Lane Limited HGL

i found this blend to be "ok" but I wasn't truly impressed by it. It is a bit lighter on the latakia than I would prefer. The virginias provide some sweetness but they bring their bite with it at about mid bowl. I'll keep what I have on hand for an occasional bowl, but I won't buy anymore of it. A far better choice for a "crossover" blend is Just For Him's "Shortcut to Mushrooms" by former tobaconist Bob Shafer.

This is sold under many names in many places. It has a very easy going quality to it, a hint of Latakia and is incredibly easy to smoke, nearly biteless, with a nice underlying sweetness (casing) which I don't find cloying or too much. I would give it three stars but there is simply not enough taste or strength to keep my interest level up. If I smoked it all day, I'd go through 12 bowls ! I'll give it 2.5 stars.

I have to say I smoke this on occasion because I possess about four ounces of this stuff. I think CaptnDan has this one figured out. My slant would be that RLP-6 is the smoothest smoker in Lanes' stable. Otherwise I am not big on this crossover thing. I don't recall a blend that is an American style aromatic with Latakia other than this one. I have tried this many times with limited enjoyment. Not an offensive blend, just not a bell ringer. (10/02/2004)

Update: O.K. for a stepping-stone tobacco. No longer smoke this blend.

I've smoked better and I've smoked worse. The Latakia in this blend is almost non-existant. In fact you can't find it most of the time, even when looking. I do find this to be bite free and absolutely non-tiring. You could easily smoke this all day if you needed something pleasant and boring. I personally like a little more Latakia in my aromatic English crossovers.

Lane Limited
HGL
(bulk)

Blend notes: “Toasted cavendish is laced with mountain Latakia, then blended with white burley and golden Virginia to produce a sweet, fuller-bodied smoke, yet cool and slow burning. The Lat is used as a condiment, not to build a Lat-bomb.
This is Lane's RLP-6 with a touch of Latakia added.”

The Latakia is not pronounced but there is enough to remove HGL from the Land of the Aromatics. It’s not an English. Not a straight burley. Not a straight Virginia. Not a Va/Per. Not a Va/Bur. Not a Va/Per/Bur. Not an oriental. Not a Balkan. Let’s see, where are we?

Oh yes it’s an American. Uh huh. People always want to label things. I guess that’s helpful. We tend to learn by association. I can tell if someone is rude because I have a ‘association box’ for rude.

Overall HGL is … interesting. It is consistent too. A good two and a half stars.

A lot of tobacco is put together in Denmark. Why don’t they get to have a blend called Denmark?

2.5 out of 3 stars rounded down.

Good for the price, and good to have the change of pace.

I MUST HAVE FRIED MY TASTEBUDS. I TASTE ZERO LATAKIA. THE DESCRIPTION SAYS LACED WITH LATAKIA. LACED EVIDENTLY MEANS SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO THE FOLKS AT LANE. AN OK TOBACCO.

A somewhat underwhelming blend, it is just about the last of Lane blends that contain any Latakia (they've discontinued most of the others such as Crown Achievement and BS005 Pure English). They seem to be concentrating on excessively aromatic stuff these days (goodbye Lane!). The Latakia is very restrained and tends to be lost in the sweetness which is a trifle dominant, and the finish is fairly biteless. I don't find anything to make it memorable except for its "baked cake" character.

This is RLP 6 with latakia added to it. If you have considered adding latakia to RLP 6 you might like this, although the latakia has a washout taste and is very weak. More of a crossover blend than anyting else. Not bad but certainely not a bellringer either.