Can Anyone Recommend a VaPer That's not to Heavy on the Perique

mapletop

So I've yet to find a straight Virginia that I would care to smoke, so I thought I would try to find a VaPer that was not overwhelming, the only issue I have with perique is that some of the tobaccos i have tried that have perique as part of the blend made my sinuses burn.

Any suggestions?

mfresa

I tasted the Solani product early in my smoking days, and it was very good.  Got a lot of good reviews:

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/1423/solani-633-virginia-flake-with-perique

mezzoduomo

Peretti's Park Square.

motie2

Escudo

mapletop

The suggestions are appreciated, I will round some up and give them a try.
Thanks

jfreedy

I'd try Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake. It is a straight Virginia but pressing it into flakes brings out some great flavors similar to a VaPer but without the harshness of Perique. Like you I think a straight VaPer is too strong, but I love LTF.

mapletop

jfreedy
Have not tried that. one either, I'm adding it to the list.
Thanks for the recommendation 

thebadgerpiper

Maybe give C&D's Exhausted Rooster a try. I'm pretty immune to the effects of Perique, but I think ER is a pretty safe blend.

jim102864

I second Escudo and Exhausted Rooster.  Neither are overly perique-heavy and both are very enjoyable IMO.

RockyMountainBriar

     First off, let me say I am not opposed to Perique.  I really like Beacon but did not like Beacon Extra as much, too much Perique.  Alas, both of these are no longer being produced.  I have Luxury Twist Virginia also, along with VaPers such as  Escudo and Elizabethan, plus several more VaPers.  My favorite VaPer fresh from the tin (maybe with a bit of drying) is Samuel Gawith’s Cabbie’s Mixture.  It is sweet with a bit of spice, very tasty for me as I am generally an aromatic smoker.  I wish I could get the Cabbie’s Uncut here, but I don’t think it is imported to the states 🙁. At least I have not seen it.  Not to turn anyone off, far from it, but the smell reminds me of a silage pile, not manure, silage.  What can I say, I am from Montana.  The tobacco definitely has that sweet fermented (not rotted) smell.  
     As a side note, when I first tried Luxury Flake, I hated it....way too harsh.  Well, Luxury Flake was one of the first tobaccos I purchased and smoked back in 2012.  I jarred it up in a mason jar and it has been “cellared” ever since thinking it was a waste of hard earned cash.  At that time, I remember the tobacco being very light colored.   Well, 5+ years down the road, I went to vacuum seal my tobacco jars, which mostly happen to be aromatics.  When I got to the Luxury Flake (I was opening and checking each jar of tobacco before I sealed them), I noticed it had darkened quite a bit and smelled much sweeter than I remembered.  Guess what....yep, I had to give it another try.  I will say that with that bit of aging, I can see what the fuss is about.  It is a much smoother, sweeter smoke now, very enjoyable.
     With the mason jars just hand tightened, the pressure changes in the atmosphere let the jars “breathe” a little.  I know this because I could smell fresh tobacco occasionally when I passed my “cellar” cabinet and sometimes would hear the lids “pop” or “ting” while sitting on the couch next to the cabinet.  
     I decided to vacuum seal my jars, when I noticed some of my older aromatics were starting to lose their scent.  I did NOT vacuum seal any of my “pure” Virginia’s, as I want them to age more aerobically.  I sealed all of the other types at -20mmHg, most are aromatics, maybe a couple cans of Latakia, some Orientals, Dark Fired and the VaPers.  I may break the vacuum on the VaPers at some point and leave them hand tight so they can at least partially age more aerobically once again.  Only time will tell🙂

     Long story short, try the Cabbie’s Mixture👍🏻  (If you can find it), but don’t buy it all up, I want a few more tins myself.  One is not going to do it.🙂  I only wish I had paid attention and realized that Beacon was going...going...gone...I only have the single tin😢

piperdave

@mapletop Personally I would suggest a blend "Smoked by all shrewd judges" Orlik Golden Sliced. It is a mix of golden VA tobaccos with a bit of Perique, Golden Sliced is naturally sweet & smooth. Just my 2 cents worth.

motie2

@mapletop

Another suggestion would be G. L. Pease "Telegraph Hill"

jfreedy

@piperdave - I have to say I’m not a fan of Orlik Golden Sliced. I wish I was. It’s just too harsh and “cigarettey” for me. I know I’m in the minority here as many love this one. 

@mapletop - I’ve just resigned myself to go with straight Virginia flakes. Two that I love (recommended by Jon David Cole himself) are C&D’s Opening Night and 4th Generation’s 1931. Both are excellent Virginias without Perique.

mapletop

I have bought a few and most were pretty good, haven't tried Orlik Golden Slices or Telegraph hill, they will be next.

Almost bought some  Exhausted Rooster and chickened out, guess I need to try it.

Bought the Escudo, put it in the cellar and forgot about it, thanks for the reminder.

The Samuel Gawith’s Cabbie’s Mixture sound pretty good after looking at additional reviews, guess I'll take the plunge.

The suggestions are greatly appreciated

I hate the fact I am sensitive to the spiciness of perique as there are so many blends (and not just vapers) I have passed on out of fear it will be too much

RockyMountainBriar

@mapletop
I love Samuel Gawith’s Cabbies Mixture😋.  I highly recommend it🎯  As I have mentioned elsewhere, I do like McClelland’s Beacon, where Beacon Extra had too much Perique.  Sadly neither is available now.  I have Escudo and Orlick Golden Sliced, the Orlik tasted “cigarettie” to me when I first tried it.  Since it was one of the first tobaccos I purchased, it has been aging for about 6 years....it is much better now.  I have Escudo also, and it is almost as old.  It was good to start, but it is better now also👍🏻

piperdave

@jfreedy I can understand on the Orlik GS, The first time I had it was a new tin I had just purchased and it was off-putting. I let it age a bit (little over a month) sitting in a mason jar and tried it again in a cob. I was surprised, it had changed for me. I do not know if it was the cob or the aging but I do like it and enjoy it. Not in my daily rotation but at least monthly. I only have 2 briars that I would smoke it in because they handle VaPers so well. The only other pipe I usually smoke it in is my cob pipes, I think they help with the "cigarettey" tobacco taste you mentioned.

jfreedy

@piperdave - I agree that age helps Orlik. I smoked a bowl last week and it was much better. Still not my favorite, but better.