Posts Tagged ‘Ayam Zaman’

• How to Smoke like the Elders

  Date: 2010.05.27 | Category: History, Tobacco | Response: 0

  

  In a world full of technological innovation, it’s not often that you see things that stay the same for centuries at a time.  That’s the beauty of hookah – and the flavored tobaccos smoked from it.  Shisha has, of course, taken a variety of changes, especially when it was introduced to the United States where a great deal of people had a palette more suited to candy instead of intense natural flavors.

  However, the forefathers of hookah smoked a different kind of shisha, sometimes it was only flavored with the molasses it was coated with – other times it had been mixed with oil from compressing Orange rinds or Rose petals.  So, how do we go back to that experience today?

  Fortunately, a few brands have stuck by the traditional style in at least a few of their flavors, giving you a chance to take a trip back in time with your smoke.  One notable brand is Nakhla, which (according to sources) started making their tobacco way back in 1913.  If you’re ever in shisha café in Egypt or the Middle East it’s likely what you’re smoking is Nakhla.  While the company has grown into some of the more candy-like flavors that are popular today, they also maintain a great selection of unflavored and traditional flavors.  If you’ve ever wondered what a simple tobacco and molasses mix tastes like, Nakhla Zaghloul is about as traditional as you can get.

  Another brand of shisha that produces a high amount of both traditional flavors and candy flavors but is well known for utilizing molasses is Al Fakher.  Some of their flavors, such as Mint, Rose, and Soft Black emphasize flavors that would have been used in the old days.  Even though the brand was only been around since 1999, it has taken over the market in its home country of the UAE.  As one of the staple brands that still uses molasses, Al Fakher should be on anyone’s list to try as a traditional or semi-traditional shisha.

  The oldest manufacturer still making tobacco in the world is based out of India – the brand is called Desi Murli and their formula is much different than the standard shisha we smoke today.  Made from a conglomerate of tobacco and natural spices, this is truly what went into the hookahs of old.  Now, the big difference between Desi Murli and a lot of the newer shishas comes from the fact that it doesn’t have any sort of humectants in it yet.  No honey, no glycerine, no molasses.  You get to add it yourself – most people simply add honey to the mix and start smoking, making Desi Murli one of the truly traditional tobaccos.

  Finally we come to a relative newcomer to the market, Ayam Zaman.  While it hasn’t been available for very long (the official release was October of 2008), the Arabic name actually translates to, “Times Past,” or “Back in the day.”  Using molasses, thick cut, hearty tobacco leaves, and very traditional flavoring, it leaves little to the imagination as far as how moassel was smoked in the past – especially in Middle Eastern countries. Designed to be a true-to-history replication, definitely add this to your list of shisha to try if you’re interested in the old ways.

  So, if you’re feeling a little bit oldschool, or maybe just in the mood for something in your hookah that has more flavor but doesn’t taste like candy – you might want to try any of the suggested shishas above.  I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

  

• Ayam Zaman – Tradition isn’t for everyone!

  Date: 2010.05.07 | Category: Ayam Zaman, Tobacco | Response: 3

  

  People have been a little bit weary of Ayam Zaman in the past, the whole 500g tin of shisha thing is a little bit scary at first – and if you’ve ever read any of the Ayam Zaman reviews you know that it packs a buzz strong enough to knock an elephant over. That certainly makes this true: It’s not for everyone. Everything about Ayam Zaman is geared towards the experienced smoker – the darker, richer taste of unwashed tobacco, the lack of overly sugary flavors and the thick smoke that only molasses can make.

  However, if you’re keen on testing your mettle against this super potent smokable – you’re in luck! With the release of the small, metal Ayam Zaman pucks, you can now purchase 50 gram versions of the traditional moassel. The pucks (named for the distinct shape that’s similar to a hockey puck) have the traditional Arabic design embossed onto the lid and feature the snazzy blue on blue pinstripes of the original Ayam Zaman 500g tin.

  Now, we’re well aware that different people smoke for different things. Some believe it’s all about the flavor, others want the biggest clouds, and yet others just want that big buzz. The old schoolers might be a limited handful, but they get the best of all 3 worlds. Full of flavor, clouds and buzz, their little plateau is one of top tiers of hookah smoking – and Ayam Zaman will take you there. Are you ready to travel back to old times in the Middle East and experience genuine tradition?