HU Tobacco Asmara

There it is... my replacement for Dunhill's Durbar when it will disappear from the market soon along with the whole Dunhill pipe tobaccos! I'm trying to get ahold of some Nightcap and EMP, that eats enough money, so I was desperate to find a replacement for the lovely Durbar.... and Asmara does just that - par excellence!

The tin-note is typical for Oriental-forward blends... very mild, almost nonexistent. Some dry, woodsy notes, and a little spice to it. The fine ribbons are mostly red, brown and beige/yellow with few black Latakia sprinkles. Packing is a breeze due to the finely cut Ribbon-Cut.

In the pipe the Orientals play an impressing solo on the base of sweet and fruity Virginias, some peppery Perique and a smokey & spicy Latakia. The Orientals are spicy, dry, woodsy, even a little nutty and salty and decently ethereal - whatever varietal(s) was/were used..fragrant, rich and simply excellent! Perique and Latakia are only seasoning condiments, giving some pleasant peppery, smoky and spicy foundation. The Virginias balance out the bold spiciness with fruiy-sweet, deliate notes to make this a 4/4 star blend!

Pure tobacco taste! The 1/6 rating in flavouring at the HU-Shop is a mistake as Hans said, I wasvery irritated at first, because this tastes like most natural tobacco!

Well done...very well done! This is some great replacement and/or addition to anyone who loves Durbar or other Oriental-forward blends (which I find to get too less atention... Oriental-forward blends can be so wonderful..!) FAVORITED!

The mildly spicy, woody, floral, earthy, herbal, creamy and lightly sour Orientals hit you as soon as you light up, and are noticeable in every puff to the finish, though the other tobaccos show up more often before the half way point. While it does dominate the other components a little, it doesn’t drown them out. The bright and red Virginias add a light touch of tart and tangy citrus and grass, and sweet, dark, dried, mildly tangy ripe fruit with a little earth, bread and wood notes. I notice the latter flavors from the red Virginia more than I notice the characteristics from the bright. The perique offers a little spice, plum, fig, and raisins in a supporting role. The Cyprian Latakia is a minor addition, but it shows up here and there for a smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet push, though you won’t detect much of it. The various flavors work well together with subtlety and nuance as some tobaccos take a little more prominence than others at different times, but not enough to upset the overall complex balance of the product. The nic-hit and strength are a couple of steps past the mild mark, and the taste is almost medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. Has a mostly consistent sweet and sour, savory flavor from top to bottom. Burns at a reasonable pace, cool, clean, and even, requiring very few relights. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl, and has a pleasant after taste and room note. An all day smoke. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks

Finely cut, almost shag, in ribbons of mixed colours, bright, red and brown with a few black leafs. TIn note smells of natural tobacco with a little smokiness from the Latakia.

When lit it is fragrant, musky, woodsy, sweetly spiced and at times salty and sour. Orientals (shall I guess Izmir?) play the leading role with red Virginias adding body and a fruity sweetness, while brighter Virginias balance nicely the heady muskiness adding a note of citrusy freshness. Latakia is noticeable but measured and contributes its delicate smokiness to the complexity of the blend. A slight but pungent pepperiness is also felt after the first half of the bowl which presumably is due the addition of Perique. Of note is the fact that this tobacco burns surprisingly slow (and cool) for such a natural ribbon cut and this also might be due to the Perique. It's not fussy at all needing only a few relights.

It is mild in strength and nicotine, smooth but flavorful, full bodied, nuanced and complex. Produces considerable volume of fragrant smoke and has a lasting aftertaste. Very natural-tasting, it has a ‘cigaretty’ quality in it, but damn me if any cigarette tastes nearly as good as this. For me it’s the ideal tobacco for an early morning smoke and being a former cigarette smoker, I enjoy inhaling a few puffs. It is also very 'filling', I smoke one bowl and feel satiated for quite a while. This blend is a true Oriental-lover’s delight. Highly recommended for the said lovers…

As for room note it is surprisingly innocuous.

Earthy, nutty, with a hint of a subdued floral note, this blend establishes itself as superior from the first true light. Silky smooth and cool burning, Trully Fascinating tobacco.

The tin note of this tobacco is earth, wood, smoke and in the background a light fruity scent. After lighting up, I can tell that in this blend the Orientals are the stars. But they are perfectly mixed by a good portion of Virginias, a noticeable amount of Latakia and just enough perique that you can notice it from time to time. In combination these tobaccos deliver a nice spicy, sour, dry and woody experience. Sometimes the Latakia adds some smoke. The Virginias are earthy, fruity and citrusy. Only from time to time the Perique shows up with raisins and pepper while the latter flavor gets more intense at the last quarter of the pipe. For me this tobacco got a more intense smoking experience when it is smoked without a filter in a corn cob pipe, because then it is more creamy and sometimes I can taste dried figs as well.

Fresh tobacco smells spicy florally from Oriental, with a smoky latakia. Smoke was pleasant earthy and spicy typical for oriental blends. Latakia was really supporting taste. Burns well do not need too much relights. No moisture. Anyhow, I would prefer more sweetness and less spiciness.

The tin note is a sour, vinegar, red wine, hay, a little musty. It’s absolutely wonderful. I get the Virginia and orientals up front with a hint of that smoky musty Latakia but just a hint. Various ribbons and pieces of tobacco whose moisture is perfect and ready to go.

The taste is sour, woody, hay, fermented bread and fruit in the back ground. Retrohale is a little herbal and musty from the Latakia. It’s smooth. Even on the retrohale it does not tingle my nostrils. What little sweetness I get is from the tobacco. Very clean mouth feel, little after taste. Has a buttery finish to it with a hint of herbal grassy flavor I associate with Turkish orientals. The Latakia is a hint and compliments the orientals with its leathery herbal smoky quality but only as a condiment. The perique is probably in there too, I do get that fruit and fermented smell and flavor. The orientals and Virginia are the star of the show. Sweet, bready, grassy, tart, sour, woody. The nicotine seems mild to medium. Towards the half way point i detect a little bit of pepper spice on the retro. It has a lot of taste but it’s easy on the pallet hard to place on the taste meter.

If you like orientals and Virginia blends with a natural tobacco flavor try and get this. You’ll be glad even at a premium.

HU has never disappointed me and this is no exception.