Wilke Pipe Tobacco Bohemian Mixture

Like most undergraduates, I initially started pipe smoking with aromatics ala Captain Black and Amphora. I quickly weaned myself from those when I discovered the joys of English and Oriental blends. Bohemian is an exception to that rule. A friend of mine, a native New Yorker smoked Wilke Blends when they were still made in that city. He always raved about the shop, the tobaccos, and the colorful and outspoken Gennaro Filoso who worked the counter. I figured it was more of the same New York regional bravura the rest of us west of the Hudson have long had to endure. Humbly, I must eat my words, as Bohemian is the finest aromatic I?ve ever had in or out of New York, or as it stands now, Vermont.

This is a rich black aromatic Cavendish and oriental blend with a characteristically sweet but subtle dressing of maple or molasses. I can?t put my finger on it. But whatever it is, it?s absolutely delicious. I can almost eat this stuff. Even those who hate aromatics would have a hard time disliking Bohemian. I must say that I was very disappointed with Wilke?s popular Royal Scot and Rumcake, but Bohemian more than makes up for it.

The taste is rich and flavorful. This is a first bowl of the day blend for me, though it makes a nice evening smoke as well. I broke in a Stanwell horn with it, and it consistently leaves a lovely aroma in the bowl, like a pan of slightly burnt molasses and ginger cookies. It smokes a bit wet and causes some tongue bite like most dark aromatic Cavendish, but who cares? The remarkable thing is that the blend is very uninspiring in the pouch, and you might pass it by if you didn?t bother to taste some. But once you light this stuff up, WOW!

When it comes to aromatics, nobody does it better than Wilke, and nothing?s better than Bohemian.

Five of five Stars