A couple of years back, I managed to buy several tins of Renaissance (one from 2000 and the others from 2003). I sealed them all into glass jars and have been periodically dipping into them on special occasions ever since. My review, obviously, should be taken in the context of my only having sampled well-aged tins of this blend...
This is hard to review because the two vintages are radically different. In fact, if I tried these in a "blind test taste" setting, I would never guess they were the same blend! The 2000 is very sweet, and as the bowl progressive it shifts from being a latakia-forward blend to one that seems all about the orientals. Exotic notes and powerful blasts of spice that remind me of sandalwood, myrh, and even patchouli seem to overwhelm the smoke. Both types of latakia play only supporting roles. If I didn't like complexity so much I would consider it almost too busy to enjoy, but as it is I'm thrilled by it. It smokes relatively cool and isn't overly bitey, although it's a good idea not to rush it.
The 2003 mixture is quite a different beast, however. While the oriental notes are there and the Cyprian lat remains in the background, the Syrian is MUCH more pronounced. Some people describe it's flavor as wine-like, but this is the first time I've ever agreed with that description. The blend seems stronger, heavier, and mustier than the older batch. It's still nice, but there's an almost funky sour-sweet undertone to the blend that reminds me (vaguely) of some Dunhill mixtures. It's not as complex, but makes up for that loss with a much fuller flavor. I prefer the older batch, but this is still VERY good stuff.
In summary: Renaissance is apparently meant to be a medium-strength "English" mixture, which to me entails that it should have an appreciable amount of latakia but should nonetheless be all about balance -- none of the ingredients should overwhelm the others. After having been thoroughly aged, however, I'm inclined to describe the earlier batch as having veered headlong into "Balkan" territory. The later batch, on the other hand, seems more balanced but still has such an exotic flavor profile that I can't really compare it to any other English blend, except perhaps McClelland's Wilderness (not that there aren't profound differences between them). It's a shame that Syrian lat isn't available, as I would certainly buy more of this if it were still on the market. I've only had the chance to sample as single tin of Bohemian Scandal, but in all honesty I prefer Renaissance.
This is hard to review because the two vintages are radically different. In fact, if I tried these in a "blind test taste" setting, I would never guess they were the same blend! The 2000 is very sweet, and as the bowl progressive it shifts from being a latakia-forward blend to one that seems all about the orientals. Exotic notes and powerful blasts of spice that remind me of sandalwood, myrh, and even patchouli seem to overwhelm the smoke. Both types of latakia play only supporting roles. If I didn't like complexity so much I would consider it almost too busy to enjoy, but as it is I'm thrilled by it. It smokes relatively cool and isn't overly bitey, although it's a good idea not to rush it.
The 2003 mixture is quite a different beast, however. While the oriental notes are there and the Cyprian lat remains in the background, the Syrian is MUCH more pronounced. Some people describe it's flavor as wine-like, but this is the first time I've ever agreed with that description. The blend seems stronger, heavier, and mustier than the older batch. It's still nice, but there's an almost funky sour-sweet undertone to the blend that reminds me (vaguely) of some Dunhill mixtures. It's not as complex, but makes up for that loss with a much fuller flavor. I prefer the older batch, but this is still VERY good stuff.
In summary: Renaissance is apparently meant to be a medium-strength "English" mixture, which to me entails that it should have an appreciable amount of latakia but should nonetheless be all about balance -- none of the ingredients should overwhelm the others. After having been thoroughly aged, however, I'm inclined to describe the earlier batch as having veered headlong into "Balkan" territory. The later batch, on the other hand, seems more balanced but still has such an exotic flavor profile that I can't really compare it to any other English blend, except perhaps McClelland's Wilderness (not that there aren't profound differences between them). It's a shame that Syrian lat isn't available, as I would certainly buy more of this if it were still on the market. I've only had the chance to sample as single tin of Bohemian Scandal, but in all honesty I prefer Renaissance.
