Ken Byron Ventures Byronic Hiro

As this is a thicker cut, plug version of Byronic Slices, this review is similar to the latter, with a couple variations. The stoved, matured red Virginias provide a burst of tangy stewed, fermented ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, sugar, some bread, mild tart and tangy citrus, light vegetative grass, vinegar, and spice with touches of smoke, cream and floralness. The strength and taste levels just miss the medium mark by a hair. The nic-hit is a tad less potent than that. There’s no chance of bite or harshness, and has few small rough notes. This plug version needs a little more dry time than the Slices, and takes more time to prepare. Burns cool, clean, and rather slow with a very consistent sugary, tangy, fruity rich flavor that translates to the pleasantly lingering after taste and room note. Leaves a tad more moisture in the bowl, and requires a couple more relights than the Slices. It’s a notch sweeter, smoother, fermented and refined than the Slices are. Despite the deep flavor, it can almost be an all day smoke.

-JimInks

Byronic Hiro. I received a 2 ounce plug, probably as thick as it is wide, and about 3 times that in length. Mostly dark brown with some black and lighter brown striations.

Came in a plastic foil pouch. The pouch note for me was a pleasant chocolaty aroma. It seemed like it was a little on the dry side when I was slicing it but when I was smoking it, about half way through the bowl, I started getting pipe gurgle. So from then on I used my calabash gourd meerschaum pipe to smoke all subsequent bowls.

Byronic Hiro has a nice smooth, mildly toasty, natural tobacco flavor. Very refined. A little bit of Virginia tanginess, dark fruit, but no grassiness or citrus. I didn’t detect any sweet casing or artificial flavorings. Byronic Hiro is a nice morning smoke with a piping hot cup of black coffee. This is an excellent stoved Red Virginia and if stoved Red Virginias are your thing then you definitely won’t go wrong with Byronic Hiro.