Vaping Diaries 228: Five Pawns Black Flag Fallen Interview (ECC 2014)

Five Pawns is one of my favorite e-liquid companies in vaping. I enjoy the complexity and layers of many Five Pawns juices and really appreciate how the company pushes the envelope on the juice side of the vaping business. Coming in December 2014 is the company’s Black Flag Fallen. At ECC 2014, Five Pawns founder & president Rodney Jerabek told me about this exciting e-liquid. While he wouldn’t reveal all the details of the ingredients at this time, Rodney spoke about some of the core flavors of Black Flag Fallen, such as espresso and black truffle cream. He also spoke about the black-and-chrome box and bottle design, which retains the Five Pawns style while also standing out. Lastly, Rodney talked about a contest-like bottling program for the first run of Black Flag Fallen. Similar to the phenomenal Castle Long Reserve, a single barrel of Black Flag Fallen produces 134 bottles of e-liquid. In a single batch, 133 bottles of Black Flag Fallen will come in clear glass bottles, while one comes in a frosted black glass bottle. If you happen to snag the black bottle then you’ll get a special treat from Five Pawns. It’s like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but with vaping!

Watch my chat with Rodney to learn more about Black Flag Fallen’s flavor, packaging design, and more.

Five Pawns Black Flag Fallen ECC 2014

Vaping Diaries #178: Five Pawns Mixology Review (Fifth Rank, Perpetual Check)

Back in Vaping Diaries #173, I reviewed three e-liquids from Five Pawns new Mixology Edition. Now it’s time to review the remaining two — Fifth Rank and Perpetual Check. If you’re not familiar with Mixology Edition, these juices were inspired by alcoholic beverages. Fifth Rank incorporates champagne flavor, while Perpetual Check has a taste that’s similar to black currant liquer. Both are quality juices with lots of complexity. I loved one of them, while the other didn’t work for me. Now let’s get to the tasting notes!

Fifth Rank: When I first vaped this juice, I had to stop and think about what I was experiencing. There are so many flavors going on and some of the notes are so distinct. This Mixology Edition mix is a melange of horehound, champagne, vanilla bean, sweat cream, almond, and lime. The horehound flavor really made this juice for me, with its combination of moderate mint and licorice-like bitterness. The other flavors complement the horehound marvelously for a fantastic mix.

While horehound was the most distinct flavor in Fifth Rank to me, two of my friends thought that the lime had the most presence. Since this juice has so many layers and we all have different tastebuds, it’s possible that people will have markedly different experiences with this e-liquid. As for me, Fifth Rank was one of my two favorites from Mixology Edition, along with the excellent Sixty-Four. Coincidentally, this juice probably has the second-most polarizing flavor next to Sixty-Four.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Perpetual Check: This Mixology Edition blend features black currant, lemon, fig, barley, and cinnamon stick. While I really enjoyed the black currant flavor and appreciated the complexity of this juice, this was easily my least favorite Mixology Edition e-liquid. It was also unusual to vape. For me, there was a wattage sweet spot with this juice where the black currant flavor was more pronounced. When the wattage got a little too high or a little too low, the cinnamon flavor became overpowering. This made vaping it on a mechanical mod an uneven experience, since output changes depending on the battery’s charge level. I preferred vaping this juice on a regulated mod with consistent output.

While a few of my friends liked this one a lot more than I did, some of them agreed that the cinnamon drowned out the other flavors. While this juice didn’t work out for me nearly as much as the other four Mixology Edition e-liquids, if you dig cinnamon and complexity then there’s a great chance that you’ll enjoy Perpetual Check.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Five Pawns Mixology Edition Fifth Rank

Steeping and Review Notes (Updated December 29, 2013)
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method as of December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on.

RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in a bottom-coil silica atomizer (The Russian and Aqua), various rebuildable dripping atomizers, and a clearomizer.

Vaping Diaries #173: Five Pawns Mixology Review (Castle Long, Lucena, Sixty-Four)

Five Pawns Mixology line is comprised of a quintet of e-liquids inspired by alcoholic beverages. Similar to many of the Five Pawns juices I tried last year, several of the Mixology e-liquids are complex and unique. One of them is among the most distinct e-liquids I’ve ever tried. Five Pawns has a fervent fan base and the Mixology line broadens the company’s reach by introducing new flavors. Mixology also takes Five Panws to the next level by serving up some wonderfully complex juice. While these Five Pawns Mixology juices aren’t for everyone (and really, no juice is for everyone), they’re so unique that they’re worth trying, at the very least.

To kick off my review of Five Pawns Mixology, I’ve been vaping Castle Long, Lucena, and Sixty-Four for the last 15 days. There have been early reviews of these e-liquids that were based on store samplings. Personally, I don’t think that reviews based off of five minutes of vaping are particularly useful. I’ve vaped several milliliters of these juices using a variety of equipment. That annoyance aside, let’s get to the tasting notes on these three Five Pawns Mixology juices.

Castle Long: Based on the successful Castle Long Reserve, this juice blends coconut, almond, vanilla, brown sugar, and bourbon flavors. Castle Long Reserve is a marvelous e-liquid that was one of my favorites of 2013. Unlike the “Reserve” edition, this juice is not steeped in an oak barrel. The result is a brighter, sharper, and sweeter flavor.

While I’m a fan of the outstanding mix of flavors, I still prefer Castle Long Reserve over Castle Long — at least in a relatively fresh state. The steeping really helps the flavors come together and the oak adds an additional layer of complexity. After a few months of steeping, I imagine that Castle Long will mellow out and become similar to Castle Long Reserve. On the practical side, Castle Long is $10 cheaper than Castle Long Reserve, which will appeal to many vapers. While it doesn’t have the fanfare of the previous release, Castle Long is a tasty and complex juice that’s a fine addition to the Five Pawns Mixology line.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Lucena: This is a flavorful blend of white peach and spiced rum, topped with hazelnut. The peach flavor is delicious and natural, while the spiced rum gives it a kick. For my tastebuds, the hazelnut was slight and hard to pick up when vaping with a clearomizer.

Out of the three Five Pawns Mixology juices in this review, this one was the least impressive to the friends I shared it with. All of them enjoyed it, but found it less distinct than the other two. The general sentiment was that Lucena tastes like a spicy peach cobbler; that was Five Pawns’ intent, but the flavor wasn’t as unique as the others. Personally, I really enjoyed Lucena, but would have preferred a different balance. I’m always down to vape a tasty peach e-liquid and the peach flavor in this juice is great. However, I would have preferred a stronger rum kick…which is probably a result of all the rum I’ve consumed over the years.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Sixty-Four: Easily one of the most unique juices I’ve ever tried, Sixty-Four was inspired by the popular mojito beverage. The flavors in this juice include grapefruit liqueur, cognac, cucumber, mint, lemon, and dill. The blend is unique and the complexity is striking. Sixty-Four has a slight citrus sweetness that’s accompanied by a pleasantly bitter tone.

Since the flavor is so unique, some of my friends loved Sixty-Four and some of them couldn’t stand it. The cucumber and dill flavors are really distinct. While I can see how it was inspired by the mojito, it reminded me more of fancy flavored water that’s served in spas. In Southern California, the market is dominated by fruity and candied flavors. Sixty-Four is a breath of fresh air that stands out and is one of the most “adult” juices I’ve ever tried. While it’s probably the most divisive juice in the Five Pawns Mixology line, I found it to be delicious in a way that’s atypical for e-liquids.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Five Pawns Mixology Sixty-Four

Steeping and Review Notes (Updated December 29, 2013)
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method as of December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on.

RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in a bottom-coil silica atomizer (The Russian and Aqua), various rebuildable dripping atomizers, and a clearomizer.

Vaping Diaries #165: Top 10 E-Liquids of 2013

Since the year is wrapping up, I thought it would be a great time to look back and think about the many juices I vaped in 2013. Below is a list of the top 10 e-liquids of 2013, but there are several things I’d like you to keep in mind. While most of the juices on the list are 2013 releases, there are some older releases that are simply new to my tastebuds. Obviously this list is completely subjective. The e-liquids I enjoy the most are made with naturally-extracted tobacco or are complex blends. Just because I’m enamored with these juices doesn’t mean that they’ll be instant hits for you. Lastly, I’d love to hear about your top 10 e-liquids of 2013 (or however many you’d like to post). Kindly take a moment and share your favorite juices of the year in the comments section. Now onto the list!

  1. Sahara Blend (Ahlusion) — This a brilliant mix of Turkish and Virginia tobaccos. What I love about this juice is that there’s so much going on. It’s sweet, spicy, and dry all at the same time. While I’ve had Turkish blends that have similar qualities to this juice, none of them can match Sahara Blend’s complexity. The excellent flavor and complexity have it first on my top 10 e-liquids of 2013 list. After vaping my review bottle (review will be filmed soon!), I’ve ordered a few 60ml refills. That’s how much I enjoy this one.
  2. Honey Cured (Ahlusion) — This juice is a masterful blend of bold tobacco and bright honey sweetness. As with the other Ahlusion aromatics, the tobacco is authentic and stronger than what most companies offer. The honey sweetness is strong and true, and perfectly complemented by the flavorful tobacco. I’m always amazed by the stellar balance Ahlusion achieves with so many of its juices. This is a sterling example of that. Full review here.
  3. Gambit (Five Pawns) — There are a ton of apple pie e-liquids on the market, but this is the most remarkable one that I’ve vaped. The complexity is off the charts. You can taste the apple, vanilla, crust, and cream. I haven’t had an apple pie juice this good and it would take an extraordinary blend to top it — Gambit (the Five Pawns juice, not the pansy Cajun Marvel superhero) is just amazing stuff. Full review here.
  4. Castle Long Reserve (Five Pawns) — A limited-edition release, I was lucky enough to get two bottles of the first batch of this juice. It’s stellar. Like Gambit, the complexity is amazing. You can make out the coconut, toasted almond, and vanilla flavors, as well as a touch of oak. I’ve heard from several friends that the second release of this juice is a tad different and not quite as good. That means that I’ll savor every last drop of the original Castle Long Reserve that I have left. Full review here.
  5. Lychee (Bamskilicious) — This juice was given a shout-out by Ricky from Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors during our Vapetoberfest 2013 interview. I bought a 10ml at a local shop to try it out…and have probably picked up around 200ml since then. As an Asian-American, I’ve consumed a lot of lychee (both canned and fresh). It’s one of my favorite fruits in the world and this juice replicates the flavor of canned lychee perfectly. In fact, I’m vaping some in my Russian atomizer as I type this.
  6. Gold Member (Ahlusion) — It took a month of steeping for it to become great, but this dessert juice ended up being exactly what I wanted. A few years ago, salted caramel desserts were the rage in Los Angeles. This juice lets me enjoy that outstanding flavor without the calories. That’s a complete win! Full review here.
  7. Banyan Tree (The Vape Tree) — This company was started by a fine gentlemen that I met on ECF. Initially, this was my second-favorite juice of his, but now I like it best. The flavor is unique and complex — a rich bakery-type vape complemented nicely by tobacco. The sweetness of the multiple dessert flavors is wonderfully cut by the earthiness of the tobacco. Full review here.
  8. Americano Ciambella (P.O.E.T.) — Another complex vape, I was intrigued by this juice’s description when I chatted with POET CEO Randy Freer at ECC 2013. Maple is the dominant flavor, and it’s complemented by coffee and subtle tobacco notes. Randy described it as his morning drive — eating a maple bar, drinking a cup of coffee, and smoking a cigarette on the way to work. While I rarely drive, the combination, complexity, and wonderfully subtle background notes made this one a winner for me.
  9. Grant’s Vanilla Custard — To be completely honest, I didn’t want to love this juice. Through no fault of the creator, it’s ridiculously overhyped. Some of the reasons are that it’s difficult to obtain and opportunistic people flip bottles of it for double the cost (or more). While I abhor the “flipper” aspect of this juice (again, not the creator’s fault), I’ve come to really enjoy this excellent custard e-liquid. It’s sweet and rich, with the perfect amount of eggy flavor (for me). While I maintain that it’s overhyped, there’s a reason why this is the vanilla custard juice that all other vanilla custard juices are compared to. And yeah, I’ve gone through 100ml of this stuff and have 200ml steeping.
  10. Pinoy Punch (The Vape Tree) — This one got me attention with its awesome name and kept it with its use of mangosteen. Another one of my favorite fruits, mangosteen is awesome and rarely found in e-liquids. This blend also uses other tropical fruits and has a thick texture that I really enjoyed. But, it’s the mangosteen that made this one of my top 10 e-liquids of 2013. Full review here.

Now it’s your turn! Kindly share your top 10 e-liquids of 2013 in the comments section when you have a chance. I’d love to see your picks. I’m hoping to see some juices I’ve never heard of or haven’t considered. Perhaps I’ll review some of your picks in 2014. Fire away (please)! If you’re interested in my vaping gear picks, then check out my top 10 vaping devices of 2013 list.

Vaping Diaries #121: Five Pawns Rodney Jerabek Interview

Out of all the booths at ECC 2013, Five Pawns had the most impressive setup. The company’s booth was made from reclaimed prune crates and the employees were decked out in black vests. It made the booth feel like a saloon from Old West. Five Pawns had several things going on at ECC 2013. The successful Castle Long Reserve e-liquid got a second release and the upcoming Mixology line was teased. Five Pawns president and founder Rodney Jerabek talks about all the booth, the second release of Castle Long Reserve, what to expect from the Mixology line, and more in the video interview above.

Vaping Diaries #86: Five Pawns Review II

Here’s a review of three e-liquids from Five Pawns: Grandmaster, Queenside, and Gambit. There are several Los Angeles vape shops that carry Five Pawns and these seem to be the most popular flavors. All three are high-quality juices made with natural ingredients. One of them is comparable to similarly flavored juices, another has a unique twist that distinguishes it from the competition, and the last is something quite special.

Five Pawns uses an atypical business model that’s focused on retail. The company’s online prices are the same as the ones you’ll find in stores — $27.50 for a 30ml bottle. Compared to other online vendors, that’s expensive, but I think two of these juices are definitely worth price. Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Grandmaster: Elvis would have loved this e-liquid, as peanut butter and banana are the primary flavors. There’s also some caramel in the mix. Some people feel that this juice is a bananas-Foster style e-liquid, but I disagree because the (lovely) peanut-butter flavor make it different from the popular NOLA dessert. A lot of vendors offer bananas Foster, but peanut butter-and-banana juices are much less common and this one stands out. Like several other Five Pawns juices I’ve enjoyed, Grandmaster is very rich and savory, with a fantastic mix of flavors that come together for a delicious blend. As a fan of peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, this juice was a real treat.

Queenside: This juice features blood orange and French vanilla as its primary ingredients. The end result is an orange-creamsicle style juice, which is something many, many vendors offer. That said, this is one of the better ones out there. The French vanilla flavor is particularly excellent. While this is definitely a high-quality juice and I enjoyed vaping it, I don’t think it’s as special as some of the other Five Pawns e-liquids. There are a few orange-creamsicle juices that taste just as good to me and are available for a lower price. Personally, I would buy Ahlusion Orange Creamsicle over Queenside.

Gambit: This is — hands down — the best apple pie e-liquid I’ve ever vaped. I enjoyed it so much that I quickly finished the bottle and had to buy another one to photograph for this review. Normally, I don’t enjoy brightly sweet e-liquids unless they have complexity. Gambit has complexity in spades. You can taste the apple, French vanilla, crust, and cream. The flavors come together marvelously for a brilliant, rich, and complex vape. Out of the six Five Pawns e-liquids I’ve had, this one was my favorite — definitely one of the best juices I’ve had in 2013.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Grandmaster
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 10-17, 2013

Queenside
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 14-19, 2013

Gambit
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 10-17, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #79: Five Pawns Review

If you’re looking for complex e-liquids with amazing flavors then you should definitely check out Five Pawns. In a very short time, the company has become one of the best e-liquid vendors in the world, as far as quality goes. Its juices have a complexity that I’ve only seen from a handful of other companies.

Positioned as premium e-liquid, Five Pawns juices come in glass bottles covered with cardboard tubes. The box protects the bottle and adds a classy look. Each bottle lists the mix date, lot number, and bottle number. The packaging reminds me a lot of Apple products; slick labeling and packaging envelope a superior product, enhancing the experience.

A lot of people get sticker shock when they see the price of Five Pawn’s e-liquids — $27.50 for the standard line and $37.50 for the Reserve line (30ml bottles). Yes, they’re expensive compared to other online vendors, but as I learned during my interview with Five Pawns president Rodney Jerabek, the business focuses on retail. Since Five Pawns doesn’t want to undercut its retail partners, the online prices are the same as retail prices. With many brick-and-mortar shops selling average juice (or worse) for $1 per milliliter, the Five Pawns prices are inline. Of course it all comes down to taste. To me, these juices are absolutely worth the price and I’ll definitely be buying more bottles in the future. That said, I totally understand why some people think they’re too expensive. As they say in Thailand, “Up to you.”

The three juices covered in this review are Bowden’s Mate, Absolute Pin, and Castle Long Reserve. The last juice is particularly unique, as it’s aged for three weeks in a treated oak barrel. All three juices are rich, flavorful, and complex. If you’re the type of vaper that enjoys simple and straightforward juices (which can be delicious in their own right) then these might not be for you. If you appreciate complex flavors and unique mixes of multiple ingredients then you should definitely check out these juices. Here are the the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Bowden’s Mate: This is a sweet, creamy, and minty e-liquid. The French vanilla and mint hit me right away on the inhale. A nice chocolate followed those flavors. Yes, there are many vendors that make an “Andes Candies” type of juice, but this one is better than any that I’ve tried. Five Pawns’ French vanilla is wonderfully delicious and totally makes this juice, making it different from the other chocolate/mint flavors out there. Like other Five Pawns e-liquids, it’s finely crafted and the flavors come together splendidly.

Absolute Pin: Absinthe fans must give this juice a try. The tasting notes mention a “subtle absinthe undertone,” but the anise dominated the flavor to me. (To be fair, I’m pretty sensitive to anise due to several unfortunate Jaegermesiter-fueled evenings.) Complementing the anise are caramel, cinnamon, and Irish cream. It all comes together for a ridiculously complex and boldly flavorful juice. It’s definitely not an all-day vape for me, as I can only take anise in small doses, but I really appreciate the blend. I never thought absinthe and caramel would work so well together. A few friends of mine that love absinthe juices mentioned that this is one of the best and most unique blends they’ve tried.

Castle Long Reserve: The insert included with the bottle says, “What’s in this bottle is special.” That’s not pretense or exaggeration. This is a truly special e-liquid. Toasted almond and coconut hit me right away, followed by vanilla. The vanilla flavor in this juice isn’t as dominant as it is in some other Five Pawns flavors; it’s more complementary, while still adding to the deliciousness. Further in the background is a touch of bourbon. The flavors come together amazingly. Castle Long Reserve is a finely crafted juice that’s easily one of the best and most unique I’ve ever had.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Bowden’s Made
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 6-10, 2013

Absolute Pin
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 6-10, 2013

Castle Long Reserve
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: May 25, 2013
Uncapped: July 5, 2013 6:40PM
Vaped: July 15-19, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #70: Five Pawns Tasting Room Tour

Last month I paid a visit to Five Pawns HQ in Irvine. In my interview with company president Rodney Jerabek, I learned about the company’s history and the story behind its fantastic e-liquids. In this video feature, Rodney and I talk about the Five Pawns tasting room. Blending high comfort and high style, this is one of coolest and classiest vaping lounges I’ve ever been to. The tasting room has super-cushy bar stools, a comfortable couch, art by Shepard Fairey, and some rare mechanical mods. Naturally, customers can sample and purchase Five Pawns e-liquid — including the barrel-aged Reserve Line — but they’ll also be able to try flavors that are in development. The company will use the tasting room for focus groups, allowing customers to try new flavors as they’re being fine tuned before they hit store shelves.

Check out the video above to see and hear more about the Five Pawns tasting room.

Vaping Diaries #67: Five Pawns President Interview

Here’s an interview I conducted with Five Pawns president and founder Rodney Jerabek. I first came across Five Pawns e-liquids at Vaping Ape LA and was immediately impressed. The company makes some really delicious juices that are unusually rich and complex. It was great spending time at Five Pawns HQ and learning more about the company. In the video above, Rodney talks about the company’s origins, what goes into a Five Pawns e-liquid, why the juice costs what it does, the wood-barrel steeped “Reserve” line, and more.

There are a few things that make Five Pawns’ offerings unique. Let’s start with the e-liquids themselves. They’re made with natural ingredients, including some that are sourced locally. Many e-liquids use one, two, or three flavors in addition to the standard ingredients of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerol, and nicotine. Five Pawns juices contain up to 11 ingredients. This makes for some of the most distinct, complex, and flavorful juices I’ve tried.

Most e-liquid vendors have dozens of flavors available and it’s extremely rare for an e-liquid company to do many different types of flavors well. Off the top of my head, the only juice maker that excels in so many different areas is Ahlusion. Jerabek compared Five Pawns’ approach to In-N-Out Burger, a (glorious) fast food chain that offers a simple menu with everything on the menu done really well. To kick things off, he wanted the company to offer five juices that are all done really well.

Similar to fine wines and scotches, Five Pawns e-liquids are made in small batches. Typically, each batch results in 160 30ml bottles of juice. The bottles have the mixing date, lot number, and bottle number printed on them. The juices are pre-steeped so they’re good to go when you buy them in a store or receive them in the mail.

Jerabek’s background is in design, which is obvious from the company’s packaging. Five Pawns e-liquids come in clear glass bottles with some of the best labels I’ve seen. The bottles are placed in handsome cardboard tubes that remind me of liquor or perfume boxes. It makes for a high-end experience, similar to how Apple packaging enhances the experience of a great product.

Some vaping enthusiasts had sticker shock when they saw that Five Pawns’ online prices were $27.50 for a 30ml bottle. Jerabek was very honest about the pricing. First, he noted that he doesn’t want to compete with his retail partners; the prices available on the Five Pawns web site are the same that you’ll find in stores. He’s also positioning Five Pawns as a high-end e-liquid company, which is completely understandable considering the top-notch ingredients and packaging. With all of that in mind, $27.50 is a reasonable price for these great juices. I’ve seen mediocre and less-than-mediocre e-liquids sell for $25 for 30ml at retail — stuff that wasn’t 1/10 as good as Five Pawns juices.

As a Southern California resident, I’m jazzed that Irvine-based Five Pawns is off to a great start. The company makes some fantastic juices and the people I’ve met from there are super-cool. I also love the company’s artisanal approach to making e-liquids. I’m a fan of companies that excel while being different and I believe that Five Pawns fits that description. Stay tuned for a Five Pawns juice review and a video feature on the company’s awesome tasting room.

(Also, please excuse my horrible voice in the video. I’m even more nasally than usual. Ha! I was horribly congested that day. Actually, I still am…. Hmmmm, I need to fix this before E3 2013. Oy.)