Wilke Pipe Tobacco Wilke No. 10

This is described, by the producer, as an English Mixture (Latakia is the main component),therefore is much more an Balkan Mixture (orientals are the main components) even an "Oriental Mixture".

Orientals are largely dominant!. Latakia and Virginia are only noted in the 1th or 2ed puffs, then, no more noted, only the orientals...

In my notes, seems to me that Smyrna is the main Oriental kind.

The overall is quite different, when compared with the typical English Mixtures.

The cut is Shag, an thin ribbon. I enjoy. Easy to fit and light. Slow Burning. Three Stars.

Old Evaluation: For obtain Four Stars, it can be have a little less taste....Their taste is so strong that disappear after half bowl, overhelming, becomes tasteless, boring.

Upgrading the Evaluation: Now, some days after opened the can, I re-evaluate this tobacco. It is wonderfull. No more three stars,now four.

Dont expected an Classical English Mixture's taste and flavour, is quite different!

I recommend for people that want a full taste tobacco, but without much Nicotine, as I enjoy.

For me is clearly superior, when compared the Blend Number 524.

I got this as a small sampler to my order of 3 much heavier English tobaccos. As it's still in a baggie I figure I better smoke it "first". So glad I did...

With no amount of hyperbole this blend is the most interesting oriental blend I've experienced to date. It is incredibly mild, there is an absence of heavy "body" hitters like Burley in here. The Latakia is almost a condiment here, you definitely know it's there but it's basically a skeleton framework to hold the orientals.

There is a ton of brightness from the Virginia, and a familiar oriental providing that mustardy/caraway kinda nasal savory spice, but such an underlying roundness and sweetness that I would never have expected from an English blend.

This tobacco is a showcase of Orientals, and from what I read there are 4 varietals in there. I can't pick out the specifics but that's likely due to my untrained palate and the skill of the blending.

Caveat - this is a very mild blend for someone who prefers a full English. If you love your powerhouse tobaccos like Nightcap, Squadron Leader, Balkan Saiseni... you'll have to roll back a little on this one. It's about subtlety. It did not have the wetness problems that No. 400 had, it burned great out of the baggie with a very light grey soft ash. Room note was basically baking rye bread with caraway.

All in all, it's delicious.

I ordered a sampler right off, which included Pipemaker's Choice, High Hat, 191, and #10. Two of those were mild aromatics, I think, and I didn't enjoy the flavor as much. The #10 is a very nice, high quality, mild English smoke. I like to sit, read and think when I smoke and find this meditative and flavorful.

I'm amending this review after several months of trying different blends from different manufacturers. I spent most of the winter with Frog Morton Cellar which is a fine woodsy and latakia loaded tobacco. Today, with winter waning in Colorado, I came back to P&W #10. What a treat! Like many of you I'm wending my way through the P&W blends, in particular the aromatics. They are all so good I can't stay with just one. The aromatics are splendid and seem to rely on a mild mix of tobaccos to allow the aromas to emerge.

#10 is an interesting smoke because of the spiciness of the orientals. There is an underpinning of latakia which does not dominate but compliments. I put up 6 oz which is a lot for me. Surprisingly the whole family likes the aroma (although I smoke on the back porch). Many of you have compared this to Balkan Sobranie. I smoked a couple of tins of that blend in college in the 60's and the comments I got from my friends was that it smelled like burning rubber. I liked the flavor back then but #10 seems different to me and is unique. As I am rediscovering the various leaf flavors I still can't pick out the individual leaves in the blend, but I can say this, for a smoker who just enjoys the flavor of good tobacco this is a good one. I am having a splendid time with Carole's blends.

My advice is this - journey through her offerings and you will have enjoy smoking more than ever.

Wilke #10 is the wonderful morning or all-day, summer English/Balkan. (Or in this case, should I rather say Balkan/English?) And inasmuch as this is an "easy-going blend," it still surprises in both the taste and aroma department. This is quite an achievement all by itself. This is light, soft, and savory with volumes of smoke. The orientals are top notch and exotic. This definitely reminds me of the old Sabronie White. Carole has carved out a very unique place for herself, if for no other reason, by this blend alone. It defies duplication by all her heavy-handed male counterparts. Move over boys. Well done girl! 3.5 stars out of 4, but only for being a little too lite.

I spent my early pipe days at David P. Ehrlich in Boston. They had a blend called 69 that I smoked constantly. Well, the first time I lit up no.10 it was déjà vu all over again. I truly was transported to those college dorm days.(I would imagine smoking a pipe in a dorm these days is grounds for a firing squad). It is exactly what I remember Ehrlich's 69 to be. It is a very rich latakia blend that just gets more tasty as bowl goes on. I have become more of an aromatic smoker these days, but still love the taste of No.10. Carol does a great job!

My first review; I am a novice reviewer, but not a novice smoker... Number 10, I believe, is also called Battenkill Blend in the store in Manchester, Vermont that carries Pipeworks and Wilke. The Virginia is visually apparent in the bag, with light and dark brown, and black tobaccos also. This is lightly cased with something, but I don't have the palette of a gourmand to say what exactly. You can smell a subtle smokiness with a sweet, rather rich, smell predominating. I smoked this in a small clay pipe and a medium briar; I think a bigger bowl would be easier as it has some longish ribbons in it. No. 10 stayed lit well for me, as others pointed out it might require some drying out, which I did. This certainly doesn't have much of a nicotine content, but then again, I'm a cigar smoker too. Have been since Grammy bought me cigars when I was 13... Ahem, sorry. This isn't very strong, but does have a nice, rich taste in the mouth. It actually tastes like tobacco, which for me is important. There was a little bite to this, but not much. Smoke volume was large, which I like. Again, I'm not sure what this is cased with; I could taste something as I smoked it. Overall, I like it a lot and highly recommend it for someone who wants a mild English blend OR an aromatic smoker looking to branch out gradually. Not the most scientific review, but maybe a beginner can get turned on to a good tobacco with it.

Smells like a typical English- or Balkan-style in the pouch. A little like dried dark fruit, and some smokiness. Delicious!

Packing can be a little difficult in smaller bowls due to the length of the cut. Otherwise, packs normally. Burns to a clean, light gray ash with only a few relights (probably more user-error than the tobacco).

Upon lighting, you're struck with a nearly pancake-like richness in the mouth, maybe due to the virginias. This settles down after a bit as the orientals and latakia kick in. The result is a harmonious complexity that has to be experienced!

In the nose, this delightful tobacco has an almost incense-like quality I find engaging. It is not as strong as many English blends, so this may be more of a Balkan. As such, it is emminently suited for all-day smoking, or for those new to English blends.

If I were to compare this to a beverage, it would be a premium Chianti. Not as strong as Cabernet Sauvignon, but richer than Pinot Noir. My favorite English-style blend from a fantastic tobacconist!

I love good English tobacco, and although Pipeworks & Wilke makes some quality blends, it is their ?additive? that will keep me from buying more. If this kind of flavoring agent doesn?t bother you, you?ll probably love P&W.

A wonderful Balkan style blend. The Oriental leaf is in the drivers seat. The Latakia adds it's smokey nature perfectly while the Virginias add a subtle nutty sweet note. I prefer it in a meerschaum however it's good in any type of pipe. Buy by the pound!