Wilke Lizzie Blood Red English:
Full disclosure: I helped in the creation of this blend. The very smoky, woodsy, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia takes a small lead. The Virginia offers grass and lightly tart and tangy citrus as a support base for the other components. The nutty, earthy, woody, toasty, lightly molasses sweet Tennessee burley is a tad more obvious than the Virginia. The earthy, woody perique is a spicy, raisiny, plumy condiment. The cavendish provides a few sweet honey, vanilla, and caramel notes, though they are very elusive. The blood red orange topping has some richness as it moderately sublimates the tobaccos, and cohesively forms a very consistent sweet, campfire flavor. The strength is a step past the center of mild to medium, while the taste level is a slot past that mark. The nic-hit is a rung below the center of mild to medium. Won’t bite or get harsh, and has no rough spots. Burns cool, clean, and rather smooth at a reasonable rate. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a very pleasant, lightly lingering after taste, and room note. An easy going, all day aromatic English. Three and a half stars out of four.
Wilke Rum and Maple:
The flue cured Virginia provides grass, a little hay, and lightly tart and tangy citrusy with a touch of tangy dark fruit. It’s the lead component. The nutty, woody, earthy, toasty burley is a secondary player. The sugary black cavendish adds a little sweetness. In every rum and maple blend I have ever smoked, the maple is the dominant topping. Not so here, where the rum takes a little of the lead, though here and there, the maple does take a small lead. The interplay of toppings sublimate the tobaccos without totally drawing them out. The strength is a step short of the center of mild to medium. The taste is a slot past that center. The nic-hit is mild. There’s no chance of bite or harshness. No rough spots either. Burns cool, clean and smooth with a fairly consistently deep sweetness from first puff to last. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. The short lived after taste and room notes are very pleasant. The room smell certainly passes the wife test. An easy going all day, comfortable smoke. Four stars out of four.
Full disclosure: I helped in the creation of this blend. The very smoky, woodsy, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia takes a small lead. The Virginia offers grass and lightly tart and tangy citrus as a support base for the other components. The nutty, earthy, woody, toasty, lightly molasses sweet Tennessee burley is a tad more obvious than the Virginia. The earthy, woody perique is a spicy, raisiny, plumy condiment. The cavendish provides a few sweet honey, vanilla, and caramel notes, though they are very elusive. The blood red orange topping has some richness as it moderately sublimates the tobaccos, and cohesively forms a very consistent sweet, campfire flavor. The strength is a step past the center of mild to medium, while the taste level is a slot past that mark. The nic-hit is a rung below the center of mild to medium. Won’t bite or get harsh, and has no rough spots. Burns cool, clean, and rather smooth at a reasonable rate. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a very pleasant, lightly lingering after taste, and room note. An easy going, all day aromatic English. Three and a half stars out of four.
Wilke Rum and Maple:
The flue cured Virginia provides grass, a little hay, and lightly tart and tangy citrusy with a touch of tangy dark fruit. It’s the lead component. The nutty, woody, earthy, toasty burley is a secondary player. The sugary black cavendish adds a little sweetness. In every rum and maple blend I have ever smoked, the maple is the dominant topping. Not so here, where the rum takes a little of the lead, though here and there, the maple does take a small lead. The interplay of toppings sublimate the tobaccos without totally drawing them out. The strength is a step short of the center of mild to medium. The taste is a slot past that center. The nic-hit is mild. There’s no chance of bite or harshness. No rough spots either. Burns cool, clean and smooth with a fairly consistently deep sweetness from first puff to last. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. The short lived after taste and room notes are very pleasant. The room smell certainly passes the wife test. An easy going all day, comfortable smoke. Four stars out of four.
