Jim's Carolina Red Flake with Perique 2025 Review.

[TubbyInTweed]

Thank you so much for the review. I picked up a couple of tins and I'm looking forward to trying it out!

 

[JeffNYC]

Thank you so much for the review. I picked up a couple of tins and I'm looking forward to trying it out!

Same for me. I don't have any more room in my cabinet though...

 

[dublinpiper90]

Snagged 5 tins as VaPers have grown on me in the last bit

 

[woodsroad]

I've sworn off new tobacco purchases, but this motivates me to mix up some McClelland 5100 red Virginia and Mark Ryan Decade Perique.

 

[BronzeAgePiper]

… or just smoke some Old Fredders

 

[SourShank]

I got 4 tins. After reading some posts on this thread I think I'll age them all and start at the 3 year mark. Got enough blends in rotation as it is.

 

[Hpgg71]

I got 3 tins and opened one. It’s delicious. I would highly recommend enjoying a tin now and saving a few for the cellar.

 

[Oddball]

I did the same. Good fresh and in a couple years its gonna be better.

 

[tmc]

I got 3 tins and opened one. It’s delicious. I would highly recommend enjoying a tin now and saving a few for the cellar.

I agree. How do you know how it’s aged if you don’t know what it was like fresh? I’ll be cracking one open when my tins arrive tomorrow.

 

[Choatecav]

Thank you, Jim.
I got a few tins in on Saturday and today was my maiden voyage with the blend. Your description was spot on as I was getting most of what you described. I'm sure I would have gotten all of them but my taste mechanism is no where near the level of sophistication of yours. That said, I loved it and will try to snag more before they are gone.

 

[Brad H]

 

[Day2Day]

I'm typically not a perique fan but wanted to try this to see what all the hoopla was about. Even though I still don't get the flavors Jim describes
I did find that it was a very nice smoke and I'm glad I was able to pick up a couple of tins quick, had I had to wait in the queue I would never have gotten to try it.

 

[Oddball]

@Day2Day While I am not an aged tobak > fresh tobak goon, this stuff with a little time can really shine. It could have been the year of the tin I had as well. Not sure how jarring a fresh tin will change things but I am going to do that with the one I opened after I smoke a couple more bowls.

 

[Choatecav]

@Day2Day While I am not an aged tobak > fresh tobak goon, this stuff with a little time can really shine. It could have been the year of the tin I had as well. Not sure how jarring a fresh tin will change things but I am going to do that with the one I opened after I smoke a couple more bowls.

I have two that I opened that are in a jar. I have two more in tin that I will hold on to

 

[Brad H]

I picked up 10 of them along with some other things from SP. I failed to take a pic and post it in the TAD. How irresponsible of me…
I’ll open one sooner or later when I have a little room for another open blend…

 

[spearheadbill]

This goes on sale this Tuesday, September 23 at 6 p..m. EST.

The 31 Farms St. James perique offers an abundance of dried sour fruit (plums, figs, raisins), floralness, spice, earth, wood, bread, mild sweetness and light smoke as it takes a small lead. Its inherent floral, spicy, sour qualities are a tad more obvious than the fruity flavors of the red Va.s. The perique gets a little more potent by the half way mark. The years 2017 and 2019 North Carolina red Virginias, the North Carolina 2022 orange-red Virginia tips, 2019 orange Virginia, and 2013 Mahogany Virginia provide a wealth of tart and tangy citrus, bread, grass, floralness, some sugar, earth, wood, darker fruit, mild spice, vegetation, and light wine-like vinegar notes. The strength is in the center of medium to strong. The taste is a slot past that mark. The nic-hit is a notch below the overall strength level. Won’t bite or get harsh. Has a few rough notes due to the absence of toppings. The easily broken part flakes are mildly moist, and I saw no reason to dry them. Burns clean, cool, and slightly slow with a very consistent fruity, sour, spicy, floral, savory, zesty flavor that extends to the pleasantly lasting after taste. The sour, floral, spicy, mildly fruity room notes are a tad pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl. Requires a couple more than an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. I don’t recommend more than a medium size bowl for this production. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.

Heya Jim... I'm getting a fairly obvious Sour Cherry flavoring added. It's in the tin note as well. This isn't a natural tobacco note from the reds or perique. I've had about 6 bowls of this the past 2 days and I'm willing to bet the farm on some type of sour cherry additive. Curious your thoughts although I guess you would have mentioned that if you had tasted it. Billy

 

[JimInks]

Heya Jim... I'm getting a fairly obvious Sour Cherry flavoring added. It's in the tin note as well. This isn't a natural tobacco note from the reds or perique. I've had about 6 bowls of this the past 2 days and I'm willing to bet the farm on some type of sour cherry additive. Curious your thoughts although I guess you would have mentioned that if you had tasted it. Billy

I would say that it's likely due to a mix of the various fruits from the different grades of Virginias, which are sweet with moderate sourness. I can't see C&D using a cherry casing for this blend, but I can see how you would get a sense of it.

 

[BronzeAgePiper]

Heya Jim... I'm getting a fairly obvious Sour Cherry flavoring added. It's in the tin note as well. This isn't a natural tobacco note from the reds or perique. I've had about 6 bowls of this the past 2 days and I'm willing to bet the farm on some type of sour cherry additive. Curious your thoughts although I guess you would have mentioned that if you had tasted it. Billy

I could have sworn Dawn was topped too, got a very tamarind like note from the tin and smoke like the tamarind on some of Bernard’s snuffs, amazed if that’s coming naturally off the various grades indeed then.

 

[Goblin_Walrus]

Say, is anyone else getting a strong tin note of dried guajillo/other dried chiles after a couple days of a tin being open?

 

[Brad H]

Say, is anyone else getting a strong tin note of dried guajillo/other dried chiles after a couple days of a tin being open?

When I first opened one it smells almost identical to a tin of st James woods McClelland I opened. Taste was a different story.