Ken Byron Ventures Plague Bringer 2019

The smoky, woody, earthy, leathery, tangy wine-like Syrian Latakia is more of a team player that takes a small lead here and there, especially at the beginning. The same can be said about the green candela cigar leaf, which is fairly floral with a little citrus, grassy vegetation, tea, cedar, hint of pepper, some smoke, and a touch of wood. Right on the heels of these two varietals is the smoky, woody, earthy, dry, nutty, herbal English-style dark fired Kentucky. The dry, mildly sharp, woody, earthy, herbal, floral Oriental is a secondary star. The grassy, citrusy, bready, slightly honey-ish bright Virginia is a little noticeable, but tends to get crowded out by the strength of the other components. Though there is a little inconsistency in what you taste, for the most part, you’ll notice all of these aspects in this very complex, deep, rich blend. The strength is just past the medium level, while the taste is a couple of steps past that. It does get a little stronger as you go along. The nic-hit is medium. No chance of bite, and has fewer rough edges than expected. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace. Leaves little dampness in the bowl and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasantly, long lingering after taste. Not an all day smoke, but it is a filling one.

-JimInks