Peterson's Perfect Plug: What Am I Doing Wrong?

[mawnansmiff]

Once I was introduced to plug tobaccos by a forum member I went and splurged on plug purchases from my online seller.
I bought many and thoroughly enjoyed most of them however PPP remains something of a mystery to me. I have smoked it fresh, dried for an hour or so, dried for several hours and even dried overnight yet still I get none of the 'grass', 'fig' or 'stewed fruit' flavours many reviewers claim to taste. All I get is the taste of a strongish tobacco with no specific individual nuances.
I prepare all my plugs in the same way by shaving off slices with a very sharp pocket knife, cut the shavings with scissors, rub out and air dry as above so what am I doing wrong?
I don't dislike PPP at all but I am clearly missing out on some serious flavours that others are enjoying so what am I doing wrong?
I have by the way tried it in various pipes but with no improvement from one or the other.
So how do you prepare your PPP and do you get the grass, fig and stewed fruit flavours that so far elude me?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[texmexpipe]

Jay I've had the same experience. It is rather flat to me. It's not a bad smoke just not spectacular on any level. I too have tried the different drying times and bowl sizes, and all to no affect. I smell the fig in the tin note but it just doesn't translate in the smoke.

 

[davet]

Not sure, we all have different tastes. I read reviews of some blends and wonder where they get all these flavours. Try cube cutting and see if it makes a difference, I think it enhances that flavours.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Those Irish plugs are finicky. Especially some that are light with their toppings, like Salty Dog, PPP, and even Warrior and Revor can be tricky. I tend to smoke them too fast to get the "burn" going, but then it is hard to remember to slow down enough to start savoring the flavor. Then it is a fine-line balance between having them go out and just burning them way too fast for flavor. This gives me a love/hate relationship for these plugs. They are not in the category of "light and forget about it" breathsmoking style that I usually enjoy, but when I get in the "zone" with them they are delicious. But, all too often I end up just setting my pipe down and forgetting about them until I am racking all of my pipes for the evening.
This is why I like Condor so much. It is so drenched in flavorings that I can puff like a freight train or just savor a smoldering bowl and still get flavors.

 

[oldreddog]

Probably nowt Jay.

I slice flakes and either fold and stuff or rub them out. I don't dry it very much. Nor do I get a wheelbarrow of freshly cut damsons and quince tart flavours.

 

[pitchfork]

I cut slices a little thicker than the average flake and then cube cut. From there, I just drop the cubes into the bowl and sprinkle in any little bits left over.
I avoided cube cutting for the longest time (don't know why), but for me it's the easiest way to smoke plugs -- you get good flavor and a consistent, slow burn.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Nor do I get a wheelbarrow of freshly cut damsons and quince tart flavours." :rofl:
I would settle for a teaspoon full.
Ok, next time I shall try just cube cut with no rubbing out and minimal drying.
Thanks chaps ::
BTW I am in the process of buying a tin with 1 year 8 months age on it...perhaps that short period has improved matters....time will tell.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[hawky454]

I Slice mine up very thin with a razor blade. I let it dry out for a good 30 minutes then load it up on a big bowl (group 6? I'm not too familiar with the group sizes). I find that some of my favorite blends took me quite awhile to "understand". I would suggest not giving up on it just yet and smoke the entire Plug before making up your mind. 3P's is up there with Warrior Plug for me.

 

[ophiuchus]

I don't give the stuff any time to dry.

 

[davet]

I do dry it a little but also may leave it over night. Cosmic might be onto something, slow it down to just keeping it lit. It is my favorite regular smoke and I would smoke nothing else without complaint :worship:

 

[disinformatique]

For me Cube Cut works best for 3P Plug, I carve a thick chunk and then cut it into small bits, gravity fill a Prince and smoke it slowly. It does lose its flavor after reaching the last third mark.
Cheers,

Chris :puffpipe:

 

[mawnansmiff]

"It does lose its flavor after reaching the last third mark."
First off Chris I need to find the flavour afore I consider losing it. I'm sure its in there, I just need to tease it out.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[blueeyedogre]

I find cube cut to work best for me and drying time is a tough on...... I've cubed a bowl and let it dry for much longer than any other form of tobacco and it still smoked moist. Plug can hold its moisture for a long time.

 

[disinformatique]

@mawnansmiff Sometimes, it takes some time in the jar for the blend to shine. Let it simmer in the jar for a few months, things will improve. Fresh 3P tasted like mustard oil to me honestly. I left it for 6 months and things changed.

 

[mortonbriar]

I get a bit of fig from it, but its subtle for sure (I like that about it)
Isaac

 

[skraps]

There is a chance that no matter how fast or slow you smoke it, how you cut it up or how much you dry it, you may never experience the flavors you seek. Some blends just don't work for some people, regardless of how hard you try.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Some blends just don't work for some people, regardless of how hard you try."
This is very true. However I shall take Pipe Monk's advice and sit on it a while in the hope something changes...be it me or the baccy.
As it so happens I have another tin of PPP on its way to me and this has 1 year 8 months age on it. I shall sit on that tin for a while also.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mortonbriar]

I checked back on my review spreadsheet (such a nerd) because it has been over a year since I had a bowl, and I actually only wrote 'figs' under the tin note column, and the quick note said "Not a lot of flavour, but pleasant"... so in actual fact my experience was probably not that different from yours. I cannot revisit it right now because the open tin I own is in the southern hemisphere and I am living in the north.
Isaac