Packaging:

Tangiers Tobacco comes in a vacuum sealed plastic bag with a standard paper label. As this was a sample, the label is a bit different than the standard retail product, but in either case I always empty the bag into a ZipLock container for easy storage.

Smell:

To me the smell of this is that of a natural sweet Mandarin Orange. It has the aroma of the fruit’s zest along with the sweet citrus of the Orange itself. A little bit of tartness exists as with most Orange flavors but it is off in the background behind the natural sweetness. Also, I personally feel that Tangiers has a very distinct smell to the tobacco being used. These tobacco notes come out in the background of this flavor as well. Overall, it is a pretty pungent natural Mandarin Orange aroma.

Cut/Packing:

Tangiers has a finely shredded or chopped cut to it. Stems do exist but that is to be expected and they because the cut is smaller they rarely pose too many issues. Typical moisture for Tangiers, in that it is not overly juicy but pretty comparable to most modern hookah tobaccos. The color is black with a slight reddish hue to it. Tonight I am using my OG Rook bowl with the standard dense pack for Tangiers. Note: Although preferences differ from smoker to smoker but it is widely accepted that a dense pack in a Phunnel style bowl is recommended for this brand.

Setup:

My setup tonight is my Zahrah Z41, Zahrah Glass-Tip Hose, tap water, OG Rook Bowl, Kaloud Lotus. When using the Lotus with Tangiers I like to start with three flat coconut coals stonehenged with no lid to get the bowl started and then drop to two with the lid and adding the third back on about midway through the life of the coals and adjust the Lotus vents as needed. Tonight I am using Titanium Flat Coals.

Flavor:

As with the smell, I get a sweet natural Mandarin Orange. The flavor strength is a little above average rating at a 8/10. The distinct Tangiers tobacco notes are there as well and help balance out the sweetness with the tart citrus notes. With many natural citrus flavors I get a slight throat tickle and I am definitely getting it from Mandarin Orange. All in all, it is a very enjoyable flavor.

Clouds:

One thing Tangiers is known for is thick massive clouds and I can say that Mandarin Orange does not disappoint in the cloud department.

Buzz:

With Noir being one of Tangiers stronger lines of tobacco it does have a bit of a buzz if you are new to it. Myself, as a long-time smoker it does not affect me as hard as a newer smoker to the brand. In any case, I do recommend to keep yourself hydrated while smoking any brand.

Longevity:

Another positive characteristic of Tangiers is it’s longevity. My typical session is two rounds of coals. I can easily go that duration with this flavor with very minimal flavor loss.

Heat Management:

Tangiers requires a little less heat than most brands to smoke properly. You definitely do not want to overdo it. One positive thing I’ve noticed with this flavor is that it does recover nicely if you do happen to add too much heat and catch it in time before it burns completely. Another thing to note about Tangiers (especially the Noir line) is that it loves airflow. When using the Lotus I like to use a poker and poke around in the tobacco before putting the Lotus on. Do this slowly and carefully to avoid compromising the dense pack. Once the Lotus is on I poke more holes through the bottom vents. As I mentioned in the setup section, I start the bowl with three coals and no lid and drop to two and the lid once it is going. About midway through I’ll add the third and adjust the Lotus vents as needed. When going into the second round I’ll light three more coals but start with two and no lid adding the third and lid once again about midway through to complete my session.

Price:

This was a 500g sample sent for review. After some window shopping I’ve found that Tangiers ranges in price per the size of package. 100g goes for around $10, 250g for around $18, and 500g for around $31.

Final Thoughts:

When it comes to my final thoughts on Mandarin Orange I must first point out that it is pretty widely known that I have never claimed to be an expert on Tangiers. At least the Noir line, anyway. In fact, it was one of those lines I avoided due to trouble acclimating it. Most flavors I could not get to smoke right because it would not acclimate properly. That is not the case with all flavors as I’ve found that some were a bit less finicky when it came to acclimation but because of this I have very limited positive experiences with the Noir line up to this point. I’m happy to hear that nowadays, Noir requires far less acclimation and is much more user-friendly. Mandarin Orange actually required no additional preparation or acclimation other than the standard massaging and stirring at the time of opening it. A huge positive in my book. Regarding the flavor, I feel it is a solid Orange flavor. It is nice to have a sweeter Orange than a tart Orange at times as an option and Mandarin Orange certainly fits that bill. Another thing to note is that citrus flavors mix very well with other flavors and this holds true with this particular one. A personal favorite mix of mine is Orange and Mint. Add a pinch of your favorite Mint to this, sit back, relax, and enjoy an amazing session. Also, don’t forget that citrus flavors are a great summertime or warm weather smoke so be sure to have this on hand for that nice refreshing sensation when it’s hot outside. All in all, I won’t say it is my most favorite Orange flavor but it has definitely earned a spot in my stash and will get smoked on a semi-regular basis and I do recommend it to any Tangiers or Orange flavor fan. A huge thanks to Hookah Frank “The Tank” for allowing me the opportunity to review this great flavor!