Virginia/Perique

[oldbear58]

I smoked a few bowlfuls years ago and recently picked it up again.  I enjoy aromatics and have gone through quite a few blends of all types searching for something, a taste or reaction I once liked, but with little luck.

About the only smoke I really enjoyed was a few of the Captain Blacks and Mac Baren Virginia #1.  Being from the Bayou State I had to try Bayou Morning Flake and that is now definitely my favorite.  It has that pleasant back-of-the-throat bite and enough of a kick that I need to dry out before I can drive.

Since BMF is a VaPer and I read the reviews of all of the VaPers here I tried ordering a few.  H & H Louisiana Red (bulk), H & H Capitol Stairs & Cajun Kale are all supposed to be decent VaPers, but all disappointed me.

I just received a sample of McClelland's Virginia Perique Flake and 2 oz of blending Perique.

The McClelland VaPer looks exactly like Bayou Morning Flake; I can't tell the two apart visually and the smell is quite similar, the bag odor is faintly sweet-grassy-barnyard.  My sample of the McClelland wasn't as strong as Bayou Morning, but very similar and definitely something I would order more of.  Perhaps shorter nicotine high, but a wonderful bite, a bit sweet and no burn.

Then I decided to try some of my sample of perique.  After all the warnings about how strong and how much it is usually diluted in most mixtures I was expecting anything from burning manure to creosote.

I am in love!

No burn, mildly sweet, wonderful kick, no aftertaste.

My Captain Black Royal now has its missing testosterone!

Where can I get a barrel?  

Oldbear

 

[SteveS]

I found I liked the Bayou Morning ribbon cut more than I did the flake ...

Another VA/Per favorite of mine is a bulk selection from 4noggins ... Prairie Wind ... you might also check Dunhill Elizabethan and McClelland 2015 ... those too are good VA/Pers ...

 

[oldbear58]

What I don't get is the many reviews of McClelland perique describe it as powerful and spicy, leaving a bad burn. My sample was pleasant, smoked in a Missouri Meerschaum it had a lot of nicotine but no burn at all.

Perhaps this isn't the real thing?

Oldbear

 

[AJ]

OB, I really like the McClelland 2015 bulk and Escudo. Both are very fine Vapers. If you want a blend with a softer presence of Perique give Orlick Golden Sliced a try. MMMM it's some good tobacco.   

AJ

 

[Carlos]

That has been my experience also when smoking straight blending perique. A lot of mystery surrounds this stuff.

 

[monbla256]

A "sleeper" VaPer that's not smoked much around here ( it's not made by one of the "approved" group blenders  :twisted:  ) is the Comoy's Bulk #4. It's nice as it can give two flavor profiles, Perique to the front of the smoke wnem folded n stuffed or the Perique goes to the back so to speak w/va's to the front when rubbed out. Another nice thing is it's reasonably priced either in the tinned version or bulk.

 

[Briar Spirit]

A few Va/Pers I have enjoyed myself which you may also find enjoyable


Rattray's Marlin Flake - a delicious and quite strong Va/Per
http://www.4noggins.com/rattrays-marlin-flake-100-g.aspx

Rattray's Old Gowrie - this Va/Per will have you coming back for more, quite superb
http://www.4noggins.com/rattrays-old-gowrie-100-g.aspx

Samuel Gawith St.James Flake - a full bodied Va/Per with lashings of wonderful flavour
http://www.4noggins.com/samuel-gawith-st-james-flake-50-g.aspx

Davidoff Flake Medallions - an absolutely delightful Va/Per, enjoyable yes, worthy of its inflated price, well, let's just say it is worth visiting at least the once.
http://www.4noggins.com/Davidoff-FLAKE-MEDALLIONS-50-g.aspx

Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls - same thing as the Davidoff Flake Medallions
http://www.4noggins.com/Dunhill-De-Luxe-Navy-Rolls-50-g.aspx

Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture - never tried the original I must confess but I was gifted a tin of this from a dear friend on Sf and it is a wonderful all day smoke, well worth visiting.
http://www.4noggins.com/Dunhill-Elizabethan-Mixture-50g.aspx

The best Va/per I have tried and it will always be my favourite tobacco is Peter Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake, it has a Cavendish core which can easily be removed should you not enjoy it but I like to remove the Cavendish core, fill the pipe and sprinkle the Cavendish disc on the top, gives a wonderful smoke any time of the day.
http://www.4noggins.com/peter-stokkebye-luxury-bulls-eye-flake.aspx

Hope these suggestions prove enjoyable for you, best of luck with your quest, you re on a most delightful journey, enjoy the experiences as you journey.  :cheers: :sunny: 

 

[idbowman]

I'm a big VaPer fan...many of my favorite blends fall into that category.

I'm always a bit puzzled by Bayou Morning though - I know a lot of you seem to really like the stuff, and to hear the taste you all get out of it, I can see why. I've tried it several times, and all I can ever seem to get is a muddy, ashy taste out of it. More for you guys, I guess!

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

My favorite still - Reiner Long Golden Flake.

Not a lot of perique in it, but it's perfectly balanced with lots of nuances. And like a lot of R. L. Will's blends, it's worth every penny.

 

[SailorJack]

If you like Bayou Morning than I would hardily suggest C&D's Poplar Camp. It's an excellent Va/Per in bulk. Far as I'm concerned Russ Ouelette at Pipes and Cigars blends the best Va/Pers. His VR Blend that he makes for SHPC(Sherlock Holmes Pipe Club) is probably the finest I've smoked. It's sublime!!

 

[rothnh]

I enjoy all of Briar Spirit's recommendations.

One caveat -- the Peter Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake, IMO, definitely needs aging -- best when jarred for 2-3 years.

Adding a very nice Va/Per, hand-blended by Rich and only available @ 4 Noggins -- is Prairie Wind.  And, if you enjoy burley in the mix, Rich's Weybridge (aged 6-12 months or more) is also an excellent choice.

And Russ Ouelette's Hearth & Home Anniversary Kake -- if you like your Perique less spicy and with more of a plum note, is top notch.

 

[Briar Spirit]

I enjoy all of Briar Spirit's recommendations.

One caveat -- the Peter Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake, IMO, definitely needs aging -- best when jarred for 2-3 years.

Adding a very nice Va/Per, hand-blended by Rich and only available @ 4 Noggins -- is Prairie Wind.  And, if you enjoy burley in the mix, Rich's Weybridge (aged 6-12 months or more) is also an excellent choice.

And Russ Ouelette's Hearth & Home Anniversary Kake -- if you like your Perique less spicy and with more of a plum note, is top notch.

Never have PS-LBF in my place long enough for it to age, kinda wish I had now, I reckon you could have something there on the ageing notion. I like Prairie Wind myself, had a bit of it a while back from a good friend in a trade, was a delightful smoke I must say, Weybridge you say, hmmm, will have to look into that one possibly.

Oh just stop it, you're so naughty teasing like that  , Anni' Kake is one of those blends I'd love to get hold of, by all accounts it's a wonderful blend, looks darn good from the piccie on P&C, shame Rich doesn't stock that one.

 

[BigCasino]

Bells 3 nuns is pretty tastey as well! I keep reaching for the jar every time I want a smoke recently

 

[rothnh]

I know you're in the UK.

While P&C does not ship internationally, Smoking Pipes does and sells Hearth & Home Anniversary Kake.

SPC has it in stock and sells 8 oz. cans of Anni Kake for $19.01:

http://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/by-maker/HearthandHome/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=78980

 

[rothnh]

Bells 3 nuns is pretty tastey as well! I keep reaching for the jar every time I want a  smoke recently

Just a note -- Mac Baren's Three Nuns is indeed a fine smoke, but it's a Va/Bur (no Perique).

 

[BigCasino]

Bells 3 nuns is pretty tastey as well! I keep reaching for the jar every time I want a  smoke recently

Just a note -- Mac Baren's Three Nuns is indeed a fine smoke, but it's a Va/Bur (no Perique).

Bells is MacBaren? either way it is a good one TR says it is VA and PER and also lists some Kentucky

 

[rothnh]

Bells 3 nuns is pretty tastey as well! I keep reaching for the jar every time I want a  smoke recently

Just a note -- Mac Baren's Three Nuns is indeed a fine smoke, but it's a Va/Bur (no Perique).

Bells is MacBaren?  either  way it is a good one TR says it is VA and PER  and also lists some Kentucky

The current version of Three Nuns is made by Mac Baren (as are the Capstan Gold and Capstan Blue).

Due to the contractual agreement with Imperial, Mac Baren's Three Nuns must use the same recipe -- e.g, Vigrinias and Burley -- no Perique. This pissed off a lot of puffers who were hoping for the original Bell's Va/Per from Mac Baren, but it didn't happen.

 

[BigCasino]

Amazingly it seems to have the spiciness of perique must be the dark fired leaf in it?

 

[rothnh]

Amazingly it seems to have the spiciness of perique must be the dark fired leak in it?

I think that was the whole idea when Imperial dropped the Perique (due to cost, some say). According to Jiminks (whose opinion I very much respect), the current Three Nuns is a fine blend, but noting like the original Bell's version.

 

[Hermit]

So what's the third Nun, then?