Ken Byron Ventures Fat Old Sun 2020

The tangy buttery sweet, woody, earthy, mildly smoky, floral, dryly sour and spicy, herbal, leathery, vegetative, slightly sharp blonde Izmir is the lead component in terms of effect. The gold Virginia provides a lot of tart and tangy citrus, tartly sour lemon, grass, bread, floralness, a little wood, bread, small pinches of sugar and spice, and a few drops of honey as a fairly close competitor. The fermented, floral orange Virginias chips in with some tart and tangy citrus, ripe dark fruit, grass, earth, vegetation, wood, bread, and a tinge of vinegar, sugar, spice. It is a just above being a condiment. The potent vodka based whipped cream topping sublimates and cohesively works with the varietals, taming most of the rough edges, and offering a moderately sweet, creamy flavor to the tart and tangy sweet and savory, floral, mildly spicy tobaccos. The strength and nic-hit are medium, while the taste just passes that mark. It does gather a little more potency half way through the bowl. Won’t bite or get harsh, and barely has any rough edges. Well balanced, complex, and deeply rich, it burns cool and clean at a reasonable pace. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and doesn’t require many relights. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste and room note. It’s a tad less aromatic than the previous version, and is a comfortable all day smoke with some depth and body. Four stars for this production, which uses a better Izmir, a mildly more complex mix of tangier Virginias, and is a step stronger and more floral than the last one.

-JimInks