Ken Byron Ventures King's Ransom: Rich Dark English
(3.57)
A medium-full amount of Latakia (40%) smoothed out by a generous portion of unflavored stoved Virginia with matured red Virginia, Orientals, and a dash of perique.
Details
| Brand | Ken Byron Ventures |
| Blended By | Ken Byron |
| Manufactured By | Ken Byron Ventures |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 2020 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
KBV- King’s Ransom
As I’m reading the book The Atlantic, I would like to imagine myself in a time passed that after a long trek at sea, I find myself in a bar and after smoking regular blends, I sit myself at a bar in a foreign port and would light this in my pipe and enjoy the full smoke, flavorful and exotic.
After finding this boutique blender online and after much contemplation, I decided to purchase two ounces of this blend, which arrived in beautiful Mylar bags, and a mason jar lid label.
The smokiness was apparent upon breaking the seal on this blend, the blend was dried well and would no doubt smoke well upon initial opening, but with following in habit I let it dry out for another 20 minutes prior to lighting.
Upon first light I got a smokiness due to the 40% Latakia, but it was equally met with tangy tart sweet VA’s that perfect mix of brisket with just enough bbq sauce to not overpower the smokiness and allow the sweetness to mix well.
The orientals round out and bring some sour flavors to add a nice contrast and allow the VA’s to showcase, almost like orange juice, the orientals appear about mid bowl, the Perique is there but never full pepper, and likely add to the sweetness of the VA’s.
The nicotine content is medium, lights easily and flavor is medium, a blend to smoke if you want to learn to pick out components of blends.
Overall not an everyday smoke, but a fantastic blend, truly something to be savored if your inclined to a late night smoke.
3.4/4
As I’m reading the book The Atlantic, I would like to imagine myself in a time passed that after a long trek at sea, I find myself in a bar and after smoking regular blends, I sit myself at a bar in a foreign port and would light this in my pipe and enjoy the full smoke, flavorful and exotic.
After finding this boutique blender online and after much contemplation, I decided to purchase two ounces of this blend, which arrived in beautiful Mylar bags, and a mason jar lid label.
The smokiness was apparent upon breaking the seal on this blend, the blend was dried well and would no doubt smoke well upon initial opening, but with following in habit I let it dry out for another 20 minutes prior to lighting.
Upon first light I got a smokiness due to the 40% Latakia, but it was equally met with tangy tart sweet VA’s that perfect mix of brisket with just enough bbq sauce to not overpower the smokiness and allow the sweetness to mix well.
The orientals round out and bring some sour flavors to add a nice contrast and allow the VA’s to showcase, almost like orange juice, the orientals appear about mid bowl, the Perique is there but never full pepper, and likely add to the sweetness of the VA’s.
The nicotine content is medium, lights easily and flavor is medium, a blend to smoke if you want to learn to pick out components of blends.
Overall not an everyday smoke, but a fantastic blend, truly something to be savored if your inclined to a late night smoke.
3.4/4
Pipe Used:
Bones Dublin, Rossi author
PurchasedFrom:
Kbven.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 04, 2019 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component, comprising forty percent of the blend. The stoved Virginia provides a lot of sugary tangy stewed fruit, wood, earth, bread, and some tangy dark fruit as an important supporting player. By effect and not percentage, the mildly buttery sweet, fairly sour, dry, woody, earthy, herbal, floral, smoky, very spicy Orientals almost equals the stoved Virginia, and occasionally surpasses it by a razor’s edge. The tangy, dark fruity, earthy, woody, lightly sugary and spicy, bready, slightly vinegary red Virginia helps the stoved Virginia in taming some of roughness of the Latakia and Orientals as well as adding some complexity. The raisiny, plummy, figgy, earthy, woody perique has a stewed fruit quality to it. The spice from the perique gets a little crowded out by the Orientals. Overall, the perique minutely underscores the experience. The strength is a step past the medium mark, while the taste level is a rung beyond that. The nic-hit almost reaches the medium threshold. Won’t bite or get harsh. Barely has any rough edges. Well balanced and complex, it burns cool and clean at a reasonable pace with a deeply rich, mostly consistent sweet, spicy and savory flavor that translates to the moderately lingering after taste. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. The room note has a little pungency. Not quite an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Three and a half stars.
-JimInks
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2022 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Unnoticeable |
Ken Byron Ventures - King’s Ransom - This blend reminds me of the way McClelland did their English blends . 40- 50 Pct.seems to be about the right amount of Latakia for an English or Balkan blends for my tastes at least . The Latakia of course leads and the stoved Virginias with the matured Virginia and Perique give it that vinegary BBQ hit . Personally i would prefer more Oriental spice and sour savoriness but that is not what I think this blend was after . It is very well done though and if you miss McClelland then this may work well for you . I like the sweet dark fruit that you get plenty of here . Medium strength and low nicotine. 3 1/2
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
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