Lane Limited 125th Anniversary

I approached this tobacco with a slight trepidation due to Lane being renowned for their aromatics, not necessarily their non-aros.

The tin note is hay-like with a slight wiff of dried fruit. The light revealed a delicious bouquet of creamy smoke with a nice underlying sweetness and a touch of spice. It packs and burns perfectly right out of the tin. It is also very forgiving in terms of smoking cadence. I smoked it the day it arrived at my brick and mortar, so I'm excited to see what happens with some age on it.

It is one of the best new Virginias to come on the market. I am blown away in fact. Bonus- this stuff comes in bulk. Well done Lane. Definitely recommended for bright Virginia lovers.

Side note- this would be an excellent candidate for buying in bulk and aging in mason jars, which I full well intend to do. I suspect this stuff could reach 4 star caliber with some time on it.

The tin note has a grassy and somewhat yeasty aroma; a little bit oat-like, and it carries into the taste of the smoke.

It is a natural (non-aromatic) blend with a very smooth, mild, and delicate vegetable-like taste, with traces of a nut flavor. No sharp, piquant or "hot" Virginia characteristics here. There are some herbal flavors to play with -- almost like an Oriental blend. By and large it is just an honest tobacco flavor with good smoke volume and mouth feel.

Easy lighting, cool smoking, no bite and no gurgle. This is not a Perique-forward blend. Here the Perique, though delectable, is merely an amendment to the blend.

My overall impressions of Lane Limited 125th Anniversary is that it is really a delightful, enjoyable and satisfying, if simple blend. There is nothing that makes this blend stand out as particularly memorable or unique but I don't think that is the intention or purpose. Just a mild, pleasant smoke with nothing complex to try to puzzle out or make you think. And sometimes, that's perfect.

I purchased this in bulk about a year ago, smoked a few bowls of it and then put it aside. It was my first foray into non Aromatic pipe tobacco in general, and VaPers in particular. I was not sure what to expect and was curious about what Perique is all about. After those first few bowls, I can say that I was not really impressed but my thoughts were that is was certainly not bad, just nothing to be excited about. Had I rated it at that time I probably would have given it two stars. But since it was only my first VaPer, I had nothing to really compare it to and thus could not fairly rate it. Now, after having smoked a fair number of different blends and styles of tobacco, I feel I can provide a much better impression of this blend, both in terms of taste and character.

As I said, I purchased this in bulk; two ounces. Didn't want to get a boat load of this I find I didn't like it. I'm not sure about the tin but the bulk came on the dry side of perfect moisture content. It has remained the same stored in a mason jar for over a year. I would describe the cut as a "chopped ribbon" as it appears to be ribbon that has been cross cut into smaller pieces. Visually, it is a nice looking blend with plenty of bright Virginia as well as darker brown Virginia leaf. I can not really see any of the Perique, though I am sure it is there in very small, condimental amounts.

In my experience, Virginia tobacco is either grassy/hay like, bready or sweet and citrusy in flavor and aroma. The tin (jar) note of this blend, to me, is clearly in the citrus/sweet spectrum of this flavor profile and this carries over to the taste of the smoke as well. There is a fairly sweet, honey like aroma and taste, perhaps Orange Blossom honey, but it is mild and not over powering. If there is added flavoring to this blend it is merely to enhance and bring out the natural flavor of the Virginia. There is nothing artificial tasting in the flavor or anything that imparts additional flavors that were not already present to begin with, like a typical aromatic would have.

This tobacco packs, lights and smokes very easily, requiring only one or two relights and leaves little to no dottle or dampness in the bowl. The flavors I detect are sweet, citrusy honey but not artificial. There seems to be very little Perique in this blend but I do detect a tiny bit of peppery spice amongst sweet notes, which I presume is the Perique. Defintely in smaller quantities than many other VaPers however. There is absolutely no tongue bite but I think this does better smoked at a slower cadence as Virginia leaf can smoke hot due to the higher sugar content.

I just smoked my last two bowls of this blend and I can definitely recommend this, especially if you are an aromatic smoking looking to try some mild, non aros. The light, sweet and slightly peppery taste is perfect for a refreshing smoke on a warm summer day. I enjoy my pipe with a nice cup of coffee but this could be paired well with A nice lemonade or iced tea, relaxing on your porch on a lazy summer day. If you are looking for a strong, stout blend with plenty of nicotine then you should look elsewhere. This is very mild and low on the nicotine level. But if you enjoy lighter tobaccos or are looking for something lighter to add to your rotation, then this one is definitely something you should try. Enjoy!

I am presently finishing my first bowl of this tobacco and I find it to pleasantly sweet with a little spiciness. It didn't bite and the flavor was fairly consistent from first light to the last puff of smoke. Truly the Virginians are the star of this show. It is a mild smoke and the Perique is very subtle. I have several other VaPers that have more power to them, but this is a nice mild relaxing smoke. I smoked it straight from a fresh tin that arrived today from P&C and it was good to go as soon as it was opened. It packed well and I only relit once about half way down. It burned to a fine ash and leaves a pleasant aftertaste. I'll most likely be buying more in the future.

At first light,this was an upscale version of Half&Half to my olfactory senses.After the second light,the Half&Half shock wore off,and a smooth,but full bodied flavor set in, with a little perique in the background.I don't know what it is like straight out of a sealed tin,but the humidity level of my pipe show sample was perfect,with no gurgling in the pipe after 3/4 of a bowl.

This was included in a bulk sampler from P&C, and truth be told, I didn't know what to expect when I first opened the pouch. Lots of yellow gold to tan colored ribbon, and intense grass/hay aroma that puts Gawith FVF to shame. Seems rather on the dry side, too. I must admit, I'm not one to sing Lane's praises, though I'm never without some old standby 1Q or RLP6. So I approached with some doubt.

At first light I'm blown away! This is like no other VaPer in my rotation, Elizabethan mixture being a favorite. If I had to compare, it's closer to Orlik GS with a tad more kick, or maybe Stokkebye LTF with a perique twist. Plenty of reviewers have covered the flavor profile...I have nothing new to add. With an even and cool burn, it throws a nasal punch of flavor. Very pleasant, very mild sweetness with enough peppery perique to keep me interested. This is more of an all day VaPer in my opinion. Not spectacular enough to make my top lists, but definitely worth a try. With some age, this may unseat Orlik GS from its throne. Very well done Lane!

Definitely one of the better offerings from Lane Ltd. I've admittedly overlooked a lot of their offerings in the past. It's a decent Virginia blend out of the tin. Buy a few and lose them in the cabinet for a few years and I'll bet some real magic happens.

Lane's 125th Anniversary was my 1st taste of a Va/Per tobacco. I was hesitant to try it at first, since I'm used to smoking aromatics mainly & a couple non-aromatics. I'm glad I got a sample from the Lane rep at a pipe show at a local B&M a couple months ago. I had no idea what I had been missing up until then. I am new to Va/Per blends, but I know this tobacco was a very good mild introduction to perique. I have also tried MM Country Gentleman & will be trying more Va/Per blends for sure.

The description of the tobacco in the header is pretty much spot on. The Virginia tobaccos are the star of this show with the perique playing a supporting/contributing role. From the bag it's a fairly dry blend with the smell of a sweet grass/hay field with just a touch of plum or figgy perique scent that grabs your nose. I didn't have a problem smoking the whole bowl most of the time on the 1st or 2nd light. The smoke is a very smooth creamy tasting flavor with just a hint of peppery spice to it, a very enjoyable & satisfying smoke.

I don't know enough about Va/Per's yet to give it 4 stars, but I will recommend it every chance I get to someone looking to try one. It's available in bulk, so you can get 1oz if you're just looking to try a mild Va/Per tobacco. Please give this one a try, you will be glad you did! It will open up a whole new world of tobacco pleasure & start you on your Va/Per journey.

Upon opening the bag of Lane Limited 125th Anniversary I happily embraced the earthy notes coming from the bag. It almost smelt of fresh cut hay. The blend sustained earthy notes throughout the entire smoke. Initially I could smell a sweet casing but I cant put my finger on exactly what it is, it is almost a honey flavor.The blend as a whole is very mild and super light on the palate. The perique is almost non existent. Over all the blend is good, with ageing it certainly has potential.