Tinder Box Wilshire

As this is Lane's 1-Q, I'm repeating that review here: Sold under dozens of different names, people buy it more than most other blends. It's not hard to see why. Vanilla and caramel are appealing flavors, especially when not overdone so that you get sick of it. That doesn't happen here. Not much tobacco taste here, except for a little grass and a hint of citrus from the Virginia. Burns cool at a reasonable pace with a consistent flavor. Will leave some moisture in your bowl, and needs an average number of relights. No bite, and little nicotine. Has an okay after taste. This is one of the quintessential "all day smoking blends", and though it's not a complex mixture, that works to its advantage for people who just want a pleasant, no nonsense, comfortable all day smoke.

-JimInks

Ok. Here's the deal. Supposedly Tinderbox sold the blend to lane and lane then called the blend 1q...not true at all.

Wilshire is 1Q, was always 1Q, tinderbox had nothing to do with the creation of this blend. Call the original store in CA, they'll tell you the same thing.

With that said, it's delicious. But 45 a lb from tinderbox is steep, I'll buy it from any other online source under its original labeling of 1Q

Wilshire was created in 1974 at the Tinderbox on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles.

Lane purchased it fom the Tinderbox which became Lane's infamous 1-Q.

Oh well, it's a low-maintenance, pleasant smoke if not pushed too hard. Plus, it passes the girlfriend/wife room note test with flying colors.

Recommended.

I have tried this several times. The Tinderbox employees who don't seem to smoke themselves insist this is what you really want when you get a tin of ODF or Plumcake. I have had an ounce thrown in with a pipe purchase, etc.

This presents as a mild golden cavendish in a narrow ribbon. The pouch note is vanilla and caramel with maybe a little coconut. Smoked, it tastes to me like a toasted marshmallow, and I don't get much tobacco flavor. It is better than not smoking but not by much for me.

This tobacco seems to have its fans, but I am not one of them. I can believe it is a smoke other people like.

I told the guy at tinderbox that I am a pretty enthusiastic smoker of english blends, but wanted to try out some "aromatic" types. He recommended Wilshire to me and I'm grateful he did. This is not my FAVORITE tobacco, but features heavily in my rotation now.

Positives: It smells sweet and vanilla-ish in the bag and the smoke is the same (my girlfriend reports the smoke is almost too sweet-smelling for her liking, actually). To me, the taste is akin to smoking a cigar while drinking a cream soda... but not too horribly sweet. Pretty mild, but not lacking in flavor. I felt no tongue bite, even with pretty aggressive smoking. Very cool-smoking, no gurgling problems. I packed it via the frank method and only had to relight it once toward the end of the bowl.

Negative: The only real negative thing I can say is a bit of a bitter-acid taste in the back of the throat that I've randomly encountered (rarely). Now, I have smoked pipes and cigars for about 8 years now and nicotine doesn't usually bother me, but the flavor I'm talking about is LIKE the nicotine flavor you get from a strong cigar or from chew. I'm not sure where this is coming from or if anyone else encounters this with this blend, but I have experienced it more than a couple of times. Strange... I'll update this review if I figure out what's going on (ie what I'm doing to cause this??)

Otherwise known as Lane's 1-Q, the Wilshire blend is my favorite of the Tinderbox bulk aromatics. I've kept coming back to it over the years, as it has a warm and sweet yet subtly spicy flavor and aroma with hints of perhaps vanilla, almond, apricot, and ginger. This is one of the classic aromatic tobacco blends which inspire such fond memories.

I feel that Wilshire is often unjustly written off by those who are looking for a bolder, more distinguished and prevalent flavor, and by those that don't care for a sweet smoke. That being said, Wilshire isn't for everyone, and shouldn't be smoked by those that are looking for something more than what it has to offer.

I would actually caution newcomers away from this blend because it can be more temperamental than others if you're not yet proficient with a pipe. It can be on the moist and sticky side, so I would recommend letting a fresh batch sit and dry for a time before being packed. Also, don't smoke this one too quickly because it can bite and muck up your pipe if you're impatient with it.

If you find yourself frequenting this blend, I would recommend having a briar pipe to use just for it. It doesn't smoke as true in pipes seasoned by most other aromatic blends (though some aren't a problem) nor does it compliment pipes seasoned with English blends. However, its subtle flavor wont ghost an aromatic pipe.

Wilshire is perfect for a relaxing and gently flavored pipe to linger on for an hour or so, filling the air with a hearty and sweet aroma that aims to please both the casual smoker and company alike.

Enjoy.

I got acquainted with Lane's I-Q (aka Wilshire at Tinderbox outlets), back in the late 1970s where it was known as "Special #2" at the old Pipe Pub franchise shops located around the southwest. I am glad this one is in the database and will give fellow pipe smokers knowledge regarding what they are actually purchasing if they pick up a pouch at a Tinderbox Chain Store.

This is one of my all-time favorite aromatic blends. It is nutty, sweet, tastes like tobacco, has a bit of nicotine strength, is very cool burning and is enjoyed tremendously by those non-smokers who happen to be around me while I'm puffing on this classic. Enjoyed by pipe smokers worldwide in droves, it is not THE all-time top selling Lane tobacco blend for no reason.

Good anytime, day or night... If you have a sweet tooth.

Very good blend. Good base tobacco flavor, with hints of walnut, licorice and honey/butter. The licorice makes this uniquely tasty, IMHO. Smokes clean on one light, no mess. 3+*.

This I picked up in the Daytona Tinderbox, after the manager recommended it, as it is their best selling tobacco. Well I have only just found out that 1Q comes from Wilshire, so I'm glad I put some money into the original blender!

The tobacco is nice smelling, no particular flavours that I could pick out. It packs and lights very easily.

To me this tasted like a nice mellow virginia and burley blend rather than cavendish. (Shows how accurate my tastebuds are!) But never the less, the taste is slightly sweet, a nice straw kind of taste. It is relatively slow burning, and very smooth indeed.

I would recommend this as an all day smoke.

A good no-hassle blend. Smells a bit sweet when you open the lid with nice long strands of tobacco mixed with black cavendish. The vanilla is really an undertone if you will.

Smokes great, I just let gravity fill the bowl and top it off with a push of the thumb, char it then light it up full. After 5 minutes or so, I drop out the top ash and then it pretty much smokes all the way down to the heel with minimum condensation. Even with aggressive smoking it doesn't bite. Leaves a nice room-note.

Nothing real fancy in the taste, some sweetness in the wafting smoke some mild nicotine but does get some bitterness near the end, but then again, most of the tobaccos I've tried do that near the heel.

Good all-around starter or those who want to try a light Aromatic.