Commentary on hookahs, smoke rings, and The Dream

A Review of Hookah Freak Hookah Tobacco

We here at Hobocans are all Hookah Freaks to some degree, so maybe that’s part of the appeal with this Hookah Hookah spin-off start-up by a couple of passionate hookah dudes.  So when they shot us a line and a couple of jars, we were more than happy to take them out for a test spin, and by golly, we were glad we did.

So, the story all plays out similarly to the story of the Dream we here at Hobocans lived through: Lets start a hookah brand for us, something that we want and would buy and lets share that Dream with our fellow smokers.  Simple enough.  The guys over at Hookah Freak had a leg up, too: A little industry knowledge from actually working with the guys over at Hookah Hookah. 

So how did it all play out?  A pleasant blended shisha with a motley variety of flavors not yet encroached upon by the shisha stalwarts.  We were supplied with three of their signature 100 gram jars: Blueberry Pancake, The Dude, and The Grapeful Dead.

First, we got to say that they must have done their research: We are big fans of The Big Lebowski, the slogan for the UW-Madison Basketball team is the "Grateful Red", and we just had come off a big thumbs up to Blueberry this Halloween.  So the flavor choice was apt, but how did they stack up?

Well, lets first describe the shisha a little:  The cut of this hookah tobacco is fine, finer than perhaps any other shisha we have encountered.  Id liken the texture to that of "moss" of all things.  Damp, and leathery to the touch.  I like it: Its easy to pack, not messy.  The jar is also a nice, pro-touch: Easy to seal and store.  They picked the 100 gram size as they felt "25 grams isn’t enough but 250 grams is too much".  Normally, I’d disagree with 250 grams being a big buy, but this is a blended shisha: So you are meant to have several varieties on hand, unlike when you buy a 1 Kilo tub of your plain-jane go-to Apple or Mango.  The logo art is a bit in-your-face for my likings, but we aren’t marketing moguls, so take that or leave it.

Now the shisha:  All three flavors are distinct.  Distinct as in: You haven’t had a flavor like this yet, guaranteed.  The Blueberry I would say was the best smelling, a great over all blueberry, which is a tough flavor.  Its a very candied flavor, and I feel the "pancake" part is a bit lost.  Overall, its not a flavor Ill take over Tangiers‘ offering, but not bad.  The Grapeful Dead is another candied flavor, which is a good grape.  Not sure if I’d go all in, when Al Fakher has an amazing White Grape flavor, that is true to the name.  But its not bad, and a definite unique addition to any grape-lovers arsenal.  The Dude is a definite "buy" for me: I love Nakhla and Al Waha Cappuccino, but they can be a bit much for casual settings.  The Dude offers a nice coffee flavor that isn’t too strong.  Something everyone at the party can sit down and enjoy.   

Check out some of the reviews over at the Hookah Forum for a bit a better idea on the litany of flavors offered by Hookah Freak.  I for one will be trying out that Spiced Rum flavor, sounds right up our alley.

There are some drawbacks to Hookah Freak: I haven’t been able to get the flavor to last as long as Al Fakher, and even Nakhla and Al Waha seem to have a little bit of an edge on longevity.  I haven’t tried it with a Phunnel Bowl yet, and I think this is the kind of shisha that would really smoke well in a Phunnel.  Also, the $7/100 grams isn’t cheap.  That’s probably a bit more than what you’d pay per gram for Tangiers or Al Fakher, which are the premium shisha’s we old all in regard to.

The Bottom line: This is a blended shisha.  You aren’t going to duplicate any of your existing stock by buying a jar of Hookah Freak.  All the flavors they offer are unique, and all the one’s we’ve tried are solid.  The presentation is above par to boot.  This is a shisha to keep next to your other jars and tubs to change up when you are sick of the usual.  Keep living the Dream guys.

Hookah Tobacco Review: Hookah Freak

Type: Blended Hookah Tobacco

Signature Flavor: The Dude

Best Flavors: It’s all good so far

Worst Flavors: None yet uncovered

Price: $15-$19 per 250 grams ($7/100grams)

Ease of Use: 9/10

Overall: 7/10