Wilke No. 1

Wilke No. 1 sits at the head of the brand's numbered blend series as a light, everyday smoke. According to the maker's recipe, its base is unsugared black cavendish, joined by a small amount of dark Burley and the leaf Wilke calls Royal Scot. Since the casing load is kept low, the blend gives a dry, plain profile far from the syrupy structure we're used to in sweet aromatics with black cavendish.

The blend's slow-burning, non-harsh structure makes it suitable for mornings or long sessions. Nicotine is low and flavor intensity is measured, making it a stepping stone for smokers wanting to move toward unflavored blends but wary of Virginia's sharp tartness. Wilke is a blending house tracing its roots to 1870s New York, and most of these numbered blends come from the brand's old ledgers.