Hacker's Book Fibbed on Perique!
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From Pipe Magazine: http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/the-mystique-of-perique/
From the Pipe Magazine article:
"Perique is a unique and rare type of tobacco that comes exclusively from one small swath of land near New Orleans. It is used as a "condiment tobacco" to make nearly a hundred different brand name pipe tobacco blends from around the world. It’s existence has been in jeopardy more than once, first in the late 1990s and then in 2005. It may have become "extinct". In 2005, the L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco company was purchased by Mark Ryan, and a new era for Perique began. This tobacco has an intriguing history, and it adds a delectable nuance to many different blends. We sat down and chatted with Mr. Ryan recently so he could tell us the story of Perique tobacco."
"Perique is a unique and rare type of tobacco that comes exclusively from one small swath of land near New Orleans. It is used as a "condiment tobacco" to make nearly a hundred different brand name pipe tobacco blends from around the world. It’s existence has been in jeopardy more than once, first in the late 1990s and then in 2005. It may have become "extinct". In 2005, the L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco company was purchased by Mark Ryan, and a new era for Perique began. This tobacco has an intriguing history, and it adds a delectable nuance to many different blends. We sat down and chatted with Mr. Ryan recently so he could tell us the story of Perique tobacco."
Pray tell: What is this mysterious method you call "perique?" How do you perique another leaf which is not Perique. I guess we can now use "periqoe" as a verb.
Made anywhere else, champagne (small cee) is just champagne. A Napa wine only comes from Napa. Perhaps you should not capitalize "perique" when you are writing about wannbes.
When an arguemnet slides into the absurb I usually ask for citations. Some supporting citations please for your assertions, jitterbugdude.
Made anywhere else, champagne (small cee) is just champagne. A Napa wine only comes from Napa. Perhaps you should not capitalize "perique" when you are writing about wannbes.
When an arguemnet slides into the absurb I usually ask for citations. Some supporting citations please for your assertions, jitterbugdude.
As I understand it, for a tobacco to be considered perique, it must be a specific strain of tobacco grown in a specific location. For example, if you grow green river burley, process it like perique, and mix it with the true St James Parish Perique, then it is no longer called Perique, but Acadian Perique.
I have no doubt that any tobacco grown in any location can be processed in the same way as perique, but it will not be perique. Just like anyone can make a corn whisky outside of Kentucky, but it will not be consider a true burbon unless it is made in Kentucky with a specific percentage of corn. Again, burbon can be made anywhere in the world, but for it to be a true burbon, it has to come from Kentucky! I believe, as do the majority of pipe Smokers, that this is the case with Perique.
You are completely ignoring the fact that terroir will affect that characteristics of something grown in ground. As dochudson said, you can take Cuban seed out of Cuba, but that cigar will not taste the same as a cuba as the ground the plant was grown in was different, changing the flavor profile of the plant. Terroir is a fact, and cannot be disputed. All natural products that grow in the grown will be affected by terroir, and perique is no different.
Even if you COULD duplicate perique with the same strain growing somewhere else, that doesn't mean said strain growing somewhere else and "periqued" should be called perique.
I'm usually a pragmatist about these sorts of things and would normally argue that it doesn't matter - but not here.
I think there is value in protected, region-specific nomenclature ie. champagne, cognac, bourbon, scotch. You know when you buy it that that's what that thing IS and not a replica or an out-of-region duplication. I get annoyed when a sparkling wine labels as champagne, I would be annoyed if a distiller in Nevada labeled their corn whiskey as bourbon, etc.
Would perique made somewhere else function as perique and maybe even get away with tasting periquey enough in a VaPer blend or something? Sure. Do I want it to? No.
I'm usually a pragmatist about these sorts of things and would normally argue that it doesn't matter - but not here.
I think there is value in protected, region-specific nomenclature ie. champagne, cognac, bourbon, scotch. You know when you buy it that that's what that thing IS and not a replica or an out-of-region duplication. I get annoyed when a sparkling wine labels as champagne, I would be annoyed if a distiller in Nevada labeled their corn whiskey as bourbon, etc.
Would perique made somewhere else function as perique and maybe even get away with tasting periquey enough in a VaPer blend or something? Sure. Do I want it to? No.
I get a certain amount of joy every time I see "perique" written on my tin and know that there are leaves in there that came from a specific tiny part of Louisiana. Honestly, I do. My happiness would be severely diluted if that "perique" were "periqued" just anywhere.
I find it unfortunate that strains of tobacco such as Virginia, Burley and Turkish have gotten so convoluted and broad. Virginias, for example, can be grown from Canada to Brazil to China, and everywhere in between. The cigar industry has the right idea by labeling their cigars by region. But pipe tobacco is very much hidden in the shadows, blends and recipes protected by cloak and dagger. The consumer never truly knowing what they are getting unless they have experience and have smoked the blend them selves.
The only areas we have a little confidence when buying blends are Perique and Latakia. But even there can be confusion when you start talking Syrian and Cyprus Latakia, St James and Acadian perique. All that being said, the unkown can offer a joy in discovering the mystery.
The only areas we have a little confidence when buying blends are Perique and Latakia. But even there can be confusion when you start talking Syrian and Cyprus Latakia, St James and Acadian perique. All that being said, the unkown can offer a joy in discovering the mystery.
Well, as you said, the region really makes a difference.
For the base tobaccos like the Virginias, Burleys and Orientals, I'm ok with regional variety, as it can add variety to available characteristics for blending. Luckily for the condiments, we have good confidence in their origins. I think its a pretty good setup, but it would get convoluted if perique could come from just anywhere. As I pointed out earlier though, it's such a pain in the ass to make, I doubt it will come from anywhere else than Louisiana where they feel a sense of pride and duty to keep producing it.
For the base tobaccos like the Virginias, Burleys and Orientals, I'm ok with regional variety, as it can add variety to available characteristics for blending. Luckily for the condiments, we have good confidence in their origins. I think its a pretty good setup, but it would get convoluted if perique could come from just anywhere. As I pointed out earlier though, it's such a pain in the ass to make, I doubt it will come from anywhere else than Louisiana where they feel a sense of pride and duty to keep producing it.
"Perique is not a process, it is a tobacco, grown in a particular area of Louisiana."
Did you all miss Russ Oulette's article from last month? He said Perique is a PROCESS. They take Perique tobacco and One Sucker Burley and process it as Perique.
What kind of documentation are you looking for Warren? The blinded study I did where 65% of pipe smokers chose Havana 263 processed as Perique to be superior to Perique processed as Perique? Would you like a reference to one of the leading tobacco researchers that explains the microbial anaerobic process that tobacco undergoes to become Perique? I'm not sure what documentation you want.
And just to clarify one thing. Perique is a tobacco cultivar. The USDA identifies it as a Red Burley. If you air cure it is still Perique. If you subject it to anaerobic fermentation it is Perique that has gone through the "Perique Process"
Did you all miss Russ Oulette's article from last month? He said Perique is a PROCESS. They take Perique tobacco and One Sucker Burley and process it as Perique.
What kind of documentation are you looking for Warren? The blinded study I did where 65% of pipe smokers chose Havana 263 processed as Perique to be superior to Perique processed as Perique? Would you like a reference to one of the leading tobacco researchers that explains the microbial anaerobic process that tobacco undergoes to become Perique? I'm not sure what documentation you want.
And just to clarify one thing. Perique is a tobacco cultivar. The USDA identifies it as a Red Burley. If you air cure it is still Perique. If you subject it to anaerobic fermentation it is Perique that has gone through the "Perique Process"
Thanks! That's is exactly what I'm looking for. Russ takes Perique and processes it into a blend condiment he refers to as "Perique" and it uses a specific tobacco, from a specific region, grown under specific conditions, etc. He uses Perique leaf which is a red burley. I've heard blends with Perique called Perique when in fact a more specific appellation would be a "Perique blend" or a blend which contains Perique.
Your blind study simply shows that some prefer other tobaccos over Perique blends. A tobacco which has gone through a "perique process" is certainly not Perique unless it starts off as Perique leaf. It is simply a processed tobacco some may refer to, incorrectly, as a perique .
Indeed, what makes a red burley Perique is that it is cultivated in a very small area of Louisiana.
Now I'm getting bored and despairing of ever correcting your incorrect usage of the appellation "Perique."
In this age when words can quickly lose their shape and form I think it is important to retain original meanings where possible. A blend containing Perique tobacco is not Perique. It is a blend containing Perique. A blend containing a Perique wannabe is not a Perique blend, it is some other animal.
Your blind study simply shows that some prefer other tobaccos over Perique blends. A tobacco which has gone through a "perique process" is certainly not Perique unless it starts off as Perique leaf. It is simply a processed tobacco some may refer to, incorrectly, as a perique .
Indeed, what makes a red burley Perique is that it is cultivated in a very small area of Louisiana.
Now I'm getting bored and despairing of ever correcting your incorrect usage of the appellation "Perique."
In this age when words can quickly lose their shape and form I think it is important to retain original meanings where possible. A blend containing Perique tobacco is not Perique. It is a blend containing Perique. A blend containing a Perique wannabe is not a Perique blend, it is some other animal.
"A tobacco which has gone through a "perique process" is certainly not Perique unless it starts off as Perique leaf. "
So we finally agree on something! All the so called Perique that is sold on the market is not really Perique since the Perique leaf has One Sucker Burley (processed the same way the Perique leaf is) added to it.
So we finally agree on something! All the so called Perique that is sold on the market is not really Perique since the Perique leaf has One Sucker Burley (processed the same way the Perique leaf is) added to it.
"Supplemented Perique"
But did it ever have plum juice added? Can anyone say this with absolute certainty?
But did it ever have plum juice added? Can anyone say this with absolute certainty?
No one knows whether real Perique was at times processed with plum or another juice. Calling an author a liar for so stating is a bit harsh, unless he knew he was dissembling, which is doubtful: What could be the motive?
Adulterants have always been added to various products throughout history, usually to reduce costs. Perique Tobacco has never had anything added to it. Maybe some unscrupulous people in the past have added flavorings to Perique but people have also added adulterants to wine and typically we do not say that wine is made with pressed grapes with antifreeze added. A knowledgeable person would have known better. To call Hacker a liar might be too strong. In today's PC world he probably should be called misinformed.
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