Jun
Shisha, shisha everywhere - which one do I smoke?
We here at www.hookah-shisha.com have a lot of shisha. How much? Literally: tons. We have so much shisha that when we’re unloading shipments, our neighbors come over to investigate the appealing smell. Each of us leaves work smelling delightfully of cherry, or peach, or caramel macchiato. We could throw a hookah party with enough shisha to smoke out a small country. Naturally, we can understand the jaw-dropping, head-spinning loss that some people feel when trying to select a new brand or flavor. In this blog, you’ll find a brief rundown of each brand, so you have some idea what to expect. Presenting, in alphabetical order, our selection:
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Al Amir Exotic: Al Amir has stepped it up with their new line of Exotic Al Amir flavors. This line of contemporary, salon flavors boasts stronger flavors and increased smoke. We were surprised to find full clouds of smoke on the second draw (with Coco Nara coals)! |
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Al Amir: Even a novice hookah smoker will recognize the list of traditional flavors that Al Amir produces. One may consider Al Amir a mid-range tobacco, as the smoke quantity, flavor quality, and price are all balanced in the middle range. Some smokers report that all Al Amir flavors have a characteristic “Al Amir sweetness” to them. |
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Al Fakher: Served across the Middle East, Al Fakher may be regarded as the “Coca-Cola of shishas” because of its universality. Al Fakher is somewhere between a mid-range and a Premium shisha; its flavors are bolder and longer lasting than other tobaccos, though less than Starbuzz or Romman. Personally, I find Al Fakher’s Watermelon particularly delectable. |
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Al Waha: Al Waha (Arabic for “the Waha”) is a reliable, lower to mid-range hookah tobacco. Boasting some unique and signature flavors (such as the minty chocolate of After 9 or the hard-to-describe fruitiness of the popular 5 Stars flavor) among some traditional staples, Al Waha is a great shisha for shorter bowl sessions or more manageable hookah budgets. |
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Fantasia: Fantasia’s contemporary flavors will keep you entertained for a while. With sleek packaging and assertive taste, this mid-range shisha has a couple of flavors so good we have trouble keeping them on the shelves (especially Pink Lemonade). Hookah parties often benefit from the whimsical and creative lineup, and with a balance of flavor and smoke, hookah neophytes have a great shisha to experiment with in Fantasia. |
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Fumari: Fumari is quickly climbing into Al Fakher’s niche of mid- to Premium quality shisha, elbowing its way with witty 100g packaging and huge-smoking flavors. Specializing more in the contemporary and exotic than the traditional flavors, Fumari’s smoke quantity will impress you. Don’t be surprised to find your hookah full of “Santa Clause’s beard” type smoke after only a couple initial pulls. Fumari’s Jello flavor tastes so much like the gelatin desert, there’s always room for it. Hookah-Shisha.com edit 7/10/08: After further deliberation and product testing, we’re happy to welcome Fumari’s unbeatable smoke and solid lasting flavors fully into our Premium line of shisha along with Romman and Starbuzz. Huzzah!! |
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Fusion: Offering such smoking fare as Guava Raspberry, Kiwi Strawberry, and even Nuts, Fusion plants its flag firmly in the territory of mid-range exotic flavors. Fusion is abandoning its cardboard + plastic packaging for the more popular tins, but its gently omnipresent flavor will remain the same. Fusion’s smoke production needs no improvement, and fans of lighter flavors will find some quick favorites here. |
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Havana: Havana’s tobacco is both affordable and delicious. Featuring mostly classic flavors, Havana is a playground for the hookah mixologist. I was particularly impressed with the bold base notes of Pipe Tobacco flavor, though it may not be for the faint of heart. |
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Nakhla: Unwashed and uninhibited, Nakhla keeps it real with the most classic of flavors. Buzz junkie? Nakhla has quite a bit more nicotine than your average shisha, so hang on to your couch. You’ll notice more of a “tobacco” hint to all of Nakhla’s flavors, and its the first tobacco to be offered in the mammoth 1 kilo size tins from our store. |
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Potion: For being considered a low to mid-range shisha, Potion has never done us wrong. The flavors are bright and fruity, and some of the names are good for a chuckle at least (”Fruits Ahoy”). Mix some Potion with any shisha flavor that needs a boost of sweetness, analagous to pouring sugar on your cereal as a kid…or as a duogenarian). There’s even a prize in the bottom of the tin - sheets of foil and silver-flint coal is included in every pack! |
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Romman: One of our two Premium shishas, Romman tastes great and smokes long. From personal experience, a well tended bowl of Romman Mint (for example) can smoke up to 2 hours, remaining minty ’till the end-y. Romman has recently added a few flavors more in a contemporary style, but still focuses on getting traditional fruit flavors just right. Romman uses high quality tobacco, too, so once the flavor finally dwindles, the smoke will coast to a graceful denouement without the harsh, bitter taste of bad tobacco. |
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Starbuzz: Our other proudly-presented Premium puff, Starbuzz, will fill your mouth with as much flavor as it will your hookah with smoke. With contemporary flavors inspired by metropolitan lounges, Starbuzz offers something for everyone with a balance of fruity, sweet, and even slightly spicy (Guava will tickle your tongue and have you licking your lips for more). |
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Tangiers: Tangiers is something to behold. This titan of unwashed tobacco wields a buzz that could have Nakhla veterans sitting down smiling. This ultra-wet shisha is quite heat sensitive, so go easy on the coal. This tobacco requires some conditioning and special treatment before smoking, so be sure to read the information sheet that accompanies it. You may want to use a Phunnel-style bowl for this tobacco, to keep the “shisha juice” from dripping down the shaft and flavoring the smoke unpleasantly. |
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Tonic: Following in Starbuzz’s footsteps with clever contemporary flavors, Tonic is one you can smoke all night long. Not too strong, not too light, Tonic’s flavors are so smooth, they seem to smoke themselves. |
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One wonders if you make some note as to which of these are washed and which unwashed? Two are unwashed but this is not noted in the rest. I do not car for unwashed and will not make purchase if I cnnot see at once whether or no the ma’assel is washed.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:19 pmI thank you.
hello,
i love your site, and i recently made my first order from your website, and i anticipate its arrival (it should be today!)
however, im wondering why you do not carry any layalina shisha? i have been a fan of layaline for a couple of years now, i think the overall quality is above average, but for the price i consider it outstanding.
do you have any plans to sell layalina in the future? is there any specific reason why you dont carry it?
September 11th, 2008 at 8:18 amAl-Waha is also unwashed.
September 27th, 2008 at 6:49 pmI’m with Chris. I like the Layalina brand as well, and have to go to a local Egyptian shop to buy it - not that it’s a bad thing, but the contraty; it’s just a long drive.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:53 pmPlease order some Layalina shisha!! I want to buy some!! I have to order it from other online stores and don’t like doing business with other companies!! Thanks!!
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:22 pm