Ken Byron Ventures Mr. Christian’s Holiday Road

Holiday Road is a blend combining twelve separate Virginias with a measured fruit-brandy casing, over which distinctly fruity Perique is added. The maker describes the blend as designed for the holiday season but not season-locked, built from long-rested leaf as a Virginia/Perique mixture. Records indicate the first batch shipped in December 2018. Using so many Virginias multiplies the sweet, tangy, and breadlike layers; the Perique adds dark plum-and-fig fruit and a light peppery spice on top. Rather than laying down an aromatic veil, the brandy casing extends the existing fruitiness.