If you’ve been keeping up with the blog, you know my thoughts on floral flavors. They need to be realistic or they taste like soap scraped from the bottom of a hotel tub. I would say that’s less than ideal. So, which brand makes some of the most realistic flavors on the market? That would be Nakhla and I figured it’s time to give their rose flavor a fair shake down.
The smell on Nakhla Rose is interesting. Where most other rose tobaccos are overpoweringly floral and can put you off with a single sniff, this tobacco smells of mild roses and molasses. It doesn’t smell like soap, which is a very good sign and helps ease a little anxiety. There is something special about smelling a tobacco and only feeling dread for the session yet to come.
I really like this tobacco. The flavor is not quite as strongly rose as I would like, but I am not disappointed at all. Coupled with the rose is a mild molasses flavor that is most like amber molasses rather than black strap. The two pair nicely and create a very enjoyable smoking experience. The smoke is thick, oily and voluminous as I would expect from a good rose tobacco and doubly so from Nakhla. This is a tobacco that offers some real texture in the smoke and can handle some serious heat without burning.
So, after a thorough evaluation, I think I have a new contender for my favorite rose flavor. AF Golden Rose is still probably the most accurate rose flavor I’ve had, but it’s very sweet and tastes like pure rose petals. Nakhla Rose is still very accurate while offering a few layers of flavor and a milder floral profile, which makes this a great candidate for introducing smokers to floral flavors. Every time I hear about someone who HATES floral flavors I just think they tried a terrible one and were scared off. Let this be your first floral experience and you may not feel so negatively.
Great review Paul! For a number of years, this has been my go-to option when I want to use shisha as a stimulant (especially during exam periods… like the one I’m in right now)! I don’t know what it is about this particular product (El Basha Rose), but I have never come across another one that has that stimulating effect. As someone who obviously is well-versed with your tobaccos, is there another one you could possibly recommend that has a similar effect? That’s assuming you felt it as well! Or maybe it’s just me! I’ve tried other rose flavours, no luck. Other flavours, no luck. Others brands, herbals etc. You name it. It wouldn’t be such a problem, but this particular brand is never available in the UK, and I always have to pick it up when I’m in the Middle East. Even if you can’t help, thanks for posting this review and the video – I love the hose you’ve got on that pipe! Cheers, Hari.