The Really Big RY4 Roundup (long)

[billherbst]

The grades given for these RY4s are my opinion only. They are also current judgments and may differ from grades I gave in the past. So please understand that if you base a buying decision solely on this list, you might end up getting an RY4 that I like rather than one you’ll like, since my tastes and palate are unlikely to match yours perfectly---in some cases, not even remotely.

Within each grade, the RY4s are listed in alphabetical order. This kind of judging is ridiculous enough without splitting hairs or nit-picking between RY4s within the same grade.

For vendor links and original review post numbers, as well as Category Groups, please refer to the most recent update of The Big RY4 List.

Did I mention that these grades are my opinion only? LOL.

A
Bloog/SmokelessImageVolt RY4
CrystalELiquid RY4
CrystalELiquid RY4 Double tobacco
GoodEJuice GJ4
RWVapors RY4
VapeRite VR4
Vapor..... RY4
VaporTalk Dulcis

A-
ApolloECigs RY4
Ikenvape RY4 Gold PG
Halo Tribeca
Janty Elixir RY4
Mom&PopVaporShop RY4v2
MrVapes RY4
VaporBeast Holy Grail RY4
VapourWorld Dekang RY4 Intense
Want2Vape RY4

B+
AlienVisions Raf-a-licious
ElixirLiquid RY4
Esmoke4Life Riskee Yuice
HealthCabin Dekang RY4
Heather’sHeavenlyVapes Heavenly tobacco
KickBassVapor RY4
LiquidXpress Taboo
Mom&PopVaporShop RY4
MountOlympusVapors RY4
PrimeVaping PV4
SpringVapor Black Label RY4 Day and Night
VaporBeast RY4
VaporStation VS4
Want2Vape Rock Star

B
AltCig RY4
BombayVaping RY4
BombayVaping RY5
ECBlend RY4
EcigExpress Tobacco Express RY4 (diy)
EcigzUSA RY4
GoodProphets GP4
Hangsen RY4
Mom&PopVaporShop RYO4
Moondrop RY42
MountainOakVapors Classic CountRY-4
MountOlympusVapors Double Happy RY4
NiteLiteVapor Renegade RY4
ParkesVaping PV4
VapeSales Gold Label RY4(squared)

B-
AltSmoke AltLiquid RY4
Awesome Clouds AC3
BackwoodsBrew RY4
GoodEJuice RY4
HighbrowVapor Highbrowbacco RY4
Hotvapes RY4
Keemer RY4 (no known vendor availability)
Madvapes Mad 4
NewEraVaping RY4
QuickNicJuice RY4
SpringVapor Fall Harvest RY4
Sweet-Vapes RY4
TopShelfVapes RY4
Vixen Vapors RY4

C+
GreenhouseOne RY4
KalamazooVaporShop RY4
Keemer RY3 (no known vendor availability)
MaddcattVapors MaddHatter RYW4
SmokeForPennys RY4
SpringVapor Black Label RY4
ValueVapor Dekang RY1-RY2
TheVaporRoom Ginger’s RY4

C
Copper Creek Voodoo
Good Prophets GP4
GourmetVapor RY4
HealthCabin house-brand RY4
HoneyvilleVapor RY4
NewEraVaping New Era
VapeDoctor RY4
VermillionRiver KY4

C-
BlueMist RY4
Greenhouse One RY4
EliteVaporworks RY4
FreedomSmokeUSA RY5
HighCaliber Our4
JooglerJuice Joogler’s Blend
Liberty-Flights Hangsen RY1-RY4
MaddcattVapors MaddHatter RYJ4
ParkesVaping RY4
VapeRite RY4

D+
ECBlend RY4 with double-extra caramel
HighCaliber Our 4
MaddCattVapors MaddHatter RyJ5
Vapure VY4/Liberty-Flights LF4 (same juice)

D
Bauway RY4 (no known vendor availability)
CopperCreek Twisted Tobacco
Mist-Stix RY4 (no longer available)
VoidMist RY4 (all versions, no longer available)

D-
Vapemasters R4 (no longer available)
VaporRenu Re4nu

F
FreedomSmokeUSA/FlavourArt oRYental 4

 

[sandybeach]

So, Bill, how much would it cost then, total, to make the stuff, including the cost of nicotine, PG, and VG and whatever else you need? I'm strongly considering it!!!

 

[ToweKnee]

The Super Concentrates IMO taste nothing like a RY4 at all and if anything is a grassy earthy tobacco base taste. I think one of the better single flavoring of RY4 is from FlavourArts. Taste very similar to a hangsens but it is much more rounded out with caramel and vanilla.

 

[billherbst]

So, Bill, how much would it cost then, total, to make the stuff, including the cost of nicotine, PG, and VG and whatever else you need? I'm strongly considering it!!!

sandy,

Roughly $50 in ingredient supplies (flavorings, PG, VG, and Liquid Nic) will let you make about 500ml of juice (50/50 base, 6mg nic) at a cost of 10¢/ml. A 10ml bottle would cost you $1.00. A 30ml bottle would be $3.00.

You'll also want to have a couple of graduated syringes/needles of various sizes, plus empty bottles.

If you got adventurous and bought a bunch more flavorings, you'd find yourself making some juices that end up getting poured down the sink. But even with a 20% total fail rate, DIY-juice-making is still relatively cheap.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Broad brushstroke and with a lot of caviats, DIY can be done for 5 cents a millilier for unflavored and 10 cents a milliliter for flavored. I mix at 25 mg/ml.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

Broad brushstroke and with a lot of caviats, DIY can be done for 5 cents a millilier for unflavored and 10 cents a milliliter for flavored. I mix at 25 mg/ml.

As Bill pointed out, it does take a modest investment in supplies. One factor in sharing recipes among users is that I seem to rarely have the excat flavorings as those someone might list in a recipe.

Bill is right to KISS as he approaches this topic. It may be that we here in the RY4 thread can find a common group of ingredients that is not too extensive.

 

[cubfanthad]

So, Bill, how much would it cost then, total, to make the stuff, including the cost of nicotine, PG, and VG and whatever else you need? I'm strongly considering it!!!

I look for sales on DIY stuff, I have often gotten nic from GP at $4.99 for 120mls. PG an VG are Cheep there too and for orders over $30 shipping is free. Shipping at other sites for $30 worth of supplies will run over $10 at Wiz Labs and TFA. I buy 240mls of each at a time and with flavoring my cost is between $.06 and $.09 a mil. Research the flavors ahead of time and your not going to waste much.

 

[scarf-ace]

Jim Bob, I am a huge BE fan. In that first burst of DIY creativity I made Nucky, Margaret, Commodore, Eddie Kessler, Gillian, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Chalky. Only Commodore, Gillian and Al are even remotely vapeable, and actually Al Capone is my own adulteration of plain old DeKang 555 concentrate. It is quite delish for when I am in a 555 mood. Eddie was supposed to be a raspberry lemonade blend but I overdid one of the concentrates or another and it tastes like I am vaping Shalimar. Yuck.

I haven't watched "Spartacus" but I do love "Boss", "Game of Thrones", and "The Borgias". That scene in "Borgias" of Jeremy Irons smoking a cigar at his daughter's wedding cracks me up. Probably not historically accurate, but funny

I think a "Deadwood" range of E-liquids would rock.

 

[billherbst]

The Super Concentrates IMO taste nothing like a RY4 at all and if anything is a grassy earthy tobacco base taste. I think one of the better single flavoring of RY4 is from FlavourArts. Taste very similar to a hangsens but it is much more rounded out with caramel and vanilla.

ToweKnee,

My brain interprets the tobacco base in the Tobacco Express RY4s more as "fresh tobacco leaf" rather than "grassy." I'm not challenging your experience---besides individual taste differences and preferences, every ingredient in DIY can alter the end result---base blend, brand and concentration of liquid nic, percentage of flavoring, length of steeping, etc. And that doesn't factor in device variables like voltage and atty/carto differences. So, you taste what you taste, I taste what I taste, and we're both probably correct.

I haven't tried the FA pre-mixed RY4 flavoring, so I can't comment on that one. Historically, I haven't been a big fan of FA tobaccos, but that doesn't mean a thing other than as a subjective personal opinion. Next time I order flavorings, I'll add some FA RY4 to my cart. I do have Hangsen's RY4 flavoring and didn't think much of it. I prefer Hangsen's retail RY4 to their DIY RY4 flavoring.

 

[Jim Bob]

You'd be a daisy if you do! I agree the cigar smoking scene was great!

 

[ToweKnee]

ToweKnee,

My brain interprets the tobacco base in the Tobacco Express RY4s more as "fresh tobacco leaf" rather than "grassy." I'm not challenging your experience---besides individual taste differences and preferences, every ingredient in DIY can alter the end result---base blend, brand and concentration of liquid nic, percentage of flavoring, length of steeping, etc. And that doesn't factor in device variables like voltage and atty/carto differences. So, you taste what you taste, I taste what I taste, and we're both probably correct.

I haven't tried the FA pre-mixed RY4 flavoring, so I can't comment on that one. Historically, I haven't been a big fan of FA tobaccos, but that doesn't mean a thing other than as a subjective personal opinion. Next time I order flavorings, I'll add some FA RY4 to my cart. I do have Hangsen's RY4 flavoring and didn't think much of it. I prefer Hangsen's retail RY4 to their DIY RY4 flavoring.

Bill all I know about the SC RY4 is that it tastes more of a tobacco base than a RY4. I dont taste a sweet caramel, vanilla or even a bit of nutty notes to it. I think it has a hay taste to it IMO than a pure leaf tobacco. Thats cool though and Im sure we both agree its very far from a RY4 regardless.

Let me know what you think of the FA Ry4 cause I was a big fan of the Hangsens until I tried some of this FA version. I think the FA has a more complete RY4 taste to it than the Hangsens.

I also know some vendors use FA 7 Leaves and call it a RY4 as well.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

RY4 Evaluations Pearltree - significantly updated, but still very much a work in progress.

Pearltrees

Read the 'editorial' for a brief introduction.

 

[Vappa]

I'm trying the FA RY4 right now. I don't have a reference to other RY4's though. But i can say at 3% it tastes quite good. I taste a little nutty undertone, lot of sweetness, just a slight bit of caramel and something other. The other might be vanilla but i'm not sure, since i've never vaped vanilla. That one is still steeping for later

I think the next batch will be made at 4% because it's a little light now for my preference.

 

[ToweKnee]

I'm trying the FA RY4 right now. I don't have a reference to other RY4's though. But i can say at 3% it tastes quite good. I taste a little nutty undertone, lot of sweetness, just a slight bit of caramel and something other. The other might be vanilla but i'm not sure, since i've never vaped vanilla. That one is still steeping for later

I think the next batch will be made at 4% because it's a little light now for my preference.

Vappa I usually mix it at 8% using a 50/50 mix myself. If you like I would even whip a batch of Hangsens for you to try for comparison. I mix the hangsens around 8-10% as well.

 

[Vappa]

Hmm, ToweKnee. Sounds like i'm being a little too careful with the RY4. FA are always strong flavors and i couldn't find a reference on this one. I will try the next batch on 8% like you suggest. Tastes like it could have a double dose. Thanks.

Are you coming to the Netherlands for the Hangsens or shall i come to you?

 

[billherbst]

Vappa and ToweKnee,

I just ordered a 10ml bottle of FlavourArt pre-mixed RY4 flavoring concentrate from Liberty-Flights, along with some other FA flavorings. When I get it and mix up a batch, I'll report back.

 

[billherbst]

specs: The 10ml bottle of Rygar from VulcanVape that was sent me all the way from Australia Down-Under by our colleague scarf-ace (thank you so much, scarf!) contained 4ml of deep-caramel-colored transparent liquid at 18mg nic strength in a 50/50 PG/VG 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.

Here’s the skinny on Rygar from the VulcanVape product page:

RYGAR e-liquid is made exclusively for Vulcan Vape by Want2Vape. RYGAR is a take on RY4 that's brooding and heroic, with a sweet undertone.​

Made by Want2Vape exclusively for VulcanVape, eh? Interesting. Before sampling Rygar, I grabbed my cartos of w2v RY4 and Rock Star to remind myself of their flavor profiles. W2V RY4 is restrained, calm, and smooth, with a deep caramel as bedrock. Rock Star is more vibrant and emphasizes various high-end treble notes, with Vanilla up front and a different tobacco. Rygar is not similar to either, although all three are custom RY4s. I think the description on the web page is good: brooding, although heroic is a bit of a stretch and slightly on the poetic side. This is a serious juice, not one that’s joking around just for grins. It’s also sweeter than either of the other w2v versions, although not close to dessert sweet. Just moderately sweet. Rygar also has considerably more more tobacco bite then the others.

I like Rygar quite a bit, with a single caveat: I pick up a subtle flavor in the recipe mix that I can’t place. It’s not bad (not like an off-flavor), but something my brain can’t identify or link to a familiar taste memory. The mystery flavor isn’t strong or dominant---it just sort of floats in the mix, peeking in every so often around the more recognizable flavors of tobacco, caramel, and vanilla (in that order of prominence---with that wonderful bite, this juice fits nicely in the Stronger Tobacco category). For all I know, the unknown taste might be part of one of those three basic flavors. I’m not put off by it, just curious. If I had to guess, I’d hypothesize that the unknown taste is part of the tobacco extract, since I presume that w2v uses NET (naturally-extracted tobacco) in Rygar. But it also might be the merest hint of a fruity element. It's so subtle, however, that I don't want to imply any mistaken impression that Rygar is a "fruity" RY4. It's not. After vaping Rygar for half an hour, I'd say that the mystery flavor---whatever it is---is part of what make this juice tasty and a good vape.

Tobacco-lovers should enjoy Rygar, along with those who favor deeper, darker flavored RY4s (as opposed to the classic profile, which has a bright, sometimes almost effervescent quality). Bass notes from violas and bassons and midrange from French horns provide the symphony here; no violins or flutes. All in all, we can add Rygar to the Big List as another very good custom RY4.

VulcanVape/w2v Rygar grade: B+

Link to purchase:
Vulcan Vape RYGAR

 

[scarf-ace]

Glad you liked it Bill. I think I know what that mystery flavour is. I posted elsewhere on this forum, a few months ago:

The secret relationship between vanilla and paper.
I found this passage in a book by biochemist Luca Turin, who writes about perfume:

"Lignin, the stuff that prevents all trees from adopting the weeping habit, is a polymer made up of units that are closely related to vanillin. When made into paper and stored for years, it breaks down and smells good. Which is how divine providence has arranged for secondhand bookstores to smell like good quality vanilla absolute, subliminally stoking a hunger for knowledge in all of us."
-Perfumes: The Guide, page 219

In retrospect, some of my favourite liquids have that papery/cardboardy aspect to them. Bloog SPI, Want2Vape Red Pirate and RYgar, VapeKing Tobacco Grande, etc. I don't know if this is just vanilla, or vanilla combined with tobacco (more likely) but that bookshop aftertaste is really appealing to me.

Note that due to complete lack of scientific knowledge I cannot confirm or deny the truth of Turin's statement. But the book nerd in me wants to believe him.

I am vaping RYgar right now and I definitely notice that bookshop taste rather strongly. Could it be?

 

[cha0sthe0ry]

Hello all, I just wanted to pop in and say Hi. I have read a lot on here, and after about 6 months of vaping fruity/dessert flavors, I found myself back to wanting tobacco. I read a lot of this thread, and since I work in an ecig shop, gave the ry4's we sell (Revolution and Halo Tribeca) a try. I wasn't impressed with either, I think they just weren't the right combination for me. I may not have as sophisticated a palette as some of you to describe the subtle nuances of each. They both tasted like toasty graham crackers to me. I searched through the pages in this thread, and found an updated list by Bill, which outlined the major players, new players, and assigned them letter grades. I found Mr. Vape on that list, and on a whim ordered a sample from them. I loaded a carto with their ry4 and immediately grinned ear-to-ear when I tasted it. That was the goldilocks combination for me. I taste a little more tobacco, but at the same time the caramel is sweeter, which leaves a nice sweet aftertaste. I absolutely love this flavor, and just wanted to say thank you to Bill and everyone else for keeping this thread alive.

--Mark

 

[billherbst]

Hello all, I just wanted to pop in and say Hi. I have read a lot on here, and after about 6 months of vaping fruity/dessert flavors, I found myself back to wanting tobacco. I read a lot of this thread, and since I work in an ecig shop, gave the ry4's we sell (Revolution and Halo Tribeca) a try. I wasn't impressed with either, I think they just weren't the right combination for me. I may not have as sophisticated a palette as some of you to describe the subtle nuances of each. They both tasted like toasty graham crackers to me. I searched through the pages in this thread, and found an updated list by Bill, which outlined the major players, new players, and assigned them letter grades. I found Mr. Vape on that list, and on a whim ordered a sample from them. I loaded a carto with their ry4 and immediately grinned ear-to-ear when I tasted it. That was the goldilocks combination for me. I taste a little more tobacco, but at the same time the caramel is sweeter, which leaves a nice sweet aftertaste. I absolutely love this flavor, and just wanted to say thank you to Bill and everyone else for keeping this thread alive.

--Mark

Mark,

Thank you so much, and I'm glad to hear that we didn't lead you too far astray and actually gave you a heads-up on an RY4 you like.