What makes gourmet flavors gourmet?

[Oiisu]

So I took the leap and ordered a bunch of supplies to get started making my own juice and I am very excited. I have been thinking about how nice it is going to be to be able to craft my own juices and everything that goes along with that, but I did start to wonder about something. Of course there are a wide range of companies that make and sell e-juice at a wide range of prices - I myself have been mostly satisfied by the less expensive juices. I have tried or bought just a few of more prestigious juices too, and I enjoyed them as well. I will admit I am not exactly a flavor connoisseur and certainly my tastes aren't fully refined, but as I am now going to be preparing my own juice, I wanted to see what other people's, and specifically DIYers', opinions were on this subject.

What are the differences between the juices provided by the economical companies and the expensive companies? Are all the companies pretty much getting the same PG, same VG, the same nicotine, and the same flavors from the same few sources? Do so-called gourmet juices just have a larger number of flavors blended in to accentuate a juice? Or is it literally just about pricing, marketing, and glass bottles? Is there anything in the ingredients that differentiates a low-end juice from a high-end juice?

I enjoyed reading through much of the thread where people were trying to replicate the secret mixture that is Boba's Bounty, that juice happened to be one of the first I ever had since so many people recommend it so highly, and I liked it, not incredibly, I have other juices that I enjoy better, though my brother absolutely loves it. I wonder if people are spending all this time because it really is a better juice than what they are making, or if its simply trying to solve a very good unknown formula.

 

[Tmartin63]

Wow no input at all from the DIY'ers out there. I am anxiously awaiting a few thoughts on this myself.

 

[Aheadatime]

A few things. First of all, good base. Good quality VG, PG, and nicotine. You can buy crappy base believe it or not, so it's important not to do so if you want the best vape experience possible.

Second, the flavor companies. There are too many to list, and they each vary vastly. It's also not fair to say "this company sucks and this company is awesome", as the concentrates within a particular company vary from one another. For example, I love TFA's Banana Nut Bread, but I can't stand their Black Tea. I love Hangsen's tobaccos, but don't like their sweet/dessert vapes. Thus, it wouldn't be fair to call either a 'crappy company'.

Third, the %'s. Alot of people jump in and add 10% of flavor A, 10% flavor B, and 5% flavor C, with 10% EM thrown in because they heard it makes everything taste wonderful. Overflavoring (and underflavoring) are real issues, and if you don't find the sweet spot with every single concentrate you buy, it won't matter if you have good base and good flavor concentrates.

Fourth, the tips and tricks. Mixing a tiny amount of raspberry into your watermelon vapes or vanilla into your chocolate vapes enhances them without being noticeable to the palette. PG/VG ratio (with perhaps distilled water or saline solution) matters as well to the palette (VG is slightly sweet and PG can be irritable to some). Adding in unsuspected flavors to a recipe, like .5% TFA Raisin into tobacco vapes, can make a huge difference as well.

Lastly, the labeling/marketing. Having a nice glass bottle with a child safety cap, cool design on a waterproof label, and a little hand-written thank you receipt makes the buyer feel like this stuff is exclusive when compared to boring white and grey packaging containing cheap, leaky chinese bottles.

In any case, pretty much all of the points I listed above accumulate into my last point - Experience. You can't know which flavor concentrates from which vendors, what % to mix them at, which flavors complement others, and which secret ingredients to add without getting your hands dirty and trying out everything that your budget and schedule will allow. Most of the experienced mixers around here don't post all of their hard-earned, time-consumed recipes for good reason - they worked really hard and spent alot of time and money to figure out what they know. While this community is very sharing and informative, you'll simply have to find out alot of stuff on your own the hard way, which is actually the fun way.

 

[Runningw235]

What is "gourmet" to me may be different than how others feel about it. The flavors I consider "gourmet" are complex blends that are fine tuned to the last detail. There are a lot of really good juices that I wouldn't consider exceptional, gourmet, premium, whatever. I'm still learning myself. Trial and error and gracious help from more experienced people is how you get going in the right direction.


What a lot of juice vendors do, from what I can tell, is put too much (IMO) emphasis on the marketing. I think wax covered bottle tops, super fancy packaging, etc. are superfluous, but result in many consumers assuming the juice is top notch, whether it is or not. The juice itself is what makes it "gourmet" for me. Take Nicoticket for example. High quality juice, simple plastic bottles and labels. They could probably do really pretentious packaging and labeling and sell for $30 a bottle.

 

[Dogeggs]

It's mostly marketing hype, I bought a 10ml of 'premium' Raspberry Ripple juice once, it was peppery (crap nic) and the flavours were TFA without a doubt, my home made was a LOT better! That said, some premium juice companies make their own extractions and actually put some work into making their juice taste good, I think 5 Pawns is one of them having read a few good reviews, not actually tried it though.

 

[Blueser]

I never came across a store bought gourmet flavor, my last ditch effort was to diy...figured I couldn't do any worse

 

[Hoosier]

A few things. First of all, good base. Good quality VG, PG, and nicotine. You can buy crappy base believe it or not, so it's important not to do so if you want the best vape experience possible.

Second, the flavor companies. There are too many to list, and they each vary vastly. It's also not fair to say "this company sucks and this company is awesome", as the concentrates within a particular company vary from one another. For example, I love TFA's Banana Nut Bread, but I can't stand their Black Tea. I love Hangsen's tobaccos, but don't like their sweet/dessert vapes. Thus, it wouldn't be fair to call either a 'crappy company'.

Third, the %'s. Alot of people jump in and add 10% of flavor A, 10% flavor B, and 5% flavor C, with 10% EM thrown in because they heard it makes everything taste wonderful. Overflavoring (and underflavoring) are real issues, and if you don't find the sweet spot with every single concentrate you buy, it won't matter if you have good base and good flavor concentrates.

Fourth, the tips and tricks. Mixing a tiny amount of raspberry into your watermelon vapes or vanilla into your chocolate vapes enhances them without being noticeable to the palette. PG/VG ratio (with perhaps distilled water or saline solution) matters as well to the palette (VG is slightly sweet and PG can be irritable to some). Adding in unsuspected flavors to a recipe, like .5% TFA Raisin into tobacco vapes, can make a huge difference as well.

Lastly, the labeling/marketing. Having a nice glass bottle with a child safety cap, cool design on a waterproof label, and a little hand-written thank you receipt makes the buyer feel like this stuff is exclusive when compared to boring white and grey packaging containing cheap, leaky chinese bottles.

In any case, pretty much all of the points I listed above accumulate into my last point - Experience. You can't know which flavor concentrates from which vendors, what % to mix them at, which flavors complement others, and which secret ingredients to add without getting your hands dirty and trying out everything that your budget and schedule will allow. Most of the experienced mixers around here don't post all of their hard-earned, time-consumed recipes for good reason - they worked really hard and spent alot of time and money to figure out what they know. While this community is very sharing and informative, you'll simply have to find out alot of stuff on your own the hard way, which is actually the fun way.

I'm quoting this because it's so right.

 

[CastleRat]

I still think it's a little guy way in the back of the shop with thick glasses.

If you're selling cheap juice why not call it premium and jack the price up? Some neubs might just believe it.

 

[Crunktanium]

I think 5 Pawns is one of them having read a few good reviews, not actually tried it though.

After reading some of their descriptions I'd say they use a full spread of flavors. It's possible they use some NET's but I highly doubt they make in house flavor concentrates. Some places just mix up various brands of the same flavors to create complex proprietary recipes.

 

[dannyv45]

A few things. First of all, good base. Good quality VG, PG, and nicotine. You can buy crappy base believe it or not, so it's important not to do so if you want the best vape experience possible.

Second, the flavor companies. There are too many to list, and they each vary vastly. It's also not fair to say "this company sucks and this company is awesome", as the concentrates within a particular company vary from one another. For example, I love TFA's Banana Nut Bread, but I can't stand their Black Tea. I love Hangsen's tobaccos, but don't like their sweet/dessert vapes. Thus, it wouldn't be fair to call either a 'crappy company'.

Third, the %'s. Alot of people jump in and add 10% of flavor A, 10% flavor B, and 5% flavor C, with 10% EM thrown in because they heard it makes everything taste wonderful. Overflavoring (and underflavoring) are real issues, and if you don't find the sweet spot with every single concentrate you buy, it won't matter if you have good base and good flavor concentrates.

Fourth, the tips and tricks. Mixing a tiny amount of raspberry into your watermelon vapes or vanilla into your chocolate vapes enhances them without being noticeable to the palette. PG/VG ratio (with perhaps distilled water or saline solution) matters as well to the palette (VG is slightly sweet and PG can be irritable to some). Adding in unsuspected flavors to a recipe, like .5% TFA Raisin into tobacco vapes, can make a huge difference as well.

Lastly, the labeling/marketing. Having a nice glass bottle with a child safety cap, cool design on a waterproof label, and a little hand-written thank you receipt makes the buyer feel like this stuff is exclusive when compared to boring white and grey packaging containing cheap, leaky chinese bottles.

In any case, pretty much all of the points I listed above accumulate into my last point - Experience. You can't know which flavor concentrates from which vendors, what % to mix them at, which flavors complement others, and which secret ingredients to add without getting your hands dirty and trying out everything that your budget and schedule will allow. Most of the experienced mixers around here don't post all of their hard-earned, time-consumed recipes for good reason - they worked really hard and spent alot of time and money to figure out what they know. While this community is very sharing and informative, you'll simply have to find out alot of stuff on your own the hard way, which is actually the fun way.

Very well said. "Gourmet" "Premium quality" "exotic rare" is so over used, You can put cheap flavoring into gold packaging and call it what ever you like but in the end you still have crap. Let your taste decide whats gourmet and what's not.

 

[Auntie Mame]

Aheadatime said it so well. I think of DIY juice making in the same light I think of preparing meals. It's not just reading a recipe and following directions. Some of the simplest food recipes can be so satisfying in the hands of one person and just plain ho-hum in the hands of another. I have found it is the same with vapor. All the care, the selection of each ingredient, the amount of each, the tricks you learn as you go, the minute changes we try with each repetition until we reach what to our palate is perfection. Today being the 4th, remember the best BBQ you've ever had the pleasure to eat and then remember the worst. Both "bbq", only one was premium.

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

Gourmet BBQ Flavor THAT is what we are missing!

 

[Myk]

I'll go with hype.
Because of the TV popularity of gourmet cooks "gourmet" is a popular catch word, just like "gourmet" is used to sell you 1/4 serving for 10 times the price in a restaurant.
"Gourmet" is the new and improved "new and improved".