Straight Perique - Smoking Tip of the Day

[admin]

DON'T FREAKIN' DO IT MAN!
(That's the short answer).
When Bob & I were at the Chicago Pipe Show, Mark Ryan, the owner of L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco gave a seminar on Perique tobacco.
He also handed out samples of Perique leaves straight from the fermenting barrel. They were in heat-sealed plastic bags. I got two of them.
I cut one open a few weeks ago to dry out, as it was still wet from the barrel fermentation.
Every time I walked past it, I was a little scared to try it.
Last night, my courage and adventurism was fueled by Martinis, and I decided to give it a try.
I cut the leaf up with scissors first. Then I got out my best butcher knife and chopped it up into medium size chunks.
I loaded a pipe about 8/10ths of the way with the straight Perique, and then topped it off with Mac Baren's Acadian Perique blend.
When I got to the straight Perique, I found out why they call it a "condiment tobacco".
Imagine if you were grilling a nice chicken breast, or a steak, and you added some pepper to it.
That would make it taste better.
Now imagine you just poured out a spoon full of pepper and ate it by itself.
That is what it was like smoking the straight Perique.
After less than two minutes, I dumped it and called Bob to warn him.
The conversation went like this.
Kevin: "Dude, don't shmoke the shtraight Perique!"
Bob: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ... I told you man!"
Kevin: "I had a few martinis and decided to try it."
Bob: "Maybe you're lucky that you numbed your mouth a little with the drinks."
Kevin: ... *THUD*
[I embellished the last part.]

 

[classicgeek]

LOL!
I had my first perique experience last week and it really threw me. That stuff is strong. Thanks for the warning, but I don't think I would have tried it even fueled by Godfathers*.
Simon
* Godfather - 1 oz whiskey, 1 oz amaretto. Neat or over ice. classicgeek's favorite drink.

 

[cortezattic]

Perique Tobacco Liqueur might be a better way to get a real taste blast. It might even go well with non-Perique blends.

 

[admin]

I actually love Perique blends.
I have said several times in the past that when I was at the processing plant, the aroma was awesome, and the two blends I have smoked that taste and smell like the processing plant are Mac Baren Acadian Perique, and Blakeney's Best (McClelland) Acadian Ribbon.

 

[thomc80]

Im actually considering finding a good pipe tobacco with some perique in it. I used to roll my own cigs and i used some tobaccos that had a bit of perique in it and i liked it.

 

[ohin3]

Perique is like friggin' catnip to me. I tried smoking it straight once...ONCE ! ! ! I got through a bit less than half the bowl before I almost fell out of the chair and chalked it up to experiment/experience. Some of my favourite perique blends are:
-Esoterica's Dorchester

-AC Petersons Escudo

-Solani 633

-Dunhill's Elizabethan Mixture

-GL Pease's Haddos Delight and Stradford

 

[hobie1dog]

darn you guys.....you have my curiosity up now. I wish we had a pipe club in the area that allowed you to get together and try out all the different blends. So many blends, so little time.

 

[ohin3]

Having local pipe friends or a pipe club is definitely a great way to sample lots of tobaccos. I Miss it. I learned a lot about tobacco from generous pipe buddies.

 

[admin]

While we're on the subject of Perique, here's an article to check out in case you haven't seen it:
The Mystique of Perique

 

[python]

Kevin, that conversation was funny as hell!

 

[changojoe]

ROFLMAO!!!!

 

[blackbeard]

I was actually looking into smoking straight perique. My first encounter (and only so far) was with Hearth and Home - Frenchy's Sunzabitches. There were a few moments I noticed the peppery taste and smell. That was the only thing I liked about the blend really. I actually at one point sat and picked out a lot of the perique just to get more of the kick. Now I have found myself actually craving it.
I read The Mystique of Perique and was very interested in one particular statement. Glad these guys brought it back, and now I want to try it straight.
"Some folks want straight Perique, but it’s not something the average person’s going to want, so it’s usually used in a blend, most commonly with Virginia."

 

[jitterbugdude]

You can also try it as chewing tobacco.... once!

 

[deathmetal]

It has never occurred to me to try this, but now you've put the idea in my head, Kevin...

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I love straight perique. On our tour, Mark had said that not everyone is susceptible to its strength, but occasionally, I like to pack a bowl from the McClelland blending perique and enjoy its musty acidity. Not often, but every now and then.
I also love Mark Ryans cigars, 1881, maduro and perique, nice and tangy.

 

[stvalentine]

I am usually not into tangy tobaccos and the bite of Perique or some VA´s is not my pair of shoes. But nevertheless I had to try it pure. Bought it mainly for getting to know how the different blending tobaccos taste so I would be sure what I like. Well, what to say that Kevin hasn´t summed up nicely... I made it about through a quarter of the bowl.... yikes! 8O

 

[cosmicfolklore]

BTW, according to Mark, all perique is blended since the 50's, so there is no such thing as straight perique. I also was fascinated with the fact that the burley used is not a strong nicotine burley, and the perique process actually lowers the nicotine. It's the other chemicals produced in the process that just helps the existing nicotine to be ingested/absorbed. We can only absorb a small fraction of the nicotine from the smoke. This is why eating it has a greater effect than smoking it. But, even though Virginias are known for low nicotine, the perique helps us absorb what is there already.

Yeh, Imma nerd. I love this kind of stuff.

 

[rigmedic1]

The sample Mark gave us during the tour must have been cut, lol. Although, to be fair, I only smoked about a quarter bowl to get the taste. But by the time I tasted the rest of the samples, my head was spinning.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Rig, so you were on the tour? Then, I must have met you and just didn't know you were a forum member. I felt like I was constantly asking everyone, "are you on the Pipes magazine Forums?" But, I may have missed a few folks.

 

[pylorns]

Yeah I loaded up a bowl at La Poche and smoked it - my advice, don't light and immediately retro hale. Holy crap you feel your nostril hair singe a little. On the whole I was able to get through the quarter bowl I loaded but that's about it, I'll leave it as a condiment and not smoke a whole bowl... ever again.