Enjoy Dokha

What is Dokha Tobacco?

Let’s dive into the specifics of Dokha tobacco

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What is Dokha Tobacco? Let’s delve into the specifics…

Very popular in the Middle East for many decades and colloquially known as ‘Dook’, Dokha originated in Gilaki in northern Iran in the 1400s.  It was smoked originally by Shepherds tending their flock and later by Sailors, because it was perfect for using at sea.  Over the next hundred years or so, the use of Dokha tobacco spread but became more the preserve of the rich and powerful.  It was seen as a symbol of affluence, as something new coming to market often is, before becoming more widely smoked amongst the general population across the Middle East.

What is Dokha made from?

Dokha is the pure, natural and original tender leaf Arabic tobacco. Unlike most Western tobaccos, Dokha is not fire cured and cut, but dried in the arid desert region from which it came. It’s finely ground in a timely delicate manner to preserve the strength, freshness and pure flavour of the tobacco.

Due to the lesser degree of processing, Dokha tobacco essentially appears unaltered from the plant leaves grown in the field, maintaining the green/brown coloration of the natural plant.  That is one of the main reasons why we have so many return customers – nothing added and nothing taken away…

In some countries Dokha is mixed with flowers, herbs and spices, however in the UK it is illegal to mix tobacco with any colourings or flavourings whatsoever, therefore you can be sure that Enjoy Dokha’s Arabic tobacco has absolutely nothing added to enhance the natural colour and nothing added to flavour the natural and original Arabic tobacco.

Are there additives in Dokha?

Enjoy Dokha has pursued a policy of supplying only the highest quality Dokha to the market and that means our Dokha is totally free from pesticides, herbicides, dyes or any other flavouring.

Enjoy Dokha travelled extensively to learn exactly where and how the best plants are grown, also how and when those plants are harvested and processed.  Most importantly, we needed to satisfy ourselves that anyone we chose to partner with supplied us with tobacco that had nothing added or taken away from the final product!

Unfortunately, we cannot say the same of some other Dokha suppliers. Some of our customers have reported to us that they have experienced flavouring and chemical dyes being added to the Dokha that they have purchased – this typically happens when Dokha is purchased abroad.  The rules around the sale of tobacco products in the UK are so much stricter and more rigorously applied than in other countries.

Some suppliers purchase cheap Dokha and then camouflage the taste and colour by adding food flavouring and dyes to the product.  This way they can sell the cheaper Dokha for a higher price.  Unfortunately, the resultant colour and flavour of the natural Dokha tobacco has been lost.

Over the years, Enjoy Dokha’s team have investigated suppliers of Dokha, particularly to the USA, and were surprised to find that many ‘so called’ Dokha varieties there had such vibrant colours – some with reddish, bright green or even blue hues in some instances!   Dokha tobacco should only be a natural greenish/brownish colour or something in between.

Our Dokha has nothing added and has nothing taken away – all natural – grown at high altitude, only using fresh water to irrigate the fields and hot desert sunshine to produce quality tobacco leaves, which are harvested, bottled and delivered straight to your door.  Now that’s fresh….enjoy!

Where is Dokha Tobacco Grown?

Typically Dokha is grown on plateau fields in the mountainous regions of the UAE and Oman. There are complex irrigation systems deployed which are controlled manually.  Without these irrigation systems the plants would die as the region is essentially arid desert.

The plants are tended by local farmers, with good knowledge of the care and attention that these delicate, high yielding tobacco plants require.  On a daily basis, the farmers remove any weeds and pests that appear and generally keep the plants in tip top condition, without the use of pesticides or herbicides.  The air is very clean as the plants are grown at high altitude and with large amounts of sun the plants flourish.

Harvesting takes place around August time when the plants are hung up to dry in the arid desert air on wooden battens in sheds which are like barns. Nothing more is ever added.  It’s finely ground in a timely manner to preserve the delicate flavours of the natural tobacco leaves, whilst also maintaining the strength, freshness and green colouration of the natural plant.  The resultant blends are typically classified into Light (Blue), Medium (Gold) or Hot (Red) Dokha varieties.

Is Dokha Legal?

Assuming the person buying/smoking the Dokha is not underage, everywhere that it’s legal to purchase and smoke tobacco products, it’s also legal to purchase and smoke Dokha,

Here are some responses from specific countries where the question has been asked:

United Kingdom:

The legal smoking age is 18 years old. As long as you can prove that you are 18 or over, then it is perfectly legal to purchase and smoke Dokha.  Enjoy Dokha would, however, draw to your attention to the fact that there are some ‘dodgy’ Dokha suppliers in the UK market who don’t comply with up to date regulation, so please ensure that you purchase your Dokha from a reputable retailer. Our ‘Store Locator’ of reputable Dokha suppliers around the UK may be able to help you.  Otherwise, you can purchase your Dokha direct from Enjoy Dokha’s website.

Europe:

Most European countries have strict regulations around the purchase and smoking of tobacco products.  Within Europe, the usual age for smoking is 18 years of age, however, you should check the rules around the country you are visiting to ensure you are complying with local laws.

United States of America:

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has officially changed the federal minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.  The new minimum age applies to all tobacco products, including Dokha.

United Arab Emirates:

The UAE passed ‘Federal Law No. 15’ regarding Tobacco Control in December 2009, making the legal age to purchase tobacco products, including Dokha, 18 years old.  The law also make smoking in cars (with children under 12 present), houses of worship, educational campuses and health/fitness centres, illegal.

India:

Dokha being a natural tobacco, is completely legal in India, however, depending on the region you are in, you should check the legal age requirement.

Rest of the world:

Common sense tells us to check locally the legal age requirement to purchase or smoke all tobacco products, including Dokha.

Can you Travel with Dokha

Ignorance is no excuse or defence for breaking the law! Dokha is a natural Arabic leaf tobacco so there should be no reason why you couldn’t carry it, but again, you need to check with the relevant country you are wishing to visit, particularly when it comes to the quantities of tobacco products any individual country might permit you to bring in – Most countries apply strict limits around the amount of tobacco you can bring in at any one time.  You should make enquiries and check those limits, as not all countries have the same rules, even within Europe, for example.

What colour should Dokha be

Dokha Arabic tobacco, is naturally green in colour, so the resultant Dokha blends should always have the natural green to brown tobacco colouration.  Unfortunately, some suppliers add colour and artificial flavourings to the Dokha they supply.  Enjoy Dokha feel that apart from being totally unethical, why would you want to absorb dyes and artificial flavourings into your body when you can enjoy all of the natural colouration and flavour of the plant!

What does Dokha feel like

Most tobacco plants grown in the UAE for the production of Dokha are finely chopped in a timely manner to preserve the strength and flavour of the tobacco. Some Dokha blends are chopped finer than others. The finer the cut, the smoother the smoke in your Medwakh (sometimes spelled Midwakh) pipe. Most high grade Dokha is finely chopped for this reason.  Enjoy Dokha Mister or Maya  are good examples of high grade medium Dokha blends.  On the other hand, Achilles or VOD have a rougher cut which are considered to be harsher on inhale because they are hotter blends.  That doesn’t mean that they are any less high quality Dokha because we only sell top quality Dokha to begin with…

How long does the Dokha buzz last?

If you are reading this and thinking about trying Dokha for the first time, regular Dokha smokers will tell you the best time to smoke Dokha to get the Dokha buzz to last longer is first thing in the morning – this is because your Nicotine tolerance is low after sleeping.  How long the Dokha buzz lasts changes from person to person, but usually it will last between 10 – 30 seconds. If you smoke Dokha first thing in the morning, the Dokha buzz will last longer and be more intense.  If you smoke Dokha later in the day, or you smoke regularly throughout the day then your tolerance level also grows, and the ‘buzz’ will not be as intense as your first smoke of the day… so don’t go chasing the ‘buzz’!

It’s a good idea when sampling Dokha for the first time to have a juice drink, or water, to stay hydrated…

Does Dokha make you high?

Absolutely No.  Because this is just a tobacco – nothing added and nothing taken away, when you smoke Dokha tobacco, you do not get high. We can confirm you will not have a mind bending trip through your third eye and travel to meet yourself in a parallel universe.

Does Dokha leave a smell?

There is no residual smell when you smoke Dokha.  Unlike most Western tobacco products, the smell of Dokha does NOT cling to your hair or clothing, and does not linger on your breath either which makes it generally inoffensive to non smokers…

Blends are typically classified into Light (Blue) Dokha, Medium (Gold) Dokha, or Hot (Red) Dokha.

Choosing the right Dokha blend for you is always fun. There’s plenty of variables to think about, different cuts, strengths and flavours.

Cold or Blue – Light and smooth on the throat. Great for those new to smoking Dokha tobacco. Good blends to start with are either ED Blue, Scorpion Blue, YR Cold or Shahi.

Warm or Gold – Rich, full flavour with a great rush ‘buzz’ while still smooth on the throat. The flagship blends of most suppliers fall into this category.  ED Gold, Mister and Ameeri are firm favourites with Enjoy Dokha customers.

Hot or Red – For the seasoned smoker, these blends are usually harsher on the throat but often give the biggest ‘buzz’. Our most popular hot blends are ED Red, Achilles and Scorpion Red, but make sure to sit down for your first hit – these blends are not for the fainthearted!

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We’re passionate about bringing quality tobacco products to your doorstep!

Our customers are comforted to know that the Dokha tobaccos we provide are pure and natural – the leaves being harvested off organic crops, irrigated with only fresh water and hot desert sunshine. Our Dokha tobaccos are free of all chemical additives, often found in other smoking products.

So we don’t mislead you, we are inclined to mention here that Enjoy Dokha Ltd does not advocate that the smoking of any tobacco product is advisable for your health – it’s still tobacco… however, if you choose to smoke and use a double filter on the end of your Midwakh (Medwakh) then smoking Dokha, as opposed to a cigarette would be a better option.

Dokha is enjoyed with the use of a small, crafted smoking pipe called a Medwakh (sometimes spelled Midwakh). Originally, hollowed animal bones were used as pipes; however, craftsmen also made pipes using different types of exotic woods, among other materials, as a sign of prestige and status.

Just as with any smoking device, Midwakh pipes are offered in a range of lengths and styles for your individual preference and perhaps also as a sense of nostalgia. Consider each Medwakh a handcrafted artistry that you will feel proud to own and display as you enjoy your pastime…. offering a true delight to the connoisseur (or just that wild guy or gal with a taste for enjoyment of life – in all of its forms).

From seed to pipe – all natural Dokha – nothing added and nothing taken away – Dokha which is grown, harvested and delivered straight to your door by Enjoy Dokha – now that’s fresh…enjoy!

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