Flake vs Plug

[AimlessWanderer]

For blends that are offered as both flake and plug (Full Virginia, St James, Best Brown, Dark, Condor etc), which do you prefer... and why?

Are there any flakes you wish were sold as plug, or vice versa?

 

[luvmysuper]

No experience with plug at all. Flake is pretty straightforward.

 

[seabee1999]

I’d say that I have rather limited experiences with plug tobacco blends. However, I’ve been really enjoying various Virginia flake blends of late. So at the moment I’d say that I’d prefer flake tobaccos. With that being said, it would be cool if Capstan came as a plug.

 

[Titleist]

I've cut plug into flakes. My preference would be flake form for portability and the availability on the market. I really love Peterson's University Flake.

 

[Isaac]

I would prefer Plug. I believe flavor are more intense due to the pressing.

 

[RazorbackFan]

I voted for Plug. You can always cut a plug down to flake, cube cut, broken flake, ready rubbed, even shag.

But you can’t turn a flake back into plug.

As for a wishlist, it would be great to have a red Virginia plug available.

 

[steveclarkus]

Flake is just cut from a plug so a flake puts you one step closer to getting your pipe full. I’m sure plugs have some advantages but, in truth, I pretty lazy.

 

[Kentos]

I’m a sucker for plugs. The ability to shave paper thin flakes off and rub out a shag or go with a thick cut for a chunky rub, or medium for a fold and stuff is fun.

 

[Kilroy6644]

Flake is just cut from a plug so a flake puts you one step closer to getting your pipe full. I’m sure plugs have some advantages but, in truth, I pretty lazy.

Ditto. I love the concept of plugs (and ropes, for that matter), but in practice I don't have the patience. My pocket knives are rarely sharp enough to do a proper job of cutting a plug, and then you have to let the result dry, because plugs are great at holding their moisture. I'd much rather have a flake. I'd really like to see Gaslight in a flake or ready-rubbed form. It would save me a lot of trouble.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I love the concept of a plug. I have a few jars with plugs in them. Same with ropes. When it comes time to smoke them, I don't want to mess with plugs. GL Pease Jackknife comes to mind. It comes in plug and ready rubbed. Same price. Tastes the same to me. I'll just get the RR.
SG Kendal Plug doesn't fit into any standard sized jar so I have to cut it down before jarring it. I wouldn't buy it when I see it if I could get Best Brown instead.
Plugs and ropes make it easier to chew but I don't think you are into chewing your pipe tobacco.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I've been working through a bowl of Grousemoor Plug today, and although it still had the same bizarre topping as the rubbed version, I could taste the tobacco behind it a lot more. The plug tastes like it might age very well indeed, but the ribbon version really didn't.

The flip side is that despite adequate drying, the plug doesn't burn anywhere near as well, and has needed constant relights. Worth mentioning that this is one of the super dense plugs, that it prone to fragments pinging off across the table, not like the softer Dark Plug or Revor Plug type plugs.

In Grousemoor, despite the constant need for relights, I think I would still rather buy the plug.

St James Plug also comes in this super dense form, and I cannot believe the flakes are cut from the same blocks. The pressure used in forming the plug must be significantly higher than that used to form the bricks that the flakes are sliced from. The taste is comparable though, and I have no doubt that they are identical in composition, and any taste differences are purely due to burn rate.

St James Flake is considerably easier to smoke, and therefore (for me) more enjoyable. That said, if I was buying for long term storage, I still might be tempted to go for the plug. Not just for space saving due to being more compact, but also curiosity as to ageing properties. I do wonder if the centre of the plug that oxygen can't reach, develops slower or differently than the exterior, leading to a more complex smoke. Purely supposition of course.

So for convenience and short to mid term consumption, I prefer flake, but for longer term storage, I might be swayed more towards plug. If the same blend was offered in rubbed, I think I would stick with the flake or plug versions.

 

[steveclarkus]

I've been working through a bowl of Grousemoor Plug today, and although it still had the same bizarre topping as the rubbed version, I could taste the tobacco behind it a lot more. The plug tastes like it might age very well indeed, but the ribbon version really didn't.

The flip side is that despite adequate drying, the plug doesn't burn anywhere near as well, and has needed constant relights. Worth mentioning that this is one of the super dense plugs, that it prone to fragments pinging off across the table, not like the softer Dark Plug or Revor Plug type plugs.

In Grousemoor, despite the constant need for relights, I think I would still rather buy the plug.

St James Plug also comes in this super dense form, and I cannot believe the flakes are cut from the same blocks. The pressure used in forming the plug must be significantly higher than that used to form the bricks that the flakes are sliced from. The taste is comparable though, and I have no doubt that they are identical in composition, and any taste differences are purely due to burn rate.

St James Flake is considerably easier to smoke, and therefore (for me) more enjoyable. That said, if I was buying for long term storage, I still might be tempted to go for the plug. Not just for space saving due to being more compact, but also curiosity as to ageing properties. I do wonder if the centre of the plug that oxygen can't reach, develops slower or differently than the exterior, leading to a more complex smoke. Purely supposition of course.

So for convenience and short to mid term consumption, I prefer flake, but for longer term storage, I might be swayed more towards plug. If the same blend was offered in rubbed, I think I would stick with the flake or plug versions.

I agree with you in a preference for flake. The Condor plug I have is hard as a rock and a good bit of work. Liked the RR but wish it were available to me in flake. I’ve been smoking a lot of VA flakes lately and love the burn rate. Just fold, stuff and fire up. Spring is around the corner dude .

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Flake and plug are the same. I prefer if the manufacturer has sliced the plug into flakes so I don’t have to. I buy sliced bread too.