Perique is getting very scarce and the price is escalating

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RSteve

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Before I assemble a blend, I look to find what I think will be the component tobaccos. It's becoming more difficult. The majority of Stokkebye tobaccos I used to use are no longer available. Usually, I can find all the components by using Smokingpipes.com, Pipesandcigars.com and Tobaccopipes.com. Rarely can I get all the components from one source. I'm finding by using three or more vendors, shipping costs are getting out of hand. This evening I began a search for blending perique. It's difficult to locate and has become somewhat expensive. I prefer not to use whole leaves, but Wholeleaftobacco.com was half the price of any other vendor:
PRODUCTTOTAL
St. James Perique Tobacco - 8 oz$17.99
Subtotal$17.99
Shipping:$9.44 via Priority Mail
Tax:$0.00
Payment method:Credit Card
Total:$27.43

At Tobaccopipes.com, the only other vendor where I could locate perique:

Sutliff TS20 Louisiana Perique Pipe Tobacco

4 oz. Bulk
$18.98
Subtotal $18.98
Shipping $6.99
MN STATE TAX - MINNESOTA $1.78
MN COUNTY TAX - RAMSEY $0.12
MN CITY TAX - SAINT PAUL $0.12
Total (USD) $27.99
56 cents more for half the tobacco
 
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I love perique - sorry to hear it's harder to find and more expensive than usual. I'll have to try my hand at blending my own blends someday.
 
A couple years ago I wanted to shag cut some Turkish leaves, and I was surprised how inexpensive it was at Wholeleaftobacco. So much so that I didn't go through with it because of the psychological hurdle of thinking it had to either be far inferior or very different since the price was so much less. I hope if you buy from there that you give us some feedback on the quality and experience.
 
A couple years ago I wanted to shag cut some Turkish leaves, and I was surprised how inexpensive it was at Whole Leaf Tobacco. So much so that I didn't go through with it because of the psychological hurdle of thinking it had to either be far inferior or very different since the price was so much less. I hope if you buy from there that you give us some feedback on the quality and experience.
I've had a mixed experience buying whole leaves. I've only purchased them from Leaf Only. In two shipments of Nicotiana Rustica, one was excellent with pliable leaves that I could nicely cut to the size and shape I wanted, the other was very dried out and crumbled easily. I purchased latakia with the knowledge that it was processed smyrna. It was far more intense than the Sutliff, Stokkebye, or C & D latakia I'd previously used. Buying whole leaf perique shouldn't be much of a gamble. I assume that it's coming from Mark Ryan's processing operation.
 
The perique arrived today from Whole Leaf Tobacco. I was surprised that it came vacuum packed in a thick heat sealed ziplock style bag. I haven't opened it yet and will leave it sealed until I decide on what the next blend will be. I checked the Whole Leaf Tobacco website and it doesn't show perique out of stock, rather NO PRODUCTS FOUND. Apparently, WLT doesn't plan on carrying perique in the future. I checked Leaf Only and they are showing in stock, but at twice the price I paid.
 
Hard to find = scarce ——> higher cost. (Basic economics…supply and demand.). Inverse relationship. Hmmmmm.

I think that WLT showing “no product found” might just mean it’s OOS and not that they don’t plan to carry it again. As always, time will tell..
 
I think that WLT showing “no product found” might just mean it’s OOS and not that they don’t plan to carry it again. As always, time will tell..
Here's an example of when WLT is OOS:
Five years in the making, ----- most other Turkish/Oriental types....... This tobacco is taken straight off the garlands from which it was cured, packed neatly in 30 lb. boxes and Air freighted directly to us.
Out of stock-link
SKU: KRMVGRDB2
Search: perique
SHOP / SEARCH RESULTS FOR PERIQUE “NO PRODUCTS FOUND.”

No products were found matching your selection.
 
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Perique comes from one parish (county) in Louisiana....St James Parish....south central part of the state....not far from The Big Easy (New Orleans)
Maybe 400 acres is all that is farmed.
All by hand.
Hurricane IDA didnt produce the feared flooding, but its winds were devastating.
With the lack of laborers things aren't going to get cheaper.
 
This could be very interesting:
tobacco-liquor-perique.jpg

https://www.alandia.de/liqueur-perique.html#feedback
 
Perique begins as "one sucker burley" which goes through a unique fermentation/aging process. I wonder what I'd get if I took 4 oz. of the perique I received, soaked it for several days in distilled water, making a strong perique tea, then used the tea as a casing for Blending Dark burley.
 
Tobaccopipes.com appears to have a few tins of C & D perique at a close-out price.
"Current Stock: 5"
I ordered two tins and about an hour later decided to order two more. I phoned to add the two to my initial order and, hopefully, save on shipping. Just that hour later, all were gone.
 
Tobaccopipes.com is showing that they have both tins and bulk perique. I'd phone first before ordering on line, just to be sure they actually have inventory. For 2 ounces, a tin is $2.78 higher than buying bulk.
 
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