Amsterdam West: De Beste Plekjes te Lekker Marokkaanse Hasj halen

[Nuggz]

So largely inspired by Peng's diamond seeking for resin in the Western reaches of Amsterdam, I propose this poll. I have heard from Peng's travelogues (among other chatter on here, and recommendations from local Moroccan friends) - great things about the multiplicity of traditional Moroccan owned etablishments (more of tea-houses than coffeeshops) where the menus are small, the crowd is loyal, frequent, local (largely Arab) and the hash on offer is top-draw, old-school Moroccans for a respectable price.

I've listed the ones that I hear come up the most often as hash hotspots. I'd really like to pick Peng's brain (and palate) do get his thoughts on this question but without further ado:

[Nuggz]

Of these I've only tried Flashback & Massawa, and was quite content with the quality I procured at both establishments.

The nameless blonde-maroc (lone hash on offer) at flashback, is a quintissential lump of quality classic-style Moroccan resin. A blonde-reddish hue, loosely pressed. Very volatile consistency hardens up as soon as it leaves one's palm, but immediately becomes a soft and malleable mass cupped in one's hand. The bouquet is one of spicy floral ginger-root, with notes of peppery cedar. As far as bag appeal, this thing ticks about all the boxes you could look for in a classic, high-grade maroc. P

otency is no slouch either, I packed the first bit in a pure bong bowl (as I hadn't had raw hash in a bong in ages) the taste was a bit of a disapointment though I wager that had more to do with my palate's taste for pressed hash as rosin. Anyway the bong bowl was too heavy on the taste for my rosin-adjusted palate, but the buzz it packed was lovely surprisingly strong, and a glowing "one-dimensional" stone, that was quite the grin-inducer, very relaxing but not tiring buzz. The rosin, produced a similar stone, with a slightly cleaner feeling buzz, but less (good) bodyfeel.

OHMF said most hash would be better of smoked as is, and not rosin-teched. However pressing last night reminded me of how much cleaner, more potent and flavorful hash is once converted to rosin, it really does sift out most of the bad, and retain all the good. Anyway case in point, a very choice classic Maroc 'tis, thanks for pointing me in the right direction Peng!

[OneHighMofo]

OHMF said most hash would be better of smoked as is, and not rosin-teched. However pressing last night reminded me of how much cleaner, more potent and flavorful hash is once converted to rosin, it really does sift out most of the bad, and retain all the good. Anyway case in point, a very choice classic Maroc 'tis, thanks for pointing me in the right direction Peng!

Correction: OHMF feels that "Boerejonghens Bloc hashes would be better smoked 'as is"';
For me their character seems to come through better without the extra clarity that the rosin process brings as it just exposes minty flavours and oily properties I'm not keen on. I have had a couple of good experiences pressing out imports bought 'online' that concentrated the herbacious notes from the Maroc and the floral notes from the Nepali beautifully. The results from those presses were also very stable (but not quite shatter bomb) leading me to wonder whether that stability of final rosin is perhaps one indicator of a lack of contaminants?

[pengaldinho]

Hi mate. I voted Massawa because I have tested their hasj the most and it was good and very consistent. I wouldn't buy the Tibzla to smoke (bland but potent) but the Royal from there is one of my favorite types of hash - real classic moroc, hard and will snap at first, turns to butter in your hands, fresh sandalwood resiny flavs, relaxing body and alert head high The less pressed stuff on offer at Flashback was much more uplifting than the mixed hit of the royal when I sampled it, and yes it had that root/ginger twinge. I have to credit Orle for the recommendations, I just went there and took pics! On my most recent trip Jesscass's tip of El Massra came up trumps with its E12 Super Marssa, reddish hues and lovely floral flavors. I need to go back a few more times to fairly judge all the shops in that little area but they all seem to offer good things. There is competition and like you say they are populated by lots of local hash smokers so they have to keep to standards. Enjoy sampling the roombooters and polms

[Jesscass]

Pissed off and deny to vote as almost taking this personal of course as you guys misspelled

E l M A R S S A

again and again but you know what? This happened to me a lot of times, too(so visiting Massawa seemed to impress us all indeed !).

Agree with everything already been said ! Cheers Pengaldinho!

[Nuggz]

Finally made it to El Marssa.

Nice place situated a stoned throw away from Massawa in de Baarsjes neighborhood.

Friendly staff on approach, as were the clientele - all were happy to adamantly steer me towards the Marssa Special local Moroccan-yutes in the lounge promised 'twould get me "hemmel-stoned" (as high as heaven). They have a real nice sliding-scale for purchases in-tact here. 12 euros gets 1g of special. 20 euros gets you 2g and 45 euros gets you 5g.

The hash was a very light-blonde hue, with notable reddish notes. The consistency is not quite as soft/volatile/malleable as its counterparts from Massawa or Flashback, but still softens in the palm of one's hand nonetheless. The smell is what drew me in to splurge on the full 5g bag. Notes of cedar, ginger-root, and peppery floral notes like most of the classic-Marocs procured in this neighborhood, however a strong citrus smell, scratch that a citric air-freshener smell vaguely chemically like some pine-sol or ozium freshener spray cut through and added a whole new dimension of lekker and complexity to the bouquet. Pressed it delivered a nice yield with a more pronounced reddish-hue. The feel is somewhere between fully stable and snap-n-pull shatter. The taste is transferred well, even that elusive citric notes (though decidedly not as prominent as in the bag-smell). High is sedating stoney, not complete couchlock and potency expected - par for the course with most of the other offerings i've procured in de Baarsejes.

End verdict: yet another classic piece of rif-resin out of de Baarsjes-area. Sliding-scale is particularly incentivizing so, make sure to go for at least a 20 bag, to maximize value of your purchase. highly recommended...

To date top Baarsjes Maroc-pickups (value included in methodology):

1. Flashback no-name 9 euro per g

2. El Massra Special 5g for 45 euros

3. Primera from Massawa 5g for 40 euros

4. Royal from Massawa 5g for 50 euros

[macky]

Nice read...planning to make next trip in Nov. all about Moroccan hash Looks like I should head west ,Thanks for all your post on the subject

[OneHighMofo]

Nice read...planning to make next trip in Nov. all about Moroccan hash Looks like I should head west ,Thanks for all your post on the subject

Thought about dates yet?

[macky]

Nice read...planning to make next trip in Nov. all about Moroccan hash Looks like I should head west ,Thanks for all your post on the subject

Thought about dates yet?

Yes I,m booked the 2 Nov. I arrive and leave the 11th,Lem,s thinking coming over ,love to hang with you too. if you can make it great

[OneHighMofo]

Nice read...planning to make next trip in Nov. all about Moroccan hash Looks like I should head west ,Thanks for all your post on the subject

Thought about dates yet?

Yes I,m booked the 2 Nov. I arrive and leave the 11th,Lem,s thinking coming over ,love to hang with you too. if you can make it great

It's around my b'day so it's deffo an option