Wilke Pipe Tobacco Lord Nelson

A dear friend and mutual admirer of the historic Lord Nelson sent me some of this tobacco. Sadly, Wilke’s Lord Nelson was to my palate one-dimensional, sharp, and thin. The delicate vanilla flavoring is applied masterfully, and there’s great promise here, but it burns off quickly and it cannot quite tame the shrill Virginia used in this blend. I am a huge fan of Wilke blends as my previous, gushing reviews of this brand will attest, and I salute John, but in my humble opinion, there are many other options from this blending house that will far better please those looking for a light all-day smoke, an easy Virginia, or a subtle aromatic.

The technicals: takes a match well; burns clean and dry, though hot. Will leave little to no moisture in the pipe and is unlikely to ghost. Far superior to mass market, gargly damp, aromatic blends. It is of superior construction, a testament to the blending skills of this venerable house and its new curator.

Very sadly, my first one-star Wilke review. That’s ok: I’ve plenty of 4 star Wilke reviews and this is just one man’s opinion. Perhaps another will fall in love with this blend.