mushrat Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Ok, got to do a bit of smoking this weekend, also turned 2 new people on to the Hookah. For all of these I'm using natural bulk charcoal and a metal screen with a foil chimney wrap. AFG Esk. Apple: Still about the nicest I've smoked. Great apple flavour. Very sweet, went well with single malt scotch. Good smoke density. Long lasting smoke. HIGH smoking satisfaction. When I'm done with this stuff I'm DONE. In the words of my late grandmother, "Try it, you'll like it!" Pricey to buy but you need to use so little it goes a long way. AF 2 Apple: Not bad. Very smooth as well. Nice flavour, little black licorice (anise) taste in my opinion. Good smoke density, lasted a good long time too. LOW smoking satisfaction. We smoked this for about 45 minutes to an hour and felt like trying something else. I think I'll stick to my Sara for 2 Apple. (see Cypress and Mr. Bubble's reviews for the Sara, nothing I can add to theirs) So we filled my back up bowl with: Nakhla Melon: Still one of my all around favorites (yes I know Math, you'd rather smoke grass clippings) Fine smoke density. Nice long smoke. Freight train like buzz. Fresh Cantaloupe taste. (sorry Cypress and Math, haven't gotten to the HH melon, this week I promise) HIGH satisfaction level. I don't think I've ever been up to trying another flavour after smoking a Nakhla Ma'asell. Some of you folks who do 2 back to back are better men than I, I freely admitt. (Hookah headache mixed with pink dancing elephants...getting too old for that stuff.) I'll be getting to the Cypress HH samples this week and next weekend when I go back to visit the friends I stayed at this weekend, for my first pistol match. (hmm..guns and hookahs, gotta be a song there someplace.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yashman19 Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 I'm the same way when it comes to smoking back-to-back bowls. I don't think I can smoke more than one by myself without getting a little woozy and a headache feeling comnig on. I have noticed that for me, when I get my coals going with my propane torch, I get lazy and only get one side of the coal lit and puff on the hookah to get the rest of the coal fully lit, and I get a bit of that charcoal taste which seems to get my headaches rolling quicker. But when I take the time to get the coals fully lit and no black remaining on the coal, I am able to smoke the bowl fully without getting a bad headache and feeling woozy. As for the reviews, good stuff. I started my hookah career with Nahkla melon and loved it. I actually just smoked Al Waha melon and enjoy the cantelope taste, even though I don't like cantelope fruit. Good stuff Mush! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alen Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 good review mush and i agree when it comes to af esc its really something extra i just ordered my second 250g it should arrive to sweden in a couple of daysi really recommend nakhlas esc too if you havent tried it yet not premium stuff but a really nice green apple flav - where do you find this sara brand do you buy it online ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 Hmm...Nakhla Esk? I'll have to look around for that one. I have their single apple but I get the impression thats not what you are talking about... The Sara I found at a local cafe. I've never seen it online. I'll go back and check out the container and see if it gives a web page. I can always try and send you a tub. Thanks Yashman! When folks have reviewed the flavours already I prefer the KISS principle. Keep It Simple Stupid. Just giving my personal observations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyteboy Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 I 2nd a high review for the AF GS esk apple!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mo Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 I find myself perhaps the only one on the site who finds Golden Eskandarani nothing special. I gave it about a 7 or something. To me it is the least enjoyable apple flavour in the entire fakher range. It belongs in a category similar to the peach flavours of Romman and fumari and plum flavour of Fakher. If you love any of those, in my opinion you'll love the lot. An additional point is that it isn't superior (of any noteable amount) to the eskandaranis of cheap brands. It's all a matter of opinion, but everyone has different tastes. [img]http://hookahforum.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyteboy Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 I didn't find the Plum AF to have that much taste...just literally tasted sort of buttery... the gs af esk apple tastes sweet and light and crisp, like a green apple to me. I could easily give it a 9-10 and it will be in the running among 5-6 other flavors to be in my personal permanent collection I have tried 4 nakhla and 3 al-waha flavors and maybe it was because I was a newbie, but I found them to all be pretty tasteless with not very thick smoke, i rate them all between 3-5. I think Cypress felt the same way, like you said, personal tastes I guess.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alen Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 hi there mo mani only have tried the alexandrian apple from nakhla before i tried the a.f i really like nakhla esk but the a.f is very different i think but tobbsman said that the layalina is simular to the a.f so im gonna try that next time- i also ordered the a.f bahareini apple and the al quema apple i know that you wasnt so impessed of the quema but i must have a try and who knows ill maybe love itand if not-bummer take care - Alen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mo Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 yo alen, hope all is well. Qema is decent but strong. You'll notice the difference in strength which is far stronger than any Fakher. I'm not sure what cheap eskandarani I've had, but usually it is in cafes, and they use nakhla and other cheap egyptian makes. I didn't find them any worse than Golden esk. make sure you let us know how you find them anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyteboy Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 yeah alen post the bahraini review when you smoke it, i am very interested if it is very licoricey or if just tastes like red apples Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mo Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 bahraini does not taste liquoricy. it is very mild. for red apple taste, there's apple fakher, Qema Apple, and Al Amir Apple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyteboy Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 yeah I am tempted by the regular apple AF, but have never tried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alen Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 the regular a.f apple was the first a.f i smoked and it is as mo say really good and its the closest you can come to red apple so i can recommend it if you looking for that flavour-and ill get back to you with some kind of review on the bahareini and quema im just afraid that my english wont be good enough for a good review-anyway my package should arrive here sometime next week take care -Alen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 1, 2005 Author Share Posted June 1, 2005 AF bahraini ISN'T licorice? Hmm...musta read it wrong someplce.... Was staying away from it bacause the Sara 2 Apple was all the licorice a guy who hates Anise could stand. Well, if its as good as the esk apple in its own way I may have to try that in my next order. Thanks Mo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 4, 2005 Author Share Posted June 4, 2005 New review! Bane was kind enough to trade me some of that blackberry he'd mentioned ealier. Usual smoke set up...metal screen, natural bulk charcoal. So...in brief: Smelled great! Nice and wet. Chopped like nakhla but much wetter. Great smoke volume....I'm thinking that the foil chimney wrap I do is good for heat build up and thus good vaporization of the ma'asell...any ma'asell...leading to great smoke density. Taste...well.....there was some berry in there somewhere...mostly a subtle hint of berry...kind of berryish....sorta..... Smoked it for about 20 minutes..went to the back up bowl of af gs esk. Thanks to bane for giving me the chance to try it though. Live and learn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 7, 2005 Author Share Posted June 7, 2005 HH Melon. So it doesn't FEEL like most ma'asells. a little dryer, a little grittier. so what, big deal. Nice smoke density. On par with Naklha and AF esk. The melon is definitly cantalope. Not as strong as the Nakhla but a good steady flavour. Wasn't impressed at the start but it improved after about 5 minutes. No freight train buzz either, which was nice as I have other things to do this evening besides sitting and watching the walls breathe. Satisfaction level was good. I wanted a nice easy smoke and this is it. I may buy a 50g of this to have around, but probably won't be one of my main smokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathazar Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Great Review Buddy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 8, 2005 Author Share Posted June 8, 2005 Heh, you're just saying that because I'm saying something nice about HH. But seriously folks, It's not a bad smoke at all. I don't vouch for any other, though i still have strawberry and pineapple samples from Cypress to try, but I'll be getting back to y'all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyteboy Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 best MELON flavor around, absolutely. Problem is, the good smoke only lasts for about 20-25 minutes. still great for the first 20... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypress Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Hmm, not as strong as Nakhla. I havent had a great experience with Nakhla yet. I may have to give this one a shot some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 8, 2005 Author Share Posted June 8, 2005 Wyte: your only lasted about 20-25 minutes? mine went considerably longer than that. we had a storm here thet knocked out our power. I cam home, fired up the hh sit it in the doorway to the apt, sat on my stairs and watched the show outside...lasted longer than 20 minutes. Cypress: you mean trying Nakhla melon? I think its probably their best flavour INCLUDING the 2 apple. Complete with freight train buzz. I can send you a sample if you'd like. I think I owe you a few anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 11, 2005 Author Share Posted June 11, 2005 New review: hh strawberry: Not bad either. Same good thick smoke. Nice strawberry flavour. Not sugary candy strawberry. Just...strawberry. I think I understand why a lot of you don't like the HH, its too mellow. The flavour doesn't come out and knock you over like the af esk. apple. But its there, its full flavoured, and its good. Not as good perhaps as the Afzal I found a single box of here and never found it again, but nice. Another good relaxing smoke. More buzz than the mellon though, but that goes away fairly quickly after you stop smoking and you can get on with writing a review without having trouble typing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooJohnnyZETA Posted June 11, 2005 Share Posted June 11, 2005 Heyas! Those were some really good reviews Mushrat! Short, simple, and to the point. They told me everything I needed to know about the flavor and gave me a really good idea of what they would be like after just reading a paragraph or two. Keep that up and your going to make me start doubting the effectiveness of my long and drawn out style of reviewing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 11, 2005 Author Share Posted June 11, 2005 zoo: don't do that. I truely enjoy reading you reviews and we know eveyone else does too. Just different styles of writing. Besides, you already have entertaining and humerous covered, had to take a different approach to be original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 12, 2005 Author Share Posted June 12, 2005 I just got Wyteboy's trades...i think i'm gonna die trying to smoke everything I've traded for lately! so... IN BRIEF. Romman Peach: MMMM..TASTY! Took more heat than the others, but I think I've seen that said before. With one chunk of charcaol was kinda weak smoke, added a second chunk and the party was on. The Fumari white peach must be dang good if people prefer it over this stuff. Good solid peach flavor. Not candy sweet like the AF esk apple (one of my top picks)but good and strong through the whole bowl. Which lasted well over an hour with regualr coal changes. (i quit smoking before the bowl gave out and that was most of a movie's worth.) High smoking satisfaction. Had no desire to ruin the taste still in my mouth with any other flavour. Decent but short lived buzz with minimal hookah head an hour later. Is it worth the money...for something special to keep around, probably. But I also have several expensive bottles of single malt around for special occasions as well, so splurging now and then is ok with me. Whyte sent me enough for a few bowls, (i don't use much) which will last me quite a while. If you get the chance to try it, DO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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