HU Tobacco Nyala

Being a part of the African Line in the HU Tobacco portfolio, Nyala is described as “… a medium bodied blend made of Malawi burley with a hint of perique, Brazil tobaccos and a little amount of Havana cigar leaf. A well balanced mixture with decent chocolate notes, and the nice and spicy taste of the Havana leaf in the background. Smooth and complex” (TobaccoReviews.com, 2024).  

Although I was able to purchase my tin of Nyala three years ago from Estervals Pipe House – prior to HU Tobaccos being sold on the US market – as of late October, early November 2024, pipe enthusiast in the United States should now have access to a variety of blends in the HU Tobaccos line-up.

I was met with some challenges when attempting to visit the HU Tobacco website (https://hu-tobacco.de).  Firstly, the entire site is in German (I believe…) and there is not an option for translation to English.  Therefore, the pictures all appeared great, however, I could not read any of the information provided.  Secondly, the last post appeared to be from November 2023.  Although not terribly out-of-date, I would argue the website has not been tended to for more than a year.  Obviously, I encourage each of you to visit the site, especially if you are fluent in German, and dig into this new and unique line of tobaccos (at least for the US folks).  

From the Tin: The bouquet of tobaccos presents everything from light, to medium, to dark brown leaf, with the occasional mid-night black mixed in.  The tobacco is a mix of ready rub and small chunks of flake tobaccos.  The smell is easily and prominently chocolate.  If I didn’t know any better, I would think some type of chocolate topping has been added to the tobacco, but the blend has no toppings or casings.  Along with the chocolate, I find a dark red fruit smell present from the blend.  It reminds me of an overly ripe plum or deep rich red wine.  For being three years old, the moister content of the tobacco is excellent.  I do want to note that I found the most success with this tobacco when I let it dry for 20-30 minutes before loading a bowl and smoking (a bit dry worked best for me).     

Tasting Notes: Although the Red Virginia was the majority component of the blend, both the burleys and cigar leaf led the way when it came to my palate.  Tastes during smoking included chocolate, creamy nuttiness, dry toast, and mild earth.  The aroma was very pleasant and reminiscent of a freshly whipped silky chocolate mousse cream, and the tobacco never showed harshness or spice leading me to believe the perique was well-balanced or used sparsely.  The tobacco produced a nice, thick, white smoke leading to an overall medium body with the strength also being medium.  The tobacco burned nice and cool leaving behind a mix of light and dark grey ash.     

Overall Impression: When we describe tobaccos as being “solid” I would argue HU Nyala is a prime example of that description.  Originally, I would have said rookie palates should avoid this tobacco, however, now that I have smoked through an entire 100g tin, I must reconsider this recommendation.  Not too light, not to strong or harsh, Nyala is a perfect all-day tobacco that can be enjoyed by newbie and veteran pipe smokers alike.  If you are looking for a pipe tobacco that has sweet flavors but is not an aromatic, or caked with tons of flavorings, Nyala would be an excellent choice.  We are very lucky to have this tobacco now offered in the US and I plan on making it a part of my regular rotation.  Very much a recommend from The Pipe Professor! 

Tobacco Score: 4 out of 5 pipes