# Hookah enthusiasts, what's your flavor of choice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558 "2005-03-08T18:20:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/1 "2005-03-08T18:20:48Z")
When I first visited Israel, I had the sublime pleasure of sitting around a table with a few buddies and sinking into my chair as I smoked sour apple shisha. We spent an hour in that cafe, passing around the hose and blowing great plumes of smoke into the air as our conversation drifted lazy and relaxed as the smoke which floated on the breeze. Recently, I purchased a relatively cheap hookah with a single hose, and I’m wondering at some recommendations for flavors, and/or websites to order them from. I’ve tried peach, and that was really good. Someone recommended that I mix mint and orange, and I tried that today, and it’s just nasty. So, any Dopers enjoy nargula, hookah, shisha, whatever the heck you call it? If so, what flavor tobacco do you like to smoke? P.S. I use my hookah to smoke flavored tobacco, which is **legal**. If you would like to discuss anything illegal, please do not do so in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/2 "2005-03-08T19:15:15Z")
I’ve got a friend who has one and when he lived here some of us would get together a few times over the summer and smoke it. I was partial to the melon flavor myself. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/3 "2005-03-08T20:09:16Z")
I’m very fond of rose-flavored shishah. I also had some jasmine once at a hookah bar, but it was kind of harsh near the end. As far as fruit flavors go, apricot is my fave. [This site](http://www.shishah.com) has great prices and selection on tobacco and all kinds of accessories. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/4 "2005-03-08T22:04:22Z")
> [@The Weird One](#): > > I’m very fond of rose-flavored shishah. I also had some jasmine once at a hookah bar, but it was kind of harsh near the end. As far as fruit flavors go, apricot is my fave. [This site](http://www.shishah.com) has great prices and selection on tobacco and all kinds of accessories. You’re my new shortdurpersav! **Eowne** : You don’t happen to remember what brand the tobbaco was? I’ve tried a few varieities of melon, and it’s generally pretty hit or miss. ---
**Author:** ![wampeter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@wampeter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wampeter)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/5 "2005-03-09T13:42:20Z")
I really like mixed fruit or banana. Banana can be hit or miss, too, though - like melon, as you mentioned. I can’t remember the brand of the really good banana tobacco I had - I bought it at the Arab shuk in the Jerusalem’s Old City - but look around. Most people I’ve talked to claim red apple is the absolute best, but I just find it boring. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/6 "2005-03-09T13:46:37Z")
I enjoyed apricot, but I don’t think any of the flavors are as good as just plain old tobacco. I love smoking a hookah/shiksha/darjeelee/whatever. I have a Lebanese friend who always gets one going. I think he calls it a “darjeelee”. Something like that. ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/7 "2005-03-09T13:54:14Z")
I’ve only smoked a hookah once, but I had some Jasmine flavoured and it was quite nice. From my friends who have enjoyed it in the past, they’re fans of the apple flavours. They used to go to a little hookah lounge in town where the guys that ran it would core a fresh apple and somehow put it in there so even more of the flavoure got infused in the smoke. It’s not something I’d want to do more than once every few weeks, but it was enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/8 "2005-03-09T14:02:12Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > I enjoyed apricot, but I don’t think any of the flavors are as good as just plain old tobacco. I’ve been trying to find plain tobacco flavour; where did you get it? What brand? Does it taste like pipe tobacco? (yum!) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/9 "2005-03-09T14:11:52Z")
> [@The Weird One](#): > > I’ve been trying to find plain tobacco flavour; where did you get it? What brand? Does it taste like pipe tobacco? (yum!) My Lebanese friend. He gets some Turkish brand. Maybe try an Arab market. I couldn’t even begin to guess where he gets it from. He has tons of Arab family in Dearborn, Michigan, tons of Arab family in Massachussetts, and they’re all travelling to each other’s houses all the time, and always visiting the Middle East. With the hookah, it seems to be more about the “aftertaste” because the inhale is so easy. It leaves that tobacco taste in your mouth, probably like a pipe, though I haven’t smoked many pipes. Definitely not as strong as a cigar. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/10 "2005-03-09T18:54:17Z")
Thanks everybody for the responses. I know what my google search for the evening is going to be 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/11 "2005-03-09T19:19:37Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > You’re my new shortdurpersav! Well, gee, thanks, I’m flattered, I think. What’s a . . . shortdurpersav? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/12 "2005-03-10T00:23:06Z")
> [@The Weird One](#): > > Well, gee, thanks, I’m flattered, I think. What’s a . . . shortdurpersav? 😕 [ShorDurPerSav](http://www.subgenius.com/bigfist/goods/shordurpersavs/X0012_ShorDurPerSav_Lesson.html) But I’ve already gotten a new one. Maybe you’ll come up in rotation again 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/13 "2005-03-10T00:23:33Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > You’re my new shortdurpersav! > > **Eowne** : You don’t happen to remember what brand the tobbaco was? I’ve tried a few varieities of melon, and it’s generally pretty hit or miss. Ok, had to wait for an e-mail back from my friend, who suggested [this site](http://www.hookah-shisha.com/), and said the following: > [@](#): > > Favorite Flavors: > > [ul] > [li]Nakhla Brand(from Egypt): Strawberry, Mixed Fruit, Apricot[/li][li]Al Waha Brand (from Jordon): Sweet Melon, Bahraini (sweet apple), Pinapple, 5-star(cocktail)…their coconut is great to mix with pinapple, banana is good for mixing with strawberry. Their cherry and mango are a great mix together too![/li][/ul] > > You could get a small thing of al waha mixed fruit(its VERY > sweet) and mix a little of that into Nakhla apricot and thats great. Hope that’s helpful in some way. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/14 "2005-03-10T10:34:18Z")
Plain 'ol mint. orange does sound interesting. ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/15 "2005-03-10T16:19:32Z")
I’m partial to mango, which can be a bit hard to find. I also like the plain 'ol molassas. Lime or margarita is nice, too. The different melons also work well. I’ve never tried the flowery versions. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hookah-enthusiasts-whats-your-flavor-of-choice/293558/16 "2005-03-10T23:29:37Z")
**Eonwe** : You rock, thanks! As for mint… I bought a packet of it, and it’s just too harsh on my throat. I don’t like it much. Does anybody know of, meebe, a mild kind of mint?