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OwlTellYa

Might Stick Around
Jul 12, 2023
66
143
Upstate NY, USA
I have been smoking a pipe for a little over six months now, and I have been trying lots of blends to see what I like. Early on I tried Elizabethan, and I liked it but it didn’t wow me. So I didn’t explore any other perique blends.

Until now. I got my delivery of Watch City Rouxgaroux, and it was the first time I really lit up and thought, “holy cow—what the hell is that?!” Than today I opened a tin of Haddo’s Delight (which I also bought from Watch City), and I am in love. Wow.
 

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,736
36,350
72
Sydney, Australia
When I got my pipes out a few years ago I started with a couple of aromatics. I had been smoking cigars exclusively for 15 years prior.

Then a friend gave me several samples of English and Balkan blends
I fell in love with their bold flavours and for a couple of years smoked little else

Then about 18 months ago I revisited Virginias and VaPers.
I love their “not in your face” subtlety compared to Latakia and oriental blends.
I still love my English/Balkans but find I reach for straight Virginias and VaPers more these days

Do revisit Elizabethan Mixture. It’s one of my favourite VaPers
 

Feb 12, 2022
3,574
50,415
32
North Georgia mountains.
I wonder if you were initially unimpressed because of varying grades of perique now or even substitutions.
Good perique is a gift from the gods (or Louisiana). Hope you enjoy the rabbit hole that is Perique blends.
And like others have said, try it by itself.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,672
48,787
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
I have been smoking a pipe for a little over six months now, and I have been trying lots of blends to see what I like. Early on I tried Elizabethan, and I liked it but it didn’t wow me. So I didn’t explore any other perique blends.

Until now. I got my delivery of Watch City Rouxgaroux, and it was the first time I really lit up and thought, “holy cow—what the hell is that?!” Than today I opened a tin of Haddo’s Delight (which I also bought from Watch City), and I am in love. Wow.
Haddos is a favorite of mine. It's a blend that inspires either love or hate. I prefer it with a few years on it that smooth out some rough edges I experience. It's been a while since I smoked any. Time to open up a bag.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
44,817
116,565
I find it gets super plain and a bit harsh by itself especially in bigger sized bowls but if you want to know what it's adding to a blend you really have to try it at least once by itself. I personally like the long cut because I can't chop it or use it as is in home blends.
Between it and Yenidje, I wish I'd have put more effort into cellaring them straight versus blends.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,672
48,787
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
You need to try some more of GL Pease's blends. Greg must love using perique as its featured in many of his blends and done tastefully so I might add. He uses it lightly and it's more on the plum side of things than spicy, which I prefer. I like Orientals for my spice instead.
One of my favorite GLP Va/Pers, one that gets little mention, is Stratford, After Haddos, Stratford is my favorite of Pease's VaPers.
 

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,736
36,350
72
Sydney, Australia
Give perique a try by itself.
Oof, careful with pure perique. That's a trap for sure xD
I ordered some blending Perique a while back.

The retailer emailed me almost immediately, out of concern, to ask if I was using it for blending ?
With a warning that unless I was very experienced, not to smoke it straight 😏i
 

Hutch Piper

(Hutch1904)
Mar 12, 2022
296
2,532
Charlotte, NC
I’m a big fan of perique. I have fallen in love with C&D perique blends specifically. I greatly enjoy Bayou Morning. I also enjoy Three Friars which has some burley in it for some body. If you really want to up the ante, Exclusive is blended with 50% perique. The best news is these are readily available and come in bulk as well. So you can sample an ounce at little cost.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
I like Perique handled with a light touch. It's an accent, not the main flavor. I like hot spices in my food the same way, to bring up other flavors and not to predominate.
 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,960
14,329
Humansville Missouri
My dear old buddy Jack and I had the privilege to tour the Tabasco factory on Avery Island about 25 years ago. Jack decided that a Cajun many, many years ago our peppers in a whiskey barrel to store too many peppers he’d raised and by accident what came out when he tried it was Tabasco sauce.

I wish we’d visited the Perique farms, but the concept is the same. They had a surplus of tobacco and pressed it in a whiskey barrel, and out came Perique.
 
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