G. L. Pease JackKnife Plug
(3.43)
JackKnife Plug: dark-fired Kentucky leaf and ripe red Virginia tobaccos, with their deep, earthy flavors, are layered on a central core of golden flue cured for a hint of bright sweetness, then pressed and matured in cakes, and finally cut into 2 ounce blocks. Slice it thick and rub it out for a ribbon cut, thin for a shag, or chop it into cubes. The choice is yours.
Notes: The first blend in the New World Series - JackKnife Plug was introduced in January, 2011.
From GL Pease: This one has been a long time coming. I’ve had more requests than I can count to make a plug, and to make some stronger blends. There’s something about playing with the tobacco, cutting it, rubbing it out, preparing it for smoking, that connects us more closely with the whole process. A plug like this can be sliced thick or thin, so the smoker gains complete control over the way it will pack and burn. It’s quite rewarding.
My favorite approach with JackKnife has been to slice it very thin, about 1/32″, and rub it completely into a fine shag. Filling the pipe carefully, not packing too tightly, results in a wonderful, cool, effortless smoke, and the fine cut seems to enhance the sweetness of the Virginias and bring out the subtle, natural perfume of the dark fired Kentucky leaf.
Details
| Brand | G. L. Pease |
| Series | New World Collection |
| Blended By | Gregory Pease |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Kentucky, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Plug |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium to Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.43 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 121 - 130 of 151 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 02, 2021 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I had heard a lot about Jack Knife Plug, its strength and its taste, and it sounded wonderful. I've even been eyeing a tin at my local for a while now but I just wasn't sure. Much like Quiet Nights actually, which I'll pick up this week while I think of it. As I've explored the range and depth of Dark Fired Kentucky and found that I really like it, I decided to finally get a tin. It was worth it.
The tin has some simple art on it: a plug that has been cut with a knife. When you open the tin, there is a nice brownie sized plug that has shades of brown and rich earth. If I put my nose to the tin I smell bready and fruity Red Virginias, some citrus and hay from the Flue Cured, and earthy, woody, nutty, spicy Dark Fired Kentucky.
This being a plug and not a crumble cake, a knife is the tool of choice. I like to use a very sharp butchers knife to cut my plugs because the weight of the blade helps cut through the dense plug. That being said this is a little more loosely packed than Peterson's 3P. After slicing off a thick flake I prefer to cube cut and then gravity feed. It's not too moist but it does take some time to get it lit especially when cube cut. It may need a few relights throughout.
The first thing I taste is Dark Fired Kentucky. It's barbecue spicy, earthy, and nutty. This slightly reminds me of mesquite barbecue, that woody, smokey spice. Next I taste the Red Virginias which are herbal, fruity and sour. Every now and again I hit a burst of Flue Cured and citrus and sweetness comes through. What is interesting is how your smoke changes throughout the bowl.
The taste is a medium-full, it's a great taste but it doesn't overpower you. The strength is a medium-strong. The DFK in this blend knocks it up a notch and I can feel it if I haven't eaten. The room note is probably tolerable at best for those who don't smoke. This is the definition of a nice relaxing smoke, from cutting the flake to finishing the bowl I've enjoyed every second of it. Which is also true of GLP's Gaslight plug. Once I figured out not to rip off a layer and smoke pure Latakia that is.
Really enjoyable and highly recommended to fellow DFK lovers.
The tin has some simple art on it: a plug that has been cut with a knife. When you open the tin, there is a nice brownie sized plug that has shades of brown and rich earth. If I put my nose to the tin I smell bready and fruity Red Virginias, some citrus and hay from the Flue Cured, and earthy, woody, nutty, spicy Dark Fired Kentucky.
This being a plug and not a crumble cake, a knife is the tool of choice. I like to use a very sharp butchers knife to cut my plugs because the weight of the blade helps cut through the dense plug. That being said this is a little more loosely packed than Peterson's 3P. After slicing off a thick flake I prefer to cube cut and then gravity feed. It's not too moist but it does take some time to get it lit especially when cube cut. It may need a few relights throughout.
The first thing I taste is Dark Fired Kentucky. It's barbecue spicy, earthy, and nutty. This slightly reminds me of mesquite barbecue, that woody, smokey spice. Next I taste the Red Virginias which are herbal, fruity and sour. Every now and again I hit a burst of Flue Cured and citrus and sweetness comes through. What is interesting is how your smoke changes throughout the bowl.
The taste is a medium-full, it's a great taste but it doesn't overpower you. The strength is a medium-strong. The DFK in this blend knocks it up a notch and I can feel it if I haven't eaten. The room note is probably tolerable at best for those who don't smoke. This is the definition of a nice relaxing smoke, from cutting the flake to finishing the bowl I've enjoyed every second of it. Which is also true of GLP's Gaslight plug. Once I figured out not to rip off a layer and smoke pure Latakia that is.
Really enjoyable and highly recommended to fellow DFK lovers.
Pipe Used:
Kaywoodie Birkshire Large Billiard
PurchasedFrom:
B&M
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2020 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
A very flavorful and robust blend of Virginia and Kentucky and one of my favorites from G.L. Pease. Forget the usual Dark Fire Kentucky used by other brands. This is something else. I have heard some older pipe smokers say that tobaccos in the past were much better than they are now. I cannot affirm or disprove that opinion because the oldest tobacco I have ever smoked was from the 1990s. What I do dare to say is that today some tobaccos of such high quality are manufactured that they make me feel fully satisfied when I smoke them, as well as very grateful for their existence. This is one of those tobaccos...
Pipe Used:
Pipe Rattray's Butcher's Boy N°23
Age When Smoked:
5 and 6 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 03, 2020 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
Moist, semi-firm plug in pop top can. Rich barnyard aroma from tin. Flavours commensurate with the darkness of the plug. Handle this gently or it will smack you with a cloud of intensity. As a novice pipe smoker, I had to take care and go slow with this one. This tastes like a solid, no nonsense and heady tobacco with no fluff.
Pipe Used:
MM cob
PurchasedFrom:
Cup O' Joes
Age When Smoked:
new from tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 2019 | Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Presentation: A nice slab of dark Kentucky, red virginias and bright virginias. The dark fired burley and red Virginia surrounds the thinner layer of bright Virginia, sort of like a grilled cheese sandwich. From my experience, the plug is not uniform in shape every time- width, height or thickness, but varies from tin to tin. The weight stays the same though. Not as dense as some plugs (3P's, Dans Salty Dog), but still manages to stay together after numerous slicing sessions.
Palate: A tin note of semi-sweet BBQ sauce, ketchup and a pig roast. The dark fired burleys along with the red Virginia are the main components. It's spicy, salty and reminds me of charred ribs. The burley adds the flavor that one might attribute to the aroma of a meat smoker. Its rich, heavy and leaves a savory taste in your mouth. The red Virginias smooth out and help with the mustering of the dark fired burley. The bright Virginia adds a sweet essence to the blend, but only for a short while. This is a stout blend.
Performance: With plugs, you can cut this anyway you want. Some may want to cut thick slices and rub it out halfway, cube cut it, or in my preference, cut the plug as thin as possible into shag ribbons. I find that when cutting and rubbing it into a fine shag, I get lovely thick smoky clouds and all of the flavor at once, but it tends to burn quick. I haven't tried it any other way as I love the flavor it gave me with this method. A pretty strong nicotine hit. Not an all day smoke but I could see this as a morning blend to perk you up and then as an evening blend.
Conclusion: I was hesitant to buy this blend based on what I heard about dark fired burleys being strong. I gathered my courage and went ahead and purchased a tin with just over 4 years of age on it and was glad I did. It has become one of my favorite blends that I buy in the 8oz tins. If you want a rich blend, this is it. It isn't as strong as MacBaren Bold Kentucky, but it offers a far better range flavors for some of the dark fired burley blends on the market today. Benefits greatly, in my opinion, from some age.
Palate: A tin note of semi-sweet BBQ sauce, ketchup and a pig roast. The dark fired burleys along with the red Virginia are the main components. It's spicy, salty and reminds me of charred ribs. The burley adds the flavor that one might attribute to the aroma of a meat smoker. Its rich, heavy and leaves a savory taste in your mouth. The red Virginias smooth out and help with the mustering of the dark fired burley. The bright Virginia adds a sweet essence to the blend, but only for a short while. This is a stout blend.
Performance: With plugs, you can cut this anyway you want. Some may want to cut thick slices and rub it out halfway, cube cut it, or in my preference, cut the plug as thin as possible into shag ribbons. I find that when cutting and rubbing it into a fine shag, I get lovely thick smoky clouds and all of the flavor at once, but it tends to burn quick. I haven't tried it any other way as I love the flavor it gave me with this method. A pretty strong nicotine hit. Not an all day smoke but I could see this as a morning blend to perk you up and then as an evening blend.
Conclusion: I was hesitant to buy this blend based on what I heard about dark fired burleys being strong. I gathered my courage and went ahead and purchased a tin with just over 4 years of age on it and was glad I did. It has become one of my favorite blends that I buy in the 8oz tins. If you want a rich blend, this is it. It isn't as strong as MacBaren Bold Kentucky, but it offers a far better range flavors for some of the dark fired burley blends on the market today. Benefits greatly, in my opinion, from some age.
Pipe Used:
Morgan Bones Stubby Pot
PurchasedFrom:
SP, Seoul South Korean B&M Store
Age When Smoked:
4+ years and 6 months.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 01, 2019 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I overall enjoyed this blend. It was nutty and smokey with a liberal amount of nicotine. It has a small amount of sweetness. Though I wouldn't consider this an everyday smoke it certainly is a nice afternoon "winding down" tobacco.
Pipe Used:
Many Briar Pipes
PurchasedFrom:
Twins Smoke Shop (Hooksett, NH)
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 01, 2019 | Extremely Mild | Medium to Strong | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I remember when this bad boy came out, I just had terrible luck with 3P’s (a love of mine now) and I didn’t want anything to do with another plug. I’m ashamed to admit it but I just didn’t properly know how to work a plug in my early years, I was used to crumble cakes and I thought I could work a Plug in the same manner... nope. Anyway, I finally came back to Jackknife Plug as plugs l have become my favorite cut, there is just a depth that you will only find with this cut, granted the British plugs are pressed with much more pressure and produce more flavor as a result but seeing plugs being made in the States is a delight and I would love to see them keep coming out with more. When I first tried this I thought it was strong for the sake of being strong but as I got more familiar with it the more I started picking up on wonderful subtitles. I get a very nice, natural cinnamon flavor that comes from the high grade Kentucky. The VA’s could use a bit more age in my opinion so I have serval tins in the cellar getting their ferment on. This is not a sweet blend and I detect zero topping, the nic is medium to strong, body is full and the roomnote is strong but lovely (if you like the smell of tobacco). This is something that I wish I would have tried a long time ago but I’m glad I finally came around to it. I would love to know how this would taste if it was pressed in the STG factory, wouldn’t that be wonderful? Either way, I call this one Essential in my book.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 06, 2018 | Extremely Mild | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Very Pleasant |
I failed to find any discernable flavor at all. I had a hard time keeping it lit. Good room note. Moisture level was good from the tin.
Pipe Used:
Various
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 24, 2016 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Unnoticeable |
This nigh on the perfect smoke for me. High quality, deeply satisfying.
What it lacks is a bit of flavour. Probably because it's unadulterated.
If I could combine the metallic saltiness of MacBarens Bold Kentucky with the satisfaction of JackKnife, this would be a good thing!
Update 15/10/16. I was so taken by this one that I bought another drum at great expense - the costliest tobacco I've ever bought. This time Jack Knife is a bland brown also ran.
I'm hugely disappointed. I won't bother again.
What it lacks is a bit of flavour. Probably because it's unadulterated.
If I could combine the metallic saltiness of MacBarens Bold Kentucky with the satisfaction of JackKnife, this would be a good thing!
Update 15/10/16. I was so taken by this one that I bought another drum at great expense - the costliest tobacco I've ever bought. This time Jack Knife is a bland brown also ran.
I'm hugely disappointed. I won't bother again.
Pipe Used:
Stanwell billard.
PurchasedFrom:
Gauntley's of Nottingham.
Age When Smoked:
Fresh and a year and a half.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 07, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Strong | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Am I in love with this? No. Will I get a couple tins to cellar? Yes. This blend is too one-dimensional. If I'm wanting a one-dimensional plug that reminds me faintly of cigars, I'm currently grabbing Peterson's Perfect Plug. If I want Kentucky (I live in KY), I'll grab some of my bulk Mac Baren Old Dark Fired. Now I love the Pease Gaslight,but my grail, after several months piping, is Captain Earl's Ten Russians. This, will no doubt,grow on me, but pcurrently, it isn't grabbing me like it should. Kendal Brown twist also provides a nice N kick.
Pipe Used:
briar & cob
PurchasedFrom:
pipesandcigars
Age When Smoked:
3 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 19, 2012 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I may be one of the few people that likes triple play as much/ more than this one. But I may have turned a corner. I've discovered that if I really let this one dry out I enjoy it more. With the triple play blend I'm maybe less sensitive to the moisture content. If you try jack knife and it seems a bit flat let it dry more and try again, perhaps you'll have better results like I did. Good luck.
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