Sampling galore, a newbie's journey
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Oh, they're going to continue, just not at a pace commensurate with the 'pro' reviewers getting samples mailed to them on the regular. Self-financed reviews of flavors I choose based on what I think I might like are going to be less frequent (and hopefully positive more often) is all.
Sweet....i totally understand that. You have inspired me to do a few reviews too.
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Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Glad to hear it! Look forward to looking those up.
My Lucky 7 order finally shipped, so seven new liquids presumably coming up in the next few days. I also had a moment of weakness and put in an order with the Steam Co, so that'll be pending as well.
I am also loving your reviews although I do not think of Lemon Cream as subtle. I am always looking for BOLD flavors and am disgusted when I find subtle ones. Lemon Cream is always in my rotation
That's one of the things I love about vaping, the pure subjectivity of personal taste. In addition to that, the effects of resting for a month have often been really amazing; Five Pawns' Fifth Rank was a great example of this for me. I did NOT enjoy it FOOB as the lime and horehound were harsh and unpleasant, but a month later I'm kicking myself for not including it in my reorder along with Grandmaster, Lucena, Gambit and Castle Long. It really, really evolved, with the vanilla bean and sweet cream becoming dominant after a month's rest.
I suspect a month's rest will bring the citrus forward in both of the Ahlusion cream flavors from this batch, which won't be necessarily a bad thing. That's also the reason for my dual reviews, because I know a lot of folks are like me - want good flavor FOOB, but if a month in a dark drawer with periodic shaking and airing makes a marginal juice good or a good juice delightful, that's even more important to know.
Lemon Cream does change as it ages but it is one of the few things that I love FOOB. I am a big believer in letting things age. I have seen some wonderful transformations take place. Yes taste is def subjective. I am a big lover of AHL and MOV so your thread has caught my eye and I will be waiting to hear what you think of your next batch of stuff
Had another moment of weakness and ordered the sample pack of Bionic Vapor's full line. I really need to stay off the liquid-related discussions, they make me too curious for my (wallet's) own good.....
Reviews will post when liquid arrives! Currently in the short-term queue:
Lucky 7 Vapes (7 flavors), current status is "shipped" on the website and "we've been notified to expect for mailing" on the USPS website.
The Steam Co (5 flavors)
Bionic Vapor (6 flavors)
Awaiting post-rest revisit:
CRFT - revisit of 2 flavors after one month's rest (one-month mark is 5/23)
Ahlusion - revisit of 5 flavors after one month's rest (one-month mark is 5/26)
Mountain Oak Vapors - revisit of 3 flavors after one month's rest (one-month mark is 5/29)
Reviews will post when liquid arrives! Currently in the short-term queue:
Lucky 7 Vapes (7 flavors), current status is "shipped" on the website and "we've been notified to expect for mailing" on the USPS website.
The Steam Co (5 flavors)
Bionic Vapor (6 flavors)
Awaiting post-rest revisit:
CRFT - revisit of 2 flavors after one month's rest (one-month mark is 5/23)
Ahlusion - revisit of 5 flavors after one month's rest (one-month mark is 5/26)
Mountain Oak Vapors - revisit of 3 flavors after one month's rest (one-month mark is 5/29)
okay...anything new on Bionic Vapors. I haven't tried them yet...but I am trying to win on their contest.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...rizes-daily-winners-non-stop-giveaway-78.html
Did you get Merlyns Bow from Steam? I have that and Tartin Blueberry. I am anxious to hear your thoughts on Bionic. They are on my must try list
Sorry - these are the specific liquids I have coming from each company:
Lucky 7: (Status - 'shipped', no further info on USPS website)
Berry Blast
Caramel Apple
Horchata
Irish Cream
Kahlua & Cream
Peanut Butter Cup
Rootbeer
Steam Co: (Status - 'shipped' as of today, no info yet from USPS)
Gentleman's Reserve
Nae Nae
Budochai
Pukana La
Sean Lepreconnery
Bionic Vapor: (Status - 'unfulfilled')
"the whole line" sample pack, which presumably means:
Tropical Cruise
Taste the Rainbow
Ground Breaking
Drunken Jungle
Dance with Miami
Countryside
Lucky 7: (Status - 'shipped', no further info on USPS website)
Berry Blast
Caramel Apple
Horchata
Irish Cream
Kahlua & Cream
Peanut Butter Cup
Rootbeer
Steam Co: (Status - 'shipped' as of today, no info yet from USPS)
Gentleman's Reserve
Nae Nae
Budochai
Pukana La
Sean Lepreconnery
Bionic Vapor: (Status - 'unfulfilled')
"the whole line" sample pack, which presumably means:
Tropical Cruise
Taste the Rainbow
Ground Breaking
Drunken Jungle
Dance with Miami
Countryside
Absolutely wonderful reviews!
The Vapor Chef is one of my favorites and I just ordered the Honey Peary because I absolutely love the Coolcumber Melon! I'd love to see your review of that one. It's my favorite of all from him!
The Vapor Chef is one of my favorites and I just ordered the Honey Peary because I absolutely love the Coolcumber Melon! I'd love to see your review of that one. It's my favorite of all from him!
Thank you! I'll put the coolcumber melon on the list!
Sent from 4 Yawkey Way, where my heart will always reside.
)Time to revisit two juices from CRFT while waiting to see if my Lucky 7 order is in fact going to show up today!
Strawberry Blonde - With all I've heard about Suicide Bunny's Mothers Milk, and having sampled both at my B&M, I prefer this one. The strawberry and cream mix perfectly into a strawberry milk flavor without the cloying sweetness you get from syrup. Imagine strawberry Nesquik like you had as a kid, but without that chemical aftertaste. The cream element almost has a cake-like quality to it rather than just being milky. This one is a strong contender to be added to the re-buy rotation.
Oh yes. This has, if anything, gotten even more delightfully mellow. The strawberry has become more subtle, tasted more on the exhale to cut through the cream/bakery flavors. This is somewhere between a strawberry upside-down cake and pancakes with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It is a delight, good as a dessert OR breakfast-style vape. Two thumbs up and definite reorder!
Lime Cola - Exactly as described. You know those newfangled soda machines in the high-end burger joints, where you choose you base soda and then add 'flavor shots'? THIS. Coke with lime, only just like the Strawberry Blonde there's no chemical note. The lime is subtle, and the cola flavoring is surprisingly.....effervescent. That's the best word I can think of - it really gives the impression of a carbonated 'feel' somehow. I think this one will steep beautifully, and suspect I'll be trying it every two weeks impatiently, waiting for that 'sweet spot.'
Just as predicted, after a month of 'sneaking' a tank here and there it's even better at the one-month resting mark. The lime is a touch more subtle, letting more of the cola come through, without losing its crispness or 'effervescent' feel. This is likely to become my benchmark for soda flavors, as it really does 'feel' like a carbonated drink in the mouth. Another two thumbs up and definite reorder, I really need to try CRFT's other two flavors now!
Strawberry Blonde - With all I've heard about Suicide Bunny's Mothers Milk, and having sampled both at my B&M, I prefer this one. The strawberry and cream mix perfectly into a strawberry milk flavor without the cloying sweetness you get from syrup. Imagine strawberry Nesquik like you had as a kid, but without that chemical aftertaste. The cream element almost has a cake-like quality to it rather than just being milky. This one is a strong contender to be added to the re-buy rotation.
Oh yes. This has, if anything, gotten even more delightfully mellow. The strawberry has become more subtle, tasted more on the exhale to cut through the cream/bakery flavors. This is somewhere between a strawberry upside-down cake and pancakes with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It is a delight, good as a dessert OR breakfast-style vape. Two thumbs up and definite reorder!
Lime Cola - Exactly as described. You know those newfangled soda machines in the high-end burger joints, where you choose you base soda and then add 'flavor shots'? THIS. Coke with lime, only just like the Strawberry Blonde there's no chemical note. The lime is subtle, and the cola flavoring is surprisingly.....effervescent. That's the best word I can think of - it really gives the impression of a carbonated 'feel' somehow. I think this one will steep beautifully, and suspect I'll be trying it every two weeks impatiently, waiting for that 'sweet spot.'
Just as predicted, after a month of 'sneaking' a tank here and there it's even better at the one-month resting mark. The lime is a touch more subtle, letting more of the cola come through, without losing its crispness or 'effervescent' feel. This is likely to become my benchmark for soda flavors, as it really does 'feel' like a carbonated drink in the mouth. Another two thumbs up and definite reorder, I really need to try CRFT's other two flavors now!
Lucky 7 order didn't show today, but the Steam Co order is projected for delivery tomorrow. With a bit of luck, it'll show up and I'll have 5 new reviews to post. With a LOT of luck, both will show up and I'll have 12 liquids to sample!
*EDIT* I have a problem. Between the supplier forums with awesome contests...which make me look at their lines...and all the amazing Memorial Day sales going on, I did a quick count, and it turns out I have, um, a LOT of liquids inbound (42 new flavors, to be exact
):
Lucky 7:
Berry Blast
Caramel Apple
Horchata
Irish Cream
Kahlua & Cream
Peanut Butter Cup
Rootbeer
Steam Co:
Gentleman's Reserve
Nae Nae
Budochai
Pukana La
Sean Lepreconnery
Bionic Vapor:
"the whole line" sample pack, which presumably means:
Tropical Cruise
Taste the Rainbow
Ground Breaking
Drunken Jungle
Dance with Miami
Countryside
CRFT (from VaporDNA):
Gravel Pit
Trail Mix
Millennium Potion (from VaporDNA):
10 pack "surprise" sample pack
Vape Craving (from VaporDNA):
DayDream
Desire
Pleasure
Killer Juice:
Strawberry Cheesecake
Blueberry Cheesecake
Cookies & Cream
Cream Soda
Dr Pepper
Vanilla Cola
Alice in Vapeland (from Giant Vapes):
Cherry Blossom Tea
Mangri-La
Virgin Vapor (from Giant Vapes):
Organic Kona Coffee Milkshake
*EDIT* I have a problem. Between the supplier forums with awesome contests...which make me look at their lines...and all the amazing Memorial Day sales going on, I did a quick count, and it turns out I have, um, a LOT of liquids inbound (42 new flavors, to be exact
):Lucky 7:
Berry Blast
Caramel Apple
Horchata
Irish Cream
Kahlua & Cream
Peanut Butter Cup
Rootbeer
Steam Co:
Gentleman's Reserve
Nae Nae
Budochai
Pukana La
Sean Lepreconnery
Bionic Vapor:
"the whole line" sample pack, which presumably means:
Tropical Cruise
Taste the Rainbow
Ground Breaking
Drunken Jungle
Dance with Miami
Countryside
CRFT (from VaporDNA):
Gravel Pit
Trail Mix
Millennium Potion (from VaporDNA):
10 pack "surprise" sample pack
Vape Craving (from VaporDNA):
DayDream
Desire
Pleasure
Killer Juice:
Strawberry Cheesecake
Blueberry Cheesecake
Cookies & Cream
Cream Soda
Dr Pepper
Vanilla Cola
Alice in Vapeland (from Giant Vapes):
Cherry Blossom Tea
Mangri-La
Virgin Vapor (from Giant Vapes):
Organic Kona Coffee Milkshake
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And so the five liquids from The Steam Co have arrived! They showed up in attractively labeled bottles; glass with dropper-top for the 30mL bottle of Gentleman's Reserve, plastic with drip-tops for the smaller 10mL sample sizes. The bottles were wrapped in bubble-wrap and well-packaged, and the invoice showed a final QC signed with a "thank you" from an employee. We can say the flavor is what matters, but packaging and service COUNTS, folks, so the Steam Co started with a thumbs-up.
Gentleman's Reserve: Advertised as a mix of vanilla, almond, coconut and bourbon. The coconut and almond hit first, mixing very nicely. The vanilla and a hint of bourbon come out on the exhale, smoothing the entire mixture out very nicely. The bourbon especially is extremely subtle, lurking in the background. This would vape nicely in the evening, and gets an initial thumbs-up.
Nae Nae: Advertised as a strawberry-banana smoothie, and they NAILED it. The strawberry and banana both hit up front, with a creamy note on the exhale. Neither fruit dominates the other, which can be difficult to achieve when mixing these two flavors even in real life. Most interestingly, and I might be hallucinating at this point, but it actually feels like I have strawberry seeds in my mouth on the exhale, just like you would with an actual blended smoothie. Definite thumbs-up, especially for summer.
Budochai: Advertised as a peach chai froyo drink, this one too hits it right on the head. The peach and spicy chai notes come first, with the smoothness of the yogurt hitting on the exhale with an extra bit of tartness - it's like actual yogurt instead of just a cream. The peach flavor REALLY lingers on the tongue, though not unpleasantly. Again - a big summer thumbs-up, I want to take this one into the back yard and pair it with a tropical cocktail or two.
Pukana La: This one had be very curious. Advertised as a tropical fruit breakfast muffin with a side of Kona coffee; I thought 'no WAY do they achieve that.' Well played, Steam Co...they did it. I can't pin down exactly what tropical fruit it is in the muffin flavor, but it's definitely sweet and tropical. The Kona note, which could have drowned out everything else, is very subtle and tasted mostly on the exhale, as if you'd taken a sip after eating some of the muffin. This liquid makes me nostalgic for my honeymoon; sitting on our balcony watching the early risers swim in the bay as we enjoy fresh coffee and a light breakfast. I actually went and kissed my wife after trying this one, the nostalgia hit me so hard. Two initial thumbs up, and if this one rests well it's going into the rotation.
Sean Lepreconnery: The name alone gets a thumbs-up. Advertised as a mixture of irish cream, bourbon and caramel. You get the bourbon base and caramel first, with the irish cream smoothing out the exhale. I like this for the future; I think it would be an excellent dessert cocktail style vape for the cooler months. Thumbs up.
Overall initial impression - thumbs up on price, service, speed and packaging. Thumbs up on all flavors, with a couple promising to be re-orders if they rest as well as I think they will.
Gentleman's Reserve: Advertised as a mix of vanilla, almond, coconut and bourbon. The coconut and almond hit first, mixing very nicely. The vanilla and a hint of bourbon come out on the exhale, smoothing the entire mixture out very nicely. The bourbon especially is extremely subtle, lurking in the background. This would vape nicely in the evening, and gets an initial thumbs-up.
Nae Nae: Advertised as a strawberry-banana smoothie, and they NAILED it. The strawberry and banana both hit up front, with a creamy note on the exhale. Neither fruit dominates the other, which can be difficult to achieve when mixing these two flavors even in real life. Most interestingly, and I might be hallucinating at this point, but it actually feels like I have strawberry seeds in my mouth on the exhale, just like you would with an actual blended smoothie. Definite thumbs-up, especially for summer.
Budochai: Advertised as a peach chai froyo drink, this one too hits it right on the head. The peach and spicy chai notes come first, with the smoothness of the yogurt hitting on the exhale with an extra bit of tartness - it's like actual yogurt instead of just a cream. The peach flavor REALLY lingers on the tongue, though not unpleasantly. Again - a big summer thumbs-up, I want to take this one into the back yard and pair it with a tropical cocktail or two.
Pukana La: This one had be very curious. Advertised as a tropical fruit breakfast muffin with a side of Kona coffee; I thought 'no WAY do they achieve that.' Well played, Steam Co...they did it. I can't pin down exactly what tropical fruit it is in the muffin flavor, but it's definitely sweet and tropical. The Kona note, which could have drowned out everything else, is very subtle and tasted mostly on the exhale, as if you'd taken a sip after eating some of the muffin. This liquid makes me nostalgic for my honeymoon; sitting on our balcony watching the early risers swim in the bay as we enjoy fresh coffee and a light breakfast. I actually went and kissed my wife after trying this one, the nostalgia hit me so hard. Two initial thumbs up, and if this one rests well it's going into the rotation.
Sean Lepreconnery: The name alone gets a thumbs-up. Advertised as a mixture of irish cream, bourbon and caramel. You get the bourbon base and caramel first, with the irish cream smoothing out the exhale. I like this for the future; I think it would be an excellent dessert cocktail style vape for the cooler months. Thumbs up.
Overall initial impression - thumbs up on price, service, speed and packaging. Thumbs up on all flavors, with a couple promising to be re-orders if they rest as well as I think they will.
I have tried these 3 flavors and many more from TSC. I agree with your reviews on TGR and SL, but Budochai has me puzzled. All I get is the sweet chai spices, no peach or yougurt. I really like the sweet spice flavors. I guess taste really is subjective. You must have a few extra taste buds than me. LOL
...and now it's time to talk about Lucky 7 Vapes. My package arrived....finally. It was dented - not Lucky 7's fault. There was no bubble wrap, just heat-sealed plastic baggies....which was a good thing, because one bottle had leaked (arguable on fault). The liquids came in plastic bottles with pre-printed generic labels (lucky 7 name, nic level options to circle, VG/PG ratio area to fill in, warning and ingredients) and the flavors and specifics hand-written in. This caused some difficulty, as the bottle that leaked blurred the label so much I had to use the process of elimination to figure out which flavor it was. All in all, the packaging is.....cheap. I know there are Lucky 7 fans out there who will jump all over me for this, arguing 'it keeps the prices down,' and they're partly right. HOWEVER, presentation matters, and Lucky 7 gets a thumbs-down on that aspect. On to the flavors, sampled at 50/50 PG/VG, 12mg nic, through an HH.357 at 2.0 ohms on a Vamo V5 at 4.0 volts.
Berry Blast: This is very....berryish. I get a mixed berry kind of flavor, with a decent blend of sweet versus tart. It's a pleasant vape, and would go well with a club soda or other refreshing summer kind of drink. Somewhat unremarkable though, I give it thumbs sideways.
Caramel Apple: This is the bottle that leaked. I get....sort of apple, and nothing else. There's a fruity sweetness from the apple, but none of the dark sweetness I associate with caramel. Very disappointing, initial thumbs-down.
Horchata: This one is interesting. I get the spices on the inhale, and a creamy note on the exhale. It's hard to nail down what kind of spices I'm getting, and what the cream base it, much like real horchata. Of the bunch, this is the most layered; I'm not sure if I love it yet, but it's definitely good and different. Tentative thumbs up.
Irish Cream: It's definitely creamy....the specific notes that make it Irish cream are there, but extremely subtle. I keep hearing folks say Lucky 7 does basic flavors well and encourage vapers to consider them bases for DIY mixes, and this makes me suspect that's the purpose of this liquid. If you like a glass of Bailey's on the rocks, you're going to be disappointed. If you want to cut this into another boozy liquid, it might work - I'm not a mixer so I can't judge this aspect. Thumbs sideways.
Kahlua & Cream: I can.....almost.....taste this. There's a dark note, and a creamy note. That's it. It's so subtle as to almost be untasteable. I actually tasted this last night, and decided I was approaching olfactory exhaustion after too much tasting, and shelved the whole shebang until today. Tried it again after a couple of other flavors to ensure I was tasting, and same result. Unless a month's rest REALLY brings some flavor out of this liquid, it's going to be a total miss for me. Thumbs down.
Root Beer: THIS liquid is one I used to prove to myself this morning that I'm tasting. Wow - I've been punched in the face by roots and spices! I tried this with a picture of a glass of cold root beer in my mind, and instead got a hard rootbeer candy, in particular the hard stick candy back in the day. It's actually a very flavorful, enjoyable candy vape; once I got past the mental block of trying to compare it to Ahlusion's Sasparilla, I enjoyed it even more. A very surprised thumbs up, hoping it mellows nicely with rest.
Peanut Butter Cup: This was dangerous territory for Lucky 7, as I am an utter Reese's ADDICT. Thankfully, this liquid nails the flavor. Chocolate and peanut butter in excellent harmony, this vape was the one I knew I'd be most critical of and I really like it. I think a month's rest will make this even nicer. Two thumbs up.
Overall impressions:
Speed - Thumbs WAY down.
Service - Thumbs down.
Packaging - Thumbs down.
Price - Thumbs WAY up - for a 30 mL bottle, you're paying $0.20/mL before shipping, easily the most affordable liquid I've tried.
Flavor - Thumbs sideways. With a couple of exceptions, these liquids are far too subtle for my taste, ranging often into flavorless. Overall - Thumbs down.The price is right, but the exceptionally slow processing and cheap look and feel make this line hard to consider reordering, especially once I move overseas and tack an automatic extra two weeks on any order.
Berry Blast: This is very....berryish. I get a mixed berry kind of flavor, with a decent blend of sweet versus tart. It's a pleasant vape, and would go well with a club soda or other refreshing summer kind of drink. Somewhat unremarkable though, I give it thumbs sideways.
Caramel Apple: This is the bottle that leaked. I get....sort of apple, and nothing else. There's a fruity sweetness from the apple, but none of the dark sweetness I associate with caramel. Very disappointing, initial thumbs-down.
Horchata: This one is interesting. I get the spices on the inhale, and a creamy note on the exhale. It's hard to nail down what kind of spices I'm getting, and what the cream base it, much like real horchata. Of the bunch, this is the most layered; I'm not sure if I love it yet, but it's definitely good and different. Tentative thumbs up.
Irish Cream: It's definitely creamy....the specific notes that make it Irish cream are there, but extremely subtle. I keep hearing folks say Lucky 7 does basic flavors well and encourage vapers to consider them bases for DIY mixes, and this makes me suspect that's the purpose of this liquid. If you like a glass of Bailey's on the rocks, you're going to be disappointed. If you want to cut this into another boozy liquid, it might work - I'm not a mixer so I can't judge this aspect. Thumbs sideways.
Kahlua & Cream: I can.....almost.....taste this. There's a dark note, and a creamy note. That's it. It's so subtle as to almost be untasteable. I actually tasted this last night, and decided I was approaching olfactory exhaustion after too much tasting, and shelved the whole shebang until today. Tried it again after a couple of other flavors to ensure I was tasting, and same result. Unless a month's rest REALLY brings some flavor out of this liquid, it's going to be a total miss for me. Thumbs down.
Root Beer: THIS liquid is one I used to prove to myself this morning that I'm tasting. Wow - I've been punched in the face by roots and spices! I tried this with a picture of a glass of cold root beer in my mind, and instead got a hard rootbeer candy, in particular the hard stick candy back in the day. It's actually a very flavorful, enjoyable candy vape; once I got past the mental block of trying to compare it to Ahlusion's Sasparilla, I enjoyed it even more. A very surprised thumbs up, hoping it mellows nicely with rest.
Peanut Butter Cup: This was dangerous territory for Lucky 7, as I am an utter Reese's ADDICT. Thankfully, this liquid nails the flavor. Chocolate and peanut butter in excellent harmony, this vape was the one I knew I'd be most critical of and I really like it. I think a month's rest will make this even nicer. Two thumbs up.
Overall impressions:
Speed - Thumbs WAY down.
Service - Thumbs down.
Packaging - Thumbs down.
Price - Thumbs WAY up - for a 30 mL bottle, you're paying $0.20/mL before shipping, easily the most affordable liquid I've tried.
Flavor - Thumbs sideways. With a couple of exceptions, these liquids are far too subtle for my taste, ranging often into flavorless. Overall - Thumbs down.The price is right, but the exceptionally slow processing and cheap look and feel make this line hard to consider reordering, especially once I move overseas and tack an automatic extra two weeks on any order.
That's entirely possible. A rather lengthy quote from a psychology text:
All of that means you may well not be 'wired' for peach as strongly as I am. It's also entirely possible you got an 'off' batch, or I got a batch with a particularly heavy dose of peach (hung-over while mixing, perhaps?). Either way, the subjectivity of taste is one of the most fun aspects of going through these liquids; I get to see how much I agree or disagree with a fairly wide sampling of people, which tells me as much about myself and my own taste as it does about the liquids themselves.
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