Lakemonster Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Hell....... maybe a review thing... but I dont know know if its so much a review of a particular tobacco, or a report about a whole different animal! I got wrapped up with work early today and decided to try the "Jurak" I bought in DFW whilst up there last weekend. To bring those who arent into the know... Jurak/Tombek/Tombeki is a form of tobacco for the hookah. Unlike the stuff most are used to, it lacks additives and requires soaking before smoke time. The stuff is really just whole tobacco leaves that must be soaked in water for several hours before smoking. It contains no: molasses, Glycerin, honey, added flavoring. Basically it is whole tobacco leaves. See picture below. It is a bundle of it after the packaging is removed. [img]http://hookahnation.net/lakepics/jurak.jpg[/img] Pretty light colored tobacco, huh? Well..... this leads me to believe that this stuff has not undergone the phases of fermentation like we see here in the west. Due to the apparent lack of this process, I expected it to be harsh and scratchy....... but any way......... I soaked the tobacco for as long as it takes to soak some Guajillo peppers (Im havin enchiladas tonight)..... around 2 hrs.... hers a pic of the leaves before removing from the soak. [img]http://hookahnation.net/lakepics/juraksoak.jpg[/img] I dont have a bowl that has the wire netting around it that is traditionally used for smoking this stuff...... so I did with what I had and violated a Tangiers bowl. Afer a kwik squeeze over the sink to remove excess water, I tore up the tobacco in a rough fashion and packed a head. Next I lit up a crap load of coals since it seemed like a good idea under the circumstances... turns out that more heat is a good idea. Check da head pic below. [img]http://hookahnation.net/lakepics/jurakload.jpg[/img] I fully imagined this stuff was going to taste like a cigar. It didnt. In all actuality it tasted like Latakia tobacco without the geranium/perfume taste to it..... just a mild smokey taste from the fire curing. If you like pipe tobacco, you'll probbably want to give this stuff a shot. No creamy white clouds...... no fruity flavs, just a haunting flavor of fire cured tobacco. This stuff does pack a fairly heady nicotine buzz....... kinda like from having a cigarette after a long period without or some chew or Skoal for a newcomer. I was surprised at the inhalability of the stuff. it was much harsher than garden variety hookah tobacco.... it had the scratchiness of a Menthol cigarette....... not as much as trying to inhale pipe or cigar tobacco. Interesting is the word for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 So what was the smoke like??? I know you said no creamy white clounds, what would you describe it as? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted November 3, 2006 Author Share Posted November 3, 2006 Like smoking a cigarette at best.. as far as thickness... I think that if I had used less tobacco that the smoke would have been thicker...... but I fear that it would have been harsher as well. It does have a much fuller flavor than a cigarette in the way of a slight Zag taste.... but more of a fire cured Oriental tobacco taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skimo Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Wow I thought Zag was the natural stuff but thats fucking leaves man, I have to try it, pretty good tobacco taste? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thadeus Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 So basically it's like smoking a really strong cigarette? That's the idea I'm getting from your description. At any rate, you're right, it is quite interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted November 3, 2006 Author Share Posted November 3, 2006 If I were to give it as scientific a description as possible....... its like: Oriental, Fire cured tobacco that tastes like un-cavendish pressed pipe tobacco. It has forenotes that represent a dry Zagloul and backnotes of a Latakia without the perfume and half of the "campfire" taste. Probably still cured over a Camel Dung fire................. lol. (seriously) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thadeus Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Hmm.. I've never smoked any of the tobaccos you've listed, so I guess the only way I can get an idea is to try it for myself. Might be something I look into in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted November 3, 2006 Author Share Posted November 3, 2006 [quote]Oriental, Fire cured tobacco that tastes like un-cavendish pressed pipe tobacco.[/quote] Please add (in your reading) "and un-cased" after Un-Cavendish in quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Sweet review Lake! Is this stuff available anywhere in particular online? Sounds like something right up my alley (I smoked pipes for years before falling in love with hookah). Give me a link or something if you've got one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzzzzT Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 I have seen it rolled up like a cigar on a narrow bowl with the coals piled up on top. There are some good narrow Syrian bowls that I have seen that would appear good for this. Here is a picture to show what it looks like. [url="http://www.fotosearch.com/ICN001/f0011610/"]http://www.fotosearch.com/ICN001/f0011610/[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted November 3, 2006 Author Share Posted November 3, 2006 zzzzzzzzzzt. That pic is a trip..... I imagine you could prolly just wrap the leaf around the tip of the stem where a bowl normally seats. I gotta try it like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adi Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Looks like some nice tombeik. Wish that hookahcompany wasn't out of it. (tobaccoimportusa.com) has the bowls with the wire cage thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted November 3, 2006 Author Share Posted November 3, 2006 Im going to be making a call in a few days to see about an online source for this stuff. I didnt know Hookahcompany was out.... hmmmmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanguineSolitude Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 thats not actually the right bowl since lake is smoking jurak and not tombek which is different. the wire mesh one that was posted from tobaccoimportusa is right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted November 3, 2006 Author Share Posted November 3, 2006 Ok.. so I just made up a "head" the way zzzzzzT had posted in that pic...... or as close as I can come to it. heres a pic: [img]http://hookahnation.net/lakepics/jurakwrap.jpg[/img] This time after a soak, I pressed each peice with a piece of paper towel to dry it off well. I staggered the wrap using larger whole pieces then some end cuts and then more solid pieces of leaf.....finishing off with a large piece. I cut away the stem part that runs down the leaf longwise before smoking... who wants to smoke that big old twig?!?!?(cant remember much from botany) Im gonna let this thing dry out a bit and smoke it in a few hrs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azcoyote Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Nice job Lakemonster. That looks really cool. I salute your spirit of exploration! Can't wait to hear the results of your smoking adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macho555 Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 I have to order some of that stuff when Hookah Company is back in stock. It looks like a good smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzzzzT Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Wow looks good!!! I really really want to try some of this. As a longtime cigar smoker this really appeals to me. I imagine it is kinda like rolling a cigar. I wonder what they mean by wetting the tobacco. Do you soak it or just get it wet to make it pliable. I imagine a good soak will take some of the bite off it. That tobacco looks damn good on that hookah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUXOR HOOKAHS Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Yes, that really does look good. I think I will try that wrap. I tried this tobacco before, but I just wet it and chopped it up like regular shisha, VERY harsh when it's smoked that way. Or maybe just old leaves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted November 3, 2006 Author Share Posted November 3, 2006 I just got done... I really think I should have let it dry more. I'm gonna try this again, but this time Im gonna basically roll up a cigar out of it first and then wrap the cigar to the stem with another couple of leaves. The way I did that one ended up being really restrictive. It is harsh..... not really inhalable.... but an interesting smoke for just puffing on.. .. I think that the drier it gets, the more it tastes like a cigar..... I'll probably try sprinkling in a wee bit of my favorite pipe tobacco as I go..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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