Cigarettes taste so bad now.....

[Jman8]

As much as you don't seem to want to hear it, the answer is everyone is different.

It's not that I don't want to hear it, it's that it says nothing. Like why join CASAA (for a common purpose) if everyone is different? What could we possibly hope to accomplish if everyone has a different idea about everything?

IMO, it's just smoke and mirrors to stick with that as if that is some sort of answer when noticeable patterns are in place (i.e. we all agree that heavy restrictions would be bad, or we all gravitated toward particular brand of smokes which would seem to have something to do with taste/flavor).

I really liked the taste of some of the more exotic or "expensive" cigarettes.
I wish I could remember which ones, but it's been so long now.

For the most part I smoked Camel and Marlboro, but could tolerate Winston if I had to.
I liked the taste of regulars far more than lights, but I smoked the lights anyway.

That's about all I remember at this point.

You had me at "really liked the taste." It's past tense, but works for what this thread is saying.

 

[Lessifer]

Perhaps(for some people) it's not that the taste of cigarettes was desired, but that it was palatable in order to receive the other "benefits" of smoking?

Like your alcohol analogy, the only hard alcohol I LIKE to drink is tequila, I enjoy the taste of good tequila. However, if I'm at a party, and I want to get a buzz, I will tolerate certain other alcohols. I can't do vodka or gin, but rum works.

 

[DaveP]

I'm hooked on the act of vaping. At 3mg nic, it's not so much the nic as it is knowing that it's there. When I vaped 0mg for a week or so waiting for a juice order to arrive I missed the small amount of bite that says nic is there. Even at 3mg the bite, however small, tells you that there's nic in the vape. I missed that.

If I were to quit vaping I'd miss the actions of vaping. Inhaling and exhaling is almost as addictive as the nicotine contained in the vape. I suspect that with smoking cigarettes those actions are critical to satisfaction. It's why vaping gets us off the cigarettes and Nicorette doesn't, not for long anyway.

 

[UncleChuck]

I enjoy some of the flavors in cigarettes, but those flavors get covered up and clouded by the nasty crud generated from burning plant material. All the nasty gasses and tars taste terrible, but when you smoke for awhile you get used to them and kind of stop tasting them, and can taste the other flavors in the tobacco. When I smoked there were brands that I loved the taste of and others that I hated, now that I've been vaping so long they all taste the same to me- nasty.

When you switch to vaping not only do you loose your tolerance to the off flavors in cigarettes, but you train yourself to associate sweet delicious flavors with smoking/inhaling so when you go back to cigarettes it's such a large difference that most people seem to be disgusted by it.

I like the alcohol analogy as it seems it's a similar concept to smoking, in the sense that once you get used to the "gross" aspects of it you can focus on the more nuanced flavors that differentiate different drinks. As a huge fan of craft beer I love trying different styles and breweries and there is a massive difference in the flavor of different beers. I have a few friends that rarely drink and every time they try out some new beer I got it all tastes the same to them.

But yeah, cigarettes taste horrible now!

 

[jambi]

As much as you don't seem to want to hear it, the answer is everyone is different.


I really liked the taste of some of the more exotic or "expensive" cigarettes.
I wish I could remember which ones, but it's been so long now.

For the most part I smoked Camel and Marlboro, but could tolerate Winston if I had to.
I liked the taste of regulars far more than lights, but I smoked the lights anyway.

That's about all I remember at this point.

The only one that had a distinct taste for me was Camel. All the rest were very similar in taste (to me), so I generally smoked whatever was cheapest. Pall Malls were the last brand I smoked. I did not like lights and would either lick the holes in the filter to seal them up or tear the filter off altogether, if they were the only type available.

 

[Jman8]

I will say this, as one who loves to flavor explore with vaping, I had some Worcestershire vape that I'm thinking every vaper would find nasty. I found it unvapeable. I've only had maybe 3 out of 150 flavors that were unvapeable. I would much rather smoke a cigarette than vape that flavor.

I convey that mostly in a LOL way, but also to say that vaping just wins hands down in flavor cause there are many more great flavors that are open to vaping than are possible with smoking. I guess theoretically, they could be equal, but legally, they are not. If one had choice between okay tasting smoke or strawberry graham cracker vape, I'd think that would be as easy of a decision as whether to have a sip of whiskey or cream soda. Ha!

Perhaps(for some people) it's not that the taste of cigarettes was desired, but that it was palatable in order to receive the other "benefits" of smoking?

I think for many who claim hate of taste in smoking (as in always hated it), I'd think this is the obvious implication. But this doesn't explain why people would be brand loyal. Why not flavor explore with smokes?

As one who never gets a craving for a smoke, but still smokes, it is the flavor that I still enjoy. Yes, compared to a vape it tastes bad. But it's also a flavor that cannot be matched with any vape I've tried. Some vapes can come close (as say in the same ballpark, but not on the same side of the field).

Like your alcohol analogy, the only hard alcohol I LIKE to drink is tequila, I enjoy the taste of good tequila. However, if I'm at a party, and I want to get a buzz, I will tolerate certain other alcohols. I can't do vodka or gin, but rum works.

And yet, compare tequila to either average soda or great tasting soda, or juice, or milkshake. That's getting closer to point that comes up often on the forum and is point of this thread. I'm yet to have a soda (or other beverage) that matches the taste of an alcoholic beverage. If you hate on alcohol, then that's a great thing (that it doesn't match that flavor). But if you like alcohol, then it seems like unfair comparison to say alcohol doesn't taste as great as cola, therefore alcohol tastes downright nasty.

Me, I like Twisted Tea for an alcoholic beverage. I like that taste quite much. But compared to a great tasting sweet iced tea, I'll always prefer the latter. Yet, the original point was a more fair comparison: take an alcoholic beverage where the flavoring is minimal and compare that to something that is really sweet or provides lots of flavor, and then ask people (or yourself) which one tastes better to you? Then after that exercise is done, do we then go onto claim that alcohol tastes inherently bad because when compared to other beverages, most people (including yourself) prefer the taste of something else?

 

[Lessifer]

I will say this, as one who loves to flavor explore with vaping, I had some Worcestershire vape that I'm thinking every vaper would find nasty. I found it unvapeable. I've only had maybe 3 out of 150 flavors that were unvapeable. I would much rather smoke a cigarette than vape that flavor.

I convey that mostly in a LOL way, but also to say that vaping just wins hands down in flavor cause there are many more great flavors that are open to vaping than are possible with smoking. I guess theoretically, they could be equal, but legally, they are not. If one had choice between okay tasting smoke or strawberry graham cracker vape, I'd think that would be as easy of a decision as whether to have a sip of whiskey or cream soda. Ha!



I think for many who claim hate of taste in smoking (as in always hated it), I'd think this is the obvious implication. But this doesn't explain why people would be brand loyal. Why not flavor explore with smokes?

As one who never gets a craving for a smoke, but still smokes, it is the flavor that I still enjoy. Yes, compared to a vape it tastes bad. But it's also a flavor that cannot be matched with any vape I've tried. Some vapes can come close (as say in the same ballpark, but not on the same side of the field).



And yet, compare tequila to either average soda or great tasting soda, or juice, or milkshake. That's getting closer to point that comes up often on the forum and is point of this thread. I'm yet to have a soda (or other beverage) that matches the taste of an alcoholic beverage. If you hate on alcohol, then that's a great thing (that it doesn't match that flavor). But if you like alcohol, then it seems like unfair comparison to say alcohol doesn't taste as great as cola, therefore alcohol tastes downright nasty.

Me, I like Twisted Tea for an alcoholic beverage. I like that taste quite much. But compared to a great tasting sweet iced tea, I'll always prefer the latter. Yet, the original point was a more fair comparison: take an alcoholic beverage where the flavoring is minimal and compare that to something that is really sweet or provides lots of flavor, and then ask people (or yourself) which one tastes better to you? Then after that exercise is done, do we then go onto claim that alcohol tastes inherently bad because when compared to other beverages, most people (including yourself) prefer the taste of something else?

Ah, but what does "tastes better" actually mean? In America it tends towards "tastes more," which is why Doritos includes salt, sugar, msg, and a whole cocktail of other flavors. They're lighting up as many taste buds at one time as possible. However, that may not "taste better."

Then you have items that taste better in a certain instance than others. I love soda, I can do a blind test and tell the difference between pepsi, coke, pibb, dr. pepper, and probably a few others. I prefer dr. pepper, but will also drink other flavors. If I'm eating dessert though, I want coffee, not soda. If I'm eating charred meat, I want beer, a nice brown ale or IPA.

When I smoked, I actually liked flavored cigarettes, and would smoke cloves on occasion. I was a camel smoker, and when I tried other brands, I didn't like them as much usually. The tobaccos taste different, but they all have the same underlying ash taste, which is what I don't like now.

 

[Jman8]

Ah, but what does "tastes better" actually mean?

It means whatever this thing currently tastes like, the other thing has a more likable taste. Like as much as I enjoy the taste of licking the blackboard, I get more enjoyment from the taste of that strawberry double bubble.

In America it tends towards "tastes more," which is why Doritos includes salt, sugar, msg, and a whole cocktail of other flavors. They're lighting up as many taste buds at one time as possible. However, that may not "taste better."

While my above comment is said tongue in cheek, I'll remind the court (of public opinion) that it is generally the ex-smoking vaper that tends to make comments like vaping tastes better than smoking. Me, I think they both have a taste that is unique and may be enjoyable to people at different times. I kinda loathe the idea that we need to position it as one is inherently better (tasting) than the other.

Then you have items that taste better in a certain instance than others. I love soda, I can do a blind test and tell the difference between pepsi, coke, pibb, dr. pepper, and probably a few others. I prefer dr. pepper, but will also drink other flavors. If I'm eating dessert though, I want coffee, not soda. If I'm eating charred meat, I want beer, a nice brown ale or IPA.

When I smoked, I actually liked flavored cigarettes, and would smoke cloves on occasion. I was a camel smoker, and when I tried other brands, I didn't like them as much usually. The tobaccos taste different, but they all have the same underlying ash taste, which is what I don't like now.

IMO, cloves taste better than regular smokes and somewhat relates to the original point. But cloves always seemed way stronger to me. If all I had smoked in my life were cloves, I feel pretty confident I could've had them in moderation, or moderate amount compared to PAD smoking.

I hear you on the underlying taste and is why I think someone would prefer a nice brown ale over say a Bud Light with charred meat. It's that underlying taste that I think is acquired. Without coming to accept that, it seems one would prefer the obvious pronounced taste of say a good soda and match it with type(s) of food they eat, in which case root beer trumps your dark ale. LOL.

I think though that ash is more like after taste and tobacco flavor (which varies by brand) is the underlying taste, with smoke being the pronounced taste. When I smoke now, I will be open to a whole lot of flavors (brands), but my preference is pretty clear to me. The good news is that it is no longer an all day flavor that I seek. But is a flavor that I don't get from vaping, nor do I care to seek it anymore from vaping. Mostly cause I've given up trying to match it and partially cause smokes have it nailed down.

 

[DaveP]

Before I stopped smoking and my taste buds recovered I used to complain that there was no taste in the juices I tried. Once my taste and smell returned, it was the opposite. I began to hate the cloying flavors that I once accused of being weak.

Then I discovered Dekang and Hangsen. The flavors are light, but they are flavors I can vape all day. I have some American juices that I use as I would Lorann's flavorings. I add a couple of drops of Snickerdoodle juice in a tank of Hangsen Tobacco and the flavor is enough for me. Any more and I'd get tired of it in a hurry.

Go figure.

 

[Douggro]

I have nothing to make an objective comparison to in relation to the original topic. I stopped smoking and started vaping full-time after a brief transition period and haven't had a cigarette since. That being said, there are certain sensory memories that I miss about smoking - the smell of a freshly opened pack of smokes, or the aroma of my grandmother lighting up a Kent in her kitchen when I was a child that I would get every once in a while when I smoked..

I never really enjoyed the flavor of cigarettes. Rather, I think I learned to tolerate it for the action/reward that came along with smoking. There may have been those times, like with the first cup of coffee in the morning, where it was more pleasurable - but it did not taste any better.

I try very hard not to be judgmental of smokers or anyone who is a dual user. I don't avoid smokers; I vape with them while we take breaks at work. I can smell it on them and I find it off-putting now that I'm not enrobed with that same aroma. It's not much different in my consideration than someone with halitosis or a touch of BO.

 

[poohbah]

I smoked most my life. From 16 to 56. I never could see me as a non smoker. After I started vaping, the whole world for me changed. I quit smoking immediately. I still get rare cravings, but the nic vapor cures those right away. Yes, smoking now stinks. I can smell it a block away and it does stink, but I remember where I came from and I never frown on those who still smoke.

 

[madangus]

All their soda is awesome. But too expensive. Like $4 for 4 twelve oz. bottles. My preference is to generally drink what is the #1 soda in the world and in history.

The distillery is a great fun visit. We had a great cheese tasting there and you can grab the sodas by the crate! Bulk is a little easier on the wallet.

What would the #1 be btw

 

[madangus]

The new njoy daily is to me at least very very close to the taste of my old camels. Very close indeed. The other tobaccos i have tried were good but not really that close.

 

[fatum]

If I were to quit vaping I'd miss the actions of vaping. Inhaling and exhaling is almost as addictive as the nicotine contained in the vape. I suspect that with smoking cigarettes those actions are critical to satisfaction. It's why vaping gets us off the cigarettes and Nicorette doesn't, not for long anyway.

This! I tried quiting with pills, patches and even cold turkey. I never lasted longer than a month. With vaping I just stopped smoking, nothing forced, nothing I had to make myself do, it just felt right. Easiest quit ever I'm now at 3mg nic where I'll probably stay for a few more months.

I still get rare cravings, but the nic vapor cures those right away. Yes, smoking now stinks. I can smell it a block away and it does stink, but I remember where I came from and I never frown on those who still smoke.

Those cravings happen with me as well: once or twice a day I really want a cigarette. Then I take a puff and the craving goes away just like that (I'm still amazed about that). Smoking now smells bad to me as well, but like you I don't look down on those who smoke. A lot of times the worst anti-smokers are the ex-smokers which, in my eyes, is completely hypocrite.

 

[DC2]

The new njoy daily is to me at least very very close to the taste of my old camels. Very close indeed. The other tobaccos i have tried were good but not really that close.

Would that be the Classic Tobacco or the Rich Tobacco?

 

[coolerat]

Why didn't patches or gum work then?
In other words, I truly believe that you are wrong.

Speaking just for myself here but they worked just fine for me.

All I want is nicotine. I'm a straight up street level nic junkie. Because its legal and fun I can sugar coat it anyway I want. But strip it down I will get my nic any way I deem necessary.

The trouble with patch and pills, I used the candies, is when I'm off the smokes a couple weeks or months I quit them. Then I go nic free and didn't generaly last more then afew more weeks/months.

Vaping is a wonderful nicotine delivery system. I can make its taste like bubble gum or stagnate canal water. Or nearly no taste at all. But I make it so I like it so I keep doing it.

I could most likely quit vaping. And if I could live a bucolic life with just my dogs I'd prolly go without nic forever. But here in the real world I must interact with humans and I'm gonna need that nic again. Better to just keep nicing up to avoid incarceration.

 

[madangus]

Would that be the Classic Tobacco or the Rich Tobacco?

I think the rich is the one i tried

 

[Jman8]

The distillery is a great fun visit. We had a great cheese tasting there and you can grab the sodas by the crate! Bulk is a little easier on the wallet.

What would the #1 be btw

Coke. Was that really a question?

I really like vanilla coke. I like those newer soda machines where you can have like 20 variations of Coke (or other soda). I like flavor exploring there as well. Raspberry Coke, who'd a thunk? My all time favorite flavor for soda is something that is no longer made and not sure why, but Coke had a Black Cherry Vanilla Coke that I found amazing. As much as I like Coke, I'm also a fan of Pepsi, RC, most root beers, most ginger ales, most orange soda, most cream sodas, most grape sodas, most white sodas (Sprite, 7-Up). Not a huge fan of Dew or Mellow Yellow, but would drink them. Pretty much hate diet soda of any kind.

Sprecher and the other gourmet soda types remind me of gourmet vapes. Yes, they are very good, but they seem overpriced to me.

The really odd thing to me is that if I get soda, I rarely get it by 2L and only occasionally get it by 12 packs. So, that leaves 12 to 20 oz bottles or 1 liters. And the odd thing is in almost every store I've been in a 12 to 20 oz bottle is always more expensive than 1 liter. So, I pretty much stick to 1 liters as they are a relatively convenient way to drinks soda and quite cost effective.

Cola flavored eLiquid was my favorite for my first couple years of vaping, but now it's just one that I like to get every other order and not an ADV.

 

[Jman8]

This! I tried quiting with pills, patches and even cold turkey. I never lasted longer than a month. With vaping I just stopped smoking, nothing forced, nothing I had to make myself do, it just felt right. Easiest quit ever I'm now at 3mg nic where I'll probably stay for a few more months.

I do think vaping is, for a majority, the easier way to stop smoking. I did the cold turkey method 3 times. That spans about 15 years of my life, and never quit for less than a year. I obviously have lots of confidence in my ability to stop cold turkey. With vaping in the mix, I think it would be far easier to go cold turkey (and quit vaping as well). Don't know for sure, as I haven't tried it, but even if I slipped up, I'd think stopping smoking would be easy because vaping exists now. So many stories of die hard, long term smokers, leave me with strong impression that it is rather impossible for someone to be hooked on smoking for life anymore.

I personally think cessation is over rated. The feeling of liberation is great, for sure, but that feeling wears off over time. And since I'm convinced it is rather impossible to slip up and get hooked for life (or even extended period of time), then I think we are in new territory where moderate smoking makes a lot of sense. I don't see all, nor most, of what we've come to believe about 'dangers and smoking' applying to the non-abusive smoker.

Those cravings happen with me as well: once or twice a day I really want a cigarette. Then I take a puff and the craving goes away just like that (I'm still amazed about that). Smoking now smells bad to me as well, but like you I don't look down on those who smoke. A lot of times the worst anti-smokers are the ex-smokers which, in my eyes, is completely hypocrite.

I agree with the last statement. Obviously you have people who are research types who are likely never smokers and have vested interest in anti-smoking rhetoric/politics. They are likely the worst type. But when it comes to almost all never smokers I know compared to many ex-smokers I know, the ex-smokers are way more anti than the never smokers. Like night and day difference. It's really nice to run into ex-smokers who aren't anti. And rare, for me, that I come across ex-smokers who are very convinced they'll never smoke again, but still are very positive about smoking, the smell of smoke, etc.

I recall when I was ex-smoker my first time around and it would be like year 5 and I'd have a dream where I was a smoker. One morning it literally took me a good hour to remember when I had last smoked because of what the dream was conveying (me as a smoker who has slipped up). Mind plays some funny tricks on you even if you are way past the stage of cravings. Was around year 8.5 that I did slip up, but even on hindsight, I fully recognize it as a choice and not something that addiction specialists would be able to convince me of being in vein of 'recovering addict.'

 

[Rossum]

It's really nice to run into ex-smokers who aren't anti. And rare, for me, that I come across ex-smokers who are very convinced they'll never smoke again, but still are very positive about smoking, the smell of smoke, etc.

Most of them are called "vapers".