Latakia and Perique in Blends, Used Well and Not

[mso489]

The blender's art is to take known leaf of different kinds and allow them to have distinctive good taste that the smoker hasn't encountered in that same way before. Latakia and Perique can be used like sugar, butter, salt and pepper by a so-so cook to make a mundane recipe a little better. Or,Lat and Per can be used with high art to complement and enhance, awaken and bring forward a whole array of other leaf -- Virginias, burleys, Cavendish of various kinds, Oriental, Turkish. It's doing more, and the unexpected, that makes the magic happen. I don't want to name examples, because some people like the blends I'd dismiss, and dislike the ones I favor. But my point is, Latakia and Perique, their use and even their absences, can be the measure of a blender's skill.

 

[derfargin]

Me thinks I have a perfect example of what you're talking about. C&D has a blend called Mountain Camp which has a good amount of Latakia and some supporting Perique. I'm a big fan of this blend and have quiet a bit of it in the cellar.
They also have a blend called Bayou Night which contain the same ingredients of Mountain Camp but the Latakia and Perique percentages are swapped. I've tried it and didn't like it at all. Ended up giving away the remainder of what I bought.
Just more to your point about how tastes can sway by more or less of each condimental leaf.

 

[ltstone]

I think the Perique in 4noggins Essence of Vermont works nicely.

 

[mso489]

derfargin, I'm a huge fan of quite a few of the C&D blends, their amazing use of burley in a number of non-aromatic blends, but their artistry in general, but I had the same experience with Bayou Night. I like full strength, but it just came across as harsh. I put it away and tried it later, and had the same reaction. 'Doesn't mean it's not a good blend, but it didn't suit me. Itstone, I'll make a note on Essence of Vermont -- the name is resonant for starters.

 

[bpftc]

I am always amazed at how awful Latakia smells in the tin. Every time I unscrew the lid to my Dunhill nightcap I can't help but think "Tire Fire!" And yet it tastes incredible and actually has a much better room note then many of the Virginia's I smoke that smell wonderful in the tin.

 

[texmexpipe]

I really like the way Latakia is used in H&H El Niño, it's nuanced and very nice. It makes the blend work quite well.

 

[mcitinner1]

I am always amazed at how awful Latakia smells in the tin

I have ALWAYS ADORED the smell of almost any Latakia blend. Just shows how different we can be.

 

[beastinview]

I agree--it's surprising just how far a bit of latakia can go.
My first two English blends were Frog Morton's Cellar and Nightcap. I know they are opposite ends of the spectrum: NC being one of the stronger blends, while FMC being more of a mild, crossover sort of blend.
What surprised me the most wasn't how different the two blends were, but actually how similar they were in terms of latakia content. I assume FMC has probably a quarter the latakia that NC does, but I was amazed at how latakia forward FMC was. The latakia flavor does disappear as I smoke through the bowl with FMC, whereas Nightcap is strong to the end. I assumed the latakia would be far less detectable in Frog Morton's Cellar.
That said, the little bit of latakia in FMC goes quite a long way in flavoring the blend. I love both.

 

[shutterbugg]

My tongue is sensitive (in a not good way) to spicy hotness, so heavy-handed use of Perique becomes unpleasant.

Also, my taste is very sensitive (in a good way) to Latakia, so any blend with more than a whisper, I will taste the Latakia first and foremost.
The result of the above is that I need only smoke one Latakia blend as they all taste pretty much the same to me. The one I smoke therefore is the mackdaddy, Nightcap. Which is said to have a bit of Perique added at the end. I do not get that unpleasant spicy hotness, therefore the blender evidently uses just the right amount of Perique to enhance the flavor without going overboard.

 

[jpmcwjr]

MacDaddy is dead; long live MacDaddy! The new MacDaddy's are from our very own blenders, also participants on this site: GL Pease and Std. Tobacco of PA. The latter, Smyrna and other John Cotton blends, the former, most of Pease blends. Westminster and Gaslight are ones I smoke, and are very good.

 

[cigrmaster]

My favorite English/Perique blends when I was smoking English were Two Friends Deacons Downfall, Bayou Night and Frog Morton on the Bayou.