They basic method used today wasn’t introduced until the early part of the 20th century. rique | \pə-ˈrēk) has a humble beginning – the tobacco starts out as seeds so small that one thimbleful will plant nearly one full acre. 'Perique' tobacco (the plant) is a specific, unique, variety which you can grow anywhere that tobacco can be grown. Louisiana Perique is the rarest and more precious tobacco in the entire world. Ryan said he has bought tobacco from Canada, Kentucky and Tennessee. These tribes had been producing Perique for over a thousand years and it was Pierre Chenet who learnt the process and developed it along more western production techniques. (Part 1). The leaf is both stretchy and springy. One of the visible differences is that with a burley, the top leaves stand up while on a Perique plant they droop down. Are there any pipe tobaccos sold that are “Pure” Perique – tobacco grown in St. James Parish, processed and not blended with other tobacco? The manufacturer started buying a Perique grown and processed in Brazil. Many of these are responsible for the flavors of fruits and are often found in wine.[3]. They plant, harvest and process the last 12 acres of perique in the world. I have smoked pure, unadulterated Perique. Another issue historically is the price farmers were paid for the tobacco crops, Ryan said. In 1776, the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes were … Rare and famous Louisiana tobacco known for its dark, black color and unique flavor when cured. Perique is a rare, slow burning tobacco grown and processed in St. James Parish, Louisiana. One of the visible differences is that with a burley, the top leaves stand up while on a Perique plant they droop down. [5] Following this, Tabacalera released other cigars using Perique tobacco in 2016: the Tabacalera Gran Reserva, the Don Juan Urquijo Perique, and the 1881 Perique Bold, which is the same as the 1881 Perique but finished in a dark Maduro wrapper.[6]. After a year of this treatment, the perique is ready for consumption, although it may be kept fresh under pressure for many years.  Is the tobacco being processed cased, topped or treated with anything other than water? Nothing is added to the tobacco. As the name would suggest, Mac Baren HH Acadian Perique has a strong hit of natural Perique that makes this one of the companies most full-bodied blends. Made from Louisiana Perique (the rarest and most precious tobacco in the world), only very small amount of this liqueur exists today. Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the Nicotiana genus and the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of the tobacco plant. Hardy to Zone 8, this is the preferred species of the tobacco industry. That is the method Ryan continues using today. Browse pictures and read growth / cultivation information about Nicotiana, Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) 'Perique' supplied by member gardeners in the PlantFiles database at Dave's Garden. 'Perique' tobacco (the plant) is a specific, unique, variety which you can grow anywhere that tobacco can be grown. It has a dark, oily appearance, when cured and a taste of pepper and figs. Once the leaves have partially dried but are still supple (usually less than 2 weeks in the barn), any remaining dirt is removed and the leaves are moistened with water and stemmed by hand. Perique is also featured in the Mysterioso line of cigars made by the Connecticut Valley Tobacconist. is added to a mild Virginia. There was always a big surplus of it so there would be no need to try to adulterate tobacco to make a faux Perique. And they do it all by hand. It can be smoked straight, but isn't intended to be. In late June, when the leaves are a dark, rich green and the plants are 24–30 inches (60–75 cm) tall, the whole plant is harvested in the late evening and hung to dry in a sideless curing barn. Our history in growing tobacco Our earliest ancestors who settled in Virginia about 1630 and later moved to North Carolina in the early 1700’s were believed to … Its flavor is a little strong, so it is usually found mostly in blends. When the Acadians made their way into this region in 1776, the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes were cultivating a variety of tobacco with a distinctive flavor. Our genuine Saint James perique whole leaf tobacco is grown and cured by a small family farm in rural Saint James Parish that has been producing high quality barrel-cured perique pipe tobacco for generations. [references: http://www.saveseeds.org/library/books/Tobacco_Leaf/tobacco_leaf_1897.html, http://www.victoryseeds.com/nicotiana_perique.html]. If you change those, then you change the flavor of the tobacco. A farmer named Pierre Chenet is credited with first turning this local tobacco into what is now known as Perique in 1824 through the technique of pressure-fermentation. The plants grow to 5' or more and will produce 18-22 leaves per plant. but probably the biggest factor is the sauce that each blender adds to their blend.”. A farmer named Pierre Chenet is credited with first turning this local tobacco into what is now known as Perique in 1824 through the labor-intensive technique of pressure-fermentation. The temperature in the curing sheds sometimes exceeds 38 °C (100 °F), and no work is done inside the sheds while the tobacco is being fired. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the chief commercial crop is N. tabacum.The more potent variant N. rustica is also used around the world. Ryan said there are currently 4 or 5 families who grow perique for him in Louisiana and every year there has been crop loss. Ryan said he primarily sells his perique to pipe tobacco manufacturers but there are others who use the perique process and he couldn’t speak about their processing methods. For the most part, those are all areas in or around St. James Parish. Interview with Mark Ryan, owner of L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco Co. Guide to the L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco Photographs 1971, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Perique&oldid=986358559, Articles needing additional references from October 2013, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 31 October 2020, at 10:29. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Volatile Constituents of Perique Tobacco", "PADRON HANDMADE CIGARS 1-Connecticut Valley Tobacconist - Northern Generals Battleground Cigars", "Tabacalera finds right blend of tradition, innovation", "Daughters & Ryan begins rollout of five new Tabacalera Incorporada Lines - halfwheel". Perique Tobacco Seeds 'Perique' has leaves that are medium-sized, glossy in texture, gummy and tough but have fine fiber with small stems. Tobacco experts generally point to three qualities that make perique distinct: the St. James soil, the perique seed and the fermentation process. published in 1897. Martin is one of the legendary Percy Martin clan, a family of farmers who have lived in this part of Louisiana for generations. Ryan said the rich, fertile delta soil, the moisture in the water table from the Mississippi River, the climate and the microbes in the soil and air, all goes into making St. James Perique the tobacco that it is. Albizzia Julibrissen (Silk Tree Mimosa) Seeds USD 4.95 – USD 9.95 Select options; Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Seeds USD 2.50 – USD 12.95 Select options; Aloe (Mixed Species) Seeds USD 2.25 – USD 4.25 Select options This tobacco has a high nicotine content we suggest blending it with other tobaccos. Is it “real” Perique? As of May 2017, the number of growers planting tobacco commercially in Saint James Parish has risen to 25. Perique is a spice tobacco, usually used in Virginia blends. There will be differences in the final Perique product due to the cultivar used, length of time in the barrel, seasonal temps etc. The things that makes St. James Parish Perique so unique is the environment it is grown in. In late June, when the leaves are a dark, rich green and the plants are 24–30 inches (60–75 cm) tall, the whole plant is harvested in the late evening and hung to dry in a sideless curing barn. The Tobacco Institute says perique has been shipped out of New Orleans for more than 250 years and is considered to be one of America's first export crops. Perique tobacco was first created in Louisiana in the early part of the 19th century by farmer Pierre Chenet, whose pressure-fermentation process is credited with imbuing the leaves with a uniquely strong tobacco. 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