Choosing a new shisha flavour is easier when you start from what you already enjoy. Some people always reach for fruit, others want the sharpness of citrus, the chill of mint or the rounder sweetness of vanilla. This guide brings together a selection of Al Fakher and Duuma flavours from our range, grouped by those preferences, with notes on what sets each one apart and ideas for combining them.
These are suggestions organised by flavour preference, not sales rankings, and how any flavour comes across will depend on your setup and your own palate.
This guide is written for adults who already use shisha. If you don’t smoke, it isn’t a reason to start.
If you’re still working out which broad direction suits you, our guide on how to choose your shisha flavour covers matching flavours to everyday tastes. This article goes a step further, with specific products for each preference.
At a glance
Use the table for a quick overview, then read on for more detail on each flavour.
| Product | Brand | Evidenced profile | Preference fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Apple (25) | Al Fakher | Apple with anise notes | Fruit; aniseed fans |
| Blueberry (22) | Al Fakher | Sweet blueberry | Fruit; berry |
| Strawberry (50) | Al Fakher | Strawberry | Fruit; red fruit |
| Cherry (23) | Al Fakher | Cherry | Fruit; red fruit, mixing accent |
| Grape (7) | Al Fakher | Grape | Fruit |
| Peach (44) | Al Fakher | Peach | Fruit |
| Watermelon (30) | Al Fakher | Watermelon | Fruit |
| No.20 Mango Tropicano | Duuma | Ripe mango with other tropical fruits | Fruit; tropical |
| No.21 Lychee Delight | Duuma | Delicate, floral lychee | Fruit; aromatic |
| No.11 Scarlet Skittle | Duuma | Sweet, juicy red fruit-sweet style | Fruit; confectionery |
| Lemon (33) | Al Fakher | Lemon | Citrus |
| Orange (20) | Al Fakher | Orange | Citrus |
| No.15 Orange Brew | Duuma | Orange with citrus and spice | Citrus; spiced |
| Mint (6) | Al Fakher | Mint | Cooling; mixing base |
| No.38 Frozen Apple | Duuma | Tart green apple with menthol | Cooling; fruit |
| No.31 Frozen Blueberry | Duuma | Blueberry with a chill | Cooling; fruit |
| Vanilla (66) | Al Fakher | Softer sweet vanilla | Vanilla; mixing base |
Fruit flavours
Fruit is the broadest group in this guide, so it helps to split it by the kind of fruit character you enjoy: classic orchard and berry flavours, or something more tropical and sweet.
Orchard and berry classics
Al Fakher Double Apple (25): Al Fakher describes its Two Apples flavour as combining apple with anise. That aniseed note is what separates it from a straightforward apple, bringing a slightly herbal, liquorice-like edge alongside the fruit. If you enjoy aniseed, it’s an obvious one to try; if you don’t, one of the simpler fruit flavours below may suit you better.
Al Fakher Blueberry (22): Al Fakher describes Blueberry as a sweet fruit profile. It’s a sensible choice if you like berry flavours and want sweetness without a cooling finish. If you’d like to try the same fruit with a chill, Duuma Frozen Blueberry in the cooling section makes a natural comparison.
Al Fakher Strawberry (50) and Al Fakher Cherry (23): For red-fruit fans, these are the obvious places to start: a strawberry flavour and a cherry flavour from the same range. Both are also worth trying as accents in mixes, where a red-fruit note can sit alongside mint or vanilla.
Al Fakher Grape (7), Al Fakher Peach (44) and Al Fakher Watermelon (30): Choose based on the fruit you already enjoy. All three are familiar fruit profiles that can be enjoyed on their own or tried in mixes, particularly alongside mint or citrus.
Tropical and sweet
Duuma Mango Tropicano (No.20): Duuma describes this as ripe mango combined with a mix of other tropical fruits. It suits anyone who wants a fuller, multi-fruit profile rather than a single note, and it’s a good candidate for fruit-led mixes.
Duuma Lychee Delight (No.21): Described as capturing the delicate, floral side of lychee with a juicy sweetness. If you lean towards aromatic fruit rather than sharp or sugary flavours, this is the one to look at in this group. “Delicate” here describes the taste only.
Duuma Scarlet Skittle (No.11): Described as a sweet, juicy flavour in the style of a red fruit sweet. This one is aimed at people who enjoy confectionery-style flavours more than natural fruit.
You’ll find more in the Duuma collection and the wider Shisha Flavours collection.
Citrus flavours
Citrus suits people who like a sharper, zestier profile. It can be enjoyed on its own or used as an accent alongside sweeter flavours in a mix.
Al Fakher Lemon (33): A lemon flavour and a straightforward choice if you like sharp citrus. Lemon is also a natural partner for mint when you want something zesty with a cooling edge.
Al Fakher Orange (20): If lemon is too sharp for your taste, orange is the other citrus in this Al Fakher selection to consider. It’s also worth trying with vanilla for a citrus-and-cream style combination.
Duuma Orange Brew (No.15): Duuma describes this as an orange flavour inspired by a well-known Scottish soft drink, mixing citrus with spice. It’s the pick for people who want citrus with an unusual twist rather than straight fruit.
Cooling and mint flavours
Cooling flavours range from straight mint to fruit with a menthol or icy finish. We keep this section short because our dedicated guide to the best mint shisha flavours covers mint in much more depth, including other frozen fruit-and-mint options and different product formats. You can also browse the Mint Flavours collection.
Al Fakher Mint (6): Al Fakher describes this as a mint profile. It’s the straightforward choice if you want mint on its own, and one of the most flexible flavours for mixing, since mint can be combined with fruit, citrus or vanilla.
Duuma Frozen Apple (No.38): Described as crisp, tart green apple with a cool menthol kick. Despite the shared fruit, it’s quite different from Al Fakher Double Apple: its description doesn’t mention anise, and the menthol finish puts it firmly in the cooling camp.
Duuma Frozen Blueberry (No.31): Described as ripe blueberry sweetness with an invigorating chill. Trying it alongside Al Fakher Blueberry is a simple way to discover whether you prefer the fruit with or without a cooling element.
Words like “frozen” and “menthol” tell you a cooling element is present, but not how strong it will feel. That varies from person to person.
Vanilla and softer sweet flavours
Al Fakher Vanilla (66): Al Fakher describes Vanilla as a softer sweet profile. It’s the only vanilla in this selection and suits people who prefer rounded, dessert-style sweetness to fruit. On its own it’s a mellow choice; in mixes it can round off sharper flavours such as cherry, orange or lemon. “Softer” refers to the flavour character only, not to strength.
Vanilla is also useful to have on hand if you like experimenting, because a smaller share of it can change the character of a fruit or citrus bowl without necessarily taking it over. To explore other flavours from the same brand, browse the Al Fakher collection.
Narrowing down your shortlist
If you’re torn, a few direct comparisons within this selection can help you work out what you actually like:
- Blueberry vs Frozen Blueberry: the same fruit, with or without a cooling finish.
- Double Apple vs Frozen Apple: anise-led apple versus tart green apple with menthol.
- Lemon vs Orange: two different citrus directions from the same range.
- Mango Tropicano vs Lychee Delight: a fuller tropical mix versus a more delicate, floral fruit.
When trying a flavour you haven’t had before, choosing a smaller pack size, where one is listed, lets you find out whether you like it before committing to more. Keep a note of what you liked and why; it makes the next order, and any mixing, much easier.
Mixing flavours: practical pointers
Mixing is where a small selection of flavours becomes a much bigger range. There’s no correct ratio, and results vary, so treat these pointers as a starting point rather than a recipe:
- Choose a lead and an accent. Decide which flavour you want to come through first, use more of it, and let the second flavour support it. Adjust the balance in later sessions.
- Mix evenly before packing. Combine the flavours in a clean dish and break up any clumps so the flavour stays consistent rather than switching from one to the other.
- Change one thing at a time. Note which flavours you used and roughly how much of each, then adjust only one element next time.
- Don’t stack cooling unless you mean to. Mint plus a frozen flavour combines two cooling elements. If you only want a hint, make the cooling flavour the accent.
- Follow the product instructions. Everything in this guide is a loose shisha flavour for a traditional bowl. Follow the preparation guidance on each product and its packaging, and don’t combine it with gels, pastes or device pods unless the manufacturer says they’re designed to be used together.
Pairings to try (our tried-and-tested favourites):
- Double Apple with Mint: anise-led apple with a mint finish.
- Lemon with Mint: zesty citrus with a cooling edge.
- Cherry with Vanilla: red fruit rounded off by vanilla sweetness.
- Orange with Vanilla: a citrus-and-cream style combination.
- Peach with Mango Tropicano: layered sweet and tropical fruit.
- Watermelon with Frozen Blueberry: fruit with a cooling accent.
- Lychee Delight with Lemon: floral fruit with a sharper citrus lift.
How a combination turns out depends on your setup and taste, so start with a simple pairing and adjust from there.
Before you order
Pack sizes differ between listings, and not every size is in stock at any given time, so check the specific variant on the product page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best shisha flavour?
In our experience, Al Fakher Double Apple is the most popular shisha flavour in shisha lounges, with its distinctive apple-and-anise profile. The best flavour for you still depends on what you enjoy: Double Apple suits aniseed fans, Al Fakher Mint suits a straight mint preference, Lychee Delight suits gentler floral fruit and Vanilla suits a softer sweet profile.
What’s the difference between mint and frozen flavours?
Al Fakher Mint is described as a mint profile. Duuma Frozen Apple and Frozen Blueberry are fruit flavours described with a menthol or icy finish. Our mint flavours guide covers both in more depth.
Does a subtle or soft flavour mean less nicotine?
No. Words like subtle, soft or delicate describe taste only and tell you nothing about nicotine content or risk. For nicotine information, check the specific product listing and pack label.
Can I mix Al Fakher and Duuma flavours?
Absolutely—yes, you can mix Al Fakher and Duuma flavours. Start with a flavour you enjoy, add a smaller amount of a complementary flavour, and adjust the balance to your taste. Follow the preparation guidance for each product and use the mixing tips above as a starting point.
Are these flavours nicotine-free?
Don’t assume either way from a flavour’s name, its description or this guide. Check the specific product listing and the pack label before ordering.
Related reading: How to choose your shisha flavour · Best mint shisha flavours in the UK