Real Perique From St James Parrish LA?
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Here's one: McClelland's Perique
I don't know if it's a blend or not.
But, It is my understanding that Perique isn't something you would want to smoke straight. Latakia is very good straight, but I'm unsure about Perique.
I thought is was used mainly as an ingredient for different blends.
e.g. Escudo Navy DeLuxe and Stokkebye Dark Bullseye Flake.
I don't know if it's a blend or not.
But, It is my understanding that Perique isn't something you would want to smoke straight. Latakia is very good straight, but I'm unsure about Perique.
I thought is was used mainly as an ingredient for different blends.
e.g. Escudo Navy DeLuxe and Stokkebye Dark Bullseye Flake.
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If you can find any more jars of Jewel of St. James Perique, that'd be the best bet. That said, I'd go with the Cornell & Diehl's if it truly is Perique from St. James Parish.
Incidentally, the other day I cracked open my jar of Jewel of St. James Perique and took the smallest pinch to smoke straight. My reasoning was that if I know what Perique tastes like, and what the tin note smells like, I can detect it in blends. It wasn't a BAD smoke. It took about 10 minutes to smoke the sample, and I think I have an idea of what the mouth-feel is like and what the spiciness that some report. I wouldn't want to smoke a whole bowl, but for my experiment, it was good. I just need to pick up some latakia and oriental blending tobaccos, so I can begin experimenting making blends.
-Jason
Incidentally, the other day I cracked open my jar of Jewel of St. James Perique and took the smallest pinch to smoke straight. My reasoning was that if I know what Perique tastes like, and what the tin note smells like, I can detect it in blends. It wasn't a BAD smoke. It took about 10 minutes to smoke the sample, and I think I have an idea of what the mouth-feel is like and what the spiciness that some report. I wouldn't want to smoke a whole bowl, but for my experiment, it was good. I just need to pick up some latakia and oriental blending tobaccos, so I can begin experimenting making blends.
-Jason
Yes, real perique comes from st james parish. Others on the east coast call their tobacco perique just because they also ferment it in it's own juices. True perique, named after Pierre Chanet whose nickname was perique, can only grow in Grande Pointe. Maybe I can grab some from my uncle's shed and sell it to you myself 
Google Percy Martin, he's the last perique farmer.
Google Percy Martin, he's the last perique farmer.
Welcome periquegirl.
I hope you stick around as we are quite short of females around here, but I have to correct you on something. No offense, I am really not singling you out.
It's not really your fault as there are old websites out there that have never been updated and lots of people read them and believe them to be true.
This site has the only up to date information on Perique that has been published in five years. I linked to the main article above, but it seems to have gone un-clicked by many in this thread.
Percy Martin, is not the last Perique farmer. I have nothing against him. I actually met his sons that work their own farms under the Martin name.
Ok people listen up and pay close attention.
L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco company uses over ten (10) different independent Perique farmers to grow Perique tobacco and they are providing incentives for even more farmers to start growing it next year.
I was there personally and have this information directly from the owner of L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco company, Mark Ryan. I also met several of the different farmers, saw the production facility, and the blueprints and cleared ground for the new storage facility.
Construction is underway on a new climate-controlled storage facility. The new storage facility, plus the addition of more growers will have the production of Perique tobacco increased each year for the next five years.
Now, pay close attention again please:
Here's another thing I think a lot of people missed.
Almost ALL Perique tobacco that has been produced in the last several decades is a blend.
Chances are extremely thin that anyone in this forum can find straight St. James Perique.
It almost doesn't exist.
Here's your assignment, should you choose to accept it.
1. Read the article.
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/the-mystique-of-perique/
2. Come back here and tell me the difference between St. James Perique and Acadian Perique.
I hope you stick around as we are quite short of females around here, but I have to correct you on something. No offense, I am really not singling you out.
It's not really your fault as there are old websites out there that have never been updated and lots of people read them and believe them to be true.
This site has the only up to date information on Perique that has been published in five years. I linked to the main article above, but it seems to have gone un-clicked by many in this thread.
Percy Martin, is not the last Perique farmer. I have nothing against him. I actually met his sons that work their own farms under the Martin name.
Ok people listen up and pay close attention.
L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco company uses over ten (10) different independent Perique farmers to grow Perique tobacco and they are providing incentives for even more farmers to start growing it next year.
I was there personally and have this information directly from the owner of L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco company, Mark Ryan. I also met several of the different farmers, saw the production facility, and the blueprints and cleared ground for the new storage facility.
Construction is underway on a new climate-controlled storage facility. The new storage facility, plus the addition of more growers will have the production of Perique tobacco increased each year for the next five years.
Now, pay close attention again please:
Here's another thing I think a lot of people missed.
Almost ALL Perique tobacco that has been produced in the last several decades is a blend.
Chances are extremely thin that anyone in this forum can find straight St. James Perique.
It almost doesn't exist.
Here's your assignment, should you choose to accept it.
1. Read the article.
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/the-mystique-of-perique/
2. Come back here and tell me the difference between St. James Perique and Acadian Perique.
I was actually addressing all the readers of this post. I wasn't singling out periquegirl and apologize if I offended you.
I think a lot of people out there are reading incorrect, outdated info on other sites, and I have to admit that I get frustrated when I see them reiterating it.
I've done three interviews with Mark Ryan (not all are published yet) and I was personally at the Perique factory. I hung out for an entire weekend and met the farmers and the Poche family that used to own the factory going back several generations.
I'm not trying to brag. I'm just saying if you want the accurate, up to date info, it's right here.
I think a lot of people out there are reading incorrect, outdated info on other sites, and I have to admit that I get frustrated when I see them reiterating it.
I've done three interviews with Mark Ryan (not all are published yet) and I was personally at the Perique factory. I hung out for an entire weekend and met the farmers and the Poche family that used to own the factory going back several generations.
I'm not trying to brag. I'm just saying if you want the accurate, up to date info, it's right here.
Scan from Webster's Dictionary of the American Language (~1963 edition)
As I mentioned in another thread, this doesn't rule-out that Chenet was called "Perique". LOL
As I mentioned in another thread, this doesn't rule-out that Chenet was called "Perique". LOL
This site is very informative. Thanks for working hard on getting the facts straight Kevin. I'm sure you did not offend anyone as you were very polite your responses.
Kevin,
I didn't come away from your post thinking that you were singling any particular member out, I saw it as setting the record straight. For my part, I didn't now that all Periques were BLENDS. I love this site for just this reason. I can get accurate information (Well, somewhat. If hauntedmyst, is posting, I have to put on my skeptic glasses or turn my sarcasm filter on.) that helps me learn more abut this wonderful hobby.
-Jason
I didn't come away from your post thinking that you were singling any particular member out, I saw it as setting the record straight. For my part, I didn't now that all Periques were BLENDS. I love this site for just this reason. I can get accurate information (Well, somewhat. If hauntedmyst, is posting, I have to put on my skeptic glasses or turn my sarcasm filter on.) that helps me learn more abut this wonderful hobby.
-Jason
Re Homework assignment...
St. James Perique is the unadulterated hooch. 100% "perique-processed" Perique. Very little Perique is available to consumers in this form.
The Perique that most pipe smokers are familiar with is referred to as Acadian Perique, and is a mix of the St. James Perique
and "perique-processed" Kentucky Green River Burley.
From what I've read here and elsewhere, you probably wouldn't like the unblended, pure St. James perique; and manufacturers actually started blending-in the Kentuckey and Tennessee dark air-cured leaf to obtain consistency and continuity from one crop to another.
Recently, McClelland introduced a kindred tobacco called Cajun Black developed by Steve Coley. It derives from Kentucky-grown Virginia seed that is dark fire-cured by stalk-cutting and hanging over slow hardwood fires for 2-3 weeks.
It is then processed like St. James perique -- one year of hard-pressed fermentation in oak barrels. It is said to have the flavor of dark
fire-cured leaf, the truffle-like pungency and figgy fruitiness of Perique, and some sweetness owing to its Virginia origins.
St. James Perique is the unadulterated hooch. 100% "perique-processed" Perique. Very little Perique is available to consumers in this form.
The Perique that most pipe smokers are familiar with is referred to as Acadian Perique, and is a mix of the St. James Perique
and "perique-processed" Kentucky Green River Burley.
From what I've read here and elsewhere, you probably wouldn't like the unblended, pure St. James perique; and manufacturers actually started blending-in the Kentuckey and Tennessee dark air-cured leaf to obtain consistency and continuity from one crop to another.
Recently, McClelland introduced a kindred tobacco called Cajun Black developed by Steve Coley. It derives from Kentucky-grown Virginia seed that is dark fire-cured by stalk-cutting and hanging over slow hardwood fires for 2-3 weeks.
It is then processed like St. James perique -- one year of hard-pressed fermentation in oak barrels. It is said to have the flavor of dark
fire-cured leaf, the truffle-like pungency and figgy fruitiness of Perique, and some sweetness owing to its Virginia origins.
My curious side would like to try the "Hard Stuff" just once to see what I've been missing. I'm new to pipe smoking and I have only smoked a few varieties of tobacco over the past few months, most of them from my local tobacco store. I should move away from the aromatics for a while and try a good, strong natural flavored tobacco. I have been reading reviews here and other places and have decided to try some Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake. Found some good reviews on this stuff. Wish me luck!!
Good luck in finding SG's FVF! (If you have, lemme know where via personal message.)
As for trying real St. James Perique, J.F. Germain's Royal Jersey is said to have that kind of perique in it. I dunno. I tried it and wasn't terribly impressed (especially at $10 for a 2oz. tin.) Very cigarette-like. If you're gonna throw around cash for boutique-priced tobacco, "settle" for
Mac Baren's HH Acadian Perique, which is said to be absolutely stunning.
As for trying real St. James Perique, J.F. Germain's Royal Jersey is said to have that kind of perique in it. I dunno. I tried it and wasn't terribly impressed (especially at $10 for a 2oz. tin.) Very cigarette-like. If you're gonna throw around cash for boutique-priced tobacco, "settle" for
Mac Baren's HH Acadian Perique, which is said to be absolutely stunning.
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