Top 6 Brands

[ih303]

As far as Layalina is concerned, should I mess around with their golden line or just stick to the regular flaves?

[Stuie]

The golden is sooo super heavy on red dye, i would avoid it.

[delSol_si]

agreed on that one. golden is just so effing expensive. i have never tried it because of the price. but then again, you might buy a few flavors to see if you think it is worth the extra cash. unfortunately with layalina, from my experience, they have several good flavors, but also a lot of bad ones. so far, i have liked Raspberry, Blueberry, Black Grape, esk. apple, and kiwi. I tried their orange and it is too citrusy for my taste. a couple flavors i suggest staying away from are plum, margarita, cherry, and pomegranate. all sucked for me. it also isn't that great when it comes to consistency from my experience. Ive had better luck with the 50g packs than the 250g packs. raspberry and blueberry have never done me wrong though.

[Pretender85]

gold line isn't really any better than their regular line..just with more dye

[joytron]

I would just get select flavors from different lines and go from there. For instance I choose layalina pretty much solely on the blueberry. A few of its fruit flavors are good but i think usually AF or nak do a better version.

[ih303]

Yeah, I ordered a 50g of Afterglow a while back and was disappointed to find they had switched their cut to that soppy sawdust style I've seen on a few boxes of AF. Is that only with the golden line or did they do it with all their flaves? I seem to remember the cut being similar to AF, but it's been a while.

[ih303]

Anyone?

[&Sheesh]

[quote name='joytron' date='14 February 2010 - 10:06 AM' timestamp='1266105970' post='451292']
I would just get select flavors from different lines and go from there. For instance I choose layalina pretty much solely on the blueberry. A few of its fruit flavors are good but i think usually AF or nak do a better version.
[/quote]

100% Agree!!

I've personally pretty much settled on Mint for good. Not sure if its the strength of the flavour, but I find it's the most likely to last during a longer session, and definitely the most consistent when you're at a cafe/lounge.

AF for me, especially for Mint!

[ih303]

This is getting tricky. As of now, Romman and Fantasia are tied. I personnaly can't stand Fantasia as I think it tastes incredibly artificial and makes me sick when I smoke it, but if people like it, who am I to deny them? We may just have to eventually carry both.

[Stuie]

I say go with Romman over Fantasia.

[Arcane]

[quote name='ih303' date='17 February 2010 - 05:21 AM' timestamp='1266420067' post='451919']
This is getting tricky. As of now, Romman and Fantasia are tied. I personnaly can't stand Fantasia as I think it tastes incredibly artificial and makes me sick when I smoke it, but if people like it, [b]who am I to deny them[/b][u][/u]? We may just have to eventually carry both.
[/quote]
the owner? and more importantly...an owner who knows something about good hookahs/tobacco... Edited February 17, 2010 by Arcane

[Hook]

I only just signed up to the forum...
I live Sydney Australia and the only good brands we have here is AF and naklia...
So there's not a varity of tobacco here we can try...

[Sonthert]

I would approach it from a balance perspective..getting a diversity of tobacco to sell.

Yeah Tangiers! Thanks much friends. I appreciate the votes of confidence.

[delSol_si]

[quote name='ih303' date='17 February 2010 - 09:21 AM' timestamp='1266420067' post='451919']
This is getting tricky. As of now, Romman and Fantasia are tied. I personnaly can't stand Fantasia as I think it tastes incredibly artificial and makes me sick when I smoke it, but if people like it,[b] who am I to deny them?[/b] We may just have to eventually carry both.
[/quote]

you know how many things eric denies us of? *cough* (mini phunnels, bug powder, bacon flavored shisha, super chiefs) *cough* lol



but, at the same time, eric is all about quality, so i am sure he has sufficient reasons behind the things he does.

[ih303]

[quote name='Arcane' date='17 February 2010 - 04:29 PM' timestamp='1266449342' post='452004']
the owner? and more importantly...an owner who knows something about good hookahs/tobacco...
[/quote]

This is true.

I don't ever want to sell crap - no matter how much money it might make me. But one man's crap is another man's... um... non-crap. For instance, I hate Fantasia. The stuff tastes waxy and fake to me. But we get people who ask for it. Even more, there's a tobacco shop a few blocks away that sells it. So I feel a bit o' pressure to compete.

I think Eric makes a good point about the whole "balance" thing. Right now, if someone wants some of that super sweet, artificially colored/flavored stuff, they only have seven flavors of SB to choose from. I think Romman might satisfy some of these folks, even though I don't think it's as sweet and artificial as SB. I group Layalina and AF in the same category. NK and TN are both in categories of their own.

I might just try adding Romman and Layalina and see how that goes. I just don't think I could get behind Fantasia even if it was what people wanted.

[mattarios2]

Looks like tang/af/nak are the highest ... as most of us on the forum assumed I am sure.

Definitely the goal when carrying tobaccos at a lounge is to keep a balance. Between price - Cheap/middle of the road/expensive. And a solid mix of sweet flavors and less sweet and more realistic flavors.

[Stuie]

[quote name='mattarios2' date='18 February 2010 - 09:51 AM' timestamp='1266508297' post='452184']
Looks like tang/af/nak are the highest ... as most of us on the forum assumed I am sure.

[b]Definitely the goal when carrying tobaccos at a lounge is to keep a balance. Between price - Cheap/middle of the road/expensive. And a solid mix of sweet flavors and less sweet and more realistic flavors.[/b]
[/quote]

QFT!

[Arcane]

if they want super sweet, layalina and SB should suffice....actually, what i'd do is ask your customers(or maybe just your regulars) what flavors they want in Fantasia...then find a SB/Layalina/Fusion flavor that is the same or similar. inform your customers that you can get a similar flavor from a different brand and maybe express your opinion on why you'd rather not carry Fantasia....

[arzan87]

[quote name='Hook' date='18 February 2010 - 08:02 AM' timestamp='1266451324' post='452012']
I only just signed up to the forum...
I live Sydney Australia and the only good brands we have here is AF and naklia...
So there's not a varity of tobacco here we can try...
[/quote]


Mate, Perth dude here,
If you're trying to buy local, you're a fool.. it's $70 for 250g here in Aus...
Better to buy from the US.. hookahjohn.com and hookah-shisha.com are the best
If you buy in more than 750g at a time, it more than covers cost of shipping and exchange rates. All figures in US Dollars
See my attachment

Now onto topic... AF and Tangiers are my staples.
I find AF tends to do nice with the fruits, and tangiers with non-fruity flavours.
The free Fusion and Romman 50g packs I get when ordering are pretty good too, I'd rank Fusion over Romman
and lastly Layalina cause that's all I've tried.

[PSU Smoker]

other = havana

[Stuie]

[quote name='PSU Smoker' date='25 February 2010 - 11:04 AM' timestamp='1267117479' post='453683']
other = havana
[/quote]

Really? I haven't had a lot of havana, but nothing stuck out as great. What flavors do you recommend?

[A13lackFish]

Nakhla always for me, love those clouds

[ih303]

[quote name='Arcane' date='18 February 2010 - 01:10 PM' timestamp='1266523828' post='452222']
if they want super sweet, layalina and SB should suffice....actually, what i'd do is ask your customers(or maybe just your regulars) what flavors they want in Fantasia...then find a SB/Layalina/Fusion flavor that is the same or similar. inform your customers that you can get a similar flavor from a different brand and maybe express your opinion on why you'd rather not carry Fantasia....
[/quote]


Interestingly enough, Romman and Fantasia are neck & neck on the poll right now.

I understand a lot of people like Fantasia. It's got some good flavor ideas, sleek packaging, and that high high price that eludes to some sort of exclusivity. But I cannot, no matter how hard I try, bring myself to like it. Fantasia is the only brand that consistently makes me sick every time I smoke it. It tastes waxy and fake.

In terms of "bubblegum" brands (and I use that term in reference to the overall brand, not a flavor), SB is decent - I wouldn't have any problem selling it to someone seeking that bubblegum experience. I would have no problem selling Romman as I think their tobacco, while sweet, still tastes great. Romman's like a much better version of SB, IMO. I don't think I could get behind and sell Fantasia, regardless of how many people ask for it.

Our only competition in town are a couple of local smoke shops. One sells Hookah Hookah (no competition there), but the other sells Deja Vu, Fantasia, Romman (I think), AF, AW, & Layalina. I'm pretty sure if we added Romman and Layalina, we would have the spectrum covered and would have something for every palette.