G. L. Pease JackKnife Plug

Want the real deal? Here it is. Indoors and out, hold on to your hat! Highly recommended!

For background, I've been smoking a pipe for 3 decades and cigarettes for most of that time. I prefer some flavoring added, though not necessarily those that leave a pleasant room note or taste. (Erinmore Flake is my go-to tobacco.) However, I also enjoy English blends and some Virginias. After 2 ounces, here are my thoughts.

This is an interesting tobacco, indeed. It is a square plug in a round tin. On opening the tin, it smells like a tangy version of a freshly mown alfalfa field. I can smell some of the BBQ pulled pork that others have mentioned. The plug is much drier than I was expecting and some tobacco naturally falls off the plug in bits and pieces.

In keeping with its name, I use a sharp pocket knife and small cutting board to shave off thin slices so rubbing out is unnecessary. I quite enjoy the ritual of preparation this plug requires. I lightly pack the resulting shag in a smallish bowl and give it at least 2 charring lights before it settles down.

I suggest slow, steady puffing, not only to prevent tongue-bite (not a problem so far), but because this contains quite a lot of vitamin N. Even as a former cigarette smoker used to strong tobaccos, I managed to give myself several cases of hiccups as I became acquainted with this blend. To me, that isn't necessarily bad, but something to bear in mind. It takes quite a lot of concentration on technique to really get full enjoyment from this weed. Relights are not fun. After a relight, this tobacco becomes even darker and slightly harsh. On the other hand, it doesn't require many relights. Finally, I must say that I find this tobacco rather one-dimensional. My pallet is obviously not as discriminating as some of my more enlightened fellow reviewers.

This tobacco has made it into my rotation. However, it is not an all-day smoke for me - best after a meal with a nice brandy. Recommended for its form and honesty, but minus one star for its simplicity, slightly off-putting relights, and need for attention.

I put off getting a tin of this for a while and I am glad that I did.

I believe that I must have gotten a tin that had been around for about a year. The plug was much drier than in many descriptions and crystal-ish looking sugar formations had started to develop. Smell at first reminded me of a pouch of Bali-Shag and after a bigger smell of BBQed meat...smokey, sweet, and tangy smelling.

I enjoy cutting thin and watching it transform into shag and also making it into cubes.

My favorite combnation of this so far had been the shag cut in a Missouri Meerschaum Diplomat. For whatever reason, that I still can't explain, it is magical.

Because this is drier it requires very few relights and with slow puffing I found the nicotine level to be enjoyable not overpowering.

The smoke is like a good cigar without the cigar stink and foul aftertaste and with an added subtle warm sweetness.

I have been smoking it everyday and it is becoming my new favorite tobacco. Highly recommend.

I am surprised for how few reviews there are on this blend when at one time you couldn't get it due to it being sold out?

That being said I smoked this awhile when I first got it and left some to age. This blend or Plug as it is is so different in many ways.

You can cut in chunks and get a different smoke or you can rub it out and have a completely different smoking sensation. I prefer to rub out what I need and load up the bowl.

I also prefer a larger bowl with this cut.

Aging has done this blend good and has mellowed some of the rough edges, not that it was to overbearing in the beginning, it's just a tad mellower.

The block in the tin has so many folded leaves and the aroma is awesome.

It lights and smokes well, has a good nic hit, and the Virginia's are a good and sweet leaf.

It burns clean to a light grey ash with no excess dottle.

One thing about Pease is he produces the best in whatever he does. I may not like all of his blends, but he uses the best products he can find and his Tobacco blends and Pipes reflect that.

If you are looking for a good Virgina Plug with a nice wallop, this is it! Highly recommended...

I was able to obtain some of the early JackKnife Plug. It's taken me quite a while to get to the point where I think I can write an honest and brief review. Over the years my tastes have changed, as most have experienced, from english to VA blends. For some reason I could never get excited about straight VA blends. One type of VA has stood out for me- those that include Red Virginias. [I was a fan of F&T cut blended plug for a long time.]

I think JackKnife plug may be my new go-to Red VA blend! It's fantastic. The amount of flavor obtained from a straight VA blend is amazing. Greg takes a scientific approach to all his work, and his careful hand is seen in this blend yet again.

What are the things winning me over to this blend? I absolutely love the plug form. I never thought I would, as it takes more time to work with, but ultimately the final product is excellent. One of the advantages of the plug (besides marrying the flavor during the pressing) is the how well it keeps moisture. I'm truly amazed. Usually I have to mason jar most blends I smoke due to my infrequent smoking. I've had this tin open (with the temporary plastic top on it) for well over a month- maybe going on 2 months now. I'm about 80% through the plug at this point in time, and it still has a wonderful moisture content. I was starting to wonder when I'd need to jar the remainder, but so far I haven't had to! I'm stunned. This must be why Navy plug was made in this fashion. I'm sure in a leather pouch this plug would stay moist for a good number of months.

Cutting it has been easier than I expected also. The plug isn't overly dense and isn't overly dry. This means with a good sharp knife various forms of cuts for bowl-packing is available each time you go to smoke. Cube cut, flake cut, rubbed-out. This is a true advantage of a DIY cut. Some may not like this, but I'm now completely sold on the plug form and this tobacco in specific.

Back to taste- it's way fuller bodied than I'd expect from a VA. When I first started in on VA's, it was quite difficult to for me to experience the nuances in flavor that are often discussed with VA's. Well, this blend is almost a slap in the face (in a good way) when you first start smoking it! Tons of flavor!! I can taste that nice warm sweetness of the Red that I've grown to love.

Highly recommended blend- a great new style from an excellent blender. This one will have to be on hand in the cellar!

A wonderful plug. However, the consistency of the cake may vary, and when I sliced mine, I didn't get flakes but thin ribbons which I elected to rub out. The blend is smoother if some chunks are used. Maybe I need a scapel to slice it and we can rename it ...ripper plug or freddie plug? Peterson perfection plug is a tighter cake, but this one has more body.

It is rich, full, heady, and has the texture of a cigar (as someone said), but no cigar leaf here. The earthy deep burley flavor is sweetened and lightened a little by the red and bright Virginias. But you must like strong, full, almost raw tobacco flavor to enjoy this. But it is not overpowering nor as strong as some fo C&D's burley flakes (e.g., #3).

At this point I must sound like everyone else who gives this one rave reviews. It deserves rave reviews, as what else would you expect for a blend called JackKnife! You better like it.

Out to stroll the moors with this one.

JackKnife Plug is like a cowboy in a tuxedo. Yes, he may be wearing a dinner jacket and bow tie, but he's also sporting a stetson and boots. To him, whiskey comes from Kentucky, not Islay. And please forgive him if he doesn't sip it, although he could give a rat's ass about what you think.

I hate metaphors.

Tin aroma is that of figs with a smoky undertone.

The flavor of the smoke is sweet as would be expected from the Virginia tobacco. But it is balanced nicely by the smokiness of the Kentucky tobacco. I also find a little bit of a spicy element. If you've ever eaten a chocolate truffle dusted with chipotle powder, it's the same effect. That being said, you better not have bought said truffle. The only reason you should ever eat a truffle is because your wife made you.

I'm happy with the amount of nicotine in JackKnife Plug. It is strong, but not overwhelming. If you like romantic comedies, you might get the spins or hiccups.

JackKnife Plug is in a niche all by itself. It's old school American pipe tobacco strength and character combined with the class and elegance of the best straight Virginia.

Here is a tobacco with no flavoring, all natural relying on only the expertise of the blender and the quality of the products. The dark-fired Kentucky leaf makes this so darned good. They are responsible for the floral tastes in the blend.

When I think of a classic VA, I think of tobaccos like FVF. This is so much different than FVF, yet so instantly classic, I can say without hesitation it is the best tobacco I have ever smoked. The flavor so complex and subtle, it can stand up to scrutiny while at the same time can easily be an all day smoke without giving much thought.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this new blend in a new series by G.L. Pease, is that a blender known for his skill as one of the finest English style creators, has now shown his mastery of the most noble of all tobaccos.

If you are a VA fan, I recommend you go out and buy a lot of this right now. I can only imagine how well this blend will age.

I have been spending a lot of time with this plug since its arrival and its been time well spent. This is "old school" tobacco flavor with what seems to me to be a very faint topping. Some larger leaves can be found in this square plug. It arrives very moist and its not as tightly pressed as Petersons so it makes for an easy prep. I have tried it at different degrees of dryness and I find it tastes best bone dry. If you are drying it, note that it will dry quickly after being rubbed out. There are a lot of different flavors going on here. As a long time cigar smoker, I find some cigar-like flavors here although I am not sure there is any cigar leaf in here. There is also an underlying slight sweetness that I find really nice. I expect that this will age really well. Like many plugs, Jackknife is fairly strong, but I don't find it as strong as many other plugs. If you are a fan of a tobacco that brings memories of a time gone by, or just looking for something different, this is worth a try. Recommended.