In 2022, Cornell and Diehl began an exclusive partnership with 31 Farms, operated by the Roussel family, who have been producing Perique tobacco since the 1700s. The Roussels have a deep connection with the growing and processing of this rare varietal and use the most traditional techniques. The tobacco they produce also bears the distinction of being made completely of Perique leaf. It may come as a surprise to know that the popular condiment tobacco is, in fact, a distinct varietal, as well as a processing method. This marks a new chapter in the history of Perique, as, due to declining cultivation and unpredictable crop yields, virtually all the tobacco produced in St. James Parish has consisted of a base of Perique supplemented with other varietals since the 1880s.

It's difficult to overstate how rare Perique is. Since Pierre Chenet developed the fermentation process used today, adapted from extant Native American methods, the leaf has only been produced in St. James by a handful of family farms. Prior to the Civil War, much of the labor intensive process of growing fermenting Perique was carried out by enslaved people, making the crop more profitable due to their lack of compensation. Post-Bellum, the crop slowly began to dwindle. In 2005, the varietal faced its greatest threat yet, with most of that year's harvest destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Only one barrel was produced that year — by a local legend named Dudley Leclerc. Since then, the crop has recovered, showing signs of expanding cultivation, providing hope for the future of the rare leaf. However, as the effects of climate change continue to disrupt coastal areas, Perique's fortunes remain precarious.

While the future is never set in stone, thankfully, barring any sudden catastrophes, Perique is still available in its purest form. Since Cornell and Diehl's acquisition of the Roussel family's annual crop, explored in greater detail in Chuck's piece about C&D's Anthology, each blend they produce, both for their brand as well as G.L. Pease, Captain Earle's, and more, uses only 100% St. James Perique. In celebration of this new era for the leaf, I've put together a list of the blender's most Perique-forward blends as a guide to smokers curious about the unique flavor profile of one of the world's rarest tobaccos.

Granulated Perique

It doesn't get more Perique forward than this. C&D offers a number of straight varietals for smokers to experiment with by adding them to existing blends or creating their own. Granulated Perique is just that, straight Perique now made entirely of St. James leaf. Try adding some to your favorite Virginia mixture, or invent a new blend of your own. Smoking a bowl of pure Perique offers the fullest experience of the leaf's flavor profile, though the high nicotine content makes such an endeavor best suited to a full stomach and strong constitution.

Bayou Night

This robust Scottish mixture contains the traditional elements of the classic Scottish blend, combining Latakia, Virginia, Burley, and Turkish leaf with a heavier dose of Perique. The complex mix of tobaccos creates a deep, earthy flavor profile, a full body, and cool smoke, perfect for nighttime enjoyment.

Exclusive

Composed of no less than 50% Perique, Exclusive is second only to past iterations of The Beast in its prodigious use of the powerful leaf. A variation of the classic VA/Per, the Perique base is blended with Red Virginias and Cavendish, making this bold, full-bodied mixture an excellent choice for die-hard Perique fans.

Byzantium

Another innovative reinterpretation of a classic blend type from C&D, Byzantium reorganizes the familiar Balkan blend, removing Virginias in favor of greater proportions of Orientals, Latakia, and Perique. Bold and spicy, yet smooth and cool, this blend creates a delicate interplay between the piquant notes of each of its components.

Mississippi Mud

Mississippi Mud combines spicy Latakia with the zesty plum notes of Perique, rounded out with a helping of Black Cavendish to create a full-bodied blend with a perfect balance of smoke and spice.

Old Grove

This complex mixture is a subtle aromatic blend of Bright and Red Virginias, Katerini, Black Cavendish, and Perique with a pomegranate topping. The fruity notes of the Perique blend seamlessly with the citrusy Virginias and pomegranate notes, creating an engaging flavor. Part of C&D's Cellar Series, this blend will evolve with age, with an estimated peak maturation of about 10 to 15 years.

Old Joe Krantz

A classic C&D blend, Old Joe Krantz was created by Bob Runowski in honor of the man who taught him to smoke a pipe. The mixture pairs a base of cube-cut and Dark Burley with Red Virginias and a robust helping of Perique to create a deep, earthy blend perfectly accented with Perique's unique flavor.

Bow-Legged Bear

This blend takes the traditional components of the English blend (Virginias, Latakia, and Orientals) and adds a dash of Burley and Perique to create a stout variation of the timeless mixture with extra spice and earthy notes.

Light of the Universe: Or Olam

Part of C&D's Hebraica series, created through a collaboration between blender William Serad and his longtime friend, Rabbi Ira Stone, Or Olam takes the familiar profile of the Virginia-Perique mixture and adds a contingent of Oriental tobaccos. This deceptively simple list of ingredients creates a delicate interplay between the spice of the Perique and pleasantly sour notes of the Oriental leaf to impressive effect.

Chenet's Cake

Perhaps the perfect blend to celebrate the new-era Perique, Chenet's Cake is named in honor of the farmer who standardized the modern process of making Perique, adapted from preexisting Native American methods. This mixture is a classic VA/Per with an extra helping of Perique sure to please fans of the spicy, fruity varietal. The blend is pressed into an old fashioned crumble cake, and, as part of the Cellar Series, is designed to age exceedingly well.

With C&D's acquisition of its one-of-a-kind stock of Perique, the blending house now offers smokers a new way to enjoy the rich flavor and smoking properties of the world's rarest tobacco. This list serves as both a guide to smokers interested in sampling this new batch, as well as a celebration of what constitutes a new chapter in the history of Perique, long may it last!