In this blog we will discuss our favorite 3 brands of shisha, what makes them different, how to pack each one, and the overall experience. When putting the hookah stem aside, it is important you know what flavor you are smoking, the quality of the shisha, and the way that each flavor needs to be packed. In some cases, some flavors call for different type of bowls as it maximizes the overall experience. With the following 3 flavors, an Egyptian clay bowl will work. Always remember any packing method used, you need aeration and a clean draw, so before putting your charcoal inhale to see how clean the draw it, if it feels tight and clogged, add more holes...
First Flavor - Al Fakher
Our first flavor would be Al Fakher, this is loved all around the world. With its great quality, juicy flavors, and of course their tastiness. The quality is average/premium, has extreme bold flavors and carries one of my favorite mint’s out there. Al Fakher is normally packed in an Egyptian clay bowl using the following steps: When opening the box you will notice the flavor is also in an aluminum/zip lock style bag. Mix the flavor and notice the juiciness of the flavor. You never want to pack too much juice as it will just leak through and burn your flavor a bit quicker. Make sure it is lightly juicy and begin packing the Egyptian bowl. I normally pack it in a funnel shape inside the Egyptian clay bowl. Create a ring of flavor medium dense pack and a bit lower than the edge of the bowl. Medium dense means if this bowl is turned over, no flavors will fall out. I double foil and begin creating the holes. The hole pattern is usually a large hole in the middle all the way through and smaller holes on the outer edge where the flavors lay. Place 3-4 charcoal on the ring and allow for them to heat up.
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Second Flavor - Nakhla Nakhla is one of my other flavors of choice as it has an extremely distinct taste in all their flavors. These are unwashed, traditional style shisha which are less juicy and colorless. This is the “OG” flavor which I started smoking at my younger days. Nakhla might be a bit more flavorful and carry a bit more of the tobacco leaf taste, however when packed correctly can be extremely enjoyable. Nakhla is preferably packed in an Egyptian clay bowl however they can be packed in any style bowl, it should not matter. For an Egyptian bowl, you want to do a light dense pack and make sure you have plenty holes to create a good aeration throughout. You want to pack it a bit lower than the lip so that flavor does not stick to the foil and burn quickly. A heat managing device can be used as well which will last much longer and allow for quick changes in the heat. When wrapping it with foil, make sure it is snug tight and place your coils on top. Again, let it heat up a bit before starting your first pull.
Third Flavor - Fumari
Lastly, it would be a battle between Tangiers or Fumari, however I will go ahead and do Fumari in this blog and have a blog strictly on Tangiers and the level of care needed to prep and smoke. Fumari is fairly new to the shisha industry however they are known to be one of the juiciest of all premium brands. With so many flavors to choose from, Fumari is very big on flavor and smoke quality. To pack a Fumari, I normally dab out some of the juice because it is extremely juicy. When packing, you want to fluff pack making sure that you do not push them together. This is another flavor which can be packed in an Egyptian bowl, wrap a double foil and lightly make your holes, regular pattern is fine with one large one all the way through the middle. Make sure that the level of pack is below the lip of the bowl so that you do not burn the flavor when heating up the bowl. Put your charcoals and enjoy! I am sure there are many flavors out there that taste great and are enjoyable, these are just the three that I really enjoy the most and wanted to share with you guys. Comment below on anything you might want to add or if you want to see a blog about anything in specific!
