Nicotine Comparisons

[yzer]

Basically, taste comparisons are nonsense. Any attempt to quantify or qualify taste on an objective basis is fruitless. Sorry to PBusardo and his vape juice taste tests and those who follow his example but BS is BS.

"Taste receptors function as one of the interfaces between internal and external milieus. Tremendous progress has been achieved in the past few years with the discovery of the T1R and T2R receptors and the understanding of their function. Individual differences in taste, at least in some cases, can be attributed to allelic variants of the taste receptor genes. Understanding how taste receptors interact with taste stimuli and identifying their patterns of expression in taste cells shed light on coding of taste information by the nervous system.

However, many challenging tasks remain before we fully understand how taste works. Much of this important future research must be done with taste receptor genes. The important questions to be addressed include finding genes that encode a complete repertoire of taste receptors for different taste qualities, as well as genes that encode proteins involved in taste transduction and transmission, taste bud cell turnover, and connectivity between taste cells and afferent nerves. Studies of allelic variation of taste receptors will help to elucidate individual differences in taste perception, food choice, nutrition, and health, and to understand functional organization of receptor domains and their ligand specificities."

Taste Receptor Genes

So, really, any posted opinion regarding taste preferences for any nicotine base formulation is mere fanbois promotion or personal preference. There is no way to predict what you will taste when you sample any of these nicotine bases.

 

[Capt.shay]

Thanks again for all the hard work to every one!

Just a thought to the future. When asking for an evaluation, perhaps you could remove some of the subjectivity by asking something like "Amount of pepper odor" or "Strength of tobacco flavor". This might remove some of the testers personal preferences and some of the confusion.

 

[Rossum]

So, really, any posted opinion regarding taste preferences for any nicotine base formulation is mere fanbois promotion or personal preference.

To some degree I think that's true, which is why we just did a BLIND test, where nearly a dozen people sampled nics without knowing which one was which.

I think there's another influence nobody mentions: If you use one particular nic for a long time and then compare it to others, the one you're used to has a good chance of tasting "best" and "cleanest". Think back to when you were smoking. Most people had a preferred brand, but if you ran out and had to smoke some other variety, it tended to taste "off". Unless of course you smoked the new variety for long enough that it became the new normal for you. For me, that always took at least a week or two.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

I think the biggest surprise for me is that some seem to have little desire for throat hit.

I am reminded of George Shiffkoff (sp?), an older fellow student in college. This was about 1974. George had been an architect in his home country of Romania. He got a job on freighter and jumped ship while in a U.S. port. He came to the university where I studied, not as much to learn the profession, but rather the American way of doing things and improve his English understanding.

George and I were in design studio together. I often shared cigarettes with him, and he sometimes, me. One day I was in the studio, working away and sipping on a cup of coffee. George came in insisting I have a cigarette and compelled me to take one from him. He explained enthuesiuasticly, 'Zee coffee without zee cigarette is like amour without zee kiss!'

I think the same about nicotine and throat hit.

 

[KattMamma]

I think the biggest surprise for me is that some seem to have little desire for throat hit.

And I am amazed that people WANT throat hit and/or peppery taste! I just cannot fathom it...

I want my vape to taste like the flavors I added... and the only thing I want to feel is the effects of the nicotine after it hits my bloodstream. I often get a slight creamy or oily feel in my mouth from my creams/custards, and it doesn't bother me really, but I could do without that too.

Thanks again for doing this folks! Can't wait to read more of your thoughts on these nics!

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Yes, KattMamma. If one takes into account what people prefer or want in their vape, the data becomes somewhat mushy. That's why I offered the prefatory remarks.

it might be difficult to redo any similar testing that took into account where everyone might be coming from. Thus my comment along the lines of, 'those viewing here who didn't actually sample, should study the details,'...so to speak. And even at that, it may be iffy.

 

[Wow1420]

Yes, KattMamma. If one takes into account what people prefer or want in their vape, the data becomes somewhat mushy. That's why I offered the prefatory remarks.

it might be difficult to redo any similar testing that took into account where everyone might be coming from. Thus my comment along the lines of, 'those viewing here who didn't actually sample, should study the details,'...so to speak. And even at that, it may be iffy.

If you're willing and it's feasible, perhaps it may help to add 2 lines to break out the summary results -
1. Among people who prefer tobacco taste and throat hit, the ratings were ....
2. Among people who prefer no taste or throat hit, the ratings were ....

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Determining what people did or didn't have preference for might involve some conjecture. I'm not sure that like / dislike of tobacco taste and throat hit are necessarily coupled in all cases. I don't care to 'read the tea leaves' to try to find out. For example, one who posted here indicating they prefer low / no throat hit rated one with the highest throat hit as their overall best.

Otherwise, providing more data might satisfy you in this case, but could also generate other concerns for someone else. I don't think providing more data will bring me more peace.

 

[Wow1420]

Oh, sorry, I wasn't implying that you should get out your tarot cards and ouija board to guess at what we were thinking. More that we might each send you a PM or post here.

But, still, I can see that it may not add any clarity, since there's really 4 sub groups, not 2 since preference for throat hit doesn't have to be linked to taste. And individual taste is so subjective. Like I'm surprised the majority consensus was C was lowest in throat hit.

 

[JeremyR]

Chart just needs to be split into two or possibly 4 .. Those who want flavor and those that don't snd possibly those that want th and those that don't. Cause its not easy to decipher.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Wow1420 - Yes, I thought C was relatively high in both throat hit and tobacco flavor. It was my overall favorite. Some were in general agreement with me.

The group however seemed to think that C scored lowest (absolute average) in all categories, but scored highest (tie) in overall score. It would seem the cleanliness of C put it there rather than tobacco flavor and throat hit.

I had one sort of outlier in the group. That was B. It seemed weak all around. You seem to have agreed with me on that, with one other in general agreement. The rest of the group thought otherwise.

I had thought that perhaps I had a mixing mix up or perhaps a faulty cartomizer, though it did seem to produce as much vapor as my others. I had considered going back, remixing, changing cartomizer heads, etc. I didn't, probably for the reason that I found a couple of others who evaluated it similar to what I did.

One factor that wasn't controlled for was the type of atomizer used. Future testing 'might' seek a hardware sponsor who could provide a batch of testing atomizers for all to use, though not everyone might be satisfied with that. ...just a thought.

 

[Rossum]

Yep, I kinda wish I'd had four identical eGo batts and clearos. I think it would have made for a more direct comparison than the method I used.

 

[sketchness]

@Cool_Breeze what I found interesting was that it didn't matter (for this test) if I was dripping or using a tank.

My first tests were with a Kanger subtank kit and the 1.2 ohm coils, mixed at 12mg 50/50. Then at 10mg max vg on my dripper. The hardware at least for me didn't sway my taste buds. The best to my tastebuds was the same.

What is strange to me was when I could taste tobacco it was ashy like in sample A.

Edit- I rinsed the tank and used a new coil for each nic.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

No one has posted any results for other tested nicotine bases. I'll offer the additional one that I tested.

It is Heartland Vapes. It came from a bottle of 100mg VG base, but was mixed to the same final PG/VG/nic ratio as the others. The source was not fresh as I have had it many months...in the freezer.

My scores were...

Clarity - about that of the least clear provided by Rossum (?)
Odor - 2 (same as the other 4)
Tobacco Flavor - 4 - 1 point below two others
Pepperiness - 2 - Close to the others
Throat Hit - 5 - 1 point below my best choice
Chemical / Other Flavor - 1 - Same as the others
Best Evaluation - 6 - Two points below the best, about the average of the group...for me

The two points lower on Best Overall score were due to a little higher pepperiness and slightly less throat hit.

Heartland Vapes currently offers 120ml of 100mg nicotine base for $15.99 (+shipping) or about $0.13 per milliliter. It is offered in PG, VG or a 50/50 mix.

Heartland Vapes Nic is fine with me.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Chart just needs to be split into two or possibly 4 .. Those who want flavor and those that don't snd possibly those that want th and those that don't. Cause its not easy to decipher.

That's a thought for possible future testing criteria.

 

[Koolkiz]

Hi and thanks for the testing.
Has anyone compared the test nic to nicselect or ecigexpress (nicselect).

 

[Exchaner]

Thanks Cool_Breeze, Rossum and everyone who participated in this very useful evaluation.

 

[sketchness]

Hi and thanks for the testing.
Has anyone compared the test nic to nicselect or ecigexpress (nicselect).

I have compared the nic select from Nicotine river. It is on par with the lower scoring nicotines in this test to my taste buds. And I am looking for low throat hit, neutral flavor. with heartland just behind it.

 

[Koolkiz]

I bought a 120ml sample bottle. The only other nics I have tried are: RTS, Extemevaping, MFS,WL,VT, and Chemovatic from Molinberry.

My rating (subjective of course). Best to meh.
Chemovatic (tasteless) However, very pricey so won't be ordering.
Nicselect ( perfect for me) price and usage
RTS-okay but won't order again.
MFS/EV/WL all had strong odor for me.
VT (first one was fine/last bottle was strong/pungent/no reorder)

I buy 100mg/ml

 

[Wow1420]

The group however seemed to think that C scored lowest (absolute average) in all categories, but scored highest (tie) in overall score. It would seem the cleanliness of C put it there rather than tobacco flavor and throat hit.

I had one sort of outlier in the group. That was B. It seemed weak all around. You seem to have agreed with me on that, with one other in general agreement. The rest of the group thought otherwise.

B was hard to pin down for me, it always seemed to be in the middle, not the best, not the worst.

I really liked C, even though on one round I thought I picked up a little pepper, the pepper wasn't there most of the time. Throat hit was sharp and clean, not over-whelming. The taste is hard to describe, not ashey at all, maybe not really tobacco, but something natural and pleasant. C was my favorite of the 4.

But I have enough VT "Throat Hit" in the freezer, and I still find it to be very nice overall, so I'll happily stick with vaping what I have.