Fuzzy Navel, which outside of the hookah world, is a mixed drink made from peach schnapps and orange juice. Having never actually had one of these drinks in real life, it’s difficult to say just how accurate the tobacco is to the real thing. But dissecting the flavor for what it is, there is a very strong, sweet and tangy orange flavor. In fact, the overall taste is very similar to the orange drink Tang. But, inspecting closely, you can also pick up subtle notes of peach. Regardless of whether it tastes like the beverage or not, the flavor is mouthwatering and delicious.

Though the scent is very much that of children’s breakfast cereal, the flavor is not so much. After Sex is sweet, but not nauseatingly so. It is a berry/fruit mix with some very subtle citrus undertones. The flavor is tasty and refreshing, and though there is no detectible mint sensation, After Sex still has a cool freshness to it.

It’s a popular misconception that a bigger hookah means bigger and better smoke. But this is untrue. Let’s look at the facts.

Larger Hookahs Often Have Traditional Chambers

Larger hookahs have a number of great advantages, but also their fair share of drawbacks.

Bigger hookahs, hookahs larger than about 30”, are usually made in the Middle East according to many traditional standards. For example, larger hookahs frequently employ what’s called a ‘traditional chamber’. This is a reference to the inner-workings of the hookah…

Banana is a surprisingly realistic version of the real fruit flavor. It is, however, still a strangely awkward caricature of the real thing. It is a sweet, simple, very mild, candy banana. Almost identical to the Runts candies that you used to find in the single serving candy machines at the barber shop.

Cinnamon Apple is just as the name implies. Cinnamon and apple. The flavor is mild. However, it is also warm and spicy, thanks to the cinnamon flavoring. And, while the spice flavor is dominant, the apple provides a refreshing, sweet undertone. The balance is near perfect. Comparing the flavor in the real world, Cinnamon Apple tastes almost identically to a bowl of cooked apple and cinnamon dessert.

Soft Black is an unflavored tobacco. The taste is that of tobacco, made slightly sweet by the molasses ingredient. The result is something similar to smoking a standard pipe, unflavored cigar or expensive cigarette. Like natural tobaccos, the taste is dark, rich and earthy. It goes excellently with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. If the natural tobacco taste is too much for you, as it is for some people, adding a small amount of mild flavored tobacco, such as mint, cinnamon or jasmine can add the subtle sensation of smoking a flavored pipe tobacco or flavored cigar. Soft Black can also be added to strong, flavored tobaccos to mild things out a bit. But be warned, the more Soft Black you add to a flavored tobacco the more natural tobacco taste you will introduce.

Cinnamon Roll is a stab at the breakfast pastry by the same name. Tonic’s attempt is not perfect, but the result is still delicious. There is an evident sweet cinnamon taste, and an almost creamy finish. The flavor is mild and with close examination, it does in fact taste very similar to an actual cinnamon bun. However, I have yet to meet someone who could pick out the intended flavor without clues.

Social Smoke describes Blush as a blend of raspberry, fruits, citrus and a hint of rose. The resulting flavor is more likely to remind you of a really excellent stick of bubble gum. If you examine closely enough, you can definitely pick up on notes of fruit and berry flavor. Picking out any one of them in particular is difficult. Blush is a mild, sweet candy style flavor with an excellent and subtle floral finish.

JM’s Peach is a sweet and mild, yet realistic version of the fruit flavor. The taste is not overwhelming, and while generally more dramatic than a real peach, the intended flavor is clear. If you’re very sensitive to subtle flavors, you may find a hint of a floral taste on inhale, though most won’t notice.

Dragon Fruit is a sweet blend of berries and melon. Though the combination isn’t obvious at first, rather the first sensation is bright with a delicious ambiguous berry sweetness, and just a hint of something tangy. When exhaling through the nose as well, those who have a very acute sense of smell will notice a vague hint of something chemical. For almost everyone else, it will go undetected.