Step two...
Sue Sea and I do love an occasional visit to nearby Greek restaurant - great food, inexpensive drinks, Greek owned and operated. We sit at the bar, as we enjoy meeting other people. On this particular night we saw a bearded fellow that looked like a biker, and asked him what he did for a living. "I work as on the emergency ambulance squad, but in most of my off time I repair and build custom pipes". Turns out his pipes sell for $300 to $900, and a local pipe store carried them.
His description of the exacting process (down to 1/1000 of an inch), the briar, wood selection and tools was fascinating. Accordingly we visited that store just to look at his work. Absolutely stunning, kind of a modern Danish looking style.
Long story short...
Sure. So today step two was to return to that store for some cotton pipe cleaners, a pipe tool and of course - tobacco. Having not heard from da'Rum, I asked the owner if he had any Navy rum type tobaccos that he liked. Not my taste he said but pointed out a can of Mac Baren Plumcake at - ouch - $16.95 for 3.5 ounces. I passed and asked his personal favorite from his collection of various blends displayed in large glass jars, appropriated labeled "Jim's #1". $4.50 an ounce.
With a name like "Jim's #1" this seemed an act of one of the Theoi Hallioi (Greek Sea Gods), no doubt Poseidon - sturdy, older, bearded warrior and seducer of women. A man I could respect. Natch, I bought it. "What's in it", I asked, knowing full well that da'Rum would require this info. He replied "I've actually forgotten, but it's real name is "1Q". Your'e friend should know what that is."
It was only later I discovered the components of the Plumcake I passed on...
"A mixture of fully ripe Virginia tobaccos, sliced, cask mellowed Burley tobaccos, dark, spicy Cavendish and a touch of Latakia. To give "Plumcake" an elegant aroma the blend has been flavoured with aged Jamaica Rum. "
Damn. Cask aged, with sweeter Virgina tobacco, cask aged and flavored with Jamaican rum - if only I had known. But how bout this "1-Q". Turns out this tobacco is made by a company named Lane and despite being one of world's best sellers is sold in a strikingly non-commercial ziplock bag and...
"...consists of a perfectly proportioned blend of Golden Cavendish complimented by a touch of fire-cured Cavendish. Mellow in body, but big on flavor, this smooth, aromatic tobacco delivers a rich, sweet, and smooth experience that's layered with notes of vanilla, oak, and fruit."
Now those are some descriptors that any rum or whisky drinker might like. After reading a few reviews, it seems like the 1-Q was the best choice as the Plumcake requires experience and careful, very slow smoking. Starting out with the Plumcake would be like offering a new rum drinker Pusser's or Sea Wynde. The 1-Q would be more like a Ron Matusalem - a rum that few wouldn't enjoy...
We'll see...
