Pipeworks & Wilke Reviews

The American/English:
Bestmake: ****
Presentation is a ribbon cut of light, medium, and dark brown, with a touch of deeper black. Pouch note is well-balanced, with a hint of sweetness amidst the smokier Latakia aroma and more neutral burley notes. Bestmake arrives at just the right moisture level and may be smoked right out of the bag.
The charring light brings just a touch of sweetness, followed by a hint of smokey Latakia surrounded primarily by a distinct burley nuttiness. As the true light progresses to the first third of the bowl, this blend lives up to its description: rich and mellow. I would add: consistent and balanced. The constituent tobaccos are perfectly proportioned here, with each distinct flavor profile noticeable yet blended into a harmonious whole. No one actor is the star of this show, with burley, unflavored Cavendish, Virginia, and Latakia each expressing their unique flavors in each sip.
This is a consistent blend, unlike some others that offer distinct changes in flavors as the bowl progresses. The balance is maintained through mid-bowl and the final third with little change in flavor. There is, however, a very slight cocoa note and some saltiness that emerges by mid-bowl - not a flavoring, but rather the natural taste of good burley.
While the blender describes this as a medium English, I would characterize it as a full American-English. The distinction is important in that long-time English and Balkan smokers may find this blend on the light side of their Latakia fetish. As an American-English, however, this blend is in a league of its own and, as such, is awarded four stars. Superb, and my favorite blend of this genre. Nobody does American/English blends like Pipeworks & Wilke.

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High Hat ****
Yes, it's all true. What you've read in reviews dating back to 2002 - it's all here.
Wilke High Hat is a barn-burner: an extraordinary tobacco. The jar note hints at what's to come: musty, smokey, piney, savory, and subtly sweet with a hint of cinnamon and clove on the nose. While the blenders description does not include Orientals, the complexity of aromas from the jar certainly suggest their presence. The jar aroma of this blend has no equal.
From the moment of the charring light, High Hat delivers what the jar note promises: deep, musty Latakia wrapped in smooth, succulent Virginias and buffered by that famous Wilke burley. Perique is a light condiment touch in this delicious, full blend, adding a mere suggestion of pepper that asserts itself slightly after mid-bowl. The old Wilke recipes seem to have grasped the secret of making rich, full-bodied, flavorful blends that are medium in body and incredibly easy-smoking. That cinnamon and clove on the nose does not, thank God, translate into the taste. High Hat has only just enough natural sweetness, that tiny bit, to balance perfectly with what is an otherwise earthy, leathery, musty smoke: a masterpiece. It's no wonder this blend has been around for over 140 years.
The mouth-feel in this blend is world-class: rich, thick, and creamy while never overwhelming the palate. High Hat burns smoothly, with absolutely no bite, and provides copious amounts of thick, creamy smoke. This is an arm chair tobacco, an evening tobacco: a tobacco blend of substance. The flavor stays with you a long, long time after the bowl is finished. You'll want to sit back in that chair and just revel in it.
This is a masterpiece of a proprietary blend that leaves other, mass-produced tinned blends in its wake.

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No. 10 ****
Typical Wilke presentation: an array of browns from dark to very light in a thin, ribbon cut. Sweet and savory orientals dominate the exquisite jar note.
The charring light, and indeed the entire bowl, is an exercise in subtlety, as one might expect from an oriental blend. While my typical review is broken down into thirds of the bowl to capture the changing flavor profiles many types of tobaccos exhibit as the smoke progresses, oriental blends and Balkans tend to be very consistent throughout the bowl. Wilke No.10 is no exception.
Smooth and soft enough to be an all-day smoke, No.10 still delivers enough complexity to be smoked more contemplatively. Those who take their time will experience a broad range of classic oriental flavors: salt, delicate sweetness, pepper, and light herbal spice. Latakiaphiles should be aware that they will not find their fix here. Latakia is nearly undetectable, and quite purposefully a light condiment touch in this blend. Frankly, I don't taste it at all (though I trust Carole's description).
Very fragrant, as a good oriental should be, with a delicate room note. I believe there to be a pinch of Wilke trademark Royal Scott here, the taste of which largely burns off after the first third of the bowl and leaves the smoker with a classically dry smoke. Mouthfeel is dry and salty, with subtle sweetness on the tongue.
No.10 smokes cool and as with any quality oriental, this blend will not bite no matter what you do (which is a good thing, because you'll be tempted to puff this outstanding blend copiously.)
The Wilke blends have such a distinct flavor profile that it's a fool's errand to compare them to this or that modern, tinned blend. At the turn of the 19th century rolling into the 19-aughts and teens/twenties, I suppose this was more-or-less what most high-end pipe tobacco tasted like. But today, Pipeworks & Wilke stands out as a novelty - a unique flavor that simply cannot be compared to (or matched by) any mass produced brand. Don't get me wrong - I am a huge fan of many of today's blenders, and several of today's mass producers. But Carole's blends, inspired by the original Wilke sisters', stand proudly and uniquely among today's finest tobaccos.

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No. 005 ****
For those who enjoy aromatic English blends, this one is a treat. Jar note of Latakia combined with that unique sweetness that can only be the Royal Scot. The aromatic English category is a difficult one. How to harmonize the blend without sacrificing the unique characteristics of the constituent tobaccos? Carole Burns nails this one.
Takes a match easily and burns evenly. The Latakia is seamlessly interwoven with the soft sweetness of the Royal Scot, the sweet and savory notes perfectly balanced. Neither vies for dominance here. Smooth, smooth, smooth.
The flavors are consistent through to the end. Again, this is a difficult style to pull off, with many offerings goopy with black Cavendish or overly dominant in Latakia or flavoring agent. The mixtures often go awry with weird flavor profiles and a hot burn. There is none of that here.
This is a masterpiece of the English Aromatic style.

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Pipemaker's Choice ***
Presentation is typical Wilke ribbon. A mixture of light, medium, and dark browns. Jar note is slightly sweet, with a touch of smokey Latakia. Will benefit from some drying time before lighting. This blend produces plenty of smoke and will definitely nip, but not quite bite, if rushed.
The charring light brings a very sweet flavor to the tip of the tongue. While Royal Scot is not listed as an ingredient, I strongly suspect it is the Cavendish listed here. After the true light, some citrusy Virginias poke through as well. Latakia is applied here with a very gentle hand and, in the first third of the bowl it's a light, condiment touch but nothing more.
By mid-bowl the lemony citrus settles down a bit but the smokey notes of Latakia are still struggling to shine through. This flavor profile remains fairly consistent through to the end. There is a touch of smokiness in the background but the sweet Virginias and Cavendish are the stars of this show. By the final third of the bowl, I found myself wanting something more in order to ground this blend - perhaps some burley, or a touch more Latakia.
In this regard, it's tough to consider this a "medium English", and I think true English smokers may be disappointed. This is definitely an aromatic English and in Pipeworks & Wilke's line-up I would rate it as more similar to No.5 and No.13 than, say, Bestmake, which is less sweet. To my taste, this blend could use some burley to balance out the sweetness from the lemon Virginias and Cavendish. But then it would basically be No.5.
That doesn't make this a bad tobacco, far from it. I don't want to suggest that this is anything other than a good blend from one of my favorite blenders. But Carole has several better blends in this category. Those who like a pinch of Latakia in their aromatic blend should definitely try this. Smokers of HGL will find this a dryer, higher quality blend.

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No. 13 ***
Presentation is the usual P&W fine ribbon. Damp. Latakia in the jar note, enveloped by the subtle sweetness of the Royal Scot. I assumed this blend would be like No. 5 with the addition of Perique but found that not to be the case. I experimented with a number of different bowl shapes to bring this blend out while struggling to find the perique and found this smoked best in a tall, somewhat narrow billiard. The Latakia is more muted here than in No. 5, retreating to a whisper by the second third of the bowl. The Perique barely registers until that second third where it overtakes the Latakia as the primary background flavor. The flavors begin to harmonize by mid-bowl, presenting an interesting contrast of sweet and savory. Burns clean and cool despite the moisture content and really comes into its own in the second half of the bowl. In the final third of the bowl, the Perique finally takes center stage, overwhelming both the Latakia and the Royal Scot (the Latakia, in fact, fades into obscurity).
Aromatic English blends are notoriously difficult to pull off, the challenge being one of creating harmony from seemingly disparate tobaccos. In that regard, the blender took on a tough challenge with this one. Overall a fine blend, but it could be that aromatic English blends and Perique simply don't mix (or at least not optimally.)
Recommended for lovers of this style, though I found No. 5 to be a better blend.
I will come back to this after a year in the jar to see what some age does to the marriage of contrasting flavors.

The Aromatics:
No. 191 ****
Presentation is ribbon cut, moist, with a nose of honey and brown sugar. The jar note is subtle, not at all cloying. While moist, this blend takes a match readily, and burns remarkably cool and dry with zero tongue bite, even when pressed. The pouch aroma translates directly to the taste: honey, baked sugar, a touch of vanilla bean. The flavoring is very consistent throughout the bowl and coats the tongue with a very pleasant, subtle honey taste.
While the complexity that leads to a lengthy review is not present, that's not why one picks up an aromatic. And, while not a rotation blend for me, I've found this a delightful change of pace. When the occasion calls for an aromatic, or you are simply feeling generous to those around you, this is an excellent choice that won't burn your mouth or goop your pipe. Regarding the room note, Mrs Perique asked: "Can I eat that?"
This is a superior aromatic and it's easy to understand why this is their top seller.

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Vermont Maple Cavendish ***
Pouch note is soft, sweet vanilla; sugar; and light maple. Tobacco is the typical Pipeworks & Wilke ribbon. Like all Wilke aromatics, Vermont Maple Cavendish is of the finest quality, taking a match well and burning evenly - not fast or hot - with a minimal amount of Cavendish goop.
The maple here is applied gently and the effect (unlike an in-your-face maple burst such as with Autumn Evening) is a soft, elegant sweetness with the maple and vanilla perfectly intertwined. And, while I find Autumn Evening to be an excellent aromatic, there is more complexity and layering of flavor with Vermont Maple Cavendish. This is not a cloyingly sweet tobacco. Rather, there is subtlety of flavor here that puts this blend heads and shoulders above other offerings in this genre. Further, there is no bite whatsoever to this blend. The room note, as expected, is exquisite.
My only criticism is that the flavor flattens out and becomes a bit ashy in the final third of the bowl. The balance of flavor unravels a bit with the sugar fading to the background and the vanilla disappearing. However, when sipped slowly in the final third, the delicate maple is still detectable.
Overall a resoundly superior aromatic, the equal of No. 191 and Rumcake, in my opinion Carole's best aromatic blends. Aromatic lovers really need to sample the Wilke blends - they are among the best available anywhere and the clear superior of most tinned offerings.

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Rumcake: ***
Another top-shelf aromatic from Pipeworks and Wilke, Rumcake delivers exactly what it advertises: delicious Christmas aromas and flavors. I would classify this blend less as rum flavored and more as literally rum cake. There's a sweetness there that's intentionally missing from more directly rum flavored blends such as Blockade Runner or Navigator. I assume this is the influence of the Royal Scot blended in? As the bowl progresses through the half-way point, the intensity of the rum flavoring increases, but that sweetness is always there in the background. The flavor reminds me of a popular rum I had in Puerto Rico, the name of which escapes me, that popularized itself by having a mild vanilla background note.
Presentation is typical P&W fine ribbon. Jar note is a bit muted- subtle rather than aggressive. I get vanilla on the charring light that quickly gives way to the signature rum cake flavor. And best of all, frequent relights are not required. Although moist, Rumcake burns evenly and smokes cool - a common theme with P&W aromatics. No goop, little dottle. Certainly recommended as an excellent aromatic. A fantastic Christmas blend. Highly recommended for fans of rum flavored anything.

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Royal Scot ***
mild, almost neutral aroma. Presentation is on the finer side of ribbon cut.
While shipped moist, this blend takes a match very well and burns straight through, without ever becoming hot. Absolutely no bite in this blend, and I pushed it hard looking for the breakpoint. I never found it.
Sipped, Royal Scot is an outstanding Aromatic: slow-burning and cool, dry- smoking, with a very unique flavoring that I would describe as cotton candy without the cloying sweetness, with hints of caramel and vanilla. Just a nice, naturally sweet taste that is subtle enough that you don't forget you're smoking tobacco, rather than chemicals and flavoring agents. Room note receives positive feedback.
This is clearly the mystery ingredient that makes so many Pipeworks and Wilke blends so pleasant, particularly their unique mild English blends and English Aromatics.
A very interesting and unique blend. While seemingly used primarily as an ingredient in other blends, Royal Scot is a very enjoyable blend in its own right. While this blend is too mild for my preferences and wouldn't do for my everyday smoke, I would strongly recommend this for novice pipe smokers suffering tongue bite, as none can be found here. Also for those who enjoy very mild, pleasantly aromatic blends that are not goopy or overdone. Where this blend shines, in my opinion, is as a mixer with other blends. I must agree with the poster from way back in 2004 who commented on the magic this can bring to English blends.

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Nut Brown Burley ***
Among Pipeworks & Wilke's most reviewed tobaccos, Nut Brown Burley presents as just that: consistent, monochromatic brown ribbon. I must be in the minority here by stating that the jar note quite clearly reveals some flavoring: I get mollased sweet feed, candied dates, and even a touch of honey. The flavoring is applied, however, with a very light hand and dissipates quickly after the true light. My understanding is that the original blend description included Virginia and Oriental, and I would believe there's a hint of each given the burning characteristics (thanks, Oriental) and the capacity to bite (thanks, Virginia). But this is certainly a burley blend - and what a blend it is.
As the flavoring burns off, burley presents in all its glory: dry, late-season hay, molasses, parchment, and unsalted nuts. As mentioned in several older reviews, this one is best sipped slowly. A mindful cadence will bring out the natural sugars and that hint of molasses. Faster puffing dulls the blend, turning clean burley parchment into bland paper and drawing forth an unpleasant, salty bite.
There is ample nicotine in this blend, as may be expected of its style. But it's smooth and naturally sweet enough to be a perfect all-day smoke. Nut Brown reminds me of Classic Burkey Kake meets Burley London Blend, with the sweet flavoring of Classic toned down several (ok, "many") notches. It also reminds me a bit of Sir Walter Raleigh, absent the aniseed, though hand-blended with far better quality tobaccos. Must be the molasses.
The room note was described to me as very neutral, with the occasional hint of sweet. The burn is nice and slow, a bit hot, and the blend smokes very dry, as a good burley should. The only thing missing here is the light, dry, powdered cocoa flavors I've come to expect from a good, natural burley and which can be found in, for example, MacBaren's London blend. But certainly this is a great burley choice and make an excellent all-day smoke.
Overall a superior blend of this style, and it's no wonder why these reviews go back to many of the old hands of TR.com. A treat for those who enjoy a good, naturally aromatic burley without the goop and damp of so many of today's offerings.

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Bleeker Street **
This is a perfectly fine and extremely mild black Cavendish blend and would do well for those who like ultra-mild aromatic blends. But for me this was just too light - nearly tasteless. Doesn't stand out in a field of outstanding Pipeworks & Wilke aromatic blends.
Positives are a nice room note and excellent performance characteristics (burns well, burns clean, plumes of white smoke, no goop in the pipe, absolutely no bite). It's just difficult to be overly enthusiastic about such an extremely light tobacco.

Yes, while I love those American English blends, I'm not a big enough Lat/True-English smoker to be qualified to review those blends.

I don't detect any chemical content at all. What I do detect is the common theme of that unique Wilke Cavendish and burley, flavored with a very mild version of the Royal Scot.
The blends certainly arrive on the moist side, with the aromatics venturing over to "damp". But I don't get that chemically, goopy taste.
Interestingly, the moisture level doesn't seem to impact the burn of the aromatics.

Bump for Carole, who is retiring and selling the recipes. May they go to one who will carry the torch.