Hello, all. I know I'd never keep up with a reviews blog (I have enough trouble with the fiction blog I write), so I thought I'd just post here on occasion. I'm not an expert, so please forgive my mistakes and assumptions.
At the Chicago show, I bought some of Pease's new Triple Play plug, and also got a small two-pipe sample. The C&D folks labeled it "XXX Play" which I found fitting; it shares a lot with the G&H ropes..
I sliced a pipe's worth into a rough broadcut (about 1/4" wide) and rubbed it out, then let it dry for about an hour. It's moist and needs the time. Hidden in the middle are some beautiful lemon and red virginias, made orange and brown by the pressing process. That's the first indication that this is a very fresh release; I don't think it had more than a week or two in the tin before making its way to Chicago, in line with some other C&D tobacco I've ordered. (I once got a tin from an internet retailer that had made its way through the whole demand chain to my door just two weeks after it was sealed; C&D doesn't hold back!) The rest of the leaf is dark, soft and fragrant, some almost onion-skin thin when fully rubbed out.
With the broad cut I made, I have to be a little more involved loading a pipe; big leaves go on the bottom, then the smaller pieces to the top, pressed down to keep the whole thing in line.. I chose a small Stanwell second that does well with virginias.
On lighting, the youth is right there: peppery, sharp, and biting with a brash, brassy top end, pure young virginias at their most obvious. Once the bowl settles in, the young parts step back (or my palate gives up) to become a spicy connecticut cigar, while smoothness and creaminess run underneath. I can't overstate how cigar-like the tobacco tastes and smells: it's the closest thing I've ever had to a cigar in a pipe, including blends that have cigar leaf as a main component. This might be because of the broad cut I chose. There's a woody, leathery, smoky quality everywhere.
As the bowl gets to the middle, Triple Play keeps evolving. It's incredibly complex and deep, round but sharp at the edges when I relight, with those young voices shouting over the deeper ones if given the chance. At this stage of its life, this tobacco will punch you in the tongue if you push it at all.
Three-quarters down and the creamy base gets stronger, with chocolate sneaking in and out. The cigar still takes center stage, and the smoke is easy to draw out full and thick. Towards the end of the bowl, the nicotine really kicks in; I had this after a full meal and my head was still starting to spin. Burnt (not toasted) marshmallow and grilled beef made two startling appearances about here. I had to set the pipe down for a few minutes before coming back for the finish, which was variations on the same deep complexity.
Verdict:
Age will really benefit Triple Play. It's got everything in line but still needs time. I think the top end will evolve from cymbals into trumpets with just a month, from trumpets to french horn with another year.. Some of the cigar that I love will probably recede with that, though, so maybe there's a sweet spot depending on what you're looking for. All the supporting cast is ready right now; the bass notes are perfect. There's a lot going on here.
I think cutting this as a more conventional flake, about 1/8" wide, would yield a different smoke. I'll try it out and report back. I won't choose a star rating at this time for this reason, and because of its youth.
tl;dr: Incredible like a child genius. Give it a month in the tin before you crack it open, I think, or be ready to wait out the tantrums. Cigar in pipe form, deep thought ahead.
At the Chicago show, I bought some of Pease's new Triple Play plug, and also got a small two-pipe sample. The C&D folks labeled it "XXX Play" which I found fitting; it shares a lot with the G&H ropes..
I sliced a pipe's worth into a rough broadcut (about 1/4" wide) and rubbed it out, then let it dry for about an hour. It's moist and needs the time. Hidden in the middle are some beautiful lemon and red virginias, made orange and brown by the pressing process. That's the first indication that this is a very fresh release; I don't think it had more than a week or two in the tin before making its way to Chicago, in line with some other C&D tobacco I've ordered. (I once got a tin from an internet retailer that had made its way through the whole demand chain to my door just two weeks after it was sealed; C&D doesn't hold back!) The rest of the leaf is dark, soft and fragrant, some almost onion-skin thin when fully rubbed out.
With the broad cut I made, I have to be a little more involved loading a pipe; big leaves go on the bottom, then the smaller pieces to the top, pressed down to keep the whole thing in line.. I chose a small Stanwell second that does well with virginias.
On lighting, the youth is right there: peppery, sharp, and biting with a brash, brassy top end, pure young virginias at their most obvious. Once the bowl settles in, the young parts step back (or my palate gives up) to become a spicy connecticut cigar, while smoothness and creaminess run underneath. I can't overstate how cigar-like the tobacco tastes and smells: it's the closest thing I've ever had to a cigar in a pipe, including blends that have cigar leaf as a main component. This might be because of the broad cut I chose. There's a woody, leathery, smoky quality everywhere.
As the bowl gets to the middle, Triple Play keeps evolving. It's incredibly complex and deep, round but sharp at the edges when I relight, with those young voices shouting over the deeper ones if given the chance. At this stage of its life, this tobacco will punch you in the tongue if you push it at all.
Three-quarters down and the creamy base gets stronger, with chocolate sneaking in and out. The cigar still takes center stage, and the smoke is easy to draw out full and thick. Towards the end of the bowl, the nicotine really kicks in; I had this after a full meal and my head was still starting to spin. Burnt (not toasted) marshmallow and grilled beef made two startling appearances about here. I had to set the pipe down for a few minutes before coming back for the finish, which was variations on the same deep complexity.
Verdict:
Age will really benefit Triple Play. It's got everything in line but still needs time. I think the top end will evolve from cymbals into trumpets with just a month, from trumpets to french horn with another year.. Some of the cigar that I love will probably recede with that, though, so maybe there's a sweet spot depending on what you're looking for. All the supporting cast is ready right now; the bass notes are perfect. There's a lot going on here.
I think cutting this as a more conventional flake, about 1/8" wide, would yield a different smoke. I'll try it out and report back. I won't choose a star rating at this time for this reason, and because of its youth.
tl;dr: Incredible like a child genius. Give it a month in the tin before you crack it open, I think, or be ready to wait out the tantrums. Cigar in pipe form, deep thought ahead.
