Sam’s Take

I’ve tried OSL several times, in different bowls, and I still have no idea what’s in this flavor.  I taste a buuunch of vanilla and get a pretty hefty “Cream Soda” flavor out of it.  Cream soda is one of the things that makes the world go ’round, though, so I’m completely happy with that.  The smoke is consistently thick, once you get the bowl hot, and there was even a nice to it.  I may never figure out exactly what’s in the mix, so I’ll just delude myself and hopefully all of you by saying it’s a delightful blend of rainbows, cute puppies, hugs, and pie.

Mike’s Take

As much as I love rainbows, cute puppies, and hugs, I hope they didn’t blend any of those things up over at the Egyptian to make One Sweet Life.  Like Sam, I was completely unable to get any flavor out of this mix besides vanilla.  There was nothing beyond subtle hints of any sort of fruity flavors, and the mix had an almost smoky flavor, especially in our smaller Alien Phunnel Bowl.  One Sweet Life also had some of the thickest smoke I’ve seen from a Layalina mix since we reviewed After School Special months ago.  Whatever is in this mix, you’ll certainly enjoy it if you’re a vanilla fan, and frankly I’ve never met anyone who’s not.

Related posts:

1. Flavor of the Week: Irish Cream
2. Flavor of the Week: Rorschach
3. Flavor of the Week: 1001 Nights

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This week, we delve into the mystique surrounding the Egyptian Cafe’s 1001 Nights.  We’re not completely sure what’s in it, and neither are any of the staff to whom we spoke.  We ARE sure that it smokes and tastes pretty dang great, and is certainly something you must try, if you haven’t already.  Woah woah woah!  Not right now!  Right now you stay right there and enjoy our review.  THEN you can go down to the Egyptian and try it!

Sam’s Take

I’ve come to the conclusion that this week’s flavor is named so, because it will actually take 1001 nights to figure out what is in the mix.  Twix?  No problem (“It’s all in the mix“).  Double apple?  Easy – it’s nothing but unwashed, pre-burnt shisha.  1001 Nights on the other hand seems to be a blend of cherry and what tastes like grape, along with a more earthy/nutty flavor.  Whatever’s in there, it sure smokes well, though!  We tried it in standard and vortex bowls with success and got a fantastic buzz while smoking it out of one of HookahJohn.com’s Alien Mini-Phunnel bowls (with two coals).  I highly recommend the mix to anyone interested in rich, dark fruit flavors, and the challenge of guessing what’s inside!

Mike’s Take

1001 Nights, one of the Egyptian’s signature mixes, is a hard nut to crack.  Its true identity is shrouded in a mixture of mystery, and only Maisa seems to know what it’s truly made of.  1001 Nights is mostly cherry, with hints of another couple of flavors underneath.  Though most reports of 1001 Nights discuss grapes or wildberries, I caught a hint of a nutty flavor, like a hazelnut (not carried at The Egyptian) or amaretto (cherry amaretto is a delicious Golden Layalina flavor that IS carried at the Egyptian but is not in 1001 Nights).  Whatever is in it, 1001 Nights is quite delicious, if you’re a fan of cherry.  The smoke is typical of Layalina brand, and the buzz varies from fairly moderate to “I think I’ll stay seated for a bit”, depending on your mood.  If you’re the type who can properly guess every flavor in a mix, please head on down to the Egyptian and let me know what the heck is in 1001 Nights.

Related posts:

1. Flavor of the Week: Lazy Afternoon
2. Flavor of the Week: Maisa’s Grape
3. Flavor of the Week: Hookah Gives You Wings

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Here’s a review of our latest Flavor of The Week, from the Egyptian Cafe: Hookah Gives You Wings.

Mike’s Take

Hookah Gives You Wings, the appropriately named Red Bull flavored hookah at the Egyptian, is one of those flavors that gives you a reminder of what it is while all at once giving you something entirely new. With Red Bull in the base you definitely get that caffeine-induced tang, but the shisha doesn’t have nearly the same bite that the drink does. In fact, I was reminded quite a bit of the Silver Fox flavor we’ve reviewed, with a strong hint of melon. The buzz is decent, but surprisingly weak given the amount of caffeine in the base.

Sam’s Take

In a wonderfully tasty act of blatant trademark infringement, Hookah Gives You Wings is an energy filled smoke that kicks you in the lungs and leaves you wanting some more.  We tried it with a full can of Red Bull in the vase and the classic “energy drink taste” (I’m a self-proclaimed caffeine guru) was very apparent and gave the smoke a tingly feeling.  We’re all agree that the mix is the Egyptian’s “Red Bull” flavored shisha, along with a melon flavor, likely their “Silver Fox.”  Don’t quote us on that – ok, go ahead, we need the exposure – it’s just what our tastebuds picked up.

Blair’s Take

I quite enjoyed this hookah, it was very flavorful. I’m not sure if the the Red Bull in the base overpowered the flavor, but it definitely tasted like one. I got a little bit more of some fruity flavors, as opposed to the more tart taste of the drink. I feel like it had a bit more of a cherry flavor overall. After smoking it I did feel a little more upbeat, but maybe that was because I just enjoy smoking hookah. However, for a shisha named Hookah Gives You Wings, I did not get much of a buzz. There is some, but I was expecting this to hit me. Despite that, this a is a very good, and I would recommend smoking it at any time.

Related posts:

1. Flavor of the Week: Passion Kiss
2. Flavor of the Week: Rorschach
3. Flavor of the Week: Obama Mama

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Sam’s Take

I had always been curious about Silver Fox, but not enough to potentially order a bad shisha and ruin a night out.  So, since our Flavors of the Week are graciously donated, I decided it was time to try!  I was told upon picking up Silver Fox that it was a relabeled “sweet melon” flavor, but the advance notice was unnecessary.  The flavor is clearly that of a fresh melon or even cantaloupe.  Since I like to be completely honest in these reviews, I was actually reminded of the flavor of cardboard while sampling Silver Fox.  It’s definitely not a bad thing, but…come on.  We both know you’ve tasted cardboard before.  I can see Silver Fox going well in any other fruit mix, or with fruit juice in the base, and I”ll be keeping an eye out for possibilities!

Mike’s Take

Silver Fox seems like an awfully fancy name for a single flavor shisha, but don’t think I’m complaining. A smooth sweet melon flavor is one of the more pure shishas out there. I was reminded of Orbit Melon-Mint gum, even though there’s no mint in Silver Fox. Melon is one of those flavors you don’t see a lot in shisha, with citrus fruits generally being much more popular, due to their tang. You won’t be disappointed by this melon though. It’s one of the smoothest non-mint mixes I’ve had in some time. Head on down to the Egyptian, pick up some Silver Fox, and enjoy some sweet melon, one of the rarer and more delicious hookah flavors you’ll ever smoke.

Blair’s Take

This was an interesting flavor. I’ve only smoked it once, but I enjoyed it. This shisha seems to be kind of fruity and have a rather pleasant taste. I definitely licked my lips afterwards. If I could be corny for just a second, with this one, you can definitely take a ride on the fox. This hookah packed a punch. It could of been because this was the first time I had smoked in a little bit, but it had quite a buzz. There wasn’t a lot of smoke however. The music mix was great in the Egyptian while I was smoking this, so I’m going to label this as a social hookah. Light up, invite some friends over, put on some good music, and have a good night.

Related posts:

1. Flavor of the Week: Pink Elephant
2. Flavor of the Week: Sky Blue
3. Flavor of the Week: Strawberry Explosion

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Mike’s Take

Sky Blue is one strange flavor.  In the following reviews you’ll read that Sam and Blair tasted a mix of fruitiness and some sort of cleanser.  Frankly, I didn’t get a strong taste of either, though I can tell where they’re getting those tastes.  There is some controversy over the actual difference between Starbuzz tobaccos (they produce Blue Mist) and Skybuzz (who produce the Sky Blue that we’re smoking today).  Both brands have an almost identical lineup of flavors, and there are unfounded reports of both brands being produced in the same factory.  I’ve been mildly under the weather this week and so may have been unable to taste the full flavor of Sky Blue, but for instance, when Purdookah mixed Sky Blue and Blue Mist, I tasted no difference between that and Blue Mist or Sky Blue smoked straight.  For me, Sky Blue is just a slightly muted version of Blue Mist.  All that said, that muted flavor is perfect for what Sky Blue is best for: mixing.  I’ve never had a mix with Sky Blue that I didn’t like, including with chocolate, fruit, and even some stranger flavors, like Tequila Sunrise.  For whatever reason, Sky Blue is always good in a mix.

Blair’s Take

There is one reason that this shisha is called Sky Blue, because after you smoke it, you might as well be floating on clouds. This hookah will hit you right in the face. There is also plenty of smoke that comes with this buzz, so take a deep inhale and let it out slowly. As for the flavor, it is rather interesting. You definitely get a hint of of some fruity flavor, I want to say raspberry. However, it tastes strongly of almost some type of cleaning solution. Kind of hard to explain because I haven’t drank any cleaning solution, but that is kinda of what it gives off. You can smoke this by itself, I didn’t mind, but this could mix well with a a lot of things. It really compares a lot to Blue Mist for me. Just like Blue Mist, if you paired Sky Blue with a strong flavored shisha, then you could get great taste along with buzz and smoke. Raspberry and Spearmint are good mixes for this shisha.

Sam’s Take

When I first tried Sky Blue a long time ago, I felt an overwhelming “clean” sensation…although this is because it reminded me of a cleaning agent.  Now, I’ve never actually tasted Pine-Sol, Chlorox, or anything else you’ll find on a janitor’s cart, but there is definitely some sort of lemon/lime/citrus aftertaste that I found in the shisha.  This time around, I found a much more prominent fruit flavor, more like raspberry than anything else.  We tried a mix of Sky Blue and Starbuzz’s Blue Mist at one point, and the two complimented each other very well, despite their opposing flavors.  Whether smoked straight or with anything else, Sky Blue comes off as a winner in my book.

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1. Flavor of the Week: Rorschach

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Mike’s Take

With dozens of flavors providing hundreds of thousands of possible mixes, the ’secret menu’ at the Egyptian is as varied as the people who visit there. You may remember one of our FOTW reviews, Rorschach, is not on the regular menu at the Egyptian. Pink Elephant, this week’s selection used to be one of those mysteries, but only until recently. A mixture of rose, jasmine, and mint, Pink Elephant is a far cry from the fruit-flavored mixes we normally review here at Purdookah. If you haven’t tried rose shisha before, this is exactly the mix to get you started on it. By itself, rose is an extremely strong earthy flavor that can be offsetting. jasmine isn’t really a lot better in that regard, though it’s much sweeter a flavor than rose. The real savior of this mix is the mint. As with all mint mixes, there’s a very soothing cooling sensation in Pink Elephant that covers the rose and jasmine just enough to let their flavors really shine. All in all you end up with a thick, multidimensional smoke with tones of all three flavors in the mix, something you’ll rarely see in a mix with such strong flavors.

Sam’s Take

While Pink Elephant may be a Canadian IT solutions company (and this does excite the nerd in me), the one offered by the Egyptian Cafe is closer to home, more affordable, and definitely tastier.  PE is one of those flavors that the staff has been mixing for a long time for regulars or anyone who says “just fix whatever you want.”  After finally giving the mix of rose, mint, and jasmine a name and adding it to the menu, I think the flavor will go a long way for the Egyptian.  The individual flavors are good mixers with other shisha, but surprisingly they form a flowery, herbal blend all of their own, when they get together.  It’s a great compliment to the Spring weather that just hit the area and I’m looking forward to getting my fair share of it this season!

Blair’s Take

I’m not a huge Rose fan, but continue to be amazed with how some of these Egyptian mixes continue to use it, especially Pink Elephant. It is a mix of Rose, Mint and Jasmine, and it is pretty good. Rorschach was another good Rose mix we smoked. In my experience, I find Rose to be a little overpowering, but this is a solid mix that balances the flavors well. There isn’t a lot of mint flavor, and I would like a little more of it, but I think you can feel it a little bit as you smoke. The main quality of this hookah is the buzz. This mix will knock you out of your seat, even if you’re sitting down. I stood up after taking a few puffs and immediately regretted that decision. There was also plenty of white clouds to go along with the hit. I recommend this mix if you’re going to hang out with some bros. Pop in a comedy and enjoy, something like Super Bad, Pineapple Express, etc.

Related posts:

1. Flavor of the Week: Rorschach
2. Flavor of the Week: Maisa’s Grape
3. Flavor of the Week: Strawberry Explosion

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Setup

Sam’s setup with a vortex bowl and two Chronic Hookah Instant Lights.

Mike’s Take

Three Pyramids was the very first flavor I ever had at the Egyptian Cafe, so I have some fond memories of it. In terms of taste, it’s not that much different than Maisa’s Grape without the grape juice in the base, a fairly light flavor with a startlingly strong kick that’ll put you down in your seat for a while. The flavor never got harsh, but it was never all that interesting either. Unlike the variety of ‘beginner’ hookahs we’ve reviewed, I wouldn’t recommend this one to a first time smoker. It’s more of a ‘thinking’ hookah. If you’re not sure what I mean, go on down to the Egyptian when you’ve got some homework or a paper to write, order some Three Pyramids, and feel the ideas flow forth.

Blair’s Take

There has yet to be a grape flavor that I don’t like, and Three Pyramids is no exception. It has a very good typical soft fruit taste, however it has been the lightest of the one’s we’ve smoked thus far. The flavor never really seemed to get to harsh, but it wasn’t the longest living hookah I’ve smoked. This shisha definitely hits and gives off quite a bit of smoke. The clouds billow out for this one and you will have to stay seated for a little bit after taking a few puffs. I’m definitelly labeling this one as a hookah to start the night. If you’re sitting around waiting for the festivities to kick off, or they just started, light this up and get you started. Also, as I said before, i have yet to find a grape flavor I don’t like (Maisa’s Grape and AF as well), so I’m hoping for a multi grape smoke, maybe with a little grape juice in the bottom.

Sam’s Take

One of our previous Flavors of the Week from Egyptian is Maisa’s Grape and it was one of the first flavors I ever tried at the cafe.  I’m a fan of it because of it’s in-your-face “grapeness”, and Triple Pyramids follows along the same lines.  The flavor of grape isn’t as intense – a little more chill – but that’s totally ok with me.  I think grape is a very complimentary flavor for hookahs and goes well with anything you might be eating or drinking, in addition.

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1. Flavor of the Week: Maisa’s Grape
2. Flavor of the Week: Passion Kiss

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Setup

Sam’s Hookah with a vortex bowl and two Chronic Instant-light coals.

Mike’s Take

Here at Purdookah, we’re not exactly big fans of getting political. Not to say we’ve never had a good policy discussion over a hookah, but it’s certainly not our MO to preach to you. That said, I’ll try to keep the political jokes out of this week’s Flavor of the Week review, Obama Mama. I have always been under the impression that Obama Mama is a fruit-flavored hookah, but nobody’s been able to tell me exactly which fruits it consists of. Frankly, I can’t tell you either. There’s a strong taste of coconut, and maybe a little bit of peach, but beyond that, the flavor is basically just vague sweetness. Not to say that’s bad at all, because Obama is one of my favorite Flavors of the Week to this point. The smoke was good, like almost all of our FOTW’s, and the buzz was decent as well, though soft, to complement the fairly light sweetness. And with the long life of this Layalina mix, you can smoke it practically until 2016.

Blair’s Take

Obama Mama was a good flavor. It was on the opposite end of last week’s flavor, Mojito. There was a lot of good flavor, that was kind of fruity. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it was an enjoyable flavor. The best part about this shisha was the buzz. The hit was hard and hit fast. After the buzz hit you in the face, there was plenty of smoke. This flavor was a lot like a Hydro shisa mix, just with a buzz. Just like a hydro mix as well, mixing this with something that has a lot of flavor, would really bring out a lot with the shisha. I think the flavors would blend well, and give you a lot of smoke and buzz. I’m sure there is a political satire joke to be made here, but I’m drawing a blank.

Sam’s Take

I don’t really know much about the president’s mother, but Michelle Obama (according to Kat Williams) “smells like shea butter and cocoa waves.” He’s got plenty of quotes that are orders-of-magnitude less tactful, but this one actually does Obama Mama a fair amount of justice. I picked up plenty of light, tropical fruits like peach and mango, and certainly a bit of coconut as well. Overall, it’s a very nice tropical getaway, with moderate smoke and a similar amount of buzz. I felt like some pineapple juice in the base would definitely improve the flavor, and I’ll be sure to update this review if I give it a try!

Related posts:

1. Flavor of the Week: Passion Kiss
2. Flavor of the Week: Maisa’s Grape
3. Flavor of the Week: Rorschach

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Setup

Sam’s MZ hookah with a vortex bowl and two Chronic Hookah Instant Lights.

Sam’s Take

In what is quite possibly the most ridiculous series of children’s movies ever, The Land Before Time, a baby T-Rex, Chomper scares off a couple of devilish “Egg Snatchers” (overweight, velociraptor looking things) by projecting his shadow onto some rocks to make it look like a full sized T-Rex.  Of course the viewers don’t know it’s him either, so everyone’s like “Oh crap, those kid dinosaurs are gonna get eaten!”  But then Chomper reveals himself and the excitement and panic fades.  That’s kinda what Passion Fruit Mojito was like for me (apologies for the gratuitous metaphor).  I expected a much bigger flavor out of PFM than I actually found.  The flavor I did get was fruity, as if from strawberries, peaches, or mangoes.  Definitely not dark fruit, but fruit nonetheless.  I was pleased with the level of smoke and buzz, but it’s Layalina so I wasn’t surprised there.  Ever the optimist, I’m going to go way out on a limb and say that Passion Fruit Mojito is the perfect thing to smoke if you’re enjoying any kind of food or drink at the same time.  The flavor is very non-invasive, won’t kill your palette, and will let you enjoy whatever snack or “drank” you may have.

Mike’s Take

The first time I smoked Mojito, I knew it was similar to another FOTW review we’ve done, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. The second time I realized it was Passion Kiss. Your experience with a bowl of Mojito will probably be similar. It has a very light flavor that slowly gets stronger as the bowl peaks, but is never overpowering. The smoke was honestly a little disappointing to me, and there was no buzz, but those qualities make for the absolute perfect beginner hookah. It has everything you’d want to give a first time smoker. A light flavor, a lesser amount of smoke, and no sickening headrush. Take your dates here for their first hookah, or try this if you’re not feeling like a heavy smoke at all. This is also one of the only Layalina shishas I’ve tasted that didn’t have too much of that tobacco-y taste, which is interesting.

Blair’s Take

I had really been looking forward to smoking Mojito ever since I saw it on the Egyptian’s menu, however I was slightly disappointed. The flavor seemed to be slightly bland. Actually kind of tasted like something we had smoked before, but I can’t put my finger on what it was. It definitely isn’t overwhelming. If you are new, or just looking for something that doesn’t hit you in the face, this is your shisha. There is a fair enough amount of smoke, but not a lot of buzz to go with it. I’m definitely tabbing this one as a beginner hookah. A good use for this mix would be if you have a strong fruity flavor or hard citrus bite, and want to tone it down, mixing in some Mojito ought to balance it out. Off the top of my head, mixing it with some Lazy Afternoon (with lemonade in the base) would be an interesting combo with the lemony zing.

Related posts:

1. Flavor of the Week: Passion Kiss
2. Flavor of the Week: Obama Mama
3. Flavor of the Week: Sky Blue

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