Cornell & Diehl Chenet's Cake

Chenet's Cake takes its name from Pierre Chenet, the farmer credited with discovering, in 1824, the process for turning burley leaf into perique. Part of Cornell & Diehl's Cellar Series, the blend is prepared by adding a very high proportion of perique to a red-Virginia-heavy base and pressing it into an old-style crumble cake. According to available sources, the perique share exceeds a third of the blend. Young, it delivers an intense, spicy, heavy taste; with age, sweetness reminiscent of plum and jam is reported to come forward.