American Spirit Black (Perique)

American Spirit is the brand of the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company known for its claim of unadditized tobacco; the black-pack Perique version is prepared, in keeping with the "unadditized leaf" concept built around the brand name, without any sweetener or humectant. American Burley leaf forms the blend's backbone; Perique, fermented in its own juice in oak barrels in Louisiana's St. James region, is added over it. Perique is obtained by fermenting a red-Burley-derived leaf under pressure, giving the blend a sharp spice that ranges between plum, fig, and pepper. In character it offers a full, dry smoke; the absence of sweetening leaves a pronounced earthy and nutty taste on the tongue, while the Perique adds tangy fruit touches in between. For someone coming from flavored blends, the absence of sweetness requires a noticeable adjustment.