Ken Byron Ventures Yoshimi’s Out Shine

The fermented bright Canadian and Balkan Virginias offer a burst of tart and tangy citrus, lots of bread, grass, vegetation, light floral, sugar, spice, honey, tart lemon, earth, wood and a few acidic notes as the lead components. The earthy, woody, herbal, incense-like, floral, vegetative, fairly dryly sour and lightly buttery sweet yenidje is a supporting player. It also sports a little of the “unflavored soda note” that I generally associate with this varietal. The fragrantly floral basma provides herbs, earth, lots of wood, spice, vegetation, mild sourness, light sweetness and smokiness, and isn’t far behind the yenidje in terms of effect. The honeysuckle and honeydew vodka have a little richness as a light complimentary addition to this mildly complex, and at times, subtle mix. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium. The taste is a slot short of medium. No chance of bite or harshness, and barely has any rough edges. It burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a very consistent sweet and dryly sour, grassy, floral, vegetative, rugged, zesty flavor that translates to the pleasantly lingering after taste, and slightly stronger room note. Barely leaves any dampness in the bowl. Easy burning, it requires an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke. Three and a half stars out of four.

-JimInks

I have smoked quite a few of KBV’s blends and one thought always comes to mind, ‘Truth in advertising’. Out Shine tastes exactly how Mr. Byron describes it.

To me, smoking Out Shine is like sipping on a cool Vodka tonic with a slight splash of honeydew...delicious! This blend fills a niche in my tobacco bar that I didn’t know was needed. I hope that Out Shine becomes a staple in their line of fine blends. Hats off to you, Yoshimi.