Brand/Flavor:
Tangiers Lucid Static Starlight
Methodology:
-34 hits/person over 50 minutes
-3 individuals in the circle
-KM Kafae filled with cold water, Razan hose, small phunnel bowl
-3 Coco Nara coals spaced evenly around the bowl
-Holes directly underneath the coals
First Impressions:
Very dark (basically black) and very moist, the smell is very hard to pinpoint, switching constantly between rose, grape and lemon. The cut is large and coarse. You can tell they are leaves, unlike other brands.
Post Mortem:
Cooked on the top, but still very moist on the bottom (this bowl was stopped early due to extenuating circumstances).
Pros:
-Thick smoke
-Great, complex flavor
-Flavors proportioned appropriately
Cons:
-Flavors didn't come through at first
-"Warm-up" time longer than usual
Andrew's Thoughts:
Having smoked Tangiers "Noir" (unwashed) line many times, I was a bit hesitant to try the Lucid line. I expected a lighter flavor and buzz but with a significantly less fussy tobacco, which is pretty much what I got. Having just had the Noir Static Starlight, I was less overwhelmed by the flavor, but I definitely can say it competed. I could readily distinguish the sour grape from the sweet, floral rose once the bowl got going, and the hint of lemon rounded out the two stronger flavors nicely. However, the flavor simply wasn't as heavy or defined as the Noir, which made it difficult to be as enthusiastic about. I understand this will not be a problem for most of our readers, but it certainly confirms for me that there are definite advantages beyond buzz to smoking Noir.
Eric's Thoughts:
This was my first Tangiers Lucid purchase, and I gotta say, it was worth every penny. I've smoked some tangiers noir before, oftentimes with little success, which is why I've tended towards the Lucid line. And after this, I'll likely be buying even more lucid line shisha from now on. The flavor was unlike anything I've had before. While most shishas that have multiple flavors mixed together taste flat (as if the multiple flavors are actually just one flavor meant to simulate more than one flavor...if that makes sense), this shisha manages to provide even more depth than one is used to. At the start of the bowl, grape dominated the flavor, but it soon gave to rose and lemon, finally blending out into a wonderful mixture of all three. I can say that I've never really experienced flavor shifting quite like this before. And on top of all this, the smoke was thick and the buzz was strong. Still though, despite all its strengths, it is not hard to imagine someone disliking this flavor. The grape is a bit on the artificial side and the rose can get a wee bit overpowering if its not a flavor that you like. Still though, this shisha embodies the notion of a flavor that is greater than the sum of its parts. All in all, a great shisha that I plan on buying again.
Peanut Gallery:
(Caroline)
Static Starlight is a truly amazing flavor. Its not often that you can distinctly taste every flavor in shisha, but with this you can and they all work wonderfully together. The grape is the most prominent, followed by the rose, and the lemon gives the whole flavor a nice tanginess. This is one of the best I have had from Tangiers, and is something I will definitely smoke again.
Conclusion:
A well-balanced, thoroughly enjoyable flavor that everyone should try.
A/A-
Tangiers Lucid Static Starlight
Methodology:
-34 hits/person over 50 minutes
-3 individuals in the circle
-KM Kafae filled with cold water, Razan hose, small phunnel bowl
-3 Coco Nara coals spaced evenly around the bowl
-Holes directly underneath the coals
First Impressions:
Very dark (basically black) and very moist, the smell is very hard to pinpoint, switching constantly between rose, grape and lemon. The cut is large and coarse. You can tell they are leaves, unlike other brands.
Post Mortem:
Cooked on the top, but still very moist on the bottom (this bowl was stopped early due to extenuating circumstances).
Pros:
-Thick smoke
-Great, complex flavor
-Flavors proportioned appropriately
Cons:
-Flavors didn't come through at first
-"Warm-up" time longer than usual
Andrew's Thoughts:
Having smoked Tangiers "Noir" (unwashed) line many times, I was a bit hesitant to try the Lucid line. I expected a lighter flavor and buzz but with a significantly less fussy tobacco, which is pretty much what I got. Having just had the Noir Static Starlight, I was less overwhelmed by the flavor, but I definitely can say it competed. I could readily distinguish the sour grape from the sweet, floral rose once the bowl got going, and the hint of lemon rounded out the two stronger flavors nicely. However, the flavor simply wasn't as heavy or defined as the Noir, which made it difficult to be as enthusiastic about. I understand this will not be a problem for most of our readers, but it certainly confirms for me that there are definite advantages beyond buzz to smoking Noir.
Eric's Thoughts:
This was my first Tangiers Lucid purchase, and I gotta say, it was worth every penny. I've smoked some tangiers noir before, oftentimes with little success, which is why I've tended towards the Lucid line. And after this, I'll likely be buying even more lucid line shisha from now on. The flavor was unlike anything I've had before. While most shishas that have multiple flavors mixed together taste flat (as if the multiple flavors are actually just one flavor meant to simulate more than one flavor...if that makes sense), this shisha manages to provide even more depth than one is used to. At the start of the bowl, grape dominated the flavor, but it soon gave to rose and lemon, finally blending out into a wonderful mixture of all three. I can say that I've never really experienced flavor shifting quite like this before. And on top of all this, the smoke was thick and the buzz was strong. Still though, despite all its strengths, it is not hard to imagine someone disliking this flavor. The grape is a bit on the artificial side and the rose can get a wee bit overpowering if its not a flavor that you like. Still though, this shisha embodies the notion of a flavor that is greater than the sum of its parts. All in all, a great shisha that I plan on buying again.
Peanut Gallery:
(Caroline)
Static Starlight is a truly amazing flavor. Its not often that you can distinctly taste every flavor in shisha, but with this you can and they all work wonderfully together. The grape is the most prominent, followed by the rose, and the lemon gives the whole flavor a nice tanginess. This is one of the best I have had from Tangiers, and is something I will definitely smoke again.
Conclusion:
A well-balanced, thoroughly enjoyable flavor that everyone should try.
A/A-
