Commercial Brand Comparison Thread Needed

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peakcomm

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THANKS peakcomm ! ! !

I hope that MY cold ded hands are grasping to an e-Cigg too (one day)

I'm just kidding. It's a joke.

LOL! Don't worry too much about folks misinterpreting a "death" joke around here. I haven't seen any numbers crunched, but I suspect that the vast majority of ECF members smoked for at least 10 years before discovering vaping. You can't smoke that long in this day and age without having everyone, from your loved ones to your doctors to total strangers in the street, reminding you about a million-and-one times about cancer sticks, coffin nails and death-in-a-pack-of-20!

That's part of the reason why this forum is so uniquely supportive, I think. We may not know everything about the long-term affects of vaping, but we know with a CERTAINTY that we're making a better choice than smoking. So don't be afraid to bring your questions, curiosities, concerns and successes here. And don't worry about sounding noobish or rubbing others the wrong way. An occasional thread gets off-the-rails, but for the most part, you'll find ECFers to be exceptionally welcoming and exceedingly generous with their experience.
 

Caridwen

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Your welcome!

I was pretty fortunate that I found a liquid that wasn't identical but seemed to hit the same notes as my brand of cigarettes. I did a forum search and tried 3-4 I saw recommended for the brand I smoked and found one I did like.

I moved away from that type of liquid after I hadn't been smoking for awhile. Just lost the taste for anything that tasted like a cigarette. Other's really enjoy a tobacco type vape.

You might have to try a few until you hit on one you like. Also remember, tastes change. It does take some experimenting in the beginning.

Good luck- just hang in there!
 

cckk

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Jun 16, 2013
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I really doubt it’s possible to replicate the taste of Marlboro, Camel, Lucky Strike, etc. in a liquid for e-vaping. The commercial cigarettes contain up to 600 different chemicals. During smoking the uncontrolled reactions produce over 4000 of the compounds out of these chemicals. You taste most of them. Meanwhile a liquid contains a few or a dozen of chemicals. Because during vaping there’s no combustion these chemicals produce a small number of the compounds when heated.

In fact all those commercial cigarettes don’t taste too well. Believe me. Before I started to smoke roll-your-own cigarettes I smoked 60 cigarettes a day: three different brands the morning, the midday, and the evening because none of them tasted well. Three other brands the next day etc. The good liquids taste much better than any cigarettes.

I agree that the liquids are often sweet. At that very moment I vape United States of Tobacco by LiQueen. According to the description from Liqueen “Its aroma alludes to USA Mix e-liquids, i.e. liquids resembling the taste of well-known American cigarette brands. The aroma is well-balanced, quite creamy, and slightly sweet. Thus, it is quite universal and satisfies the needs of a wide range of consumers”. I smoked the most known American cigarettes and none of them resembled that liquid (and vice versa). It’s sweet and I feel sometimes the coffee or the chocolate flavor. I like that taste as well as some other ones by LiQueen and I don’t confuse them with the taste of the cigarettes.

So my advice is: forget about smoking the cigarettes and enjoy vaping the liquids.
 

jimbol

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I’ve been smoking for 50 years, the last 10 or 15 years it has been with Pall Mall menthols. Two to two and a half packs a day. I still haven’t quite completely quit. I didn’t magically switch to vaping the moment I tried it. I realized, however, that I wasn’t looking for a substitute. It became almost immediately apparent I wasn’t going to find a pack of cigarettes in a cartridge or a bottle. I found an alternative, one I can use at work and at home. One my wife can stand because for 40 of those 50 years she has been putting up with the stink and mess. Hell, I wouldn’t put up with something I disliked having around me for that long. She’s clearly the better person. Back to the point.

I still favor the tobacco like flavors. I’ve only found one so-called menthol (it’s really mint) that comes close to tasting like the Pall Mall. The first time I tried vaping it I HATED it. But an interesting thing happened. I’ve heard it called vapor tongue but my own observation is that we get used to a flavor. I tried it again and it was tolerable, next time it was OK. Then I realized it was fairly close. Even at that the reality of vaping and smoking is so different that it will never be the same.

The same happens to me with all the flavors. It might knock my socks off at first then I get used to it. So, like many people, I take advantage of the choices we have and mix the fruits, menthols, and tobaccos. Haven’t liked any dessert flavors yet. I may have smoked the same thing day in, day out for years; vaping doesn’t work that way. It’s a different beast. A far better beast because we get to try different things all the time.
 

NotMantis

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Grimwald

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I was not a menthol smoker...but I was a heavy smoker of up to 3 pad for 40+ years. I also thought I wanted a true tobacco cigarette flavor...or at least a good cigar. I also tried a cigarette after my first 2 months of vaping and it was not disgusting to me...it was really good. Like reconnecting with an old friend. So I know I must stay away from them.

The juice I started with was just OK (it was called Cowboy), but was not really like a cigarette. I ordered over 50 different tobacco flavors from several vendors. I did this for over 2 months it a futile attempt to find that elusive cigarette flavor. I hated them all. One of the flavors I tried was supposed to be like a cherry cigar. I wasn't...but I liked it. This made me realize that I could substitute fruit flavors and opened up a whole new world. I still vape that cherry cigar flavor as one of my go to juices...so go figure.

We've all been where you are. Nobody can tell you what you will like. They can only tell you what they like. I would also advise you that your tastes are going to change. What I would have told you after 2-3 months and what I would tell you after 10 months are entirely different because my tastes and sense of smell have changed drastically over that time.
 
Hello,...

With each response I get on this thread, I'm becoming the wiser in regards to the 'world of vaping.'
It seems vapers don't care to smoke anymore... and smokers are.... well, not willing to vape unless something comes close to the taste of a cigarette. Maybe I'm wrong... and I probably am.
It can't be that easy to give up smoking and turn to vaping otherwise....there would be a hell-of-alot more vapers in this world.
Also,... there are people in this forum who claim it has taken many months (of vaping + smoking) before they completely gave up smoking.
This tells me that even while experiencing BOTH methods.... cigarettes did not lose it's disgusting properties so easily.
I'm extremely glad for those who HAVE kicked the habit.... I'm also glad that people like you (who have responded to my ignorance in this thread) strive to help people like me.

I'm trying to go through as many threads as possible but you will have to admit..... I get a sense of Information Over-Load here.
Again,.... maybe it's just me.

As the time draws near to the day I get my kit in the mail.... every toke I take on my cigarette is analyzed.... every toke.
It's a very enjoyable experience.... especially on a full stomach (oh yeah !, you ALL know what I mean) :)
Is that experience really a result of over 4,000 toxic chemicals being burned and inhaled ? ? Wow....
I smoke pipe tobacco which is supposedly 'less' refined and processed.... maybe there's only 2,900 chemicals in those.

You can bet that I am VERY... VERY anxious to try out my new vaping kit. But you can also bet that I'm going to be looking for that "after a meal cigarette" experience that I've been enjoying for about 25 years now.

You guys are the bestest awesome'st crew around.....Thanks for your support and input.
 

4mehealth

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I think it's a psychological thing.

Consciously, you know you enjoy smoking. Exactly what, you may or may not know. So, to replace it, you're looking for something as close as possible. Consciously you know it's different. You're trying to trick the subconscious into believing it's the same thing. Or you're just trying to make the path to quitting a little easier (nobody said quitting's easy). *I think I'm projecting here*

In any case, pick a sample pack from a vendor. Maybe you can request they include a tobacco with it.

As others have stated, take your time with this. As you've seen, some take to it like a duck to water. Others, not as quickly. Measure yourself in small steps. For each cig you don't light, you're one step closer to quitting. If you need a cig. Have one. Nobody here is judging you. If you're feeling down or guilty, don't. Small steps. And if you need help, you can see there are 100's if not 1000's of people here willing to help. If you have a local vendor, be sure to talk to them (this is from what I've seen). I'm sure they'll be glad to help you along.

Vaping is different for everybody. You've seen it. Some like low resistance, others not. The world of vaping provides you with more options than you can imagine. Your first step is to give it a go.
 

Maggiemw

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I had been smoking for 45 years before I discovered vaping, and ended at about 1.5 PADs.

Where I live there were no easily-available ranges of e-liquid on public sale, so I bought what I could find. My only concern was to find liquid with nicotine in it. The first bottle I found turned out to be Apple at 18 mg. I immediately really liked it. This means I did not have the option of spending loads of time and money looking for something that would imitate my Pall Malls. It wasn't in my expectations, and believe me, I was not disappointed.

It took me 5 or 6 days to transition completely to vaping, simply because combustible cigarettes got increasingly disgusting to my taste buds.

Now I have a wider variety of flavours, and have actually started to like the mentholated, or 'cooler' flavours, as well as tart ones. If you'd asked me 6 weeks ago whether I was going to quit smoking and start inhaling blueberries, I would have given you a withering, little-old-ladyish "are you completely off your nut" look and walked off.
 
I'm probably going to receive my kit by Tuesday or Wednesday (July 2nd or 3rd)
Hopefully before the 'Fourth.'

I will continue to watch this thread for updated info anyone can give me on possible leads on great Menthol (NOT Mint) flavors and guidance for my journey into Vaping ....but more importantly... to let you guys know how my first week turns out.

For anyone wondering.... Menthol cigarettes (for me) provide both a cooling (almost icy) sensation in the mouth and lungs and a light to medium burn at the back of my throat. The smell of tobacco is just that.... a smell of tobacco. I don't recall any sweet minty taste (and I just had a cigarette a few minutes ago). This combination has hooked me for many years.
When I was on Djarium... well, the burn at the back of my throat was much harsher...(is that a word ?) and I don't remember the menthol effect (if it had one) The only reason I was smoking cloves for awhile was to kill the smell of cigarettes in my apartment. :)

Anyway... Thanks again EVERYONE who has responded....
(and if you're going to respond.... Thank You too !!)


[...still smoking regular cigarettes... rolling my own .... spending about $ 35 a month...]
 
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L183

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Jun 29, 2013
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It seems vapers don't care to smoke anymore... and smokers are.... well, not willing to vape unless something comes close to the taste of a cigarette. Maybe I'm wrong... and I probably am.

Yeah, you kind of have to experience what most people are talking about in order to really get it. Having recently taken the full plunge myself I totally understand the sheer overwhelming gutwrenching anxiety associated with not having the confidence that vaping will produce the effects you want, trying to replicate the routine experience, and in all honestly, it won't, but it's ok. Maybe you have to vape a little harder with some strong juice to get past some cravings if you are/were a heavy smoker... depends on circumstances. I had a brief issue with very slight irritability because I was only using 12mg stuff for the first day or two; I had a good flavor though, and when my 24mg stuff came and I was golden. So long as you have functional equipment, a flavor you like (may take some testing) or at least don't dislike, and in appropriate nic strength, you'll be just fine.

I feel like there should be a "trust me" with some sort of (TM) after it here. :laugh:

Also the fact that you're still going through the ritual of inhale - exhale, hand to mouth, etc. helps a metric $%^&-ton.

It can't be that easy to give up smoking and turn to vaping otherwise....there would be a hell-of-alot more vapers in this world.
Also,... there are people in this forum who claim it has taken many months (of vaping + smoking) before they completely gave up smoking.
This tells me that even while experiencing BOTH methods.... cigarettes did not lose it's disgusting properties so easily.

It feels really weird to say it for me right now, and you, I know, are in complete disagreement as things stand, but cigarettes really do taste absolutely vile. I had a small drag of my girlfriend's Newport (which was my brand for several years) a little bit ago just for curiosity's sake, because many around here say the same thing... After a mere nine days without an analog, the inhale was vaguely reminiscent of what I remembered but the exhale made me want to puke. Absolute... putrid... vile... filth. I now fully understand the "why did I ever start smoking those things" sentiment.

It's not what you want to hear, but you kind of have to get over the idea that replicating smoking will solve the problem.

I've had the same disappointing experiences trying to get a good menthol feeling juice. Newports were my thing. There's nothing even remotely similar that I've tried... not that I have anything against mint flavored candy exactly, but... now it doesn't matter anymore.

For additional perspective, try to imagine being in the shoes of someone trying to design an e-liquid flavor that your customer will think tastes absolutely vile within the next week or two. :D I wouldn't have confidence in marketing that one either. :p
 
Greetings ,

Getting back to the topic of this thread.....

Do you people think that there should be a thread to post eliquid reviews and flavors that would "resemble" specific commercial brand tobacco companies ? ?

Apparently.... "true blue" vapers do not like or condone promoting eliquids that taste like cigarettes ( I guess ) ? ?

I have a feeling that if smokers had SOME reference in which to start vaping or consider vaping.... those threads would be of great value to the vaping community. The number of vapers would skyrocket.

Anyone agree ? ?
 
Greetings,

Joined : June 29, 2013

Here’s my “Straight to the Point” view :
I can eat bananas, cherries, strawberries or drink coffee, pina-colada, root beer, cola... ANYWHERE.
BUT
I can’t smoke my (commercial brand) cigarette anywhere.

I’m NEW to vaping, in fact… my kit is coming in the mail soon.
My wish to all you DIY eliquid makers or developers…. :
Please replicate as many “commercial” brands as possible.
This endeavor could shut down all tobacco companies…. Isn’t that the goal to vaping ?
Change the world….one pack at a time.

I’m so confused when it comes to reviews on eliquids. Are there eliquid reviews here that are done
by veteran smokers rather than veteran vapers ? ?
Based on researching eliquids, its seems difficult to replicate analog cigarettes but who’s the closest ?
Why do those eliquids claiming to be close to analog cigarettes have a sweet flavor ?
Why are people (supposedly smokers or ex-smokers) comparing Mint to Menthol or Tobacco to Licorice ? ?
Confused…. I’m confused…..

I really…really…really want to see reviews from vapers (veteran or not) who have been smoking in excess of twenty years….. I would have a tendency to believe their reviews.
Please don’t hate me for posting this but when it comes to finding eliquids to try ….I’m at a total loss.
I wish there was a B&H Thread or Kool Thread or Camel Thread or Newport Thread or Djarium Thread….
Smokers…..when you do a review,…compare it to the analog cigarettes you used to smoke, that’s all.
You smokers who have smoked for many many years can help people like me out.
If you make a review on tobacco or menthol or clove flavors….tell us what ‘commercial’ brand you are comparing it to (preferably a commercial brand you used to smoke regularly) …. Please ?

It seems like more and more reviews are trying to get you to vape and not trying to get you to quit smoking (if that makes any sense). Then there are reviews that tell you vaping is MUCH cheaper than cigarettes yet the advice is to try as many eliquids as possible….how much is THAT gonna cost ?

Confused…… aye ya yieee….

In either case…. I care about my health. I’m gonna give it vaping a shot.

Greetings ,

Getting back to the topic of this thread.....

Do you people think that there should be a thread to post eliquid reviews and flavors that would "resemble" specific commercial brand tobacco companies ? ?

Apparently.... "true blue" vapers do not like or condone promoting eliquids that taste like cigarettes ( I guess ) ? ?

I have a feeling that if smokers had SOME reference in which to start vaping or consider vaping.... those threads would be of great value to the vaping community. The number of vapers would skyrocket.

Anyone agree ? ?

Ok.. You have gone straight to the point and in summary throughout this entire thread with asll the replies you got saying pretty much the same thing covering a number of different prospectives !! I am going to break it down straight to the point...

Amongst the first part of your post you stated...
I’m NEW to vaping, in fact… my kit is coming in the mail soon.
My wish to all you DIY eliquid makers or developers…. :
Please replicate as many “commercial” brands as possible.
This endeavor could shut down all tobacco companies…. Isn’t that the goal to vaping ?
Change the world….one pack at a time.
Addressing #1 - Most eliquid companies know that nowadays... Most vapers do not stick with tobacco flavors when they switch to vaping. As a matter of fact, Most vapors try so many tobaccos at first because that's what they are used to coming from smoking .. [Now, burning paper, burning tobacco, and incendiary measure for over 5000 chemicals (known to be used in cigarettes) cannot be adequately or accurately produced in eliquid flavoring ( unless infact actually using some of those chemicals and most are known to be toxic to humans..in fact, cancerous / causing)] only to find that hey, after while the tobacco flavored eliquid taste like crude and the nice bakery , soda, fruit, etc. flavored eliquids really hit the spot and why in the h*** would I want to stick with tobacco flavors when that is what I am trying to get away from in the first place!!
The nic is still there.. as long as I want it and as much mg as I want it. After a week or two, you too will find that tobacco flavored eliquid taste like crap and you wish you started vaping sooner because all the other type flavors taste so much better and you start smelling better, your teeth no longer yellow, your breathing and health start improving, you don't cough up that lung in the mornings, you have the benefit of better energy, people start talking to you more because you don't stink and your not as agitated anymore, and for the most part, you can vape around others without any complaints.

Address # 2 - Do you people think that there should be a thread to post eliquid reviews and flavors that would "resemble" specific commercial brand tobacco companies ? ?
Again, in relation to address # 1- Most eliquid production companies that are corporate like TW have quite a few tobacco flavors....
Also, bear in mind that most of these companies have in fact realized through test marketing that tobacco flavors do not market well against the majority because there is a higher preference for all the other possible flavors that are more capable of being more closely developed. Bad on the bottom dollar to carry juices that primarily sit for long periods of time if premixed and have more of a potential to go bad or flavorings that have more of a potential in mass quantities to go bad before use because the market doesn't support their use as much. Clear picture: Tobacco flavors do not perform well in the vaping world because nobody usually sticks with the crappy flavor of a cigarette when they can get into flavors that taste so much better for their money. That is not to say that their is a percentage of folks that do acquire likeable tobacco flavors ( although a very low percentage IMO) and their are even more folks that just simply vape some combination of PG/VG/DW/PGA with nic only and no flavoring what so ever ( those folks say that taste like a Marlboro Light.. and some may even add a little menthol flavoring from crystal form to that and then you have a menthol).

Address # 3 - Apparently.... "true blue" vapers do not like or condone promoting eliquids that taste like cigarettes ( I guess ) ? ?

Coming from a thirty + year smoker and 6years smoke free due to vaping at this point... I applaud your jump to get into vaping. There are a lot of folks that don't want to stop smoking traditional cigarettes(analogs) and they either want to vape, as well as smoke or perhaps, vape to reduce the amount they smoke. All applaudable- Any cut is better than no cut!! There are also those that from the get go know that they want to outright quit smoking by any means and vape as an alternative to smoking from here on out or at some time wean from vaping and quit all together.

Now, to address # 3 - realize that all points are related to the fact that vaping is vaping and smoking analogs is smoking analogs. The only difference is the method by which you achieve nicotine delivery and the amount and quantity of each product used in the e-liquid versus the analog.

Analogs: ( Marlboro for example

Non-Tobacco and Non-flavoring Chemicals during processing Tobacco leaves

CATEGORY

INGREDIENT

QUANTITY NOT EXCEEDED [% in cigarette]


CIGARETTE PAPERS

Cigarette paper is the wrapping material surrounding the tobacco rod to form a cigarette rod. The cigarette paper is made of cellulose and may contain additives to provide whiteness, improve ash appearance and to help ensure burn uniformity.

CELLULOSE

9.3


CALCIUM CARBONATE

4.6

MONOPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE

1.4

SIDESEAM ADHESIVES

Sideseam adhesive is used to secure the cigarette paper around the tobacco rod. Sideseam adhesives are used in small amounts.

ETHYLENE/VINYL ACETATE, COPOLYMER EMULSION IN WATER

0.3
MONOGRAM INKS

Cigarette papers often have a small brand identifying mark (monogram) printed either on the cigarette paper towards the filter end of the cigarette or on the tipping paper. The monogram is printed on the paper using a minute amount of ink. The monogram inks used on our cigarettes may contain, for example, black, blue, red and/or yellow pigments.

IRON OXIDE BLACK

0.005

FILTRATION MATERIALS

Cigarette filters are attached to the end of the cigarette rod. Filters are made in a variety of designs. In addition to papers and adhesives (both of which are discussed separately), most cigarette filters contain filtration materials known as a filter tow and a plasticizer. The filter tow is the bundle of cellulose acetate fibers or papers that comprise the bulk of a cigarette filter. A plasticizer is a softening agent that is added to the filter tow in small quantities to bind the filter fibers together. Some of our brands also contain carbon designed to assist in the filtration process.


FILTER PAPERS (including PLUG WRAPS, TIPPING PAPERS and TIPPING PAPER INKS)

A cigarette filter contains two papers. First, a plug wrap is used to contain the filtration materials (i.e., filter tow and plasticizer). Second, a tipping paper holds the filter to the cigarette rod. The tipping paper is wrapped around the filter assembly (i.e., filtration materials and plug wrap) and extends over the cigarette rod. Tipping paper is made from cellulose fiber and may have applied to it various colorants (e.g., pigments to give a cork appearance and/or to add a monogram) and coatings (e.g., to prevent the cigarette from sticking to the lips.

<<<<< Partial excerpt from list... follow link to see the full list of chemicals...)http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/c...o_Flavor_Ingredients/default.aspx?src=top_nav - his reference material from the URL listed even states that not all formulas or chemicals are listed to protect the proprietary rights of all incorporated recipes in the branded market!!


Now, in order to truly get as close as possible to the flavor of a real analog, one would have to mix a multitude of the developing chemicals into eliquid to establish an authentic e-liquid .. And therefore carry the same risk of carrying over the same amount of TSA's, alkaloids, nitrosamines, all the negative impacts of the chemical compositions of analogs that are proven to cause cancer.


Now, Compare E-liquid for your PV.

1.)Propylene Glycol, USP (Pharmaceutical) also ( known inabbrv. PG)- found in tooth paste, dog and cat food, also in nebulized treatments for bronchitis and asthma treatment in and out of the hospital. PG is used as a carrying agent for the nicotine solution and flavoring added to the juice. A carrying agent has an adequate vaporizing point when combined with the amount of heat delivered from the coil setup of a pv. The nic solution and flavor have a much lower vaporization point and must be combined with a carrying agent so that they can achieve vaporization at an acceptable rate to be consumed and absorbed by the body.

2.)Vegetable Glycerine, USP ( FOOD Grade I, some use Kosher)- also used as a carrier agent just comprised from a different molecular form(elemental)

3.)Nicotine (In solution to be a dilute solute based on volume by mg per ml < no greater than 10% by volume and should not be more than 45 mg/ml for use when mixed...>) consumption greater than 60 mg as a direct dose is lethal to humans and affected animals.

4.)(optional)Distilled and /or Purified water and even alcohol can be used in percentage.

5.)(optional)Flavoring is also used in percentage to taste.

Even the official test results that the FDA conducted several years ago state that the various traces of nitrosamines, alkaloids, and other negative proponents of the analogs combustion affects of the chemicals on human consumption during inhalation versus the PV prove to be relatively lower with some falling to immeasurable quantities as compared to approved FDA NRT programs like the patch and losenges, or the like.

Hope this helps...

:evil: SB
 
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Hello Sugarbear.....

I'm sorry. It seems I don't listen to what people are trying to tell me.

I'll stop asking for opinions on eliquids that taste like analog cigarettes.

That was just utterly un-called for and I apologize.

Thank for your help. By the way.... I do know that cigarettes are bad for me and about all the toxins it carries but thanks for the reminder.
 
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