What Do You Think About Ken Byron Blends?

[pantsBoots]

Have only tried Verge Engine and Byronic Slices. Verge Engine is a great Virginia blend and Byronic Slices is possibly the most fireproof tobacco blend I've come across, though it has its legion of admirers.

Bottom line is having one more person blending and slinging tobacco is a good thing, IMO.

 

[Chasing Embers]

With a few pounds of Sakura and Out Shine bought, so far, so good.

 

[FurCoat]

Not being an aro fan, probably not for me. I am glad though for more blenders getting into the supply chain with blends that smokers enjoy.

 

[spicy_boiii]

As a VaOr and VaPerOr lover, KBV means more options for me. I also like his use of red Virginias and the stoving/aging methods he uses. That being said it's certainly different, and I can see how some would be not pleased with the bang for the buck factor. I enjoy the Mylar packaging and customer service.

Although I'm biased because I do enjoy his blends, I think his presence in the industry is a good thing for everyone. Who doesn't like variety?

 

[samuelgawith01]

Interesting ones out of stock.

 

[americaman]

His approach to marketing is unique in the industry and, I think, quite welcome. It does annoy me that he makes all his announcements on Instagram. I HATE Instagram.

I just wish he wouldn’t post drops in advance, because then everyone waits for the drop, incessantly clicking refresh (myself included), and then the website crashes. I would post right after I put it on the website and watch everyone scramble, but that’s just me. Having an announced time for a drop is more in line with sneakers and such, which is what he’s going for. Like others have said, the more stuff out there the better. I’m a fan.

 

[greeneyes]

I think it’s worth noting, if only one final time (and of course, people are welcome to put whatever they want in their pipes): KBV tobaccos are billed as “boutique blends,” complete with all the allure and mystique, and most important: scarcity. My opinion, again, is that the marketing and front end is very “Ferran Adrià,” while what the kitchen is serving up is very “Rachel Ray.”

Nothing wrong with Rachel. But I don’t think I’d surveil an Instagram account and stampede to a website to attempt to score something that maybe wasn’t the real deal. Mixing Veuve Clicquot and Franzia doesn’t make a new wine, but you’ll definitely sell out at a tailgate. Again, it’s a free country and people smoke what they want. In the end, what’s the difference if you enjoy it, right?

Jupiter Slices: he doesn’t make ‘em.

Byronic Slices: he doesn’t make ‘em.

“Enhanced Full Virginia Flakes”: sprinkles stuff on Samuel Gawith flakes (without having obtained consent from Gawith, while implying he has).

“Tenner Blend”: McClelland Fragrant Matured Cake, + Lane Cavendish + Perique. Sounds fabulous. But the McClelland was fabulous to begin with…

“Frog Morton Continuation Blends”: McClelland Dark English + Burley (and various other things).

You get the picture. Earlier on he was less tight-lipped about he was mixing up. Now it’s anybody’s guess. And to be fair, long ago he admitted that he doesn’t work with raw leaf, except where he can add quantities small enough that they won’t throw off the base, pre-blended (by another company) tobacco. Imagine using an Esoterica as a base tobacco, adding a dash of this and a pinch of that. It’s up to you whether you consider passing that off as “your blend” disingenuous or not. It’s also your choice if you think something like that in genuinely worthy of being regarded a “limited edition” or “boutique” blend. For their part, Peretti and Boswell at least blend their tobaccos from their constituent “blending tobacco” ingredients. I don’t know anyone else who “re-blends” ready-for-market final product (“pre-blended”) tobaccos, except perhaps small Brick & Mortar shops, selling you their 50/50% Lane 1Q/BCA mixes (which he calls “low effort blends,” whereas his are an “artisan effort”).

Then there was the time he suggested he’d enter into a collaboration with Robert Germain to improve 1820 flake and “remaster it with orientals, virginias, and latakia Robert doesn't have access to. My ultimate goal would be to make Robert Germain proud of our ingenuity if he even knew we existed. This is technically a remix/remaster and not an original blend.”

Just the other day a friend was smoking one of his blends.

"Remind you of anything?" I asked him.

We had a good laugh.

 

[jpberg]

I’ve never smoked any, but I love the guy.

 

[username]

I like Sakura but I’m not going to chase after it. I also like how he uses Mylar to package his blends and the option for a jar sticker if you want it.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Mo blends = Mo better

I tried the Sakura, It's pretty good.

 

[SoddenJack]

The names and design kind of put me off, like he’s trying just a bit too hard. It all seems better suited for vape juice. I haven’t tried any so they may be fantastic blends. Maybe I’m missing out.

 

[hawky454]

I do love a lot of the names of his blends!

 

[greeneyes]

The names and design kind of put me off, like he’s trying just a bit too hard. It all seems better suited for vape juice. I haven’t tried any so they may be fantastic blends. Maybe I’m missing out.

I have the same problem with cigars nowadays.

Somehow I don't think "Long Live the King Mad Mofo Corona" sounds like it's a good cigar. Probably is?

It sounds like the names were conceived as inside jokes for nouveau-riche tobacco influencers during exclusive product reveals at Punta Cana.

 

[anotherbob]

I never tried them and I don't think I have a strong interest in it. Why chase blends that sound good but not desperately so. Though I don't think they're a marketing gimmick I think the product and how it's made are the factor that limits availability not some trick to sell less product but quickly.

 

[craig61a]

I haven’t tried them, I have no interest in trying them.

There are literally 1000’s of blends out there. Most people who are pipe smokers and don’t frequent the internet boards aren’t aware of these blends, and are more than happy to smoke the blends that the local B&M supplies.

A lot of blends get hyped up on the these boards, there’s a grabasstic rush, posting about “hey everybody look at me I’m smoking Frodo’s Kiwi infused VaPerBuOr Dark Fired Crumble Kake“.

And I’m ok with that. Years ago in high school the cool thing to have or be seen with, Clackers, Pet Rocks, Mattel Football, TI-30 calculator, LED watches... etc. Other than the Mattel Football, and the TI-30, complete with faux leather padded dork case with belt loop, I didn’t buy any of those things. I collected stamps and coins, along with a few other nerds.

 

[wolflarsen]

I tried Burley Morning Pipe. I'll pass on the rest and probably not finish my sample.

 

[craig61a]

And as far Cherry blends go, I'm quite content to smoke Lane's Very Cherry. Just knuckle dragging, unwashed pipe smoker...

 

[trubka2]

I've smoked most of the KBV blends, and I enjoy several of them quite a bit, especially the ones with orientals. Somebody is doing interesting things with interesting tobaccos and charging reasonable prices - that's nothing but a good thing in my book. Recently, his stuff is getting to be too much of a pain in the ass to get, though, and I'm not going to chase after it.

 

[lightxmyfire]

I've tried a few of his blends, namely, VEO, Dark Fired Cheery, Live Wire, River of Deceit, Moriarty, and Pork Chops which was a sample from a kind person on the forum here. I've got Byronic slices, Mountains of Madness, and Raven's Eyes that I haven't tried.

I will say that I've enjoyed the DF Cheery, VEO took some warming up, and it's still growing on me, but I do like it. Live Wire I liked right away, River was only OK, Moriarty was a more recent try and I'm still unsure about it. Pork Chops I did not like.

I think what he's doing is interesting, and I'd be more interested in trying more buuuttt I have a few issues with his marketing that are moving me away from trying more or restocking after I run out of what I got, even with the blends I did enjoy a bit.

I too have noticed that he often markets as "Bespoke, RARE, HANDBLENDED, NO TOPPINGS! or SECRET TOPPING ITS MYSTERIOUS!!" One of the blends I don't trust is VEO, it's advertised as only the HIGHEST GRADES of PURE Virginia and RARE AGED perique (according to his marketing it's running out btw so BUY, BUY, BUY, NOW!!) myself and a few other reviews I've seen (JimInks included) have detected a topping, and he's in a few places contested this, but the claims feel disingenuous, and the same deal with the claim that somehow in the tobacco climate we live in his very small shop he is able to get "RARE PURE TOBACCOS WITH NO CASING OR TOPPING ONLY AGE, that aren't made by another larger tobacco company!" I'd feel a lot more comfortable with honest marketing, I'm fine with manufactured scarcity it can be a smart strategy, Ansel Adams did this after innovating one of the best methods for consistent large scale film printing, but blurring the lines between marketing and straight-up lying about the ingredients is a no-no for me.

 

[aquadoc]

I’m not a fan of the marketing style. Too mysterious and flashy for me.

I’ve tried Burley Morning Pipe and Moriarty. They’re fine.

I would try the recent collaboration blends with Eldritch Pipes just because I like Chris Kelly. But, like mso489, I’m not going to chase down perpetually out of stock blends.

You do not have to chase them down. Put a watch on the site and visit it when there is a change in inventory. OR simply read his Instagram every now and then. He gives a schedule on releases. Also, a lot of his blends are always in stock and on his page. No chasing involved.