The Six Million Dollar Smoke: Lane Crown Achievement
-
Kevin Godbee - Feb 10, 2014
- 7 min read
E. Roberts
“The question everyone has is: Will the old Lane blends come back? If I have anything to do with it (and it’s kind of my job), the answer is yes. But it may take about a year or so.” Those were the words of Leonard Wortzel, brand manager at Lane Ltd. / STG, on the PipesMagazine.com forums; here we are, one year later, and several Lane Limited blends have indeed been resurrected—among them HGL (Herman G. Lane’s personal smoke), Hazelnut, Black Raspberry, LL-7 and HG-2000. Not to sound redundant, but the return of Crown Achievement to their portfolio is, well, a crowning achievement for Leonard’s evangelism.
PipesMagazine.com broke the story on Christmas Eve of the odyssey that Leonard undertook to resurrect this marque. To say his efforts were herculean would be to downplay them. Very much to his credit, Leonard listens to the community, and listens intently—going so far as to directly ask the forum members here for their help in choosing the Lane blends they’d like to see brought back, and Crown Achievement was the popular choice in that poll eight months ago. There was more to the story, though; the blend had changed over the years, a transformation that was not unnoticed by its adherents. The fact that he did the detective work in restoring the recipe to its pre-RJR glory was a masterstroke. There was a lesson to be learned from the recent re-introduction of Three Nuns, and Lane learned it well. The original Crown Achievement would be reconstructed like Steve Austin: better than it was before. It would once again be the superlative mixture that deserved its name, with the finest Virginias, Cyprian Latakia, Mahalla and Dubec—two varieties of Basma leaf that are the cream of the Macedonian crop—and of course, Perique.
We can rebuild it…we have the technology.
Tin: This blend has one of the classiest presentations of any currently produced tobacco. As noted in the article, Leonard went to great lengths to recover the old Lane tinning machine to present Crown Achievement in the European “shoe polish” style tin, which is labeled in a regal deep blue with gold lettering and a spot of red on the Lane shield. The label paper is also embossed with a marbled texture, similar to the pattern on a composition book; it’s subtle, catching the light and inviting the hand to trace its pattern, adding to the tactile experience before the tin is even opened. Opening the tin, there is at first blush a tart, leathery slap of Cyprian Latakia that wafts out from the familiar sunburst-pleated paper and—what’s this? A window? Indeed, a small circle of plastic is inserted under the paper, presumably to keep in the moisture, but also serving to complete a most elegant construction to house the tobacco, which sparkles behind it. The leaf itself is as handsome as the package; a dark mottle of black and mahogany ribbons in equal proportion, speckled through with lighter tan and olive threads, interwoven tightly in the tin. After the tobacco has aired a bit, the bouquet eases in tartness and offers clues to its complexity—whispers of musty fruit, mushrooms, and yellow glue linger behind sharper, gingery, grassy notes—there’s a lot going on in this blend, and it’s evidenced accurately in both sight and scent.
But soft! What leaf through yonder window peeks?
The original label-art was lost and perfectly re-created from scratch by matching it to a vintage tin
Char: On the cold draw as well as the charring light, there is a highlight of sweetness balanced against the peppery-sweet midground, and the leathery smokiness of Lat filling out the background. The high notes tingle the edges of the palate, and can be a bit sharp in their Virginia citrusy range. With a tinge of apricot and olive, the spiciness from the Oriental component comes through with the whisper of Perique.
Top: Getting into the bowl proper, the flavor range immediately begins to revolve on a sort of Möbius strip from puff to puff of sweet, smoky, bready, spicy, and back to sweet again. The balance is refined and quite clearly articulated with the constituent tobaccos, an achievement of no small import on its own. Also notable in the top of the bowl is the mouthfeel, leaving a ginger ale-like tingle on the palate and pronouncing the nuance of the spicier Oriental flavors magnificently. In this fresh tin, the sharpness of the Virginia component can be a wee bit aggressive; I can however see this auguring well for aging purposes.
Mid: The mid-bowl hits its stride well and early with this blend, playing like an expertly arranged string quartet—think Schubert’s 15th: powerful, variegated and inventive. There is remarkable balance, as mentioned, but also striking solo performances from the ingredients. Here the Latakia interjects a sonorous adagio phrasing, immediately counterpointed by a scherzo voicing from the Orientals and Virginias, and returning with a ritardando from the Perique’s fruity alto. It’s also a very pliable smoke, modulating slightly with different pipes and when smoked at different times of day, or with different beverage accompaniments. Throughout, the composition maintains the smoky Latakia as its central theme, and accentuates its complex flavors nimbly with the use of the other elements. Sweet honey and apricot notes, vinegary olive, wisps of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, pepper and clove weave through the tart burnt sugar and cedar smoke facets of the Lat.
Schubert am Klavier II, Gustav Klimt 1899
Finish: As the bowl reaches its coda, I automatically prepare a pinch for the next pipe—this blend begs to be smoked again and again. It does require some tending to keep lit; Orientals can be finicky on the burn, and demand attention. Fortunately, it’s no chore to devote one’s attention to this smoke. The Virginias are still a bit young as well, and can lean toward burning a bit hot, though mouth fatigue is mitigated with strong tea or coffee easily enough. The nicotine quotient is a comfortable medium, and suitable for smoking morning, noon and night.
Room Note: Although it’s a decidedly Latakia-forward blend, the Virginia and Macedonian leafs lend an intriguing spice and subdued sweetness to the smoke, gracefully tempering the room note. Mild to medium for tobaccophiles, and lacking the malodorous bent of some Latakia blends, instead it’s distinctly spicy and crisp.
Rating: 91
Lane simply could not have done better on the presentation. Recreating the classic label from a vintage tin, and the succinct verbiage on the back label noting the pedigree of this experiment, are both astute marketing moves and clearly done for the love of the product. Beyond that angle, though, the tobacco itself is gorgeous: perfectly prepared, free of any detectable additives, and richly showcased in the packaging—an easy 15 points here.
The draw and burn cost a few points on the overall, scoring 29 points. Despite careful smoking, it tended to burn a smidge hot and required relights particularly toward the bottom of the bowl. I would like to revisit this when it ages.
The heart of the blend is in the composition, and this is one adroitly realized opus. Balanced, nuanced, and smacking of luxury, Crown Achievement certainly earns its name. Though the Virginia is a bit sharp young, it should soften with some time—it will be a great delight to revisit this in a year or three. Tasty to the smoker and pleasant to those around you—47 points for flavor + aroma.
Photo: Kevin Godbee, Art Direction: Lori Brown
Cellar or Smoke?
My unreserved advice is to start stocking the cellar now, as this blend promises to age spectacularly. Its balance and complexity are exemplary, and would be a great introduction to the genre for those unfamiliar with Latakia, particularly Balkan, blends. I’d love to read your thoughts and prognostications on its cellaring potential, or comparisons to vintage tins already squirreled away.
Brand: Lane / STG
Blend: Crown Achievement
Blender: Lane Ltd.
Type: Latakia – Balkan
Country: USA
Cut: Ribbon
Tobaccos: Virginia, Latakia, Oriental, Perique
Strength: Medium
Room Note: Medium
Tin Size: 1.75 oz
Tin Age: New
Tin Description: This rare mixture is composed of the finest Latakia, Virginia and Oriental tobaccos. When it was first introduced, the blend also contained Perique, but this element was removed circa 2004. We have once again added Perique to this faithful recreation of a storied brand.
SPONSORED LINK: Lane Crown Achievement – Click Here to Order Now!
Written by Kevin Godbee
More Pipes and Tobaccos Articles
16 Responses
Smokingpipes.com Updates
6 Fresh Savinelli Autograph Pipes |
9 Fresh Ashton Pipes |
48 Fresh Ropp Pipes |
12 Fresh Estate Pipes |
107 Fresh Savinelli Pipes |
Recent Posts
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 636. Our featured interview on tonight’s show is with Barry Kane. Barry started smoking a pipe in 1961 when he was 14-years old. Back then it seemed like everybody smoked, and you could buy pipes and tobacco just about anywhere. Barry is a true old-school pipe smoker, sticking to just one blend. See if you can guess which one before listening. At the top of the show Brian will give his take on Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s purchase of Mac Baren and Sutliff Tobacco and their announcement that they will be shut down.
There’s a pipe in my collection that I cannot bring myself to smoke, though I’ve had it for more years than I care to recall. It’s old, or shall I say, well experienced; that experience, that oldness came to it long before it was in my possession. The pipe is an old Comoy’s Grand Slam from the 1940s. The shape (#93), a slightly canted, stack billiard (sometimes referred to as a Belgian) is right up my alley, and it’s a beautiful example of it. It came to me with some wear and tear; nothing unusual for an old pipe, but more the signs of one that has been well loved, smoked a lot, treated as a favorite tool, cherished, in a sense, by frequent use. It’s the pipe equivalent of a vintage car that’s been driven a lot, enjoyed fully and maintained adequately, rather than one kept in a spotless garage, dusted and detailed weekly, brought out only for leisurely Sunday drives, or to be ogled behind the ropes at the next Concours d’Elegance. When it arrived, those uncounted years ago, it wanted a little restoration. Nothing dramatic needed to be done to it, but the stem was oxidized, the finish a little dingy. The cake was even and fairly thin, and the airway was relatively clean, both signs that its previous owner cared for it, but the bowl’s surface was a little drab and dull. It took little effort to reveal its beauty, to show the lovely contrasted stain and interesting grain beneath the old wax. I often think I should do before and after photos of pipes that I work on, but those thoughts always come after the work’s been done. This one would have been a great illustration of how years of handling that can sometimes make a pipe more beautiful, can other times make it just look grungy. Once I’d cleaned up the externals, it was time to address the inside bits. I approach this a little bassackwards, I realize. It would be more sensible to take care of the inside before addressing the outside, but it’s how I roll. If an old pipe isn’t pretty to look at, it’s unlikely that I’ll care much about it, and cleaning is usually the hardest part, or at least the most boring part of any restoration for me. Alcohol and pipe cleaners. Lots of pipe cleaners. That’s why I leave it for last. Sometimes, I’ll even give a pipe a test smoke before a deep cleaning, just for a point of reference. I gave it a sniff to get an idea of what I was up against, and it stopped me cold. There in that bowl was an aroma that I had not smelled in decades. My head was instantly filled with memories of being in the back room of a fabled Berkeley tobacconist’s shop where I stumbled upon a few jars of long discontinued blends. One of them, a blend called Forty and Eight, had the most engaging and unusual scent of any tobacco I’d stuck my schnoz into. It was sweet, but not in a candy store way. There were none of the usual vanilla, cherry, berry or anise notes of typical aromatics, nothing that could be compared to aftershave or deodorant soap, but something almost musky, a little earthy, something exotic. The shop’s owner couldn’t tell me what was in it, how, or where it had been produced. The old blend had been retired before he’d bought the place. The printed catalogue gave no clues, either, other than being overprinted with the word “DISCONTINUED” in bold, rubber-stamp type. (And, I don’t recall it as being “highly aromatic” as the description indicates.) There was still quite a bit in the jar. Being, at that point, an intrepid explorer of all kinds of tobaccos, whether I thought I’d like them or not, I had to give it a try. It was burly based, but also comprised a good measure of virginia leaf, and maybe some other varieties; I didn’t have enough experience at the time to really pick it apart. But, that aroma was unlike anything I’d experienced before or since. It was something now completely lost to time. Until it wasn’t. Memories are powerful things, and there is no sense more tightly bound to memory than our sense of smell. One whiff was all it took to carry me back in time, conjuring a vivid recollection of something long submerged in the inky depths of a subconscious mind. Look, I know as well as anyone that pipes are meant to be smoked, and that many feel it almost sacrilegious to have a pipe and not set it to its intended task. In this case, I simply can’t. I won’t. Ever. Rationally, I am fairly certain this pipe would probably be a great smoke. It was too well loved by its previous caretaker to be anything less than that. My choice not to smoke it is an emotional one, not something rational. Of the thousands of pipes that have passed through my hands over the years, this is the only one to create such a singular and vivid, almost Proustian recollection of temps perdu, of lost time. It revivified a long dormant memory that is mine, and mine alone, and that’s enough. I keep it in a drawer with other old English pipes. In some ways, it’s nothing special, just a nice old pipe. I don’t lavish it with any particular care that arguably befits the hidden treasure that it holds. It’s not in a special box, or displayed preciously in a glass cabinet. Every once in a while, I take it out, point my nose bowlwards, and every time, those memories return just as powerfully as they did the first time. I have no idea how long it’s been since its last owner smoked it, but in the years I’ve had it, there seems to have been very little degradation of the aroma, and that’s […]
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 635. Our featured interview on tonight’s show is with James Ravenwood. James is the boutique tobacco blender of Ravenwood Blends. His blending started out as a fun hobby, and he now has professionally packaged commercially available products with some great tin art. Part of his interest in pipe smoking goes back to fond memories of a retired Navy Veteran that lived on his street while he was growing up that would sit in his driveway smoking a pipe all day. Later, in 2011 he began smoking pipes and soon after started experimenting with mixing different tobaccos. His other hobby, that he has been doing for 30 years, is photography. He takes wonderful photos of outdoor spaces, and still life pictures of pipes and tobacco. You can see them on his Instagram @thebriarfellowship. At the top of the show we’ll have an Ask the Pipemaker segment with renowned pipe artisan Jeff Gracik.
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 634! Our featured interview on tonight’s show is with Warren Ertle. Warren is an extremely accomplished musician with a PhD in music. He started early as a percussionist in sixth grade. Later his grandmother got him a cheap Casio keyboard which he taught himself to play. He started playing in blues bands in high school, and has been a pianist with jazz big bands for years. Even though he was already a professional musician, he took his first real piano lesson when he enrolled in college with his studies in classical music. He is of course a pipe smoker. At the top of the show we will have an Ask the Tobacco Blender segment with Jeremy Reeves. Jeremy is the Head Blender at Cornell & Diehl, which is one of the most popular boutique pipe tobacco companies in the USA.
Soon now, supposedly, our neighborhoods will shift from grinning pumpkins, skeletons in various assortments, and zombies dashing about to pretty reindeer, angels, and flashing lights illuminating homes with sparkling stars and laughing, scurrying Santas. But, lest we forget, there is the turkey season, fancy pie aromas wafting from kitchens, and a national pardon of a big Tom Turkey. Remember, now, that only one of these holiday personalities is a pipe smoker. And that is the hefty, bearded fellow in a bright red suit sitting in a sleigh with a herd of deer hitched up and ready to streak across the globe, bringing tidings of joy and many presents. Ok, the scene is set for the next couple of months, right? So, before we get too far off the beaten path, let’s just take a deep breath of fresh autumn air, shall we? Ahh. That’s better, isn’t it? What’s got the Pundit in a snit is not all the Halloween spooks who came a-jostling for candy. Or the wild turkeys gobbling in the backwoods or all the fuss and feathers over the big one—Christmas. No, it is that we might need to take note of all the little things that mean so much to us. Like a good sunrise (seriously, Pundit has not gone all Pollyanna.) Mayhaps we need to appreciate more of what we have than what we have not. Or something like that. Like, a good pipe in the morning with coffee as the dawn brings us coolish weather now that we have flipped the calendar to autumn. But it also brings beautiful leaves that have become a spectacle of technicolor in the wind. It is the little things. The rereading of an enjoyable book and finding something you did not see or learn in the first go-round. Or a stunning phrase you commit to memory with the re-read, while smoking that favorite pipe. And you notice a superior puff that just seems to be different. It’s in the air and the seasons of meaningful little things. It’s aromatic! Or perhaps it is that sense of satisfaction knowing and appreciating you made it to another day. With the world in a kind of rinse-and-repeat history, reminiscent of a Shakespearean play, it is perhaps a good moment to remember some of Pipedom’s philosophers whose cogent thoughts brought light to clear a path in the mists of confusion and confounding opinions. Ok. No gloom and doom. Just some down-home thoughts. Think of times in the past when history was running off the rails. It took our pipe-smoking thinkers (the mind workers of the world) to speak of better pathways to more light. Think for a moment, with a pipe in hand, these wizards of the world and word: Albert Einstein, J. R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edwin Hubble, Bertrand Russell, C. S. Lewis, and Jean-Paul Sartre. All learned and enlightened. They offered wisdom instead of storms of meaningless roads to nowhere. All while smoking their pipes! Maybe especially with the help of their pipes in the art of thinking and philosophy. Recall the words of Mr. E=MC2 when he said, “I believe that pipe smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgment in all human affairs.” Amen and amen! Dealing with world-rattling events takes a calm and objective view of things, to the Pundit’s way of summing it up. You just don’t go messing around with quantum physics without a calm and objective approach, methinks. Or as the extraordinary physicist Robert Oppenheimer said after he and a team in the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos Labs developed a way to split atoms into bombs during World War II. “I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,” said Oppenheimer referring to the development of the first nuclear bombs dropped on Japan. It must be pointed out that Oppenheimer was more of a cigarette smoker than a pipe smoker. Nonetheless, pipes were part of his personality. Now, if you have read some of the great authors of the past and present, their pipes were always nearby. Reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle can be a three-pipe problem at times. S. Lewis and Jean-Paul Sartre require time with your pipes to reflect on the existential problems and solutions these authors provide in learned novels and other narratives. Or take Edwin Hubble and Bertrand Russell, philosophers of another world. Pipes are required for reading. The quantum lode of ideas Pundit is attempting to sort out is that our pipes are relaxing and stimulate our thoughts and creativity. Especially in these last months of the year. Many times Pundit has had that light bulb flick on while smoking my beloved pipes. And friends in Pipedom, it ain’t easy to turn on the lights in Pundit’s rock pit head. Now it’s time for a quote from a Pipe Smoker of the Past. Shelby Foote was born Nov. 17, 1916, in Greenville, Miss., and died June 27, 2005, in Memphis, Tenn. A fact is not a truth until you love it—Shelby Foote. A parting thought: It is said that famed Southern author William Faulkner carried a packed pipe in a coat pocket wherever he went. That’s one effective way to deal with workday conflicts and confusion. A calm and objective judgment in our everyday human affairs, as the quantum man said.
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 633. Our featured guest tonight is Jon David Cole. JD is the Owner/Tobacconist at The Country Squire in Jackson, MS, and the accompanying online store. We’ll have JD and Brian talking about what’s new at the store and in the business in general. At the top of the show, Brian will discuss tobacco growing, what happens to the leaf, and provide updated information on where tobacco is being gown today. Tobacco production originated in the United States and we were once the #1 producer. It’s quite different now.
Sounds like a winner!
Yet another great review! An amazing effort on the part of Lane and Mr. Wortzel.
Although I forgot to mention it in the caption, the picture of Schubert at the piano is a clickable link to an excellent performance of the first movement of the string quartet 15. I highly recommend giving it a listen as you smoke a bowl of CA, and note how well they fit together dynamically–if you try it, post it in the comments section!
Thank You romeowood for an Excellent review, I have acquired some Crown Achievement and have put it away in my cellar, I will give it a try in about a year.
“Here the Latakia interjects a sonorous adagio phrasing, immediately counterpointed by a scherzo voicing from the Orientals and Virginias, and returning with a ritardando from the Perique’s fruity alto.”
I’ve read that sentence a dozen times and cannot make a rational sentence out of it. Sonorous adagio is a deep slowing slow, and scherzo is jumping, and ritardando is a further slowing.
I can’t wait to try this but Bill’s reviews are killing me.
Hey KC, let me attempt to clarify that statement, which may have read a little opaquely on the page. I was trying to convey the layered dynamic of the smoke to music in general, and a rather specific piece of music which I mention in the article–Schubert’s String Quartet #15. If you click on the Klimt painting it will take you to a video link of the Belcea Quartet performing (fantastically) the first movement, allegro molto moderato. “Extremely lively and moderate” is the translation for the tempo direction, and, at least *I* think, an apt descriptive of the overall smoke experience of Crown Achievement–it doesn’t bowl one over with a bombastic solo performance from any of the players; rather, it’s an extremely well structured, harmonic blend. Following the music, at the 2:41 mark there is a short pause, after which the lyrical theme is introduced, carried by the cello. It’s a bit slower in tempo than the rather frenetic opening (adagio), until a minute later when the violins make a break for it with the high notes and the tempo rushes into triplets (scherzo); it then crescendos, and the viola leads us down the scale back to the cello’s deeper, slower restatement of the theme (ritardando). The dynamic is repeated and expounded on more slowly in the second movement, which may even be in better correlation to the smoke. This rise and fall of the rhythm, with deeper, more sonorous lines from the cello and brighter melodic phrasing (often in double-time to the cello) echoes perfectly the natural cadence I fell into with this blend, the deeper Latakia and Perique tastes anchoring the lyrical theme and the Virginia and Orientals playing the brighter, sweeter notes above. Check out the full piece here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNadBe1SKUI and tell me what you think. “Extremely lively and moderate” may at first seem a contradiction, but paradoxically, it perfectly describes the dynamic of the smoke.
.
tl;dr = confusing music metaphor means the smoke was tasty.
.
I hope my brief foray into some purple prose there didn’t throw anyone too far off the trail of the overall taste testing. 😀
.
@Spartan: off the top of my head, McClelland’s Syrian Super Balkan is in the same vein, though perhaps a bit lighter and drier, lacking some of the sweet notes of the Basmas; Chelsea Morning or Quiet Nights from GLP are two excellently rich variants on the theme; Three Oaks Original has a lot of the same feel, if not quite the same flavor profile. I always worry about cross-comparisons like that though, because on more than one occasion I’ve been surprised when what may seem like a perfectly similar tobacco to me is anathema when suggested to someone else.
Someone on another forum compared this blend to the earlier Lane Release, “Leo”. I was a little disappointed in Leo, it was a little too one-dimensional for my taste. Any thoughts on the two?
I’ve yet to find Crown Achievement and now know it was a P&C release only for the time being. I enjoy Ginger Ale, so reading that reference has piqued my interest.
I love reading your reviews!
Unfortunately I’ve only had the 3oz. sample of LEO from the John Cotton Throwdown tasting, Al–it was long ago, but I fortunately kept notes: http://bit.ly/JCthrow (And now that I read that again, I see I intended to add some to the cellar, so I must’ve liked it.)
Bill
When I spoke to you last night at the NYC Pipe Club meeting and mentioned that I read the review, I should have really said that I ‘glanced’ at the review, and did not read it in depth. My apologies.
I have not so far read any review of pipe tobacco that compared it to a structure of a string quartet, or for that matter, any classical musical piece. What a great idea and you executed it beautifully in your prose. Clearly you know this piece in depth (I am more aware of Schubert’s piano music than string quartets-and thanks for posting the link)and the comparisons of the flavors of this new tobacco to the rhythmic pulses and melodic phrases were done with a trained musicologist’s insight.
Whether or not I agree in this case doesn’t really matter. I just loved reading your review.
Allan
Bill,
That is one magnificent piece of music.
This really is a wonderful smoke, and a great value for the quality of the leaf contained…truly a must try for most, a must continue buying for me.
Thank you for the interesting review romeowood. It was a pleasure to meet you at the ny/nj pipe show.
I enjoyed your comparison of the blend to the musical piece mentioned.
The full version link in the comment section no longer works but the picture link is still functionable.
I have been looking for a new Balkan blend to try and will certainly pick this one up. Once its in hand, I will smoke, listen to the piece and reread this review.
I’ve been undecided about buying CA, but this fine review has pushed me over the top.
Absolutely as I remember it in the 60s. I have 4 tins of it and enjoy it as an alternative smoke since I am primarily a aromatic Cavendish and Balkan tobacco smoker.
It’s really nice to see a blend recreated with the intent to recreate it true to the original product. I remember reading about this before and the reviewer stating it was his favorite smoke but he couldn’t get any as it wasn’t discontinued at the moment, there just wasn’t enough demand for it as for them to make up a batch. Plus at being only roughly 8$ a tin they aren’t price gouging in my opinion like with the new 3 nuns which is over 10$ a tin. Personally I’d love to see a blend that could do Tchaikovsky’s Piano concerto #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWerj8FcprM
This is certainly one of the finest full-latakia blends that I’ve smoked. I had a couple of bowls just after I opened the tin that tasted like incense, and they were delightful!