Ask G. L. Pease November 2012

 

(G. L. Pease) ... Jeff wonders about perique: I’ve noticed that the flavor profile of Perique seems to fall into two categories - spicy/peppery and dried/dark fruit - depending on the blend it is present in. I’ve tried to reverse engineer this by examining the other varietals present in each blend, the percentage of Perique used, and even moisture content, but the particular reason for this dichotomy still eludes me.
What are the variable(s) that cause either of these two flavors to predominate? I’m aware that not all tobacco bearing the name is actually processed in St. James Parish, and I wonder if that may have something to do with it? Continued