The Basics of Tangiers Shisha Tobacco
The deeper you get into the hookah world, the more you’ll hear about Tangiers Shisha. This particular shisha is handcrafted in the United States (southern California to be exact), by a hookah lounge owner who is also credited with the creation of the Funnel Bowl. The demand tends to outweigh the supply for this popular shisha due to the small production operation.What makes it so different? Tangiers is what is known as unwashed tobacco.
This means that the tobacco leaves contain more nicotine, and you have to give some extra special love to this shisha before you can smoke it. When you first open the package, your shisha may smell almost like barbeque sauce, but that’s okay! Just leave it in an open container for 4-24 hours (until it has adjusted to the surrounding humidity), and the smell and flavor will be restored.This brand of tobacco sounds daunting and intimidating to shisha newbies, and can even be frustrating to a pro. However, for those who take the time to figure it out, it is a flavor-packed, monster-cloud, head-spinning experience!
What is the difference between the Tangiers labels?
This package comes with a yellow label, and is the original version of Tangiers. It is known for it’s susceptible to humidity shock which can cause it to smoke poorly, and may take a while to acclimate. The intense buzz and full flavor make it worth the wait!
This brand comes with a red label for good reason! F-Line is very similar to Noir, but it has a caffeinated kick to it. It is not very widely distributed anymore, but if you do get your hands on it, be prepared to hold on to your hat.
With a quirky name like Birquq (pronounced “bher-KOOK”) you might expect the unexpected when you see this green label. However, the Birquq brand was the first attempt to make Tangiers more accessible to smokers who were intimidated by the acclimation process. It does tend to acclimate faster than Noir and F-Line, however it can still be temperamental.
Last, but certainly not least, is the orange label, Lucid. This is the only version of Tangiers that is washed, making it much easier to acclimate. In fact, often times there is no acclimation needed at all. This version has slightly less nicotine than the traditional brands, and uses less heat, but tastes just as good!
| Tangiers is a particularly wet shisha, that’s why using a Funnel or Vortex bowl works the best (they help hold in the juices). Additionally, these bowls need to be packed tighter than traditional shisha in order to get the full effect – don’t be afraid to really squish it in there! Hopefully this helps to answer some questions about the Tangiers tobacco basics. Have something to add? We look forward to your comments! |