How to Prepare Plug Pipe Tobacco

[kanaia]

I've done it that way and I've done it with a old plug cutter and yes it works great. But what works best for me is just lop off a corner and put it in a good old weed grinder. Works perfect every single time. In fact I'm already seeing grinders advertised for just that purpose.

 

[Gimlet]

I;ve been wanting to try either Revor Plug or Jackknife has anybody smoked both & which should I try 1st

Haven't smoked Jackknife but I smoke Revor and it's fabulous stuff. A very rich and smokey, leathery taste but with a slightly sweet edge, an almost fermented sweetness. It smokes very smooth and cool and has a glorious scent from the bowl smoke. A wonderful sipper smoked clenched in a short pipe so you get the nose scent as well as the taste.
It is a denser block than that in the video but cuts easily with a sharp knife. I tend to just hold the block in my hand and pare off a single thick slice against my thumb like I was cutting an apple.
I've tried cutting thin flakes but found those crumble very fine like cake. I prefer to cut a single chunk for larger strands when rubbed out as I get a better draw. I smoke mine in a small Petersons Arklow and a slice 3/8" to 1/4" thick will fill the bowl.
I don't find it needs any drying out. It's not particularly tacky feeling straight from the pouch and lights well with a little gentle tamping to start with until a good coal gets going. Then it stays lit and can be sipped to the end. I've found it easier to light and keep going when I cut it thicker and rub out like course shag rather than slice very thin.

This stuff is superbly pungent. It's quite strong and the peppery prickling of nicotine is evident towards the end of the bowl but it's not a as prickly as a black or brown Irish twist. Revor is all about flavour and rich old fashioned aroma.
Highly recommended. It's a similar taste to Petersons Irish Flake but the fermented sweetness is more dominant with the Petersons and the Revor more leathery smokiness.

I don't think it matters whether you try the Revor or the Jackknife first. Buy a couple of ounces of each and try them in separate but similar pipes that are clean and dry so you can assess which you prefer. If you're like me you'll probably like them both (I don't really have a single favourite tobacco. It's like favourite music: it all depends on my mood at the time).

 

[samuelgawith01]

Here is an article that I wrote explaining how to prepare plug pipe tobacco for smoking:

How to Prepare Plug Pipe Tobacco


The video link in the article is broken, but you can view it here:

That's a well seasoned paper plate.

 

[Medy]

Would there anything wrong with cutting it up all at once or is that a no no? Just got my first plug and didn’t know if that was an option.

 

[AJL67]

Would there anything wrong with cutting it up all at once or is that a no no? Just got my first plug and didn’t know if that was an option.

You bought it, you own it, it's yours to do whatever you want.

There are people where that buy the bulk boxes of flake tobacco and rub out the entire box and jar and bag it up to save time, does more surface area change aging, one would think so. Does it matter, up to you.

Now that I bought a plug cutter i enjoy slicing off a bit whenever i feel like smoking it and just leaving the brick whole.

When i was young my dad owned a vending company in Fl he was friends with the owners of Chuck's Steakhouse, famous for dry aged steaks way back in the day and sponsoring Tom Selleck's volleyball team. They owed their own cigarette machine but couldn't fix it so they would call my dad, it was about an hour drive down to Sebastian and we would always go when it was dinner time, his deal with them was he would fix it, usually just a jammed pack, and we would get dinner. When you're like 6-8 yrs old eating prime aged steak it's pretty cool, but it's where i learned about French Onion soup, loved it still do, but i was struggling with the cheese trying to cut it with the spoon and trying my best not to grab the string and pull it away, my dad's advice was "you bought it and paid for it do whatever you want" words to live by, the asshole never did much for the family except be an abusive drunk and and stick my mom with a couple mortgages after the divorce, but that was good advice, that and "Never shit were you eat". So do whatever works for you, like everything else in pipes.