Union Hookah vs Darkside: Our Two Tobaccos Explained

Two words on our menu do most of the work: Standard and Premium. They are not a quality ranking so much as two different tobaccos, prepared for two different kinds of evening. Here is what is in each bowl and how to choose.

Standard: Union Hookah

Union is the tobacco in our Standard shisha (285K). It is a medium-strength blend with a fine, even cut, which makes it forgiving: it packs consistently, it takes heat well, and it delivers flavour clearly without much weight behind it.

That is exactly what you want for a long session, a first shisha of the day, or a table where people are also eating and talking. It carries fruit and fresh flavours beautifully and stays pleasant for an hour or more. If you order a shisha at lunch with the Lunch & Chicha set, this is the one.

Premium: Darkside

Darkside is a different animal. It is a dark-leaf tobacco: coarser, wetter, with more nicotine and much more body. Smoke is denser, the flavour is deeper, and the finish lingers. It is the tobacco most experienced shisha smokers ask for by name, and it is our Premium option at 350K.

Because it is stronger, it needs more care: a properly packed bowl, the right coal distance and a master who comes back to adjust the heat. Prepared well, it is smooth and rich; prepared carelessly, any dark tobacco turns harsh. This is why our masters tend Premium sessions the way they do.

How to choose

• First shisha, or a lighter evening: Standard.
• You smoke shisha regularly and want body: Premium.
• A long session with food and cocktails: Standard, with a second bowl later (the evening offer makes the second bowl of the same flavour half price).
• A tasting mindset: the Almaz Tasting, three heats over about ninety minutes, exists in both Standard (500K) and Premium (700K).

Flavour advice

On Union, bright flavours shine: citrus, berries, mint, melon. On Darkside, the tobacco itself has a presence, so it pairs with deeper profiles: dark fruits, spice, woody notes, the NOCH journey of the tasting. If you are unsure, tell the master what you usually drink; a whisky drinker and a spritz drinker rarely want the same bowl.

The people behind the bowl

Whichever tobacco you pick, the bowl is packed by hand and the coconut coals are lit to order. Emil, Daniel and Playa each have their own way with it; see the shisha lounge to meet them and to check current prices.