I have smoked several different types of perique, attended a lecture by Mark Hall, and have visited LA Poche. I wonder if it's the mythos surrounding perique that sends guys trembling into touching fire to a bowl full of perique? Poetry and stories are full of references to guys smoking perique. Wasn't there a Christmas poem about St Nick smoking perique? Anyways...
I have never felt sick or even heavily nicotined from pure perique. I can feel the effects of Nightcap and Petersons Flake, and sure, I smoke the occasional GH Dark Flake, but I don't think that I am a huge nicotine heavy weight. I still don't smoke a VaPer early in the day.
Anyways, Mark told us that the perique starts off as a moderately strong burley, but the perique process turns the nicotine into more complex chemicals that have no nicotine effects by themself. However, mixing it with Virginias enhances the way we absorb the nicotine already latent in the Virginias. And, he mentioned that there are many people who cannot feel any effects or even taste perique. He mentioned some percentages, but since my brain isn't perfect, I'll just leave it at that.
See, as I understand it, Virginias already have enough nicotine in it to kill us, but the PH and other stuff affects the way we absorb it. Adding perique allows us to absorb and use more of the latent nicotine in the Virginia, and maybe adding some of its own.
When I smoke straight perique, I don't get the gut wrenches or green feeling. It's rather ashy, acidic, and monochromatic, IMO. Wider bowls don't do anything for it, and narrow bowls just seem to focus that acidic taste, not pleasant.
Different periques have more subtle different aciditicness, but for me, it would be like trying to tell the differences in brands of milk. Russ's experimentation into his RO and Triangle blends shows us that regions have an effect on whether the VaPer becomes more chocolaty, peppery, or fruity. So, region is important. In what way depends on the results, I guess.
With hopes that this doesn't lead to a rampant rage over cutting, I will say that the perique is cut with a dark fire burley, so if your getting a buzz, it may be the perique making the nicotine in the blended leaf. But, this is all taste tested with Mark saying that he even sends some to Greg Pease for tasting, or something like that.
As a relaxing smoke, perique fails for me. Maybe I could get used to it, but why? Ha ha. No, I think it's more boring than negative in any other way. Monochromatic. It doesn't stove in the pipe, and how much is burning in mass doesn't seem to effect it much. Just plain old acidic smoke, finishing in flavor just like it starts.
But try it. It's won't make you crazy... well, maybe don't take MY word on that, ha ha. The perique cigars that Mark Ryan makes is FANTASTIC. I just smoked one of the ones I picked up from Mark two years ago, aged in the humidor. 1881 Perique Maduro. One of the tastiests. Age definitely benefits those stogies. YMMV
I am no expert on anything pipe related. I am merely an expert on my own opinion, and I will always default to, "smoke what you like; like what you smoke."
