Shisha Review: Starbuzz Mint Colossus

Shisha Review: Starbuzz Mint Colossus

Starbuzz brand shisha seems to be consistently changing their marketing technique in order to attract new and returning customers. First, in addition to their normal flavors they came out with the Starbuzz Exotic shisha label, which as far as I can tell is just a mixture of two existing flavors. Then, they came out with the Starbuzz Acid shisha, which is Starbuzz’s attempt at a sour hookah shisha flavor. Finally, their most recent additions to their shisha catalog come in black tins and sport flavor names you wouldn’t exactly expect from a shisha company.

I chose Mint Colossus.

Now, I’ve smoked many mint flavored shisha tobaccos, and in general I find that they are best used as a mixer with another flavor. Mint by itself tends to be a little overpowering for the taste buds (Winterfresh, for example, is extremely strong and may even be nauseating for some by itself). Regardless of my past experience, I loaded a bowl exclusively of Mint Colossus.

In an attempt to minimize what I expected to be an overwhelming mint flavor (the name, after all, suggests it to be as such) I also placed ice cubes in the hookah vase to cool the smoke and enhance my smoking experience. A few minutes later, my coals are ready and I place them on the edge of the bowl so as not to immediately burn the shisha (this technique also helps warm the bowl itself, creating a more even burn overall).

It takes a few puffs to get the hookah smoking, but what I find is a pleasing contradiction to my former expectation. It doesn’t taste like I’m chewing on a bunch of mint leaves, but instead is much tamer than that. The taste is very similar to other mint flavors I’ve tried, but without the minty intensity. The flavor lasts, smooth and enjoyable, for a very long time without becoming harsh or changing in intensity. I suspect Mint Colossus would also perform well as a mixer with another shisha flavor (I like to mix mint flavors primarily with fruity ones). Once the coals start burning low, I wrapped a bit of tin foil around the bowl, a technique used to trap heat more effectively which preserves smoke density for a longer period of time.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed smoking this new flavor. Perhaps Starbuzz created this new line of black tins to revisit older flavors and improve its flavor/smokability, but either way I give Mint Colossus a thumbs up, as it smokes great as a solo flavor and as a mixer.

On a final note, Hookah Happiness will proudly begin selling various brands of hookah shisha, including Starbuzz, at a discounted price soon!

A Brief History of the Hookah

Hookah pipes, also known as shishas (not to be confused with hookah tobacco, also called shisha by some) and nargiles, have rapidly gained popularity in the United States over the last 10-15 years. The rise in the popularity of hookah smoking has been especially pronounced among young adults and college students. This has given rise to many hookah bars and hookah shops all across the U.S.

However, don't let the sudden popularity of hookah pipes in the U.S. fool you; hookahs have been around for more than 1000 years. Historians believe that they were originally invented in the mountainous regions near the Pakistan/India border.

The first hookahs were somewhat primitive in design (it was more than a millenium ago, after all), typically made from a clay jar or coconut shell base, with a hollow tube and a head. Hookahs were originally designed to smoke opium and hashish, but today are used almost exclusively for the consumption of tobacco covered in flavored syrup, typically called shisha in the States.

From its starting place in the rugged mountains of Pakistan and western India, hookah pipes were introduced to the Persian Kingdom (modern day Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and northern Africa). At some point after its introduction to the Persian culture, tobacco was introduced to the new hookah pipe, giving rise to the use of hookahs that we see today.

It wasn't until about 500 years ago that the hookah finally made its way to Turkey, where it experienced an abrupt increase in popularity among the upper classes and intellectuals causing many of them to buy hookahs. This is where the hookah that we are familiar with today was first invented. Brass and glass were substituted for the wood used in older designs, often incorporating intricate carvings and glasswork for higher class consumers.

Hookah popularity grew to the point where coffee shops began to serve hookahs along with their regular fair, giving rise to one version of the modern day hookah bar. These coffee shops were so popular that hookahs quickly spread from Turkey to modern day Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Morocco, where hookahs were given the name 'nargile'. Hookah bars in the Middle East and western Asia today are a place where people come together for social gatherings and to relax and have a smoke.

Hookah smoking today is a much more social activity than many other smoking varieties. Cigarette smoking is often something engaged in by competitive people who are in a hurry. Smoking a hookah, on the other hand, allows people to sit down, relax, have a drink and a nice conversation.