C&D Perique

[Old Nate]

I gotta be honest, this stuff stinks! I mean it has some serious STANK on it... I get a little wiff here and there of the periquey spice... but overall, horse crap might smell better.... I've bought McClelland blending perique and it smells great, this C&D variety.... :affraid: :affraid: :affraid:

Anyone else have any experience with the C&D perique?

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I was gifted some of that a few years ago. Pretty much a straight on Perique as far as I can tell... If I'm not mistaken, they source it from St James Parish. I'll also say this, my "Perique" isn't as sweet as McClelland's either. Fresh out of the barrel press, it has a rather pungent aroma too.... Once it dries a bit the stank goes away...

Hope that helps!

 

[Old Nate]

It does, thanks, Wiz. It'll be interesting.

 

[babysinister]

Old Nate, my experience on the subject resembles your own.

 

[Old Nate]

Old Nate, my experience on the subject resembles your own.

Did you use it? And if so, did it turn out OK?

 

[Richard Burley]

I like the aroma of horse crap--compared to the aroma of any other crap. 8) :| :|

 

[Zeno Marx]

Fermentation. It generally stinks as a process. I could be wrong about this, but St.James Parrish perique hasn't been around for a while. I remember reading articles in the 1990s about the final two perique farmers, and they were old coots back then. I'd be surprised if our today version of perique wasn't bastardized in some way to mimic St.James Parrish perique, sort of like what has happened in the changing world of latakia and orientals. But I could be completely off base here.

 

[Brewdude]

Fermentation.  It generally stinks as a process.  I could be wrong about this, but St.James Parrish perique hasn't been around for a while.  I remember reading articles in the 1990s about the final two perique farmers, and they were old coots back then.  I'd be surprised if our today version of perique wasn't bastardized in some way to mimic St.James Parrish perique, sort of like what has happened in the changing world of latakia and orientals.  But I could be completely off base here.

Think I read something semi-recently about the son of one of those old coots carrying on the family tradition. And expanding production.

:scratch:


Cheers,

RR

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I thought that most of the perique comes from different farms in and around the parish but is processed by Mark Ryan at La Poche?

I know most of his perique goes to American Spirit but I thought he was also in the pipe tobacco business. So I take it there are a few other players?

Perique does smell farmy and manure like. I do agree that it seems to mellow out quite a bit at it settles down and matures. The off gassing of the pressed barrel fermentation must create a ghastly aroma.

 

[Old Nate]

I thought that most of the perique comes from different farms in and around the parish but is processed by Mark Ryan at La Poche?

I know most of his perique goes to American Spirit but I thought he was also in the pipe tobacco business. So I take it there are a few other players?

Perique does smell farmy and manure like. I do agree that it seems to mellow out quite a bit at it settles down and matures.

That's the best way to describe it, Chris. Farmy and manure like.... I wanted to experiment with it and combine it w a blend and put it in the press, but thinking maybe I should wait a bit now.

 

[babysinister]

Old Nate, my experience on the subject resembles your own.

Did you use it? And if so, did it turn out OK?

No, I've cellared it to see if time tames/reforms it. It was not pure perique, but a blend known to have a generous portion of perique, Bayou Morning. BM used to be one of my favorites of all time, but that was based on a reasonably aged tub. This BM that made such a different impression on my palate is much more recent tin. Curiously, I had the same experience with Exhausted Rooster, which I also used to like. It could also be my changing palate, but I just don't think so. Maybe a problem with a particular batch - it's happened before. Who knows. But that's what happened to me.

 

[Carlos]

Nothing wrong with stank in the pipe tobacco. Jar it for a while and see what happens. :drunken:

 

[idbowman]

I prefer the C&D perique, personally. I think of blending perique like fish sauce - the stronger, brinier, ferment-ier the scent on its own, the better it turns out when it's part of a blend.

 

[Zeno Marx]

I'm of the other camp, if there is another camp. McClelland seems to me to be using the most complex, smoothest, best tasting perique. I don't know if it comes from a different source, if they do something to it in-house, or what. Whatever the case, McClelland vs C&D is a world apart in my experience.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I prefer McClelland's perique as well.

Although there are quite a few C&D blends with perique in them that I enjoy. But I agree, according to my taster McClelland's perique is smoother, sweeter and fruitier, where C&D's tends to be pungent, farmy and more spicy. Apples and oranges really.

Knowing McClelland, their perique is 10-20 years old. Tudor Castle, Pebblecut, St James Woods, Beacon and Beacon Extra are all wonderful smokes. 2015 is nice too.

C&D, I like Fillmore & Telegraph Hill

 

[idbowman]

C&D, I like Fillmore & Telegraph Hill

And I'm guessing that's where my preference from C&D's comes from. I've been a big, BIG fan of Telegraph Hill for quite a while, so the C&D variety is what I automatically associate with a top notch VaPer blend. Or maybe it's the other way, around...I like the TH so much because I prefer the C&D leaf.

Either way, different strokes for different folks, I guess (which is not to say I don't like the McC version - many, many excellent blends to choose from on their side of the fence, too).