Ken Byron Ventures Burlington Arcade

The musty Cyprian and wine-like Syrian Latakia provide a lot of smoke, wood, earth, herbal floralness, leather, and mild sweetness. The interplay between the Latakias and Orientals makes them co-leaders, though the Orientals take a light lead more often than they don’t. The tartly tangy Orientals offer smoke, earth, wood, vegetation, herbs, floralness, plenty of spice, buttery sweetness and tart sourness. The aspects of the Virginia are some grass, tart and tangy citrus, sour lemon, bread, vegetation, light sugar, floralness, and a couple of pinches of spice in a condimental role. The same can be said for the sweet brown cavendish. The spicy, plumy, earthy, woody perique is barely detectable. The strength is a couple of steps past the medium mark. The nic-hit is a slot behind that. The taste is a notch past the middle of medium to full. There’s no chance of bite or harshness, though there are a few small rough edges as blends in this genre typically have. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a mostly consistent, deeply rich, fermented sweet and sour, floral, spicy, savory campfire flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste. Barely leaves any dampness in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. Has a strong room note. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Four stars.

-JimInks