The Final Reckoning by Absolute Fireworks

Where do you even start with this one. The Final Reckoning is a superb SIB compound from Absolute Fireworks that genuinely wouldn’t look out of place in a large-scale professionally fired public event. The effects list reads like a wish list for any serious display planner, and it delivers on all of it across 250 shots and just under two minutes.

It opens with a huge Z-firing fan sweep erupting with gold tourbillion tails that morph into gold willows and crackling time rain. From there, pulse-firing silver strobe mines rise to huge golden brocades with multi-coloured tips and chrysanthemum clouds. A double volley of pink star mines erupts to white strobes intertwined with orange and purple. Then more Z-firing tourbillion tails rise to bursts of gold brocade with strobing white tips, the sort of effect you’d expect to find in a 3-inch professional shell. Red tiger tails rise to red brocade bursts (a personal favourite) with green strobe stars. A double volley of orange and green to red ghost precedes a fan of tourbillion tails to gold and crackling.

A rapid straight section of red strobe and silver darts is followed by a V of purple and green bouquets with crackling comet tails. Three volleys of deep orange brocade palms with blue stars lead into a patriotic W-firing section of red, white and blue: gold brocade tails firing left and right with red bursts on the left, white in the middle and blue on the right, each accompanied by gold glitter willow. Huge bursts of gold and green strobe follow before a double mixed volley of gold and silver brocades.

The finale is a stunning alternating sequence of gold and silver brocade tails Z-firing across the sky to huge golden king crowns and red strobe stars with a smattering of white wintersweet, closing with a volley of crackling tails rising to crackling palms with blue stars. This really is a firework for the true connoisseur.