Ken Byron Ventures Spike Hyzer

Also known as Golf Spike Hyzer, this blend sits in Ken Byron Ventures' Virginia-Perique line and takes its name from a disc golf throw. Per the maker's description, the base isn't built from a single Virginia variety but from a wide selection of leaf: aged reds, orange and light-yellow Virginias, Carolina leaf, steamed dark Virginia, and both broad-cut and ribbon-cut leaf are all used together. Perique makes up roughly twenty percent. That high Perique share pushes the blend well beyond an ordinary VaPer: alongside plum and fig sweetness, a distinct black-pepper spice and a full body emerge. The mix of different cuts evens out the burn rate and lets the flavor profile shift over the course of the smoke. Nicotine runs medium-plus.