What Is Perique?

[TigerTom]

Not sure if this question has been asked. If I do a search, I end up with every post where "perique" is mentioned.

Does anyone know why it is that Perique is classified as an oriental? Are there specific traits that identify it as such?

I'm trying to sort out how a tobacco kept and developed in the new world would be in the same class as tobaccos transported to, selected, and developed in the Ottoman Empire thousands of miles away.

Or is it an error at ARS-GRIN? (As in some of their "Hungarian" accessions.)

 

[Alpine]

Definitely an error. According to some experimenters here on FTT perique is a way to process tobacco leaf rather than a specific strain. It might be possible that in years past “true” perique was obtained from a specific strain, but I tend to think that was due to limited supply (I.e. they made perique with what they had on hand). Like cavendish, (many members here have “cavendished” orientals, burleys, air cured, Maryland and other tobaccos ) you can “perique” whatever you want, and end up with something smokable (or wonderful!).
Periqueing (is this a word???) has more to do with the process than the strain you begin with.

pier

 

[TigerTom]

Definitely an error. According to some experimenters here on FTT perique is a way to process tobacco leaf rather than a specific strain. It might be possible that in years past “true” perique was obtained from a specific strain, but I tend to think that was due to limited supply (I.e. they made perique with what they had on hand). Like cavendish, (many members here have “cavendished” orientals, burleys, air cured, Maryland and other tobaccos ) you can “perique” whatever you want, and end up with something smokable (or wonderful!).
Periqueing (is this a word???) has more to do with the process than the strain you begin with.

pier

Makes sense. In my search today I stumbled upon the thread where four VaPer samples were sent to several testers for blind tasting and comparison to St. James Perique. (found here: https://fairtradetobacco.com/thread...ers-needed.4213/?highlight=Perique+experiment) It got me thinking about ordering seeds but then I wondered about it's "orientalness."

That thread did, of course, pique my interest in growing the varieties used to make homemade Perique...

 

[deluxestogie]

pier is correct. Wonderful Perique can be made from any variety of N. tabacum, with the variety determining the nicotine fullness of the final product.

St. James Parish grows a semi-unique variety that likely was derived from a red burley in the early 19th century. It produces large leaves that closely resemble Hickory Pryor, with a robust nicotine content. New Hope Seed has, for about a decade, sold seed of that variety. ARS-GRIN classes Perique as an "Oriental". That is flat-out incorrect--sorry, GRIN.

Since every Oriental tobacco originated from South America / Central America / Caribbean, with seed carried there by Dutch traders during the mid 1500s, I wouldn't be particularly concerned about the distance between Louisiana and Turkey. (Within 100 years of Columbus' first voyage, tobacco growing spread to every continent other than Antarctica. Sweden? Yup. Nepal? Yup. Tierra del Fuego? Yup.) Nearly all the distinctive regional differences in tobacco varieties are the result of agronomic selection based on cultural expectations of the product.

Bob

 

[Friar Pané]

Not sure if this question has been asked. If I do a search, I end up with every post where "perique" is mentioned.

Does anyone know why it is that Perique is classified as an oriental? Are there specific traits that identify it as such?

I'm trying to sort out how a tobacco kept and developed in the new world would be in the same class as tobaccos transported to, selected, and developed in the Ottoman Empire thousands of miles away.

Or is it an error at ARS-GRIN? (As in some of their "Hungarian" accessions.)

Here's a good article on perique tobacco. Cheers.

The Last Perique Farmer – R. Reese Fuller

 

[TigerTom]

Here's a good article on perique tobacco. Cheers.

The Last Perique Farmer – R. Reese Fuller

Thanks for that. Good read.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Interesting article.. even if it repeats the myth about Perique only being able to be grown in St James Parish.

 

[deluxestogie]

It is indeed a fun article. And the myth makes the product special. (Of course many of us have grown the "Perique" variety of tobacco successfully in our home gardens, and have also made Perique fermented tobacco from different varieties of tobacco.) But the detailed technique explained in the article demonstrates that it ain't rocket science. Just messy work, and months of fermentation under pressure and tobacco juice.

Bob

 

[Moth]

Its not a myth - it's Good Marketing

 

[deluxestogie]

I would consider "good marketing" using fraudulent statements to be myth, in the kindest of lights.

Bob

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Good marketing or myth, it works! There are many pipe smokers that swear the only "real" Perique comes from St James Parish. What they don't realize is that for about 30 years their "real" Perique has contained at least 50% of Perique that has been made elsewhere and added to the St James stuff. Mark Ryan did an interview a few years ago where he revealed that little nugget of info.

 

[deluxestogie]

"real" Perique has contained at least 50% of Perique that has been made elsewhere and added to the St James stuff

Aw! Now you've gone and spoiled it.

Bob

 

[Friar Pané]

I think the idea that "real" perique can only be grown in St James is equivalent to the idea that Kobe beef can only come from Kobe prefecture japan. It can certainly be reproduced to the point one can't tell the difference. Semantics perhaps.

 

[Friar Pané]

Thanks for that. Good read.

You're welcome.

 

[dubhelix]

Every time I read about perique, I kinda want to give making some a try.

 

[deluxestogie]

It's an easy thing to do. Although it requires about 3 months of fermentation, you can basically set it and forget it for a month at a time. I suggest making a very small batch. [See the Index of Key Forum Threads.]

Bob

 

[TigerTom]

Good marketing or myth, it works! There are many pipe smokers that swear the only "real" Perique comes from St James Parish. What they don't realize is that for about 30 years their "real" Perique has contained at least 50% of Perique that has been made elsewhere and added to the St James stuff. Mark Ryan did an interview a few years ago where he revealed that little nugget of info.

According to this article

The Mystique of Perique

Perique is a unique and rare type of tobacco that comes exclusively from one small swath of land near New Orleans. It is used as a "condiment tobacco" to make nearly a hundred different brand name pipe tobacco blends from around the world. It’s existence has been in jeopardy more than once...

pipesmagazine.com

it's done to keep consistent quality. Makes sense.

I'll probably experiment in fermenting my own perique next year. I love me a good VaPer and my favorites (McClelland) are gone.

I did dig up the thread where four periques were tested (three home made vs St. James) and Bob's, made from Bolivian Criollo Black, seemed to come out pretty much on top. So I'll be starting with that one since it's good for cigars as well.

The other two also sounded pretty good (made from Brown Leaf Burley and Havana 263). Perhaps it may be fun to blend then together a la Acadian perique and see what we come up with.

Here is that thread if anyone is interested in (re)reading it.

Free Pipe Tobacco-Volunteers needed!

Fellow Pipemen, Almost all pipe smokers believe that the only "real" Perique is made in St James Parish (Louisianna USA). If it is made anywhere else it is not authentic nor does it taste the same. There are many people that swear they can taste "real" Perique as compared to a generic. I...

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[burge]

Authentic stuff for me when I have tried it. Now WLT has it and I stated it as above I want the real thing not something someone has made outside.