It sad that Lane Limited has discontinued this fine blend as in my opinion no other bulk English for the price could even come close to it. Smokey. sweet, smooth and no bite issues if smoked correctly. Smokes cool, burns slow and to a fine white ash. The flavor is outstanding. Fortunately, I have a couple of pounds of this delightful Latakia bomb stashed away.

If you happen to run across it at your local tobacconist, grab it. It's so worth it.

Back in 1980 when I first started smoking a pipe... I had no knowledge as well "somebody" had not invented in the internet yet... of all these wonderful English / Balkan style blends. I was content with my OTC pouch of riff or black or SWR and putting it into my 20 Dr. G. Life was good. Fast forward to a few weeks ago.. when I noticed the Lane had "re-introduced" a classic Balkan blend.. so off went an order for 4oz of bulk.. and darn glad I did. The price.. fantastic.. the pouch note puts me in my smokey campfire zone..The moisture was just right from the bag... the cut of this blend makes packing a breeze.. from charing light you know you are going to like this alot and as you are trying to find just one more flake or two to light at the bottom the bowl.. your smile and relaxed state of mind tell you this was money well spent. Is it a Balkan Sobranie.. no clue.. never smoked it... is it a well rounded you want to smoke more English/ Balkan blend.. you can bet your Sherlock Deerstalker cap it is. Two thumbs up across the board. Happy Smoking Cheers Mike

Opened a new tin of this today. Ah. The strong smell it brings. Strong earth and wood tones ride this into the pipe. Cut is a little ruff but it works. Lights on first char and takes some work to smoke. Just a tad of wetness and the latakia. Makes this a great smoke. No gurgle. Just good smell.

As a new reviewer (but an old pipe smoker), I felt the need to jump in on this blend after reading comments from fellow reviewers over their lack of enthusiasm.

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.

I picked up a tin of this on a whim along with the other newly reintroduced tinned English blends from Lane, Medal of Valor and Crown Achievement. I absolutely love all three, but concerning BS-005, the tobacco comes fairly dry in the tin, which aids the burn rate which is balanced by a chunky cut. This blend contains a fair amount of Latakia, at least 50% to my eyes, and has a very bold, smoky taste at first light. However it also has a very exotic incense spicy flavor that either comes from the Latakia or the Orientals which are used. Whichever it is, it is a common element in the other blends mentioned earlier and it is very nice indeed. The Virginia is present but very light and only adds the slightest amount of sweetness which increases a bit towards the end of the bowl. I tip my hat to Lane Limited who have done their homework and listened to their loyal customers. This blend is one for the Latakiophile, and in that genre it will be a workhorse in somebody's rotation because the bulk pricing is very affordable. A quality blend at a quality price.

Lane's BS-005 is an excellent English style tobacco,with a nice dose of Latakia, just the way I like it. It makes for a fairly strong, but not overpowering English smoke. My gold standard is Dunhill's 965, and this compares favorably in taste and texture. I give it a 4,