My DIY Diary

[Art Mustel]

artmustel, have you ever tried MFS 4 Star General? It is a sweet tobacco base and truly incredible for my buds. It has many rave reviews. I am using it as a base in many of my mixes and seems to always turn out. It is expensive at $15.95 for 10mls and $41.95 for 30 mls but there is a reason for their pricing.

I use it at 5% and as high as 15%...It goes well with anything...



It is easily an ADV and can make your mixing more enjoyable with some success

No, WR...I am sure it is very good but never have tried it, maybe some day I will. Thanks!

 

[Art Mustel]

I really like Ahlusion. I vaped their liquids almost exclusively for a long time. Their Smooth Criminal is the closest to an ADV that I've found. I also like some of their other tobaccos and some of their drink mixes like Mango Lassi and teas.

Other than Ahlusion, I like 2 mixes by AiV - April Moon and Pear Ship.

I like 5 Pawns, but like many, I can't justify paying almost $1/ml when I vape so fast. But, their flavors are tasty, unique, complex, and worth a treat every now and then.

I like others, just not on a daily basis.

I think some have a harder time finding an ADV. With my DIY so far, I haven't made one I vape all day. I've got 2 that I vape daily, but nothing that I can chain vape.

Maybe I can help you out with the tobaccos. Which Inawera tobacco flavors do you like best? Do you like tobaccos paired with fruits or menthol or what?

One thing I am learning, DIY is a tedious process that takes time and patience. The only other way you can forgo all of this testing is to just following the recipes others have created and utilize their learning process. Have you looked at HIC's recipes? HeadInClouds? Look at that blog and see if any of those recipes look good to you. This person uses a lot of FA flavorings, but I have substituted with other brands (INW, TFA, and CAP) and have been happy with the results.

Thank you for the compliment, art. I appreciate it.

I enjoy a flavor like Dark Chocolate tobacco, or maybe Pear Tobacco, but after a while I prefer to go back to non fruits or bakery flavors and more tobacco o cigar ones. I enjoy Tobacco Symphony as standalone, although I like even more a mix of S'camel with TA Virginia and DNB. Or Taboo with Gold Ducat (Taboo is great but as standalone it tastes like blue cheese to me lol; mixed with Gold Ducat is awesome. Thanks, Flowerpots!

 

[flowerpots]

I just got some flavors in the mail I'm going to post my first taste impression of them, but try to keep them categorized as best I can. Where I can't find a good category post, I'll just plop them here:

All flavors taste tested on my tongue at approximately 20% in pure PG:

NF Organic Gooseberry - This is what the ecigexpress website says in the description of this flavor "An exotic, sweet berry flavor with a grape-like aroma and taste, Gooseberry is sure to embolden your next e-liquid fruit recipe. With its all-natural flavor, Gooseberry is sure to please!" This is a fantastic, unique berry flavor that does indeed have a grape-like aroma and taste, with a slight sour bite, although it is also very sweet. It is different from other berries that are more succulent and juicy. If you love berry flavors and want something different in your berry flavor arsenal, then this is for you. It would mix well with other berries, I think, maybe even apple and pear, or melons. *contains ethyl alcohol, VG based

NF Organic Japanese Plum - This is delicious. As expected, it's a brighter flavor than the normal dark purple/red plum flavors. It has a distinctive apricot-ish note to it, with a slightly tart finish. The website describes it as having an exotic quality to it, and I can see this flavor mixing well with a rum drink recipe that includes coconut, or even balance out some uber sweet fruit mixes to add a tangy note. *contains ethyl alcohol, VG based

Jungle Flavors Boysenberry - I got this brand of boysenberry to replace the TFA Boysenberry that is too floral/perfumey for my taste. FW and NF also make a Boysenberry. But, I chose this brand based on a review. So far, without yet testing in an atty, this is authentic tart, tangy, sharp boysenberry flavor. Very good. I will hold final impressions until I do a batch test on it. Website suggests using at 2%.

 

[flowerpots]

In this post I am going to list the flavorings I purchase that state on the label that they have food coloring in them, or are dark in color: (Will repost when adding new flavors)

Cherry Flavor Concentrate - LA
Apricot Flavor Concentrate - LA
Honey Flavor Concentrate - TFA
Brandy Flavor Concentrate - LA
Caramel Candy - TFA
Cream - FE
Huckabee and Heinz (tobacco) - FE
Mint - HS Essence
Vanilla Classic - FA
Oakwood - FA
Hickory Smoke - TFA
Custard - FA
Vanilla Bourbon - TFA
Pecan - LA
Black Walnut - LA
Brandy - TFA
Pralines and Cream - LA
Butter Rum - LA
Kalua and Cream - TFA

_____________________

Newly added flavor:

Jamaican Rum - FA

 

[flowerpots]

I'm going to keep reposting this set of flavors as I buy more that fall into this category and test them. This will prevent people from having to scroll back through the whole thread to find them:

These are additive flavorings that are often used to mix with other flavors. I tested them at approximately 20% in pure PG on my tongue:


TFA Caramel Cappuccino - Very strong, burnt coffee note, bitter, fake tasting, requires <1%

NF Kona Cream - Pretty decent authentic, medium kona taste with mild fake creamy finish

FA Coffee Espresso - Same creamy texture as NF Kona Cream, medium coffee note, coffee mouthfeel

TFA Mocha - Mild mocha, authentic

TFA Double Chocolate (Clear) - Milky dark chocolate with a sharp semi-sweet bite

TFA Milk Chocolate - Mild milk chocolate, not very creamy, a sharp chocolate note to it

HS Chocolate Caramel - Both the caramel and the chocolate taste fake and do not meld well together :-(

TFA Tiramisu - Authentic, strong

FA Vanilla Classic - Fake-ish vanilla, but not too bad, mild

TFA Cinnamon - very Strong, cinnamon oil tasting, strong aroma

TFA Raisin - I'm not sure I'm tasting this right, it has an almost licorice taste to it, would add a nice dark note to tobaccos

TFA Brown Sugar Extra - Authentic, strong, perfect

TFA Cheesecake (Graham Cracker) - Rich, semi-authentic, graham cracker note

Graham Cracker (Clear) - Nutty note, semi-authentic, mouthfeel, cheesecake with graham cracker has a more authentic graham cracker note to it

FA Oakwood - Great flavor that would compliment tobaccos, dark fruits, and alcoholic beverage type vapes[/QUOTE]

Hickory Smoke TFA - Very strong, perfect smoke flavor - tastes like BBQ without the sauce *very dark in color

Sweet Woodruff TFA - This flavor is described as a European herb and it smells exactly like the musk candy vial I got - heavy perfume. But, when you add it to PG and tongue taste test it, it has mellow, earthy herbal quality to it that is hard to decipher over the perfume note. I can see this going well with teas maybe, or with a cookie (INA Biscuit comes to mind) but I'm not sure what else.

Marzipan FA - Tastes better than Nugat from Inawera, more authentic, heavy alcohol note

Cardamom FA - Authentic, very strong

10% Vanillin in PG TFA - Authentic vanilla, medium strength

Toasted Marshmallow TFA - Strong alcohol note, light flavor, nice toasted flavor

English Toffee TFA - Semi-authentic, strong nutty note

New York Style Cheesecake LA - Authentic NY cheesecake with baked top layer, heavy alcohol note

Dulce De Leche TFA - Semi-authentic, mouthfeel, medium strength

Malted Milk TFA - This isn't striking me as malted milk, like the powder you put in malts or the center of Whoppers candy. It's more like a fake-ish cream cookie, similar to vienna cream, medium body, with mouthfeel, nothing spectacular

Mint Chocolate Chip LA - If you like mint chocolate chip ice cream, you will like this flavor - it's spot-on, authentic, very good *contains caramel color

Pralines and Cream LA - Tastes similar to me to the toffee flavor; sweet, decent *contains caramel color and ethyl alcohol

Apple Pie TFA - Nice apple flavor, very faint cinnamon note, more of a cream note than a crust note; not bad, but not rich dessert-like, would pair well with alcohols or caramel, but doesn't seem like a good standalone flavor

__________________

New flavors:

Chocolate Malt - NF Mild sweet mocha flavor with medium malt flavor. I am doing a side-by-side comparison of this flavor with TFA Malted Milk. The Chocolate Malt has a stronger malt flavor, and lacks the slight creaminess of the Malted Milk flavor, but I would still like to find a flavoring with stronger malt taste. *contains ethyl alcohol, VG based

White Chocolate - TFA Authentic white chocolate taste, mouthfeel/body, mild flavor, sweet. Good.

Salted Caramel - FW Very good! Definite salt note with a sharper authentic caramel, not creamy.

Pie Crust - TFA I got this flavor specifically to go in a recipe. The reviews for this flavor said it's not good standalone, but, I'm not looking to use this standalone. This does taste like pie crust - like the homemade flaky kind your grandmother made. But, the flavor is light, mild. Yummo

Ginger - NF Okay, this highly concentrated. Keep this in mind when working with it. To accent a recipe, I would guestimate this to only require <1%. Authentic ginger root flavor. Nice.

 

[flowerpots]

I am going to keep reposting this set of flavors when I get more in and test them to make it easier to find.

I tongue tasted the following flavors to see what recipes they would go in. The concentration was approximately 20% mixed with PG.

Alcohol Flavors:

Kentucky Bourbon - TFA authentic, medium strength, slight caramel note

Vanilla Bourbon - TFA stronger bourbon taste than the Kentucky Bourbon, medicinal vanilla *this is dark colored and I think wingsfan0310 mentioned in another thread that this flavor is a coil killer

Brandy - TFA authentic, clean, medium strength *also cararmel colored

Orange Brandy - LA orange is authentic, brandy is the aftertaste *clear in color, but contains sweet almond oil

Rum - FE authentic, clean, well-done, medium strength

Almond Amaretto - TFA this flavor is much better than the alcohol/liquor equivalent, Disaronno, because the almond taste is very authentic and the amaretto flavor is separate and light - you can taste each individual flavor as opposed to a melded nut distilled alcohol

Nutty Amaretto - LA This is exactly like the liquor equivalent, authentic, strong

Irish Cream - TFA very well done, authentic, medium strength, not overpowering

Whisky - e-aromat/INA authentic, oak aged undertones, strong flavor

Vanilly Bourbon - (tino d'milano/INA) authentic vanilla, but with an almost toasted coconut note, more toasted tasting than regular coconut flavor; bourbon is smooth and in the background

Sparkling Wine - e-aromat/INA bathroom scent undertone in taste (tastes like a sanitized public restroom smells); after first impression, resembles white grape juice with seltzer effect. I think this could be a better flavor for mixing than the FA White Grape

Kalua and Cream - TFA authentic, mouthfeel, fairly strong *contains caramel coloring - very dark *PG based

Butter Rum - LA authentic buttery nipple flavor, close to a Brach's disc candy, butterscotch flavor

Cognac (tobacco flavor ) - Seedman's - this doesn't necessarily fall into the alcohol category as a tobacco, but it seemed okay to put it here. This is a medium impact earthy tobacco with authentic cognac flavor - cognac is the dominant flavor while the tobacco carries the flavor and is the aftertaste; there is a layering affect with this flavor

____________________________

New flavor:

Jamaican Rum - FA Authentic dark, spiced rum. Smooth, delicious.

 

[flowerpots]

These are all nut flavors: ( I will keep reposting this list as I test new nut flavors)

Almond - INA (e-aromat) Smells and tastes exactly like almond extract you use for cooking, slightly artificial and alcohol smell

Toasted Almond - TFA Nice toasted flavor, slight alcohol flavor *clear in color, PG based

Walnut - FA More authentic than the almond, light flavor - may need higher %

Black Walnut - LA authentic, very slight alcohol note that will probably steep away *contains corn syrup, sugar, and molasses, PG based

Peanut - FA Peanut and hull taste

Hazelnut - TFA Authentic, perfect

Creamy Hazelnut - LAN Also authentic, but with mouthfeel

Pistachio - TFA Immitation pistachio flavor, but well-done

Pecan - LAN Sweet authentic nut

___________________________

New flavor:

Chestnut - FA Good strong chestnut flavor, similar in flavor profile to a hazelnut. Smooth, mouthfeel, nice.

 

[Mone415]

When you open the bottle of TFA almond amaretto does it have uh Strong chemical smell 2 u?

 

[Mone415]

Only reason I ask is I've had some issues mixing this stuff. I tried it at 15% as I saw that recommended. Wow nearly destroyed muh taste buds. Wondering if maybe it's just my batch. I can't use more than 1 drop in 10ml of this stuff.

 

[flowerpots]

Only reason I ask is I've had some issues mixing this stuff. I tried it at 15% as I saw that recommended. Wow nearly destroyed muh taste buds. Wondering if maybe it's just my batch. I can't use more than 1 drop in 10ml of this stuff.

I can't imagine 15% being a good % for that flavor. I would think what you're doing with 1 drop/10ml is more accurate. But, then again, it's all about whatever tastes good to you. I have only taste tested it so far, so I haven't worked with it at all yet. Are you using it for a recipe or standalone?

 

[Mone415]

I used it in a recipe mixed with vapor zone cherry. Pretty good. Still tweakin it out. I think tfa toasted almond would b better tho. Tfa black cherry works 2. I think next I'll try with tfa marachino cherry.

 

[flowerpots]

Each of these is at 9% concentration, tested on a LR510 atty:

Passion Fruit - TFA

Fragrance: 1/5
Sweetness: 2.5/5
Tartness: 0.5/5
Strength of taste: 3/5

Quince - TFA No change from 8%; slight perfume note this time with steeping for 2 days, cap off

Fragrance: 1/5
Sweetness: 2/5
Tartness: 0.5/5
Strength of taste: 3/5

Blueberry Extra - TFA No change from 8%

Fragrance: 2.5/5
Sweetness: 2.5/5
Tartness: 0.5/5
Strength of taste: 3/5

Honeysuckle - TFA No change from 8% - At this %, I still get that same honeysuckle flower taste. It's not a floral note per se, like other flavors have a floral/perfume note - just the taste of the flower itself.

Fragrance: 0.5/5
Sweetness: 3/5
Tartness: 0/5
Strength of taste: 3.5/5

Honey Dew - TFA I think this is probably good for standalone for those who like stronger flavor; I will keep testing to see where the limit is

Fragrance: 2.5/5
Sweetness: 3.5/5
Tartness: 0/5
Strength of taste: 4+/5

Pomegranate Deluxe - TFA No change from 8% and perfume note has returned with 2 days steep, cap off

Fragrance: 1/5
Sweetness: 1.5/5
Tartness: 1.5/5
Strength of taste: 2.5/5

Strawberry (Ripe) - TFA

Fragrance: 3/5
Sweetness: 2/5
Tartness: 2/5
Strength of taste: 3/5

Orange Cream - TFA No change from 8%

Fragrance: 1/5
Sweetness: 2/5
Tartness: 0/5
Strength of taste: 2/5

 

[flowerpots]

I know some members are concerned about the ingredients in the flavorings, which ones are safe or safer, and which ones are known to be a concern.

Another member took the time to compile information on this and I am going to post it here for you guys so that you can have quick reference to these materials (and credit goes to RocketPuppy for doing this - thank you!):

The chemicals that are in some flavorings that are of concern are Diacetyl, Acetyl Propionyl, and Acetoin.

"There are more than 2,000 substances used in flavoring manufacturing. The FDA regulates flavorings to ensure they are safe when eaten. Many flavorings have been in longstanding use and are classified by the FDA as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) to eat. Thus far, the FDA does not require testing for other routes of exposure, such as inhalation. Though with new regulations, this will change in time.

Some flavoring manufacturers are using alternative substances for diacetyl in formulating flavorings. These compounds are acetoin and acetyl propionyl. Like diacetyl, these are 'GRAS' substances that are approved for use in food. Their chemical structures are very similar to diacetyl and have been found to be equally as harmful for inhalation."

Companies are not required to report if their flavorings contain less than 1% of diacetyl or diacetyl substitutes (https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/5197.html).

Two companies (FA and TFA) have shown that in using a flavoring at less than 0.5%, 1000s of ppbs have been found, yet NIOSH recommends the exposure limit (REL) for vapor inhalation up to 8-31 ppb.

CDC - Flavorings-Related Lung Disease: Exposures to Flavoring Chemicals - NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic

https://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib10142010.html

http://www.perfumerflavorist.com/flavor/regulatory/256560691.html?utm_source=Most+Read&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=Most+Read

FA, or FlavourArt is heading a project aimed at reducing the risk of harm reduction for smokers and reduction of these chemicals in flavorings:

Diacetyl | ClearStream by FlavourArt

FA has an e-cigarette flavoring specific line:

http://flavourartexpress.biz/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=15


TFA/TPA, or The Flavor Apprentice/The Perfumers Apprentice (same company), provides a list of their flavoring ingredients:

Perfumer's Apprentice

Perfumer's Apprentice

This is a thread here where a member has compiled a list of TFA flavors that do not contain the ingredients known to be of risk - see post #1:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/554391-my-tfas-choice-list.html

There are 2 ingredients that flavor manufacturers have used as a substitute to diketones - Acetyl propionyl and acetoin. This is a statement made by TFA about these two ingredients in their line of flavorings (It also explains the differences in these 2 ingredients):

http://shop.perfumersapprentice.com/flavorsworkshop/custard.html


Additional information:

IJERPH | Free Full-Text | Impact of Flavour Variability on Electronic Cigarette Use Experience: An Internet Survey

Safety Assessment and Regulatory Authority to Use Flavors: Focus on E-Cigarettes | FEMA

Recent study on e-liquids and the quantity of those known chemicals:

http://gfn.net.co/downloads/2014/posters/122%20Farsalinos%20%20-%20DA_AP.pdf

A different perspective questioning the validity of concern for Diacetyl (diketones and their derivatives) based on studies that only accounted for workers who had a smoking history (which most of us as vapers do):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24635357

 

[flowerpots]

Latest test with 16 drops/5ml:

Virginia - INA (WG - tino d'milano) - Also added 2 drops of Virginia TA in the 5ml sample; I think this is as strong as I want it either standalone or in a mix.

Fragrance: 2/5
Throat hit: 1/5
Sweetness: 3.5/5
Strength of taste: 3.5/5

These single flavor tobacco samples have been steeping almost a month.


3) Separate out 5ml of the Inawera WG - tino d'milano Virginia tobacco and add 1 drop of the DNB

DNB is equally good in this tobacco, but the effect is a little different. Virginia is bright, but mellow, and the DNB adds a layer to the mix.

I am going to add INA Black Currant to this mix at 5% and let it steep.

Holy Moly, 5% is WAY too much Blackcurrant....adding 3mls of the steeping tobacco batch to tone this down a bit.

Still too much Blackcurrant....adding back in 2 more mls of the steeping VA tobacco

I am trying here to make the process of my calculations both transparent and thus easily replicated, and also to help me keep track of what I have done.

I started out with a 5ml steeped sample of the tino d'milano Virginia with an added 2 drops of TA Virginia (which is a little less than 1%). I added 2 drops of the DNB (which is a little less than 1%). I then added 5% of the Blackcurrant flavoring, which proved to be way too high of a %. So, I added back in a total of 5 more mls of the steeping tino d'milano Virginia. This made a 10ml sample with what is now approximately 0.5% of each the DNB and TA Virginia, and what is now 2.5% of the Blackcurrant (which equals 0.25mls - difficult to measure for some so also equal to 15 drops of the needle nose Inawera stock bottle that measures when tested 60 drops/ml).

Now when testing in a 510LR atty, the Blackcurrant flavor is moderate and mildly tart. It dominates the tobacco flavor, despite the addition of DNB and TA Virginia. The tobacco is in the background, barely discernible, and it seems it makes this mix now what I would consider a rich fruit flavor more than a fruity tobacco much like many vendor commercial juices that are categorized as a tobacco, but do not have a tobacco taste to them (this is considering taste description alone, not based on actual ingredients, if that makes sense). I can detect a very slight hint of ashiness, but nothing like the flavor you get with the tobacco and DNB alone. After testing several mixes at this point that include DNB, I am reasonably sure that I can say with confidence the fruit additions mask the DNB and result in requiring a higher % of the DNB to maintain that obvious ashy note. This is still rich, and I'm not sure if you put this in a RBA atty or tank the different ingredients would be more present and provide a more complex vape. I would say if you are looking for a tobacco that shines more as a complex fruit, then this recipe as is would work. But, I am wanting a tobacco presence, so I am going to add 1 more ml of the steeping VA tobacco.

 

[flowerpots]

I'm curious to know. (Im doin DIY 2 and u seem very detailed.) When u make these samples, taste them then add more percentages. How do u compensate for the loss u use to taste when adding flavor back in.

I know what you mean. I am using 5ml sample sizes. I drop 3 drops per taste test. So, I'm guessing I am diluting the sample negligibly, so I haven't compensated. This may not be good, it's just what I have done.

I thought about this and wanted to see just how much dilution I was causing when testing these samples. The dropper bottles I use for testing measure 60 drops/ml. I began testing flavors in increments of 2. I am not doing that now. I am now starting at 1% concentration, then going up to 2%, then 3%, so on. I can estimate that I drop 3 drops for testing at each % increase for an average of 12-13 times. If you multiply 3x12 that equals a little over 1/2 an ml that I dilute to by the time I am done testing. At each test, I am diluting by 0.05%. So, I don't really think it is necessary to compensate. While the higher %'s will be a little inaccurate, by measure of mls, it won't be of much if any noticeable in taste.

 

[flowerpots]

Latest test with 14d rops/5ml or 42 drops/15ml sample:

7 Leaves - FA This is as strong as I will ever use this flavor either standalone or in a recipe

Fragrance: 4/5
Throat hit: 3/5
Sweetness: 2/5
Sourness: 4/5
Strength of taste: 4/5

This has been steeping a few days.

4) Separate out 5ml of the FA 7 Leaves tobacco and add 1 drop of DNB

Of the 3 tobaccos I tested with DNB, this tobacco tastes the best with the DNB added in.Like the Virginia, the DNB adds a layer to this mix, making it more complex.

This is a brighter tobacco, so I am going to test this with TFA Pear at 6%.

This is interesting. The Pear adds a sweet, crisp note to the mix, but the Pear is not overtly present. The tobacco is medium impact with the original sharper note gone. The DNB ashy quality is gone though, so I will add back in a drop of the DNB.

This is truly nice. I am done here also and calling this good. I rate this recipe 8/10.

_________________

7 Pears

FA 7 Leaves - 5%
TFA Pear - 6%
INA DNB - 2 drops/5ml

____________________

Even though I finished at this point and made the mix a recipe, I am going to play with this mix a little more to see what happens. I am going to add Inawera WG Apple to this at 1%. My thought is this will add a sharp, crisp note that may work well with this tobacco.

 

[flowerpots]

Latest test with 16 drops/5ml or 48 drops/15ml sample:

Dark Fire - INA (WG) - This is as as strong as I will want this flavor either standalone or in a mix.

Fragrance: 2/5
Throat hit: 2/5
Sweetness: 2.5/5
Sourness: 2/5
Strength of taste: 4/5

These single flavor tobacco samples have been steeping almost a month.

Separate out 5ml of the Dark Fire tobacco and add 1 drop of Inawera DNB (Dirty Neutral Base) to give it that ashy note.

This has steeping a few days. Oh my! As good as this is, I'm going to add a drop of Hangsen Plum and see what happens.

This is developing into something recipe-worthy...it needs another drop of Plum.

This has been steeping a few more days. The Plum is more present now. The DNB adds a dryer feel to the mix, and takes any sweetness from it. I am going to add CAP Fig at 2% to add a sweetness, but also to compliment the dark tobacco and dark Plum fruit. When I tested CAP Fig, it had a slight floral note to it, so I will steep with the cap off to dissipate the note.

The only thing this accomplished was sweetening the mix and took away the ashy note, that I wanted. I will add back in 1 more drop of DNB.

With the DNB added back in, that ashy note is back! And with a few more days of steeping, I can taste the Fig now with the Plum about equally represented as the Fig. This is my favorite mix so far. I'm going to stick a fork in it and call it done. I rate it 8/10 as a recipe.

________

Dark Horse

INA Dark Fire Tobacco (WG) - 5%
Hangsen Plum - 2%
CAP Fig 2%
INA DNB - 2 drops/5ml

*Steep 1 week to 1 month without UC/Heat; if you use UC/Heat, adjust time accordingly

__________________________

Even though I stopped at that point and made the mix a recipe, I want to play with it more. So, I am going to add to it WG Apple to see if adding a bright note will enhance this mix or not. I only want just a small amount, nothing that will overwhelm what is already there, so I will only add 1 drop.

 

[flowerpots]

I am mixing 1/3 of a 5ml bottle of the Hangsen Plum at 8% with 3mls of the steeping batch of Inawera Dark Fire tobacco at 16 drops/5ml

This is really, really good!

This has been steeping about 10+ days since I last tasted it in a LR510 atty. The Plum is not overt, very subtle. This is very good as is, somewhat complex because of the tobacco, but I'm going to add some FA Apricot to see what happens at 5%. I will let this steep a few days before retesting.

No discernible Apricot - adding 2% more.

The Apricot at 7% has brightened this mix, the Plum is a background flavor. I cannot overtly taste the Apricot. The brightness brings balance to the earthy, vinegary darkness of the Dark Fire tobacco. It's a nice balance. I think if I add a higher % of Apricot, it will mask the Plum altogether and throw the balance in the direction of a lighter tobacco. I don't personally want this. So, I'm going to call it good as is. I rate this 6/10.

______


3 parts INA Dark Fire tobacco
1.5 parts Plum
1 part Apricot

____________________________

I decided to play with this again, and after re-testing before I add anything else, this is a nicer mix than I originally rated it. Because there is no DNB, it lacks that ashy note present in the other Dark Fire sample for the Dark Horse recipe. I am not sure what to add to this as I am not a mint/menthol fan, and not too keen on vanilla notes either. I thought about a nut flavor, like hazelnut or chestnut, or maybe even almond. But, just from tasting this a few moments ago, that doesn't seem to be the best choice. My thought is I could add just a pinch of cardamom, ginger, or even honey. Each would have a different result, although cardamom and ginger would have similar effects. My initial conclusion is the honey would smooth it out too much, even at <1%, and possibly mask the plum and apricot. Then, what would be the point. I think I'll go with cardamom at 1 drop and see what happens over the next few days.

 

[flowerpots]

I am mixing 1/3 of a 5ml bottle of the Inawera Cherry (CZERESNIE) at 8% with 2/3 of a 5ml bottle of the Hangsen Plum at 8% to test these in combination

Very good

I let this mix steep a couple more days and it is just getting better. This is a richer fruit mix, not light like many of them. The Cherry adds a rich savory note (it's like cherry pie filling/cherry compote) and the Plum is crisper and just a little brighter. It is layered and has a lot of potential. It's fine as is, and some may like it without any adjustments, but I want to keep tweaking to see if I can find that perfect recipe. So, I'm thinking of adding maybe Apricot or Nectarine to it.

I added 12% of TFA Nectarine to this the other night. It seems to have melded into a 1 dimensional juice. I'm going to let it steep longer. I think I added too much Nectarine

At the % I added the Nectarine, it is dominant now. The sharp note from the Nectarine is in the forefront. There is a slight Cherry on the exhale. The Plum is present the whole time as a sort of carrier flavor, but not overtly discernible. I think had I used a lower % of the Nectarine, this would be a better mix. Again, this is a simple fruit, not complex. With no added sweetener, other than what is in the flavorings themselves, this mix is not candy sweet, but sweet enough for my palate. Just to see what happens to this mix, I am going to add a very low % of TFA Lemon. Many DIY'ers use real lemon juice to alter the PH and post positive results from this. I am leery of using real juice, so I will use the Lemon flavoring instead to see if this adds any layers or complexity to the mix. I am not wanting the lemon to be discernible, only to compliment. I tested the Lemon and at 5% and it was weak in taste on a taste test. So, instead of starting with 5%, I will start with 2%.

This has mellowed and the sharp Nectarine bite is gone, with a medium Nectarine flavor. No discernible Cherry, except for a slight richness that most fruit flavors don't have, and no discernible Plum. No discernible lemon. I'm not sure what to do with this mix now. Any ideas? I'm thinking of adding Plum back into the mix to bring the flavor back into the profile.

After adding Plum back in, this is fairly complex, nothing like a dessert vape, but easily more complex than many fruit vapes out there. I'm going to try 2 drops of saline solution to see if this makes any difference.

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I did not notice any difference with 2 drops of saline with the 5ml sample. I added 2 more drops and do detect a "brighter" quality to the mix. But, this brightness also minimizes the complexity of the mix. So, I'm going to post the recipe for this and recommend not using saline. I rate this recipe 7/10.

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Ist recipe!


6% Plum
6% Nectarine
3% Maraschino Cherry
2% Lemon Flavor Concentrate (not lemon juice) *the lemon takes the sharp note off the nectarine, if you prefer that, omit the lemon

Steep 1 week (or more) or use heat/UC steeping

I’m still tweaking this and will post changes to it, if I make any

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So, I pulled this out and decided I need to keep tweaking this recipe as well. After just re-testing it in a LR510 atty, I'm honestly not sure what, if anything, will make this mix better. As I've mentioned before, I'm not wild about vanilla, mint/menthol notes. But, I think what would compliment this best is a mint or koolada addition. I hesitate to add koolada because it has proven to mask flavors and change a recipe, and I'm not wanting to take anything away from this, but add to it. So, I think I will go with mint. Specifically,I will use NF Mint. I will add 1 drop and see what the next few days of steeping brings to this mix.

 

[flowerpots]

I got NF Gooseberry in the mail this week. I'm excited to work with it, so I started a 10ml 1% standalone tester of this flavor. I will report my progress after it steeps a few days.