Yes, it could be that the mystery flavor is linked to the Vanilla. I'll assume you're correct, if for no other reason than your explanation smacks of Sherlock Holmes and sounds so good.
The Really Big RY4 Roundup (long)
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Yes, it could be that the mystery flavor is linked to the Vanilla. I'll assume you're correct, if for no other reason than your explanation smacks of Sherlock Holmes and sounds so good.
specs: The 5ml bottle of PinkSpotVapors RY8 that was sent me from Australia by our colleague scarf-ace (earning my second heartfelt thank you to scarfy, with one more to go) contained a caramel-colored liquid so dark that it was opaque, at 24mg nic strength in an undefined base blend. The thin viscosity suggests 80/20 PG/VG, maybe? Testing was done by dripping into a 1.6 ohm IKV i06 atty powered by a Young-June mini Vtube set to 4.1 volts, for 10.5 watts of heat.
PinkSpotVapors is a an artisan juice vendor with a core of dedicated fans on ECF and a reputation for intense, in-your-face flavors. I’ve been wanting to try RY8 for quite awhile, in part because of the bravado in PinkSpot’s description from the RY8 product page:
Below is an excerpt from what scarf-ace had to say about RY8 from her August 1st review on this thread. Scarfy’s entire review can be read here:
If you’re looking for a complex, multi-layered vanilla blend with about 100 different vanilla flavor elements in it (so many that they virtually squeeze out the sides of the central flavor in a way that adds numerous offshoot vanilla sub-flavors, some of which are a little odd), then you've struck the motherlode and this is your juice. If you want an RY4 (or an RYanything), however, look elsewhere.
At the risk of truncating this review, I’ve decided to exclude PinkSpot RY8 from The Big RY4 List, for the simple reason that it’s from the Vanilla Republic and isn’t even a visiting tourist in RY4 Land. I also won’t give it a grade, because in my RY4 grading system, RY8 would deserve very low marks (I’ll give you three guesses as to what that grade would be, and the first two guesses don’t count).
Please understand, I'm not dissing PinkSpot. Yes, I'm playing with them a bit, but they asked for it with their assertion that RY8 is "twice as good" as RY4. I hoped it might actually be true, but it turns out to be no more than a good joke. I do wish that PinkSpot hadn't hung the RY label on this creation, but that's their business. The juice itself is interesting and even strangely compelling, it’s just not an RY4. So, if you're jonesing for a complex and idiosyncratic vanilla blend, by all means give PinkSpot RY8 a go.
link to purchase: PinkSpotVapors RY8
PinkSpotVapors is a an artisan juice vendor with a core of dedicated fans on ECF and a reputation for intense, in-your-face flavors. I’ve been wanting to try RY8 for quite awhile, in part because of the bravado in PinkSpot’s description from the RY8 product page:
“RY8 is Pink Spot Vapors take on the popular RY4 flavor. The difference is the RY8 is simply twice as good!”
My, what a bold combination of tongue-in-cheek (I hope) and over-the-top marketing hype. I don’t know if PinkSpot is serious or not, but it sure is ballsy.
Below is an excerpt from what scarf-ace had to say about RY8 from her August 1st review on this thread. Scarfy’s entire review can be read here:
“I detect top notes of bright vanilla on the inhale followed by a body of vanilla, strong vanilla accents, and vanilla, capped off with a trace of sweet vanilla on the exhale. Seriously, though, this is one vanilla-heavy RY4 (ya think?).”
Well, folks, guess what? Scarf is right. I'd add a significant disclaimer, however. To my palate, RY8 is one vanilla-heavy juice all right, but it’s a vanilla blend, not an RY4. Where’s the tobacco? Where’s the caramel? Nowhere I can taste. They are AWOL, missing in action, vanished without a trace, or---more likely---they’re just buried under an avalanche of vanilla. If you’re looking for a complex, multi-layered vanilla blend with about 100 different vanilla flavor elements in it (so many that they virtually squeeze out the sides of the central flavor in a way that adds numerous offshoot vanilla sub-flavors, some of which are a little odd), then you've struck the motherlode and this is your juice. If you want an RY4 (or an RYanything), however, look elsewhere.
At the risk of truncating this review, I’ve decided to exclude PinkSpot RY8 from The Big RY4 List, for the simple reason that it’s from the Vanilla Republic and isn’t even a visiting tourist in RY4 Land. I also won’t give it a grade, because in my RY4 grading system, RY8 would deserve very low marks (I’ll give you three guesses as to what that grade would be, and the first two guesses don’t count).
Please understand, I'm not dissing PinkSpot. Yes, I'm playing with them a bit, but they asked for it with their assertion that RY8 is "twice as good" as RY4. I hoped it might actually be true, but it turns out to be no more than a good joke. I do wish that PinkSpot hadn't hung the RY label on this creation, but that's their business. The juice itself is interesting and even strangely compelling, it’s just not an RY4. So, if you're jonesing for a complex and idiosyncratic vanilla blend, by all means give PinkSpot RY8 a go.
link to purchase: PinkSpotVapors RY8
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specs: The 5ml bottle of VapeKing VK4 that was sent me from Australia by our colleague scarf-ace (thanks, scarfy---for the third straight time) contained a light-peachy-pink transparent liquid at 18mg nic strength in an 80/20 PG/VG base blend. Testing was done by dripping into a 1.6 ohm IKV i06 atty powered by a Young-June mini Vtube set to 4.1 volts, for 10.5 watts of heat.
VapeKing is a full-service vaping vendor located in Sydney, Australia. Retail e-liquids from Australia are a whole ‘nother thing than Chinese, European, or American juices, because Australia has outlawed sales of liquid nicotine. Juices are sold with no nicotine in various forms---as flavor concentrates, obviously, but also commonly as “doublers,” which are mixed with PG or VG, but contain twice the flavor intensity of “normal” juice. Vapers obtain liquid nicotine from outside Australia and then add it in double their desired concentration as an equal measure (a 1:1 or 50/50 mix) to the doubling flavors sold by vendors. For example, if you want 10ml of juice at 12mg nic strength, you'd take 5ml of the doubler (with 2X flavor) and add to it 5ml of neutral base (PG/VG) with a 24mg nic concentration. Presto! You end up with 10ml of normal flavor at 12mg nic.
Here’s the description from the VapeKing VK4 product page:
What’s so great about VK4? Well, for one thing it’s got a very good tobacco base. The tobacco isn’t particularly strong, but the fresh leaf flavor comes through nicely and without any off-tastes in a way that makes my taste buds very happy. I don't know if the tobacco is NET or synthetic, but I don't care. It's great.
For another thing, the juice is beautifully balanced and blended. This is tobacco, caramel, vanilla, and nuts in a blend so subtly melded that I can’t distinguish the caramel from the vanilla from the nuts. It’s as if they were a single delicious flavor riding atop the lovely base tobacco, which doesn’t compete, but complements like an old, dear friend who knows you well and lovingly lets you be yourself. I also adore how calm this juice is. It doesn’t shout; it speaks softly, in low and measured tones. Like poetry or a lullaby.
If I had to isolate one quality of VK4 that makes it especially yummy to me, that most special singular quality would be its rich butteriness. This isn’t a sweet RY4---not even close to a dessert vape---but it’s ultra-rich, smooth as silk, and buttery as all get-out without feeling oily or leaving your mouth and tongue coated with lipids.
I don’t know how a juice can be so subtle and yet so amply flavorful at the same time, but VK4 does it. I’m reminded of RWVapors’ RY4---my current #1 favorite RY4---but the component flavors in VK4 are melded into union rather than distinctly separate as they are in RWVapors. And RWV’s version isn’t nearly as buttery. Both, however, are superb custom RY4s, and both deserve to be in my all-time Top 10.
I thought twice about reviewing an Australian juice that may not be easily available to American vapers, but after vaping it, I felt compelled to review VK4 and add it to The Big List. This juice is just too good to pass up.
VapeKing VK4 grade: A
vendor link: VapeKing VK4
One day, two very unusual reviews: the first juice isn’t even an RY4, and the second is a near-perfect RY4 that many readers of this thread may never get to vape because it’s from halfway around the world. Odd, eh?
VapeKing is a full-service vaping vendor located in Sydney, Australia. Retail e-liquids from Australia are a whole ‘nother thing than Chinese, European, or American juices, because Australia has outlawed sales of liquid nicotine. Juices are sold with no nicotine in various forms---as flavor concentrates, obviously, but also commonly as “doublers,” which are mixed with PG or VG, but contain twice the flavor intensity of “normal” juice. Vapers obtain liquid nicotine from outside Australia and then add it in double their desired concentration as an equal measure (a 1:1 or 50/50 mix) to the doubling flavors sold by vendors. For example, if you want 10ml of juice at 12mg nic strength, you'd take 5ml of the doubler (with 2X flavor) and add to it 5ml of neutral base (PG/VG) with a 24mg nic concentration. Presto! You end up with 10ml of normal flavor at 12mg nic.
Here’s the description from the VapeKing VK4 product page:
“Vape King's version of the popular RY4 Tobacco blend. A rich tobacco with hints of Caramel and Vanilla.”
Let me cut right to the chase. VapeKing VK4 is a wonderful custom RY4. I could vape this juice all day long, and---as many of you know---I’m not an all-day-vape kind of guy. This juice is so good that I could easily fill a Vivi Nova tank or Kanger T2 with VK4, then just sit here on the couch and suck on my PV until the cows come home and the angels sing.What’s so great about VK4? Well, for one thing it’s got a very good tobacco base. The tobacco isn’t particularly strong, but the fresh leaf flavor comes through nicely and without any off-tastes in a way that makes my taste buds very happy. I don't know if the tobacco is NET or synthetic, but I don't care. It's great.
For another thing, the juice is beautifully balanced and blended. This is tobacco, caramel, vanilla, and nuts in a blend so subtly melded that I can’t distinguish the caramel from the vanilla from the nuts. It’s as if they were a single delicious flavor riding atop the lovely base tobacco, which doesn’t compete, but complements like an old, dear friend who knows you well and lovingly lets you be yourself. I also adore how calm this juice is. It doesn’t shout; it speaks softly, in low and measured tones. Like poetry or a lullaby.
If I had to isolate one quality of VK4 that makes it especially yummy to me, that most special singular quality would be its rich butteriness. This isn’t a sweet RY4---not even close to a dessert vape---but it’s ultra-rich, smooth as silk, and buttery as all get-out without feeling oily or leaving your mouth and tongue coated with lipids.
I don’t know how a juice can be so subtle and yet so amply flavorful at the same time, but VK4 does it. I’m reminded of RWVapors’ RY4---my current #1 favorite RY4---but the component flavors in VK4 are melded into union rather than distinctly separate as they are in RWVapors. And RWV’s version isn’t nearly as buttery. Both, however, are superb custom RY4s, and both deserve to be in my all-time Top 10.
I thought twice about reviewing an Australian juice that may not be easily available to American vapers, but after vaping it, I felt compelled to review VK4 and add it to The Big List. This juice is just too good to pass up.
VapeKing VK4 grade: A
vendor link: VapeKing VK4
One day, two very unusual reviews: the first juice isn’t even an RY4, and the second is a near-perfect RY4 that many readers of this thread may never get to vape because it’s from halfway around the world. Odd, eh?
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I'll make a deal with the regular habitues of this thread: anyone who wants some VK4 (or any other VK doubler) shoot me a PM and I'll send you some. I order juice, cartos and other supplies from Brian about twice a month so it's no drama.
Personally, I recommend VK5, Royal Blend, Tobacco Grande, Banana Nut Bread, and VK Supreme. Members of the Aussievapers forum also highly praise Cherry Ripe as an accurate rendition of the popular candy bar (chocolate, cherries and coconut) although I cannot vouch for it myself.
Personally, I recommend VK5, Royal Blend, Tobacco Grande, Banana Nut Bread, and VK Supreme. Members of the Aussievapers forum also highly praise Cherry Ripe as an accurate rendition of the popular candy bar (chocolate, cherries and coconut) although I cannot vouch for it myself.
I received a sampler pack from Bill (who is most gracious for sharing by the way) and am currently enjoying the W2V diy RY4 in 18 mg nic strength and 60/40 PG/VG. This is unlike any RY4 I have tried up to this point (25 or so total, still a novice compared to Bill) and it is very good. The tobacco is smooth, the vanilla and caramel seem to blend together and the effect is very clean and almost leaves a "buttery" after taste. My palate detects maybe a little more vanilla than caramel and probably why I like it as much as I do since I prefer the RY4's with more vanilla, less caramel.
I have not tried W2V's commercial RY4 so I do not know how Bill's DIY will compare. But, if it similar to Bill's I may have to open my purse strings again. I think this one will fit nicely in my daily rotation that continues to grow.
I have not tried W2V's commercial RY4 so I do not know how Bill's DIY will compare. But, if it similar to Bill's I may have to open my purse strings again. I think this one will fit nicely in my daily rotation that continues to grow.
On Target,
A year and a half ago I bought two 3ml sample bottles of W2V's retail juice version of RY4. Although my database tells me that I gave them an 'A' grade, I can't remember what they tasted like. At that point, I'd been using want2vape's RY4 diy flavor concentrate (purchased in a 15ml bottle for $10 from XtremeVaping) for awhile. I guess I found the concentrate similar enough to the retail juice that I simply continued using the diy concentrate rather than buying more of the retail juice.
Good, isn't it?
To this day, w2v remains one of my top-rated RY4s, even though I've had a spate of newer retail RY4s that have challenged many of the older highly-rated RY4s, sometimes pushing them out of my short-list of personal faves. My most current Top 13 (expanded from 10) contains six RY4s that are new to me over the past six months:
Bills Top 12 (my current personal favorites)
1. VapeKing VK4 (a two-day old romantic infatuation; time will tell, of course...)
2. RWVapors RY4
3. Vapor..... OuR-Y4
4. VaporTalk Dulcis
5. CrystalELiquid RY4
6. Bloog/SmokelessImage Volt RY4
7. Dekang RY4 (HealthCabin)
8. Ikenvape RY4 Gold
9. Janty RY4 (Elixir Line)
10. Want2Vape RY4
11. ApolloEcigs RY4
12. CrystalELiquid Double-Tobacco RY4
13. KickBassVapor RY4
Bill, yes W2V is very good. Of your top 13 list, I have tried Dekang and and ApolloEcigs, plus the W2V. I very much like Apollo, not so much Dekang but my palate continues to evolve and Dekang is better now than a couple of months ago. Just today I placed an order for RWVapors RY4 and am looking forward to trying it. I may have to try some more of your faves in the near future! Thanks for the listing.
I haven't tried W2Vs name RY4 although as is well known I am a BIG fan of Rygar and Rockstar. One of these days I will get some. Have any of our club members tried the Vapenstein blends or the darker cigar blends from them?
I have created another Frankenjuice. I was going through my pile of "reject" juices (amazing how many of these stories start with that) and noticed one of Hangdude's favorites, Tobacco Haze by Mom & Pop Vapor Shop. I filled up a Vivi Nova tank with it and it confirmed my first impression of a bit too much of that "fuzzy" taste which I think is tobacco absolute. Not unpleasant but...well, not my first choice.
So I dumped it and WITHOUT RINSING THE TANK OUT, re-filled it halfway with Copper Creek House Blend, which as many of you know, is a subtle dessert blend (previously described by yours truly as "red velvet cake"--chocolaty enough to notice, but not chocolaty enough to be called true chocolate). It mitigated a lot of the TA fuzziness, but it still needed something. I added a dropperful of Mountain Oak Vapors Heavenly 7 --a choc-coconut liquid which is a bit strong on its own but still tasty.
AAAH now that is just lovely. Richness from the choc and coconut cut by the twangy bitterness of the tobacco absolute.
Full disclosure: I actually created this monstrosity at 5am during a bout of insomnia. If I were to do it again in waking hours, I would display better hygiene and actually rinse the tank out.
I have created another Frankenjuice. I was going through my pile of "reject" juices (amazing how many of these stories start with that) and noticed one of Hangdude's favorites, Tobacco Haze by Mom & Pop Vapor Shop. I filled up a Vivi Nova tank with it and it confirmed my first impression of a bit too much of that "fuzzy" taste which I think is tobacco absolute. Not unpleasant but...well, not my first choice.
So I dumped it and WITHOUT RINSING THE TANK OUT, re-filled it halfway with Copper Creek House Blend, which as many of you know, is a subtle dessert blend (previously described by yours truly as "red velvet cake"--chocolaty enough to notice, but not chocolaty enough to be called true chocolate). It mitigated a lot of the TA fuzziness, but it still needed something. I added a dropperful of Mountain Oak Vapors Heavenly 7 --a choc-coconut liquid which is a bit strong on its own but still tasty.
AAAH now that is just lovely. Richness from the choc and coconut cut by the twangy bitterness of the tobacco absolute.
Full disclosure: I actually created this monstrosity at 5am during a bout of insomnia. If I were to do it again in waking hours, I would display better hygiene and actually rinse the tank out.
I haven't tried W2Vs name RY4 although as is well known I am a BIG fan of Rygar and Rockstar. One of these days I will get some. Have any of our club members tried the Vapenstein blends or the darker cigar blends from them?
I have created another Frankenjuice. I was going through my pile of "reject" juices (amazing how many of these stories start with that) and noticed one of Hangdude's favorites, Tobacco Haze by Mom & Pop Vapor Shop. I filled up a Vivi Nova tank with it and it confirmed my first impression of a bit too much of that "fuzzy" taste which I think is tobacco absolute. Not unpleasant but...well, not my first choice.
So I dumped it and WITHOUT RINSING THE TANK OUT, re-filled it halfway with Copper Creek House Blend, which as many of you know, is a subtle dessert blend (previously described by yours truly as "red velvet cake"--chocolaty enough to notice, but not chocolaty enough to be called true chocolate). It mitigated a lot of the TA fuzziness, but it still needed something. I added a dropperful of Mountain Oak Vapors Heavenly 7 --a choc-coconut liquid which is a bit strong on its own but still tasty.
AAAH now that is just lovely. Richness from the choc and coconut cut by the twangy bitterness of the tobacco absolute.
Full disclosure: I actually created this monstrosity at 5am during a bout of insomnia. If I were to do it again in waking hours, I would display better hygiene and actually rinse the tank out.
Gotta try that one. I liked Tobacco Haze for about five minutes, and I re-bought Copper Creek House Blend and can't remember what I liked about it. Meh, I don't have any Tobacco Haze left. Let's see. I bet I can take one of the disgusting NLV juices that I hate and blend it with House Blend and come up with something good.
Review: TFA RY4 Asian - 60/40
Another winner, Bill!!!!
This juice is a true RY4 to me. Not at all like the Dekang RY4 of late. Much sweeter and more delicious. Tobacco comes through very well. Sweet caramel is the first note. If I had to describe it in a sentence, I would say sweet caramel tinged tobacco with vanilla notes.\\
I am very picky with juices, as most of you know. There are just not that many RY4s that I like! I like this one just as well as the first RY4 you blended.
My verdict: Dee-lish!
Another winner, Bill!!!!
This juice is a true RY4 to me. Not at all like the Dekang RY4 of late. Much sweeter and more delicious. Tobacco comes through very well. Sweet caramel is the first note. If I had to describe it in a sentence, I would say sweet caramel tinged tobacco with vanilla notes.\\
I am very picky with juices, as most of you know. There are just not that many RY4s that I like! I like this one just as well as the first RY4 you blended.
My verdict: Dee-lish!
Scarfy, I gotta get a picture to you - my son presented me yesterday with a silk scarf he bought for me in Thailand. Love love love your new avatar!
Oh yes. Here's the list of tobacco juices I've got from want2vape. Had all of these in my stash for at least a year, with some ordered two or three times:
555.5
Acid Blondie
Alcazar
Light Cig (diy from w2v concentrate)
London (Vapenstein)
Louisville (Vapenstein)
Managua (Vapenstein)
Morley
Red Pirate
Rock Star
RY4 (mostly diy from w2v concentrate)
Tabak Especial
Acid Blondie
Alcazar
Light Cig (diy from w2v concentrate)
London (Vapenstein)
Louisville (Vapenstein)
Managua (Vapenstein)
Morley
Red Pirate
Rock Star
RY4 (mostly diy from w2v concentrate)
Tabak Especial
My favorites (besides the RY4 and Rock Star) in the cigar catergory are Managua (even better with a little w2v Creme Brulee) and Tabak Especial (coffee-infused tobacco, yum!). I don't much like either London or Louisville. Never tried Stockholm or Paris.
I have created another Frankenjuice. I actually created this monstrosity at 5am during a bout of insomnia. If I were to do it again in waking hours, I would display better hygiene and actually rinse the tank out.
Ah, the "happy accident," one of the lynchpins of both science and industry. Dumb mistakes that worked out great.
sandy,
Two for two! Even if you end up loathing the other three, you're still way ahead of the game. We'll turn you into a DIY artisan juicemistress yet! (Unless I'm supposed to keep mixing and mailing them to you. LOL.)
Bill, after a couple more days steeping, your TPA Double RY4 is remarkably similar to Apollo's RY4. In fact, I am vaping them side-by-side and can hardly tell a difference. It is the same flavor profile just maybe a hint more sweetness at exhale with the TPA. I like it! You are 2 for 2 from 2 different critics! You are on a roll.
The great thing about these DIY Samplers is that I have nothing riding on them, no ego-stake. Sure, I mixed the juices, but any chimp could be trained to do that. What frees me is that I didn't design the juices. I'm glad you like the ones you've tried so far, simply because it pleases me to see my thread friends and compatriots happy. But if you don't like them, that's OK too, and equally valuable to know.
I'll be curious to hear how you and Sandy react to the two Tobacco Express Chinese flavorings---Ruyan 4 and RY4---and the Decadent Vapour's DV4. My guess is that those might spark more criticism.
Bill, I have been atty dripping Decadent Vapour’s DV4 for about an hour now trying to come up with the right words to describe it. And I must say it is not easy! I like it but this is not quite like any other RY4 I have tried. The tobacco takes the lead upon inhale and the vanilla and caramel blend together in harmony upon exhale. Again, all three components are unique to me as I have nothing similar to compare them to.
To me this is primarily a tobacco vape with the vanilla and caramel playing supporting roles – not a dessert vape. Another thumbs up, 3 for 3!
To me this is primarily a tobacco vape with the vanilla and caramel playing supporting roles – not a dessert vape. Another thumbs up, 3 for 3!
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