The Beast

The Beast is a limited release in which Cornell & Diehl pushes Perique well beyond the usual limits: roughly half the blend is Perique from the brand's own field in Louisiana. Virginia, fire-cured Kentucky, and black Cavendish are added alongside it; the whole mixture is, per records, rested in rum for seven days so the flavors meld together. It's tinned ribbon cut.

The result is a blend extreme in both nicotine and flavor, carrying an intensity the maker describes as umami. Damp earth, sweet stone fruit, mesquite wood, and freshly ground black pepper are the main notes described. It may be heavy for smokers unaccustomed to Perique, and is meant to be smoked in small pipes on a full stomach. Being a limited run, it isn't currently on the market.