No offence whatsoever but I have to disagree with this. I buy generic aspirin as well. When it comes to things that I taste, I am quite a bit more picky. Would I buy cheap scotch or generic olive oil, heck no. I have tried many different juices from a handful of vendors and I can say for sure not all base is created equal. USP is a manufacturing standard, it doesn't mean that there isn't a high end or a low end to that.
Though I am not as picky after smoking for 40 years, I agree with you and there are differences in quality, even within the "USP". Some of the more picky taste-testers can tell a big difference in some of the PG/VG.
As far as the nic goes, well, wl has fans, but the most current reviews for the American made nic from RTS is very favorable. Reviewed by wolcen, comparing RTS and WL ice, which is not stocked for now and is loved my many
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Join Date: Mar 2011Location: Woosta, MAPosts: 1,137
More RTS vs WL Ice
Refer also to post 839 in this thread.
I've had the two on hand (WL Ice and RTS) for well over a month now.
I'll continue to buy from WL for personal reasons, but in terms of clarity, th, flavor - so far, I consider them pretty darn near equivalent. This is a far cry from the RTS I originally purchased well over a year ago in VG (these are both PG) - and again I'm very surprised no one has noted a clear difference in the newer batches, leading me again to think I received an unusual batch previously. I do know that RTS has had two suppliers and even they say there is a noted difference between them - why they would not stick to whichever this came from only is beyond me. Last I heard (probably a month ago now) they were also considering a possible purchase of one of the labs, so maybe this all has changed again. I haven't really been on ECF for about a month, so I've some catching up to do.
In any case, and this is coming from someone who is not a big supporter RTS, but based on the RTS nic I received from Judgment Affirmed (no lot number, but he received them 12-28-12): to my taste buds - so far*, I call this a tie. I do think there is actually a subtle difference, but the bottom line to me is this: I have tried numerous times to pick out which is which in a blind taste test, and so far I cannot do so with any level of accuracy. It's just too hard testing them back to back for me. Now, by "so far", I mean this was testing on a modified (for dripping) CE9 w/Kanthal & cotton @ 1.5ohm / 5V. I'm going to mix fresh batches of 30mg (or maybe 24mg - 30mg is too much for me now I think) to try again. Today I received a mini-RDA and with the stock coil/wick, I feel I'm getting much better flavor than I was on the CE9. If I can finally *regularly* pick out one from the other, I'll certainly update with that. I only had several drops of each left in my test batches but I get the sense I might be able to finally nail them down.
It will be interesting to hear what Cyrus Vap thinks anyways. He clearly seems to have a knack for this sort of testing and I know he's got the equipment he knows how to get the best flavor from already. I sent him about 30ml of this same nic. Unless he has finally moved, this should reach him first thing next week. Of course for any review from him, you now have to trust a longer chain of custody: Judgment Affirmed [someone that has had a pretty clear openness/lack of bias in my opinion and has even pointed out an unfair statement of my own] and myself. Hopefully those who have seen us both around can vouch for us. I think so anyway but you may have your doubts - I dunno. Only fair to let it be known what's up either way.
I did try some titrations finally, and I had a nice "Homer moment": when I did the WL nic, I was like "uh oh... maybe I did something wrong? That's WAY too little 0.1N H2SO4... oh, right - that's 60MG not 100MG" (DOH!)
I used the calculator on WL's site to do the math for the MG levels. All were 1ml samples and I got the following:
Vendor: mls H2SO4 added/ Result (Labeled MG)
RTS: 6.2 / 100.6mg (100)
WL: 3.62 / 58.7mg (60)
GP: 2.13 / 34.6mg (36)
Honestly, I thought that WL may be a little low, or the others would be high, but they are pretty spot-on. The GP (Good Prophets) - I really thought was going to be higher than normal - this stuff has SERIOUS BITE (it is well aged)! My reasoning for thinking the WL might be low (or the RTS high) is that the RTS for whatever reason seems to have slightly more "effect" or "buzz". The slight variances are most likely my not so great testing equipment. Also of note: I've had no further headaches, which I had originally suspected *may* have been from RTS. These appear to have been from the pumpkin flavoring I used in one of the early RTS mixes.
Enjoy folks
can be used for tobacco too!!
