The King Street Emporium

Triple Play

Virginia

Triple Play is the second entry in Pease's New World Series, introduced in 2011 as a direct follow-up to JackKnife Plug. The starting point was JackKnife's Virginia and dark-fired Kentucky foundation, and the question was whether Perique could be added to that blend without throwing off the balance. The answer, after some reworking of the Virginia ratios and a reduction of the Kentucky component, was yes. The three condiments in the name are the three components that make it work together: red and bright flue-cured Virginias providing the sweet foundation, dark-fired Kentucky adding smoke and earth, and Acadian Perique bringing spice and savory depth. The whole blend is pressed and matured in cakes before being cut into bars, which integrates the components and deepens the flavors before it reaches the smoker. Bold but balanced. Plug cut.