This is for anyone who has experience with blends with perique with 5+ years of age on them. I am wondering if it will become less spicy on the retro hale over time. So far with some 5 year old blends I have not noticed much, if any, less spiciness on the retro hale. Is there a point at which it changes or does it hold this spiciness indefinitely?
Aged Perique
- Thread starter ncshawn
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My aged Perique experience only comes from the 2020 and 2021 Cringle Flake releases. In those, the Perique is around 20 years of age and I get more of a stewed fruit, fig, raisin like taste as opposed to the peppery spice I get in some blends. Sometimes I want the pepper effect in such blends as Bayou Morning. I too am interested in those who may be able to weigh in on this. My guess is that the Perique will soften over the years.
I bet it might be more of it marries with the VA over time and that's where the fruit comes in. Just a guess but makes sense to me.
I have many blends with Perique that are aged. I've smoked the same blends when they were fresh.
Perique is used in such small amounts in blends that it's difficult to separate what age has done to it compared to the other component leaf.
I think some people are more sensitive to the spiciness of it, than others. and I'm not entirely sure that the plumbs and figs tasted in well-aged blends is just from the Perique, but I could be wrong.
I realize I'm not giving any help to the OP here, just my observations and thoughts.
I imagine @JimInks could shed some wisdom on this subject better that most of us.
Perique is used in such small amounts in blends that it's difficult to separate what age has done to it compared to the other component leaf.
I think some people are more sensitive to the spiciness of it, than others. and I'm not entirely sure that the plumbs and figs tasted in well-aged blends is just from the Perique, but I could be wrong.
I realize I'm not giving any help to the OP here, just my observations and thoughts.
I imagine @JimInks could shed some wisdom on this subject better that most of us.
Depends on the Perique. Some become very figgy and fruity with age and others not so much. The Perique that was used in the A&C Petersen Escudo really opened up and became wonderfully fruity after 7 or more years. Fresh it was like white pepper. Lovely stuff.
A number of years back, Mark Ryan sent me a gift box filled with different Periques that he had make, all different from one another. And I still have about half a jar of the Percy Martin Jewel Of St James, which is beautifully figgy and can really perk up an otherwise pedestrian blend.
A number of years back, Mark Ryan sent me a gift box filled with different Periques that he had make, all different from one another. And I still have about half a jar of the Percy Martin Jewel Of St James, which is beautifully figgy and can really perk up an otherwise pedestrian blend.
There are different kinds of perique, so it's hard to give one definitive answer. St, James perique is fairly spicy, and that aspect holds up well for years. Acadian perique is less spicy, and more fruity. The fruit seems to stay longer than the spice in that particular varietal, and more often than not, in most periques as well. Some periques have a higher fruit content than others. St. James perique will hold the spice notes the longest. Also, as VaPers age, there are many blends where the Virginia mellows and the perique may appear to have gathered strength as a result. I don't believe perique gets stronger with age chiefly due for that reason.
This will add a little perspective...
This was my early experience. Seems like I remember McClelland 2015 was that way.
Back when I owned a shop I used to blend and sell a mixture of 50% perique and 50% Latakia. I don't think anyone used it as a daily smoke, but quite a few guys would buy an ounce or two and smoke it as a change of pace. Surprisingly, in my opinion, it was actually rather tasty. 
I only have blends with Perique that max out at about 4 years. Although I'm not sure if it's the Perique itself aging or the blend but I do prefer the smoothness of an aged, dried out(not crusty) blend. I did buy some bulk perique to test as well and in a couple of years should have Perique aged 5,4,3,2 years. It'll be fun to smoke them straight to see the differences.
I thought all of these were good, but my favorite by far was GP-11, and I bought quite a bit of it. It remains one of my favorite Va/Pers.
Years ago this was the way you could smoke straight Perique....
I remember buying several tins of each, and they’re long gone. It was interesting to try and note the differences between them.