Vapetrik's Joe Kuhr

[ThaHealer]

Anyone who has read my other posts will know that it is no secret that I’ve become a Vapetrikaholic. I’ve been thinking for a while that Joe Kuhr deserves more attention and decided to share my thoughts. Personally, I think it is RiP’s most underrated offering, but like several of the others I didn’t love it at first vape. Why not? I don’t…er…didn’t like menthol. I used to smoke menthols, but a lot of menthol vapes have really turned me off. I think in order to appreciate Joe Kuhr, you can’t be completely opposed to menthol, but it is worth trying even if menthol vapes aren’t your preference.
The juice itself is a golden caramel color and the smell is outstanding. I’ll insert my disclaimer here that I’m horrible at distinguishing individual scents/flavors and RiP makes it even tougher with his mystery blends, but will do my best to describe the overall experience. I get a spicy scent, but not one that is overly strong. It is balanced by some sweetness and perhaps a hint of something creamy…vanilla maybe. It could easily be described as “cozy,” making me think of something baking in the oven or sipping tea in front of a fire. Personally, I can’t detect the slightest hint of the menthol scent that some liquids have. The vape itself is not quite what I expected from the scent. My first pull was icy cool blast that took me by surprise. As a generally non-menthol vaper I would consider this moderate to heavily mentholated. As I got used to the menthol sensation after avoiding menthols for so long, I came to once again appreciate the cooling feeling in the back of my throat. As my taste buds adjusted I began to sense the flavors that were initially masked by the menthol. I get a rich tobacco base, slightly sweet, but not so much that I would consider this a sweet juice and far less than Dorky Stud. If there is a creamy or vanilla component to the juice, I don’t really detect in flavor other than perhaps to smooth out the edges of some of the other components. The tobacco is laced with a luscious blend of spices. I’ll go out on a limb here and say there’s at least some cinnamon, but knowing RiP the spice blend alone probably has 10 ingredients. What I can say is this, the spiced component is very warm, comforting and inviting. I’ve had menthol/cinnamon juices before and this is nothing like those. Nothing about this juice burns, nor was it meant to be anything resembling “atomic.” Cinnamon juices irritate my throat and I don’t get that in the least with Joe Kuhr. The spice has a strong presence, but it is warm, not hot. The beauty of this juice is in the balance of two opposing sensations. The menthol is cool and the spice is warm, but neither overpowers the other. On inhale I get mostly the cooling sensation that is crisp and clean. On exhale I get the spicy tobacco, full and flavorful, and just slightly warming to my tongue and nose. The overall experience could be compared to the first few minutes after coming in from a cold winter day and sitting near the fireplace when for a few minutes you simultaneously feel cold and warmth. For me this is one of those rare juices that is more than a mere flavor, but an experience that truly lets you close your eyes and takes you to a different place. As with all of RiP’s juices it is unique, on the complex side and may not be for everyone, but it has definitely become one of my “must have, I will crave it if I run out before my next order gets here” flavors.