MR Bubble Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Howdy gang! Alen has very graciously sent me a box of Habibi brand apple to try. So I figured this would bea great time to do a review. This is a massel that just doesn't get any publicity here on the forum. I consider it a very rare find. It is an off-shoot from Mac Baren so some of you pipe smokers will know them. One striking oddity of this is the 40 gram packs they come in. Here is their website: [url="http://www.habibi.com.lb/index.htm"]http://www.habibi.com.lb/index.htm[/url] I tried some of their mixed fruit last summer and was very impressed with it. One of the better mixed fruits out there. For some reason, mixed fruit is a major problem for all manufacturers, but habibi pulls it off pretty well. Anyway, this is made in Jordan and for some reason, anything made in Jordan reminds me of Al Waha. This reminds me of Al Waha Double Apple. Who would have figured? But only REMINDS me of it. Picture a cross between Nakhla regular apple and double apple. Well, it is a little sweeter than Nakhla apple and a little less lung-busting that double apple. The cut is very loose and "fluffs" up nicely. It does remind me of Waha's cut but I didn't find any stems (soup bones) yet. There is a slight after taste of apple peels. All in all, this is a very mild version of a double apple. I like this stuff. So, here is a quick run-down of the finer shisha smoking qualities as they apply to me. Yes, emoticon ratings. Flavor: . Nothing I'm going to jump up and down about, but something I do see myself ordering some time. The Double apple taste is surprising, considering it says apple on the box, but remember massel manufacturers are artists in my opinion. Picasso's paintings never looked much like anything. Why should a massel taste exactly like the real substance it's replicating? If one doesn't like it, then don't buy it. Just don't bitch. I am impressed by the apple peel after taste I'm getting here. Smoke density: . Oh yes. Buzz Factor: . What more can I say? It's kind of a sloppy little buzz that makes me all warm inside. Nose-hitability: 3 whole carpet tacks dude! Ever had just a little too much Chinese mustard on your egg roll? Know how it boots you in the sinus and you see stars for a second? Nose hit this stuff twice real fast. Feeling of well being: I'm doing good. Final thoughts: Nothing to crawl on my hands and knees for, but everything to finish off this sampler in the next couple days for. You can find much better apples out there, but if you like double apple only a little and wish it weren't so strong, this is the solution for you. It reminds me a little of Al Waha double apple, but with some quality thrown in it. The worst part about it is it's not lasting too long. A rather quick ride considering the wetness of it. If they were to make a double apple, I just wonder how it would taste? Thanks again to alen for shooting this stuff all the way from Sweden here. I am going to try their grape since I found some shops selling their product. MR Bubble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kofod Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Mr Bubble - the reason for the apple = double apple is that it is as said MacBaren tobacco. They used the Habibi brand 1-2 years ago to push the hookah out to a broader audience in Denmark (MacBaren being danish and all). So the intent was to introduce beginners to the hookah. Starting up with a double apple to people not at all unaccustomed with the "double term" and without a "normal" apple would be kind a like the Coca-cola corp. introducing coke light as the first and only thing to a country that had not heard of "light". Well thats what they told me. The short story is that Habibi apple is some sort of undercover double apple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR Bubble Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 Yes, I agree. Undercover XX Apple! Not the best, but a good alternative for those looking for a "lighter XX Apple." MR Bubble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobbsman Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Recently one can buy Habibi in some tobacco stores in Holland. The first I tried from them was Apple flavor. And you would not believe me: It was a brown-looking (not red) tobacco without any doubble appley-licorice taste! And it was the best apple flavor I ever had in all my life - It tasted like pure green apples ! 2 days later I want to the same store to buy more of this stuff .... and I didn't believe my eyes, when I opend it the first pack .... it was a typical doubble apple flavor, red color of the tobacco .... I was very disappointed though ! They obviously changed the original fantastic apple in a sh*tty ordinary doubble apple flavor. I still have 20 gramms of this great Habibi-Apple without licorice taste...anybody of you interested to try it ? Kofod, MR B, anybody else ? I would immeadiately send it to you, that you could try the best apple ever in history... ... which is not anymore Meanwhile I tried: - Habibi Mixed Fruits with is for my taste much too strond in flavor. Not sweet enough. - Habibi Orange: which has the same problem: no tobacco taste anymore, just pure and much too strong flavor - Habibi Banana: which is a very good Banana flavor, I don't want to miss that one !! -Habibi Apple (new doubble apple flavor/red): great 2apples flavor which is not too strong ... The quality of Habibi is amazing. I especially like the "oily" texture of the tobacco, the wetness and the fine cut. Smoke-density is excellent. I would just like weaker flavors ... lol I never had that problem with any brand before ... tobbsman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooJohnnyZETA Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Hey Tobbsman! If you want somone to try and review your green apple version of Habibi Apple I would seriously be thrilled to do it. Seeing as how Al-Fakher GS Eskandarani Apple is my favorite Apple flavor I would be really interested to see how the original Habibi Apple stands up to it. I do live in the states however, so shipping might be a little expensive. Anyway, if you would be willing to consider letting me try it I would be most grateful. Send me a PM if this sounds good to you. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobbsman Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Hey ZooJohnnyZETA, it would be a pleasure for me if you could do this review of the greates Apple ever! I will send you this 20grams of my Habibi Apple. Don't worry about the shipping ... I will also include samples of my other 2 most favourite apple flavors. - Layalina Eskanderany Apple: Which for my taste overruns Fakheer GS Eskanderany. It has the same typical escanderany taste which makes the Fakher GS so outstanding, but it adds also some more crispy-sweet under/after-tastes to it. Anyway, you will not be deisappointed because this flavor tastes very close to GS Eskanderani. - Abu Haitham Apple: That ma'assel is so close to Fakhers normal Apple but also so different. It was the first Apple Flavor in the Arab Emiretes which set the standard there in the middle-east countries. Long before Fakheer, Layalina, and all those other brands tried to immitate this outstanding flavor. Fakheer has the best immitation for my feeling, whenever the Fakher Apple tastes too much like nuts or even Cocos. The Abu Haitham apple has instead a slight "citrusy" taste to it (like compared to Nakhlas Silver Apple) and some other tastes bisiede which I cannot describe. A well developed massel though which is one of the most popular in the middle-east. There is just one little problem, I am in France 2 weeks and I return to Holland end of April, but you can count on me, that I will send you those flavors beginning of May... can you send your adress - PN, please ? I will do some Layalina reviews in some days, I think this brand is a bit underestimated in this Forum ! groetjes, tobbsman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooJohnnyZETA Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Wow! That would be truely wonderful of you to send me those three flavors to try! They all sound really good and I have been interested in Abu Haitham Apple for quite some time now. I have sent you a PM regarding my adress so when you return to Holland you will be able to send out the package. Thank you again Tobbsman, I am extremely grateful and in your debt. If theres ever anything you would like to try from my stock of massell just let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR Bubble Posted April 13, 2005 Author Share Posted April 13, 2005 Oops. Guess I was too late. But anyhow, they may change it back some time soon. Thanks for the offer Tobbsman. Cheers, MR bubble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kofod Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Hey tobbsman - thanks for the offer - but as bubble states - to late. But I think that the apple you speak of as the good one is the one I usually get - though I will make notice of the brown/red destinction next time. Another thing - when you get back, you might find an Al Danah for me - i can't get hold of it in Denmark. We can find out some arrangement with reimbursement - maybe if I get certain that the habibi apple is the good stuf I can get you some of that. A third thing - you tried Habibi Banana - dont have them yet in Denmark - bad thing when the brand's even half danish. Well im not that much for banana massel though :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobbsman Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 @Kofod & MrBubbleSorry, you have to be faster next time @KofodI will go to the turkish fruit store in Amsterdam (when I am back in NL) where I got my Al Danah last time. They had Apple and Strawberry. But I cannot promise anything ... it was more than a year ago, ... and meanwhile I am run out of this stuff too. If this does not work, I will ask a friend from Germany from which I know that he has always some Danah home... which flavor are you interested in ?concerning the Habibi apple: If there is no 2Apples standard smell to it, IT'S THE ONE !!! Good news, that this stuff maybe still exists ...groetjes, tobbsman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kofod Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Hi tobbsman. Im interested in apple for a start - strawberry is not really my thing in massel. But if there's any other interesting flavours I would of course like to know. With regards to the habibi - the one i remember has no licorize smell and a hint of caramel/toffee and then rest is apple - but I will pick one up just now when Im going out in the next sec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobbsman Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 So, I will ask for apple... Actually Apple and Strawberry are the only flavors which I know from Al Danah and both are awsome flavors. concerning habibi apple: Yes, that's the one ! It is soo sweet and appley... I always let my girlfriend try when I try some new tobacco, and it was the first time she was really wright in guessing ... she said "it's apple" ... actually it's very nice to mix it with MSM Apple (because this tobacco is quite nuetral in flavor and has a quite high glycerine value for the ultimate smoke density), if there is one day where I don't like it that sweet. I tried it to mix also with SAPT Apple but that did not work at all, the 2 flavors in a way killed each other ... groetjes, tobbsman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobbsman Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 that's how Habibi Apple should NOT look like [url="http://bilder-speicher.de/Catharina349153.gratis-foto-hosting-page.html"][b] [url="http://bilder-speicher.de/Catharina349153.gratis-foto-hostin"]http://bilder-speicher.de/Catharina349153....tis-foto-hostin[/url][/url] g-page.html[/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathalie Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Habibi Mixed Fruit and Grape is also sold at [url="http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/dept?dpt=F&srch=DF&tier2=145"] [url="http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/dept?dpt=F&srch=DF&t"]http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/dept?dpt=F&srch=DF&t[/url][/url] ier2=145 though I find $4 for 40 grams a pretty steep price...they also sell the oddest hookahs there....not too decorative in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobbsman Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 @ZooJohnnyZETA: I am back in Amsterdam and I am ready to send you the ma'assel samples. I deleted the PM with your adress by accident. Can you give me your adress again, then I will send it tomorrow ... _________tobbsman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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