Alden Color #2 Longwing Blucher

There are some posts that I can never envision writing. Color #2 Shell Cordovan??? From Alden??? Color #2 Shell Cordovan hasn’t been offered by Alden since 2014! And there were only two instances made back then (a Longing Bluchers for Alden of Carmel and an Unlined LHS for Tassels HK) and both were in very limited quantity.

Color #2 Shell Cordovan comes from the “Color #” family that includes the truly classic Color #8 Shell Cordovan, which with its rich burgundy color has become synonymous with Cordovan. Color #2, alike the always coveted Color #4 Shell Cordovan, is made by taking the dye of Color #8 but applying it in a reduced amount, specifically 1/4 of the concentration. This yields a lovely reddish color that yields a nice mix of the Color #8 pigment and the natural shell tan shade. It is a light red color with brown undertones to it and it makes some truly killer blucher! For 2023, Alden has mixed it up and applied their special finishing to the uppers, creating a richer look to the color (as opposed to the 2014 Color #2’s which were unfinished).

These classic Longing Bluchers (LWB) were made to specifications for the Alden Shop in San Francisco and were done on point! These LWBs feature Horween’s rarely seen Color #2 Shell Cordovan, with a nice and rich deep red color. The gunboats are adorned with a Double Leather outsole and a Mahogany Edge, which offers a deep contrast with the upper, helping the upper to pop. Candidly, as an owner of the AoC 20/20 LWBs which feature a natural edge, I welcome the design diversity! These are the classic Alden LWB specification wise and are made around Alden’s friendly Barrie Last. Overall, these are truly amazing bluchers that will last for years to come!

Photos of these gunboats can be seen below along with pictures compared to my other Color #2 Shell Cordovan offerings made around 2014 and my recently received Jumper Boots!