Catalina by Shoreline Vapes

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 Shoreline Vapes' Boardwalk. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/boardwalk-by-shoreline-vapes.html Quoted passages are in italics.

Wood and Wagner

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend of 1981, Robert Wagner and his wife, actress Natalie Wood (Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko) were vacationing on their motor yacht, Splendour, moored near the settlement of Two Harbors at the North West end of Santa Catalina Island. With them were Christopher Walken and ship's captain Dennis Davern. At 8am on November 29, authorities found Wood's body a mile away from the ship. Nobody admitted to seeing her enter the water and despite the coroner's finding that she had drowned, she had multiple bruises on her body and arms and she had, previous to dying, imbibed a cocktail of alcohol, painkillers and motion sickness pills. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalie_Wood

"Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California in the Gulf of Santa Catalina. The island is 22 miles (35 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) across at its greatest width. The island is located about 22 miles (35 km) south-southwest of Los Angeles, California... Part of the Channel Islands of California archipelago, Santa Catalina lies within Los Angeles County." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Catalina_Island,_California

Catalina is also a tangy, tomato based salad dressing, a novel by W. Somerset Maugham, a gay porn production house and an e-liquid by Shoreline Vapes.

The Vape Goddess website describes Catalina as "a tropical infusion of fruits". http://www.vapegoddess.net/catalina/

Shoreline Vapes was founded by Orange County resident, Will Giddings, who worked with Kevin Drake and Meg Strouse at Drake's Vapes and Vape Goddess before launching his own label. 

Shoreline Vapes currently offer a range of four juices. These are: Boardwalk ("A nostalgic fruity cotton candy blend"), Big Sur ("A fresh and enticing play on Strawberry Banana Yogurt Parfait"), Rincon ("A decadent swirl of homemade baked chocolate chip cookies and mint") and Catalina. Each liquid is available in a 30ml bottle with nicotine contents of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg at US$15.00 per bottle. All liquids are mixed with a PG/VG ratio of 50/50.

The Shoreline Vapes range is available from Vape Goddess http://www.vapegoddess.net You might also find Shoreline Vapes at a Brick and Mortar store near you. 

The bottle is a clear glass cylinder with a tapering neck towards the black plastic, non-childproof, screw-top cap. The label features a screen print (vector) style graphic and includes the following information: the brand/company name, the name of the juice, a two word description of the juice ("Tropical Infusion"), nicotine strength in mg, an ingredients list, a warning to keep away from children and pets and an advisory notice specifying "no sale to minors".

The liquid is a Pumpkin Orange. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange#Pumpkin The aroma issuing from the opened bottle is a saturated tropical fruitiness. It's remarkably like the fragrance associated with a cordial, candy or syrup but because it's devoid of any hint of artificiality it's highly suggestive of actual fruit. Subsequent whiffs suggest the rich acidity of oranges and mango with subtle traces of pineapple and kiwi fruit.

I've been vaping Catalina in an Igo-L atop my Provari running on an 18650 battery. I've built a single micro-coil with seven wraps of 28AWG (0.32mm) Kanthal wire around a sterilised cotton wick which reads 1.4ohms on the Provari. I've set voltage output to 3.8.

Firing the device and drawing the vapour into my mouth results in an immediate sensation of fine grained tingling or fizziness on the tip and forward edge of my tongue. Accompanying this is the awareness of a moderately intense, broadly sensed fruity flavour which tends toward the Rutaceae (Citrus) family.  When I finish drawing vapour into my mouth, I chase it into my lungs with a breath of air. As I do this, the flavour unfurls and is revealed as a combination of Orange (or tangerine) and Mango with a whisper of Pineapple and perhaps, a trace of Kiwi Fruit. There's a slightly creamy quality to the vape which, within the context of these particular fruits, is suggestive of coconut. If there is coconut in the mix then it's a very small amount and beyond the merest suggestion of flavour lends the aforementioned creaminess to the quality of the vapour as it's experienced in the mouth. When I exhale, Orange/Tangerine nudges forward into consciousness as the primary flavour until it fades with a pleasant acidic tang during the aftertaste.

Throat hit is substantial at 18mg and vapour production is suitably impressive, especially on a new wick or when the wick has almost given up the last of its liquid.

Catalina is a successful blend of mango and orange/tangerine with hints of complimentary fruit flavours rendering it a refreshing mouthful of vapour. Apart from the flavours which are, in themselves, balanced nicely, the addition of sweetness and acidity is perfectly adjudged and contribute beautifully to what is a delicious vape.

Boardwalk by Shoreline Vapes

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.

There's something horribly life affirming about "the beach" and the culture that's accreted around this particular geographic locale. Despite having lived in seaside resort towns, I've never been particularly involved in the fun, sun worshipping, surf-centric culture that's been informed by the natural environment and humanity's engagement with it.

"Surf culture includes the people, language, fashion and lifestyle surrounding the sport of surfing. The history of surfing began with the ancient Polynesians. That initial culture directly influenced modern surfing which began to flourish and evolve in the early 20th century, with popularity spiking greatly during the 1950s and 1960s, principally in Hawaii, Australia, and California. It continues to progress and spread throughout the world. It has at times affected popular fashion, music, literature, films, jargon, and more." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surf_culture

The boardwalk, that liminal territory between the street and the sand is a particular space where the cultures of the surf and the street intermingle in a free, hedonistic celebration of life. The wealthy amongst us congregate along the coast and build obscene abodes with ready access to the restaurants and bars of the boardwalk. Nevertheless, clever town planning renders the boardwalk a socio-economic and politically free zone where every man, woman and child is welcome to indulge in the sights and sounds of the beach while maintaining the comfort and facility of the street.

Boardwalk by Shoreline Vapes is a premium e-liquid which partakes of all that the idea of "the boardwalk" is and offers it to you in vaporous form.

The Vape Goddess website describes Boardwalk as "a nostalgic fruity cotton candy blend". http://www.vapegoddess.net/boardwalk/

Shoreline Vapes was founded by Orange County resident, Will Giddings, who worked with Kevin Drake and Meg Strouse at Drake's Vapes and Vape Goddess before launching his own label. 

Shoreline Vapes currently offer a range of four juices. These are: Catalina ("A tropical infusion of fruits"), Big Sur ("A fresh and enticing play on Strawberry Banana Yogurt Parfait"), Rincon ("A decadent swirl of homemade baked chocolate chip cookies and mint") and Boardwalk. Each liquid is available in a 30ml bottle with nicotine contents of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg at US$15.00 per bottle. All liquids are mixed with a PG/VG ratio of 50/50.

The Shoreline Vapes range is available from Vape Goddess http://www.vapegoddess.net You might also find Shoreline Vapes at a Brick and Mortar store near you. 

The bottle is a clear glass cylinder with a tapering neck towards the black plastic, non-childproof, screw-top cap. The label features a screen print (vector) style graphic and includes the following information: the brand/company name, the name of the juice, a two word description of the juice ("Nostalgic Candy"), nicotine strength in mg, an ingredients list, a warning to keep away from children and pets and an advisory notice specifying "no sale to minors".

The liquid is a vibrant Persimmon Orange. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange#Persimmon Uncapping the bottle below my nose releases an aroma of sweetened fruit syrup which at times is very reminiscent of strawberry but for the most part smells (to me) like a melange of tropical fruits and berries.

I've been vaping Boardwalk in an Igo-L atop my Provari running on an 18650 battery. I've built a single micro-coil with seven wraps of 28AWG (0.32mm) Kanthal wire around a sterilised cotton wick which reads 1.4ohms on the Provari. I've set voltage output to 3.8.

As I fire the device the liquid crackles and pops. Always very satisfying. Drawing the vapour into my mouth and along the length of my tongue triggers a recognition of the saturated flavour of sugar with a more subtle and undefined fruitiness suffused throughout. With subsequent inhalations and the progressive heating of the coil, the fruitiness is amplified and I perceive it as stronger than the flavour of sugar. Having drawn as much vapour into my mouth as I can, I chase the volume into my lungs with a sharp intake of fresh air. As I do this, the sugary flavour resolves into that unmistakeable flavour of cotton candy/fairy floss which is so beloved of children around the world (and remembered fondly by those of us who mourn the passing of our youth). As the breath turns and I begin to exhale the flavour of cotton candy is rejoined by that fruity element which continues to evade definition. With subsequent exhalations though, I sometimes imagine the flavour to be that of strawberry or a tropical composite of fruits. The aftertaste is a very pleasant, fading, sugary fruitiness with a subtle metallic tang around my forward teeth and gums. There's no unpleasant chemical flavour at any stage in the vape.

I don't necessarily experience a throat hit as such but the sensation of mounting pressure at the back of my throat as I inhale is substantial. Vapour production is very generous with voluminous amounts of dense white vapour billowing from my mouth and nose as I exhale.

Boardwalk is, as Shoreline Vapes suggests, a walk done memory lane. It speaks to that worry-free, unbridled, exuberant liberation triggered by a sense of ready expectation and the flights of imagination experienced around the seaside and all that goes with it. Boardwalk's flavour is dense and authentic, while vapour production is outstanding. I imagine throat hit will depend on your preferred nicotine strength, your setup and your inhalation technique. If you enjoy fruity/candy flavoured juices you will love Boardwalk.

Aztec by Tark Vemada

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 Tark Vemada's Matador. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/matador-by-tark-vemada.html Quoted passages are in italics.

The Aztecs are arguably best known for their practice of ritual human sacrifice, but it's understood that they believed sacrificial death fast-tracked an individual's spirit to a superior resting place in the afterlife. Not at all the barbaric and terrifying murder that we, in our distant "civilised" minds imagine it to have been. Imagine if you will, a kindly old man, something like the parish priest, coming to you the night before you depart for Paradise. You sit together and chat, perhaps eating together before he prays with you. He blesses you and you're filled with a feeling of love and excited expectation. Our contemporary conception of death would be utterly alien to them. It was no more feared than any other of life's great and wonderful adventures. Furthermore, a person's experience of the afterlife was determined by the manner in which they died, rather than the manner in which they lived.

"There were different realms a person could go to in their afterlife. Warriors who died in battle or by sacrifice either went to a paradise in the east and joined the sun’s rising in the morning, or joined the war god Huitzilopochtli in battle. Women who died in childbirth were considered just as courageous and honorable as warriors who died, and thusly went to a paradise in the west and joined the sun’s descent in the evening. People who died from lightning, drowning, certain diseases, or particularly violent deaths went to Tlalocan, a paradise presided over by the god Tlaloc located within the Aztec’s thirteen heavens.

In contrast, those who died of most illnesses, old age, or an unremarkable death went to Mictlan, the Aztec underworld. Once in Mictlan, a person had to traverse through a harsh terrain with many trials in order to descend from Mictlan’s top level to its final ninth level. This grim path for those who died in more ordinary ways highlights how Aztecs perceived both life and death; in general, there was greater esteem for people who died from premature but honorable deaths than for people who avoided these endings and managed to grow into old age." http://fortheloveofchristi.org/2013/02/ancient-aztec-perspective-on-death-and-afterlife/

I like it.

Tark Vemada's Aztec is a custard flavoured e-liquid. Amid much pomp and ceremony, I copy and paste from another website, for your pleasure and instruction, a recipe for actual custard.

How to make actual custard:

Ingredients

4 free-range eggs

100g/3½oz golden caster sugar

1 tsp cornflour, optional

300ml/1 pint double cream

300ml/½ pint full-fat milk

1 vanilla pod

Preparation method

Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a large bowl. (You will not need the whites for this recipe. You can use them to make meringues.)

Add the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until pale and thick.

Add the cornflour and whisk well to incorporate into the egg yolks.

Put the cream and milk into a medium saucepan.

Cut the vanilla pod open lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife, then add to the milk and cream.

Heat the cream mixture to just below boiling point. Take the vanilla pod out and set aside (it can be dried out and placed in sugar to make vanilla sugar).

Slowly pour the hot cream and milk onto the eggs and sugar, whisking as you go.

Transfer the custard to a clean pan, and set it over a very low heat.

Stir the custard constantly with a wooden spoon, paying special attention to the corners of the pan, until it is steaming and has thickened slightly. The custard is ready when you can draw a clear line through it on the back of the wooden spoon. This can take up to 10 minutes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/how_to_make_custard_82327

The Mod&World website describes Aztec as "Sweet creamy vanilla is a real treat. Fall in love with the rich flavor and aroma of freshly prepared vanilla custard. Both Genesis and Silica will bring out the flavor equally well. Proudly made in the USA with the finest ingredients." http://www.modnworld.com/Tark-s-Aztec-Juice-p/sra.htm

Tark's Select Reserve range comprises six juices. These are: Old Gold ("classic RY4"), Matador ("strong, sweet, cigar tobacco... with a kick"), Port Royal ("exotic Carribean flavor with coconut and fruity notes"), Maghrib ("exotic... dried fruit and oriental desserts"), Troy ("...layered, mild, sweet tobacco with subtle apple under notes") and Aztec.

Each liquid is available as a 50/50 PG/VG juice with nicotine content of 6, 12 or 18mg and in bottle sizes of 20 ($13.99), 30 ($18.99) and 100ml ($38.99). Apparently, special orders for 100% VG and various nicotine contents can be placed upon request.

The Select Reserve range is available from the Mod&World website at http://www.modnworld.com/default.asp

The 30ml bottle is a brown (protecting the nicotine within from ultraviolet light damage), glass cuboid with rounded edges and a black, plastic (non-childproof) screw-top cap. The label is reminiscent of 19th century product labels and contributes an air of historicity and a measure of glamour associated with "the other" to the product. The label includes the following information: the brand/range name, the name of the liquid, nicotine content in mg, liquid contents in ml, the name/website of the manufacturer, an advisory notice that the liquid within contains nicotine and a warning to keep out of reach of children, a skull and crossbones graphic and an image of a child's face with a red "X" superimposed on it. Whether or not this is intentional, I enjoy the humorous subtext of these latter two elements.

The liquid, as observed in an eye dropper is a clear Vanilla Yellow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla_(color) Holding the opened bottle below my nose and taking a shallow, sustained whiff, I discern an immediate sweet/sour alcoholic brightness, somewhat reminiscent of the aroma of Rum. Within a second this gives way to the sweetened warmth of an egg yolk-rich vanilla custard. 

I'm vaping Aztec in a Quasar on a Provari running on an 18490 battery. I've built a single coil with six wraps of 28AWG (0.32mm) Kanthal wire around three strands of unbleached cotton twine and the atomiser is reading 1.1ohms on the Provari. (Mod&World recommend a setup that produces between 1.2 and 1.5ohms in order to fully appreciate the flavour of their liquids) I've set voltage output to 3.8 and I've almost completely closed off the Quasar's airflow holes which favours flavour but at the expense of throat hit and vapour production.

I fire the device and draw the vapour through my mouth to the back of my throat and as I do so I apprehend a medial sweetness which builds in intensity. There's a silky smooth quality to the vapour which makes for a pleasurable mouthfeel. I recognise the flavour of a creamy vanilla which seems to mature as I finish inhaling vapour and follow through with a small breath of air. As I begin to exhale the richness of egg yolk shifts the flavour towards that of a finely crafted custard. Throughout the vape there's the subtlest suggestion of rum which lends a trace of alcoholic warmth to the flavour. The aftertaste is a very pleasant lingering of vanilla, Demerara sugar and vanilla with a slight metallic tang around the teeth and gums.

Throat hit is variable depending on your preferred nicotine content and atomiser set up. On my set up with 18mg nicotine content, I experience a very worthy kick at the back of my throat. Vapour production is outstanding.

Aztec is a refined, elegant product. The presentation of bottle and label and the historical and cultural associations derived from the name alongside the experience of the vaped liquid itself contribute to the cluster of sensations that suggest this is a quality product; Tark Vemada is a clever marketer as well as a very talented juice craftsman. Aztec offers a robustly authentic flavour which I've enjoyed immensely these last few weeks. There's a number of vendors offering variations on vanilla custard flavoured liquids but this is one of the best that I've tried and the association with the Aztec people and their culture, albeit borrowed, is irresistible.

Matador by Tark Vemada

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.

"A torero is a bullfighter and the main performer in bullfighting, practised in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Peru, France and various other countries influenced by Spanish culture. In Spanish, the word torero describes any of the performers who actively participate in the bullfight. The main performer is the leader of an entourage and the one who kills the bull, being addressed as maestro (master) and his formal title is matador de toros (killer of bulls), but the word "matador" by itself is not used in Spanish. The term torero encompasses all who fight the bull in the ring (picadores and rejoneadores). The other bullfighters in the entourage are called subalternos and their suits are embroidered in silver as opposed to the matador's more-theatrical gold." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torero

The Matador de Toros is an iconic figure; at once a strident symbol of Mankind's (Spain's...) perceived dominion over the wild and furious might of nature, as represented in the bull, and in this day and age, the reviled tormentor and murderer of innocent and defenceless creatures. (The odds are stacked against the bull from the very beginning). Many would argue that this is a sport that pitches two beings of equal but various strengths against one another and point to the number of humans impaled and gored by the bull's horns. However you choose to view the Matador, he (nearly always a he...) is flamboyant in his display of masculinity and prowess. The costumes are immediately recognisable and mark the wearer as a member of an elite and proud tradition. The Lord of the Bullring, the Matador is a singularly Spanish creature and as such is instrumental in helping define the Spanish psyche and identity.

Tark Vemada, owner/operator of Mod&World and the line of e-liquids, Select Reserve has drawn on the rich traditions of the bullfight to lend a certain gravitas and the glamour of historicity to his e-liquid, Matador. The Mod&World website describes Matador as "Strong sweet cigar tobacco flavor with a kick, that tastes equally great in Genesis and Silica atomizers. Proudly made in the USA with the finest ingredients." http://www.modnworld.com/product-p/srm.htm

Tark's Select Reserve range comprises six juices. These are: Old Gold ("classic RY4"), Aztec ("sweet, creamy... vanilla custard"), Port Royal ("exotic Carribean flavor with coconut and fruity notes"), Maghrib ("exotic... dried fruit and oriental desserts"), Troy ("...layered, mild, sweet tobacco with subtle apple under notes") and Matador.

Each liquid is available as a 50/50 PG/VG juice with nicotine content of 6, 12 or 18mg and in bottle sizes of 20 ($13.99), 30 ($18.99) and 100ml ($38.99). Apparently, special orders for 100% VG and various nicotine contents can be requested.

The Select Reserve range is available from the Mod&World website at http://www.modnworld.com/default.asp

The 30ml bottle is a brown (protecting the nicotine within from ultraviolet light damage), glass cuboid with rounded edges and a black, plastic (non-childproof) screw-top cap. The label is reminiscent of 19th century product labels and contributes an air of historicity and a measure of glamour associated with "the other" to the product. The label includes the following information: the brand/range name, the name of the liquid, nicotine content in mg, liquid contents in ml, the name/website of the manufacturer, an advisory notice that the liquid within contains nicotine and a warning to keep out of reach of children, a skull and crossbones graphic and an image of a child's face with a red "X" superimposed on it. Whether or not this is intentional, I enjoy the subtle humorous subtext of these latter two elements.

The liquid, as observed in an eye dropper is a limpid, deeply saturated, Aureolin Yellow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aureolin Uncapping the bottle and lending my ample nose to the effort, I discern a top note of freshly cut and crushed leaves (tobacco leaves, I assume); certainly bitter, somewhat sour and slightly sweet. If this was put under my nose while I was blindfolded, I'd swear I was smelling actual plants. There's a quality about the aroma that suggests freshly cut rather than dried plants. As the top note recedes under concentrated scrutiny, the subtler, lower note of what might be Graham Crackers or cocoa emerges.

I'm vaping Matador in a Quasar RDA on a Provari running on an 18490 battery. I've built dual coils with six wraps each of 32AWG (0.2mm) Kanthal wire around two strands of 2mm Silica wick and the atomiser is reading 1.7ohms on the Provari (Mod&World recommend a setup that produces between 1.2 and 1.5ohms in order to fully appreciate the flavour of their liquids.) I've set voltage output to 4.2 and I've almost completely closed off the Quasar's airflow holes (2 holes at approx. 1mm aperture each) which favours flavour but at the expense of throat hit and vapour production.

From the first vape I'm aware that I have something unique on my hands. Let's delve. I fire the device and begin to draw the vapour into and through my mouth and as I do so I become aware of an earthy, savoury quality to the flavour. Cutting through this is a mounting sweetness along the length of my tongue. With subsequent inhalations the earthy aspect seems to diminish in favour of the sweetness. Having taken as much vapour into my system as I'm able, I follow through with a breath of fresh air which seems to crystallise and amplify the flavour. At this point the flavour of what might be Graham Crackers or cocoa emerges from the foundation flavour which seems to be that of freshly cut, very green tobacco leaves. It's as if the very sap itself has been extracted and filtered before being mixed with the other ingredients. When I begin to exhale there's a residual tingling or "sizzle" on the tip of my tongue accompanied by the rich intermingled flavours of the primary tobacco and what I imagine to be Graham Crackers. Or cocoa. There is furthermore, towards the end of the exhalation and through to the aftertaste, a very subtle trace of roasted leaves which adds further dimension to the overall flavour experience. I'm left with the incredible impression that I've genuinely inhaled the product of combusted plants. Finally, the tip of my tongue is slightly anaesthetised and my salivary glands are activated. There is, in the end, a slight metallic tang around my teeth and gums.

Throat hit and vapour production are very much dependent on your individual setup. In my case, throat hit was fairly light despite the 18mg nicotine content. Having exhaled however, I'm left with a slight rasp at the back of my throat. Vapour production has proven to be prodigious, even with the airflow holes on the Quasar almost closed. Cumulonimbus, etc.

Tark Vemada's Matador is a rich, complex, robustly flavoured e-liquid which deserves and very nearly commands considered and attentive vaping. I'm certain I've barely scratched the surface of what this juice has to offer, but the little that I've experienced has been a real pleasure and very rewarding. Any time spent in vaping and exploring Matador will be richly rewarded.

Alchemist by Drakes Vapes

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 Drakes Vapes Chai Town. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/chai-town-by-drakes-vapes.html Quoted passages are in italics.

It's extraordinary to me how many e-liquids and e-liquid vendors are named after esoteric themes. (Pink, Blue, Green) Dragon, Dragon Jazz, Ambrosia, Midnight Apple, Maha Ras, Celestial (Honeydew), Forbidden Fruit, Witcher's Brew, Alchemist's Cupboard, Elements, Greenman, Alembic Vapor Labs, Voodoo Charlie, Les Liquides E-Alchimiste and Drakes Vapes' Alchemist. There's something about the Hermetic Arts that appears to have captured the collective imagination of the e-liquid community; e-liquid might not confer immortality, which is an abiding concern of the Hermetic Arts, but its use infers the non-use of tobacco which in itself, is likely to prolong life. If however, you're certain you want immortality, seek it in that exquisite, unbounded sliver of a moment between inhaling and exhaling. Or in the union of the Red Lion and the White Eagle. Or in the image reflected in a certain piece of polished obsidian, roughly circular, approximately 15cm in diameter, recently imported to Melbourne, Australia from the United Kingdom and currently wrapped in black silk, sitting in a plastic crate, within a larger cardboard box, in the darkness of a garage surrounded by children's toys and gardening implements.

This is what the Vape Goddess website has to say about Drakes Vapes' Alchemist, "A unique blend of fruits and absinthe that will no doubt leave your mind pondering and your palate yearning for more." http://www.vapegoddess.net/alchemist/

Drakes Vapes is based in Newport Beach, California and was founded by Kevin Drake, professional musician https://soundcloud.com/kevindrake-1 and partner Meg Strouse, photographer, freelance journalist and founder of Vape Goddess. http://www.vapegoddess.net

Drakes Vapes offer a catalog of ten e-liquids: , Chai Town ("smooth... creamy... spiced flavour"), Drakeula ("A refreshing mix of Blood Oranges, Black Cherries and Guava"), Echelon ("...pomegranate and sweet marshmallow..."), Figen Kanel ("...daring mix of fruits and cinnamons..."), Melon Fiasco ("...cantaloupe and watermelon..."), O-Face ("Sweet on the inside, sour on the outside; move over Lucille Ball, there's a new sassy Ginger in town"), Punky Bruiser ("Sweet and sassy...fruity tartness..."), Vanilla Trifecta ("A trifecta of vanillas and custards with a hint of magic"), Yolo! ("Lemonade with hints of Lavender...") and Alchemist.

Each of the liquids is available in a 30ml bottle at nicotine strengths of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. All liquids are mixed to a 50:50 PG/VG ratio.

The Drakes Vapes range is available online from the Vape Goddess website http://www.vapegoddess.net, Elevated Vaping http://elevated-vaping.myshopify.com, Vapor Solutions http://www.vapor-solutions.com, Electronic Cigarettes Inc. http://www.electroniccigarettesinc.com, et. al. Search Google for a more comprehensive list of stores selling the Drakes Vapes line.

The bottle is an Iodine Blue, cylindrical glass with a black plastic, screw top cap. The cap isn't childproof, so care should be taken in the use and storage of this liquid. There's also no dropper insert attached, so a syringe, eye dropper or pipette, all of which are readily available from your local pharmacy or online, will need to be used for transferring the liquid to your preferred atomiser. The label includes the following information: the brand/company name, the name of the liquid, liquid contents specified by a pictogram which I struggle to decipher, nicotine strength in milligrams, a description of the flavour profile, a list of ingredients, a warning to keep out of the reach of children and pets and an advisory notice specifying that the liquid is not to be sold to minors.

Given that the bottle is a dark blue and the liquid within appears black, I've used an eye dropper to observe and identify the colour of the juice which is a clear, very pale Straw Yellow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_(colour) With the first whiff at the opened bottle, held below my nose, I'm reminded of the medicinal aroma, slightly sweetened, of cough medicine. With subsequent whiffs I recognise anise, followed almost immediately by an indeterminate fruitiness.

I'm vaping Alchemist in an Igo-L on a Poldiac running on a freshly charged 18650 battery. There's five wraps of 28AWG (0.32mm) Kanthal wire around three strands of 2mm Silica wick and the atomiser is reading 0.9ohms on the Provari.

I depress the switch on the Poldiac and begin with a sustained draw to the back of my throat. As I do so there's a broad wash of sweetness along the length of my tongue accompanied by the unmistakeable flavour of anise. There's a point at which, if I continue to draw the vapour into my mouth, the sweetness drops away slightly to be replaced with a more intense apprehension of the savoury quality of anise. If I had synesthesia, I would describe the flavour as "brown". Having drawn my fill of vapour I inhale the dense volume followed by a measure of fresh air, which always seems to act as a vivifying catalyst on the flavour, the sweetness returns alongside a burst of fruitiness. I'm hard pressed to identify which fruits are involved, though I might suggest that it's a medley of fruits contributing their identities to the mix. There's no trace of acidity, so it's all sweet without the sour. As I exhale and through to the aftertaste, anise is the dominant flavour though it's fairly heavily tempered by the sweeter fruit flavour. 

I don't get a throat hit as such, though I do experience a mild chemesthetic anaesthetising of the forward third of my tongue. Vapour production is absolutely prodigious.

As an absinthe liquid, Alchemist is not quite as strong with the anise as some other liquids I've tried recently. Which is not to say it's a lightweight: it certainly isn't. The flavour is full-bodied and the anise certainly does pack a punch, but it's tempered by the fruity component which might make it popular with those who want to try an absinthe liquid but imagine that they don't like the flavour. As I once did. As I've come to expect from Drakes Vapes, this is a very fine e-liquid and I heartily recommend it.

Vanilla Trifecta by Drakes Vapes

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 Drakes Vapes Chai Town. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/chai-town-by-drakes-vapes.html Quoted passages are in italics.

"Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron, because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive. Initial attempts to cultivate vanilla outside Mexico and Central America proved futile because of the symbiotic relationship between the vanilla orchid and its natural pollinator, the local species of Melipona bee. Pollination is required to set the fruit from which the flavoring is derived. In 1837, Belgian botanist Charles François Antoine Morren discovered this fact and pioneered a method of artificially pollinating the plant. The method proved financially unworkable and was not deployed commercially. In 1841, Edmond Albius, a slave who lived on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, discovered at the age of twelve that the plant could be hand-pollinated. Hand-pollination allowed global cultivation of the plant.

The word vanilla, derived from the diminutive of the Spanish word vaina (vaina itself meaning sheath or pod), simply translates as little pod. Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people cultivated the vine of the vanilla orchid, called tlilxochitl by the Aztecs, and Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to Europe in the 1520s." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla

Now it's our great, good fortune to be (re)introduced to a trinity of vanillas in vaporous form by Drakes Vapes.

This is what the Vape Goddess website has to say about Drakes Vapes' Vanilla Trifecta, "A trifecta of vanillas and custards with a hint of magic. Made by Warlocks and Witches in a musky basement." http://www.vapegoddess.net/vanilla-trifecta/

Drakes Vapes is based in Newport Beach, California and was founded by Kevin Drake, professional musician https://soundcloud.com/kevindrake-1 and partner Meg Strouse, photographer, freelance journalist and founder of Vape Goddess. http://www.vapegoddess.net

Drakes Vapes offer a catalog of ten e-liquids: Alchemist ("A unique blend of fruits and absinthe..."), Chai Town ("smooth... creamy... spiced flavour"), Drakeula ("A refreshing mix of Blood Oranges, Black Cherries and Guava"), Echelon ("...pomegranate and sweet marshmallow..."), Figen Kanel ("...daring mix of fruits and cinnamons..."), Melon Fiasco ("...cantaloupe and watermelon..."), O-Face ("Sweet on the inside, sour on the outside; move over Lucille Ball, there's a new sassy Ginger in town"), Punky Bruiser ("Sweet and sassy...fruity tartness..."), Yolo! ("Lemonade with hints of Lavender...") and Vanilla Trifecta.

Each of the liquids is available in a 30ml bottle at nicotine strengths of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. All liquids are mixed to a 50:50 PG/VG ratio.

The Drakes Vapes range is available online from the Vape Goddess website http://www.vapegoddess.net, Elevated Vaping http://elevated-vaping.myshopify.com, Vapor Solutions http://www.vapor-solutions.com, Electronic Cigarettes Inc. http://www.electroniccigarettesinc.com, et. al. Search Google for a more comprehensive list of stores selling the Drakes Vapes line.

The bottle is an Iodine Blue, cylindrical glass with a black plastic, screw top cap. The cap isn't childproof, so care should be taken in the use and storage of this liquid. There's also no dropper insert attached, so a syringe, eye dropper or pipette, all of which are readily available from your local pharmacy or online, will need to be used for transferring the liquid to your preferred atomiser. The label includes the following information: the brand/company name, the name of the liquid, liquid contents specified by a pictogram which I struggle to decipher, nicotine strength in milligrams, a description of the flavour profile, a list of ingredients, a warning to keep out of the reach of children and pets and an advisory notice specifying that the liquid is not to be sold to minors.

Given that the bottle is a dark blue and the liquid within appears black, I've used an eye dropper to observe and identify the colour of the juice which is a clear, Peach Orange http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange#Peach A deep, sustained snift at the opened bottle reveals an aroma rich in vanilla that cools the nostrils towards the finish. There's a vaguely alcoholic quality about this cooling effect, though there's no corresponding odour. Brief inhalations of the aroma seems to add a certain egg yolk-like aspect to the fragrance which is very reminiscent of custard.

I've been vaping Vanilla Trifecta in a Killer on a GP Paps Lux and an Igo-L on a Poldiac. For the purpose of this review I'll be using the Killer which is built with a pre-made, low resistance coil/wick and is running on a GP Paps powered by an 18490 battery.

Drawing the vapour into and through my mouth floods my taste buds with a mildly sweetened and gently spiced flavour. There's a certain measure of warmth, not temperature-wise, to the flavour which is vaguely reminiscent of the warmth experienced in the stomach following a shot of whiskey. (Please don't misunderstand this as suggesting there's a whiskey-like warmth generated in the stomach by this liquid. It's merely an illustration to describe the quality of flavour.) It produces a sensation of comfort and the illusion of fortification against the wintry elements. As I chase the vapour into my lungs with a breath of fresh air, the flavour is declared in all it's glory. This is a luxurious, buttery vanilla that expands and mutates into an egg yolk-rich custard as I begin to exhale. Towards the end of the exhalation and through to the last moments of the aftertaste, the flavour shifts towards that of a sweet, vanilla ice cream. There are whispers of caramel throughout, though I suspect this to be the result of sugars within the liquid actually caramelising on the coil, rather than the addition of flavour additives.

Each time I pick up the device for a vape, the first inhalation passes without any throat hit whatsoever. With subsequent inhalations however, there is a distinctive rasp at the back of the throat which passes for a very satisfactory throat hit. Using the Killer, this liquid produces very generous plumes of vapour, which in a still room, builds successive, delicate veils which shift and undulate to relaxing effect.

If there was an equivalent of comfort food in vaporous form, Drakes Vapes' Vanilla Trifecta would be it. There's a gentle, unintrusive, though flavour-rich quality to this liquid that renders it a capable all-day-vape and as mentioned earlier, that elusive warmth seemingly produced by the flavour itself, provokes in me an association with the darker and colder months. Perfect fireside vaping.

Yolo! By Drakes Vapes

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 Drakes Vapes Chai Town. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/chai-town-by-drakes-vapes.html Quoted passages are in italics.

From my review of another vendor's lemonade e-liquid, quoted here as equally applicable:

"Lemonade takes a number of different forms and means different things to different people, depending on where they are in the world. I'm led to believe that in the United States, Lemonade is a beverage whose ingredients consist of water, lemon juice and sugar. In Australia and the United Kingdom (the locales with which I'm familiar), Lemonade is a carbonated drink sold in cans, whose flavour in my opinion, bears little resemblance to lemon. In these countries, the beverage known as Lemonade in the US is called "homemade lemonade". I personally prefer the uncarbonated variety.

The taste of (Drakes Vapes' Yolo!) conjures for me the images and sensations of hot Saturday afternoons. The smell of freshly cut grass and the distant sounds of children playing under a sprinkler. My parents sitting sweatily in front of the rotary fan watching the tennis. Some of us drinking coke; the rest of us drinking homemade lemonade. I can still hear the ice cubes tinkling in the glasses as we each shift in our torpid discomfort and the feel of the condensation on the outside of the glass dripping onto my t-shirt.

I remember a hot summer evening when I was in my early twenties... a storm was approaching, but it always seemed to feel hotter right before the storm struck and I was miserable. I was sitting next to an open window, watching Werner Herzog's, Aguirre: The Wrath of God and drinking homemade lemonade. As the film's climax approached, the storm hit and I remember the relief of the cool breeze that the cold front brought with it.

A simple pleasure; Lemonade, but it's these small, simple pleasures in life that attach to meaningful memories and make us the people we are. This is what (Drakes Vapes' Yolo!) does for me." http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/pink-lemonade-by-midas-vape.html

This is what the Vape Goddess website has to say about Drakes Vapes' Yolo!, "You Only Live Once..... right!? Well, in that case, live a little and tickle your taste buds with Drake's unique twist on a classic. Lemonade with hints of Lavender, YOLO will leave you wanting more and wondering what the @#$% you just vaped. Enter a zen-like state of relaxation and satisfaction that you can't get from your average vape." http://www.vapegoddess.net/yolo/

Drakes Vapes is based in Newport Beach, California and was founded by Kevin Drake, professional musician https://soundcloud.com/kevindrake-1 and partner Meg Strouse, photographer, freelance journalist and founder of Vape Goddess. http://www.vapegoddess.net

Drakes Vapes offer a catalog of ten e-liquids: Alchemist ("A unique blend of fruits and absinthe..."), Chai Town ("smooth... creamy... spiced flavour"), Drakeula ("A refreshing mix of Blood Oranges, Black Cherries and Guava"), Echelon ("...pomegranate and sweet marshmallow..."), Figen Kanel ("...daring mix of fruits and cinnamons..."), Melon Fiasco ("...cantaloupe and watermelon..."), O-Face ("Sweet on the inside, sour on the outside; move over Lucille Ball, there's a new sassy Ginger in town"), Punky Bruiser ("Sweet and sassy...fruity tartness..."), Vanilla Trifecta ("A trifecta of vanillas and custards with a hint of magic") and Yolo!

Each of the liquids is available in a 30ml bottle at nicotine strengths of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. All liquids are mixed to a 50:50 PG/VG ratio.

The Drakes Vapes range is available online from the Vape Goddess website http://www.vapegoddess.net, Elevated Vaping http://elevated-vaping.myshopify.com, Vapor Solutions http://www.vapor-solutions.com, Electronic Cigarettes Inc. http://www.electroniccigarettesinc.com, et. al. Search Google for a more comprehensive list of stores selling the Drakes Vapes line.

The bottle is an Iodine Blue, cylindrical glass with a black plastic, screw top cap. The cap isn't childproof, so care should be taken in the use and storage of this liquid. There's also no dropper insert attached, so a syringe, eye dropper or pipette, all of which are readily available from your local pharmacy or online, will need to be used for transferring the liquid to your preferred atomiser. The label includes the following information: the brand/company name, the name of the liquid, liquid contents specified by a pictogram which I struggle to decipher, nicotine strength in milligrams, a description of the flavour profile, a list of ingredients, a warning to keep out of the reach of children and pets and an advisory notice specifying that the liquid is not to be sold to minors.

Given that the bottle is a dark blue and the liquid within appears black, I've used an eye dropper to observe and identify the colour of the juice. It's a perfectly limpid Ivory. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_(color) The opened bottle releases the unequivocal aroma of fresh lemon.

Having tried Yolo! In an Igo-L and a Quasar I've decided to use an AC9 (Genesis style rebuildable atomiser) for this review as it appears to best lay bare all that this juice has to offer. I'm vaping Yolo! in an AC9 with a glass tank on a Nemesis running on a freshly charged 18350 battery. There's 3/4 wraps of 0.32mm (28AWG) Kanthal wire around oxidised stainless steel 325 mesh and the atomiser is reading 0.9ohms on the Provari.

I fire the device and draw the vapour into my mouth and as I do so I experience a fine grained tingling on the tip and upper, forward edge of my tongue which I recognise as the chemesthetic reaction of acidity on my palate. I experience the broad flavour of lemon and an accompanying sweetness as I inhale and then as I follow through with a breath of fresh air I sense the gentle fragrance of lavender at the back of my throat. When I exhale, the lavender subsides and the primary flavour of lemon re-asserts itself through to the last lingering moments of the aftertaste. Although the lavender is most noticeable at that point when I breath in a small amount of fresh air to follow the vapour into my lungs, there is a mildly floral quality to the flavour of this vape that softens the acidity of the lemon from beginning to end. I know that the term "floral" is often used in a derogatory sense when describing e-liquids but in this instance when the floral aspect is intentional, the use of the word is entirely appropriate; it's an inspired choice of flavours, resulting in a flavour pairing that leaves me awed by the palate that devised it. Furthermore, the balance of sourness and sweetness has been perfectly adjudged, rendering an exquisitely refreshing representation of homemade lemonade.

I'm finding that there's no throat hit but exhaling sometimes produces a mildly sharp spike of acidity at the back of the throat. Vapour production is suitably substantial; the combination of 50% Vegetable Glycerin and the genesis style atomiser produces very worthy clouds indeed.

On the whole, Yolo! is a gentle creature; the lemon flavour, though acidic, isn't overly sour and the lavender, while mixed quite sparingly, blossoms intensely at various stages in the vape and manages to soften the whole experience in a thoroughly agreeable manner. The degree to which this juice is sweetened is, to my palate, just right and while I don't experience any throat hit (I'm not a big fan of throat hit anyway...) the vapour production is sensational. Highly recommended.

NB. Due to the citrus Ph. levels in Yolo! it's strongly advised that you don't use this juice in plastic tanks. Etching, cracking and frosting have been known to occur with citrus juices in plastic tanks. Stick to stainless steel or glass to preserve your investment. AC9 owners: your PMMA tank is vulnerable to this juice. I hope you read my review closely enough to discern I was using a glass tank. http://shop.vapinaze.com/collections/frontpage/products/glass-steel-tank-for-the-ac9