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
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.
As always, another great review, Raymond. Do you have any idea when Five Pawns will start selling the “Mixology” line on their site?
Thank you Sir! It should be shortly. The initial shipment to retailers has been completed. I’m guessing the online sales will be ready by the end of the month. I’ll check with Five Pawns HQ.
Wow, even my students don’t call me “sir” (but most college students aren’t the most respectful people around). Thanks for the info. If you find anything new, I’d appreciate it.
They’re available online now, with stock being updated daily at 1PM.