Per George Jensen on Radio Show of December 5, 2023

[admin]

Our featured interview on tonight's Pipes Magazine Radio Show is with Per George Jensen. Most pipe enthusiasts know Per as the longtime Mac Baren Tobacco Company spokesman. Earlier this year he made some changes in his life. He got married, moved to Germany and parted ways with Mac Baren, but not with the tobacco business. He is consulting with Sutliff Tobacco Co., and he created the popular and unique signature tobacco series, “Pipe Force”. At the top of the show Brian will discuss his latest pipe acquisition, which is one of the last pipes made by late Japanese pipe artisan, Satou Smio, who died in July of this year.

The show airs every Tuesday at 8:00pm eastern US time, and can be found at PipesMagazine.com and all podcast apps.

 

[AroEnglish]

I recently heard Per's first interview on the show and he was very well spoken. I’m glad to hear that he’s this week's guest.

 

[jbfrady]

Per is my absolute favorite blender and somehow he was the first person I met at the Vegas Pipe Show this year. After a flight delay, I - unlike all the fellas twice my age who somehow stay up until 3am like college monsters - crashed immediately. Having breakfast that Friday morning I found myself chatting with a man whose particular accent (Germanic in origin but featuring a pinch of Liam Neeson) struck me as immediately familiar from your radio show. Sure as snuff, it was indeed him.

 

[Ash Cooper]

I had this thought that if Per Georg Jensen’s blends had been made into plugs instead of cakes with a different company, his pipe force and birds of a feather series might have become one of the greatest blending accomplishments of the modern era.

 

[yanoJL]

So MacBaren fired Per Jensen?! Wow. I did not see that coming. Glad I listened to the show.

 

[Ash Cooper]

So MacBaren fired Per Jensen?! Wow. I did not see that coming. Glad I listened to the show.

Kind of crazy, right?

 

[mingc]

Sorry to hear of Per's troubles. Maybe STG will buy all of MB's pipe offerings so it'll be the one stop Danish source for pipe tobacco.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Sorry to hear of Per's troubles. Maybe STG will buy all of MB's pipe offerings so it'll be the one stop Danish source for pipe tobacco.

Hmm, the blends are all based on MB's stocks of tobacco, so I imagine that would change them, maybe drastically in some cases.

 

[mingc]

Hmm, the blends are all based on MB's stocks of tobacco, so I imagine that would change them, maybe drastically in some cases.

I was joking!

 

[ThermionicScott]

I was joking!

Oh, derp.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Anyways, that was a great interview. I was not aware of all those life changes for Per this year, but it sounds like he's happy and looking forward to the future! I bet he'd be wonderful company for smoking a bowl.

 

[rick3wood]

Wish the radio show had gone a little more into the inner workings of Macbaren, but anyway hope the best for him

 

[AroEnglish]

I had this thought that if Per Georg Jensen’s blends had been made into plugs instead of cakes with a different company, his pipe force and birds of a feather series might have become one of the greatest blending accomplishments of the modern era.

What benefit would the plug have over the cake? (I have no blending knowledge whatsoever.)

 

[jbfrady]

What benefit would the plug have over the cake? (I have no blending knowledge whatsoever.)

Plugs are among the most historic of methods, often requiring whole leaves to be pressed into layers and then either rolled or kept flat and hardening over time. The immense pressure creates a much more dense product than a cake, or anything else on the market. Most plugs have to be shaved with a knife in order for you to smoke them. Some people don't like the work involved, but it basically prevents tongue bite 100% and when aged, the various flavors involve meld into a single homogenous one.

This is oversimplifying, but a cake is essentially like a ribbon or shag cut, but put into layers and pressed. You still get a compact product which grants you a cooler smoke than ribbon, but it'll smoke warmer warmer than pressed flakes, coins, or plugs. (Pressed flakes - think Orlik or Mac Baren - and coins are cut plugs)

 

[Honkytonk Man]

So MacBaren fired Per Jensen?! Wow. I did not see that coming. Glad I listened to the show.

Yup. That was a shock for sure.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

On the point of music selection. Brian, hope you're going to play "Spin The Dreidel".

Thanks in advance.
Cliff - Honkytonk Man.

 

[kcghost]

Per Jensen has always been one of favorites among guests.

 

[AroEnglish]

Plugs are among the most historic of methods, often requiring whole leaves to be pressed into layers and then either rolled or kept flat and hardening over time. The immense pressure creates a much more dense product than a cake, or anything else on the market. Most plugs have to be shaved with a knife in order for you to smoke them. Some people don't like the work involved, but it basically prevents tongue bite 100% and when aged, the various flavors involve meld into a single homogenous one.

This is oversimplifying, but a cake is essentially like a ribbon or shag cut, but put into layers and pressed. You still get a compact product which grants you a cooler smoke than ribbon, but it'll smoke warmer warmer than pressed flakes, coins, or plugs. (Pressed flakes - think Orlik or Mac Baren - and coins are cut plugs)

That’s very helpful; thanks! I didn't know the the whole leaf and ribbon cut is what distinguished the two.

 

[AroEnglish]

Like I mentioned earlier I first heard Per in Episode 67 which I listened to for the first time a few weeks ago. Per was so charming there. He talked tobacco with passion and knowledge and his banter and humor was so enjoyable. I thought that this is a man I would love to hear more from. Hearing this latest interview made me not only want to hear more from Per but now I really hope I can meet him at a show in person. His banter again was top notch and I loved his comments at the end about German vs. Danish meals and his reply to Brian saying that Per is likely not on King Charles’ invite list (you’ll have to listen to the interview to hear it for yourself). I was laughing out loud in my car with joy at this and several other moments in the interview.

I’m glad to hear that someone so accomplished in this business is finally releasing things under his own name. I’m eagerly awaiting the tobaccos he releases and possibly even more excited for Per-branded pipes.

 

[jbfrady]

That’s very helpful; thanks! I didn't know the the whole leaf and ribbon cut is what distinguished the two.

As said, it's a little oversimplified but it holds true in generalities and nobody wants to read the dissertation I can spit out on a whim.

Like I mentioned earlier I first heard Per in Episode 67 which I listened to for the first time a few weeks ago. Per was so charming there. He talked tobacco with passion and knowledge and his banter and humor was so enjoyable. I thought that this is a man I would love to hear more from. Hearing this latest interview made me not only want to hear more from Per but now I really hope I can meet him at a show in person. His banter again was top notch and I loved his comments at the end about German vs. Danish meals and his reply to Brian saying that Per is likely not on King Charles’ invite list (you’ll have to listen to the interview to hear it for yourself). I was laughing out loud in my car with joy at this and several other moments in the interview.

I’m glad to hear that someone so accomplished in this business is finally releasing things under his own name. I’m eagerly awaiting the tobaccos he releases and possibly even more excited for Per-branded pipes.

Agreed! I only heard it in August and it helped me understand why I've loved every blend that's had his name on it. Be sure to these out... they're his tobacco description videos. (Albeit, they're from the villains who let him go, but they're well done and concise.)

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyMdeVcUXOdbwHDQ8ycEzdmMXmDZneaI4&si=1TIRaqHekuKKwsRB