Disclaimer: This E-liquid was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of conducting a review. This fact notwithstanding, I will, as best I'm able, provide an honest, accurate and unbiased assessment of this product. Pertinent portions of this review are quoted from my review of Crave Gourmet's Green Apple. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/green-apple-by-crave-gourmet-ejuice.html Quoted passages are in italics.
The subject of this review, French Vanilla e-liquid, Double Strength is produced by Crave Gourmet EJuice http://www.craveejuice.com who are based in Vancouver, Canada.
What's the difference between Vanilla and French Vanilla? Apparently, the difference lies in the bases used to create ice cream. French Vanilla ice cream is made with eggs which are gently heated with lightly caramelised vanilla extract to form a rich, creamy custard base, while regular vanilla ice cream (Philadelphia Style) is made without eggs. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-02-23/features/sc-food-0218-qa-vanilla-20110223_1_nielsen-massey-vanillas-ice-cream-french-vanilla
It may be of interest to some of you, to know that Crave Gourmet EJuice "produce (their) vanilla extract using a blend of Tahitian and Tongo Vanilla beans." http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/canada-suppliers/257092-official-crave-gourmet-ejuice-canadian-thread-all-organic-ejuice-brewed-all-canadian-red-seal-chefs-6.html Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after Saffron, because of the intensive labour required to cultivate it. Originally from Mexico and Central America, attempts to grow it outside these regions were unsuccessful due to to the symbiotic relationship between the Vanilla Orchid and it's natural pollinator, the Melipona Bee. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla "In 1841, Edmond Albius, a 12-year-old slave who lived on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, discovered the plant could be hand-pollinated. Hand-pollination allowed global cultivation of the plant." http://www.silvercloudestates.com/vanilla_history.aspx
Crave Gourmet EJuice offer several ranges of product including Gourmet EJuice, divided into four categories; Crave Pure EJuice, Chef's Premium Brew, Gourmet EJuice and Tobacco EJuice (48 flavours), Flavour Shots (8 flavours) and DIY, divided into three categories (Organic flavours (57 flavours), Tobacco flavours (6 flavours) and Double Strength EJuice (64 flavours). Crave Gourmet's liquids are made entirely with organic ingredients and the Vegetable Glycerin is derived from sweet Potatoes. Not only is there no nicotine content in these juices and extracts, but there's also no Propylene glycol, Acetone, Alcohol, Acetyl Propionyl or Diacetyl.
French Vanilla is available as a regular e-liquid (albeit sans nicotine; the sale and supply of nicotine e-liquids in Canada is illegal), a Double Strength solution for mixing with your own base and as an extract for use by the DIY mixers amongst you. The bottle of French Vanilla under consideration in this instance is from the Double Strength range. These bottles come in sizes of 30ml ($17.95), 120ml (4oz) ($30.95), 240ml (8oz) ($50.95), 480ml (16oz) ($89.95), 960ml (32oz) ($144.95) and 3.7l (1 gallon) ($299.95). NB. I assume these figures are in Canadian currency. As of the date of the writing of this review one Canadian dollar is equivalent to US$0.97 and GBP£0.60.
The 10ml sample bottle I have in front of me is a semi-opaque, easily squeezed plastic that arrived in a tamper evident plastic film which covered it from top to bottom. The cap, which was also tamper evident (with a plastic ring around the neck of the bottle attached to the cap), is a white plastic, non-childproof screw top. The bottle has an attached dropper insert for easy dripping, which is easily removed if you want to decant the liquid into a larger bottle and add your own nicotine/PG/VG base. The label includes the following information in English and in French: the company name, the name of the liquid, an ingredients list, the company website address and the phrase "Double strength".
The liquid is clear with a subtle Ivory White hue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_(color) When mixed with nicotine, PG and VG the liquid turns a pale pink/orange colour; something between a Peach Orange http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange#Peach and an Apricot Orange http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange#Apricot
As per usual, I'm vaping French Vanilla in an Igo-L on a Poldiac running on an 18650 battery. There are 5 wraps of 0.2mm (32AWG) Kanthal wire around three strands of 2mm silica wick. The coil is measuring 2.7ohms on the Provari. As this is a double strength juice, I've diluted it by adding an equal part of PG/VG/Nicotine base, rendering an 18mg nicotine strength liquid.
I take a few primer puffs and draw the vapour into my mouth. There's the immediate recognition of a rich vanilla at the level of pure sensation. Sweetness swirls about my mouth and it seems as if, like underwater flora, my taste buds sway in the pleasure of it. There's a richness to the flavour which I attribute to the creamy influence of egg on the somewhat tangy vanilla. I experience all of this in the first moments of drawing the vapour into my mouth and subsequent inhalation. As the breath turns and I begin to exhale I discern a subtle quality in the vanilla that reminds me of rum, which is unexpected, knowing as I do, that Crave Gourmet use no alcohol in their e-liquids. As I exhale, the flavour remains consistent; there's no amplification, softening or other transfiguration as the vapour leaves my body. Having exhaled completely, the flavour settles quietly into the mouth with a light, accompanying metallic tang around my forward teeth and gums.
Given that I've altered the VG/PG ratio and added nicotine, it would be irrelevant to discuss throat hit or vapour production.
Even though French Vanilla is a custard-like preparation in the manufacture of certain ice-creams, the character of custard is less apparent than the straight flavour of a rich vanilla. As mentioned previously the influence of egg is certainly apparent, but it stops short of being an eggy flavour and it serves as it should, to impart a creamy richness to the overall flavour. I imagine this would be a challenge even in the preparation of the actual foodstuffs; to carry it off in the production of an e-liquid suggests to me a refined and very experienced palate. Thank god for chefs (who run e-liquid companies).
There's something homely and calming about the flavour of this liquid that draws me to it when I'm feeling tense or overwhelmed.
NB. For those of you in the Australasian and South-East Asian regions who'd like to purchase Crave Gourmet EJuice products, I'd suggest you look at Crave Gourmet resellers, Ecig Life, http://www.electroniccigarettelife.com.au based in Melbourne, Australia.
