HookaH HookaH Acai Berry + DA

[Lugia]

Been away for a while, but back when I was more active around these parts I smoked and reviewed my share of ma'assel, Romman and al-Waha in particular. I think I went through most all of the al-Waha flavors, in fact...although it wasn't until recently that I tried their Jasmine. Anyway, I digress...A new local shop is carrying the HH ma'assel in 50 and 250g jars. Never tried it, though. So I tossed $6 to the wind and picked up a 50g each of my old standby, Double Apple, and this mysterious "Acai Berry" that I'd not ever seen before in amongst the other flavors I've had.Tried the Acai first. First up, this is good-looking leaf...fine shreds, no stems, obviously top-shelf leaf being used in here. However, it seemed oddly dry as compared to the Mideastern ma'assels I've had over the years. Not very syrupy or sticky, more like it's just wet. Loaded up a bowl and fired up a Japanese coal, and worked on it...and worked...and worked...and...Well, eventually it started producing. But the smoke weight was pretty light. I'd almost describe it as 'flimsy'...the smoke and the flavor seemed to not hold together. And the flavor itself was...well, this sure wasn't something I was used to. One time, I had some Mouj al-Bahr White Grape, which was also sort of lightweight and off-tasting, and if you took that and left it under a rock for a few weeks, you might get the taste of this Acai Berry. Musty, off-grape, maybe a hint of blueberry to it, but not amazing. Worse still, the dryness of this stuff made the bowl catch after I put a second coal on, which I did because one coal wasn't cutting it at all. Never usually a problem with this with the brands I'm used to.Was this just a problem with the Acai Berry? Well...no. The Double Apple had similar issues. The smoke lacked weight, tasted 'incomplete'...I was wondering where the licorice tones were, when I realized I was also wondering where all the apple was as well. I didn't even make it to a second coal with this stuff; I threw it out, loaded up a bowl of al-Waha 5-Star instead to try and rid the blargh from my tastebuds. We're not talking a zaghloul-type 'yuck' reaction here, but more like abject disappointment in something that says Double Apple on the label but is more like a double-cross when it's on the machine and it's got a coal on it. I could've been smoking honey-soaked lint. Really.So anyway, I thought it might be prudent to pop back in and share these observations with the cognoscenti of ma'assel 'round these parts. Save your money, folks...or rather, spend it elsewhere on some quality tobacco. This stuff ain't got it goin' on.

[mushrat]

Thanks for the warning!
I recently got some HH orange. The consistancy was as you described, finely shredded and kinda watery.
The flavour and smoke on the other hander were quite good i recall.
Though I did torch a bowl of it like I've NEVER burned a bwol before..it was awful. My hookah, my hoses, the room, everythign tasted and smelled like burned tobacco,,,

[Sonthert]

I know a secret, but I won't tell. The competitors might be watching...