G. L. Pease Triple Play

It took me the better part of a full tin to figure out how to smoke this dark, stout and highly flavorful plug.

This is a robust blend, with the virginia clear to the back and the perique and Kentucky fighting for the lead. High in nicotine, this is an after dinner smoke for me. There was just a touch of sweetness, and that briny note I experienced in Telegraph Hill was present, courtesy of the perique. But where TH offset it with some nice Virginia sweetness and spice, TP uses more Kentucky, giving this a heavy-bodied sort of porterhouse steak flavor (well-done Porterhouse!). But smoking it sliced made the taste harsh for me, similar to Fillmore. I played with it awhile but the harshness didn't go away until I rubbed it out. It took a lot of rubbing! Even then, the problem persisted. I had the most success when I let this simply smolder instead of burn. Smoke volume was very low, taste was very high. Bowl lasted almost 3 hours! But then it showed me its strengths.

This is really a 4-star blend but I'm giving it 3 because GLP has already provided me with his state of the art Vaper, Telegraph Hill, and I find it preferable to this. If you find that one lacking, this may just be your manna. It's an interesting take on the classic Vaper. With the added Kentucky, it's almost a genre of its own. This is destined to become an important blend, I believe, and I recommend that everyone that loves perique give this a try.

Triple Play is one of those greater than the sum of its parts kind of blends. On the surface it seems so simple. A block of tobacco, Virginia, perique, Kentucky... But the flavors that come out of this blended plug are simply outstanding.

For prep, I slice off a few thin flakes a rough them up to dry for 10-15 minutes. The flavor is deep, rich & bitter-sweet with a round dark chocolate like aftertaste. The burley provides most of the flavor and the Virginia adds enough sweetness for balance, depth and an occasional sweet counter-punch. The perique is spicy and it adds a subtle tangy quality to the mix. The mouthfeel is full, mellow and creamy.

This is a complex blend; each puff is a delightful interplay of dark, sweet & savory cocoa and tangy wine like tobacco flavors that finish with a perfect amount of spice. Triple Play is stout and it has more strength than I typically prefer. It does however make for a solid occasional nightcap that's slow burning and definitely one to savor.

Update 12/7/2017

A friend of mine sent me half his 4 yr old tin of this and I really enjoyed my time with it and am excited to get into my cellared tins of this after they have had some more time to age.

This is a rich robust Vaburper. It is very unlike JKP to my tastes even though they have similar roots. The perique really sets it apart adding spice to what would otherwise be a stout blend. It is very strong, but as I noted in my original review, it is not overwhelming. I will note that I did not smoke this in a large bowled pipe at any time while smoking it. There is sweetness to the blend but otherwise I really don't taste nor can identify any Virginia in the blend. I think its presence merely accentuates the inherent sweetness of the DFK and perique, both of which are derived from burley. In a way there is almost a natural chocolate covered raisin vibe to this one.

The 4 years of age really did make for a mellow treat. I am not sure I am ready to add a fourth star to this, but it is teetering between three and four for sure. For those who can't get enough nicotine, you may consider this a four star blend to be sure.

Original Review 10/29/2014

I wish I was given a bigger sample of this one as I don't feel I have it completely figured out as of yet. Well, I will just have to buy more, because what I did try, I did enjoy. Based on the opening confession, I hope I have saved anyone time from reading too much on my review as there are far more informative ones to read.

This is a strong blend, but it is pretty well balanced. So it doesn't come across as overwhelming to the tastebuds like say, a burley flake 3 would. It also tastes like a pretty natural product, unlike that aromatic mess that Haddo's delight is. I am giving it three stars as of right now, but this may very well earn a fourth after I have had a chance to get into a full tin.

This is a blend where mentioning mechanics has some value. If you don't have a sharp enough blade, you might need to do some additional slicing/cutting to get an even burn and to avoid larger pieces clogging up the hole. Not an issue, just a bit more work. Smell from the tin is reminiscent of barbecue sauce.

With that out of the way; it smokes evenly and has a solid amount of nicotine that should satisfy most people. Good balance between Kentucky and Perique, giving a spicy, peppery feel, with earthiness and heat. Virginias do their thing mostly in the background, bringing some zesty freshness, with dark fruity and haylike qualities. All in all an enjoyable experience!

Recommended! Maybe even highly for those looking for a natural Va/Per with more punch.

I had the opportuniy to enjoy a tin of Triple Play with 6 years of cellar time on it. The aroma of the plug was reminiscent of dark chocolate covered figs. Preparation was fairly easy with my very sharp knife, and the dark flakes were loaded into my pipe. Kentuckys were nutty with dark chocolate nuances, and were the core of the blend while Virginias provided a sweet and slightly grassy support to Perique's dark fruit and black pepper. Requires above average relights. Well worth aging, the blend was smooth and tasty enough to smoke quickly, but strong enough to let you know not to.

Take the time to slow down today, and enjoy a bowl of Triple Play.

Fresh briars my freinds!

Very good. The Virginia is really strong and extremely pleasant.

I am one of the few smokers at my local tobacconist who regularly smokes plug tobaccos and this one definitely ranks high upon my list. The tin note is very pleasant and you can smell the Virginia tobacco right away . I usually shave my plugs with a pocket knife along a corner of the plug and grind anything to big in my hands. This is the only problem that I had with this tobacco, but as I went to shave the tobacco, part of the plug fell apart on me. not a huge deal but my only complaint. The smoke of the tobacco was outstanding and very pleasant. Could certainly taste the Virginia tobacco and I almost detected a barbecue flavor, sweet and savory.

A nicely prepared 2"x2", moist plug with an inviting tin aroma. The preparation ritual is a bit much for me and I'll therefore continue to favor flake blends. Seemed to work best in small bowls and with its full, rich taste, that's all I could handle since this is high test nicotine. This blend is definitely not for a novice. Tends to become harsh if puffed too hard so take it slowly and enjoy.

The triple play is presented as a beautiful, dense and slightly moist 2 oz. plug/cake of leaf tobacco that resembles a medium-sized brownie, just over 2”x2”. For me, the tin note evoked beef jerky, with hints of teriyaki, black pepper, and a touch of hardwood charcoal.

I suspect most of those reporting difficulty with this plug are using dull knives. Personally, I found the preparation ritual a simple tactile pleasure. Although a jackknife or box cutter will do in a pinch, I recommend using a proper long sharp slicing knife for this - shave off two of the thinnest flakes you can comfortably manage (1/32nd inch is ideal), cut them crosswise in thirds, then rub them out between your palms in an opposing circular motion, and the result is a nice little mound of slightly spongy ready rub, which is ready to smoke after 15 mins of drying time (plenty of time to get your morning coffee brewed). This is a strong tobacco, so go with a firm pack in a pipe with a slow draw.

Skipping ahead to mid-bowl - unlike most traditional Virginia-based VaPrs (which tends to have a milky/malty/peppery smoke), the profile here is more meaty and brothy, with a salty, savory bitter finish. This is a manly smoke, and I could feel my testosterone levels rebounding as I walked with it. Visions of a thick, well charred prime steak, rubbed with plenty of black pepper and fleur de sel, danced in my head, along with a warm crock of salty French onion soup sporting a crusty crown of cheese on top. Alternately, some cracked bitter green olives with dried herbs, or a zesty puttanesca sauce. Another flavor that came to me was toasted shreds of nori seaweed, rich in iodine and umami. For a liquor match, I’d either counterpoint this one with a cleansing semi-dry sparkling wine (Prosecco), a Belgian wit bier, or cold daiginjo sake, or I’d run with the bulls and go with a dirty martini with extra olives, a sazerac cocktail with extra bitters, a leggy pomerol, or (easiest of all) a tumbler of briny peaty Islay single malt (ex: Laphroig, Bowmore, Lagavulin), served neat.

In any case, this offering gets its “Triple Play” name from the skillful blending of fire-cured Kentucky Burley (which provides the rich nutty/meaty and slightly smoky base), rounded out with some peppery perique and some Virginia sweetness, to balance all the savory notes and prolong the finish. It’s an impressive offering, worthy of recommendation. This is a solid 3 ½ stars for me, but it loses a half star for its lingeringly rough aftertaste, and slightly harsh room note. I’m looking forward to laying down several tins, to see how some extended cellar time softens both of those minor flaws, and matures the flavor.

I like to cut Triple Play into slices then rub out. The plug holds a lot of moisture but not enough that it needs significant drying time. This tobacco is pretty low maintenance (at least for me). The fullness of flavor and nicotine hit is similar to Pease's Fillmore blend, but here I found a bit more Virginia sweetness. I have no experience smoking Kentucky leaf so I'm having a difficult time commenting on that component of the blend. This tobacco reminds me of SG's St. James Flake with all of the characteristics dialed up a notch or two.

Triple Play can be harsh if I puff too hard, but, when I take my time, it is a flavorful and relaxing smoke.