Learn to Make the Best Blends of Shisha Flavors at Home
There are numerous shisha flavors of various kinds. The assortment can be quite overwhelming, especially for those who are not yet familiar with the different types of flavors, primary and secondary profiles, and of course blending more than one shisha tobacco. Let us try to simplify the entire premise of blending shisha flavors. This guide may assist you to learn to make the best blends of shisha flavors at home.
The Basics of Blending Shisha Flavors
A blend is a mix of two shisha flavors, or more. Those who have never blended shisha flavors should begin with two, and then experiment with three. It is needless to mix or blend more than three flavors. The basic idea of mixing or blending shisha flavors is to enjoy an interesting combination. Everyone has their favorites. But even the most favorite can become a little boring during a long session. Excitement wanes when you keep smoking the same or similar flavors. At the same time, trying something entirely different may not be satisfying. Blending gets you best of both the worlds.
There are a few fundamental elements about blending shisha flavors. Two identical or similar flavors should not be mixed. Two flavors should complement each other. Hence, a sweet flavor should be mixed with a sour tobacco. A spicy flavor goes well with a milder shisha tobacco. Dark leaf tobacco blends well with fruity or dessert type flavors. Lemony or minty flavors should not be combined with citrusy shisha tobaccos. This does not mean you cannot experiment the way you want. Experimenting with different concoctions is crucial if you want to discover the finest blends that work best for you.
Examples of Effective Blends of Shisha Flavors
Since fruity shisha tobaccos go well with minty or lemony flavors, you can combine sweet and sour in a proportion that you like. Grapefruit, orange, and other citrusy fruits such as pineapple, work well with apple, banana, guava, and also berries. Any fruit that is sweet can be mixed with tangy shisha tobacco. The converse is equally true. If any fruity flavor has menthol, then it should not be used with an outright minty or lemony shisha tobacco.
Other than fruity flavors, there is a distinct category of shisha tobacco that is straight up sweet, or sugary. This category is known as dessert flavors. While fruity flavors have extracts with the requisite molasses, there is no addition of sugar to any significant extent. In case of dessert flavors, extracts are combined with sugar, while the molasses would still be present along with the tobacco. Dessert flavors can be mixed with dark leaf tobacco, or spicy flavors.
The sweetness of dessert flavors, such as lemon cake or peach sorbet gets nicely complemented by the taste of spicy peach, or blueberry dark leaf tobacco. Dark leaf tobacco is usually quite bold. Not many may enjoy it for an hour long session. This also happens with menthol flavors. Dessert flavors and dark leaf tobacco or spicy concoctions work well as the contrasts get evened out or balanced.
How to Mix or Blend Shisha Flavors at Home
There are two ways to blend shisha flavors. One way is to take two or three flavors and mix them up before sprinkling the blend into the bowl. The other way is to form layers. Two flavors can have proportionate layers. Three flavors can have as many layers. The proportion has to be right for the flavors to work well.
If you are using two flavors and neither is too strong, then you can go for an equal proportion. If one of the two flavors is strong or bold, then it should be less than half of the other milder shisha. In case of three flavors, around sixty percent of the composition should be the most favorite shisha, the boldest flavor should be in the least amount, and the milder tobacco should be around twenty to thirty percent. Stacking the layers is also crucial.
The base layer should always be the one that has the greatest proportion. In case of three flavors, the one with the least proportion should be the middle layer. The milder flavor with second largest proportion should be at the top. The strongest or boldest flavor should never be at the top of the bowl. This is the layer that gets heated up first, and it would burn out before the other flavors beneath. Layers also provide transition from one flavor combination to another, which is why it is better than simply mixing two or more and sprinkling the blend into the bowl.