Dekang vs....

[ColKurtz]

I'm still fairly new to e-cigs but am enjoying my 510s. What I am not enjoying, however, is pretty much all of the juices I've tried -- all Dekang from Heaven-gifts. With the exception of Malrboro and to a lesser extent RY4, all of the other flavors I have tried have been pretty foul in some way or another.

Mostly the DK flavors seem too "strong". I'm looking for a more subtle flavor without having to deal with cutting it myself. Here are the DK flavors I've tried, to see how "compatible" I might be with others on a flavor scale.

Marlboro - My daily vape. Pretty subtle. A little fruity/sweet more than tobacco-ey, but very mild
RY4 - Good as an alternative to Marlboro, but I get turned off by the taste after a couple hours of it (that 2nd snicker bar isn't as good as the first )
Chocolate - Going in, this had a candle-wax flavor that I did not like. The aftertaste when exhaling was very chocolatey and pleasant, but not enough to overcome the initial taste.
Menthol - OK, I guess... just to strong for me. I was never a menthol smoker, though. I may end up putting a drop or 2 in a small bottle of Marlboro and I will probably enjoy it.
Grape - Vaporised cough medicine. This was one of the flavors that made me want to hurl, 2nd only to...
555 - Vile stuff. This was a wretched, overpowering, skunky mess. If you've ever been to a large-scale beer brewery I think it smells/tastes exactly like that. Fermentation is not pleasant smell, but 555 seems to have captured that aroma. I almost quit vaping b/c I couldn't get that taste out of my attys.
Vanilla - I assumed this was as safe a pick as any. Who doesn't like vanilla? I didn't, at least not the Dekang. Tasted like vanilla-something... and whatever that other "something" is (nicotine oil?) doesn't mix well with vanilla.
Flue-cured. This one is actually OK, I guess, but still pretty strong. Tastes like pipe tobacco to me. Will probably give this one a 2nd try at some point.

Questions:

• How much PG on vendors' sites is re-branded Dekang? I've run across a couple that point out that they're custom PG... if it doesn't say "custom" is it reasonable to assume it's Dekang?

• I realize taste is subjective (the existence of cilantro in cuisine, for example ), but hoping for any opinions from those who had bad experiences with Dekang and found a good alternative. I'm looking for PG only, not VG.

Thanks for any opinions!

 

[VinnieVapor]

Hi ColKurtz

I am waiting a new order of Dekang juices... That includes 555 ! Actually It got pretty good reviews. But everybody is different.

I tried Dekang Marlboro, Virginia MildSeven, Menthol and Vanilla and I agree with you about Vanilla and Menthol : Vanilla is not good: a bit soapy and too strong. Menthol is (for me) too strong.Virginia is a bit like malrboro but less sweet and more tobacco (in fact it taste more like a tobacco than malrboro).

MildSeven is another tobacco flavor but a light one with an small apple taste.

Your are also right to state that some flavors are great but not for too long.

Also, trying a weaker flavour or a subtile one after a strong flavor (menthol, licorice, etc) will let you think it is tasteless when it's not.

I like to mix my tobacco ejuices with flavors and PV.

I made my menthol much more better (for me) by adding PV and a mint flavor : more refreshing and way less harsh.

I mixed my vanilla juice with mago flavor but without success... I will try to dilute it even more and add something else.... Cofee or licorice... I'll try !

If you found the juices too harsh dilute them. There is even high nic, no flavor juices.

I think Dekang are the biggest player in China and I hope that in order to keep that position their quality is good. The list of eJuice manufacturers is short but growing: Jonhson Creek, Sedansa, Totally Wicked and others. The sad part is very few resellers list ingredients...

As for the tastes you will have to try many to found your best. Some have found it and others like me made a hobby of it by doing (trying) it themselve.

Good luck in finding (doing ?) your perfect flavours.

 

[needvapor]

ummm.. where did the other reply's go?
I know Birdy had a huge reply to this thread??
sanyk, dredbull, scotbee and snarky one.. very very strange.
I am going to back upon computer and see if saved, then I can copy and paste... weird!!!!!!!

 

[Birdy]

ummm.. where did the other reply's go?
I know Birdy had a huge reply to this thread??
sanyk, dredbull, scotbee and snarky one.. very very strange.
I am going to back upon computer and see if saved, then I can copy and paste... weird!!!!!!!

Yup, they disappeared. Looks like we fell victim to the server switch over. Here's my post from before:

ColKurtz-
I hear you, almost every Dekang flavor I've tried is completely wretched. Sometimes I wonder if I'm crazy or something because people here will be describing vaping what sounds like the sweetest ambrosia... but I have the exact same liquid and it's just awful.
Sounds like we might have similar taste buds so here's my lengthy 2¢

From DeKang I've tried:
USA mix (otherwise known as Marlb) - very sweet tobacco, chemical tasting. Sort of like a Marlboro soaked in perfume. But at least it smells like what it's supposed to: tobacco.
RY3- bearable, but only for about 5 minutes, then overly sweet tobacco with a hint of something vaguely nutty. Same underlying sickly sweet chemical scent. Perfumey.
RY4 - I don't get the usual caramel and vanilla description of this. To me it's like USA Mix but with artificial sweetener, burnt sugar.
Coconut - oh jeeze, just really awful. It smells like coconut but tastes like... I don't know- like licking a coconut air freshener.
Fruit Punch - smells and tastes like concentrated fruit perfume.
Grape Fruit - tasted exactly like what I'd imagine lemon pledge would taste like. Just terrible.
Cappuccino - man, I had high hopes for this one. It tasted nothing like coffee of any sort. Maybe I got a bad batch but it was like plum wine . Over ripe, almost rancid fruity alcohol, with that same underlying sweet taste that's in all their liquid.

And finally, Chocolate - the first bottle I ordered of this had a picture of wine on the bottle. So that was weird. But I was assured that that's just a generic label dekang uses at times. huh. Thing is that it tasted sort of like wine too. Actually it was like my description of the cappuccino above but with a musky baking smell. Maybe it's just what dekang tastes like when it goes wrong, when they leave out some essential flavoring ingredient. I don't know.
So I was sent a replacement that resembled your description of chocolate. Sort of chocolate tasting, mainly chocolate smelling, but good (finally!). It was the best thing I'd had so far so I ordered 3 more bottles. One was fine... the other two were the same crap as the first time. It seems that there's a problem with consistency with Dekang.

So I gave up on DeKang. If they can't get the flavor recipe right from batch to batch what the hell other ingredients are they off on? I can't spend the money hoping that at least 1 out of every 5 bottles I order will be ok, you know? I don't want to mention the supplier because he's otherwise just great (cheap, fast and very nice) and I don't think it's his fault. It's the same Dekang everyone sells as far as I know.

I also ordered from Juicy Liquid (not Dekang)- got their toffee and Java VG flavors. Huh, they both have a sort of light, sickly sweet, almost burnt aftertaste that I initially thought was the VG until I vaped straight VG and it wasn't there. They smell terrific in the bottle though.

After ordering from DIYFlavorShack (Dawn & George) and experiencing the same thing I realized the flavor I wasn't liking was the LorAnn (or whatever brand) candy/food flavoring that underlies these diy mixes. I verified this by buying some LorAnn and mixing some of my own. I might try Vermont Vapor but I suspect it will be similar.
Keep in mind I'm vaping a family of flavors here described as "dessert" or baking flavors. The fruit and liquor flavorings might be different. And everyone here loves their stuff, so who knows maybe its just me.

So lately I've been vaping EcoPure Krystal unflavored cut with VG. No flavor at all- like sucking air through a straw ...but with a big throat hit. Weird. It's clean but obviously not ideal, at least I'm not feeling nauseated from the flavor.


But I just got a sample kit from Johnson Creek and I think I've found something I can vape every day. It has a strange sort of indescribable woodsy flavor to all the flavors but thankfully it's nothing like Dekang, and the more I vape it the more it really grows on me. The people I've let try it get a pleasantly surprised look when they taste it and say they'd rather be vaping that.
I'm fond of the vanilla, mint chocolate and chocolate toffee. I rather like the Tennessee Cured as well, though it doesn't taste like tobacco IMO. The fruit flavors do nothing for me at all, but they taste exactly like what they say they are. I suggest getting the sampler if you're interested.

While you're shopping for juices there's a thread discussing who is selling Dekang, whether it has their label on it or not. I can't post links yet but if you search the forum for the title (with quotes): "Want to try juices but" you'll find it.



But from what I understand some suppliers can and do have Dekang custom mix to their specifications or they mix their own flavors into them and I've heard that can be a really good thing.
But I'm done with DK. I think I'll stick to EcoPure and JC.

Sorry for the long ... post but I hope it helps!

*****

edit: after lots of recommendations in this thread (that disappeared) for drew@nhaler's juice I think I'll give his stuff a try too.

 

[gooney0]

Interesting read.

My complaint is the opposite. I find many of these juices don't have enough flavor.

Some of them do have a chemical aftertaste to them. I like Marlboro "USA Mix" the best it tastes good, but the juice in the bottle smells terrible.

I may have to break down and try the non DK juices. I'd much rather pay $20 for 50ml than $20 for 30ml though.

-Gooney0

 

[cluster]

My limited first observations:

Tobacco: as in the basic kit carts, very enjoyable.. has both nutty and fruity qualities with nothing standing out too much

Watermelon: flavor seems more artificial than others; not bad but not great

Apple: kinda similar in artificiality to watermelon, but a bit more fresh/enjoyable

555: strongly on the nutty side of the basic tobacco flavor, probably my favorite so far

dunhill: halfway between tobacco and 555, minus the fruity hints

RY4: more on the fruity side of the basic tobacco flavor; enjoyable


I haven't tried other suppliers than dekang but i like those flavors and the price is right. Not to say i wouldn't prefer something else when i try it, but i have nothing bad to say about it either.

 

[hyperdeficit]

Dekang makes up 90% of the e juice market.
A lot of people rag on dekang, but i feel like it doesnt deserve it. (if you dont like it you dont like it i guess)

However people dont realize a key benefit of dekang.

If you have 3 suppliers and they all sell dekang then it is easy for you to choose a supplier, you just go with the one who charges the cheapest! Dekang really is making e cigs cheaper, because why would you pay 2 dollars more for the same product?

 

[Birdy]

Dekang makes up 90% of the e juice market.
A lot of people rag on dekang, but i feel like it doesnt deserve it. (if you dont like it you dont like it i guess)

However people dont realize a key benefit of dekang.

If you have 3 suppliers and they all sell dekang then it is easy for you to choose a supplier, you just go with the one who charges the cheapest! Dekang really is making e cigs cheaper, because why would you pay 2 dollars more for the same product?

Well for me it's not only about flavor preference- it's that with Dekang there's a consistency problem. Every time I've gotten more than one bottle of a particular flavor they taste different.

So the argument that you can buy the flavor you like for the lowest price from different suppliers doesn't work for me- because I can't even seem to get the same flavor from one supplier.
And since pretty much nobody takes returns on juice, even if it's a DK screw up all you can hope for is that they'll send you a replacement... and hope its not the same crap.

Besides, when I smoked analogs I didn't buy whatever cigarettes were the cheapest that day. Who does that? If you're going to be tasting something all day you want it to taste good and be high quality, right?

At least with people like JC there's a money back guarantee and they take responsibility for their product. I don't have to hear "Hey, I don't make the stuff and I can't check every bottle I get. What do you want? Its cheap!"

 

[hyperdeficit]

I do agree with you on that one, the consistency of flavors is a little frustrating, I remember one time I ordered vanilla and it was clear and delicious, and then the next time i ordered they decided to change the vanilla flavor and it is now the red that everybody knows as vanilla now, Ihated it

However I wasnt saying it was perfect just cheap. and as far as doing the same thing all day, you are right it does get old. I always have a couple bottles from different manufacterers so I have variety,

I will always have dekang in my arsenal though

 

[prof beard]

I only use tobacco flavours. I've tried most of the Dekang tobacco flavours in ecis (Dekang's own UK outlet) or Liberty Flights guises. I've reviewed them here:

Liberty Flights - E-Liquid Reviews

and here:

Other Vendors - E-Liquid Reviews

Unless a Dekang reseller is re-bottling the liquid, Dekang liquid is spottable by the letters YNDK around the edge of the bottle top. Overall I like Dekangs liquids, but it IS all a matter of personal taste.

 

[1inchgroup]

Two words...

Johnson Creek

 

[hyperdeficit]

One benfit of dekang I thought worth mentioning is they do make theirs in a laboratory setting. A lot of people dont realize that some people make their juice in their garage or basement and contaminents can get in the juice. Laboratory setting means sterile, they do frequent quality control checks, and suppliers can make individual specifications on how they want the juice. That does explain why it varies from supplier to supplier.

Even though it isnt perfect there is a reason why it makes up 90% of the market. Because it is a good juice. some just dont like it and others love it

 

[Fly]

Ok so here goes! This is not only my first reply but also my first reply to one. Unfortunately I only have two choices with my supplier. Dekang 10ml and ;JC sample pack. I am stuck with DK. Although I am not head over heels over the taste, I am very satisfied with the price. Yea its cheap. I am not going through all this to spend just as much money on e-liquid. I was a heavy smoker and now I'm a heavy vapor. Sometimes 4ml a day. And yet I still spend less then analogues. The DK just hits the spot right. That spot in my wallet that is. The flavours to me all has similar tastes. Don't know what it is but there is a particular taste that comes with most of the flavours. The ones that don't have that flavour tend to have an overwhelming flavour that you either hate or like but never love. Yes there is an artificial taste to the flavours but there is also good artificial and bad artificial. The way I llok at it is if you wanted apple to taste like exactly like apple, then eat an apple.The JC now is great. But I use Clearomizers and the seem to turn into glue. Maybe its just th VG.Anyway here goes: I'm sorry if my descriptions are redundant but like I said. They mostly taste the same!
Flavours I LIKE at least with my choices. Out of three stars:
DK- Blueberry** nice after taste and nice taste at the back of my mouth.
DK- Kiwi** this is my mutual flavour. Its my back up to dilute another flavour. Don't like it plain though.
DK- RY4** Not a tobacco flavour fan but it doesn't taste like tobacco. Its sweet.
DK- Raspberry** very subtle and can vape by itself but will get tempted to mix after a while. DK- Blackberry** very subtle and can vape by itself but will get tempted to mix after a while.
DK- Strawberry** very subtle and can vape by itself but will get tempted to mix after a while.
DK- Apple* still don't know what to compare this taste to. Maybe a very cheap koolaid
DK- Cotton Candy* Cotton with a slight hint of Candy. Where is my Candy????
DK- Ice Cream* actually like this but rated it low because I can't vape too long. Its really close to York Peppermint
Red Oak- Tennessee Cured*** OMG!!!! I'm in heaven. Oh wait.....my clearo got clogged. Damn!!
Red Oak- Island** Very tropical and I live on an island so I know. Too bad I can't get PG based.

Flavours I DO NOT LIKE will never buy again.
DK- Cheese Cake (Horrible) excuse me while I barf in a bucket. What is that taste at the back of my mouth?
DK- Turkish Tobacco (Tobacco) like any vapor like the taste of an analogue now.
DK- Watermelon (No Flavour) maybe water
DK- Rum (Horrible) and I love Rum but this tasted like spice. Old spice that is. Ever tasted old spice on your lips after shaving?
Red Oak- Domestic (Tobacco)
Red Oak- Marcado (Horrible) I hate Clove. That taste lasted for hrs.
Red Oak- Swiss Dark (Too Bitter) have u ever tasted pure un sweetened chocolate powder Red Oak- Valencia (Orange Peel) like chewing an orange peel.
Red Oak- Wisconsin Frost (No Flavour) wasn't bad but hate to really concentrate to taste it.

That's it for now. Still trying flavours. Hope I didn't offend anyone. But that's just my taste my opinion and I guess my loss/win.