The comments below aren’t really “follow-up reviews,” per se, but just short blurbs describing my personal reactions, contrasting how I felt about each RY4 at the time of my initial review versus how I feel about it now. I’m “grading” these (A to F like in elementary school, because that’s quick ‘n easy, and everybody gets it).
This is the third and last post in this series of updated mini-reviews, 60 RY4s all told. If you’re curious about one that I’ve missed, just ask on the thread. I’ll test it and respond with my current reactions.
As always, these are just my personal opinions, and the law of subjectivity applies. You may love a juice I hate, and loathe a juice I adore. Seriously.
AltSmoke AltLiquid RY4---This was one of the original 20 juices that began the Big List back in post #1. It was low-ranked then and remained so throughout the Big List rankings. I fear, however, that I may have been too hard on this juice (either that or it’s aged nicely). In my current opinion, AltLiquid RY4 deserves to be solidly in the middle of the pack. It’s pretty good to me now. Makes me curious as to what AltLiquid Premium RY4 tastes like. Grade: B-
BlueMist RY4---One of the weirdest RY4s ever made in the retail marketplace. That said, it’s not a half-bad juice. I don’t mind vaping it at all. It’s just a very strange RY4. Grade: C
FreedomSmokeUSA oRYental 4---Though I bought this from FSUSA, it’s actually made by FlavourArt (Italy). Described as an Italian version of RY4, it was my least favorite RY4 of all time and consistently ranked last on the Big List. What do I think today? It’s still the worst RY4 I ever vaped. Downright lousy. The tobacco base is dreadful, which makes the other flavors irrelevant, although I’m not very fond of them, either. Grade: F
Hangsen RY4---I like this now better than I did originally. Hangsen RY4 is definitely not for vapors who like kicked-up or in-your-face flavor intensity. It’s a smooth, subtle juice, and a good candidate for someone who want an all-day RY4. Grade: B+
HealthCabin house-brand RY4---HealthCabin’s house-brand RY4 was a mystery to me initially. All the right components added up to a less-than-stellar end result, as if one had cooked a stew using very good ingredients, but had forgotten to season it properly. I have exactly the same reaction today. This juice ought to be much better than it is. Too bad it’s not. Grade: C+
High Caliber Our 4---I was distinctly unimpressed with this juice originally, and back in the days of ranking the Big List, Our 4 never climbed higher than the bottom third. Guess what? It wouldn’t get a higher ranking from me today, either. Grade: D+
Hotvapes RY4---Back when I first reviewed it, this was another reject that ended up among the bottom quarter of the rankings. Happily, though, I like it considerably more today. Still not earth-shaking (nor world-class), by any means, but pleasing to me. Grade: B-
NewEraVaping New Era---This is one of NewEra’s two RY4s. I don’t remember what I thought of it when I first reviewed it, and I’m too tired today to search for the review. Anyway, it’s OK. Not a Top 10 RY4 in my opinion, but a decent effort. Grade: B-
NewEraVaping RY4---This is the other of NewEra’s two RY4s. Same thoughts, same reactions, same grade. I’m not sure I’d call NEV New Era and RY4 identical twins, but they are certainly fraternal siblings. I wish they were less similar. Grade: B-
SmokeForPennys RY4---This is another RY4 that never fared too well in my rankings, always languishing well below the midline. The problem then (as now) is that so many better RY4s exist that this one can’t really shine or move up very far, despite being a nice, acceptable, middle-of-the-road RY4. If you’re stranded on a desert island (with power) and no other RY4s, this one will keep you going. Grade: B-
TopShelfVapes RY4---Everything I just wrote about SmokeForPennys RY4 applies to TopShelf RY4. No, they’re not identical juices---the flavor mix differs slightly, and TopShelf is smoother, with less punch (which is probably because my bottle of TopShelf is 18mg rather than the 24mg version of Pennys). Another good, stranded-on-a-desert-island candidate. If you don’t have a superlative Top 10 RY4, TopShelf RY4 will do in a pinch just fine. Grade: B-
Vapemasters R4---This was one of the first RY4s I ever purchased. I liked it then, but watched it lose luster in my eyes as I vaped more RY4s, and now I find it wretched. In fairness, this juice is 18 months old and may be going bad. No longer available anyway. Grade: D-
VapeRite RY4---I never thought much of this juice and still don’t, which is shocking, since I consider VapeRite to be in the elite group of artisan juice vendors. In fact, I like it less now than I did before. Something is definitely amiss here in the flavor mix. Grade: C-
VapeRite VR4---The rich, gooey caramel in VR4 made it one of my all-time personal favorite RY4s. I have to admit, however, that the creative brilliance of other, more balanced RY4s has gradually overtaken it in my esteem. VR4 is still quite good, but I’m not sure I’d consider it Top 10 RY4 anymore. Grade: B+
VaporStation VS4---VS4 has had a hell of a journey with me. Initially, I loved it. Then I didn’t. Then I did again. What do I think of it today? I like it. It’s unusual but good. Grade: B+
VaporTalk Dulcis---Right from the start, I felt that Dulcis was one of the very best Chinese-made Classic RY4s ever sold. Refined. Balanced. Delicious. A Top 10 RY4 for sure. I still feel that way, despite the fact that Dulcis remains overpriced and often unavailable. Grade: A
VapourWorld Dekang RY4 Intense---My tiny sample of DK RY4 Intense was only enough to fill one carto, which has now finally burned out. I took apart the dead carto, salvaged the wrapped filler, then dismantled a new Resurrector and wrapped the old filler around the new coil. Not enough saturated juice left for more than about ten minutes of vaping, but’s sufficient to note that DK RY4 Intense is just like DK RY4 with extra caramel. I actually prefer regular DK RY4, but this is darn good. Grade: A-
VermillionRiver KY4---KY4 hasn’t been available long enough for a true “revisiting,” so this is merely a second look, and a confirmation of my previous opinion. KY4 is a tasty juice considered purely on its own, but that’s not the criteria here. We’re considering it as an RY4. Unfortunately, KY4 strikes me as yet another in the seemingly endless line of similar spin-offs from VR’s flagship tobacco base, Kentucky Premium Blend. When I vape KY4, my brain says Kentucky Premium rather than RY4. I think Vermillion River would have been better off using their Classic Blend as the base for KY4. Grade: C
Vixen Vapors RY4---My initial review pegged this as a good, middle-of-the-road RY4. I find no reason to change that judgment now. Well worth vaping. Grade: B
Want2Vape RY4---I was quite impressed with w2v RY4 way back when, and I continue to be impressed today. This is fine stuff, and a custom RY4 worthy of great respect. Grade: A-
Want2Vape Rock Star---Ah, the other side of the coin. Unlike want2vape’s RY4, I was never very impressed by Rock Star, w2v's supposedly brighter RY4-variant, and its low ranking on the Big List reflected that opinion. Well, either my palate has changed or the juice has improved after more than a year of steeping, because now I like it quite a bit. Not as good as w2v RY4, but definitely tasty. Grade: B+
... is this just nothing like a RY4 at all or something like a RY4 but just pushing the envelope here....
