Perique - Mysteries, Myths and Misinformation

PappyJoe

I know most of you don't read blogs about pipe tobacco but I thought I would post this link anyway.

It's my latest and this time I attempt to explain what I've learned about Perique.

http://macpappysworld.blogspot.com/

ghostsofpompeii

Thanks for the info PappyJoe. I spent a bit more time reading some of your other blogs as well.   

PhilosoPiper

Great post @PappyJoe! It may just be the Cajun in me but Perique is my favorite.

motie2

Pipe and tobacco maven Russ Ouellette on Perique:

http://www.talkingtobacco.com/2015/10/an-in-depth-look-at-perique/

http://www.talkingtobacco.com/2015/06/perique-a-lot-of-work-but-worth-it/

motie2

OK enough about Perique. 

If you want some real insight into @PappyJoe's thinking AND the whole idea of pipe forums, take a look at the wonderful essay Pappy posted in 2014 at: https://macpappysworld.blogspot.com/2014/07/pipe-smoking-forums-join-at-risk-of_11.html

PappyJoe

@motie2  - Three years later and I still hold to what I wrote. Except I now have around 50 pipes instead of 10.

motie2

Right. And things are worse.

PappyJoe

I found two more sources of information for perique and updated my blog. Added these two paragraphs:

      According to “The Perique Tobacco Industry of St. James Parish, Louisiana: A World Monopoly.” Published by the New York Botanical Garden Journal Economic Botany. (William C. Rense Economic Botany Vol. 24, No. 2 (Apr.- Jun., 1970, pp. 123-130) perique is a “pink flowered tobacco classified under miscellaneous type 72.” That publication further goes on to say to perique tobacco probably found its way to Louisiana from the Caribbean because of a resemblance to Dominican andullo and tobacco grown along the coast of Puerto Rico. 

and;

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But, there is also a Perique Tobacco process. Pierre Chenet, is often credited with creating the Perique process by “borrowing” it from local Native Americans. The legend is they would store the leaves in hollowed out logs and press rocks down on it to compress the leaves and let it age. Chenet’s method involved rolling up the leaves in linen and then wrapping it with rope and keep twisting it to apply pressure. Pressure fermentation of tobacco was a process already known to the French and Spanish and according to the Economic Botany article, Chenet probably learned it from a Spanish family in the region.    

DixonHill

interesting piece Pappy. Thanks for sharing it with us.

PappyJoe

@motie2 - funny thing happened today. I have posted the link to my blog on two other forums. Today one of the pipe smokers forum deleted my post and all the replies because, according to the admin who messaged me, it was an advertisement for my blog. Never mind that technically I wasn't selling anything and that every tobacco review posted is basically an advertisement.

I'm glad this forum isn't like that.

motie2

@PappyJoe -- As we all know, some folks are jerks. Some folks with authority are big jerks.

ghostsofpompeii

It still didn't mention at what point in the process does the goat urinate on the Perique to give it that amazing barnyard aroma. Or was that added by someone in the warehouse before bagging it up my order?  

ghostsofpompeii

@PappyJoe I enjoy reading your blogs and am grateful The Pipeline hasn't deleted your links. Don't know why learning more about the hobby from a variety of sources by learned individuals would be considered a bad thing. With that line of reasoning every time someone posts a tobacco review it could be considered advertising for the tobacco distributor. Some people just like to stir up the pot and make life miserable for others. Probably like my goat urinating on Perique post. The world is full of smart-asses and troublemakers. 

motie2

@ghostsofpompeii --  <<The world is full of smart-asses and troublemakers.>> Hey! I represent that remark!

PappyJoe

@ghostsofpompeii - you're confusing perique processing with Mexican cigar rolling.

dbh1950

Yes PappyJoe, I read your blog on Perique. Always been a consumer of other's thoughts and perspectives, particuarly on areas I have interest in, pipes, tobaccos, and pipe smoking being such.

Years ago, I worked part time in a pipe and tobacco store,  the owner, a friend, introduced me to mixing tobaccos, thus enters Perique. Mixing some Latakia and a but of Perique into a few ounces of Virginia produced a very enjoyable smoke. Room note was not as heavy as the Balkan Sobranie I smoked at the time, but the chickens we raised at the time didn't complain. Anyway, good thoughts on Perique.

GeorgiaJim

@PappyJoe I recently acquired quite a bit of Lane's St. James Perique, more than 3 pounds actually! I got it as part of an auction lot so I don't know how old it is but nothing in the auction was dated later than 2006 so I'm guessing this is pre Katrina perique. It is amazingly flavorful, a lot different than some Stokkebye's I have for blending. In your opinion is the difference in flavor from the age or the source of the tobacco?

PappyJoe

@GeorgiaJim - it's probably a combination of the two. Consider how different crop years affect the taste of grapes grown in the same location. Variations in the conditions of the soil and even the weather contributes to the sugar content of the grapes every year and that affects the sweetness of the grapes each year. The same holds true for all crops, even tobacco. Good weather and good soil means a good crop of Perique. Bad weather affects the crop every year.

St. James grown and processed perique is going to taste different than perique grown and processed anywhere else in the world. Most will say it is going to be better.

The real question is how the perique was stored and aged because that will also affect the taste. What you have may have been grown in 2003 or 2004 - or before that - it should have gotten better with time in my opinion.

Woodsman

Thanks for the good info Pappy.

GeorgiaJim

@PappyJoe Thanks for the input! As far as the storage goes, I received it in the original Lane's 5 pound plastic bag with the wire bale and label so I don't know what temp/humidity conditions it was kept in but it was bone dry. I added some moisture and jarred it up in many quart sized Mason jars. I don't know if aging it will change it much after 10 years or so but at least it's stored properly since this will probably last me the rest of my life!

motie2

I went back and read https://macpappysworld.blogspot.com/ on Perique again, and I must say, I've never read a finer evocation of Perique. 

It's made me think: @PappyJoe, is Perique to tobacco what Pu-Erh is to tea?

<<Pu-erh tea is made from the same plant that is used for green, oolong, and black teas. Although the same plant is used, the teas are processed differently. Green tea is un-fermented, oolong tea is partially fermented, black tea is fully fermented, and pu-erh tea is post-fermented. Pu-erh’s processing includes both fermentation and prolonged storage, or “aging,” under high humidity. Pu-erh may smell musty or taste "off" because mold and bacteria affect the tea during the aging process. Pu-erh tea is produced mainly in the Yunnan district of southwestern China. >>

glohman

I would think puerh tea is fermented, while perique is more of fermented and cured.

PappyJoe

@motie2 - Interesting question.

Perique the tobacco is a different plant variety than other tobaccos so it would be like Pu-Erh is to tea. 

However, the perique process can be used on any tobacco variety and it will change the aroma and flavor profile of the tobacco to something similar to Perique tobacco.

motie2

@PappyJoe -- <<Perique the tobacco is a different plant variety than other tobaccos so it would be like Pu-Erh is to tea. >> 

I think you meant to write <<it would NOT be like Pu-Erh is to tea>>, because <<Pu-erh tea is made from the same plant that is used for green, oolong, and black teas.>>

Also, thank you and @glohman for clearing up the dichotomy: Perique is a different plant AND a different process. This I did not understand, despite reading ads about applying the Perique process to other tobaccos in past P&C catalogs. I can be obtuse.

PappyJoe

@motie2 - that's what I get for typing before I've had my first cup of coffee.

motie2

I completely understand what that's like......

xDutchx

That was an interesting read Pappy, thanks for posting the link!