Full Disclosure

Hookah-Shisha.com was kind enough to send us this tobacco for free to try it out and share our opinions. We always make every effort to review honestly regardless of what means were used to acquire the product. Al Fakher Soft Black is available for $45.95 in a 1Kg tub from Hookah-Shisha.com.

Rating

[Rating:4.5/5]

Based on: Flavor: 5/5, Smoke: 3/5, Resilience: 5/5, Longevity: 5/5

Cut & Composition

Al Fakher Soft Black is a medium cut, very juicy, black tobacco. There are a fair number of stems that will need to be picked out to avoid a disruption during the packing process.

Price & Quantities Available

• 1kg – $45.95

Al Fakher Soft Black, when available, is often scarce and is only available in a 1kg tub. Various vendors listed in our Buying Online section may have it available.

The Experience

Al Fakher Soft Black is different from other shisha tobacco in that it contains no glycerin. It is composed of black molasses and tobacco only. For this reason, it does not smoke quite the same as other flavored shisha. The tobacco begins smoking well after about 5 minutes. The natural tobacco flavor and smoke emerge about the same time. The smoke will be slightly thicker than a typical cigar. Soft Black is also an unwashed tobacco, meaning there is a higher nicotine content and therefore a significant head-buzz should be expected. The session can be expected to last an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and forty five minutes.

The Flavor

Soft Black is an unflavored tobacco. The taste is that of tobacco, made slightly sweet by the molasses ingredient. The result is something similar to smoking a standard pipe, unflavored cigar or expensive cigarette. Like natural tobaccos, the taste is dark, rich and earthy. It goes excellently with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. If the natural tobacco taste is too much for you, as it is for some people, adding a small amount of mild flavored tobacco, such as mint, cinnamon or jasmine can add the subtle sensation of smoking a flavored pipe tobacco or flavored cigar. Soft Black can also be added to strong, flavored tobaccos to mild things out a bit. But be warned, the more Soft Black you add to a flavored tobacco the more natural tobacco taste you will introduce.

The Insight

Soft Black is easy to smoke. It doesn’t respond too dramatically to changes in heat and remains pretty consistent through the whole session. However, the absence of glycerin makes the tobacco a little tricky. After smoking a bowl of Soft Black, the tobacco will be thoroughly cooked to the bottom of your bowl. The reason for this is that glycerin gives shisha tobacco is resilience to heat, helping it to produce thicker clouds without allowing the honey or molasses in the tobacco to burn. Without the glycerin, smoking a bowl of Soft Black is something like putting a bowl of sugar in the over for an hour and a half at 600 degrees. The sugars will caramelize and harden, making the clean up very difficult if you’re not prepared for it. This can be avoided by adding a small amount of glycerin to the bottom of your bowl before packing. Simply smear the glycerin around the bowl like non-stick spray on cookie sheet. This will prevent the molasses in the tobacco from cooking to the bowl, and will dramatically help your clean up later.

Who Should Try This Flavor

Fans of natural tobacco will most likely love this flavor. Cigar, cigarette and pipe fans have consistently praised the Soft Black flavor. If this describes you, you’re likely in luck. However, remember, smoking a hookah doesn’t feel the same as smoking a pipe or cigar, since hookah smoke is inhaled. Be ready for an adjustment, but also be ready to really enjoy your experience.