Ken Byron Ventures Mr. Christian’s Royal Pudding

The matured, fermented Virginias provide some tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, tart and tangy citrus, sugary stewed dark fruit, mild floral vegetation, light grass, and a pinch of spice. They are the lead components. The fairly spicy, raisiny, plumy, earthy, woody perique is a secondary player. The Yana-2 blackened burley offers some sugary nuttiness and toast. The blend is cased with creamy chocolate, apple cider vinegar and rum. While all of the casings moderately sublimate the tobaccos, they also synergistically help form a very consistent fruity, sugary, spicy, mildly floral, nutty, creamy sweet, complex and deeply rich, smooth flavor that extends to very pleasantly lingering after taste. The strength and nic-hit are a step past the center of mild to medium. The taste just falls short of the medium mark. There’s no chance of bite or harshness, and barely has a hint of a rouge edge. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace. Leaves little dampness in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. The room note is a notch stronger than the after taste. Can be an all day smoke despite its zesty punchiness. Four stars.

-JimInks