It’s that time again, folks! Nakhla has released it’s latest flavors state side and that means it’s time for a review. I just got these in yesterday and I’ve been smoking them since I got them. The first of the two flavors that has earned itself a review is Nakhla Mizo Blueberry. Did Nakhla hit it out of the park and give the hookah world the blueberry flavor that it is so sorely craving?
The short answer is, “no”.
As you are well aware, I like natural and realistic flavors. That is part of the reason that I love Nakhla as a brand. Their flavors tend to be more realistic than their competitors, who are catering to the candy craving croud of modern style hookah smokers. This tobacco is definitely a candyish and artificial type flavor and I found myself let down, at least in this regard.
The smell in the box is like that of artificial blueberry candies and grape soda. It’s a pungent and pervasive smell that I do not hate, but I have smelled before and I do not seek out. This tobacco smells quite a bit like Starbuzz Blue Mist minus the minty kick that gives that tobacco its “mist” moniker.
The smoke is good. It’s a Mizo product, which means that it’s absolutely dripping with molasses and flavorings. That means you can expect a lot of smoke with minimal effort.
The flavors is exactly what I was expecting from the smell. It tastes like the “Blue” in Starbuzz Blue Mist without as much of a purely chemical and artificial note. The flavor really isn’t doing a whole lot for me, but I can see people really liking this one. Blue Mist is still one of the most popular hookah tobaccos on the market. It makes sense that Nakhla would want a cut of that pie. If you like Blue Mist, I can happily suggest that you pick up some Nakhla Mizo Blueberry and a pack of Mizo Mint. You will be able to mix your own version of Blue Mist using Nakhla for much less money than the original and using much better tobacco.
This flavor, flavor realism aside, is pleasant and smokes well. I did notice something interesting, though. While smoking this tobacco I experienced a very slight numbing of the mouth that reminded me of the effect of menthol one might experience when smoking one of the many “Blue” style flavors. There is no minty or menthol to speak of, but it’s something I noticed. I wonder if that is just an effect of the artificial blueberry flavoring and Blue Mist was just a way to roll with and cover this odd feature.
6 out of 10 I do not think that this is a bad flavor, but I was hoping for a real blueberry flavor that I have been hunting for. This sure isn’t it. The closest I have ever found to a real blueberry flavor was Tangiers Lucid Blueberry, but that is no longer in production and may never reach regular production. For those who love Starbuzz Blue Mist, I’d call this a must buy. It is a better tasting version of the ever popular Blue Mist minus the mentholated kick and for a lot less money. I find this to be considerably more pleasant than Blue Mist and I am not entirely disappointed with the purchase. I know some friends who are really going to enjoy this, but it’s not going to be something I smoke very often on my own.