Wilke Pipe Tobacco Lizzie Blood Red Virginia

This blend arrived with bright orange color and a strong odor. I presume it was a freshly made batch. Fortunately, the blend was double-bagged by Wilke to avoid tainting other blends that were also in the order. After a few months, the color and smell will mellow to appear like a typical VaPer. The smoke experience for Lizzie Blood Red is eerily similar to Elizabethan Mixture, another Virginia-Perique, except for the gentle topping flavor added. The leaf is of decent quality and a long ribbon cut. I like the Virginia and Perique aspects of this blend, more than Elizabethan. The flavoring isn't an improvement, though. Curiously, I only notice a faint bubble gum or mint flavor during retrohale. The flavoring makes it burn hotter and there are occasional rough edges. I'll gladly finish this order, but probably won't repurchase. Fortunately, I'm a big fan of many other Wilke blends. It's fun to try other blends in their catalog.