On the tobacco side, you HAVE to start off with a really, really good tobacco (steeping and filtering the way I do) because it will taste as good as the tobacco is. I tried skimping on that part and it was a total waste of my products. After learning from THAT mistake I went on to a decent all natural tobacco and wow, the difference was amazing. I've also learned to add several drops of vanilla or caramel to the tobacco to 'smooth' out the harshness a bit as soon as I start the steeping process. (the same thing with a sweetener does some miracles too) Depending on how much you use. (just a little bit, not much) Normally, it won't really add a vanilla flavor to it it'll just make it a bit more mellow when added to your favorite mix and the throat hit isn't quite SO harsh when vaped. (of course, depending on the amount of PG/VG/Nic you add)