Apart from the quality and design of the pipe itself, one of the keys to a satisfying hookah experience is the quality and flavor of the tobacco. Contrary to popular belief, most hookah smokers are merely smoking tobacco, although at one time opium and hashish were commonly smoked. Hookah tobacco is smoked for flavor rather than effect and most smokers find it relaxing and satisfying.

Hookah tobacco is different from the tobacco used in cigarettes or cigars, most hookah tobacco is traditionally blended from fresh tobacco leaves along with various additives such as honey, molasses or fruit pulp. This mixture is known as maassel or tobamel.

Rose oil or the juice from pomegranates has also occasionally been added to the mixture, which added more flavor to the smoke. During the 1980s, Egyptian hookah tobacconists started adding all sorts of flavors to their tobacco, fruits and spices in particular. The result is a strongly flavored tobacco sometimes called shisha.

More recently, many hookah tobacco manufacturers have also started adding glycerin because of its sweetening ability and ability to keep the tobacco moist. Because it is so wet, shisha tobacco must be smoked using hookah charcoal.

And hookah tobacco may be healthier for you than cigarette tobacco, most hookah tobacco is manufactured with no tar and contains just traces of nicotine. Because the tobacco is heated instead of burned, research shows that the level of carcinogens produced by hookah smoking is significantly lower.

Finding Great Deals on Hookah Tobacco

Hookah smoking has become more popular over the last several years and even in the United States, you'll find many new hookah lounges opening. Smoking from a hookah pipe offers one relaxation and the ability to socialize with a common goal-to share the hookah. When shopping for your needed items for this ritual, you'll want to do your research to make sure you are finding great deals on hookah tobacco.

One of the most common places to purchase the cheapest shisha is online. Many online sites have package deals where you can get variety. For example, one particular site will allow you to purchase .8 lbs of hookah tobacco in five different varieties for a cheap price. This will allow you to try out the many flavors without having to purchase a large amount that may go to waste if you do not like it. This same site also offers larger deals, where you can order a 3.2 lb package of tobacco in ten different flavors.

When searching for an online site to purchase your shisha tobacco from, it is best to find one that is reputable. Ask other hookah smokers where they purchase their supply from. You may even find that many will give you the name of their favorite local smoke shop. Many local smoke shops carry shisha in a wide variety and often you will find it at a decent price.

When shopping for the best shisha, make sure you try a variety of flavored tobacco, such as apple hookah tobacco. You'll find yourself intrigued with the variety of flavors available to you.