Lane Limited HGL

This is one of maybe two Lane blends I'd smoke in a pinch. As a matter of fact it was one of the first blends I tried when I finally moved away from goopy aromatics. Unlike most Lane blends this stuff actually does burn slowly and fairly clean. For those who like latakia I have to say there's only a suggestion of it here no matter what the description says, although that's not a bad thing for first time imbibers of that weed.

All in all I'd have to say that although I don't smoke this one much any more it does make a good crossover smoke for someone who wants to move beyond cherryberrymangovanilla.

I tried this tobacco based on reviews at this site. Luckily, my local tobacco shop had some available. I am in the process of switching over from aromatics with rich toppings to tobacco that will give me a fuller tobacco experience. I enjoyed HGL immensly but alas, it won't be for long. I have found out that Lane is going to discontinue this blend. One of the pipe web sites (sorry, can't remember which one) that the another company will make a match and call it TGL.

As a discount brand, I give this 3 stars. Among all tobaccos, I would give it 2 stars. Lane does a decent job of making this medium-strength baccy with noticeable but not overpowering Latakia flavor, and it has little bite. This tobacco is very different than most Lane brands, in that it is not a heavily-cased aromatic, and is not terribly sweet. It smokes to a rough powder with some larger grains that have turned to coal, but unless you smoke it very, very quickly it does not leave a wet mess at the bottom of your pipe.

As with all Lane blends, it is necessary to air this out prior to smoking for the best effect (at least half an hour), but unlike many of their lines you can smoke this to the bottom of the bowl right out of the bag without drying it as long as you smoke slowly. Smokes best in a smaller bowl.

4/23/08 Update - The last few bowls of the 4 oz I had purchased has been much, much more enjoyable than the rest. It would seem that 'letting it air out' for a while has greatly improved both flavor and moisture. What I'm smoking now is a solid 3-star blend, whereas before I was tempted to rate it 2 stars overall. This is the only Lane blend I've smoked that I really enjoy enough to want to buy more.

I tried hard to come up with some passion for this blend, either positively or negatively. Yet I am firmly in the blase zone.

Others have noted the smokey-sweet identity of this blend which may be its singular destinction. If that quality is somethiing you favour, or if you prefer very mild english blends, this may be your cup of tea.

I'm stumped by the cross-over concept. HGL sits in my mind as an english, albeit a very very mild one.

Price point is a plus for those, like myself, who like to try new things. On that count you cannot go wrong.

It is not unpleasant, but invokes no superlative's. I'll happily finish my 2 ounces, and move on with no hard feelings.

****

UPDATE I'll be the first to admit when I'm off base. I've been giving this one more time and I think I'm coming around to it. It's the tobacco version of olives for me: an aquired taste; not in a bad way, it's just a bit different than my usual fair.

I am also coming to see the light on these so called cross-over blends. To myself I have begun to think: 'Hmmm, the best of both worlds?'.

Ok, So I really liked it......Lane seems to be a love it or hate it company, But this stuff was like no other lane.... This is not Cap Black.... Sweet and smokey....Its a pleasure to smoke. I can't take the latakia drip anymore, but I do appreciate its presence as a condoment....and thats what it is here. I highly recomend this as a pleasurable smoke. the only thing I noticed is its better inside or in cooler weather..? Its flavor seems to thin out in the heat......(85-90 in my car in the afternoon vs sitting on my sofa with the air at 72)....Maybe its just me... Love it!

The best Lane Limited blend I've ever tried. Reminds me a bit of the sweet old Tinder Box blends I first tried 30 years ago when I began smoking pipes. A nice, sweet blend for all day, but definitely not sticky, goopy or heavily cased like most Lanes. If you must try one Lane, it's this; likewise, Pipes and Tobaccos' 'Count Pulaski' is Altadis' best blend. It might come under different names depending upon what store you by it from. Many tobaccos are the same and packaged under different pseudonyms. In whatever manifestation you may find this, you're sure to enjoy it.

Three and half of five stars

HGL has everything I look for in an all day smoke. There is no extreme side of any category, and the taste posseses a complexity that I don't tire of easily - making it a great blend to take alone on vacation or a weekend getaway. The strength is medium, better than a boring mild and tolerable for multiple times a day regularity - unlike a real strong blend. Lane claims there is no flavoring added, the cavendish makes it sweet without added flavoring. Worse case - it has light flavoring. It has a pleasant room note, with a fusion of woodsy, sweetness, nuttiness, and fresh baked bread. This is how I would also describe the taste as well. The taste has a perfect balance that gives me the flavor I like from a variety of tobaccos, all in one. The tobacco still has its own identity in spite of the wide spectrum. I buy this in 8 oz bulk and store in a sealed jar without additional humidification. My only complaint is that it is slightly moist and will leave just a little wet spot at the bottom of the bowl. Not enough for a gurgle, though. I am suprised how well I rank this against comparable C&D, McClelland, G&H blends. After all, it is a readily available Lane blend costing $20 - $25 per pound.

Update: I will have to lower my rating from a 4-star to a 3. I've been smoking this tobacco for a long time, however, I have to deduct points for quality, consistency and long term humidification management. Though this blend highly benefits with aging, the burley & virginias are of a lower to medium grade. There is not enough Latakia, yet it can be tasted more prevalently when kept on the drier side. That is at fault of the high quantity of cavendish. It requires a careful management of moisture, or the taste goes flat. When it's on the money, the latakia compliments the burley & VA so well with the hint of sweetness. When straight from the local tobacconist, the cavendish dominates because of the moisture. It is what it is, a decent crossover that can be smoked all day. There's plenty of better blends of this genre. I no longer dance in the streets over it, but it does bring me great pleasure on half of the bowls I puff on. It's still good enough to warrant a 3-star in my book.

At one point in my smoking career, I fell for the latakia/cavendish mixtures. I thought I could get the best of both worlds in one. It was a short phase (maybe 8 months) but this was the best of the ones I tried. Frog was too wet for me and the C&D stuff didn't have enough aromatic agents in them. This was cheap, readily available and of good quality. I never got any complaints on the room aroma and it burned much better than most Lane blends. Every now and then I re-visit this blend and still like it.

Upon 1st light one detects the Latakia, but it is not strong. It's suttle and smooth. At a 1/3rd bowl and past, the cavendish becomes dominate with the latakia in the near background. One catches a very slight hint of chocolate from time to time. This seems to be from the burley, not a casing. The Latakia, Burley and Cavendish really join one another to produce a very nice smooth smoke with the Virginia giving it's touch of sweetness. It does not smoke wet and there is no gurgle.

This is another blend inwhich my wife likes the aroma of. Pure and clean.