Advice About Plugs/Bricks

[seacaptain]

Ok, so over the past year I've gravitated to Virginia flakes as my favorite tobacco. I particularly like most of the different Wessex flakes.
So, I'm thinking about venturing into plugs, starting with a Wessex Gold Brick.
Any others I should be looking at? What are the advantages of plugs vs flakes? Is it anything other than just a more for your money proposition?

 

[hawke]

I'm not real schooled on this, but I bet plugs are better if you plan to age it.

 

[warren]

My experience is that there is more . . . well, I can't define it but, pressed tobacco is just more flavorful? I suppose. The flavors are more distinct, for want of a better word, to my palate. Easier to discern to my worn out taste buds.
Best I can do, sorry.

 

[mso489]

I really like GLP Triple Play, a great plug that includes burley, if you like that. Just be sure to slice it down the plug to get a combination of all the layers. I know that's obvious to most, but it was a big ah-ha moment for me that unveiled the romance of plugs for me. Plugs retain moisture and flavor really well, and seem to keep all of the constituent leaf pretty fresh. If you keep it in rotation, you don't necessarily need to jar it, unless you have a really expansive rotation. Jack Knife is another one; I haven't tried it, but I think it is among GLP's most popular plug tobacco. If you have learned to enjoy leaf, plug isn't that big a step; you just need to sharpen up a knife and get out a small cutting board. A wood board is good to maintain the edge on your blade.

 

[captainprophesy]

I tend to favor plugs over flakes for the same reason that Warren stated... they are more flavorful, well at least to me they are. Its more of a deeper richer flavor than say flakes or other tobaccos.... maybe its all psychological, but thats how it is with me.

 

[mcitinner1]

Personally, I've had less satisfaction from any plug, than with flakes.
PM Captain.

 

[davet]

I can't explain any better than warren. I'm quite new to plugs and could easily switch to just plugs. Wessex Gold Brick is good, Peterson's 3P's is excellent. I haven't tried the GL Pease that I've cellared and won't tempt you with plugs from the UK.

 

[blackbeard]

Plugs seem to marry the tobacco. Which done correctly is very pleasant. Try C&D Five O'clock Shadow.

 

[mcitinner1]

Plugs seem to marry the tobacco. Which done correctly is very pleasant. Try C&D Five O'clock Shadow.

Flake tobacco is the same thing as plug tobacco...except it's sliced.

 

[warren]

Correct to point. The flake has been airing, 6 sides, since flaked. With the plug you do the separating, as desired when needed, so the compression remains until then. The flavors are sealed inside the plug so only the six sides of the plug are exposed, not thousands of sides of hundreds of flakes. I think that makes a difference, even in a vacuum packed container, especially when the vacuum is finally broken. So, same tobacco blend, different environment.

 

[tinsel]

The only plug I've tried so far is Jackknife Plug from GL Pease. I'd highly recommend it as it's probably my favorite blend. Prep time with a plug is a little extensive, and you definitely need a SHARP knife for the job, but I think it's worth it.
Oh and BTW, Jackknife is a SERIOUS blend. Lots of flavor. Lots of vitamin N. What else could you want?

 

[randelli]

I have been wondering about this for a while - please excuse a semi-related hijack. Could you slice and smoke plug chewing tobacco?

 

[newfie]

Could you slice and smoke plug chewing tobacco?

Years ago, and I mean decades and more, that is all the old guys smoked. I remember my best bud's dad taking a plug out of his pocket, picking off the pocket lint, and slicing off slivers into the palm of his hand, rubbing them out and stuffing into his pipe. It then took about a dozen matches to get it lit, but light it they did.

 

[condorlover1]

Members of my family pre-WW1 used to chew the plug and then put the munched up stuff in their hat and then smoke it in their pipe later in the day - if that isn't recycling I cannot think of a better example.

 

[seacaptain]

Thanks for the replies. ::

 

[fitzy]

If you've got a cigar cutter I find it easier to use that instead of a knife.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I find pressed tobaccos to be more homogeneous. Sometimes I like this, different leaves all pressed to make a new consistent flavor. And, sometimes I prefer a blend of ribbons, so that I can get a variation of flavors as the bowl progresses. It just depends on my mood. I like flakes and plugs, but I don't find them overwhelmingly better than ribbons, just different. More often than not, I will crave a nice ribbon cut, for the burn qualities. But, I would have to be hard pressed to say that I preferred one over the other.

 

[hawke]

Good reading here.

 

[deathmetal]

So, I'm thinking about venturing into plugs, starting with a Wessex Gold Brick.

Excellent idea.

Plugs seem to marry the tobacco.

My observation as well, with this same reasoning:

The flake has been airing, 6 sides, since flaked. With the plug you do the separating, as desired when needed, so the compression remains until then. The flavors are sealed inside the plug so only the six sides of the plug are exposed, not thousands of sides of hundreds of flakes.

 

[okiescout]

I am a flake guy. :lol: