Acclimation Thread

[mattarios2]

What do you guys think about making a thread (this one) where you can post brand + flavor and whether you found a significant difference in flavor and performance with acclimation. I know for washed shishas almost all of them need no acclimation, but for all tobaccos that are unwashed and the few that benefit that are washed. What do you think? I used to get quite a few PM's asking about Nakhla and Fusion back when Fusion was unwashed. For Tangiers (not sure if it would help) but people can post their location (exact zip code or a known area nearby) what flavor they smoked, whether they found it needed acclimation or not, how long they acclimated it to get significant results, and why. So someone may say Blue Gumball tastes like this, more often then not it is packing issues/heat issues, but there is a reasonable amount of people who have issues with acclimation, this thread could help determine if it is acclimation or something else based on multiple entries. I do understand climate and other factors play a large role, but I think this could at least help a little.

Quite often I see reviews whether it be on this forum, other forums, or youtube reviews where people say such and such a flavor tasted like soap, or this flavor tasted like pepper spray (lol) and the flavor really doesn't taste like soap or pepper spray it just needed acclimation. This thread would be a nice reference to check what flavors benefit from acclimation and why.

IE:

Nak Sherezade Cinnamon so many dislike it because they say it is too strong and on the inhale it is too sweet and too hot.

Well you could post

Nak Sherezade Cinnamon - Acclimate - Reduces the intense flavor that makes it almost impossible to smoke (24-48 Hours of acclimation)

Nak Cosmo Mix - Acclimate - Removes soapy taste (1-2 hours of acclimation )

Nak Mizo Peach - Acclimate - Removes cardboard taste some people notice. (1 Hour of acclimation )

For Tang you could go further and give a location or go even further than that and state the humidity/dew point/temp/etc when you tried it and when it worked and when it didn't work for you) It will also help the Tang folks that do struggle with acclimation but know some work without any issues. This way when I do want to buy a couple packs of Tang, I know which ones will most likely cause little to no trouble.

Just a thought ... what do you think?

[mattarios2]

Can't edit post.

You can also state what type of acclimation you used for Tang. Whether the 4/20 or constant acclimation, or instant acclimation worked. Maybe instant works better on Tang x,y,z flavors and 4/20 works better on a,b,c flavors. With enough reviews you may be able to find some patterns. Who knows!

[Chreees]

Sounds legit enough. I'll add:

Nakhla Double Apple: Acclimating tones down the anise flavor a bit and smokes better, IMO.

Nakhla Sherezade Chocomint: Acclimating helps tone down the mint and even out the flavor.

There's some more that I know, but they just aren't coming to mind right now. I'll ponder on it and post more later if they come to me.

[mattarios2]

Nakhla Mizo and OG Apricot - Acclimate - reduces soapy floralness (2 hours)

Nakhla OG Mixed Fruits - Acclimate - makes it taste less shitty but still shitty (2 hours)

Nakhla Mizo and OG cherry - Acclimate - reduces cough medicine taste if you don't like that taste (2-3 hours)

Nakhla Cappucinno - Acclimate - Helps reduce the burnt coffee bean taste that can turn into a bitter taste (2 hours)

Nakhla Coffee - Acclimate - helps reduce the coffee grind flavor that can be overpowering for some (3 hours)

Tangiers K Peach - Acclimate - Massachusetts - Closest city to me is New Bedford 10 miles from me zip 02740 - Only needed 1 hour of constant acclimation and smoked wonderfully.

[Coyote]

For Tangiers at least I think that daily/hourly humidity is in too much in flux to have a set acclimation time. Even in the same zipcode there are factors that can effect humidity... such as foliage, bodies of water, and sunlight.

IMO is best just to think about whats going on in the environment rather than relying on an outside source to tell you what you should do.

There are "flavor sheets" that will tell you if the flavour is more or less humidity resistant and that can help but for the most part after you get to know the flavour its easy to predict how it will perform under certain conditions.

[â€On]

I acclimate just about every brand and flavor to some degree. Whether it's 5 minutes, 20 minutes, an hour, or more, everything gets to air out a bit before I smoke it. To quote the prophet Jay-Z "Let that bitch beathe". I find that a quick acclimation helps with brands and flavors that have a "chemical" taste underlying them (AF, some of the Mizo flavors such as raspberry, Fumari, etc). If you have opened a container of AF after it has been sealed for a couple weeks, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The flavors become almost nauseating and headache inducing just smelling them, but exposure to air for 20 minutes helps immensely with these.

Honestly, I don't know why people think Tangiers is the only brand that requires acclimation.

[mattarios2]

[quote name='aeon' timestamp='1352912772' post='561252']
I acclimate just about every brand and flavor to some degree. Whether it's 5 minutes, 20 minutes, an hour, or more, everything gets to air out a bit before I smoke it. To quote the prophet Jay-Z "Let that bitch beathe". I find that a quick acclimation helps with brands and flavors that have a "chemical" taste underlying them (AF, some of the Mizo flavors such as raspberry, Fumari, etc). If you have opened a container of AF after it has been sealed for a couple weeks, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The flavors become almost nauseating and headache inducing just smelling them, but exposure to air for 20 minutes helps immensely with these.

[b]Honestly, I don't know why people think Tangiers is the only brand that requires acclimation.[/b]
[/quote]

I agree. But I will say it benefits the most with acclimation which may play a role in that belief.

[mattarios2]

[quote name='Coyote' timestamp='1352910639' post='561246']
[b]For Tangiers at least I think that daily/hourly humidity is in too much in flux to have a set acclimation time. Even in the same zipcode there are factors that can effect humidity... such as foliage, bodies of water, and sunlight.[/b]

IMO is best just to think about whats going on in the environment rather than relying on an outside source to tell you what you should do.

[b]There are "flavor sheets" that will tell you if the flavour is more or less humidity resistant and that can help but for the most part after you get to know the flavour its easy to predict how it will perform under certain conditions.[/b]
[/quote]

Yeah I hear ya. Many people just don't want to deal with "getting to know flavours" it's easier to just say meh didn't work and toss it aside. A nice list of of all of the flavors with a rating from 1-10 on ease of acclimation would be cool I think. How are the flavor sheets laid out, got a link by any chance?

[Stuie]

I acclimate anything Citrus. Just always seems to smoke better. Plus storage for along time sucks my lock'n'locks inward like they are imploding if I don't.

[mattarios2]

[quote name='Stuie' timestamp='1352924713' post='561303']
I acclimate anything Citrus. Just always seems to smoke better. Plus storage for along time sucks my lock'n'locks inward like they are imploding if I don't.
[/quote]

yeah I do find most citrus flavors to benefit as well. They just get a foul overly strong smell when they are sealed up for a while.

[Coyote]

[quote name='mattarios2' timestamp='1352914228' post='561265']
[quote name='Coyote' timestamp='1352910639' post='561246']
[b]For Tangiers at least I think that daily/hourly humidity is in too much in flux to have a set acclimation time. Even in the same zipcode there are factors that can effect humidity... such as foliage, bodies of water, and sunlight.[/b]

IMO is best just to think about whats going on in the environment rather than relying on an outside source to tell you what you should do.

[b]There are "flavor sheets" that will tell you if the flavour is more or less humidity resistant and that can help but for the most part after you get to know the flavour its easy to predict how it will perform under certain conditions.[/b]
[/quote]

Yeah I hear ya. Many people just don't want to deal with "getting to know flavours" it's easier to just say meh didn't work and toss it aside. A nice list of of all of the flavors with a rating from 1-10 on ease of acclimation would be cool I think. How are the flavor sheets laid out, got a link by any chance?
[/quote]

"It must be a bad batch." is one I hear a lot

Someone else can direct you to the flavor sheet link................

[â€On]

[quote name='Coyote' timestamp='1352998449' post='561570']

[b]"It must be a bad batch." is one I hear a lot[/b]

Someone else can direct you to the flavor sheet link................
[/quote]

Have you ever legitimately encountered a bad batch? The classic raspberry and the tropical revenge I got both always tasted off and I have never been sure if that was the intended taste and I just really didn't like them, or if they were "bad batches".

[ezxen]

Tangiers ololiuqui

Smell difference/taste difference with acclimation

instant acclimation method - Smell Root beer cola type with sweet floral
Flavor was prettly close to the smell but with citrus accents

2-4 hours opened then 24 closed - Smell Root beer smell is gone cola is still slitly present cirtus and floral smell are now dominant
Flavor is better . Now sweet citrus taste with cola and floral accents.

first time getting enough of a difference in taste with further acclimation

[Coyote]

[quote name='aeon' timestamp='1353006583' post='561582']
[quote name='Coyote' timestamp='1352998449' post='561570']
[b]"It must be a bad batch." is one I hear a lot[/b]

Someone else can direct you to the flavor sheet link................
[/quote]

Have you ever legitimately encountered a bad batch? The classic raspberry and the tropical revenge I got both always tasted off and I have never been sure if that was the intended taste and I just really didn't like them, or if they were "bad batches".
[/quote]

I can't be sure about your Tropical Revenge but I do know that Classic Raspberry is quite humidity sensitive and finnicky. Its was meant to be a very subtle flavour you will get lots of tobacco overtones in that one. I've given up on that one myself...

[â€On]

Okay, the Classic Raspberry I've got is probably alright then. The Tropical Revenge I've got just seemed to be almost devoid of smell and flavor and really strong tobacco overtones. It was also a much thicker cut than normally and a bit drier.

[Coyote]

[quote name='aeon' timestamp='1353260579' post='561952']
Okay, the Classic Raspberry I've got is probably alright then. The Tropical Revenge I've got just seemed to be almost devoid of smell and flavor and really strong tobacco overtones. It was also a much thicker cut than normally and a bit drier.
[/quote]

thats interesting. Where did you get it? Was the vaccuum seal intact in the pouch? Some flavours are drier than others.

Sounds like it could use some acclimation.

[â€On]

[quote name='Coyote' timestamp='1353336449' post='562056']
[quote name='aeon' timestamp='1353260579' post='561952']
Okay, the Classic Raspberry I've got is probably alright then. The Tropical Revenge I've got just seemed to be almost devoid of smell and flavor and really strong tobacco overtones. It was also a much thicker cut than normally and a bit drier.
[/quote]

thats interesting. Where did you get it? Was the vaccuum seal intact in the pouch? Some flavours are drier than others.

Sounds like it could use some acclimation.
[/quote]

I got it either from 5star or ultimate, and I have not had problems with any other flavors from either. Vaccuum seal was intact.
I tried doing the 4/20 once, and it still wasn't right, so I repeated, and repeated again. Still nothing. So, I sealed it up and let it sit for a week or so and when I came back to it there wasn't much change, so I tried again and still nothing (which is what led me to believe it was a bad batch). I think it's just not a flavor that works well here, because it didn't seem to want to budge with acclimation.

[Coyote]

[quote name='aeon' timestamp='1353348146' post='562090']
[quote name='Coyote' timestamp='1353336449' post='562056']
[quote name='aeon' timestamp='1353260579' post='561952']
Okay, the Classic Raspberry I've got is probably alright then. The Tropical Revenge I've got just seemed to be almost devoid of smell and flavor and really strong tobacco overtones. It was also a much thicker cut than normally and a bit drier.
[/quote]

thats interesting. Where did you get it? Was the vaccuum seal intact in the pouch? Some flavours are drier than others.

Sounds like it could use some acclimation.
[/quote]

I got it either from 5star or ultimate, and I have not had problems with any other flavors from either. Vaccuum seal was intact.
I tried doing the 4/20 once, and it still wasn't right, so I repeated, and repeated again. Still nothing. So, I sealed it up and let it sit for a week or so and when I came back to it there wasn't much change, so I tried again and still nothing (which is what led me to believe it was a bad batch). I think it's just not a flavor that works well here, because it didn't seem to want to budge with acclimation.
[/quote]

hm. Weird. I don't think its a bad batch otherwise we would have heard more feedback about it. Could be the climate.

Maybe Tropical Revenge::Edmonton as Classic Raspberry::Baltimore

[â€On]

Wouldn't surprise me if that was the case...there is a hell of a lot of difference in overall climate between here and SD. But, on the other side of things, I have never had problems with Orange Soda while many people in the south have.