In the News—JackKnife ReadyRubbed, and More

23 January, 2012

Pipes Magazine just published an outstanding review of JackKnife ReadyRubbed. Honestly, this review is so well done that I'd love it even if it wasn't about one of my own blends, and even if it didn't all but glow over my latest addition. It's a great read, so check it out.

On other fronts, those who have seen, and maybe even read my latest Ask G.L. Pease column in the magazine already know that I've been burning the midnight oil on a new tobacco blend. My lab-grown prototype is really making me happy, so I sent the formula and protocol off for a production prototype to be made. It should be back in my hands sometime next week, and I can't wait. Inevitably, some adjustments will have to be made, so don't expect to see it before March, but if the stars align and things go right at every step, I might be making an announcement in February. Until then, no hints, other than it's going to be really good, and probably just a little surprising.

For those who don't know it yet, and I've discovered there are at least one or two who fall into that category, I've been doing two monthly columns for Pipes Magazine, Out of the Ashes (including January's controversial Balkan Sobriety), and the previously mentioned Ask G.L. Pease, as well as another for Cigar Chronicles, called Up in Smoke. It's a lot of fun, of course, and there's some really good information there, so stop by and have a read.

Now in Full Size and Compact Models!

27 December, 2011

Announcing the availability of Lagonda in 8oz tins! In time for the New Year, Lagonda is now available in the large, 8oz tins, and is on the motorway to your favourite retailers. If they don't have it, just ask!

JackKnife ReadyRubbed - By Popular Demand

9 December, 2011

Quite a few folks were asking for JackKnife in a more convenient, ready-rubbed form, so, here it is, the latest member of the New World Collection. It's the same recipe as the original, but rather than being presented in cakes, the master blocks, after several days at full pressure to integrate the flavors and allow some gentle fermentation to take place, are sliced and tumbled into a convenient, easy to carry, easy to load format.

For those who have been curious about the plug, but haven't wanted the bother, here's your chance to see what the fuss is all about. For those who already enjoy JackKnife Plug, here's another way to experience it. And, for lovers of fine virginia blends who want something a little fuller bodied, this one is a must try. It's a cool, rich, satisfying smoke. JackKnife ReadyRubbed is available at many fine tobacconist's.

Yes, Meridian is Available in 8oz Tins!

6 December, 2011

Another email, just today, asking when I will be releasing Meridian in 8oz tins. The answer is, almost a year ago. Yes, Meridian has been available in 8oz tins since January of this year. And, for months, I've been receiving email from people asking when it will be coming, and I always answer the same way. It never dawned on me that I might save myself a few keystrokes by just announcing it, here. Better late than never. A couple of retailers are stocking it, but apparently, many of them are not, and there's only so much we can do to convince sellers that it's really a good idea, that their customers are asking after it, that they'll sell it if they have it. So, if you want Meridian in 8oz tins, and your favorite shop doesn't carry it, ask for it. They'll be happy to get it for you! And, I know the photo is of a 2oz tin, but I don't have a big one to shoot, either! Maybe that's the problem...

In Celebration of Briar - 2012 now Available

29 November, 2011

The 2012 Edition of In Celebration of Briar is ready! I got a bit of a late start this year, but as things so often do, it turned out for the best; the September pipe is a gem that only recently arrived! As with each year's, the calendar is being published on demand and distributed by Lulu Press. It's 13.5" by 19", spiral bound, and printed on beautiful, heavy stock. Some calendar printers use only the heavy stock for the cover. Lulu uses it throughout. They really do an exceptional job, not only with the printing and distribution, but also with customer support, and I'm happy to be working with them for this year's edition.

This is the sixth year I've done the calendar. Many of you have collected all of them, and I'm thankful for your support. I've actually seen it on display in some surprising places! One of my favorite local winemakers has a copy on the wall for all to see. I've often got a bottle of his artfully produced wine on the dinner table, too. Mutual admiration!

Lulu now operates printing and fulfillment operations in several countries around the world, so international orders aren't burdened by high shipping costs or long delivery times. A few years ago, I sent one to a friend in Italy, and the postage cost almost as much as the calendar did! Not any more. You specify a delivery address, they'll print it in the closest facility, and off it goes, with local shipping costs. They also make it easy to order them as gifts, as they will ship to multiple addresses with just a few clicks. It's fantastic.

Have a look at the preview of all the images in this year's edition, as well as some from the last few years. Light up a bowl, and enjoy the photos. Better yet, order yours today!

JackKnife ReadyRubbed Coming Soon to a Tobacconist Near You

1 November, 2011

JackKnife Plug was such a hit, that I never considered that some people might enjoy a more convenient form of the tobacco, but, then the email started. "I love JackKnife, but there are times when I just don't have the time or patience to deal with a plug." I can certainly understand that. Or, "I haven't tried JackKnife, because it seems like so much work." It isn't really that much work, but I agree that it can seem that way. It's actually a lot of fun to play with knives, slicing the block into different thicknesses, seeing how the cut can change the experience.

Truth is, I often don't have the patience to deal with it, myself. So, to answer these concerns, I'm happy to offer JackKnife ReadyRubbed. It's the same blend, still pressed and aged in cakes, but sliced and tumbled using the same methods I developed for the Old London Series. The result is a form that's finer than a broken flake, but denser than a ribbon cut. It's ready to smoke out of the tin, or can be further rubbed-out for a finer cut. Either way, it has all the delicious satisfaction of JackKnife Plug, just in a more convenient form.

JKRR will be shipping this week, so you can begin finding it on your dealers' shelves in a few days. (And, if they don't have it, ask for it, and they'll be happy, I'm sure, to get it for you!) If you love the plug, try this version! If you haven't tried the plug because the preparation seemed daunting, try this version! Better yet, get some of each for different moods! (I've now exhausted my tolerance for exclamation points, so I'll close this entry now. Just try it.)

Lagondoa a Hit at ICPCR!

27 July, 2011

Just a quick word to say that that Lagonda, the latest entry in the Old London Series, is now available, and the reviews are coming in. Pipes Magazine had great things to say, and this just came in from a happy customer.

Just finishing my first tin of Lagonda and I am blown away by the remarkable boldness and, at the same time, smoothness of this mixture. Although It has all the components of the traditional English blend, it is incomparable, even to the others in your series. Morning, noon or night it never fails to please. My favorite is in the early morning with the first cup of black coffee. Thank you for another big winner! —B.A., Reno, NV

There isn't much that can make a guy happier than reading that first thing in the morning! If you like Latakia blends, you'll love this one–I sure do. I've already been through three tins myself since its release! And, according to inside sources, it was a real hit at the ICPCR in Las Vegas, and a lot of retailers placed new orders. If yours doesn't have it yet, just ask, and they'll get it for you.

Lagonda—Coming Soon to a Retailer Near You…

15 June, 2011

Lagonda, a rich, luxurious old style mixture, will be the newest entry in the Old London Series, and though it shares some characteristics with its siblings, it's nevertheless all new.

What's the same is the method of production, in which the leaf is layered, pressed and aged in cakes for several days in order for the flavours to integrate, and to sort of 'jump start' the aging and fermentation process. The cakes are then sliced and tumbled. Some people have referred to this cutting style (also used for Chelsea Morning and Meridian) as a 'broken flake,' but it's really not that. It's much more closely related to standard ribbon cutting, but since some of the tobacco strands continue to bind together, the result is somewhat denser than conventional ribbon-cut. It's the way a lot of the old English tobaccos were produced. I revived the method, thinking that it would offer something interesting, and have been thrilled with the result. (It's been difficult not to change the production of all of the ribbon cut blends to this method, but it changes the character of the blend so much, they'd turn into entirely different things. I don't need the hate-mail.)

What's different is the blend's composition. The proportion of Cyprus Latakia is more significant in Lagonda, and there's also more of an oriental component. It's spicy, but not aggressively so, and dry, in the sense of not being sweet. It's got mouth-filling flavours, and a wonderful aroma, both in the tin and in the air when it's smoked. The virginias give the mixture legs to stand on, but aren't the dominant note. Don't let my talk of how big it is scare you. Despite it's largeness, the blend is all about finesse and balance, which was a bit of a challenge with something as full-bodied as Lagonda. It has a lot to offer, but doesn't overpower. It'll age beautifully, but is smoking fantastically right out of the gate.

If I sound like a proud papa, it's because I am. Like any child, this one took some interesting turns during the early stages of its development, sometimes making me think it had a mind of its own, and it would never grow up to amount to anything. But, it did, and the result is even more than I was hoping for when I first started on it. If you've enjoyed the other blends in the series, you'll love this one. If you've been a fan of mixtures like Westminster, Abingndon, or Charing Cross, you'll also find something really enjoyable here. If you're used to somewhat sweeter mixtures, like Maltese Falcon, you should still give Lagonda a go. It's lovely stuff.

Lagonda will begin shipping in mid-July.

Here We Go Again

10th May, 2011

No, I'm not paraphrasing the soft-core, 1980s Whitesnake ballad whose most redeeming characteristic was, arguably, its predictably self-indulgent hair-band video, featuring Tawny Kitaen dancing barefoot over a not very subtly suggestive "pair" of Jaguar sedans. No. That's not what I'm talking about. At all.

I'm talking about the release, more accurately, the pre-release release of Triple Play, the latest member of the New World Collection. A few retailers got orders in early, in preparation for the blend's official unveiling in Chicago, and, once again, within hours of receiving their shipments and making their internet announcements, they were sold out.

Didn't we learn our lesson with JackKnife Plug? Yes. We did. We're much better prepared to keep the supply line full, but since the C&D crew are on their way to Chicago, nothing more will ship until their return next week. They are taking a healthy supply with them for the show, so if you're going, stop by early and check it out. And, while you're waiting, read Kevin Godbee's excellent review in PipesMagazine.com.

Coming Soon—Triple Play, and the June Bug!

20th April, 2011

After the wonderful reception of JackKnife Plug, more than a few of you asked for a virginia/perique plug. Some suggested adding perique to JackKnife, which, of course, I tried, but the balance was wrong. The overall profile was nice, but the amount of dark-fired leaf competed with, rather than enhanced the addition of perique. If enough perique was added, the virginias got lost. After some fiddling with the percentages of the different virginias, and reducing the amount of dark-fired leaf, everything came wonderfully into balance, and the result is Triple Play.

Once again, the leaf is pressed and matured in cakes before being cut into 2oz bars. I think the results are fantastic, and this one will appeal to lovers of classic VA/perique blends, with the added fun of having it in plug form. It reminds me a little of another classic blend, but I'll keep my thoughts on that to myself until after this one is released.

Triple Play will be unveiled at the Chicago show. Several retailers have already placed their pre-orders, so we're hoping to avoid at least some of the initial supply problems we experienced with JackKnife.

The Pease/di Piazza June Bug

In other news, Luca and I have been hard at work getting the next of our limted-edition Pease/di Piazza pipes ready. Again, produced by the skilled hands of Luigi Radice, the June Bug is a playful variant of the bent dublin shape, almost like a chubby zulu. At about 5" long, it's not quite a brucianaso, but its stout profile offers a similar feel. It's a great little pipe. Several retailers have their orders in, and the pipes will begin shipping in a couple weeks. Keep an eye on Luca's NeatPipes site for more details as they become available. We're really excited about this one!

What's Happening?

7th April, 2011

For the past couple weeks, I've been smoking a prototype of my next blend, another plug. This one comprises some wonderful virginias, a little dark-fired (less than in JackKnife—more about that in a minute), and Acadian perique. Initially, I'd originally wanted to present this one in the same way as JackKnife, as a "layer cake" of leaf, with that beautiful central frosting layer of dark tobaccos. Unfortunately, the dark tobaccos tend to delaminate easly, and the bars broke apart like an Oreo cookie. An easy fix, and not a big deal, really; while I specified JackKnife to be this way for a reason, isolating the brights so they retain their character, that's not important with the new one, and a more complete integration of the different leaf turns out to be a better idea anyway. So a "failed" experiment was a success, after all, and all the tobaccos are being gently coaxed into a harmonious comingled existence.

The new one will be called Triple Play, and is scheduled for release to conicide with the Chicago show. We're planning on being better prepared, this time, so we don't have so much early release issues, and can keep the supply-line flowing more efficiently in the early weeks. (I got enough hate-mail from the last fiasco.) Triple Play contains less dark-fired leaf than JackKnife, and the blend of the virginias is different. Simply adding perique to the JackKnife formula resulted in a blend that was very much out of balance, but with this formulation, the blend is really nice. It's still big and bold, but not out of kilter, at least to my palate.

On Sunday, I stopped by Telford's in Mill Valley for a joint gathering of the Golden Gate Pipe Club and the Sacramento Pipe Collectors' Assembly. It was wonderful to spend a couple hours in the fellowship of pipe afficianados. My thanks to Brian and Susie Telford for their gracious hospitality, and to the secret friend who tipped me off to the meeting.

Finally, if you haven't seen it, pop on over to Pipes Magazine and read my latest column, Affordable Luxury, as well as the other great articles there. It's been a real pleasure writing for Kevin these past months, and having a regular deadline has certainly helped to bring a little discipline to my often overly scattered daze, er, days. Sort of.

JackKnife Plug Update

2nd February, 2011

JackKnife Plug had a somewhat challenging start. Demand was high, and we had a hard time keeping up for the first few weeks. It takes time to make it, and weather conditions were interfering with delivery in some cases. Stores would get their orders, and sell out almost as quickly as they put them on the shelves. I suppose if there's going to be a problem, this is the kind of problem you'd want. Of course, we'd rather not have the problem at all, so…

Good news! We're caught up. It's rolling out consistently, now, and there shouldn't be any future problems with supply, even with the current high demand. I have received quite a few notes in my inbox, some kind, some rather rude. I'll just say, at this point, if you can't get it, it's not my fault, and sending me nastygrams won't make it appear on your retailer's shelves any faster.

Of course, I couldn't be happier that this new blend has developed so much interest and so many fans. The response from those who've already tried it has been wonderful. I really thrilled that people are enjoying this one so much, and I've got some fun things planned for the future of the New World Collection. Yes, we've learned our lessons from this, and will be better prepared next time. I've also put together an article in the Briar & Leaf Chronicles discussing ways to prepare plugs, for those who are not accustomed to tobacco in this form.