Carnival of the Shisha: Starbuzz Hookah Tobacco
A Review of Starbuzz Hookah Tobacco
Starbuzz is another American Ultra Premium Hookah Tobacco. They have made a name for themselves for many reasons, which we’ll get into. Its these reasons that make us believe that this is the only truly ultra premium hookah tobacco on the market, not only in price but also in quality.
So what makes a Ultra Premium Hookah Tobacco? Well, first, it has to be consistent. If you buy a $5 box of something, and it doesn’t taste as good as the last box, no big deal. Its 5-bucks. But if you buy a Ultra Premo box of something, it had better taste just as good as the last box.
Next, it has to go the distance. Part of the value in buying premo hookah tobacco is that it lasts longer. It has to go well over an hour, and maintain the flavor till the last pull. It should also be clean, packaged well and easy to keep and smoke without a lot of mess. And finally, most importantly, it has to have awesome flavor. It has to blow your mind, if you are dropping the big bills on hookah tobacco.
While Starbuzz doesn’t have all on these in spades, its damn close. Definitely the winning hand on the hookah table. It is consistent: While not every flavor is a home run, the ones that are, are always winners. The blueberry you smoked today, will be the same you inevitably buy tomorrow. This is important for Starbuzz, and something some other premo brands need to work on.
Starbuzz definitely goes the distance. While other brands, like Tangiers and Al Fakher, last long, Starbuzz lasts longer, not only in smoke but also in flavor. And its a clean tobacco. The packaging is nice, easy to seal and keep. The best packaging in the business. And, while Starbuzz smokes long like other premo brands, its not as messy. The texture is closer to Nakhla then Al Fakher, which is actually a benefit. The juice doesn’t drain from a standard bowl, it stays on the tobacco, where it belongs. This may be the secret to the long lasting flavor.
As for the flavor?
It’s great. Really solid, clean flavor. Some other brands leave a little taste in the back of your mouth, not Starbuzz. Its just big plumes of flavorful, but not overpowering flavor. What’s their signature? Its tough, but X on the Beach is what we are going with. This is a unique fruity blend, not exactly like the drink it takes its name from, but delicious. Their Chocolate Strawberry is their next in line. Starbuzz nailed both chocolate and strawberry and then mixed them together. Delicious, and something no other brand has been able to do. Their fruit flavors are mostly all solid, except for Cherry and Watermelon. They are both off, and while they are decent flavors, they aren’t to the standard that is Starbuzz and not worth the price.
The final word:
Starbuzz is a great hookah tobacco, and lives by the hype that it has generated. It is pricey, but worth it as a high quality treat to keep for special occasions. Also, if you are a casual hookah smoker, who just wants their hookah tobacco to work every time, easy to pack, with no hassles, than Starbuzz is it. As for a true Ultra Premium Hookah Tobacco, right now, Starbuzz is what we go to.
Hookah Tobacco Review: Starbuzz Hookah Tobacco
Type: Ultra Premium Hookah Tobacco
Signature Flavor: X on the Beach
Best Flavors: Peach, Guava, Irish Cream, Strawberry, Chocolate Strawberry, Chocolate Mint, White Grape, Black Grape, Lemon, Marlett, Blackberry, Blueberry, Apple, Mango,
Worst Flavors: Watermelon, Cherry
Price: $20 per 250 grams
Ease of Use: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
[...] up some Tangiers Lucid, the low nicotine offering meant to compete with washed hookah tobaccos like Starbuzz. A review will be forth [...]
July 9th, 2008 at 2:48 am
[...] ended the night up on the roof deck near Copley: Smoking a little Starbuzz Pomegranate out of vanquished Arizona Iced Tea bottle, which could only be described as a brilliant setup for [...]
August 24th, 2008 at 5:06 am
try sweet melon if you haven’t already
August 25th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
[...] Fumari: Cool pouch. The standard in top of the line tobacco packaging is more or less the Starbuzz style tincan, and for a minute there I was thinking that was the only way to go. Not only did I notice the cool [...]
March 13th, 2009 at 3:28 am
I just tried the Starbuzz this week and I was like “Hell Yeah!” Code 69 tastes alot like Dr. Pepper, but I liked the pumpkin pie one alot. Up until this point I had only ever had the Hookah-Hookah brand, and now I see just how shitty the Hookah-Hookah can be. I see the light! Anyways, over my way there is a place called Just for Him, it’s a smoke shop and they have hookah thursdays. Bring in your hookah, and they fill up everyones hookah with tobacco to do taste testing on each flavor. This way you can decide which ones you want to go back to purchase. Rock On! I’ll keep yas informed.
February 28th, 2010 at 8:01 am
[...] Starbuzz is a modern tobacco variety that is washed (for lower nicotine). Starbuzz is known for its juiciness, clean taste and avant-garde flavors. It is also the most expensive brand currently in the market. Produced in the Middle East but based in Los Angeles, Starbuzz has become the biggest seller for online hookah shops. It has a very strong following; many hookah connoisseurs only smoke Starbuzz. See our full Starbuzz review here. [...]
May 12th, 2010 at 1:18 am