Hookah Shisha

At its core, shisha is a specially flavored tobacco for hookah mixture designed for enjoyment through a hookah. It's meticulously crafted by blending tobacco leaves with vegetable glycerin, molasses or honey, and a wide variety of distinct flavorings. The resulting taste profile and intensity can vary significantly, depending on both the chosen flavors and the type of tobacco for hookah used.

This is one of the most common points of confusion! The terms are often used interchangeably, but they refer to two different things:

• Hookah: This is the device itself. The hookah (also known as a water pipe, nargile, or arghile) is the apparatus with a base, stem, hose, and bowl used for smoking.
• Shisha: This is the product you smoke. Shisha (or hookah tobacco) is the wet, flavorful tobacco mixture that is heated in the hookah bowl.

Hookah shisha is a blend of several key ingredients. While recipes vary by brand, a typical shisha contains:

1. Tobacco Leaves: The base of the shisha. This is most commonly Blonde leaf or Dark leaf tobacco.
2. Sweetener: This gives the shisha its sticky texture and sweetness. Molasses is traditional, but many modern brands use honey or other syrups.
3. Vegetable Glycerin (VG): This is a crucial ingredient that, when heated, produces the thick, dense smoke clouds hookah is known for.
4. Flavoring: These are the food-grade flavorings that create the wide variety of tastes, from apple and mint to more exotic dessert and fruit blends.

No, they are very different. While both originate from the tobacco plant, they are processed and consumed in completely different ways.

• Ingredients: Cigarette tobacco is primarily dried and cured tobacco leaf, often with additives, but it is not wet. Shisha, as noted above, is soaked in molasses, vegetable glycerin, and flavorings.
• Consumption: Cigarette tobacco is combusted (burned) to create smoke. Hookah shisha is not meant to burn; it is heated (or "vaporized") in the bowl. The heat from the charcoal warms the shisha, vaporizing the glycerin and flavorings to create the smoke.

A typical hookah session usually lasts between 45 and 60 minutes.

However, this time can vary significantly based on a few factors, including:

• The size of your bowl: A larger bowl holds more shisha and will last longer.
• How you pack the bowl: A denser pack may last longer than a light, fluffy pack.
• Your heat management: How many coals you use and how you manage them will affect how quickly the shisha is used up.

The main difference comes down to the tobacco processing, which results in different nicotine levels and flavor profiles.

• Blonde Leaf Shisha: This tobacco (usually Virginia leaf) is washed or "rinsed" during its production.This process washes away much of the natural nicotine, resulting in a lower nicotine content and a lighter, smoother taste that allows the added flavorings to be the main focus. It's the most common type and is generally recommended for beginners.
• Dark Leaf Shisha: This tobacco (often Burley leaf) is unwashed. It retains its full, natural nicotine content, giving it a much stronger nicotine buzz and a more robust, earthy tobacco flavor that complements the added flavorings. It is generally preferred by more experienced hookah smokers.

Hookah shisha doesn't "expire" or "go bad" in the same way that perishable food does. However, it can and does lose its quality over time.

The main issue is that the shisha will eventually dry out. As the molasses and vegetable glycerin evaporate, the shisha will lose its flavor and its ability to produce thick smoke.

If kept sealed in its original packaging (or moved to an airtight container), an unopened package of shisha can easily last 1 to 2 years. Once opened, it's best to try and use it within 6 months for the best flavor and smoke quality.