Update (I was off on a sailing trip for a while)... when I returned I found nifty boxes in the mail with mini flavour samples of high-vg all-natural juices from Kai's, VV, Kind etc. Haven't even begun to work my way through them yet, but I did get a (disposable) drip atomiser and "drip tip" mouthpiece for taste testing.
The atomiser is 510 thread so it fits on my Kanger "pen" vape devices. So far it seems like a good way to taste stuff: I put just 3 or so drops into the atomiser, let it sit a few sec then fire up the device and try out a flavour. I notice that towards the end of the vape (running out of liquid?) the taste gets worse, with some of those same nasty notes that I was complaining about earlier (but not as strong). So I'm guessing the disgusting taste was a combination of harsh artificial flavourings
and maybe overheated PG due to the poor wicking of the original Kanger clearomisers?
At any rate I have some amusing research ahead, sampling and rating my new natural flavours. Given my fondness for variety I might just have to get a more powerful 510 battery and a better quality RDA so I can change flavours easily and often... or who knows, I might find a favourite that's just so overwhelmingly tasty that I never change flavours again
I'll keep notes on my taste tests and post them later if folks are interested.
This is a tricky taste test experience because I find the flavour of e-juice lingers a
long time. Like hours. I mean in the mouth and nose, not in the RDA which I can clean out with alcohol. Dunno why I experience such persistence of the vape taste.... Anyway it's difficult to taste more than one flavour per day! I tried an organic peppermint which was quite nice, refreshing and gentle; and a raspberry that was zingy. Although the fruit flavour might never be a favourite, it certainly didn't make me go EEEEEEEW YUCK and want to spit, like the artificial flavours I tried earlier this summer. I think I'm on the right track towards happy vaping.
The hardware remains totally confusing; I'm gonna start a separate thread and ask about RDAs.