Hey, this is Moa Smokes and some of you may know me from my IG (@moasmokes) or YouTube Channel. I've used the word "unicorn" a fair bit recently, and I've received a bunch of follow up questions on it. In this blog, I'm going to walk you through what a "unicorn" is and my list of "unicorns".
What is a "Unicorn"?
No, not the mythological creature. I'm talking about a shisha unicorn. A unicorn is a flavor that you can recommend to people and the majority of them would like it. It's also a flavor that doesn't need to be mixed. Sure, it can be a part of some crazy mixes, but the idea is that it can provide a fantastic session without another flavor being added to your bowl. You may have tried some of these already, but I figured why not share my list? In no particular order...
Trifecta Peppermint Shake (Blonde)
You already knew I was going to start here. How could I not? Peppermint Shake was the first time I described a flavor as a unicorn. I thought to myself, "wow, this is incredible by itself and can be mixed with almost anything". I reviewed this flavor on my YouTube Channel and literally said "Peppermint Shake makes everything better". It's like that supportive friend that believes in you no matter how wild your ideas are. Like, "hey, should I start a shisha page on IG? You think it'll go anywhere?" and they were just like "yeah man... you should do that. You'd kill it". Thanks, Irfan.
So what is it? It's a creamy vanilla peppermint that's just the right amount of vanilla and the perfect amount of peppermint (think of a candy cane). It pairs well with desserts, sweet fruit, tropical fruit, etc. Honestly, the only flavors I don't mix it with are tangy flavors.
Trifecta Twice the Ice (Blonde)
If you don't know, I'm a sucker for mint. I also, like a lot of you out there, grew up on Al Fakher Mint. So why Twice the Ice? The way I describe it to people is think of that Al Fakher Mint you grew up knowing and loving... and then imagine it went to college, got it's undergrad, went to med school, earned a PhD and now it's a doctor. It's one of the best pure mints in the game. It's the first mint I use when I need mint for a mix because it doesn't impact the overall flavor. It just adds mint. It's also incredibly good by itself if you can tolerate mint solo. If you love mint like I do, you can also opt for the "X" version which is like Twice the Ice times 2 (four times the ice?).
So what is it? It's mint so it goes with everything. It's also really good if you just want a bowl of mint.
Trifecta Dark Cool Cinnamon Gum (Dark)
You ever chew Big Red growing up? If you have, stop here. You don't need to read any further because this is that. For those of you that don't know what Big Red is, it's a cinnamon gum that packs a kick with minty undertones. I used to have to mix to make a similar flavor by mixing AF Cinnamon with AF Gum Mint and AF Mint. The good folks at Trifecta spared the rest of you from needing to buy three flavors to make this flavor.
So what is it? It's a cinnamon gum with a little kick plus mint.
Haze Ohh-Chata (Made in Poland)
If you've been following me for any amount of time, you already know how I feel about Haze's Ohh-Chata. If you haven't, spoiler alert, I absolutely love it. It's creamy (almost milky) with cinnamon and vanilla notes. It's by far my favorite cinnamon dessert flavor and one of the ingredients in my Cinnabon Mix. If you're lucky enough to be in a position to purchase a can (or 12) of Haze's Ohh-Chata, do so immediately because it doesn't stay in stock long. Ohh-Chata is a play on Horchata, which is the drink that this flavor is based on.
So what is it? It's a creamy milky cinnamon dessert flavor with a hint of vanilla.
Haze Iced Cucumberita (Made in Poland)
Another absolute banger from Haze. Iced Cucumberita is 3 flavors in one. You get cucumber, lime and mint all in one container with this one. Again, you don't have to mix here. I describe this flavor as a day at the spa because you know they always have some crazy infused water ready for you when you go. What? You don't go to the spa? Yeah, me either, but this flavor is a spa day. By far my favorite "refreshing" flavor. Some people may think "Cucumber? That's not going to translate to shisha". Those people haven't tried Iced Cucumberita.
So what is it? It's a cucumber lime mint.
Haze Bananarama (Made in Poland)
This flavor is surprisingly a sleeper, as most people haven't tried it. If you're looking for an accurate banana flavor to smoke, this is your new best friend. Bananarama consists of fresh ripe bananas, graham crackers, and an almost bread pudding-esque baked good flavor. This is my favorite banana flavor (apologies to the other banana flavors out there -- and Sarjil). Another fantastic dessert flavor from Haze. You're going to want to pick this one up if the description has even remotely piqued your interest.
So what is it? Fresh ripe bananas, graham crackers, and bread pudding.
Overdozz Wild Night Out
My favorite lemon based dessert flavor. Wild Night Out, simply put, is a lemon cheesecake with graham cracker crust. It also happens to be my favorite flavor from Overdozz. When Overdozz released their initial line-up to the USA in 2020, while everyone was going crazy for 24 Karatine, I was going crazy for Wild Night Out. Don't get this one confused with One Night Stand. They're completely different flavors. I recommend this one to anyone that wants a lemon dessert flavor, as the other ones out there have their work cut out for them against Wild Night Out.
So what is it? Lemon cheesecake with graham cracker crust.
Overdozz 24 Karatine
I mentioned it above and I did so for a reason. While I was going crazy for Wild Night Out, everyone else was going crazy for 24 Karatine. This cappuccino, chocolatey cookie, banana, pineapple flavor is one of the most confusing flavors I've ever tried. I couldn't even figure out exactly what it was going off the smell. The reason? Open a can of 24 Karatine and smell it. Then hold it away from you and bring it back and smell it again. Repeat as needed. You get a different smell each time you inhale. I got cappuccino the first time, banana the second, pineapple the third, back to cappuccino, then a chocolatey cookie. That flavor confusion translates to the session. The beginning of the session has you tasting cappuccino with cookie on the inhale and banana on the exhale. The second half of the session? More cookie with slight cappuccino on the inhale and pineapple with slight banana on the exhale. Good luck with this one.
So what is it? Creamy cappuccino, chocolatey cookie, banana, pineapple.
MustHave Pinkman
The first thing I wanted to do when I got this Russian flavor was open the can and smell it. People in the UK have been hyping this flavor up for a while (especially my friend Walid aka Instargila aka UPK aka Moscote). He said this was by far the standout flavor from MustHave. The way he described it? Pink Starburst with slight raspberry and lemony notes. How could I not want to pick this up? The smell of the tobacco was spot on with the description. Pink Starburst (candy strawberry) with raspberry and citrus. I packed a bowl of it almost immediately and confirmed for myself what everyone has been saying. This flavor is an absolute unicorn. Not a single person that I've had try it has not liked it.
So what is it? Pink Starburst (candy strawberry) with slight hints of raspberry and lemon.
MustHave Cherry Cola
Another unicorn from the good people at MustHave. MustHave Cherry Cola tastes like Coca-Cola's Cherry Cola (my favorite soda growing up as a kid). I gave up soda years and years ago, so imagine my surprise when I realized I could still enjoy the flavor of Cherry Cola without all that sugar? Not a single calorie in this flavor and that's a great thing because I went through my first can of it in about 2 weeks. I couldn't stop smoking it. Pick this one up if you love Cherry Cola, cherry, cola, or unique shisha flavors.
So what is it? Coca-Cola's Cherry Cola
Tangiers Cocoa
A unicorn list isn't complete without some Tangiers. The problem? Tangiers has so many flavors to choose from. The one I don't see talked about enough? Cocoa. Tangiers Cocoa is by far the best chocolate shisha flavor out there. Yes, I said it. Every single mix I need chocolate for, I use Tangiers Cocoa. What's more? It's incredible solo if you just want a good bowl of chocolatey goodness. Keep in mind that since this is Tangiers, it's not for the beginners. This is dark leaf and not just any dark leaf, but the cream of the crop. The crème de la crème. The... you get it.
So what is it? Chocolate
Tangiers 2005 Blueberry
Another unicorn from Tangiers. 2005 Blueberry tastes like you just washed fresh blueberries, grabbed a handful and took them to the face. It has the creaminess that you get from actual blueberries. No artificial flavors here. No candy-like blueberry. No "blue drink". I do this flavor solo on weekend mornings with a bowl of actual blueberries and sit there trying to figure out which one tastes more realistic. 2005 Blueberry is arguably one of Tangiers' most popular flavors and it's one you don't want to miss from the brand if blueberries are your thing. Note: I love blueberries. I gave this warning above, but I'll say it again... Tangiers is dark leaf and not made for beginners. Don't say I didn't warn you (twice).
So what is it? Fresh blueberries
Element Air Tamarind
As the Arab (Egyptian specifically) that I am, Tamarind being a shisha flavor immediately piqued my interest. Tamarind is a fruit that is used a lot in the Middle East and in South American drinks (tamarindo). The flavor delivers on both fronts as you get fresh Tamarind with a hint of lemon (just like the drink). This flavor is unique and a complete standout on its own. Pick this up if you're a fan of Tamarindo (or Tamrhindi or Tamarind in general).
So what is it? Tamarind with lemon
Element Air Maui
I was absolutely convinced when I got my shipment of Element Air in that Orchata was going to be my favorite. How wrong I was. As good as Orchata is, Maui just caught me completely off-guard. It's also the flavor I recommend to people when they message me and ask "if there was only one Element Air flavor I could get, what would it be?". Maui. It's a pineapple-papaya that is so unbelievably good, that it makes you forget you're smoking at home and makes you think you're at a beach somewhere living your best life. I went through my first container of Maui in 2 weeks. Needless to say,
So what is it? A tropical mix of pineapple and papaya
Chaos Turkish Bubbles
Wow. This list started out pretty universal and got Arab super fast. Chaos Turkish Bubbles should honestly be named Mediterrenian Bubbles (a joke me and Taso from Hookahgram use pretty regularly) since mastic gum is popular in pretty much all of the countries that are on the Mediterranean (i.e. Egypt, Turkey, Greece, etc). Turkish Bubbles is a mastic gum. If you grew up going to the Middle East, mastic gum is sold in tiny packets that are green and red and sometimes used instead of coins when a clerk gives you back change. This flavor is only for you if you like mastic (note: I love mastic and this is the best mastic flavor I've had). If not, you might hate it. Don't say I didn't warn you.
So what is it? Mastic gum
