D & R Tobacco Picayune "The Pride of New Orleans"

D&R Tobacco Picayune pipe tobacco presumably recreates a regional brand of cigarette (also named Picayune) which faded away sometime in the 1960's. When I started college more than a half century ago I also started smoking. Initially I smoked both pipe and cigarettes, but eventually went over to the pipe exclusively. In the mid 60's I happened to be living in a town in West Tennessee which had a store that sold Picayune cigarettes. Although by that time I seldom smoked cigarettes, I bought a pack out of curiosity. The pack proclaimed both "Extra Mild" and "Pride of New Orleans." Extra mild? The Pride of New Orleans was by far the strongest thing that I had ever smoked! I'm not sure where it was produced. This regional brand was manufactored in its final years by Liggett and Myers.

Does this D&R product recreate the now long defunct cigarette? I'm not sure. They both are strong and have a distinct perique wallop. The D&R recipe of burley, oriental, perique and Virginia may or may not be the same. But the D&R offering certainly offers a unique pipe smoking experience.

Open the tin (or bag, I tried the tin) and the tobacco does not have a very distinct aroma, partly because it is unusually dry. It is a shag cut, ribbons of orange and brown with a few dark strands. A blend so dry lights easily. It also burns way too fast, so it demands a very subtle puffing regimen to prevent uncomfortable hotness. The room note presents no problem. It is very much akin to that of the pleasant smell of an unfiltered cigarette (as opposed to the obnoxious bitterness of filter cigarettes).

The taste is full, and the perique is obviously there. Pay attention to your smoking and you can also detect the burly, oriental, and Virginia. It is a full taste albeit not one of outstanding nature. What you note most is the nicotine. The Vitamin N blast of this mixture is awesome! (The only other smoke I have encountered that can match the strength of the nicotine is the French Gauloises cigarette, which I tried several years later out of curiosity.) I am not sensitive to nicotine, but I do not think I could possibly handle back to back bowls of Picayune.

Can I recommend Picayune to other pipe smokers? Yes, but only to that segment that enjoys perique. Those who do not care for the Louisiana weed will find Picayune an abomination.

But what about the potent nicotine wallop? Picayune is not a smoke intended for regular use. It is a change of pace. For those who are sensitive to nicotine, try mixing it with Prince Albert in a 50-50 basis. The taste remains remarkably the same, but the heart palpitation diminishes greatly. Or you could use a Virginia such as McClelland 5100. This provides a reasonably toned down blend, but the Virginia changes the taste somewhat, although not in a bad way.

I have smoked this both in my pipes dedicated to burley and those dedicated to Virginias without ghosting problems.

The flue cured gold leaf offers some citrus and grass/hay as the base of the blend, though it’s sublimated by the other tobaccos. The dry, woody, smoky, nutty, earthy, lightly peppery dark fired burley melds with the spicy, raisiny and figgy perique, and the floral, dry, woody, earthy, herbal, mildly sour, vegetative cigar-like Samsun to create a full bodied, well blended product that can be smoked straight by experienced smokers as well as being used as a mixer. The nic-hit is just past the center of medium to full. The strength and taste are very full. Won’t bite, but may get a little harsh and cigarette-like if puffed fast. It’s dry and benefits from a little hydration. Being a virtual shag cut, it burns quickly with a very clean, consistent, mildly sweet and very savory flavor. Virtually leaves no moisture in the bowl, and hardly needs a relight. The strong after taste and room notes will linger. Not an all day smoke, and not for the novice. I suggest a small bowl if you smoke it straight. Also makes a good mixer to perk up bland blends.

-JimInks

I absolutely loved Picayune and burned up the tin quickly. I need to get more. The heady strength, high flavor and nostril tickling sensations will peak the senses. Yes, I know some people consider this to be a gold star roll your own and perhaps it is, I just know it to be a gold star performer in my small bowled pipes. For that time when a quick smoke is necessary to stifle the cravings when your wife drags you off to a wedding.

Pipestud

Im going to estimate that for 99 out of 100 pipe smokers out there, this is the strongest tobacco you can stuff into your pipe and smoke. I have never had such a strong pipe tobacco in my life. This is the strongest of the strong, the fullest of the full. A Nicotine "hit" to say the least, more like a rapid injection of vitamin N from an epi-pen. This blend disappeared in the 1960's and originally came in the form of cigarettes. D & R brought it back in the form of pipe tobacco, though I imagaine you can still "roll your own" with this stuff. Except for some obscure foreign tobacco out there that few have heard of and even less have tried, this stuff will probably flatten a good 90-95% of pipe smokers. The only reason I didn't rate it as "overwhelming" is because, for me, its not. I actually enjoy the stuff, maybe because I'm a former cigarette smoker, or a current cigar smoker. I've always enjoyed full strength blends, and this is it. I bought it in a 50g can, the baccy is brown/orange in color and with thin long strands. It looks like a birds nest in a can and its very dry. It's so dry, the "false" light is the only light I use in an entire bowl if I don't neglect it. The taste? As you can imagine, a strong tobacco taste with some acidic dark dark expresso. It's really too strong to detect much else - perhaps some aging will tone it down and bring out some other flavors (if there is anything to bring out). I recommended it because it's a powerhouse blend that one can actually finish (at least I do). The blend is something every full strength loving experienced pipe smoker should try, even if its just one time. If you enjoy only aromatics or light/medium blends, I wouldn't jump into to this as your first "full" strength tabak. If you are looking for an "ultimate" strong strength and flavor blend, this is a great place to start. This tobacco may even be a nice segue from cigarette smoking or full strength cigar fans. Eat a full meal, put an empty bucket next to you, and proceed with caution. You've been warned.

I was expecting strong, but what impressed me is flavor! I bought 4oz bulk from Pipes and Cigars and it's the biggest 4oz I've ever seen; perhaps due to the low moisture level. Bag note and flavor remind me of Cornell & Diehl Bayou Night, but this stuff kicks butt! Picayune has an initial flavor of cigarette, but the perique kicks in after a few draws. There's also a very tasty sweet aftertaste which I really enjoy. The shag cut is deceiving when packing the bowl, so go easy and check your draw as you go. Lights easily and behaves very well in the pipe, but it does smoke fast. Flavor is sweet and peppery; good to the bottom of the bowl. Relight is tasty, so if you do get overwhelmed you can set it down and come back later. Strength is Strong+ and I need to take it easy after a third of a medium bowl, but I can enjoy the whole pipe if I pace myself. Great with pale beer or cold water. Nice with coffee, but treat this stuff with respect in the morning! Leaves the pipe clean and dry.

This is a very fine narrow long ribbon. The pouch note is all barn with some hay and silage. Mine came dry and I have been packing and blowing though the bowl to give it a little moisture before lighting.

There is a very nice combination of flavors here. There is some sweet and hay from the Virginia. The burley provides an earthy mellow quality to the smoke, and the perique presents as spicy with pepper on the snork. I can't seem to provoke any plum, no matter how much I sip. There is some sour which may be the perique or the the Orientals. The combination is pleasant and has some depth and complexity. It is close to being "full" in flavor. It had a slightly sour aftertaste.

This might be a little stronger than OJK but not much. I suspect it would be overwhelming for a new pipe smoker, but I found it tasty and easy to manage. This might be a good candidate for someone turning to the pipe to get off cigarettes. It is an easy smoke and not quirky.

Edit: I have been smoking 3 or 4 bowls a day of this for the last week, and I have figured out the best technique. For me it is best to load it and smoke it dry - as delivered. I pack it pretty firmly. It burns well and has a great flavor this way.

This is a solid 3.

Edit 6/27/17: This is really a 3.5 in my estimation. I bought a pound of this, and I am almost done with it.

Edit 12/8/17: I bumped the room note from "tolerable" to "pleasant to tolerable." I took my wife a cup of coffee while smoking this, and she said, "Whatever that is you are smoking really smells great." I can believe this response would not be universal.

I was talking with Mark Ryan about this blend in which he relayed a story to me about a gentlemen who actually passed out smoking this blend. Whether it was the speed at which he smoked it or the device in which he smoked it in, the story does carry with it a certain amount of warning and truth. Truth be told, this blend is spectacular both in it's strength and complexity.

I first smoked this stuff in a car on my way to work one morning and I was salivating at the mouth 10 minutes into it. I typically smoke strong English and VaPer blends. The overt Samsun orientals notes combined with the strong Perique combined so well I was enthralled at the flavors despite the strength. The "room note" is much more milder due to the air and flue cured Gold Leaf tobaccos, providing a smell akin to a smokey/spicy cigarette.

The second time I smoked Picayune was in the evening after the sun went down. I had some espresso roasted coffee and a good book. The slight movement in the air provided a much more rewarding experience since the nicotine content did not hit me as hard. With these conditions, the Oriental and Perique tobaccos really showcased the exceptional quality of this blend.

Overall Impressions - make sure you have some air flow and a nice beverage to counter the strong nicotine content. If you can get past or through the strength you will encounter a most enjoyable and unique pipe tobacco.

Edit: Now that the blend is discontinued, let me share the recipe:

Bright Virginia - 12.5% Samsun Oriental - 12.5% Perique - 20% Dark Air-Cured Burley - 55%

Strong?... extremely. After a few puffs, I finally found my way to the lounger without aid from anyone... did it by myself. Wow, this is the strongest blend I've ever stoked into a pipe bowl. Has a slight cigar aroma to it & is shag cut. It has a good flavor for such a strong blend. I'll keep a tin of this on hand at all times.

This blend is good to smoke by itself, if you dare, or can be used to add extra strength to wimpy or aromatic blends without changing their flavor all that much. The moisture content is just right for smoking right out of the tin. If you like extremely strong blends & think you're tough, give Picayune a try.

If you roll your own, one king sized cigarette might last you all day long... it's that strong. Was that poetic? You'll only be able to inhale a very small sip, either rolled or stoked & this is undoubtedly one of the strongest blends on Planet Earth. OK... this one merits four stars for flavor and strength.

I bought a two ounce sample of this one and I'm sure it'll last me a very long time. I enjoy it, but man does it punch me in the face. It's like a Mike Tyson knockout in strength and taste. The Perique is VERY spicy and VERY peppery. This makes it rather harsh but it's manageable. If you can taste anything past that initial assault there is a vague sweetness from the Virginia in the background and some woody spice from the orientals. The retrohale is pretty painful. Make sure to have your tamper ready because this one burns very fast. Personally, I like this blend but it's not easy to recommend. If you're looking for a quick smoke at the end of the day that will really give you an overdose of nicotine, give Picayune a try.

...Wow! this is a fine ribbon cut tobacco that is robust and definitely full-bodied...Since I enjoy strong Plug/Flake tobaccos, it does not come close to overwhelming me at all...However, I can see that many smokers would find Picayune too far over the top as a regular smoke.

It can burn hot and quick...therefore, I use moisture to control both those aspects...as I do with most Plug/Flake tobaccos. Rather dry in the 14 oz. bag, a few quick sprays was all it required to provide the moisture needed.

To be sure, sipping this mixture is recommended, and bowl size doesn't really make a difference to me...I usually smoke this in a group 4 to 5 size bowl with no issue. It does carry a high nicotine content and I can see where this may be a bit "heady", with the perique.

I give this 4 stars because it is an exceptional mixture, quality tobaccos, and presents itself well. Mark Ryan has done a fine job with this re-creation of the original Picayune tobacco and it will stay in my rotation on a regular basis.

Very much worth a try for those who can appreciate a strong smoke!

...a pipe is to be savored...