My wife and I are moving to the opposite side of the planet (Australia) next Wednesday (31st). Vapour-Taster activity might be sporadic for the next week or two, but once we're settled it'll be business as usual. I've got some great juices lined up for reviews.
Friday, 26 July 2013
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
Eureka by Indigo Vapor
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 have been quoted from my review of Indigo Vapor's Indigo RY. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/indigo-ry-by-indigo-vapor.html Quoted passages are in italics.
Warning: this next paragraph contains gratuitous History (of Science). Reader discretion is advised.
"Eureka" comes from the Ancient Greek word εὕρηκα heúrēka, meaning "I have found (it)" and was supposedly exclaimed by the Scholar, Archimedes as he lowered himself into a bath and noticed the level of the water rising. He surmised that the volume of water displaced must be equal in volume to the part of his body submerged and thus, hit upon a means to measure the volume of irregular objects. "Archimedes' insight led to the solution of a problem posed by Hiero of Syracuse, on how to assess the purity of an irregular golden votive crown; he had given his goldsmith the pure gold to be used, and correctly suspected he had been cheated, by the goldsmith removing gold and adding the same weight of silver. Equipment for weighing objects already existed, and now that Archimedes could also measure volume, their ratio would give the object's density, an important indicator of purity." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_(word)
Did Tony of Indigo Vapor cry "Eureka" when he tasted the vapour of his newest creation?
Indigo Vapor is based in Mishawaka, Indiana in the United States and was begun by a gentleman called Tony, who, like most of us, turned to vaping to aid him in his effort to quit cigarettes. His experience with e-cigs was so successful that he formed Indigo Vapor to help others in their efforts to obtain a healthier alternative to smoking. Of course, in certain territories we're not allowed to claim that e-cigarettes are a cessation aid, so the Indigo Vapor website is careful to make the requisite disclaimers. http://www.indigovapor.com/aboutus.asp
Indigo Vapor offer a range of forty-nine liquids divided into the following categories: tobacco, fruit, ice, indulge and reserve. Each liquid is offered in bottle sizes of 15 ($9.49), 30 ($17.95), 60 ($32.95) and 120ml ($61.95) at nicotine strengths of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. Neither on the website nor on the bottles does the subject of PG/VG ratios ever get mentioned. For further information on their e-liquids, Indigo Vapor published this on their blog: http://indigovaporcraftingourejuice.blogspot.co.uk/
Each liquid is sold in a glass bottle which, to date has always signified (to me) the presence of a quality liquid. I'm encouraged. The bottle has a black, plastic, screw-top cap with an Integrated dropper. On arrival, the cap was sealed in a tamper evident plastic. There are two labels; one on the front and one on the back. The front label includes the following information: the brand/company name, the company's website address, the words "Handcrafted" and "American made" and the motto, "Experience the Indigo Difference". The rear label includes the following information: the name of the liquid, the date of manufacture (hand written) the liquid contents in ml, the nicotine strength in mg (hand written), the company's website address, warnings that "This product contains Nicotine" and "Keep out of the reach of pets and children" and an ingredients list (Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Nicotine and FEMA/GRAS approved flavorings).
The colour of the liquid is a crystal clear, Mikado Yellow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikado_yellow and has the viscosity of a light cooking oil or syrup. It's very lubricious but after a minute or so of rubbing it between my thumb and forefinger it begins to feel slightly less so. It seems to resist absorption into the skin, but I can feel a slight tingling sensation, which I imagine is the absorbed nicotine after all. On Indicgo Vapor's Eureka page, various customer reviews describe the aroma as being something akin to waffles and/or sweetened popcorn. When I apply my own sense of smell to the liquid, I perceive the aromas of both of these foods, but only to a degree. I keep coming back to a softened citrus-like acidity, but even this falls short of an accurate description of the aroma. In this instance, I have to suggest that the aroma of the liquid is in a class of its own.
I'm vaping Eureka in an Igo-L on a mechanical mod running on a freshly charged 18650 battery. The coil has five wraps of 0.2 Kanthal wire (32 AWG) around three strands of 2mm Silica wick. I don't have a mod or any other type of equipment to check the ohms.
I fire the device and my mouth fills with a dense, sweet vapour. Even on the inhalation, I taste the notes I sensed in smelling the liquid. There's that waffle flavour combined with a sweetened popcorn and a very mild acidity that seems to disappear with sustained vaping. As I finish inhaling the vapour and take a shallow breath of air, as I usually do, I taste for the briefest moment the savoury flavour of a light tobacco. I'm not an expert in tobacco by any means, despite smoking for 24 years, so I couldn't say what type of tobacco it is, other than it's light and sweet and fragrant. As I exhale, the popcorn and waffle-like notes recede into the background, giving the tobacco room to breathe. The aftertaste consists of the tobacco flavour with sweetness moving forward into my conscious awareness again. As the aftertaste lingers, I become aware once more of the popcorn-like flavour, which fades altogether or is reinforced by the next inhalation of vapour.
There's a combination of a light throat hit (18mg) and a gentle mounting of pressure at the back of the throat which I usually experience with e-liquids at the sweeter end of the spectrum. I say "gentle mounting of pressure..." because this is a mildly sweet vape. Vapour production is very good, and as with the previous Indigo Vapour liquids that I've tried, seems to be characteristic of a VG laden liquid. I've noticed that VG heavy liquids produce a vapour that succumbs quickly to the effects of gravity and with Eureka, this is exactly what occurs. It tends to fall onto horizontal surfaces in the room, like the coffee table in front of me, for example, before cascading over the edges.
Eureka is a rich, full bodied and luxurious vape. The flavour is quite unlike anything else I've previously tasted and although it might sound a bit odd on paper (screen), the experience of vaping it is remarkably rewarding. Like all good liquids, the journey of the vapour through my system offers up variations of flavour at different points in the cycle of inhalation, hold, exhalation and aftertaste. This juice will be finding it's way into the Killer in the near future and is very possibly an all-day-vape.
Monday, 22 July 2013
The Duke by Indigo Vapor
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 have been quoted from my review of Indigo Vapor's Indigo RY. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/indigo-ry-by-indigo-vapor.html Quoted passages are in italics.
The Duke: John Wayne, Duke Nukem, the Duke of Wellington, the UK's Prince Philip.
Indigo Vapor is based in Mishawaka, Indiana in the United States and was begun by a gentleman called Tony, who, like most of us, turned to vaping to aid him in his effort to quit cigarettes. His experience with e-cigs was so successful that he formed Indigo Vapor to help others in their efforts to obtain a healthier alternative to smoking. Of course, in certain territories we're not allowed to claim that e-cigarettes are a cessation aid, so the Indigo Vapor website is careful to make the requisite disclaimers. http://www.indigovapor.com/aboutus.asp
Indigo Vapor offer a range of forty-nine liquids divided into the following categories: tobacco, fruit, ice, indulge and reserve. Each liquid is offered in bottle sizes of 15 ($9.49), 30 ($17.95), 60 ($32.95) and 120ml ($61.95) at nicotine strengths of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. Neither on the website nor on the bottles does the subject of PG/VG ratios ever get mentioned. For further information on their e-liquids, Indigo Vapor published this on their blog: http://indigovaporcraftingourejuice.blogspot.co.uk/
Each liquid is sold in a glass bottle which, to date has always signified (to me) the presence of a quality liquid. I'm encouraged. The bottle has a black, plastic, screw-top cap with an Integrated dropper. On arrival, the cap was sealed in a tamper evident plastic. There are two labels; one on the front and one on the back. The front label includes the following information: the brand/company name, the company's website address, the words "Handcrafted" and "American made" and the motto, "Experience the Indigo Difference". The rear label includes the following information: the name of the liquid, the date of manufacture (hand written) the liquid contents in ml, the nicotine strength in mg (hand written), the company's website address, warnings that "This product contains Nicotine" and "Keep out of the reach of pets and children" and an ingredients list (Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Nicotine and FEMA/GRAS approved flavorings).
The colour of the liquid is a clear, School Bus Yellow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_bus_yellow and appears quite viscous; something akin to a cooking oil or light syrup. The liquid is also quite lubricious and rubbed between my forefinger and thumb, resisted absorption into my skin. The aroma from the bottle is a potent tobacco with a bright, sharp edged, citrus-like note suffusing the whole. I suggest it's a citrus-like note in the same way a sommelier might describe a wine as having "nuances of gooseberries". There was obviously no gooseberry used in the making of the wine, but it's still a useful descriptor when attempting to differentiate this wine from another, for example. I don't think for a moment there's any citrus in this e-liquid.
The Igo-L is the atomiser of choice for my reviews. It's a simple, inexpensive rebuildable dripping atomiser; it has the 510 connection upon which, sits the stainless steel deck. There's a positive and negative post with screws which clamp down on the ends of the coil. There's a shallow well for collecting excess liquid. The best thing about it is that it presents the flavour of any given e-liquid without muting, or smoothing out of the rough edges. It presents e-liquid as it is, warts and all. Mine is mounted on a mechanical mod powered by an 18650 battery. The wick and coil are clean (rinsed in warm water and dried on paper towel) with five wraps of 0.2 Kanthal wire (32 AWG) around three strands of 2mm Silica wick. I don't have the means to check the ohms.
As I inhale, I realise immediately why this is called "The Duke". The flavour is potent and as the vapour reaches the back of my throat it kicks like the worthiest of mules. On the inhalation, there's a combination of sweetness and a certain acidity in the vapour. It's somewhat reminiscent of a tobacco and mesquite e-liquid I reviewed recently. As I finish inhaling vapour and follow immediately with a short intake of air, the flavour of tobacco emerges fully and remains strong through to the aftertaste. The aftertaste is a combination of the tobacco with the acidic tang around the tongue and a slightly metallic savour around the teeth and gums. My experience of this e-liquid is based on the inhalation of the vapour straight into the lungs. If I take short, shallow inhalations of the vapour the potency of flavour and throat hit is considerably subdued.
The throat hit is strong! (18mg). Vapour production is generous and I suspect, looking at the viscosity of the liquid and the volume and characteristics of the vapour, that it's heavily laced with VG.
This e-liquid, "The Duke is aptly named. The flavour is full bodied; a sweet and somewhat acidic tobacco that pulls no punches in it's journey from your lips to your lungs and back again. With substantial throat hit and vapour production, the experience of vaping it is almost akin to the sensation of smoking a cigar, but without the woody, ashy overtones of the latter. I personally couldn't vape this all day but it would be a welcome vape towards the end of the day. It would also be the perfect accompaniment to a shot (or four) of whichever whiskey you prefer. Let's see those words again: "quick draw" and "sharp shooter".
Indigo RY by Indigo Vapor
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.
Preamble
Every profession, trade or discipline appears to have a fundamental practice that serves as a test that separates the wannabes from the truly accomplished practitioners. As an artist, I can give you the example of how I might test a student of the art of drawing. I sit the student down in front of something simple, something mundane like a teacup on a saucer and hand them a pencil or a ball point pen and some paper. I'd ask them to draw that teacup and saucer and give them an hour to do so. An experienced artist can discern immediately if that student knows what they're doing. Even if the student doesn't know what they're doing, the experienced artist can see whether or not the student has potential. I imagine it would be the same in every discipline.
I'd like to suggest that RY4 (or Ruyan 4) is that test for juice mixers. RY4 is a staple flavour in the e-liquid world; a great many juice companies offer their own versions of this composite of flavours and while many of them are, at best, average (acceptably vapable) some are remarkably accomplished. So good that they paint vistas in your mind's eye, dance like Fred Astaire and murmur Shakespearean sonnets under their breath, all while making the journey past your lips, along the length of your tongue, down to your lungs and back out again.
RY4 is traditionally the combination of tobacco, caramel and vanilla notes. It's the infinite variations possible in the mixing of these three primary flavours that distinguish the good from the bad. Obviously other factors come into play: how full-bodied is the flavour, how sweet is the overall taste, what other ingredients are introduced into the mix to contribute secondary and tertiary notes? What does the vapour feel like as it enters your mouth and lungs and then finally leaves your body? So many considerations and many of them will contribute minor variations in the overall experience of vaping any given liquid that may mean the difference between a good juice and a great juice. Read the fourth paragraph of this review for an account of my own experiment with RY4: http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/ry4-by-midas-vape.html Also, see here for further information on the history of RY4: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-liquid-reviews/162984-dekang-ry4-11mg-chasing-dragon.html
Finally, taste, as we all know is subjective. What may taste amazing to me, may be godawful to you. Nevertheless, while taste is subjective, quality isn't. It doesn't necessarily take an experienced palate to discern quality, but it helps. Quality in an e-liquid is determined by the choice of raw ingredients and the mixture of those ingredients but also the packaging, the labelling, the graphic design, the price point and customer service. Each of these elements add a measure of pleasure to the vaping experience for the end-user. It's attention to detail that determines the quality of anything men and women turn their hands and minds to, whether it be an e-liquid or otherwise.
The Review
Indigo RY is Indigo Vapor's http://www.indigovapor.com/ interpretation of this staple of e-liquid flavours.
Indigo Vapor is based in Mishawaka, Indiana in the United States and was begun by a gentleman called Tony, who, like most of us, turned to vaping to aid him in his effort to quit cigarettes. His experience with e-cigs was so successful that he formed Indigo Vapor to help others in their efforts to obtain a healthier alternative to smoking. Of course, in certain territories we're not allowed to claim that e-cigarettes are a cessation aid, so the Indigo Vapor website is careful to make the requisite disclaimers. http://www.indigovapor.com/aboutus.asp
Indigo Vapor offer a range of forty-nine liquids divided into the following categories: tobacco, fruit, ice, indulge and reserve. Each liquid is offered in bottle sizes of 15 ($9.49), 30 ($17.95), 60 ($32.95) and 120ml ($61.95) at nicotine strengths of 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24mg. Neither on the website nor on the bottles does the subject of PG/VG ratios ever get mentioned. For further information on their e-liquids, Indigo Vapor published this on their blog: http://indigovaporcraftingourejuice.blogspot.co.uk/
Each liquid is sold in a glass bottle which, to date has always signified (to me) the presence of a quality liquid. I'm encouraged. The bottle has a black, plastic, screw-top cap with an Integrated dropper. On arrival, the cap was sealed in a tamper evident plastic. There are two labels; one on the front and one on the back. The front label includes the following information: the brand/company name, the company's website address, the words "Handcrafted" and "American made" and the motto, "Experience the Indigo Difference". The rear label includes the following information: the name of the liquid, the date of manufacture (hand written) the liquid contents in ml, the nicotine strength in mg (hand written), the company's website address, warnings that "This product contains Nicotine" and "Keep out of the reach of pets and children" and an ingredients list (Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Nicotine and FEMA/GRAS approved flavorings).
To my eye, the colour of the liquid appear to be a Princeton Orange. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange#Princeton_orange Having been allowed to sit and breath on the deck of the Igo-L for approximately half an hour, the aroma of the liquid has a distinctive base note of vanilla with intermittent flashes of caramel and a somewhat liqueur-like top note. The liquid appears quite viscous, suggesting a generous percentage of VG in the mix. When rubbed between my thumb and forefinger, a drop of the liquid is initially quite lubricious but is quickly absorbed into my skin and becomes slightly sticky.
The Igo-L is the atomiser of choice for my reviews. It's mounted on a mechanical mod powered by an 18650 battery. The wick and coil are new with five wraps of 0.2 Kanthal wire (32 AWG) around three strands of 2mm Silica wick. As I fire the device and draw the vapour into my mouth I notice firstly, the texture, which is velvety, dense and warm. I experience a slight sweetness but this is overshadowed by the broad umami taste sensation along the roof and towards the back of my mouth. When I stop inhaling vapour, take a short breath of fresh air and hold for a moment, the flavours reveal themselves. One after the other, I become aware of Vanilla, Caramel and a light tobacco. With subsequent inhalations I'm more aware of the caramel, while the vanilla is reinforced and achieves primacy on the exhalation. Tobacco notes appear throughout the cycle of inhalation, hold, exhalation and aftertaste. As mentioned, this appears to be a light tobacco and serves to lend a grounding, umami element to the sweeter notes of vanilla and caramel. The aftertaste is dominated by the flavour of caramel with an awareness of vanilla that comes and goes. The dominant note throughout is most certainly vanilla, with caramel and tobacco notes lending secondary support. There's a warmth about the flavour of Indigo RY which suggests to me there might be further flavourants in the recipe, the identities of which will undoubtedly never leave the Indigo Vapor lab. Whatever the case, this adds a welcome further dimension to the vape.
I don't experience a great deal of chemesthetic reaction in vaping this juice. Throat hit is almost absent but there is a mild mounting of pressure at the back of the throat which never becomes uncomfortable. Vapour production is excellent, so while Indigo Vapor are quiet about the PG/VG ratio, I suspect, as I mentioned earlier, there's a generous percentage of VG in the mix.
Indigo RY is an adaptation of the RY4 formula that is quite different to any of the others that I've tried. Vanilla is the star of this show, but it's interesting to experience the layered approach this juice takes to delivering each of the broad notes represented by the triad of primary flavours. Vanilla lends sweetness and creaminess, caramel lends sweetness and the subtlest hint of saltiness while the tobacco lends the umami notes, with each of the flavours presenting themselves to conscious awareness at different stages in the vape. I'm thoroughly enjoying this juice and if it sounds like something that would interest you, then I urge you to give it a try. You'll be richly rewarded.
Thursday, 18 July 2013
FIERCE by Vape Goddess
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 Vape Goddess's Ambrosia. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/ambrosia-by-vape-goddess.html Quoted passages are in italics.
Vape Goddess http://www.vapegoddess.net/ have this to say about FIERCE, the subject of this review: "Oh girl, you ARE FIERCE and you should vape like it! Smooth and tangy tangerine paired with the bite of cool Menthol is a vape that's just as FIERCE as your new Jimmy Choos." http://www.vapegoddess.net/fierce/
All I know about Jimmy Choo, is that he's a "designer shoe" designer and as such, charges a mint (or the earth (whichever metaphor works best for you)) for a pair. I'll be back in a minute. I'm just going to go Google Jimmy Choo.
Oh, I see. It's not just shoes. It's handbags, sunglasses, wallets and men's fashion too. His most expensive boots are £1995.00 (US$3036 as of the date of the writing of this review) http://www.jimmychoo.com/pre-fall-12/gaige/invt/124gaigebmpy while his most inexpensive pumps are £250.00 (US$380 as of the date of the writing of this review) http://www.jimmychoo.com/walker/invt/113walkerbgfa
Wow, FIERCE indeed! Enough about shoes; let's talk about e-liquid.
Vape Goddess is a company of women, run by Meg Strouse (co-creator of Drake's Vapes with Kevin Drake), who make e-liquids specifically for the female market. Perceiving a gap in the e-liquid market, Meg with the support of her team launched a number of liquids, the likes of which you won't find anywhere else. Vape Goddess acknowledge that women who vape are more often than not, intelligent, creative and very accomplished, and have chosen to reflect these latter qualities in their branding, marketing and products.
Before we go any further, a note to my male readers. Yes, these are liquids pitched to a female market, but I sincerely hope that you're sufficiently comfortable with your sexuality that you would appreciate good e-liquids when you see/smell/vape them, without worrying about emasculation, even if they're not particularly aimed at you. Vaping these juices won't diminish your masculinity in any way, shape or form. These are very good liquids and provide a number of flavours that you simply won't find anywhere else. If, like me, you're a connoisseur of flavour, you probably wouldn't hesitate in buying these juices anyway.
Vape Goddess offer a range of six e-liquids which include FIERCE ("Tangerine Menthol") ($15.00), Guilty Pleasure ("Cookies and Milk") ($15.00), Kokomo ("Kiwi Melon") ($20.00), Lotus ("Honeysuckle Green Tea") ($15.00), Luna ("blueberries with a hint of smooth tobacco") ($15.00) and Ambrosia ($15.00). Coming soon are Ginger Fetish, Mahalo ("Hibiscus Ginger Grapefruit"), Sol ("Sparkling Mango"), Spritz ("Cucumber Mint") and Tease ("Plum White Tea"). They also offer a sampler called Goddess Tasting Flight ($25.00) which consists of 10ml bottles of each of the following liquids: Ambrosia, FIERCE, Guilty Pleasure, Lotus and Luna.
Each e-liquid is available in a cylindrical glass bottle with a black, non-childproof screw-top cap. Here follows the obligatory plea for vapers with children and/or pets around, to store and use these liquids with especial care. The information on the bottle in front of me includes the following: the company/brand name, the name of the liquid, a brief description of the flavour, nicotine strength in ml, an ingredients list, and the warnings: "Keep away from children and pets" and "Not for sale to minors".
When I look at the liquid in the bottle I notice a torpid veil through the clear liquid, so I shake it and discover the liquid's proper state is opaque, rather than clear. The colour of FIERCE is a slightly lighter Goldenrod (Gold). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_(color)#Goldenrod It has the consistency and lubricity of a light cooking oil and smells, unsurprisingly, of tangerine.
I'm vaping FIERCE in an Igo-L on a mechanical mod running on a freshly charged 18650 battery. I don't have the mod or equipment necessary to measure the ohms of the coil on the Igo-L, but I can tell you that it has five wraps of 0.2 Kanthal (32 AWG) wire around four strands of 2mm Silica wick.
I fire the device and take a gentle, shallow inhalation of vapour. The first thing I notice is the chemesthetic effect of coolness along the forward, upper edge of my tongue. I also experience a gentle sensation of citrus flavour (no acidity) throughout my mouth. As the breath begins to turn, the flavour of tangerine reveals itself and continues alongside the exhaled coolness of menthol, through to, and for the duration of the aftertaste. Bear in mind this was a short, shallow inhalation. When I fire the device in preparation for a sustained inhalation, I again experience the cooling sensation of Menthol on my tongue, but as the inhalation continues, the sweetness of the tangerine builds alongside the broad flavour of citrus. This is quickly overtaken however, by a strong chemesthetic cold burn (this is characteristic of Menthol and entirely expected) at the back of the throat the longer I inhale. As I finish inhaling vapour and take in a shallow breath of fresh air, the tangerine reappears. The exhalation is a combination of the residual effect of the Menthol throughout my gustatory system and the amplified flavour of tangerine washing back out through my mouth and experienced partially retronasally, partially via my taste buds. The overall effect is a very refreshing, almost cleansing vape. I strongly suspect there's a third note buried very deeply within the overall mix, to lend support to the tangerine flavour, but I have no idea what it might be. Clove perhaps... The vapour is subtly sweet; certainly nowhere near enough to be cloying. In fact, to my taste, it provides just enough sweetness to lend authenticity to the tangerine note.
I don't experience any throat hit as such but the Menthol provides a substantial kick of its own to the back of the throat. Vapour production is excellent, with generous clouds of the stuff billowing from my mouth.
Although Vape Goddess's e-liquids are nowhere near as expensive as Jimmy Choo's shoes, they almost should be. It's been my great pleasure to sample four of the currently available six e-liquids in the Vape Goddess range, and they've each been of exceptional quality. There are some very accomplished minds at Vape Goddess and it shows in the level of detail lavished on every aspect of the product. The branding, the bottling, the labelling, the artwork, the graphic design and the liquids themselves are all exquisite. Ignore them and you do yourself a great disservice.
Citrus flavoured e-liquids have been known to etch and/or crack plastic tanks, so I'd advise only using FIERCE in a metal or borosilicate/pyrex device. Vape Goddess don't mention this on their website but I personally wouldn't want to risk it.
Guilty Pleasure by Vape Goddess
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 Vape Goddess's Ambrosia. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/ambrosia-by-vape-goddess.html Quoted passages are in italics.
There's a particular American institution which has travelled throughout the western world, into the homes and lives of families and specifically, the lives of children. This institution is the tradition of sitting at the kitchen table, legs swinging with pleasure, chatting idly about the day's events and eating cookies and drinking a cold glass of milk. This institution almost has the old world charm and sacred inviolability of a Norman Rockwell painting. I believe that once upon a time this simple, childhood ritual was a common occurrence. Does it endure however, into this 21st century where the likes of potato crisps, chocolate bars and ice-cream are advertised on television every few minutes, between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00PM? Television advertising is known to have an ironclad, hypnotic influence on the minds of suggestible people. At this time of day, those people are, for the most part children.
Once upon a time, Sesame Street had some influence: http://youtu.be/fWVv0Ob_844 Perhaps it still does. I hope so.
Vape Goddess, in a generous nod to this time honoured tradition have created an e-liquid called Guilty Pleasure which offers the comforting taste sensation of cookies and milk, which is, because of its nicotine content, for the exclusive use of adults. Adults who were raised, perhaps, to enjoy cookies and milk at the kitchen table.
Vape Goddess http://www.vapegoddess.net/ is a company of women, run by Meg Strouse (co-creator of Drake's Vapes with Kevin Drake), who make e-liquids specifically for the female market. Perceiving a gap in the e-liquid market, Meg with the support of her team launched a number of liquids, the likes of which you won't find anywhere else. Vape Goddess acknowledge that women who vape are more often than not, intelligent, creative and very accomplished, and have chosen to reflect these latter qualities in their branding, marketing and products.
Before we go any further, a note to my male readers. Yes, these are liquids pitched to a female market, but I sincerely hope that you're sufficiently comfortable with your sexuality that you would appreciate good e-liquids when you see/smell/vape them, without worrying about emasculation, even if they're not particularly aimed at you. Vaping these juices won't diminish your masculinity in any way, shape or form. These are very good liquids and provide a number of flavours that you simply won't find anywhere else. If, like me, you're a connoisseur of flavour, you probably wouldn't hesitate in buying these juices anyway.
Vape Goddess offer a range of six e-liquids which include FIERCE ("Tangerine Menthol") ($15.00), Guilty Pleasure ("Cookies and Milk") ($15.00), Kokomo ("Kiwi Melon") ($20.00), Lotus ("Honeysuckle Green Tea") ($15.00), Luna ("blueberries with a hint of smooth tobacco") ($15.00) and Ambrosia ($15.00). Coming soon are Ginger Fetish, Mahalo ("Hibiscus Ginger Grapefruit"), Sol ("Sparkling Mango"), Spritz ("Cucumber Mint") and Tease ("Plum White Tea"). They also offer a sampler called Goddess Tasting Flight ($25.00) which consists of 10ml bottles of each of the following liquids: Ambrosia, FIERCE, Guilty Pleasure, Lotus and Luna.
Each e-liquid is available in a cylindrical glass bottle with a black, non-childproof screw-top cap. Here follows the obligatory plea for vapers with children and/or pets around, to store and use these liquids with especial care. The information on the bottle in front of me includes the following: the company/brand name, the name of the liquid, a brief description of the flavour, nicotine strength in ml, an ingredients list, and the warnings: "Keep away from children and pets" and "Not for sale to minors".
The colour of this liquid appears to my eye, closest to a clear Rusty Red http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_red#Rusty_red The viscosity is similar to a cordial syrup while the lubricity is quite substantial; somewhat akin to a light cooking oil. The aroma emerging from the bottle is that of baked, cream flavoured cookies.
I'm vaping Guilty Pleasure in an Igo-L on a mechanical mod running on a freshly charged 18650 battery. I don't have the mod or equipment necessary to measure the ohms of the coil on the Igo-L, but I can tell you that it has five wraps of 0.2 Kanthal (32 AWG) wire around three strands of 2mm Silica wick.
As I first inhale, my mouth fills with a potent sweetness and the broad flavour of something baked. If I draw the vapour into my mouth without inhaling, and then inhale the mouthful of vapour, I experience some discomfort at the back of my throat and retronasally. So, I've learned quickly to inhale the vapour from Guilty Pleasure directly into my lungs. The sweetness floods along the length of my tongue and there's a warmth about the vapour which is not to be confused with the temperature of it. The vapour itself is dense, velvety and somewhat creamy. When I stop inhaling the vapour and (as is my practice) take a small amount of fresh air into my lungs the flavour of cookie springs to life. It's a flavour that I've encountered in other e-liquids, though there's certainly a sweeter, creamier quality to this vapour than the others I've experienced. As I exhale, the cookie flavour continues without amplification and through to the aftertaste where it either fades gradually or is extended by the following vape. This liquid is free from the taint of the taste of artificiality. It tastes like baked cookies. There's a certain creaminess to the flavour and texture of the vapour which I would suggest accounts for the "milk" in the description of the liquid, but I don't personally taste milk. This is where I invoke the mantra, "taste is subjective". My inability to taste milk in this vapour may be a deficiency in my physiology or equipment.
The throat hit that Guilty Pleasure provides is significant. There was also a building of pressure at the back of my throat. Vapour production varied depending on how saturated the wick was with liquid. The less liquid there was on the wick, the more voluminous the vapour.
Although there are a number of e-liquids that have a passing similarity to Guilty Pleasure, I can't think of one that is the equal of this for the quality of indrawn vapour and flavour it provides.
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
Lotus by Vape Goddess
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 Vape Goddess's Ambrosia. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/ambrosia-by-vape-goddess.html Quoted passages are in italics.
There's a lot that you do as a child that would appear forever lost to memory. For example, some time during my childhood, I squeezed the nectar from tiny honeysuckle flowers and licked it from my fingertips. I don't remember who I was with, where I was or anything else that might have been associated with this experience. All I remember is squeezing the flowers between my thumb and forefinger, licking the nectar and the taste of it. The catalyst for this memory is Vape Goddess's e-liquid, Lotus, which is honeysuckle and green tea flavoured. I've been vaping this liquid for several days and each inhalation of vapour draws me back to that simple, inconsequential, childhood pleasure, the memory of which had been buried and left for dead all these years. (The apprehension of aroma is closely tied to memory, http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/smell3.htm, and as we know (though perhaps you don't) the experience of flavour is to a large degree determined by odour molecules travelling to the olfactory neurons retronasally (through the mouth). Hence, a triad of association and relationship between memory and the apprehension of flavour and aroma.)
I personally find it extraordinary, that long lost memories can be brought to conscious awareness by the merest whiff of a passing aroma of some sort. Why is memory so intimately connected with our sense of smell?
Maybe Vape Goddess knows...
Vape Goddess http://www.vapegoddess.net/ is a company of women, run by Meg Strouse (co-creator of Drake's Vapes with Kevin Drake), who make e-liquids specifically for the female market. Perceiving a gap in the e-liquid market, Meg with the support of her team launched a number of liquids, the likes of which you won't find anywhere else. Vape Goddess acknowledge that women who vape are more often than not, intelligent, creative and very accomplished, and have chosen to reflect these latter qualities in their branding, marketing and products.
Before we go any further, a note to my male readers. Yes, these are liquids pitched to a female market, but I sincerely hope that you're sufficiently comfortable with your sexuality that you would appreciate good e-liquids when you see/smell/vape them, without worrying about emasculation, even if they're not particularly aimed at you. Vaping these juices won't diminish your masculinity in any way, shape or form. These are very good liquids and provide a number of flavours that you simply won't find anywhere else. If, like me, you're a connoisseur of flavour, you probably wouldn't hesitate in buying these juices anyway.
Vape Goddess offer a range of six e-liquids which include FIERCE ("Tangerine Menthol") ($15.00), Guilty Pleasure ("Cookies and Milk") ($15.00), Kokomo ("Kiwi Melon") ($20.00), Lotus ("Honeysuckle Green Tea") ($15.00), Luna ("blueberries with a hint of smooth tobacco") ($15.00) and Ambrosia ($15.00). Coming soon are Ginger Fetish, Mahalo ("Hibiscus Ginger Grapefruit"), Sol ("Sparkling Mango"), Spritz ("Cucumber Mint") and Tease ("Plum White Tea"). They also offer a sampler called Goddess Tasting Flight ($25.00) which consists of 10ml bottles of each of the following liquids: Ambrosia, FIERCE, Guilty Pleasure, Lotus and Luna.
Each e-liquid is available in a cylindrical glass bottle with a black, non-childproof screw-top cap. Here follows the obligatory plea for vapers with children and/or pets around, to store and use these liquids with especial care. The information on the bottle in front of me includes the following: the company/brand name, the name of the liquid, a brief description of the flavour, nicotine strength in ml, an ingredients list, and the warnings: "Keep away from children and pets" and "Not for sale to minors".
The colour of this liquid is a clear, slightly lighter, Burnt Orange http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnt_orange#Burnt_orange, though when the bottle is held up to a light, the liquid is closer to a School Bus Yellow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_bus_yellow Remarkably, the liquid smells more of banana, to me, than anything else. I assure you though, there's no trace of banana in the flavour of the vapour. The liquid is quite aqueous and only lightly lubricious.
As I mentioned earlier, I've been vaping Lotus for a few days. I've been using it in the Killer, but for the sake of this review and in the interests of maintaining a level playing field, I'll be using the Igo-L on a mechanical mod, powered by an 18650 battery. I don't have the mod or equipment to measure the ohms of the coil, but I can tell you that there are five wraps of 0.2 (32 AWG) Kanthal wire around four strands of 2mm silica wick.
The coil is hot and as I inhale there's a warm flood of sweetness throughout my mouth. The flavour is broadly floral. Unfortunately, the term "floral" when used to describe vapour carries negative connotations. Let me assure you though, that in this case the floral quality is entirely agreeable. Honeysuckle could be classed as gustatorily satisfactory as rose water or elderflower cordial (or wine). When I finish inhaling vapour, I take a small amount of fresh air into my lungs, and as I do so the flavour of honeysuckle blossoms (pardon the pun). As I exhale, the honeysuckle flavour is amplified and I become aware of another flavour, a slightly earthier flavour which I assume to be green tea. (I don't recall ever drinking green tea, so I have to take Vape Goddess's word for it.) The aftertaste consists of the marriage of these two flavours, with the honeysuckle continuing to dominate until it all fades or I take another vape.
Lotus provides both a substantial throat hit (at 18mg) and a generous amount of vapour.
I abhor TXT speak, but I'll make an exception here, simply because I want to stress the point. OMG I <3 Lotus. My wife adores it too. This juice is so delicious, I'm almost lost for words. You owe it to yourself to try Lotus at least once in your life. It's sweet, it's summer, it's refreshing. It's like no other e-liquid out there. Go buy.
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