Questions about Juice Flavors

[RefugeDenied]

Hi,

I've been browsing the forums for the last couple of weeks after purchasing my first e-cig. I wish I would have found this forum BEFORE I made my first purchase ... oh well, live n' learn

Today I received an order of juice from electroniccigarettesales.com ... 2 bottles of 24mg 555 (based on several other positive posts I've read about 555), and one bottle of 24mg Toasted Toffee. Before my purchase, Jane responded to a couple of questions I emailed very quickly and I could not believe how fast she shipped out my order (ordered Friday, it came in today - Monday).

I eagerly opened a bottle of 555 and mixed a 40/40/20 solution of 555/PG/VG, filled a brand new cart, dropped 2 drops onto a clean atty and started to vape what I expected to be southern tobacco heaven followed by a light nutty aftertaste. You can't imagine my disappointment after inhaling a lung full of burnt shoe leather

"Maybe something weird with the atty", I thought. I had rinsed and force-air dried it the night before in anticipation of my package today. A few more drags and still that aweful taste. My girlfriend came into my office from the den to ask if I was burning something - no joke, she smelled it in the next room a few minutes after I tried it.

"Maybe I'll get my other clean atty and straight vape a few puffs of straight (uncut) dripped 555." Whoa! Big mistake. Thought I'd never get that burnt shoe leather taste out of my mouth. Toothbrush to the resue ...

"No worries", I thought, "I'll just satisfy my sweet tooth with the Toasted Toffee and order a sampler to try more flavors without diving head first like I did with 2 bottles of 555". I cleaned both attys and dried them, loaded one with a couple of drops of the toffee ... <cough> ... "This can't be right. This tastes EXACTLY like the 555, but the liquid looks different in color. Wait, they even smell the same."

On to the point of my post; my question. This is my first time purchasing flavored liquid. Do most eliquids taste roughly the same no matter the flavor, differing, perhaps, only slightly? I think there may have been a very slight sweetness to the Toasted Toffee, though nearly indiscernible from the 555. Is it possible to get a "bad batch" of liquid that may alter the taste or make liquids all taste the same (and taste like burnt leather)?

I have a bottle of "unflavored" 36mg from another etailer that doesn't have that taste, so I don't think it's a "nicotine" thing. I have vaped it "straight" (purely out of curiousity), mixed it with menthol, clear imitation vanilla, almond ... all of it is fine (though not very exciting).

If this is the way these are suppose to taste, any suggestions on mixing these with something else to make them tolerable? I hate to have wasted nearly $60 (business is a little scarce these days). Just diluting doesn't really help. I tried to dilute AND add a little menthol, but then they both just tasted like leather flavored cough drops.

 

[tattooed]

I'm not going to be much help here, but I will say that until you find what you enjoy, don't over buy any flavor without knowing you're going to like it. I realize that sounds obvious and you know it now.

I ordered a VK which I gave to my mom and I tried the "cigar" liquid it came with and it tasted like a wet dog smells. Its gnarly. I've tried it over and over and some puffs taste tolerable and I can get some other, more "cigar" flavors but that wet dog taste always returns.

Anyways, I guess maybe the most helpful thing I can say is the MB and Camel flavors I've had from e-smokey-treats have been quite good, I really love the camel.

 

[howard]

I had rinsed and force-air dried it the night before in anticipation of my package today. A few more drags and still that aweful taste.

I initially thought that maybe you were describing the primer from the atty but it seems like you've already rinsed it, dried it and even after a few puffs you were still tasting something you hadn't expected. I'm not really sure what it is, but "tattooed" offered some sage advice. Definitely try to sample the e-juices before you buy in larger quantities. Everyone has their own taste preferences and maybe this just wasn't up your alley.

Another possibility(albeit, rather small) is that got a bad batch. Some e-liquid suppliers have production dates & expiration dates, did you notice any on your bottles?

 

[RazorNribbonz]

Hi Refuge, I noticed that you didn't say your reprimed your atomier after you cleaned it?.. If you didnt, then you will definitely get a burnt taste and or no vape... Atomizers are really thirsty after a bath..It's the one time you actually drip on them more then normal...I'm not sure what kind of e- cig you have but, try at least 3-4 drops on the wic.. then let it sit a bit...Also check and make sure the filling in your cart is moist with juice ( not pooled)....If youve already done this, then it may be that you just really dislike 555 lol (it's not one of my favs either but many love it)... I've tried most all of Janes juices and yes, the toasted toffee is reallly close to the 555 to me... Strong nutty flavor... I mix it with my ry4 ( carmel- vanilla flavor) either half and half or 25/75%... Sweetens it up and gives just a hint of the nutty flavor...As they said above, wouldnt hurt to get a sample pack or catch a sale so you can know what you are liking and or mix the ones your not crazy about... Hope this helped..............Ivy

 

[Idahojo]

Refuge I speak from experience when I say you might have gotten an atty that had way too much primer on it. Even though you cleaned it, it might not have been enough. A few times I've had an atty that was totally disgusting!!!! For a long time it was disgusting. I had to soak 1 overnight in a citric acid bath and rinse and rinse and rinse. Then I still had to shortpuff it (that's what I call not inhaling) for a while to get rid of that foul taste. I would not be so quick to blame the juice, especially if it was a fairly new atty.

On the other hand I've had juices I thought were really bad. The juice wasn't bad, it just didn't agree with my taste buds. One in fact was the most foul tasting thing I've ever experienced, aside from the primer, but my sis absolutely LOVED it!!! I really thought she had lost her mind. But it worked out. It's hers now and it is her favorite. Go figure. What is one man's heaven is another man's hell.

 

[RefugeDenied]

Another possibility(albeit, rather small) is that got a bad batch. Some e-liquid suppliers have production dates & expiration dates, did you notice any on your bottles?

No, no dates, but the bottles did arrive "factory sealed" (i had to break a twist-lock style cap seal to open two of the bottles).

Any idea who sells decent 'sample packs' of juice. Something like 5 or 10 pack of (my flavor choice) 5ml samples with good customer service and fast shipping? Nevermind, I'll dig through the juice forum and find links and maybe reviews.

I guess what I really need to know before I even bother is ... do different 'flavors' usually taste very different or do they all sort of have the same basic taste with a hint of the flavor? For example, do the fruit/candy flavors usually taste very different from the tobacco flavors (which i now want to stay completely away from). Never thought I'd really want a fruit/candy flavor, but who knows ...

 

[Idahojo]

If you're asking do the other flavors have a tobacco base and a watermelon added on top? NO. Thankfully. When I started vaping I really thought that all I would want to vape would be menthol since I was a Kool smoker for years. But then I made the mistake of trying my sis' chocolate and peach and fell in love with other flavors. Now I have tons of other flavors and even started making my own. I never thought I would want to smoke "desserts" or "fruit" like I was calling it. Boy was I wrong! LOL You should try some sample packs. Some suppliers quit selling them but I think a few still are. I don't know who tho, sorry. Maybe they'll pop up here and tell you. Good luck! Keep an open mind. You'll find a few that will hook you totally.

 

[TDM]

You say you mixed a 40/40/20 solution of 555/PG/VG. I tried a little experiment tonight.

40% unflavored 48 mg juice
40% VG
20% flavoring

and

40% unflavored 48 mg juice
20% VG
20% PG
20% flavoring

I got the better flavor and better vapor from the Non-PG Recipe. The PG Recipe had NO Flavor whatsoever.

 

[Idahojo]

Interesting Mouse. So did you use something to thin the VG or did you just use the 48 juice for the thinning agent? I've just started mixing and I adjust the PG/VG ratio depending on what the nic juice is. Some of the unflavored juice is 50/50 to start with and others seem to be more PG based.

 

[Mary Kay]

After trying seveal flavors from different suppilers, I can say that the flavors are NOT all tobacco based. None of the fruit flavors I have tried are truly like eating the fruit, but they are close and sometimes dead on to candy or flavored drinks. The other flavors like vanilla, butterscotch and chocolate taste like what they are supposed to. The tobacco's are very close also.
I had a bad experiance when I first started out, the flavor was horrid! it was a burning taste that really burned my lips. It wasn't the atty, or the cart filler..it was the CART. After I washed them and tried again the taste was gone. It was the carts from one starter kit not both, I have never had the problem again. But I agree it sounds more like you are getting the taste from a dry atty.

 

[RefugeDenied]

If you're asking do the other flavors have a tobacco base and a watermelon added on top? NO. Thankfully.

Thank you! This is what I was looking for. I think I will find several sample size fruit/desert flavors to try.

I loved the "menthol" carts that came with my first cig , the "SmokeStik" (RN-4081??). They don't quite taste like the marlboro light menthols i was smoking before i quit, but they were very good ... actually think i prefer them to the real thing. I would love to be able to duplicate the flavor in those carts but it would cost me way more to keep ordering those carts than it would to smoke analogs (cigs are still fairly cheap in Alabama small towns ~$4/pack). I could easily go through five or more 4081 carts a day from SmokeStik.

Next model I got a week later (after finding and reading a lot on this site) was a pen style (801?) with a bunch of blank carts and 2 atomizers to start with. I rinse and dry the 801 attys every night and swap them out from session to session throughout the day (basicly every few hours when i change a battery I change the atty out as well). At night while they are drying I use the 4081 and rinse/dry it when I go to bed.

I got the better flavor and better vapor from the Non-PG Recipe. The PG Recipe had NO Flavor whatsoever.

I just cracked open a bottle of USP PG I got from my local pharmacy ... what an odor it has. I dont think I want to use that at all. What do you thin your VG with? Or do you thin it at all?

 

[TDM]

Interesting Mouse. So did you use something to thin the VG or did you just use the 48 juice for the thinning agent? I've just started mixing and I adjust the PG/VG ratio depending on what the nic juice is. Some of the unflavored juice is 50/50 to start with and others seem to be more PG based.

Used the juice to thin it. The flavoring is also PG based so it thins alot also. In reality mixture is 60% PG - 40 % VG. The 48 I am using is PG

 

[RefugeDenied]

By the way, I do prime my attys every morning when i get up (before I use them). Haven't had a taste issue like that until the 555 and toasted toffee. After reading a little more, I don't think anything is wrong, I just think those flavors are not for me. I gotta find something quick, though ... I'm running outta my "unflavored" juice that i mix with menthol, vanilla, and almond

 

[RazorNribbonz]

I have heard truevapor has an excellent nice menthol... I personally like janes abandonmint because Im not a menthol smoker and prefer sweet minty flavors ) its very strong, cutting = not much loss of flavor....I also know that liquidxpress has a menthol that in my opinion, taste most like a real analog menthol ( cool rush)... You can buy his in premade e-juice or in his "flavorings-0 nic, but are great for boosting flavors as well as making one straight.. .. it's just the straight flavorings that all e-juices use ( you have to use more of this(1-2 ml per mix,depending on the size of the batch) than the lorransOils which use ( round 5-20% of your mix, depending on the strength of the flavor - make sure its the candy oils(not oil based but water soluble)...

 

[RefugeDenied]

Thanks RazorNribbonz!

I'd not yet heard of LiquidExpress. His pricing for unflavored 36mg liquid is pretty good (@ 60ml).

Does he ship pretty quickly? Also, do you know if his unflavored 36mg VG is as thick normal VG?

I think I'll grab some "Naked" 36mg, then find a site that sell Lorann's (none of my local stores carry anything but McCormick's).

 

[RazorNribbonz]

He does ship fast...Ive not ordered the VG yet..As for thickness, I usually use VG and PG mixed... to shop for Loranns, go to Lorannoils.com ( click on the candy pic lol) if you click on one of the flavors then on the next screen they willl have a button "details".. click on that and it will tell you what's in the ingredients ( you dont want oil, sugars and most dont like to vape the strongly colored ones)... There is a list of acceptable flavors somewhere in the DIY forum.. Good luck, have fun...

 

[RazorNribbonz]

Hey refuge, I also forgot to mention that xpress has a nice mixing tips page...And there is also another DIY site > Juicyliquid.com...Between those two.. You have pretty much everything you'll need...

 

[Princessdee]

You say you mixed a 40/40/20 solution of 555/PG/VG. I tried a little experiment tonight.

40% unflavored 48 mg juice
40% VG
20% flavoring

and

40% unflavored 48 mg juice
20% VG
20% PG
20% flavoring

I got the better flavor and better vapor from the Non-PG Recipe. The PG Recipe had NO Flavor whatsoever.

Where did you get 48mg juice.
I need

 

[RazorNribbonz]

Princess, I can't remember who was selling the 48 mg..But he discontinued it fairly fast due to some people throwing a fit about it.. He may start up again who knows( hed also said he had made something like 70 something mg! but, never sold it eeeck lol

If youd really like the name of the vender I could prolly find out for you...Ivy

 

[Space Cowboy]

Here's my Toasted Toffee experience. I expected it to be something like english toffee, but boy was I wrong. I can't really explain my initial reaction, but it seemed like cotton candy but way too sweet. I mean sickeningly sweet. But before I even noticed the taste, the thought kick hit me and my eyes got big and I fell in love with it. I guess that's why they call it kick juice. After I've been using it for the past month, it doesn't taste too bad.