An aerosol-generating system may include an electrical power supply, an electrical heater connected to the electrical power supply, and a substrate container. The substrate container may define a blind cavity containing an aerosol-forming substrate in the form of a gel that is a solid at room temperature. The electrical heater is external to the substrate container and configured to heat the substrate container to generate a vapor without contacting the aerosol-forming substrate. As result, the possibility of unwanted materials building up on the electrical heater can be reduced, thereby providing a more reliable and consistent performance.
