Flavor Art Questions

[Randyrtx]

I'm just about to start my first real foray into DIY liquids, and could use some feedback. Initially, I'm just looking to lower expenses, but later I may try experimenting with different mixes.

My current all-day vape is Wow Cowboy from V4L, so I'm hoping to come up with something close to that. To that end, I ordered FA Cowboy. To experiment a little, I also ordered FA 7 Leaves Ultimate and Maxboro Ultimate.

Anyone have any tips or insights to offer on any of these flavorings, like what percentage works well, whether steeping is needed, good additives to tweak the flavor, etc.?

TIA!

 

[CloudEater]

The Maxboro has a very perfumey taste. Someone here said to let it steep for a few weeks but I'm too impatient. Apparently Latakia will give it a smokier flavor but I haven't tried it yet.

7 Leaves is lightly smokey (more misty than smokey). It's really mild and transparent. I taste pale tropical fruit (think Hypnotic Mist) / licorice / wood / tea.

FA has some good secondary flavors to round out the tobaccos. Try Oak, Cocoa, Licorice, and the Bitter Wizard for the harsher ones.

Here is an official FA recipe book that someone recommended to me the other day (requires signup):
eLiquid - Ricettario Online

 

[MaxUT]

Maxboro at 6% in VG base will taste okay in 3 days, IMO.

7 Leaves is mild. I mix it at 10% and could go higher if I let it steep for a couple of 3-4 weeks.

 

[Randyrtx]

Got my supplies today, and started out by trying a mix with Maxboro. Even without steeping, I gotta say I'm impressed. Has the flavor of a pipe tobacco, with a fruity back note. Don't know if it would become a regular vape for me yet, but it has possibilities.

I was really surprised that it has such a... wow, can't think of a word... tobacco "presence", maybe?

 

[Switched]

What I have found with FA tobacco flavours is that they all seem dry. Adding 3% EM rounds the tobacco flavours off quite nicely. I mix all my backy flavours at between 10-14%

 

[MaxUT]

Heya Switched, have you ever tried making your own tobacco extracts?

Kurt was successful with pipe tobacco and VG, said it had an excellent satisfying taste. I tried it myself, instead using PG, but unfortunately the extract was extremely dark and not the flavor I was hoping for.

I'm going to give it another go, this time with Drum Golden Mellow and VG. Member BadThad was kind enough to send me a couple of syringe filters which I'll try to use for a final filtering pass after the extract is strained, clarified and thinned.

 

[Randyrtx]

I'm keen to try tobacco extracts at some point, more so for the WTAs than taste, though.

I agree on the dryness; Kimberly at OneStopDIYShop suggested I include some Cotton Candy flavoring if I needed to add a bit a sweetness. Just tried it in a batch of Cowboy I made last night, and it does help.

The Cowboy has a strong grassy note to it, I'm hoping steeping will even it out. Still, it's not bad at all.

I'm surprised with both the Cowboy and the Max at how much they mimic the feeling of smoke. This is as close to a "real" smoking experience as I've had in my nearly 2 years of vaping!

 

[guido61]

What I have found with FA tobacco flavours is that they all seem dry. Adding 3% EM rounds the tobacco flavours off quite nicely. I mix all my backy flavours at between 10-14%

Funny: I just find most of FA tobaccos awfully sweet so if i go more than 5% I cant really vape them.
So far, the best mix for me is

5ml base 80%pg 10%vg 10%H2O 6mg nic
Camtel ultimate: 6 drops
Maxboro ultimate 2 drops
Bitter wizard:3 drops
Liquorice: 2 drops.

for the menthol:
Menthol 8 drops
Maxboro 2 drops

those are my daily vape favorite.

here in italy, maxboro is usually considered as an atty "pester"

 

[MaxUT]

...trying a mix with Maxboro. ... Has the flavor of a pipe tobacco, with a fruity back note.

At higher percentages it gives a spicy taste.

I'm keen to try tobacco extracts at some point, more so for the WTAs than taste, though.

Unfortunately I think one would need a chem lab to extract much in the way of WTAs. Reminds me, I bought some Passionflower extract from a health food store, that could have a similar effect to the WTAs. Time to experiment!

The Cowboy has a strong grassy note to it...

What percentage did you use?

 

[MaxUT]

Funny: I just find most of FA tobaccos awfully sweet... so if i go more than 5% I cant really vape them.

In North America we tend to have a high tolerance to sweet tastes.

here in italy, maxboro is usually considered as an atty "pester"

Here in Utah, US of A, we no savvy "pester"

 

[sjohnson]

Never been to Italy, but agree with guido61 - but on a general level. I taste more sweet than I prefer even in straight PG. Using sweet flavorings (such as vanilla) makes me almost gag.

Every palate is different, even in North America

 

[Randyrtx]

At higher percentages it gives a spicy taste.



Unfortunately I think one would need a chem lab to extract much in the way of WTAs. Reminds me, I bought some Passionflower extract from a health food store, that could have a similar effect to the WTAs. Time to experiment!



What percentage did you use?

Oh, I'd never attempt to make an extract myself, but I hope someone eventually sells an additive that would suffice.

On the Cowboy, I started with 10%, then cut it down to about 5. Than lessened the grassy note, and it also seems to be getting better as it ages. I also added about 2% sweetener.

 

[guido61]

In North America we tend to have a high tolerance to sweet tastes.



Here in Utah, US of A, we no savvy "pester"

Tell me about it!
I have a GF in So Cal, but she is from Lousiana and she is a chef...
I'm having hard time telling her I dont like too much brown sugar on my smoked ribs

 

[Switched]

I'm keen to try tobacco extracts at some point, more so for the WTAs than taste, though.

I agree on the dryness; Kimberly at OneStopDIYShop suggested I include some Cotton Candy flavoring if I needed to add a bit a sweetness. Just tried it in a batch of Cowboy I made last night, and it does help.

The Cowboy has a strong grassy note to it, I'm hoping steeping will even it out. Still, it's not bad at all.

I'm surprised with both the Cowboy and the Max at how much they mimic the feeling of smoke. This is as close to a "real" smoking experience as I've had in my nearly 2 years of vaping!

Cotton candy = EM (Ethyl Maltol)

 

[Switched]

Heya Switched, have you ever tried making your own tobacco extracts?

Kurt was successful with pipe tobacco and VG, said it had an excellent satisfying taste. I tried it myself, instead using PG, but unfortunately the extract was extremely dark and not the flavor I was hoping for.

I'm going to give it another go, this time with Drum Golden Mellow and VG. Member BadThad was kind enough to send me a couple of syringe filters which I'll try to use for a final filtering pass after the extract is strained, clarified and thinned.

Sorry Max, nope The reason I don't is, I do not want the TWAs as I eventually plan to put down the PV some day.

 

[Randyrtx]

Cotton candy = EM (Ethyl Maltol)

Heh, yeah, I figured as much after my wife told me she smelled marshmallows.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I'm keen to try tobacco extracts at some point, more so for the WTAs than taste, though.

I agree on the dryness; Kimberly at OneStopDIYShop suggested I include some Cotton Candy flavoring if I needed to add a bit a sweetness. Just tried it in a batch of Cowboy I made last night, and it does help.

The Cowboy has a strong grassy note to it, I'm hoping steeping will even it out. Still, it's not bad at all.

I'm surprised with both the Cowboy and the Max at how much they mimic the feeling of smoke. This is as close to a "real" smoking experience as I've had in my nearly 2 years of vaping!

I like both of them too, with the Maxboro definitely being much sweeter than Cowboy. One thing I do get from the Cowboy is a sort of sherbet after taste which I get from some of the Chinese Marlboro imitations as well (I don't know if sherbet is known in the US but it's a fizzy acidic powder sweet here in Britain).

 

[Randyrtx]

A few days in now, and I'm loving this stuff. I've not experienced such a full-bodied tobacco taste since the original formula for JC Tennesee Cured.

Just made up a new batch at a lower nic level, with 5% on the flavoring, and going to let it steep for a few days before I try it. I Still haven't gotten around to trying the 7 Leaves yet, hope to do that tomorrow.

 

[Randyrtx]

Finally got around to trying the 7 Leaves. Made it up at 6% in a 70% PG/ 30% VG mix. After a 12 hour steep, it's passible enough to taste test.

Very interesting flavor, this one definitely has potential. I'm finding it to be fairly sweet even with no EM.

My latest Maxboro mix at 5% is very nice, but I'm going to bump it up next time. This is becoming my favorite.

The Cowboy is being a bit stubborn (also at 5%). It seems to be taking longer to lose the grassy taste, but it's getting there.

 

[MaxUT]

After a 2-month steep my 10% 7 Leaves in PG base turned out to be very mild, so I mixed the latest batch at 12% (70/30 base).