GL Pease has had a pasion for pipes and pipe smoking for over 25 years, this passion culminated in 1998 when him and a friend started their very own pipe tobacco company.  It was a great learning experience and this first company produced some fine blends, some of which are still known, and collected today.

After a great year and a wonderful time of gaining the knowledge of the business of blending and selling pipe tobacco Gregory Pease started GL Pease Tobaccos in early 2000.  Today GL Pease tobacco mixtures are among the most highly praised tinned tobacco avaliable on the market today.  GL Pease is not after trying to create a tobacco that does not taste like tobacco, he uses the finest tobacco available to bring out the wonderful natural tobacco flavors and aromas in each tin.  His blends tend to be enjoyed by “experianced” pipe smokers who can truly appreciate the nuances of the many different cuts and tobaccos used to create each GL Pease blend.

Each GL Pease is blended in small batches by the master tobacco blenders at Cornell & Diehl.  This is process is done all by hand with carful consideration to each step of the process, this masterful process allows for fresh tobacco each time, offering a high quality product.  I have smoked too many GL Pease blends to count and each one has not disappointed.  Not only is the tobacco a great smoke but in my opinion it’s one of the few tobacco companies that has entered into the twenty first as far as fin design and description.  I always want to smoke the new blend even before I have it in my hands.  Here are a few examples:

Triple Play — Ripe red and bright flue-cured tobaccos are joined by piquant Acadian perique, and a balanced measure of smoky, dark-fired Kentucky. The leaf is pressed and matured in cakes before being cut into 2oz bars, resulting in a bold blend for virginia and periqe fans. This all-American plug is a winning play, no matter how you slice it.

The first blend in the New World Collection from G.L. Pease, JackKnife Plug is an all natural blend of dark-fired Kentucky leaf, and ripe, red Virginia tobaccos, layered on a central core of golden flue-cured leaf, providing deep, earthy flavors with a hint of bright sweetness. The tobaccos are pressed and matured in cakes before being cut into 2oz blocks. JackKnife is a stout blend. The dark-fired leaf adds a subtle smokiness and a subtle finish reminiscent of dark chocolate, while the Virginia tobaccos provide a sturdy backbone.

While other producers would simply mix the leaf before pressing, my choice to separate the dark-fired and red virginias from the core of bright is not just an aesthetic one. I wanted the bright’s flavours to retain some of their clarity, mingling on the palate with the deeper tastes, not in the plug. Producing it this way is more difficult, but the result makes it worthwhile. The visual difference is not as obvious as it would be if the cakes were not given time to age, as the tobaccos all darken during the fermentation, but the subtle contribution to the overall taste profile remains.

Slice it thick and rub it out for a ribbon cut, thin for a shag, or chop it into cubes. The choice is yours.

A luxurious blend comprising generous portions of Cyprus latakia, ripe red virginias and fine oriental leaf with a bit of bright added for a hint of gentle sweetness. Pressing and aging in cakes integrates the flavours and partially ferments the tobaccos. The cakes are then sliced and tumbled into ribbons, ready for your enjoyment.

Just writting this makes me want to order a new tin, and I already have dozens sitting in my tobacco cellar ready to go.  This stuff is the real deal, if you have a taste for quality artinsal tobacco with bold, rich, and demanding flavors give GL Pease tobacco’s a try.

My personal goto retailer is smokingpipes.com

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Author John From Seven Bridges Road

While tending to some business in Morganton, NC I wanted to stop at a local store to pick up some pipe tobacco. It hit me that I was in the home town of Cornell & Diehl one of the major blenders in the world for pipe tobaccos. Some call them micro blenders regardless, there top of their game. I grabbed my smart phone and looked up the website and got their number. A very nice fella answered the phone and I stated that I was interested in his blends and could he recommend an outlet or do they sell out of the plant. He kindly stated they did not and asked what I was interested in. I stated I was wanting Haunted Book shop and to browse some of his others as well.

He told me to stop by and see him. I thought wow what an opportunity to visit a blender with such a reputation, I jumped on it and said I would be right there.

Upon arriving at the drive way to the plant I noticed one thing, it was modest place surrounded by farm land and several Ostrich that had an equal interest in me as I drove in. Upon entering the sweet aroma of blends was delightful. I was greeted by a beautiful (and protective) hound who went by the name of Con. An employee greeted me and took me to the gentleman who spoke to me. I was floored at what a small operation this was but it was nice, you felt an American quality about the place. No robots, no fancy conveyor belts and all that plant jazz, just simple hand run packaging, labeling and tons of tobacco. One thing that really stood out was how polite everyone was and how happy they appeared. I mean these guys looked like they loved their work, it was refreshing.

The fella asked me what I wanted and that they don’t sell directly but he would help me out. Wow these guys got some blends, there must have been several hundred. Now keep in mind these blends are organic and still blended by hand! He stepped away shortly and arrived back with two tins. After thanking him for letting me stop by I asked if I could take a picture or two of outside of the building, he stated sure no problem. On the way out I said good bye to Con and the delightful lady at the desk who I believe to be Mrs. Patty Tarler the owners wife now that I seen her on the website.

As I was almost out the door the gentleman yelled out to me and tossed me a can and said, “Here try this one too!” Sure I said feeling like the kid in the old Mean Joe Green Coke commercial. These guys are top notch stand up kinda guys. I liked what I seen, I liked how I was treated and I love their blends. I will return, here is their website, take a moment and read about them and if in the need, call them for a Tin or two. These guys should be supported and respected for keeping an American tradition alive!

http://www.cornellanddiehl.com/

The Photo Tour:

Tin decryption: Cornell & Diehl pays tribute to America’s African American soldiers with Buffalo Soldier, the first in a new series. We’ve applied just the right proportion of Latakia and Perique to a base of naturally sweet Virginias to create a well rounded, all day blend.

In order to participate in this giveaway simply place a comment below and on June 12th I’ll announce the winner. Thanks to everyone for making pipe blogging so fun and for visiting pipe-smokers.net