1. Hazelnut
This was an aromatic that was a bit heavier on the Virginias, which is actually to my liking. It has a pleasant nutty scent that combines well with the notes of dried hay and what seemed like a little vanilla. It was a fine cut ribbon that felt perfect in respects to moisture and packed great. I smoked it out of a rusticated Leonessa. I liked this, though it wasn’t exactly what I expected. It was not too sweet and I found a bit of spice from the Virginia leaf. The hazelnut topping was spot-on flavour wise, and I also found notes that reminded me of a graham cracker. The ribbon cut was springy and burned great. I think this would be a good transition blend for someone that wanted to move away from heavier aromatics and towards Virginia mixtures. Overall: B+


2. Holiday Excursion
I never had the chance to smoke the original incarnation of this blend, and as is always the case, reviews indicate that the latter version produced by Lane is inferior I have to say that the tin art is bitchin’ and that, along with the name recognition, drove me to acquire a tub last year. It has an interesting scent that smells a bit like a hay bale, that sat beside a bonfire, and was spritzed with caramel. Interesting to say the least. I smoked it out of a Venturi Bicentennial, circa 1976 when Holiday was in its heyday The first thing I got was come cocoa from the Burley, but this was quickly overtaken by what seemed like a perfume of some sorts. I had a hell of a time keeping this stuff lit, and when I finally got is rolling well the predominant notes were something like maraschino cherries and sweet cream. Overall, the challenges with the burn were frustrating and the taste was less than rewarding- let the old codgers have it C-


3. LL-7
This is a nice dark Cavendish blend that smells like chocolate and caramel. I think this is another of the very popular Lane offerings that show up in bulk canisters within B&Ms around the country. It has a very sweet odor and is slightly moist to the touch. You can pick up on the burleys poking out from behind the Cavendish. I smoked it in a Gatlinbulier #79 house pipe. My first reaction upon lighting up was “I’ve smoked this before!” Who knows what name it was sold under at the local tobacco and candle shop back in the Shenandoah Valley, but I recognized it instantly. This is in reality the perfect tobacco for a newb- it burns really cool and stays lit easily. There is zero tongue bite and the flavors aren’t over-the-top. I got sweet chocolate and something that reminded me of maple fudge I used to buy at the Mennonite market. In addition to its other qualities, LL-7 is a definite “panty dropper” when it comes to room note. If you’re new, or if you still like aros after years of smoking, I recommend you give this one a shot. A


4. HS-3
I was surprised by how this was not “overly aromatic”- it actually had a nice balanced scent that included a bit of hay peeking out from behind vanilla and amaretto notes. It smelled sweet, but not artificially so, and the blend didn’t feel at all wet or “goopy”. I smoked it in a Chacom Manet. This blend was strikingly similar to Drew Estates 7th Avenue Blonde! It offered creamy notes of vanilla and was reminiscent of butterscotch in the retrohale. It was cool smoking without any bite. It was a ribbon cut that was pushing shag consistency but it burned well without relights. Overall I would say this was one of the better “economical” bulk blends that I’ve come across. I like aros but I’ve smoked some bad ones in my day- this is a great example of how to do one right. A


5. 1-Q
Finally, the infamous Lane 1-Q You don’t have to be a pipe smoker for long before you run across this blend. I would venture that half the tobacco shops in the country (particularly the cigarette outlets that also sell pipe blends in bulk) stock this stuff under one name or another- typically something quaint and pertaining to local geography. You can smell the grassiness of the Virginias through a mask of vanilla and molasses. It’s a nice ribbon cut that feels moderately wet and packs easily. I smoke this bowl in a Gatlinburlier #76 house pipe. The flavours from this blend were what I refer to as “cake icing” vanilla- rather than vanilla bean, and sweet almonds. It was pretty pleasant and the balance between the Cavendish and Virginia was good. It did resist its death by burning and require a number of relights, but it stayed cool and didn’t bite. Overall, I can see why it is a perennial best seller, but I recommend drying it out a bit. B