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.
