Straight Perique experiment

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rcstan

Lifer
Mar 7, 2012
1,466
8
Sunset Beach NC
A couple months back I bought a half an ounce of straight Perique to salvage blends that were otherwise unsmokable. Too much of it in blends and it bothers me, especially in English-style mixtures ( such as Nightcap .... some guys swear by it, it just wasn't my cuppa ).

Tonight I decided to try Perique straight as I have never done so before. I loaded a pinch in a cob and fired it right up. It's a bit windy tonight so I gave it a char in the hallway of the apartment building. This is definitely not a baccy for an indoor smoking experience. For a second I thought I had lit my moustache on fire by accident, then the smell evolved to burning chicken feathers. I realized it's the baccy.

I went outside and continued to smoke it. It doesn't really taste like anything, sort of like smoking grass ( well, not THAT grass ). Exhaled through the nose will bring tears to the eyes. The wind will bring smoke to my face and that burns the eyes too. I inhaled a bit and it feels sort of like drinking hot sauce inside a sauna. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

After smoking, it leaves a lingering taste in your mouth and numbs the tip of the tongue. I can only compare the resulting mouth condition to having eaten a couple of tablespoons of Sriracha sauce. The pipe smells sort of funny too, like a wet dog that dried by the fire and burned some of its coat in the process.
I just wanted to share this with you guys.

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
Perique smoked in the manner you described would have been discouraged by the membership if you had asked about it prior to your experiment. Your description however; is a valid one... I don't know about the "chicken feathers" thing, but for the most part quite accurate. IMHO

Perique isn't for everybody, and is intended for use as a "spice" tobacco when blended.

I enjoy a "pinch of Perique" in many VaPers, and Navy Flakes... occasionally in other blends, but only rarely.
I suppose you can file this experiment under "Live and Learn".

Please don't give up on Perique. It is truly something special.

As for "rescuing" blends you don't enjoy; you might instead try enhancing some non-Aromatics that you do enjoy.

I think your experiences might and probably will improve.

Remember... just a pinch in a bowl.

Good luck!
:puffy:

 

mrenglish

Lifer
Dec 25, 2010
2,220
72
Columbus, Ohio
I know a fella who smokes it straight, something I never do. When blended right, there is nothing better but like single malts it is an acquired taste.

 

rcstan

Lifer
Mar 7, 2012
1,466
8
Sunset Beach NC
Thanks Lawrence !
I am extremely fond of Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake and McBaren Navy Flake, as they have "a dash". Stokkebye Bullseye has a bit more Perique than the other two but it's still nice; HH Anniversary Kake a bit much for my taste .... I haven't explored many others in the Va/Per category. The only other blend with Perique in the yummi category in my book is Peterson Irish Oak, but that one has other things going for it too. Englishes with Perique .... mehhh in my book ... enough said.
Definitely a "live and learn". Now I need to get my hands on some blending Latakia and have at it too :puffy: I smoked it once when I first started but I don't quite remember.

 

lankfordjl

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 29, 2011
611
2
Texas
Thanks rcstan for the experiment. I love Perique but have been advised not to smoke it straight. Of course this advice just tempts me to try, but your description was good enough to satisfy my curiosity.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
Lawrence said, "As for 'rescuing' blends you don't enjoy; you might instead try enhancing some non-Aromatics that you do enjoy."
That's the correct approach, IMHO. Improving is better than salvaging. :puffy:

 

barkar

Lifer
Apr 17, 2012
1,104
1
I have reach a point where I don't want a tobacco that doesn't have perique in it. I now look for blends that are approx 50% Lat and have perique...yummm

 

tpicking

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 23, 2011
111
0
Once in a while I get in the mood to taste straight Perique, and I have a little pony corncob set aside for it so it doesn't ghost any of my other pipes. I never want to smoke much of it (I don't think I could), so the little corncob is just about right for it.
What I haven't tried yet - which I probably will in the next few days now that I mention it - is to mix some straight Perique with some straight lat.
Straight Perique really doesn't strike me as somehting that most smokers would favor, but I tend to enjoy really bold flavors in both tobacco and foods.

 
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