Like the art of growing the Bonsai tree, getting Tangiers Hookah Tobacco to smoke perfectly takes patience and craftiness. Because of its robust design and sensitivity to heat, several factors need to be taken into account — humidity acclimation, packing style, and coal rotation all need to be managed meticulously. Even though one customer left a review calling it a “man’s shisha,” with the proper preparation and heat maintenance, Tangiers can be enjoyed by adults of any gender!

Because of the diversity of hookahs smokers around the globe, there’s really not a single, correct way to smoke Tangiers – everyone will tell you something different. However, it is widely agreed that you’ll get the best results by using a non-traditional bowl (such as a Phunnel Hookah Bowl or a Vortex Hookah Bowl), one where the tobacco is allowed to marinate in its own juices instead of sluicing through holes at the bottom. A YouTube search for anything Tangiers related will yield many instructional “how to” videos on users’ packing techniques for you to follow if you’re not getting the desired results. Once you get it right, you’ll finally see what all the rave is!

Tangiers comes in 2 lines; the “OG” or “noir” style, which is the original, unwashed hookah tobacco, and the “lucid” style, which is lighter and less “buzzy.” Here we present to you the top 10 most popular Tangiers Hookah Tobacco flavors:

	10. It’s Like That One Breakfast Cereal. There’s been some debate as to exactly which “one” breakfast cereal this flavor is emulating, but the general consensus has it down to 2 possibilities (which I won’t name): one with a cartoon toucan as its mascot, and the other with the slogan “The great taste of apples and cinnamon make the great taste that’s always the winna-mon.” (Seriously, I didn’t make that up). This flavor is available in the “lucid” line, and will have you reminiscing of the brightly colored fruity puffs that always left the milk pink.
	9. Iced Peach Tea. A refreshing, cool brewed iced tea taste with a splash of orchard-fresh peach puts this robust flavor in the top 10. The “earthy” taste of the tea flavor makes this a popular mixer to add some zing to your bowl!
	8. Kashmir Apple. Apples grown in the orchards of the Kashmir region of northern India benefit from its lush and fertile environment, resulting in a longer shelf life, smooth red skin, and a distinct, crisp aroma. While one of dozens of apple flavored shisha tobaccos, Kashmir apple from Tangiers is spicy and delicious, and is reportedly the “buzziest” of all the apple flavors.
	7. Tropical Revenge. It’s the revenge…of the tropical fruits! I don’t know who or what wronged them to invoke their wrath, but this flavor is a dish best served…hot! Tropical revenge is a tangy medley of exotic fruit flavors (with a noticeable grapefruit twang) that remind me of the sugary fruit juice boxes I got in my Ninja Turtles lunchbox.
	6. Green Apple Candy. Despite green apples having a sour reputation, this flavor is surprisingly sweet and tastes like more like a green Jolly Rancher. The flavor is lengthy and luscious, and many have experienced a small anise (black licorice) aftertaste.
	5. Orange Soda. A super strong orange flavor that will knock you six ways from Sunday if you’re not prepared for it! Fans of this flavor have commented on an almost “carbonated” taste at the onset, staying true to its name and separating it from plain orange flavored shishas. Give “lucid” orange soda a try if the “OG” packs a little too much punch.
	4. New Lime. New lime is like New Coke, but doesn’t suck (ha!). Based on customer feedback (and from personal experience), this is by far the most spot-on lime flavor, period. You’ll notice a more acidic and “heavy” sour smoke than lemon, and a properly packed bowl with punctilios coal rotation will yield un-dwindling flavor for 2 hours or more.
	3. Blue Gumball. A strong blueberry taste with a raspberry overtone is what makes this flavor a must-try for berry-heads (available in both regular and “lucid”). Unlike an actual gumball that will lose its flavor after chewing it for only a few minutes (don’t you hate that?), Tangiers blue gumball will keep its palatable piquancy for the duration of the bowl.
	2. Horchata. This flavor is based on the traditional Spanish drink made of rice, barley, sesame seeds, tigernuts, and ground almonds. Many have noticed a distinct light sugary vanilla taste starting out, with a denouement of sweet cinnamon towards the end. Add some milk to the base if you so dare for the most velvety of smoke clouds. Horchata is available in both the regular and “lucid” line as well.
	1. (Tie) Kashmir Peach and Juicy Peach. Two fantastic peach flavors share the #1 spot on this list, and rightfully so. Tangiers has harnessed the savory flavors of the Prunus persica flawlessly with Kashmir Peach (a more floral and “airy” peach taste with a spicy buzz similar to the Kashmir apple) and Juicy Peach (a more “fresh” peach taste akin to biting into the actual fruit itself).

Remember, it may take several tries to get Tangiers to smoke to your liking, so don’t give up!  Happy Smoking!

Honorable Mention: Schnozberry. Never heard of a schnozberry? We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.

Some call them grommets, others call them gaskets. While these little rubbery curios are some of the smallest components of a hookah, it can be argued that they’re the most important – a true hookah aficionado knows that the first key step of a great smoke is a completely air-tight seal.  We’ve broken down the various hookah grommets individually in the hopes that you’ll find the right one for your hookah.  Let’s start from the top:

Hookah Bowl Grommets: The bottom opening of your average hookah bowl measures about 1 inch (2.54 cm) in diameter. These vary in thickness, from the thin Mya bowl grommet to the thick Mod bowl grommet. If you start noticing the bowl start to slide up the bowl stem in the middle of your smoking session, or if the bowl leans to one side, try the ol’ paper towel trick.

Now, for the best hookah bowl possible, you’re going to want to use at least 3 coals per session – 2 to start out with, and then 1 more to finish off the bowl. Take a gander at our Hookah Heat Maintenance and Coal Rotation blog for our preferred way to smoke a hookah using these coals. To sum up that post in 2 words it would be thus: observe and rotate! A well tended, evenly heated hookah bowl is a happy hookah bowl. This method of hookah smoking is merely a suggestion of course, as no 2 smoking sessions are the same. Feel free to experiment by using less or more coals depending on the quality of the tobacco, number of people participating, desired session length, etc. As of today, Coco Nara coals now come in 3 different sized boxes!

A sampler-sized 16 piece box will last you about 5 hookah bowls. This is great for folks wanting to try them out first before plunging into a larger coal commitment. This is also the perfect size to use for a single 50g box of shisha tobacco.

Our newest size that just arrived is a 45 piece box, which will last around 15 hookah bowls. This size compliments well with shisha tobacco that comes in 100g sizes (such as Starbuzz) to 125g sizes (such as Romman).

Lastly, our jumbo-sized 108 piece box is going to net you about 35 bowls, and is enough to last an entire 250g container of shisha tobacco, with probably a little left over to spare!

Don’t forget about our Super Packs of 3 boxes (for 16 piece, 45 piece, and 108 piece sizes) as well as our Monster Packs of 5 boxes (16 piece, 45 piece, and 108 piece) for those looking to stock up and save for the winter!

As I am sure many of you already know, we are located in beautiful Austin Texas, and Texas in the summer is hotter than the surface of the sun. I like to ride my bike to work, it helps the environment (the toxins released from my body are nothing compared even to a hybrid), it gets me energized, and it’s free. I came to work the other day, drenched in sweat, and had to run into our tobacco room to pick out some shisha for a morning meeting. I opened the door of the tobacco room and was knocked back by a blast of 74 degree Fahrenheit refreshment. Even though the sidewalks outside were melting, our tobacco was cool as the other side of the pillow.

Temperature is very important when it comes to keeping your shisha fresh. 74 degrees Fahrenheit, standard room temperature, is ideal, and is what all our shisha is stored at. Storing your shisha at room temperature will keep it fresh for at least two years, if not much more, from the production date. Contrary to popular belief, storing shisha in the refrigerator or freezer probably won’t extend its life, although it may do wonders for masking odors from good meats gone bad. So the next time you practice Bikram Yoga in your living room, make sure that your shisha is safely stored at your neighbor’s!

All kidding aside, you can never be too careful these days – especially when throwing a hookah party or taking your hookah places where it will be experienced by newcomers. You’ll want to keep a handful of these individually wrapped plastic tips with you so your guests can pick one up and smoke some delectable shisha tobacco – without the worry of communicable diseases being spread around. It’s also advisable to use “protection” even when smoking with a close circle of friends, as you never know where their mouths have been!

We have 3 types of disposable hookah mouth tips to fit all sizes of hookah hoses – inside fitting (or “male” type), outside fitting (the “female” version) and even a slightly larger “male” tip to fit the extra wide opening on the Nammor Hookah Hose mouthpiece. These are available in packages of 10 tips, 25 tips, and 100 tips.  Be good to each other and smoke safely!

Too much dust in your mouth?

Many hookah afficiandos notice, after numerous uses, suddenly dry bits of bad tasting dust start appearing in the hose, making inhalation unpleasant to say the least.  Why does this happen, and what does it mean?  If you must ask yourself, perhaps its time to replace your hose.

As you smoke, the humid smoke often condenses in the hose, gathering as a liquid containing all the particles of shisha and flavor that are in the smoke.  Once you’re finished smoking, if not aired out, this tiny amount of liquid will sit in the hose until the water evaporates, leaving the dried residue or “shisha dust” behind.  As many hookah hoses contain metal coils inside them, the water can also hasten the oxidization/rusting of the metal coils – also the main reason we don’t recommend washing most hookah hoses.

Hanging a hose up after use helps, as much of that liquid residue (or condensated smoke) will drip out of the hose.  If you already have some dust in the hose, a good hard puff of air through the hose will clear it before use, and you can always smoke with a hookah filter to keep the dust out of your mouth.

Once the dust becomes too much of a hassle to clean out, you’ll want to replace the hose, as washing most hoses will exacerbate the problem…unless you’re using a Nammor Hookah Hose or a Washable Hookah Hose.  These hoses can be washed freely without fear of damaging them, as they’re designed to be rinsed through.

Should you decide to replace your hookah hose, take a look at our selection of hookah hoses and ask us which we’re smoking on at the moment!

Featuring one of the heaviest duty shafts you can find, the solid steel tray is incorporated into the shaft design for unmatched stability.  With a tray and base of the same diameter – larger than that of the glass base – if the hookah takes a minor spill, the glass base is less likely to contact the ground and stands a better chance of surviving.

Like the tray, the hose connector is permanently welded to the assembly, and while we still don’t advise using it as a handle when unscrewing the hose hub, you’ll never have to worry about it snapping off during regular use.

The real secret behind the popular draw to the Old School is…well…the popular draw!  As the shaft, downstem, and hose are merely pathways for air, a wider pathway means you can move more air with less effort.   The included Nammor hose (the hookah hose with the best draw) makes the airflow second to none.  With more air comes more smoke, and more smoke is what the Old School is all about.

Like the Butter Battle of Dr. Seussian lore, the dispute over screens and foil for one’s bowl gives no indication of decisive conclusion.  Fans of foil are as deeply entrenched as supporters of screens on the means to separate ones shisha from one’s coal.  In this Better Bowl blog, we’ll examine the more specific details of foil usage and screen usage, so you can make a better informed decision on how you smoke your hookah.

Hookah Bowl Screens – Reusable and sturdy, screens feature holes of a set number and width.  While their standardization and construction makes screens more handy and reliable – you’ll never run out or tear one – these limit the ability to adjust the heat flow by varying the hole size and spacing.  Larger holes should always have more space between them than smaller ones, and will permit more hot air through in more concentrated areas than smaller holes.  This can mean, in some situations, more heat into the bowl: ideal for especially “sticky” tobaccos, though you may want to pay closer attention tending the coals if using a screen with shishas that respond better to more gentle heat.  While a screen will become discolored with use, it will continue to operate without impairment.  Even if you prefer foil, it isn’t a bad idea to keep a screen in your hookah kit as a backup and never have your session ‘foiled’ again!

Hookah Foil – For the expert bowl pilot who likes ultimate control over heat management, foil presents the ability to permit more or less heat through than a screen.  By creating numerous small holes instead of fewer large ones, the heat will dissipate more evenly over the top of the bowl, and the tobacco will heat more gently.  Unlike hookah foil, kitchen-grade foil commonly has chemical non-stick coatings and a percentage of nickel (a metal that breaks down at lower temperature than aluminum).  Additionally, as the extra foil hanging off of the bowl will seal nicely against the underside, you’ll have a more air-tight seal around the edge of the bowl than screens, which may leave tiny gaps between the metal of the screen and the edge of the bowl.

Did you know that just a couple minutes of maintenance can add several years to your hookah’s life?  That’s right – just a few steps can ensure hundreds of extra bowls out of your faithful pipe(s).  With these five low-cost steps you can guarantee a longer, fuller life for your hookah.

Coating ball bearings – As the smoke travels around the ball bearing in your autoseal system, it leaves a shisha residue that, over time, can build up and corrode the bearing.  This can cause the bearing to stick in its place, or stubbornly refuse to allow to pass.  After washing your hookah, before reassembling it, you can coat the bearings with vegetable or olive oil to keep them gunk-free and easy-moving.

Store dry and empty – In-between uses, empty and dry your hookah before storing it.  Water left in the base between uses will slowly evaporate, surrounding your hookah with greater-than-average moisture.  The moisture inside and around the hookah will contribute to the oxidation of the metal, which will ultimately shorten your hookah’s life.

Teflon taping threads – If you have a threaded hookah, or one where parts screw together, you may find that over time, the threads will wear down from use.  Wrapping a layer or two of teflon tape around the threads (and replacing it as needed) will protect the threads and ensure that your hookah (un)screws together smoothly and securely each time.  This will also help prevent cross-threading, a problem that can potentially permanently freeze the two threaded parts together.

Use brushes when cleaning – While a quick rinse with water is sufficient to remove most flavors between uses, relying on rinses alone won’t prevent the buildup of shisha residue in the shaft, and in the base.  Use cleaning brushes to remove waterlines from the inside of a hookah base and to make sure unseen residues on the inside of the glass are removed.  Use brushes to clean the threads of the bowl stem and down stem if these parts unscrew from your hookah; shisha residue buildup in between threads can permanently freeze the threaded part to your hookah.

Mind who handles your hookah – The most common cause behind broken bases is a well-intentioned friend hefting a hookah by the shaft to move it – only to have the base fall from the shaft and shatter on the floor.  Especially during parties, plan in advance an out-of-the way spot to place the hookah to minimize traffic around it, and volunteer to move it for smokers who’d like to enjoy the hookah in another location.