Secrets Revealed

9th December, 2010: Posted by glpease in Tobacco, Product News

It’s time to lift the veil of suspense. A lot of you have been really close with your guesses, some, frighteningly so. (I scanned my lab for hidden cameras and checked my phone for bugs, and found nothing. I’m beginning to wonder if you guys are into remote viewing or something.) Now, it’s time for the reveal.

What you see in the photo is the final production prototype of the new blend as it comes, and hand-prepared three different ways; sliced, sliced and rubbed out, and cube-cut. The blend comprises both bright and red flue-cured, and dark-fired kentucky leaf. What’s unique about this plug is the way it’s made. The dark tobaccos surround a central core of the brights. This is not just a cosmetic choice. By producing it this way, the slightly zesty sweetness of the golden tobaccos is less influenced by the earthiness of the darker leaf. They still interact with one another, of course, but there’s a purity to the bright’s flavors that gets muddled if it’s just mixed in randomly with the rest of the leaf. The difference is subtle, but certainly noticeable. It’s more labor intensive, requiring more care and precision to do it this way, but the results are absolutely worth it.

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. I was finally pushed over the top when a friend back east sent me some interesting plug, instructing me to smoke it after a heavy meal. I was smitten. 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. (And, since I did ultimately wake up from the nicotine induced hallucinations resulting from smoking my friend’s gift, I figured it was well worth exploring this further.)

JackKnife Plug isn’t a casual smoke, at least for me. There’s enough strength in those blocks to deserve serious respect. But, the taste and aroma are fantastic.

Here’s the description from the label:

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 2oz 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.

JackKnife Plug is the first blend in my New World Collection. I’ve got some other goodies planned and in the works, so stay tuned for more. Now, I’m just waiting for label proofs from the printer, so I can make final adjustments there. Production has been scheduled, and we’re looking forward to a mid-January availability. And, there will be some new things coming for the Old London Series later in 2011, as well.

Exciting times!

-glp