Wilke Pipe Tobacco Wilke No. 13

It was old Herr Jäger, former aide-de-camp to prince Cajetan de Bourbon-Parma, Austro-Hungarian anecdotist extraordinaire, passionate dog-lover, habitué of the Austin Book Shop at Kew Gardens, NYC, that first introduced me to this tobacco, so many, many years ago. Seeing me smoke some anodyne popular blend out of a paper pouch, he suggested I try his: Wilke No 13.

I was still a teen and I had never encountered Latakia before. I had no idea that a pipe tobacco could taste so...magically good! I was suddenly transported to the Manègeplatz at Schloss Schönbrunn, a young guardsman smoking his pipe next to his Carinthian charger, waiting for the Old Kaiser to go out for the Corpus Christi procession. Felix Austria!

Latakia is the tobacco of day-dreams.

Looking like Fred Astaire going to his First Communion, I hot-tailed it to Wilke's Smoke Shop, a small, dapper tobaccy temple in Madison Ave near 47 Street??RIP!??and encountered, for the first time, BULK tobaccos measured out on old brass scales, Wilsonian-era vitrines laden with imported briars, and the most unforgettably delicious smell I have ever smelt: tobacco, oak floor, carnauba wax...

Wilke No 13 is an old American-type English blend, with a bit of Burley to buffer it and a smidgeon of scented cavendish to frou-frou out the Syro-Macedonian stench. It is remarkably pleasant, though slightly generic to my jaded palate, after all these years. I can't taste the Périque at all.

New York and Boston gentry smoked blends like these in the 20's, and the high-quality tobaccos used in these compositions are a far cry from the general-store Lumpen that most men smoked back then. Before the avalanche of tinned blends reached us from Northern Europe, this was a good smoke. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip in nostalgia, and I certaily wish Wilke's was still there in Mad Ave, en lieu of the Yuppitorium that has taken its place. You might prefer to spend your money in Lake-District foofaraw. But for me, nothing can take away the memories.

This is an unusual english blend which I received as a free sample with my last Wilke order. I smoked several bowls before I even realized there is an aromatic component to it. It is a light, floral aroma, a lot like the flavoring in Saint Bruno. The various ingredients are in perfect proportion to each other so that no single component outweighs the others. The flavor varies a bit throughout the bowl to keep things interesting. I consider this a medium english blend and despite the presence of both perique and burley, the nicotine level isn't at all overwhelming. It's flavor is somewhat remenicent of a mild Dominican cigar. It is one of the few English blends of which I can smoke multiple bowls in an evening.

I have yet to find a poorly made blend from P&W and Magic 13 is another winner. It was a very unique flavor that seems to be a signature in some of Carol's blends. Maybe the Royal Scot?? Like all the P&W blends I have tried the tobacco is of high quality. It does arrive a little moist and needs a little dry time. The Latakia is a supporting role here and for me the burley leads. Magic 13 falls in the light English category for me, but due to the added flavor it's not a typical one. Recommended.

For someone who finds most latakia blends to be monotone in taste and socially handicapping in use, Wilke #13 is pleasant surprise. Though the latakia still dominates, the many other tobaccos present makes this a rich, interesting smoke. If this is truly Syrian Latakia, it is more refined and a lot less rough than the Cyprian weed that seems to be in more common use in blends. For a Virginia smoker, this is a good, occasional compliment to an after dinner brandy or espresso. Tolerable aroma in the presence of company, though not one likely to draw compliments.

This is a latakia blend for for those who do not love latakia. Whether it appeals to those who crave the smoky side, is for others to say.

The very smokey, woodsy, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia takes a small lead. The Virginia is grassy with lightly tart and tangy citrus, acting as a base for the other components like the nutty, earthy, woody, toasty, lightly molasses sweet Tennessee burley. The perique is a lightly spicy, raisiny, plumy addition. The cavendish provides a few sweet honey notes. The Royal Scot topping is mildly sweet. Hints of vanilla and caramel push this cool smoking American English blend toward the category without going over the line into aro-English territory. The toppings lightly tone down the tobaccos. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is a couple of steps past the mild mark. Won't bite or get harsh, and has few rough edges. Slow burning, needs a little dry time, but the flavors are mostly consistent throughout the smoke. Burns cool and clean. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires a tad more than an average number of relights. Has a lightly lingering pleasant after taste, and stronger room note. Not quite an all day smoke. Two and a half stars.

-JimInks

I believe this is one of the finest tobacco's I have ever had the pleasure to smoke! The room note is very good.

Does Royal Scotch mean Scotch whisky? If anything, detection of the topping was difficult or almost imperceptible. A slight sweet aroma comes and goes from time to time, so maybe this is the scent of Royal Scott. The flavors and aromas that dominate the entire blend tend to be rich and full-bodied, as in No. 524. Occasionally, there is a hint of barbecue sauce. However, it's hardly perceptible. The overall smoky, sweet, earthy feel is reminiscent of Peterson's Old Dublin. But it's not as "earthy" as that blend. In common with all the Wilke Pipe Tobacco blends I've smoked, the smoke itself is velvety, mellow and smooth. The tobacco packs easily and burns beautifully.

Can't lose with magic #13, seriously. Just incredibly pleasant smoke, a little too moist when carole sends it out, it's otherwise such a good tobacco! It's got a pleasant touch of sweetness for an English wihtout being annoying.

#13 is a medium-light, Americanized English with a modest aromatic quality and a modicum of Latakia character. Overall, this is a reasonably flavorful and fairly complex smoke—the flavors tend to wander and meander about. This s a very good, but not quite great smoke. However, I do seem to reach for it almost every day.

The modestly sweet Burley is the more expressive element in the blend with just enough Perique and Virginia added to provide a bit of necessary strength and depth to complement the blend overall. For me, the Latakia is more of a seasoning or flavor enhancer. The Royal Scot contributes a kind of butter-toffee flavor, some pastry, and a little spice and it is expressive, but not intrusive. I put the overall strength at just above the center of the mild-medium range with the taste and flavor levels a few steps beyond that, but slightly short of medium.

#13 is best as a morning smoke. It can be smoked every day--multiple times a day. #13 deserves just above 3-circles.

This blend, designated Wilke No. 13, nicknamed Magic 13, was purchased as one in a four, two ounce sample package. It is a smooth smoking mixture that is totally bite free. I cannot identify the pouch aroma... only that it smells sweet with some type of spice. Maybe it's totally derived from the Royal Scot infusion. The Latakia is predominately condimental & is tasted more during the first third & then begins to sort of lie in the background playing second fiddle to the other varietals. It is of a shag like consistency & moist in the pouch.

I found that it smokes best when dried out to an almost crispy state. If smoked with even a little moisture, it will burn fairly slow requiring picking, tamping & a number of relights. However, it does burn rather cool & smooth either way with a medium strength. The sweetness carries over only slightly during the smoke session becoming a little sweeter as it burns down. This is a very tasty smoke at the halfway point where all the tobaccos begin the interaction process. I thought the smoke aroma was fairly pleasant & helped to provide a better flavor as taste & smell combine to create a more enjoyable smoking experience.

The Perique is mildly apportioned as is the Latakia. The cavendish & Virginia along with the Royal Scot "condiment" provides the sweetness in flavor & initially the burley is noticed at times to provide a nutty & also a very slight bitterness. You know... like English walnuts. They are enjoyable & tasty but has that slight bitterness to get past. I see where they get the Magic 13 designation... it morphs into something totally different during the last third & becomes a much more enjoyable & tastier treat which leaves a pleasant aftertaste. My initial, partially dried sample was like the Energizer Bunny... it just kept going & going. Best to dry it out in a manner as stated earlier.