Tambolaka Natural Tobaccos Tambolaka Pipe Tobacco
(3.04)
Indonesian farmers toil in their islands' rich limestone soils to grow their flavorful tobacco leaves. After harvesting and air drying the leaves the unique aging process begins. The villagers roll the leaves into 10 foot long sticks of pure tobacco which they then bind using hand made cord to protect from the outside air. They then put these sticks inside their primitive huts and store them for 5 years as the tobacco becomes richer by the day. After aging, this tobacco is cut into three or ten inch sticks for sale as pipe tobacco, as well as being used as a component in Indonesian made cigars, such as Tambo Cigars.
Details
| Brand | Tambolaka Natural Tobaccos |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Burley Based |
| Contents | Burley, Cigar Leaf |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Rope |
| Packaging | 100g Pouch |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Very Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable to Strong
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.04 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 06, 2012 | Very Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Very Strong |
I got this as a gift and it was already fully rubbed out and fairly moist. I'm not sure whether to be pleased at this or to feel cheated of all the prep work! 🙂 I've had this 3 oz for close to six months and it's been fun finding its strengths.
At any rate, this stuff took some experimentation with respect to the proper moisture for smoking. I found that I preferred it less dry than I predicted. With some moisture, I got a nice soft smoke with excellent body and a huge amount of strength. This is probably the strongest tobacco I've ever smoked. Stronger yet much smoother than the various black ropes I've tried, without their massive harshness. The flavor was exceedingly deep. I found no flavors aside from good honest tobacco. Some cigar notes but it didn't really taste like any cigar I've ever had. Smoked straight, this is a bit too much of a good thing. But blended with other tobaccos, particular OTC's, this shines. Kentucky Club Mild is a nice burley but mixed 80/20 with Tambolaka, it crosses into excellence. Needs a lot of time to meld, however. I enjoyed my time with this one and may pick up some more. A pound will probably last my lifetime!
At any rate, this stuff took some experimentation with respect to the proper moisture for smoking. I found that I preferred it less dry than I predicted. With some moisture, I got a nice soft smoke with excellent body and a huge amount of strength. This is probably the strongest tobacco I've ever smoked. Stronger yet much smoother than the various black ropes I've tried, without their massive harshness. The flavor was exceedingly deep. I found no flavors aside from good honest tobacco. Some cigar notes but it didn't really taste like any cigar I've ever had. Smoked straight, this is a bit too much of a good thing. But blended with other tobaccos, particular OTC's, this shines. Kentucky Club Mild is a nice burley but mixed 80/20 with Tambolaka, it crosses into excellence. Needs a lot of time to meld, however. I enjoyed my time with this one and may pick up some more. A pound will probably last my lifetime!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 06, 2012 | Overwhelming | None Detected | Extra Full | Extra Strong |
Industrial strength kick; probably the most potent "product" I've smoked since a Led Zeppelin concert back in '69!
This blend was crafted in the darkest dungeons of Mordor by Sauron himself. I would call it "Orc-Weed". Kind of like Parodi cigars on steroids.
Stronger than XX Black Rope--pure tobacco taste with no casing. Be seated at all times & wear a crash helmet. G-Force is about G4. An oxygen supply and heart monitor are also recommended...N kick is over the top.
This blend was crafted in the darkest dungeons of Mordor by Sauron himself. I would call it "Orc-Weed". Kind of like Parodi cigars on steroids.
Stronger than XX Black Rope--pure tobacco taste with no casing. Be seated at all times & wear a crash helmet. G-Force is about G4. An oxygen supply and heart monitor are also recommended...N kick is over the top.
Pipe Used:
Torpedo Cigar Pipe
Age When Smoked:
2012
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 29, 2012 | Strong | Medium | Full | Tolerable |
Have been fascinated reading here and elsewhere about this tobacco and I now have some sticks and ready-rubbed to try. At the moment, I am finding the ready-rubbed more user friendly as cutting and breaking up a stick produced a lot of snuff like dust. I've not steamed anything yet but I will try that on the next stick I unwrap. Am a little concerned about the problem of mould, as on the stick I cut up dry I noticed some white patches deep inside...which look a lot like dried mould to me.
The stick smells to me just like a cigar....and the tobacco smokes very much like a cigar. I don't notice any other flavours, not that that is a criticism...far from it; it's a pleasant strong smoke, perfect after a good meal and with a strong coffee.
I think, and this is for the first time in nearly 50 years of pipe smoking, that a couple of good sized bowls of Tambolanka nearly put me to sleep at the PC and gave me very vivid dreams when I staggered off to bed! It's certainly up there with the Ropes when it comes to vitamin N.
The stick smells to me just like a cigar....and the tobacco smokes very much like a cigar. I don't notice any other flavours, not that that is a criticism...far from it; it's a pleasant strong smoke, perfect after a good meal and with a strong coffee.
I think, and this is for the first time in nearly 50 years of pipe smoking, that a couple of good sized bowls of Tambolanka nearly put me to sleep at the PC and gave me very vivid dreams when I staggered off to bed! It's certainly up there with the Ropes when it comes to vitamin N.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 26, 2011 | Extremely Strong | None Detected | Extra Full | Tolerable to Strong |
This was the rubbedout variety, and came pretty crisp. I only smoked 1/3 of a bowl of a traditional clay and it wasn't too much. From now on, I'll use my tiny-bowled Elizabethan-style clay for this (I'll need to get a small-headed screw or nail to use as a tamper). Need a N hit coupled with the taste of a v good strong cigar? This is for you. This is tasty in small doses. Smoke a large bowl of this and you either have a very high N tolerance, or you should not operate any complicated machinery, like a pencil.
Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is not very likely. But it IS very tasty!
Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is not very likely. But it IS very tasty!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 29, 2011 | Very Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Tambo is a great tobacco IMO. I got it in stick form and steamed it, bringing it back to life. Kind of like Frankenstein, this stuff really is like a monster! After the steaming process I left it out to dry up a bit for about 6 hours. At that point I put most of it in a jar and kept some out to smoke. Upon lighting I feel like I am smoking toby in a far away Indonesian village, it is cool stuff. Figuring that most of the people in the world have never even heard of this stuff. It is very strong, but I like that. I love ropes and plugs and this is right up that alley. This could also be used as a condiment to spice up another tobacco. This is one that should be tried by everyone (except the faint of heart)!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2015 | Very Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
I received an ounce of Tambolaka as a gift; it was already rubbed out and ready to smoke. It was on the dry side when I smoked the first bowl. There is a gamey, vegetal aspect in addition to natural tobacco flavor that was particularly noticeable in the first few bowls. I didn't know if I would be able to get past that at first but found that I kept coming back for more. This stuff grows on you. The taste that I spoke of is not unpleasant but is unlike anything I've experienced up to now. It is a relatively strong (nicotine) tobacco compared to most available tobaccos. It burns fairly quickly and dry, but that may be because my sample is fairly dry. The flavor is very satisfying, just plain tobacco without adornment. I did not find it to be bitter.
Pipe Used:
Missouri Meerschaums, briars
PurchasedFrom:
a gift
Age When Smoked:
unknown (a gift)
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