Substitute for FA Madagascar Vanilla?

[tazzle]

What can I use to replace this in a light fruit/citrus recipe? I have:

Bourbon (Vanilla Bourbon) (FA)
French Vanilla (Cap)
French Vanilla (TPA)
French Vanilla Creme (TPA)
French Vanilla Deluxe (TPA)
Tahitian Vanilla Cream (WF)
Vanilla (Inawera)
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Cap)
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (TPA)
Vanilla Cream (Inawera)
Vanilla Shisha (Inawera)
Vanilla Swirl (TPA)
Vanilla Tahity (Inawera)

Found on the internet, some comments from a Flavourart employee about their vanillas: "Madagascar (Vanilla Classic) and Vanilla Bourbon flavourings are variations on the same theme; Classic is a sweet, simple Vanilla, while Bourbon has woody and spicy notes to it. Vanilla Tahiti is quite different and has the almond undertones that give it such a distinctive flavour."

Head in Clouds has said that the FA Madagascar (Classic) is "like the vanilla extract flavor sold in the U.S., comparable in flavor to Mexican vanilla."

So basically I want to use one I have that's most like a "sweet, simple, vanilla."

Any recommendation?

 

[tazzle]

Okay, so I got too impatient to wait ... and decided on IW Vanilla Shisha. I don't know why I have SO MANY French Vanillas, but the deal with French Vanilla is that it's supposed to be more "custardy" than regular vanilla, and that didn't seem the best choice. The Tahiti flavors would have extra notes beyond a simple vanilla. Vanilla Swirl seemed it might be too light, not quite vanilla-y enough, and while the VBICs were tempting since this is sort of a summer mix that might be good with an "ice cream float" sort of thing going on, I figured that was better to save as a variation after getting the main recipe down first. Descriptions of the Vanilla Shisha were along the lines of "sweet" and "bright," which sounds pretty close. The regular IW vanilla seems less popular, so I went for the shisha.

I'd still like to hear anyone's thoughts about this!

 

[go_player]

I'd still like to hear anyone's thoughts about this!

Though I haven't tried every Vanilla you listed, Shisha was my first thought. It's going to add more cream and body than the Madagascar would have though.

 

[jambi]

"Sweet, Simple Vanilla" that's roughly equivalent to the FA Madagascar:

1. INW Vanilla Classic
2. FA Vanilla Tahity (you typoed INW) Edit: my bad, never tried the INW stuff.
3. INW Vanilla Shisha

In that order. First two, same percentage you'd use Madagascar. Shisha, bump up your percentage.

*INW has two "Vanilla". You don't specify which you've got. The one I'm referring to is "Vanilla Classic". The one called Vanilla Concentrate I haven't tried.

INW VC is very similar to FA Madagascar. I use them interchangeably.

FA Tahity has a nice fruity/spicy element that's good enough to be an occasional standalone vape for me. Those elements will be detectable in your finished liquid, but if it's fruit based could be complimentary.

I've found INW Shisha to be comparatively light, but it will get the "simple vanilla" job done. I use a lot of it for my "All Shisha" Mustard Milk. It is a light, clean vanilla, albeit creamy unlike the others. To me it's "fluffy" (lack of a better adjective). Bump up percentages .50 at a time till you get it where you want it.

*FA Bourbon has some really robust non-vanilla elements (nuts/wood, I guess?) that will alter the dynamic of your finished liquid. I'd class it as a very "dark" vanilla. If you've ever vaped FA Glory, I find Bourbon to have a similar (though far less robust) nutty/AP note. It may work as well, but I haven't got the experience with it yet to recommend it with confidence.

 

[tazzle]

Thanks, great info!

The Inawera Vanilla I have that's not the shisha is just called "Vanilla." Actually, "Wanilia" on my bottle. And the "Vanilla Tahity" (as they spell it) that I have is Inawera, not FlavourArt.

 

[jambi]

Thanks, great info!

The Inawera Vanilla I have that's not the shisha is just called "Vanilla." Actually, "Wanilia" on my bottle. And the "Vanilla Tahity" (as they spell it) that I have is Inawera, not FlavourArt.

Ah...you have the GOOD STUFF!

 

[tazzle]

haha!

 

[go_player]

"Sweet, Simple Vanilla" that's roughly equivalent to the FA Madagascar:

1. INW Vanilla Classic
2. FA Vanilla Tahity (you typoed INW)
3. INW Vanilla Shisha

In that order. First two, same percentage you'd use Madagascar. Shisha, bump up your percentage.

*INW has two "Vanilla". You don't specify which you've got. The one I'm referring to is "Vanilla Classic". The one called Vanilla Concentrate I haven't tried.

INW VC is very similar to FA Madagascar. I use them interchangeably.

Huh- I'm curious about the INW Vanilla. I haven't tried it, and have heard some funny things about it (though maybe just in comparison to FA's comparable Vanillas.) You like it OK, I take it?

I'm a bit unhappy with artificial vanillas in general, and just broke down and paid the money for a bottle of MF's Vanilla (not in my hands yet though.) If it's anything like MF's other flavors it will be a pain to work with, requiring a month steep to come out at all, and I'd love to have a decent neutral Vanilla to use as an accent in recipes I don't want to steep for a month. Is INW Vanilla that vanilla?

 

[tazzle]

Have you tried the FA Madagascar Vanilla? I'm not promoting it for your needs because, obviously, I haven't even tried it yet! But it seems like the profile you are looking for, and for my own vanilla education, I'm curious to know!

 

[go_player]

Have you tried the FA Madagascar Vanilla? I'm not promoting it for your needs because, obviously, I haven't even tried it yet! But it seems like the profile you are looking for, and for my own vanilla education, I'm curious to know!

Yeah, I have tried a fair number of Vanillas, including FA's. My problem with them is that...

I like to cook and bake, and I consider _real_ vanilla one of the great flavors. I'm not sure most people realize just how great and complex vanilla can be, because I'm inclined to suspect that most people have never even tasted real vanilla outside of, maybe, high-end ice-cream.

I buy real vanilla beans (which have become really expensive lately, so I do this less than I used to,) split them, scrape them down, and simmer them in dairy before using them in things like custards, etc. Vanilla, properly used, is a wonderfully complex and "round" flavor that needs only textural assistance and a bit of sweetness (thus the custard.) Vanilla is also, unfortunately, the second most expensive natural source of flavoring in the world (after saffron.)

So I suppose it is not very surprising that I find artificial vanillas lacking. Vanillin and ethylvanillin get you the most prominent notes in vanilla, but real vanilla's appeal is in its complexity, and you won't get that complexity without dozens of molecules present in vanilla beans, but not present in vanilla flavors made in a lab.

 

[tazzle]

Thanks! I'll be very interested to hear what you think of the MF vanilla ... though I don't think I will be able to get it myself, in any case (location).

Oh, also, for everyone: I see many recipes lately calling for DIY Flavour Shack's "Holy Vanilla." Does anyone have opinions on this one?

 

[jambi]

Huh- I'm curious about the INW Vanilla. I haven't tried it, and have heard some funny things about it (though maybe just in comparison to FA's comparable Vanillas.) You like it OK, I take it?

I'm a bit unhappy with artificial vanillas in general, and just broke down and paid the money for a bottle of MF's Vanilla (not in my hands yet though.) If it's anything like MF's other flavors it will be a pain to work with, requiring a month steep to come out at all, and I'd love to have a decent neutral Vanilla to use as an accent in recipes I don't want to steep for a month. Is INW Vanilla that vanilla?

Heh, well it's vanilla, and vanilla can be a real pain. There are sooooo many options. For straight vanilla I prefer FA Madagascar, but the INW is to my palate very close. I use FA a lot more because it's easier/cheaper to get in 120 ml quantities. I would sub either for either in like amounts without a second thought, but perhaps I'm not the most picky/discerning mixer. FA Madagascar is "being used in 27 recipes", while the INW Classic is only being used in 3, so there you go.

Sometimes I have issues getting INW into balance with brands like TFA/CAP/FW. Though I think their Vanilla Classic is superior to say, TFA French Vanilla Deluxe, I'll often use the TFA because it's easier for me to work out ratios with other TFA flavors. Not to say INW doesn't blend well, just that I haven't got much experience doing so via my style of mixing.

I use INW Shisha Vanilla mainly for my aforementioned Shisha Mustard milk and not much else, but I use a lot of it for that. Luckily I can easily get big bottles of that flavor.

Authentic vanilla from a flavor concentrate...hmmm.

All my vanillas in that list, if I had to pick the most authentic, it would be Nude Nicotine Patchouli. Unfortunately, it's somewhat of a pain to work with. Almost too concentrated, doesn't play well with "weaker" flavors, and it's a long steeper, but it is nice stuff. Works well with their (NN's) tobaccos, and others.

The Hangsen vanilla is also great, but again it's difficult to get, so I haven't committed to it. Not shown on the list is another Hangsen, French Vanilla Ice Cream. If I could get it easily I would use it exclusively and never buy TFA/CAP Vanilla Bean Ice Cream again, as I think it's far superior to those two, but buying 10 mls at a time is not within my vaping budget. Ease of resupply is a big part of it to me. FA Madagascar is very easy for me to obtain, so I use it more.

*Edit disclaimer, I do not consider myself an expert mixer, there are many here who are far more advanced in knowledge than I. I have just always really, really loved vanilla, and it's definitely my favorite flavor to vape.

 

[go_player]

Thanks! I'll be very interested to hear what you think of the MF vanilla ... though I don't think I will be able to get it myself, in any case (location).

Oh, also, for everyone: I see many recipes lately calling for DIY Flavour Shack's "Holy Vanilla." Does anyone have opinions on this one?

I've heard that the DIYFS's is the best artificial Vanilla out there. It really sucks that whatever happened between them and Gremlin happened, cause I wish I could get it from Gremlin. I'm going to get some despite the cost, and I suspect it will not really satisfy my craving for real vanilla, but I hope it will be _the_ artificial vanilla I've been looking for.

As far as MF goes- I've already had their vanilla in commercial juice made by Virgin Vapors (who have some sort of arrangement with MF,) and it was by far the best vanilla I've had. Not perfect, and not as rounded or as complex as I'd like a vanilla to be, but... the only thing I've tasted that resembled actual vanilla. I'm hoping that a bit of mixology will improve it to the point that it's the vanilla I want.

It's really too bad that MF is such a pain in the ... to deal with, and hates vapers, because some of their extracts are _the best flavorings_ around. Show me a honeydew made in a lab that compares to MF's...

I've actually been looking at the costs of the equipment needed to do the sorts of sub-critical and super-critical Co2 extractions MF does, lately. I live in a state where the laws around certain plants are changing rapidly, and I have been considering seeking out investors and setting up an enterprise devoted to processing the newly legal fruits of other entrepreneur's operations. Should that come to fruition I'd want to keep our capital investment humming 24/7, so, given my awareness of the flavor market, I'd be looking at producing flavors of MF's quality without their annoyingness.

Unfortunately, I just don't see that sort of extraction being a worthwhile business targeted at the DIY market, by itself.

 

[mhertz]

Huh- I'm curious about the INW Vanilla. I haven't tried it, and have heard some funny things about it (though maybe just in comparison to FA's comparable Vanillas.) You like it OK, I take it?

I'm a bit unhappy with artificial vanillas in general, and just broke down and paid the money for a bottle of MF's Vanilla (not in my hands yet though.) If it's anything like MF's other flavors it will be a pain to work with, requiring a month steep to come out at all, and I'd love to have a decent neutral Vanilla to use as an accent in recipes I don't want to steep for a month. Is INW Vanilla that vanilla?

I really like that vanilla i.e. inawera vanilla e-concentrate, and to me it's a very authentic clean simple vanilla, though not the sweetest and a little dry, but very authentic imho. At 2%, I often used it standalone shake 'n vape.

The vanilla tahiti from inawera's sub-line tino'd'milano I really didn't like and cannot see any resemblence of vanilla for me personally - more some sort of strange liqurice or alike... Most of the flavors I didn't like from inawera, has almost always been from said tino'd'milano sub-line...

 

[Str8vision]

..........

Oh, also, for everyone: I see many recipes lately calling for DIY Flavour Shack's "Holy Vanilla." Does anyone have opinions on this one?

It's an outstanding straight vanilla flavoring IMO, A+.

 

[IDJoel]

TFA Vanilla (Bourbon) has been my go-to for a simple, basic, "vanilla extract like you would find in your food pantry" type of vanilla. It is not very exciting, and kind of a single note flavor, but it provides a decent vanilla accent when and where it is not intended to be the star. It will definitely get an "artificial" taste at higher percentages; but used with some restraint, it will give a solid basic vanilla, without any cream, additional spice/citrus, or added sweetness.

 

[b.m.]

Yeah, I have tried a fair number of Vanillas, including FA's. My problem with them is that...

I like to cook and bake, and I consider _real_ vanilla one of the great flavors. I'm not sure most people realize just how great and complex vanilla can be, because I'm inclined to suspect that most people have never even tasted real vanilla outside of, maybe, high-end ice-cream.

I buy real vanilla beans (which have become really expensive lately, so I do this less than I used to,) split them, scrape them down, and simmer them in dairy before using them in things like custards, etc. Vanilla, properly used, is a wonderfully complex and "round" flavor that needs only textural assistance and a bit of sweetness (thus the custard.) Vanilla is also, unfortunately, the second most expensive natural source of flavoring in the world (after saffron.)

So I suppose it is not very surprising that I find artificial vanillas lacking. Vanillin and ethylvanillin get you the most prominent notes in vanilla, but real vanilla's appeal is in its complexity, and you won't get that complexity without dozens of molecules present in vanilla beans, but not present in vanilla flavors made in a lab.

Since you are already familiar with working with vanilla beans,why not try making your own extract?I made some a while back and it turned out really well.You can make it with pg,vg,or alchohol.I made mine with pg,very simple to do,i split and scraped 7 whole beans,put them in a 120ml bottle,then filled it with pg,and let it sit.If i remember,i think it took about 6 weeks to really develop a good flavor,but after that,it just keeps getting better,i made it 2 years ago,and have left the beans in there,and it is very strong and potent stuff,so a little goes a long way.

 

[go_player]

Since you are already familiar with working with vanilla beans,why not try making your own extract?I made some a while back and it turned out really well.You can make it with pg,vg,or alchohol.I made mine with pg,very simple to do,i split and scraped 7 whole beans,put them in a 120ml bottle,then filled it with pg,and let it sit.If i remember,i think it took about 6 weeks to really develop a good flavor,but after that,it just keeps getting better,i made it 2 years ago,and have left the beans in there,and it is very strong and potent stuff,so a little goes a long way.

I've definitely thought about it. I am a bit concerned over the safety of vaping a simple vanilla extraction though. My impression is that vanilla beans contain a significant amount of lipids, and I don't have access to equipment suitable for removing them from the extract at the moment. This might be an excess of caution on my part, but vaping lipids makes me nervous.

 

[JCinFLA]

I wanted a plain true vanilla flavoring for a recipe about 6 months ago. I'd tried several different vanillas I already had, but they "didn't quite do it" as far as what I was looking for. So, CAP Simply Vanilla popped up during a search and I ordered just 8mL of it to see if it was what I was looking for. My next flavoring order I placed...included the 4oz. size of it!

 

[Dubminer]

Has anybody got a source for MF vanilla in the USA? Everywhere i have searched is out of stock.Thank you in advance.