McClelland Blending Perique

Gotta try it once by itself, right? Haha... the tobacconist tried to tell me off of it, but I had to know what pure perique tasted like to differentiate it in other blends... and wow. I lasted about 5 minutes and I had to dump the pipe out. The strange thing is, the taste is extremely minimal with this perique (unlike the perique used in Pease's blends which has a distinct brandy taste). McClelland applies vinegar to all their blends, including this. I suppose it's to offset alkaline tongue bite with an acid, but for goodness sakes, this stuff is so naturally acidic that to add any more is insane! You light it up, and immediately your nostrils and the back of your mouth flare up. This stuff is literally like eating a habanero pepper.

After I dumped out the pipe, about two hours later, I got an entirely different pipe and lit up Cornell and Diehl's 'Opening Night'. Now I know what perique tastes like, I can detect it in various blends. As I got down the pipe, I noticed that there was apparently a ton of perique in 'Opening Night'... but there isn't. We are all familiar with certain things ghosting your pipe and marring the taste of later blends, but this stuff is so darned powerful it ghosted my mouth for the rest of the day. I had to wash my mouth out with listerine!

I'm sure that there are better blending periques out there, since I have had them in several different blends, but this does make a nice addition to a ribbon cut Virginia to offset some of the tongue bite and offer a unique taste.

But only use a tiny bit! I stuck about five ribbons in a relatively large bowl with some Embarcadero and it was a full-blown VaPer.

I am no expert at Périque. I have not packed a pipe with only this offering. I have used it as a condiment in various personal blends and I think this is top of the notch, genuine Périque. The tin aroma is very pungent, almost woodsy and definitively fermented. It really adds some backbone to the tobaccos which, on their own, do not fulfill my need for Vitamin N. I have another tin and I will buy more in the future and let it age so it gets even better.

I had reviewed this under "Just For Him," just a brief review stating that I like to keep some around to sprinkle in my Virginia from time to time. Seems it is the McClelland bulk I have been using. I suppose it's not the real thing, but still good.

Actually, the first review of this product is very informative, now that I have read it, and answers a couple of my questions about this one. Called McClelland, good for you!

In a review of Prince Albert some time ago I opined that there is nothing in life much better than the morning paper, a cup of fresh coffee, and a bowl of P.A. To that, add 2% of this ambrosian leaf. That's not much -- but it makes everything much better!

I chose to blend this with MacBaren?s Virginia No.1. This was my first feeble attempt at blending on my own. At the first crack, I went to heavy on the Perique, and it totally over shadowed the Virginia. My next attempt was an 80/20. Personally I enjoyed this very much. (Just be sure to rub out the Virginia well beforehand!!). I felt the Perique at this level married very well. Please bear in mind I am a novice in attempting to blend on my own, and I intend to try some Perique / Virginia blends done by folks who know what they are doing. However, if you?re so inclined to blend on your own, I felt this went very well for me. I am ageing some of my ?custom? blend now, I?ll be curious to see what happens after a year or so.