Ken Byron Ventures Spaghetti Western 2021

The incense-like, tangy Basma and yenidje provide an “unflavored soda note”, earth, wood, floralness, herbs, plenty of spice, smoke, vegetation, dry sourness and buttery sweetness. They take a small lead. The sweet and sour, floral, fermented Italian dark fired Kentucky offers smoke, wood, mild barbecue, light tangy dark fruit, vegetation, a lot of nuts and spice with a few cigar notes. It’s ten percent of the blend, but it is so potent that it ends up being a competitive supporting player. The various, mostly matured red Virginias combine to create a big burst of fermented tangy ripe and dried dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some tart and tangy citrus, grass, a fair amount of sugar, light floralness, a couple of pinches of spice, and very light vinegar. There’s more of this by percentage than the rest of the components, and play an important support role. The earthy, woody, raisiny, very plumy, figgy, sugary perique is a step above being a condiment. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps past the medium mark. The taste level is in the center of medium to strong. Won’t bite or get harsh, but there are a few small rough edges. Well balanced and very complex. It burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a completely consistent, mildly sweet, very spicy, floral, sour, savory deeply rich flavor that extends to pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note has a little pungency. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Four stars.

-JimInks