Trusted Shisha Brands And Flavors

[JamminJonah]

I know that this question comes down largely to personal preference but what brands and flavours are most widely celebrated in the hookah world? I'm looking to stock a few flavors, I have a feeling that Golden Apple will be on my list -

what brands are safe bets and are there any must have flavors in every smokers collection?

Also, pardon my ignorance but what is the acclamation period?

[cypherkk]

Layalina is simple and sweet. The flavors aren't particularly complicated or natural, but they are deffinately sweet. THey are fairly consistent but I have gotten a bad pack of raspberry (it was probably quite old).

Tangiers is good flavor, not the strongest but consistantly the best buzz. It can be difficult to control and has a sharp learning curve to use consitantly. Probably one of the most consistant flavors and experiences among smokers.

Starbuzz is mild but destictive flavors. I can't say about consistancy as I have only ordered flavors once. the best flavors are the ones most unique. Common flavors like normal fruit flavors tend to be bland.

Al waha seems inconsitant.

Romman is recently remixing flavors, so you will deffinately find inconsistancies, between old and new stock. The new flavors seem very tasty, if short lived.

Sultan is prob the most consistant flavor on the market... consistantly bad!!!!

Fumari has in the past been my personal favorite. It was consitant, lots of long lasting flavor, natural flavors. My last order was not as exceptional as I have come to expect. Again, non-standard flavors tend to be the best.

[Zerodynamic]

Dude, I don't know what you're smoking... but I have the exact opposite of what you are saying.

Fumari's quality is very inconsisent. Its tasty, but not uncommon to get a bad batch. There was a thread about this a day or two ago.

Starbuzz is a premium tobacco... the flavoring is great, and well worth the money.

Al-waha/Al-fakher are very consistent and great purchases for not a lot of money... these two are staples in any hookah tobbaco inventory.

Layalina is very much like AF, but has tastier flavors... Layalina is more uncommon than AF (and AW is freakin' everywhere) but just as good if not better.

I personally love pharoh's tobbaco... the one place that sold it on line (customhookahs.com) went out of business.. so I don't know where to get it online. I do however get it locally. Its some of the most consistent, awesome tobacco I have ever smoked. Exotic Peach is my daily smoke.

Tangiers is kinda odd. Some people have great success with it, others need to learn how to handle it. This isn't novice tobbaco, it takes the right touch to smoke right, and when it is, this stuff will knock you on your ass. (check out the F-Line at Mnhookah, that stuff is just awesome) The tobbaco quality is great, but like I said... you can't just pack it in and go.

Al Amir is a pretty common tobbaco, this is a pack it in and go tobbaco... some say the flavoring is a little weaker on this than others, but to each their own. I have 2 tubs of it (Pineapple and Blueberry) on its way from Hookah Etc. So, I'll give you a review when I get it.

Romman is some pretty good stuff. Most around here like it, and its very consistent. I haven't seen it sold in any local shops, but Hookah shisha carries it.

Fusion is a brand new tobbaco thats made by Starbuzz... everyone that gets their hands on it raves about it, and its about 25% less than SB in price.

Last but not least is Nakhla... this stuff is an economy brand. at $5/6 for 250 grams you can see why. Its not bad tasting, and can be pretty consisent, but there is better out there... but for how much you get for the price, it can't be beat.


I think thats about it... I know I am missing hookah hookah, but I have never smoked that stuff.... and I hear its crap anyway.

[cafesaden]

how much you willing to spend?

starbuzz is a safe bet on flavor and not hard at all to get smoking great for lonnng smokes. only tried to flavors but very flavorful just too expensive for me to keep on stock.

grab a phunnel bowl with your order and 50 gram boxes of alwaha, layalina, al fahker

try them out

[Johnny_D]

Might as well ask how long a piece of string is!

Now i found that i didn't like starbuzz flavours!

But i find that layalina, so far, is the best overall performer and probably won't let you down.

Good luck!

JD

[mushrat]

Check out the review section.

[imagelessdude]

Layalina was my first. Smokes well, it isnt finicky, and has good flavor.

I wasnt a big fan of Al-Waha... they use honey instead of molasses or glycerin I think. But Im not certain.

Al-Fakher is super easy to smoke... takes a beating if you suck at heat management, and tastes almost as good as Layalina.

Nakhla.. hm.. tried their double apple... weird taste... big buzz. I wouldnt try it if you arent... experienced?

Havana; Ive only had their coconut and orange... the coconut was amazing... orange, not so much. Didnt smoke very thick for me.

[cymptom]

I find Layalina to have a rather strong undertone -- I think Al Fakher is both easier to get smoking well and better tasting.

Starbuzz is definitely up there in terms of user friendliness.

Tangiers gets a 1/5 for user-friendliness -- you only need spend 15 minutes on this forum to discover that. There are more threads about Tangiers technique than there are threads about trusted shisha brands and flavors and that's saying something! I kid... Anyway, despite the fact that Tangiers tobacco is supposedly designed to be easy to smoke, it is undeniably more sensitive than any other tobacco on the market. Whether it's packing technique / heat management or atmospheric conditions, there are a number of variables said to have large effects on this brand. Nonetheless, it's my #1 favorite tobacco for its weight and flavor

Anyway, I'd say go with Al Fakher -- Golden Eskandarani Apple, Apricot, Coconut and Melon are good choices. Consider Starbuzz if you have the money. Fusion is new and supposed to be really good, though I haven't tried it. Zero, I don't think it's made by Starbuzz -- wasn't there a big controversy over that not long ago?

[Macho555]

Some of the older people know that I adore Layalina...I always get a wonderful smoke out of it, and its always tasty. I even like some of the flavors that I would usually hate. Tangiers is my other love, because its flavorful as hell, and its just really good tobacco. My newer love is Pharoahs...the flavors aren't really in your face, but they make for a nice session, and the price isn't too horrible. Pharoahs is something I can actually get locally too.

[Apollo]

al waha, and romman is all i use, i like both of them, and in general prefer al waha for the price, and mint!

[angemonkwj]

romman strawberry was my first smoke and it was great. like posted above, you will find some difference in romman in the near future as they are tweaking flavors. hookah hookah have a few good flavors that are bangin. most here love starbuzz. good consistant flavors, nice white clouds of smoke, all around goodness!!

[DVS]

Might as well ask how long a piece of string is!

Now i found that i didn't like starbuzz flavours!

But i find that layalina, so far, is the best overall performer and probably won't let you down.

Good luck!

JD

I'll have to agree Layalina is by far the best tobacco in my opinion. It also depends on your flavor preferences, some companies make a better mixed fruit than others, or a better lemon than another company. Layalina has been consistent in flavor the two years that i've been smoking it. Other brands like Romman and the Starbuzz give me headaches, or just aren't nice to my tastebuds. I've had a 4 hour session of mint layalina, you can burn it and still bring it back if you can work the coals well enough. That is true for most of the layalina flavors as well. This is with 2-3 people smoking, pretty much constantly. I usually get on average 2 hours out of a well packed bowl with good coal rotation. It also depends on your bowl size of course. i would guesstimate it being 12-15 grams. I have been smoking Azfal lately due to my new living arrangment, but ill soon be ordering layalina off the web, its just the best for me. Azfal gets the job done, but only a few flavors are consistent.

Also, if you ever come across Hookah-Hookah, don't buy it. I wasn't overly impressed.

[imagelessdude]

Ah, Hookah-Hookah, I forgot. Ive done their shots... the spearmint was disgusting. BUT the Key Lime Pie was amazing. Long lasting flavor... smokes FOREVER lol..

[angemonkwj]

im quite partial to there orange and watermelon.

[kornkitten42]

JD[/quote]



Also, if you ever come across Hookah-Hookah, don't buy it. I wasn't overly impressed.
[/quote]


Not true for everyone. I love hookah Hookah brand. I love the Orange, chocolate, Fruit punch, lemonaide, (Stawberry is ok) but great as chocolate covered strawberry! and i liked the mint, along with several others, they have like 35 flavors.....

stay away from the hookah flavors - kiwi (tasted like grass??), margarita, jamacian rum. ewwwww

i disliked the al-waha/ and al-amir. but like i've said before it was probably a bad batch , but i don't know if 10 different flavors could all be bad?

but other than that, it's everyones personal pref.

I did like al-fahkir plum*** YUMMY*, orange*****, pear.


AS FOR STARBUZZ AND TANGIERS... those are my next adventure to try. good luck finding the brand that suits you and your tastes.

[DVS]

Ah, Hookah-Hookah, I forgot. Ive done their shots... the spearmint was disgusting. BUT the Key Lime Pie was amazing. Long lasting flavor... smokes FOREVER lol..

See thats the thing, i tried the key lime and the flavor was there, but i personally just dont like key lime, in a flavor or a pie. The fruit punch was not bad. I would say they are middle of the road, i have definately come across worse. Given the choice of buying Layalina over Hookah-Hookah, the choice would be Layalina for me.

[DrShisha]

You cant go wrong with Layalina, its just the best tobacco molasses money can buy its not even expensive, the juiciness, the smell, the smoke, the flavour. Blueberry, Rasberry, Plum. All awesome. Starbuzz well its expensive but some flavours are renowned like guava, that you cant go wrong with it kinda thing. Al fakher esk apple and golden grape, both wicked, Tangiers well if your up for a buzz then go for a flavour, but it is quite difficult to operate! And i heard Fusion is amazing aswell. Your spoilt for choice!

[OPR234]

I'm one of the only Layalina haters around, but the flavors just dont seem right, they arent necessarily bad, but very inaccurate and simply awkward. The only decent flavors of theirs I've had are melon and jasmine, out of at least 8 other flavors. Al Waha is a good choice for beginners in my opinion, I'd choose Waha over Layalina any day.

[[LB]]

Check out the review section.

i will second that, i think all the reviews are pretty accurate and youll get a good idea, fast, on what brands and flavors to look out for and which ones to avoid.

[cymptom]

I'm one of the only Layalina haters around, but the flavors just dont seem right, they arent necessarily bad, but very inaccurate and simply awkward. The only decent flavors of theirs I've had are melon and jasmine, out of at least 8 other flavors. Al Waha is a good choice for beginners in my opinion, I'd choose Waha over Layalina any day.

I agree -- I don't label most of my shisha tubs because I can recognize them by smell, but the 6 or so Layalina flavors I have are kinda indecipherable. If someone told me the watermelon was the blueberry and the blueberry was the watermelon, I might believe them. In my opinion, Layalina is a slight step up from Al Amir... and I don't hold Al Amir very high. All the flavors have a sort of generic sweetness to them -- too candy-like for my tastes...

[KillZedKill]

Hookah-Hookah = Very dry tasting, consistantly gross. It smells great when being smoked, but when you take a hit you feel like your smoking cool-aide. The only time Ive smoked somehting half decent from them was their chocolate, which is great for mixing, but im sure theres better.

Pharoah = AMAZING. In my opinion its one of the best for normal flavors like double apple. Great taste, never a bad choice.

Nahkla = Recently smoked a couple times with my friend who owns this stuff. The mint is very good.

Al Amir = I recently ordered three tubs of this, tripple apple, blue berry, and vanilla, Ill write more after i give it a try.

[cypherkk]

to add in in favor of Layalina... my favorite flavors are fig and plum... They basically taste the same but plum is stronger. Like I said before the flavors are sweet and they are very similar, I would say there's flavor groupings in them...

[OPR234]

I'm one of the only Layalina haters around, but the flavors just dont seem right, they arent necessarily bad, but very inaccurate and simply awkward. The only decent flavors of theirs I've had are melon and jasmine, out of at least 8 other flavors. Al Waha is a good choice for beginners in my opinion, I'd choose Waha over Layalina any day.

I agree -- I don't label most of my shisha tubs because I can recognize them by smell, but the 6 or so Layalina flavors I have are kinda indecipherable. If someone told me the watermelon was the blueberry and the blueberry was the watermelon, I might believe them. In my opinion, Layalina is a slight step up from Al Amir... and I don't hold Al Amir very high. All the flavors have a sort of generic sweetness to them -- too candy-like for my tastes...

Thank you for confirming that I'm not crazy! The vanilla is the worst at that, it smells nothing remotely close to vanilla, doesnt taste anything like vanilla, but still is called vanilla. Even though Al Amir isnt that great, I'd still choose them over Layalina because their flavors are more accurate, they smell like the flavor they're meant to be, and I could enjoy certain flavors a lot more.
But back on topic, I'd advise people against Layalina, from my experience it is NOT a reliable tobacco in terms of flavor.

[Fumare]

Layalina - Always consitent
Fantasia - Always consistent
Nakhla - Cheap and dry tobacco.

[fizzgig]

I'm one of the only Layalina haters around, but the flavors just dont seem right, they arent necessarily bad, but very inaccurate and simply awkward. The only decent flavors of theirs I've had are melon and jasmine, out of at least 8 other flavors. Al Waha is a good choice for beginners in my opinion, I'd choose Waha over Layalina any day.

I agree -- I don't label most of my shisha tubs because I can recognize them by smell, but the 6 or so Layalina flavors I have are kinda indecipherable. If someone told me the watermelon was the blueberry and the blueberry was the watermelon, I might believe them. In my opinion, Layalina is a slight step up from Al Amir... and I don't hold Al Amir very high. All the flavors have a sort of generic sweetness to them -- too candy-like for my tastes...

Thank you for confirming that I'm not crazy! The vanilla is the worst at that, it smells nothing remotely close to vanilla, doesnt taste anything like vanilla, but still is called vanilla. Even though Al Amir isnt that great, I'd still choose them over Layalina because their flavors are more accurate, they smell like the flavor they're meant to be, and I could enjoy certain flavors a lot more.
But back on topic, I'd advise people against Layalina, from my experience it is NOT a reliable tobacco in terms of flavor.

I agree with this as well. To me there's just something strange about the Laylina flavors. I always recommend Al Fakher as the most reliable brand, best bang for your buck.