Bubble tries Hookahhookahooboobadoo!

[MR Bubble]

Guten Abend, mein Damen und Herren.
I got hookahhookah, I got Hookahhookah, na-na-nee-doo-doo! Wow, this is real interesting stuff. The knock at my door seemed deafening as I had been waiting for the UPS dude. In case you don't know, Mathazar sent me 5 jars of hookahhookah tobacco out of the kindness of his heart. Thanks Mathazer!!! I thank you with all my gizzard! I didn't waste any small talk with the UPS guy, as I wanted to get down to business imediately! I opened the box only to be impressed with the little plastic jars containing the newest hookahforum legend. The first thing I did was open each one to examine the scent. Here is a list of the flavors I opened and smelled. Each one I smelled, I took it to MRS Bubble, coverd the label and asked her to guess what they were. So here are our takes:
Hazel nut: ME--Gormet hazel nut coffee. MRS-- German chocolate cake
Apple: ME-- Jolly Rancher sour apple candies  MRS-- Sour Apples
Pine Apple: ME-- Flippin Pineapples!   MRS-- Oh, I've smelled that before. Oh (while wringing her hands) I know, it's on the tip of...Pineapple!
Melon: ME-- Cantalope saturated in alcohol.  MRS-- (see above) "I give up" Oh, okay yea, I guess so. Kinda strong."
Margarita: ME-- Pine oil. No kidding. MRS-- "Whatever it is, I don't want any part. Which reminds me, I need to clean the toilets."
So, After much debate between the apple and hazelnut, I chose the hazelnut to try out. The first thing I have to point out is the incredibly fine cut of this witch's brew. Unlike anything I've seen before. It reminds me of shavings from an electric pencil sharpener. If there are any stems in it, they have destroyed the evidence. I also licked my fingers, but wasn't too impressed. Really bitter.
Smoking it is..... Well, uh.....very strange? Reasoning is this is a flavor that is non-standard. There is nothing to compare it to. The first thing I was hit by was the strength of the smoke. All along I'm bitching about the so-called "premium" being weak, but this provides a nice, powerful blast to the lungs that lets you know you are smoking. I like that, but there was not enough flavor to convince me this is hazelnut. Remember, I am just getting over a real bad bout with the crud. Therefore, I'm not overly-concerned at this point. Good news is the flavor really kicked in after 5 minutes or so. And man.... This is like eating a handfull of hazelnut something. Don't know what, but something is very, very hazelnutty. I wish it were  a little sweeter. But, after eating a handful of hazelnut something, I would normally have a full feeling, and this has the same effect. I think my brain is telling my stomach, "You damned hazelnut eating pig, you should be full!" And so be it. I sure feel full. But, I don not crave a cigarette. The Virginia tobacco is not as fine as the stuff the Mid-eastern manufacturers use. Even the "mutt" (Nakhla) use better tobacco, but this tobacco is more satisfying to me that any other one out there besides Nakhla and the limited amount of Habibi I have smoked before (I still thank Alen for that one). So, I guess I've babbled enough and you are probably ready for the review using emoticons, so here goes:
Flavor: Give me another chance with this one. I mean, PLEASE give me another chance. I think the crud is affecting me here, but from what I'm getting out of it, I'd say it is almost wonderful. Even though I don't care for the Virginia tobacco as much as the other Mid-east aquired ones, I did enjoy the first few minutes where the tobacco taste prevailed. Once the flavor kicked in, I thought of hazelnut coffe with no sugar, but with cream in it. I'm hoping the next shot will be sweeter when I clear up some. But I do like this, very,very much!
Smoke density: A real nice, dense smoke. I couldn't concentrate like I normally do, because MRS Bubble was talking, and talking, and then decided to talk. It did remind me of Falker. Not as dense as what you all call "puke," (Nakhla). but very nice thickness.
Nose-hitability: MY right nostril is free and open to the idea. At first, I detected no diference in taste, but on the exhale I got a new take on the flavor and really enjoyed it. Other than that, I rate it at 1 carpet tack. Oh, the smoke density was amazing on the exhale. So surprising for a nose-hit. (wouldn't half of you be disapointed if my nose-hits were a lie? Think about it. You are doing nose-hits yourselves and I'm laughing my butt off here with a virgin nose! Don't worry, I'm not lying.)
Buzz Factor: Hit me on my 3rd hit. No lie. I didn't want to fall down, but it is a "diferent" type of shisha buzz. It does seem to be strong buzz (to me) but not as sloppy as Nakhla and not as tight as Falker.
Final take: This is a massel I want to smoke more and more of. It is just that good. The weird tobacco taste (which is not bad. In fact I really enjoyed it) gives me the satisfied smoking feeling with a little puch. Something weird happened when the flavor was going dim: It took on a slight taste of custard. Really, custard. Anyone else get that feeling? Makes me wish someone had a good, strong custard flavor out there. Finally, a quality smoke that satisfies me. Wow.
Tomorrow night will be the apple. Gotta have my apple!
Cheers brother-men and thanks again to Mathazar!
MR Bubble

[Mathazar]

My pleasure! Hope you enjoy the others just as much 

[E.G.]

Just want to say that it's great to read your lovingly constructed reviews again!
E.G.

[Mathazar]

I just thought I'd mention that although the Melon does have a strong
alcohol scent to it,  it's probably the BEST of the bunch in
flavor,  next to the Hazelnut.  It's too bad you're not a
smokeaholic like me,  because then we'd have multiple reviews to
read right now 

But,  I guess stringing it out over a week gives us something to look forward to

Btw,  great review of the Hazelnut 

[Mathazar]

Looking forward to your next review,  MR Bubble,  hopefully tonite 

[MR Bubble]

Happy Friday!
I'm off today, so I figured this is the ideal time for a review of Hookahhookah apple flavor!
Once again, when I opened the jar and bag, I was reminded of the time I lived down the street from the Jolly Rancher factory and my nights were spent drooling whenever they were making the sour apple candy. By the way, that was in Arvada, Colorado. The consistency of this Devil's brew is the same as the Hazelnut was: pecil sharpener shavings. So fine I wonder how it doesn't clog the bowl.
Smoking it is similar to smoking the hazelnut. The taste of the tobacco almost overpowers the flavor. In fact, this is a more powerful smoke than the hazelnut was. The BIG problem is the taste of the apple is almost completely lost. Maybe I need to fine-tune my hole making technique for this brand. I have tons and tons of smoke, but little apple. So much smoke that I'm coughing too much for smoking a so-called "premium" massel. Hey, can the stuff made here in the U.S. really be called massel? What apple flavor I DO taste is very much like granny smith apples. However, the overpowering tobacco puts a much too bitter cap on it. And you all bitch about Nakhla?
Okay, I'm back now. Antone remember the post from the guy (on the first page of the forum when it was just a few months old) who had to blow mud whenever he smoked? Well, I'm feeling like him now. I also had to hang up the apple smoke after about 10 minutes. Than was not good. Sorry Mathazar. Just have patience because I know I had to have done something wrong. Nothing that smells this darned good can possible taste this awful! NOTHING! I will try this again later this evening. Something went wrong. It did not burn, but this is the most powerful shisha smoke I've ever had. I'v already had a few cigarettes this morning, but absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the niccotine ruch this bre started. I think my blood pressure pills were just cancelled out. Pitty, because I was really impressed with whatever apple flavor was coming through. Alen compared this to an apple juice. I can see why, but it just wasn't sweet enough for that with me. I guess that's a good thing, but that Virginia tobacco messed it all up. Remember, I will be attempting this again tonight, but since I'm already here, I'll go ahead and break out my little box of emoticons and paint a picture of it for you:
Flavor: apple is good (my favorite) but there wasn't enough apple that would come out of hiding behind the tobacco. The tobacco is very, very pronounced here. Call me silly, but the flavor of the tobacco with the slight sweetness of the apple flavoring reminded me of accidently swallowing Red Man chewing tobacco. Not a ride you want to take often.
Smoke density Oh yes, there is a plus side to this. Nice, plentiful cloud of the white stuff.
Buzz factor:  Made me poop, didn't it? This trip was not necessary.
General feeling of wellness: Are you kidding me? okay, here it is .
I had to have done something wrong. I will try again later Mat. I promise, but I will approach the hookah slowly and deliberately. It'll look like a shot from "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" . I'm thinking smaller toothpick holes. Hopefully I can create a little more resistance in airflow. that may help the apple flavor come through, while cancelling the sheer power of tobacco. We'll see.
Talk to you guys later.
Cheers,
MR Bubble

[MR Bubble]

Oh, the nose-hitability was: Reason? the flavor thing screwed it up so badly I couldn't enjoy the weird sensation of a 3-CARPET TACK experience!
Bye for now,
MR Bubble

[Mathazar]

You're not screwing anything up,  MR B,  I called the company
earlier this week and complained that I was STRUGGLING to taste
ANYTHING with the Apple.  This is really odd,  because 
they just recently re-formulated the Apple to have a stronger
flavor.  And when I first ordered this stuff a few months
ago,  it was ASTOUNDING!!! 

But,  it has gone down hill since then.  Something I tried
this morning may help you out.  Instead of stirring the tobacco
just before you smoke it,  an hour or two before you smoke it turn
the jar upside down so that the syrup will drench the tobacco toward
the top of the jar.  So when you open it,  you won't have to
stir it and all the great flavor will already be there for you to
smoke.  I think one of the problems with the flavor is that
because of the fine cut,  the liquid drips out of the bowl while
smoking it,  so that after a short period of time goes by, 
most of the liquid that was supposed to be evaporated is sitting in
your charcoal tray,  and that's where the flavor is going.

In the coming weeks or months,  Hookah-Hookah will be utilizing a
different cut of the tobacco.  It'll be more like Fakher, 
thus hopefully eliminating the leakage of syrup from the bowl and
giving you more smoking time.

MR B......after you've poked holes thru the top of the bowl,  go
in from underneith and poke a few holes thru the bottom of the
bowl.  I've had tremendous success with that technique.  It
provides airholes so that the heat can be more evenly distributed and
so that you get a better draw.  My tobacco has been burning much
less since I've utilized this technique,  and I like to fill the
bowl.

Give it a try,  and I'll be looking forward to your next review 

[MR Bubble]

Okay hookah-hawgs, I'm trying the apple again. All the cut and consistency and blah-blah-blah... Still the same. The smoking part is a little more gentle. I took Mathazer's advice and turned my jar upside down for an hour before before I loaded the bowl. I also poked some holes up through the underside of the bowl in accordance with his suggestion. I normally make small cuts (as opposed to holes) in the foil with my tongs. (hint, hint on how I get Nakhla tasting right) The power of the tobacco isn't knocking me over this time. I still taste the tobacco more than the apple flavor. MUCH more but I'm getting more apple this time. What apple I do taste is quite impressive because it is so different from anything I've ever had. Alen is accurate in his description of it as a juice. However, I can also pick up on the taste of the apple peel! Kind of a weird "tastes like the smell of fresh produce" thing. Hard to explain because you would have to be me to understand and you really don't want to be me. Also, an ever so slight lemmony taste in the background reminds me of splash lemon-lime. Go figure. I'm now getting a little burn started, probably because I'm lunging it pretty good. So, without further delay, I give you emoticons.
Flavor: Not quite the sour apple Jolly Rancher it smells like, but a very weak, but unique, fresh apple peel flavor that takes a very, very distant back seat to the somewhat bitter taste of the tobacco. Not too bad of a combination for someone who doesn't like overpowering flavors. I do prefer the tobacco mixes found in middle eastern brands better.
Smoke density: . Not the total white-out condition of some, but plenty good at masking your King's position on the chess board when the need arises.
Buzz factor:  Oh Hell.
Nose-hitability: Oh dude. We are talking about a 4 (read it:FOUR) carpet tack nose hit rating here! It seems to push on my frontal lobe, giving it a tickling massage. Ohhhh. Lobotomy-in-a-can.
Closing thoughts: Much better than my first attempt this morning. I think my biggest factor in success was the smaller airholes and Mathazer's suggestion to turn the can upside down an hour prior to ignition time. Once again, this is a massel for those who don't like the overpowering taste of the fruit and who want to enjoy the tobacco more. Some will like the tobacco, but, like Splash, the tobacco just isn't for me. Mathazer claims Hookahhookah is re-tweaking the apple flavor and I will be very interested to taste the final result. If they give the apple just a little more punch while retaining the apple qualities, this will be an awsome apple smoke!
G-day,
MR Bubble
Oh, tomorrow's review will be the melon!! woohoo!

[Mathazar]

Yayyyy........Melon!!! 

I suspect Melon will get a MUCH better rating than the Apple.  Hey King Mo liked it,  so it MUST be good 

Very insightful review.....I'll pass your comments on to the company

[Mathazar]

I'm REALLY looking forward to your next review buddy,  hopefully sometime today

Maybe you could squeeze in 2 reviews.  I'm really interested to read your comments on the Pineapple & Margarita 

[Mathazar]

Putting Ice in the vase REALLY makes a TREMENDOUS difference in the
quality of your smoke with  Hookah-Hookah ma'assel.  Try it
out,  I know you won't be disappointed 

[hookaman]

You guys, about this poking holes through the bottom business, I dont fully get it. Do you just stick the tooth pick in the tobacco from the bottom, or do u poke holes in the foil from the bottom.

[NERV]

Math, Mr. B, which flavors would you say had the strongest and most
enjoyable flavors, actual realism of the the flavor isnt as important
as enjoyablility to me

[Mathazar]

Margarita and Pineapple,  in my opinion have the GREATEST
flavors. Hazelnut and Apple have REALLY gone downhill in
recent months for whatever reason.

Order Margarita and Pineapple and I promise you won't be disappointed 

About poking holes thru the bottom,  that was my idea and I don't
say that in a conceited way,  I only say it so that I can fully
explain my reasoning behind it.  The reason I poke holes thru the
bottom is to create airholes so the bowl can breathe and give me a
better draw instead of a tight draw.  Because of Hookah-Hookah's
fine granular cut of the tobacco,  it tends to get packed down
easily when loading the bowl,  and that creates a tight
draw.  Poking holes in the bottom ensures that you DON'T have a
tight draw.  It also disperses the heat better so that your
tobacco doesn't burn as easily as it would if there was no way for the
heat to escape the bowl.  Well,  that's my opinion, 
you're more than welcome to argue that point if you want. 
But,  that was just my experience with poking holes thru the
bottom of the bowl.  There's around 6 holes in the bowl,  and
I poke holes thru all of them AFTER poking holes thru the top.  I
do differen't patterns of holes,  sometimes rectangular, 
sometimes circular,  but everytime I poke a mininum of around 50
to 60 holes.  Rectangular,  because of the type of charcoal I
use,  my charcoal is the Natural Wooden Charcoal and it's
triangular finger-type charcoal.  So the rectangular shape really
works well,  as do poking holes thru the bottom 

[Mathazar]

Correction:  Margarita,  Pineapple,  and Melon. 
Grape is also good,  but it's a very subtle flavor.  All the
other flavors I would avoid.  Within the next week they'll be
coming out with Kiwi & Pina Colada,  and from what I
hear,  the Kiwi is supposed to be AWESOME!!!  Pina Colada is
supposed to taste like Coconut, but it's supposed to be
good.  That's what my source inside the company tells me,  if
he's lying,  well then I have no control over that. 
But,  I will be ordering those flavors,  and I'll let you
know how they smoke 

[cypress]

[quote name='Mathazar']About poking holes thru the bottom,  that was my idea and I don't
say that in a conceited way,  I only say it so that I can fully
explain my reasoning behind it.  The reason I poke holes thru the
bottom is to create airholes so the bowl can breathe and give me a
better draw instead of a tight draw.  Because of Hookah-Hookah's
fine granular cut of the tobacco,  it tends to get packed down
easily when loading the bowl,  and that creates a tight
draw.  Poking holes in the bottom ensures that you DON'T have a
tight draw.  It also disperses the heat better so that your
tobacco doesn't burn as easily as it would if there was no way for the
heat to escape the bowl.   [/quote]

I would agree with you on this point. The draw is important in ejoying
a good smoking session.  By poking the holes it allows a cleared
path for the air to go though.

[NERV]

i have memorized the location of the holes in my bowl so when i poke
the holes i go thru the foil, thru the tobacco, thru the hole, if you
care to memorize the locations or dont mind poking around a little its
a pretty easy way to open up some airflow

[King Mo]

if you sprinkle the tobacco in, the there should be no need to do any holes through the bottom.
at most, after sprinkling, when you poke the holes (i use a pin), poke them in deeply to the bottom.
it's very straightforward, poke deep, and sprinkle the tobacco without 'compressing' it.
No other thing is necessary. If you are still getting a tight inhalation, then you are overfilling.
asat (as simple as that )

[Mathazar]

Well,  that may be true with Romman and AF,  but with
Hookah-Hookah tobacco because of the consistancy of the fine granular
cut you have to spread it out in order to make it fit correctly in the
bowl. And in doing so,  the tobacco tends to get
packed-down,  thus restricting airflow.  Which, of course, is
why I poke holes thru the bottom. 

The other reason I go thru the bottom is because going thru the top
pushes tobacco down thru the holes,  which results in tobacco
entering the tubing chamber.  That would especially be true with
Romman and Al-Fakher because shreds of the tobacco would easily get
snagged by the toothpick and result in clogging the smoke chamber.

It's been my experience that it's FAR better poking holes thru the
bottom after you've poked the holes thru the top.  Infact, 
in my opinion,  every effort should be made NOT to allow the
toothpick or pin to enter the bowl's holes from the top,  for the
obvious reason of not clogging the tubing chamber.  Also, by
poking holes thru the top,  the tobacco that gets pushed thru the
bowl's holes could block those holes,  resulting in a tight draw.

[King Mo]

hmm, never ever happened to me, even with the hookahhookah tobacco.

I guess it depends how you make it. doing deep holes through the top
does the trick fine. I don't use a toothpick, I use a pin. It wont push
anything through the holes, because it is so thin, that it will pierce
the tobacco rather than push it.

depends on the head too, but it's all pretty standard.

[NERV]

i use a sharpened clothes hanger and i spin it in my fingers and just
let gravity pull it down, so its mor elike a drill, piercing like king
mo's needle, but wider so leaving better airflow, and i have never had
tobacco clog the holes from that, if anything it will fix clogs, case
in point, a rather large leaf once found its way into my batch and
covered up 3 of the 5 holes, 'drilling' thru it freed up alot of airflow

[ZAP]

How many holes do you guys put in?  I do over a hundred holes using a pin.

[Mathazar]

I put in just enough holes to cover the size of the coal.  Like if
I'm using Golden Coals which are disc-shaped,  I'll make a circle
of holes in the middle spiraling outward until I've reached the size of
the disc.  If I'm using one and a half coals, I'll spiral outward
the entire range of the bowl.  For triangular finger coals, 
I'll start in the middle of the bowl and make the pattern rectangular
equaling the size of the coal,  and likewise for regular finger
coals.  I only fill the bowl half-way.  The size of the
charcoal determines how many holes I place in the foil. 
And,  of course,  I also poke holes thru the bottom of the
bowl for airflow 

[Mathazar]

Where the HELL is MR Bubble with the rest of his reviews.....Damn man 

Hope you're not working too hard