Hookah has become a very popular past time for young people around the world, such as in the middle east, Russia and United States. However, some of us enjoy smoking hookah on a more regular basis and even call it a hobby, for us the quality and taste of hookah, is essential. Hookah connoisseurs and aficionados have come up with brands of tobacco that elevate the hookah smoking experience on a whole nother level. The two main tobacco producing brands that stand out around the hookah smoking community are Fumari and Tangiers. In this article, I will compare and analyze the texture, taste, buzz, nicotine levels and overall quality of the two tobacco producing brands and come to a consensus of which brand is the finest of the two. Fumari and Tangier are two distinct tobacco flavors that contribute somewhat similar products but completely different effects and experiences.

 

The art of making Shisha 

Before we dive into the complexity of shisha tobacco brands it is safe to assume that many of you do not know the full contents of shisha and the way it is made. To understand better what kind of tobacco brand you should be smoking you must first understand its creation. The main components of shisha tobacco are Tobacco leaves, honey, glycerine, and flavorings. You first dry the tobacco leaves then soak them in water to re-hydrate them. Then the stems are removed to lessen the high nicotine levels and are then chopped into smaller chunks. Afterward, honey and glycreine is added, and it is baked. After it is baked flavors are added to it and stored in special conditions for a certain period of time. Thus shisha tobacco is born.

Shisha knowledge 

To those of you who are new to hookah yes shisha is made of tobacco leaves which indicates that just like cigarettes it contains nicotine. However, according to Brian Wendt “The great majority of “smoke” is actually glycerine steam which is the same stuff they use in most fog machines. Glycerine is FDA approved as safe for inhalation. With most tobacco smoked from a hookah, you get less tar. This is due to the fact that most brands of hookah tobacco wash the tobacco to decrease the pronouncement of the “tobacco flavor”.” According to him which many of us expert hookah smokers may agree with suggests that hookah is not as harmful and should not be as addictive. However, research has concluded that hookah is in fact as much of a risk to your health as are cigarettes, the MAYOclinic states that “As with cigarette smoking, hookah smoking is linked to lung and oral cancers, heart disease, and other serious illnesses.” Therefore, to all the newcomers and regulars take caution when choosing your brand of tobacco as one can be less harmful than the other.

Fumari

The first brand we look at is Fumari, which is perhaps one of the best-known shisha tobacco brands in the world and it is renowned for its vast quantity of delicious flavors and long lasting smoke. Fumari tobacco is produced in San Diego, California where the tobacco leaves are hand sourced and flue-cured and flavor recipes are only of the highest quality ingredients. Fumari attempts to strain away from the traditional hookah flavors such as double apple and grape that are smoked mainly for the pleasure of nicotine and strong buzz. Instead, Fumari is a lot lighter and a softer blend of tobacco that is easy to smoke and enjoyable by everyone. The flavors of Fumari are rich and have a tropical summer sensation to them, containing flavors such as Island papaya, white gummy, red gummy, and white peach.

Fumari  Smoke texture & nicotine levels

The way to describe smoking Fumari is that it’s a smooth and delicious breeze that creates a sensation of relaxation and due to its large glycerin content it allows for large amounts of smoke to be produced. When smoking Fumari people are able to enjoy their company of friends around them without being distracted by the heaviness and difficulty of the hookah. Many shisha tobaccos can be quite difficult to smoke for those who aren’t used to smoking strong nicotine contents. Which is good because according to HookahFandom “Fumari has a nicotine content of 0.05% making it washed tobacco” this level of nicotine is quite low for tobacco which is why unlike many shisha tobaccos Fumari does not produce a buzz sensation when smoking.

Tangiers

Tangiers are also well known throughout the shisha community but mostly by the shisha enthusiast groups. This is because Tangiers are recognized for their strength, bitterness and heavy smoke which may put off many new inexperienced smokers. However, Just like Fumari Tangiers are made in San Diego, California and they hand pick tobacco leaves but they do not treat or alter them in any way, which gives them that unique natural flavor. Some of the tastes in Tangiers are incredible as they have a wide selection of quirky flavors that are mixed with natural ingredients such as Blue Gumball, Kashmir Peach, Foreplay on the Peach.

Tangiers Smoke texture & nicotine levels

Tangiers are enjoyed mostly by hookah enthusiasts and veteran smokers that can handle heavy,  strong tobacco because Tangiers is established as the strongest shisha tobacco in production today.  Just like in the image you must have experience shisha before you can smoke Tangiers. They have nicotine potency of 0.3% which is quite high compared to most tobacco brand companies. However, this high nicotine level gives tangier smokers a very powerful buzz which many enjoy while smoking shisha. The texture of the smoke is thick and heavy due to low glycerin levels which do not allow for tricks or large smoke quantity. Tangiers are not meant for beginners and are advised to be cautious when smoking as the health risks of this high nicotine and strong potency can cause many health issues, such as lung cancer, mouth cancer and other forms of diseases associated with nicotine.

Fumari vs. Tangiers 

The differences between Fumari and Tangiers are evident the second you inhale them. First and foremost the most important factor that creates a significant difference between the two brands, I believe is that Fumari cures it’s tobacco leaves and picks out the stems to give it a softer and weaker texture and nicotine capacity while Tangiers intentionally do not treat their leaves and do not take out the stems to embrace its strong potency and natural flavors. Hence, A major visible difference between the two brands is its nicotine levels, Fumari only contains 0.05% nicotine while Tangiers has a whopping 0.3% nicotine level. The difference between those two levels is what makes Fumari a light and easily enjoyable smoke that almost anyone can enjoy, while Tangiers are thick and heavy and can be enjoyed mostly by veteran hookah smokers.

Differences

A big difference between the two shishas that might favor one more than the other is the amount of smoke they produce. Fumari produces some of the best quality and quantity of smoke in the shisha industry, this is due to their high levels of glycerin. While on the other hand, Tangiers does not produce a lot of smoke and the quality is weak because of the low glycerin levels which many Tangiers smokers might argue that it compensates with its taste. Furthermore, another significant difference is in their noteworthy price points; a 100 grams of Fumari tobacco will cost 11$ while 250 grams of Tangiers will cost 23$, however, this price exceeds at hookah lounges as an order of Fumari will cost somewhere between 20 to 30 dollars whereas Tangiers can cost up to 50$.  Enjoying the two hookahs cannot be done in the same way, Fumari is meant to be enjoyed as a past time when out with friends while Tangiers are smoked specifically to enjoy the shisha and buzz.

Similarities

Even though the two brands have quite a few distinct differences in them they also bare some similarities. Both Fumari and Tangiers tobacco are produced, packaged an distributed in San Diego California. They both have quirky names that bring a smile to people like Tangiers have flavors called Static starlight, foreplay on the peach and Fumari has white gummy bear and red gummy bear. The best part of having so many interesting flavors is that they can both be mixed together to create something special. You can experiment and play with the flavors until you find one amazing flavor that fits your tastebuds perfectly.

Conclusion

Overall, both Fumari and Tangiers are shisha tobacco brands that differ from each other in terms of flavors, smoke quality, price, and nicotine capacity. Fumari is perfect for a time well spent with friends while Tangiers is great for that hookah buzz and nicotine rush. By comparing Fumari’s smooth smoke texture with Tangiers heavy smoke, and Fumari’s delicious tropical flavors with Tangiers unique tastes and their significant health disadvantages I would declare Fumari as the greater of the two. To add a little advice from the author of this blog, if you go to a hookah lounge that sells Fumari order island papaya / Lemmon Chello this taste will blow your mind and the people you trying to impress with your new found hookah knowledge.