About the proportion (for example compared to cigarettes) is currently no reliable and undisputed evidence.
Tobacco products are not sold to persons under 18 years of age.
The Shisha, the traditional Water Pipe, is a central part of the oriental, and especially the Egyptian, coffee shop culture. It also completes a cosy get-together. Especially after the work, at feasts and holidays or just for leisure the smoking of a shisha is celebrated.
In a shisha the tobacco is heated by burning coal. The thus resulting smoke is lead via a metal tube through cool water when the smoker is pulling. Then it passes through the hose to the consumer. The water and the relatively long way cause that the smoke is relatively cool and feels more pleasant. There is also a certain filtering whose strength is disputed.
In Upper Egypt especially the men prefer rather the black kinds of tobacco – Salloum and Qass – where the coal is placed directly on the tobacco. But there is also the tobacco with fruit flavour – mostly apple tobacco – where the tobacco is covered with a perforated aluminium foil to avoid the burning by the overlying coal.
A Shisha operates by means of negative pressure. Therefore the way of the smoke from the tobacco to the mouthpiece must be relatively tight. This is archived firstly by rubber plugs, however for readjustment and at stress points also card and cloth are traditionally used because these materials have just proved themselves. For hygiene reasons the guest gets a mouthpiece attachment which is placed on the mouthpiece of the shisha. Regularly comming coffee house visitors often bring with a private mouthpiece.
The water pipes are periodically checked for their operability and thoroughly cleaned. Before every use they are cleaned again. If you have any technical problems with a water pipe, it can also be exchanged.
The shisha is traditionally accounted by consumed tobacco portions (“stone”, hajar) while additional coal is included if needed.
Coffee shops in Egypt usually offer no cigarettes in their range. However according to usual practice cigarettes can be brought from outside and be consumed.
[Black Tobacco] [Tobacco with Fruit Flavour] [To the Total Range of Beverages]
Shisha with Salloum Tobacco
The common type of tobacco in Upper Egypt is the black Sallum Tobacco. This is natural tobacco mixed slightly with molasses and dates.
The coal is usually placed directly on the tobacco. The smoke normally tastes stronger than that of cigarettes. The tobacco can be smoked longer until no more smoke is comming in contrast to the kinds of tobacco with fruit flavours.
Shisha: Salloum Tobacco (portion) |
Sheeshat Salloum |
شيشة سلوم (حجر) |
Shisha with Qass Tobacco
Besides the Salloum-Tobacco also the Qass Tobacco is smoked often. It is natural tobacco, too, but it is perceived as stronger.
Shisha: Qass Tobacco (portion) |
Sheeshat Qass |
شيشة قص (حجر) |
Tobacco with Fruit Flavour
[Shisha with Apple Tobacco] [Shisha with other Fruit Tobaccos] [To the top]
Shisha with Apple Tobacco
The variant with Apple flavour embodies probably the internationally most famous variant of tobacco for shisha, while it is not offered in every coffee shop in Upper Egypt. The tobacco is mixed with glycerine.
To avoid a burning of the sensitive tobacco the coal is not placed directly on the tobacco, but this is protected by a perforated aluminium foil. Once the apple flavour decreases, the taste gets stronger, and the smoke can leave a irritating sensation in the throat and cause increased coughing.
Shisha: Apple Tobacco (portion) |
Sheeshat Tufaah |
شيشة تفاح (حجر) |
[Tobacco with Fruit Flavour] [To the top]
Shisha with other Fruit Tobaccos
Other kinds of tobacco with fruit flavour can be asked for on site. But the stock-keeping makes only sense if the stocks are consumed in adequate time for offering our guests a full enjoyment of tobacco.
[Tobacco with Fruit Flavour] [To the top]