Thanks Steve. That's what I was looking for... Silly me, I should have searched for "Toibacco Blend"
Can't stand TFA, anyone else?
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Thanks Steve. That's what I was looking for... Silly me, I should have searched for "Toibacco Blend"
Someone wrote on another post somewhere that when DIYing, you need to get to know your flavors intimately. TFA seem to be a very precise, potent and unforgiving brand, but a brand that great things can be created with. I agree with everyone who said that percentages are all over the place, BUT I also find that none of the flavors taste good over 10%. In fact, most if the time I'm using anywhere from 3-5%. There's a subtle line that you can't cross with TFA. I have a $h!+ ton of flavors, and I'd say that I use at least 75% of them. Almost always blended with other flavors, since a single flavor tends to require support from another flavor in order to taste the way I imagine. The only flavors I've found COMPLETELY unvapeable are black tea, huckleberry, and coconut extra. MOST others work well when used with other supporting flavors.
TL;DR - Coconut Extra is just absolutely disgusting.
TL;DR - Coconut Extra is just absolutely disgusting.
Only used a small handful of TFA successfully-moved on to other brands quickly but others love it and YMMV is always the truth on flavorings.
It was my first time ordering and I don't think my 10 bottle order of assorted flavors would run them out of stock
As before, I ordered based on what I have experience with in terms of cooking with. That's normally a safe route, but not so much with TFA based on this first-time experience. I did mistakenly order a LorAnne flavoring and honestly, it's the best one out of the 10 bottles (Cream Cheese Frosting I believe - it tastes exactly like it's labeled @ 20%). I'd order 10 more of those before I'd order 1 more of any of the flavors I received
<snip>
In all fairness, LA's cream cheese frosting is known for being excellent.
Every vendor has good and bad flavors. I personally love TFA's Caramel Cappuccino and DRY4 (Double RY4). But I can't stand their pineapple (sorry, Kurt
). Everybody is different.I don't think TFA makes better or worse flavors overall than other vendors.
Getting mad at TFA because some flavors are stronger than others is like getting mad at a spice company because some spices are stronger than others. What a revelation that all flavors or tastes aren't as strong as each other. You mean I have to figure things out and not just use the exact same percentage of every flavor. People want the easy button 
I think every company has good and bad flavors, funny thing is what I might hate, someone else might love. Guess why there are so many different companies and even different blends of the same flavor within companies. I really don't think there is any one that's best. I think some may prefer one over another, but that doesn't make them best. Rant over
Cheers,
Steve
I think every company has good and bad flavors, funny thing is what I might hate, someone else might love. Guess why there are so many different companies and even different blends of the same flavor within companies. I really don't think there is any one that's best. I think some may prefer one over another, but that doesn't make them best. Rant over
Cheers,
Steve
I had to cackle at that a little. TFA ry4 double smells terrible but is great at 10% with a 4 week steep. TFA red american smells worse, and makes one of the better marlb clones out there at about 5 to 6 % and a couple of days steep. (All imo, of course.)
Do you use just the red american as a standalone?
What % of the tobacco blend are you using and is it a standalone recipe?
Thanks!
In all fairness, LA's cream cheese frosting is known for being excellent.
Every vendor has good and bad flavors. I personally love TFA's Caramel Cappuccino and DRY4 (Double RY4). But I can't stand their pineapple (sorry, Kurt
I don't think TFA makes better or worse flavors overall than other vendors.
What % are you using the caramel cappuccino? I did 2 drops per 10ml kinda thinking I need more?
TFA are the most difficult flavors to work with. I've spent a lot of time with these flavors and got some great results but it took a lot of work to get there. I have my favorite TFA flavors and others I've shelved and will never revisit. I love there flavor molecules and enhancers and can't live with out them. It's not the manufactures fault when the end user does not take the time to really get to know the flavors and concentrations. It takes work and lots of time at it. You can get some awesome results if you really understand the flavors. No individual can tell you the amount of flavor that's right for you and this is why most recommended recipes and concentration recommendations given fail. What's right for one person may not be good for another person. The only way to succeed at these flavors is to make test batch after test batch until you find your own sweet spot with these.
I've learned with these to start 1 - 2% below the lowest recommended percentage and work up only after proper steeping. SO I will make 5 test batches right off the bat starting at 2% below the recommended percentage and raise in 2% increments. Example
batch 1 4%
batch 2 6%
batch 3 8 %
etc, etc.....
You can then zero in on your sweet spot. So if 6% is to weak and 8% to strong you know your sweet spot is some where in between 6 and 8%. But this won't work if you don't steep first.
Also really know your individual flavors first before trying to combine flavors.
I've learned with these to start 1 - 2% below the lowest recommended percentage and work up only after proper steeping. SO I will make 5 test batches right off the bat starting at 2% below the recommended percentage and raise in 2% increments. Example
batch 1 4%
batch 2 6%
batch 3 8 %
etc, etc.....
You can then zero in on your sweet spot. So if 6% is to weak and 8% to strong you know your sweet spot is some where in between 6 and 8%. But this won't work if you don't steep first.
Also really know your individual flavors first before trying to combine flavors.
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I ordered 500ml of nic from WL and added six flavors to get the "free shipping". I just picked out what sounded good to me. After reviewing this forum I may not have made the best choices. I don't believe any of them received stellar reviews. I mixed test batches today of all the flavors and will let them steep a couple of weeks before I give them a try. I used starting %'s that I found here.
I have about 25 flavors that I purchased from MBV and only have three that I moved to the back of the shelf. I have only tried one TFA flavor (Apple Pie) and I finally gave up on it. From 5% to 30% it had very little flavor (mixed 80/20). It has been on the back shelf for about a month.
Here are the flavors I mixed today.
Pizza 5%
Cinnamon Sugar Cookie 25%
Cinnamon Danish 25%
Cola 15%
Wintergreen 25%
Grape Candy 10%
Some of these percentage seem high but they are what others have used on this forum.
I have about 25 flavors that I purchased from MBV and only have three that I moved to the back of the shelf. I have only tried one TFA flavor (Apple Pie) and I finally gave up on it. From 5% to 30% it had very little flavor (mixed 80/20). It has been on the back shelf for about a month.
Here are the flavors I mixed today.
Pizza 5%
Cinnamon Sugar Cookie 25%
Cinnamon Danish 25%
Cola 15%
Wintergreen 25%
Grape Candy 10%
Some of these percentage seem high but they are what others have used on this forum.
When I started DIY I had ordered a large batch of many different flavors, nic and VG base etc from one particular supplier. Every single thing I made ended up bad. It all smelled bad, and all the e-liquids turned dark brown within a few days. Every one had a horrible chemical/perfumey smell and taste, and a lot of "pepper" in every one. (I found out later that "pepper" was due to the type of nicotine. Many people like the pepper hit, I do not. The nic base must've been very old and had oxidized to the point of being almost spoiled. It was a very dark, oily, smelly...well you get the picture)
I had decided, IMO, they were all contaminated in some way shape or form, so I tossed them and chalked it up to lesson learned. A bad investment. It happens. I skipped DIY for a while I was so bummed.
About a month later I ordered many of the same named flavors, nic base and vg from different suppliers, in smaller quantities so as not to hit my wallet too bad lol.
Long story short, like others have said, some TPA flavors are great some not so much. I can only use less than or up to 1 or 2%. That's all is needed, and after about a month of steeping the flavors are great. Same is true with other named brands. There are some great and some bad flavors in every brand.
Glad you found a brand you love
UT, I'm not criticizing you at all, but I think you might find the Cinnamon Danish and Wintergreen to be a little on the high side. I'm not sure about the Cinnamon Sugar Cookie because I've never used it as a stand-alone flavor (I love it in bakery mixes though). I'm only mentioning it because if you do, you can always cut them down with some more base. Good luck with your DIY!
Cheers,
Steve
sorry, I gagged reading those high %. But hey, some people like high %. I too, had initially used the higher % recommended by some recipes on this forum and it took lots of trial and error to figure that I was crazy only needing less than 1% or up to 2% max. But that's just me.
Good luck ut1205
Keep us posted on it!
Wingsfan, crxess and Danny.. +1
I have spent a great deal of time with TFA flavors (over 120) and find they are are for the most part a high quality product. There are a few that I dont like myself, but there are not many. And as said, you have to know individual flavorings and what they will and wont do. You can have a weak flavor at 3,4,5,6%, then at 7% its perfect...and if you go 9 or 10% it will, in the blink of an eye taste like perfume. Thats what DIY is all about.
I also use other flavorings from other companys that have a better taste than TFA, so I use them. All of this information can be trial and error, or you can spend hours like me reading through many DIY posts and threads to get to know certain flavors from different companies are just down right fantastic.
You just cant say "TFA Sucks" or "Hangsen is terrible"..or "Capella's is Crap". When you do, you show your experience level.
By the way, to the few that have said how bad TFA Coconut Exta is: Try this and you wont ever say that again.
Almond Joy
TFA Coconut extra 8%
TFA Toffee 3%
TFA Milk chocolat 3%
TFA Toasted Almond 5%
Shake, heat and vape......no steep...close your eyes, vape and youll taste an Almond Joy candy bar......after three days of steeping, the chocolat comes out and the balance is great.
I have a great butterfinger recipie in these forums also...but you have to do your research to find it. Theres information in these forums that are worth their weight in gold. You just have to make the effort to read and learn from those that came before us.
I have spent a great deal of time with TFA flavors (over 120) and find they are are for the most part a high quality product. There are a few that I dont like myself, but there are not many. And as said, you have to know individual flavorings and what they will and wont do. You can have a weak flavor at 3,4,5,6%, then at 7% its perfect...and if you go 9 or 10% it will, in the blink of an eye taste like perfume. Thats what DIY is all about.
I also use other flavorings from other companys that have a better taste than TFA, so I use them. All of this information can be trial and error, or you can spend hours like me reading through many DIY posts and threads to get to know certain flavors from different companies are just down right fantastic.
You just cant say "TFA Sucks" or "Hangsen is terrible"..or "Capella's is Crap". When you do, you show your experience level.
By the way, to the few that have said how bad TFA Coconut Exta is: Try this and you wont ever say that again.
Almond Joy
TFA Coconut extra 8%
TFA Toffee 3%
TFA Milk chocolat 3%
TFA Toasted Almond 5%
Shake, heat and vape......no steep...close your eyes, vape and youll taste an Almond Joy candy bar......after three days of steeping, the chocolat comes out and the balance is great.
I have a great butterfinger recipie in these forums also...but you have to do your research to find it. Theres information in these forums that are worth their weight in gold. You just have to make the effort to read and learn from those that came before us.
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UT, I'm not criticizing you at all, but I think you might find the Cinnamon Danish and Wintergreen to be a little on the high side. I'm not sure about the Cinnamon Sugar Cookie because I've never used it as a stand-alone flavor (I love it in bakery mixes though). I'm only mentioning it because if you do, you can always cut them down with some more base. Good luck with your DIY!
Cheers,
Steve
I agree those percents are high but I read several threads where those flavors at 15-20 percent had very little to no flavor. I really like Wintergreen and even FW has little flavor at 20 percent. With the exception of a few, most of my FW mixes are in the 15-20 percent range. I don't understand some of the threads where people are using 1 and 2 percent mixes of flavors I can't even taste at 10 percent.
I couldn't find any really good reviews of the TFA flavors I purchased except for maybe the Grape.
Well, I have a full quart of PG and VG so diluting won't be a problem if it is necessary.
Very well said Thunderball, I couldn't agree more! I liked your comment once, would have padded the likes more if I could
. That recipe sounds great and I'm going to try it the next time I'm mixing. Cheers,
Steve
Very well said Thunderball, I couldn't agree more! I liked your comment once, would have padded the likes more if I could
Cheers,
Steve
..............
You made me blush.....
Alrighty so I had sold some stuff last night and had some cash sitting in paypal, so while ordering some more Nic to stick in the freezer from WL, I ordered the flavors I needed to make the Almond Joy.
Can't wait to try it. I love almond joys, so this excites me lol
Can't wait to try it. I love almond joys, so this excites me lol
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