Abed Elkader

[MR Bubble]

Well gang, I received my order from Smoking-hookah.com on Sunday. Yes, Sunday believe it or not. I had written this review last night, but accidently hit the "back" button on my mouse, oblitterating the post. Now, I'm gonna do it again. So there. I'm doing a bowl of the Abed Elkader single apple. I was very excited for this massel, but it's not living up to my expectations. Let's just start from the beginning.
This tobacco is in fact from Kfar Yasif, Israel. They do have a web site: [url="http://www.abedalkadertobacco.com"]www.abedalkadertobacco.com[/url] . You need to speak either Hebrew or Arabic to read it. But from what I gather, it is a store that specializes in Nakhla products. Even their hookahs vases have nakhla logos on them. Kinda cool. Now, my question is: where is this Abed Elkader tobacco? Where does it come in? Strange. Before you say it is nothing more than Nakhla, guess again. This tobacco is the most beautiful looking golded brown tobacco any man has ever laid eyes on. Beautious! Finer cut than Nakhla and almost twice as wet, but not quite like an AF grade. Like the Habibi single apple, this is another version of a light double apple. Actually it tasted pretty good. A nice light double apple. I just wonder what their 2 versions of double apple are like. They have a red (hard) double apple and a yellow (lighter) double apple. I'm not overly impressed because I was hoping for an "apple" as we know it and being from an origin we are not accustomed to I was hoping for a unique apple. I'll just hope again. Well, there are some unique properties here: A touch of mint or menthol, and a twist of tangyness. The slight "apple" tang can almost be overlooked by some as they will be focused on the mintiness that makes this almost a refreshing double apple flavor. The tangyness is sensed while the smoke is brushing against the tongue on the inhale stroke. That's it. Nothing else that says "hey, I'm different." Well, notheing else besides the cheesey can it comes in. That is almost worth the $5.50 for 100 grams. I'm almost dissapointed ecept for that ever so slight apple sour. But remember, nothing very noticeable. And yes, the sweet-sour does taste like apple once the liccorice and mint subside after about 10 minutes. But once again, it is to faint to be very impressive. If that was pumped up more and the liccorice and mint were taken out of the mix, this could be good enough to buy again. Well, I've rambled on enough to confuse even me, so I'l just geton with making emoticons and be done with it.
Flavor Well, if you look deep enough within Grasshopper, you will notice the slight apple flavor that is a bit on the sour side, but you won't detect it until about 15 minutes into the smoke. Other than that, a clean, mild double apple. that has a slight realistic appley flavor in the background. Way back there. Way,way back there somewhere. Once noticed, it does taste very nice.
Smoke density: Seen better rolling of my sneakers on my 2 mile run once apon a time. But not bad. It smokes but several brands will smoke it. Pun intended!
Buzz Factor Ooh. Yep, the 2x4 treatment. But the good news is it doesn't last long after the smoke. It is a nice, but short-lived sloppy buzz.
Nose hitability:[img]http://hookahforum.com/forum/smileys/smiley22.gif[/img] Hugh? Nose hit? when? Yeah, nothing to brag about.
Satisfaction It smoked. I don't want another smoke, so I guess it is a lung-filling success.
Bottom line: Look, if you like the prospect of a double apple that doesn't blow you away with an over-abundance of liccorice, this single apple may do it. What you don't hve to endure in the liccorice department, you will surely get in the mint area. I would compair it to a weakened version of AL Waha double apple, but with a tad more apple flavor (sour apple) in the background that is easy to pass unnoticed. Tomorrow I will be testing the Abed Alkader liccorice. I just wonder if it will taste anything like apples?
All in all, I will rate this at a 6.5 for the refreshing aspect.
Hope you can figure this out!
MR Bubble

[mushrat]

Impressive. In a mediocre kinda way...
So where did you find this stuff?

[mushrat]

oh wait..i read it again....nm.

[alen]

thanks for the review mr b- allways this licorice  the only apple ive found without licorice is fakher standard apple -quema apple -the esk -golden baharaini and nakhlas esk  i dont know why they have to add this licorice in everything called apple - myself as you know loves double apple and licorice so i never have any problems with that-
my boss is in turkey right now and ive asked him to buy all the different apple tobacco and rare brands he can find down there so well see
Alen

[MR Bubble]

I love liccorice things too Alen. But I really want a straight apple. Even Nakhla's apple is good, because it doesn't come out as a double apple. In fact it is my favorite apple. Well, you know that. I'm going to do the liccorice as soon as I get the kids washed and in bed. Stay tuned!
MR Bubble

[MR Bubble]

Hokay! I'm back feeling suicidal enough to do the Abed Alkader Liccorice flavor now.
Loks just as beautiful as the apple was the two previous nights. I can say they are consistant in that department, except for the big honkin' tree trunk in this one. "Just a good ol' soup bone," I keep telling myself. "Good for the flavor, you know."
Smoking it is a sobering experience. So, who really, I mean REALLY likes getting their butt kicked? I mean a couple good kicks in the groin. In other words, Who really likes being the recipient of a good old fashioned country butt kicking? Weelll, just smoke this brew! Lung expansion at its finest! For those of you who don't like black liccorice, compair it to being drowned in a giant vat of molten black liccorice, while hung-over, tarred and feathered. I'm so excited, can't you tell? For those of you who adore black liccorice, then this is like dying, and finding out heaven is made of black liccorice -everything! Oh yeah baby.
Seriously, not much to tell here. It is almost a perfect rendition of black liccorice, to the finest detail! My tongue is even going numb on the tip, and my throat is coated in that liccorice goo-slime. Goes great with a cup of German Tchibo coffee. I said ALMOST perfect. The not-so-perfect flavor at play is that wonderful tobacco undertone  only found in those massels they use in the Middle-East. Not that stuff that's made here, that tastes like a Pall Mall.
Flavor: I love liccorice and this is liccorice. The man who appreciates black liccorice knows (like the back of his hand) evey store that sells black liccorice sticks in town. That stuff is hard to come by nowadays in America. When the bowl first started off, I got "zero" liccorice taste. It was just that sweet wad of goo flavor, but by the 4th hit, I knew where I was headed and I knew this was going to be good!
Smoke Density: Much better than the apple. I have to wave my hand to clear the smoke, so I can see the keyboard to type. Almost on par with Nakhla's smoke.
Buzz Factor Woo-hoo, I think. I'll tell you when I snap out of it. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy cotton ball walks along the cloud-9 with weapon in hand and all the silver-berry-scaley hairs you can stand to eat from our own paul newman's squirrel jerky arond the throat with the horizontally-challenged hooker! Wow. Im toast Get the flick?
Nose-hitability:  3 carpet-tacks dude! Just enough to let you realize you're up to something strange.
Satisfaction: Lung expansion at its bestest.
Closing Time: Gee, seems like our counterparts/not-so-popular counterparts (circle which applies) in Israel have discovered a way to pack the IDF in a can and export it to another country. Could this be the Israeli version of the Trojan Horse? Plenty of ungodly power packed in a little bowl. This is not for the lame-hearted. This is for people who love a shotgun blast to the lungs. A smoker like me dreams of massels like this at night (between the readheads bouncing around in lingerie). Oh, did I mention that you really have to love black liccorice to love this one? Very accurate flavor brought to you by John Wayne.  As the smoke is winding down (Not a very long laster, but longer than the apple) is mellows out and reminds me a little of AF Arc Sous. They make great pets by the way. The Arc Sous remains on my "wonderful smoke" list due to the originality of complex flavors, but this my friends is straight-up simple, to the point liccorice even when going weak.
If we are going to do numbered ratings, I will give it an easy 10 for being my butt- kicking dream come true.
"Take that Brother, may it serve you well." (The Beatles- Revolution #9)
MR Bubble

[alen]

 great review as always mr B -sounds real intresting  maybe time for some swapping
im going away on friday( time for some swedish pagan rituals over here- its midsummers eve and the day and night is equally long so there is a lot of partying going on all night)
ill pm you when im back- i have some real good quema for you to try if you havent tried it allready-great tobacco
Alen

[cypress]

Interesting. It scored a 10. I might have to try that some time. Thanks for the review.