Brand/Flavor:
Al Fakher Jasmine
Methodology:
-20 hits/person over 30 minutes
-3 individuals in the circle
-1 Coco Nara coal, offset holes rotated every few passes
-3-hose Mya Staff filled with ice water, small Heba diffuser attached
First Impressions:
Aroma was simply fantastic, smelled exactly like jasmine tea leaves. Very juicy, no stems. Finer cut, but not as thin as Hookah-Hookah.
Post Mortem:
Somewhat blackened, but still surprisingly juicy and aromatic. Almost didn't want to throw it away, but the foil started to burn.
Pros:
-Strong aroma of jasmine tea
-Thick smoke
-Decent buzz
Cons:
-Flavor was a little weak
Andrew's Thoughts:
Al Fakher is a giant in the American shisha market, and we felt obligated to give it a shot. As one of the few non-premium tobaccos out there consistently getting good reviews, I was excited to see what all the buzz is about (pardon the pun). Happily, Jasmine largely lived up to the hype. The smoke was thick and smooth, and though the bowl died with what appeared to be a smokeable mass remaining, that could have been an issue with our coals dying (we've been having lots of fun with coals lately). Though I wasn't knocked on my butt the way I am with Romman, I definitely felt some nicotine, which was likely enhanced by my dogged attempts at improving my smoke rings. The shisha smells fantastic, just like taking a tin of jasmine tea and holding it up to your nose. Unfortunately the flavor was not as strong, but then jasmine tea always smells stronger than it tastes.
Eric's Thoughts:
With the majority of my smoking experience falling within the Romman brand, I'm always open to try a new one. There's a fair amount I don't remember about smoking hookah before I owned my own, but one thing I do remember is that Al Fahker was a brand that we typically bought, due to its ready availability in the stores closer to home. But despite this, I was still slightly skeptical that Al Fahker would be able to stand up to our usual standards. Well I was wrong on that front. The Jasmine smelled like flowers and tasted exactly like it smelled, something that some shishas seem to have trouble with for some reason. But despite the quality of flavor, there simply wasn't enough of it. Some more flavor would have made this shisha simply excellent. The smoke was thick (once we figured out the coals) and the buzz was strong. All in all, a bit on the weaker side, but still very enjoyable through and through.
Conclusion:
A solid but subtle flavor that any tea aficionado would appreciate.
B+
Al Fakher Jasmine
Methodology:
-20 hits/person over 30 minutes
-3 individuals in the circle
-1 Coco Nara coal, offset holes rotated every few passes
-3-hose Mya Staff filled with ice water, small Heba diffuser attached
First Impressions:
Aroma was simply fantastic, smelled exactly like jasmine tea leaves. Very juicy, no stems. Finer cut, but not as thin as Hookah-Hookah.
Post Mortem:
Somewhat blackened, but still surprisingly juicy and aromatic. Almost didn't want to throw it away, but the foil started to burn.
Pros:
-Strong aroma of jasmine tea
-Thick smoke
-Decent buzz
Cons:
-Flavor was a little weak
Andrew's Thoughts:
Al Fakher is a giant in the American shisha market, and we felt obligated to give it a shot. As one of the few non-premium tobaccos out there consistently getting good reviews, I was excited to see what all the buzz is about (pardon the pun). Happily, Jasmine largely lived up to the hype. The smoke was thick and smooth, and though the bowl died with what appeared to be a smokeable mass remaining, that could have been an issue with our coals dying (we've been having lots of fun with coals lately). Though I wasn't knocked on my butt the way I am with Romman, I definitely felt some nicotine, which was likely enhanced by my dogged attempts at improving my smoke rings. The shisha smells fantastic, just like taking a tin of jasmine tea and holding it up to your nose. Unfortunately the flavor was not as strong, but then jasmine tea always smells stronger than it tastes.
Eric's Thoughts:
With the majority of my smoking experience falling within the Romman brand, I'm always open to try a new one. There's a fair amount I don't remember about smoking hookah before I owned my own, but one thing I do remember is that Al Fahker was a brand that we typically bought, due to its ready availability in the stores closer to home. But despite this, I was still slightly skeptical that Al Fahker would be able to stand up to our usual standards. Well I was wrong on that front. The Jasmine smelled like flowers and tasted exactly like it smelled, something that some shishas seem to have trouble with for some reason. But despite the quality of flavor, there simply wasn't enough of it. Some more flavor would have made this shisha simply excellent. The smoke was thick (once we figured out the coals) and the buzz was strong. All in all, a bit on the weaker side, but still very enjoyable through and through.
Conclusion:
A solid but subtle flavor that any tea aficionado would appreciate.
B+
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