Cornell & Diehl Carolina Red Flake with Perique (2021)

Notes: Carolina Red Flake with Perique represents head blender Jeremy Reeves' ideal impression of a Virginia/Perique blend. C&D's latest run combines equal parts stoved and unstoved, top-tier red-orange Virginia tips from a single farm in North Carolina, forming a naturally sweet, bready, and tangy foundation with deeper, more baritone notes that pair exceptionally well with its genuine St. James perique — grown, harvested, processed, and barrel-aged on a single farm in the heart of St. James Parish, Louisiana. Layered with satisfying complexity, Carolina Red Flake with Perique offers an enticing melody of flavors and aromas, balancing pepper and piquancy with undertones of port wine and stone fruits alongside brighter citrusy highlights. The stoving process, together with the St. James perique, lends an unparalleled richness and nuance to the mixture, complementing the unstoved leaf's brighter notes with figgy sweetness, breadiness, and earthy spice. While incredibly complex right out of the tin, it's a blend that will no doubt increase in complexity and continue to improve with age.