Tag: Vaping Diaries

Vaping Diaries #61: E-Juice Plus Review II

Last year, Raina and I reviewed three e-liquids from E-Juice Plus. These relatively inexpensive juices were unique in that they had ganoderma extract. Ganoderma is a mushroom used in Eastern medicine for a variety of ailments. While I can’t make any claims about the health benefits (or lack thereof) of ganoderma, what I can say for sure is that it alters the taste of e-liquids. It adds an earthiness that can complement certain flavors and mute others.

A few things have changed since my last E-Juice Plus review. The base price for a 60ml bottle has increased to $22.45 (currently on sale for $19.98), while the ganoderma option has lowered to $3. While the standard price is slightly higher than it was before, the sale price is actually lower. Additionally, the company has switched from flip-top bottles to dripper bottles. I like the new bottles much, much better.

This time around, I chose E-Juice Plus’ Caramel, Tiramisu, and Vanilla to review. These flavors have a mild to moderate sweetness. In two of the cases, I enjoyed what ganoderma brought to the overall experience. In the other, the addition was to the juice’s detriment. Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Caramel: A mild and enjoyable caramel flavor is given some “oomph” from the ganoderma earthiness. The end result is something similar to salted caramel (which was the dessert rage here in Los Angeles from 2011-2012). Vapers with a sweet tooth will probably find the overall flavor lacking, but those that enjoy mild to moderate flavors will likely dig this juice. Subjectively, this was my favorite of the bunch, since I’m a sucker for salted caramel.

Tiramisu: This juice had the strongest flavor of the three, but still relatively moderate compared to other e-liquids I’ve tried. The ganoderma’s presence was slight. The overall flavor was very much like the popular dessert, but with a touch of earthiness. Objectively, this flavor was the best of the three. I’d recommend this one over the other two, even though I vaped more Caramel.

Vanilla: This juice was the only disappointment of the lot. There’s a nice vanilla flavor there, but there’s not enough of it. It was way too mild for my tastes and I’m someone that can appreciate mild e-liquids. I’m not sure if it was because of a lack of flavor in the recipe or the ganoderma overshadowing the flavor (probably both), but the end result was something that tasted like a watered down milkshake.

E-Juice Plus Juice Formula
10% Basic juice
15% PG
45% VG
10% Ganoderma
20% Flavor (50/50 VG/PG)

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.

Caramel
House Blend PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 8, 2013 8:25PM
Vaped: April 23-28, 2013

Tiramisu
House Blend PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 8, 2013 8:25PM
Vaped: April 23-28, 2013

Vanilla
House Blend PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 8, 2013 8:25PM
Vaped: April 23-28, 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 #60: Goodejuice Review

I’ve recently had the pleasure of vaping three e-liquids from Goodejuice’s “House Brewed” line. The flavors covered in this review are Apple Cured, Wild Turkey Tobacco, and GJ4 Tobacco. These juices are a cut above the majority of tobacco e-liquids on the market since they’re made with macerated tobacco and triple-steeped using a “secret process.” Whatever that secret is, it produces a rich, flavorful, and authentic tobacco taste. Although I loved two of them and “only” liked one, I’m comfortable saying that all three are high-quality products that I consider artisanal juices.

As much as I enjoyed vaping these Goodejuice e-liquids, they’re not for everyone. Those accustomed to synthetic tobacco juices, which are quite enjoyable in their own right, might be shocked by these e-liquids. Although the three products I covered use different tobaccos and other flavors, there are some commonalities between them. (I’m going to guess that’s a result of the proprietary steeping process the company uses.) Some vapers have described Goodejuice’s House Brewed line as having pungent, musty, or funky qualities. Keep in mind that those adjectives aren’t being used in a negative way when describing these juices. The flavors are distinct and stand out, which is fantastic for tobacco lovers, but can be a bit much for those that occasionally enjoy a tobacco vape.

These juices are cleaner than many others made with naturally extracted tobacco (NET). Heavy NET e-liquids can murder equipment and aren’t recommend for carto/tank setups. Ahlusion aromatics, like the wonderful Honey Cured, are some of my favorites, but they’re tough on coils. While I don’t think they’re as carto-friendly as Heather’s Heavenly Vapes NET juices, these Goodejuice e-liquids work fine in carto/tanks, but they’ll certainly clog them up faster than non-NET juices.

Here are the breakdowns and steeping notes.

Apple Cured: A fantastic apple flavor hits you right away and is quickly followed by a full tobacco taste. The organic apple flavoring is bright and sweet, with just a touch of acidic bite. While the flavors don’t blend together seamlessly in the way that many Ahlusion tobaccos do, they complement each other nicely. I usually don’t like juices that are very sweet, unless they also have complexity. Apple Cured definitely fits the bill. The delicious sweetness, authentic tobacco taste, and Goodejuice “funk” give this juice a nice complexity that made it a pleasure to vape.

Wild Turkey Tobacco: While I see lots of e-liquids made with Burley, Latakia, and Virginia tobaccos, Turkish (Oriental) tobacco e-liquids are less common. I was excited to try this one because I used to enjoy cigarettes made with Turkish tobacco. Wild Turkey delivers a dry and grassy taste that’s one of the better approximations of tobacco cigarette flavor that I’ve had. The description says that it’s “naturally sweet,” but I was only getting a slight sweetness from it, no matter what juice delivery system I used. Initially, I was only okay with this juice (though I totally respected the craft that went into it), but I grew to like it — just not as much as the other two.

GJ4 Tobacco: This is Goodejuice’s extracted-tobacco take on the hugely popular RY4 e-liquid. For those of you not familiar with the juice, RY4 was originally created by Janty using a mix of synthetic tobacco, caramel, vanilla, and other flavors. Over the years, juice vendors have deemphasized the tobacco in favor of the sweeter tastes. GJ4 takes it back with a vengeance. While it does have sweet notes, the smokey, flavorful, and musty tobacco flavor stands out. Fans of classic and modern RY4s might find it overwhelming, but I loved this one. The smokiness and mustiness of the tobacco give it a nice burnt-caramel taste, while the vanilla lingers throughout the vape. First and foremost is the fantastic tobacco flavor. Out of the three juice in this review, GJ4 was my favorite.

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.

Apple Cured Tobacco
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 19, 2013 6:51PM
Vaped: April 15-22, 2013

Wild Turkey
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 19, 2013 6:51PM
Vaped: April 15-22, 2013

GJ4
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 19, 2013 6:51PM
Vaped: April 15-22, 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.

Note: Obviously I made an exception to my normal review process, since these juices are cleaner than many NET juices.

Vaping Diaries #59: Brian Worthy Talks The Vapor-Mart

One of the newer vape shops in Los Angeles is The Vapor-Mart, located on the border of Hollywood and West Hollywood. For those of you not familiar with LA, this is one of the coolest areas in town, full of trendy restaurants and clothing boutiques. Adorned with paintings and sculptures from local artists, the vibe of The Vapor-Mart totally fits the neighborhood. Check out the video interview with co-owner Brian Worthy to learn how the store got started and to see some sweet artwork.

On the hardware side, the store focuses on new to intermediate vapers. There are cig-alike products, as well as smaller kits that feature the eGo-T and eGo Twist. More advanced mods include the SmokTech Bolt and Joyetech eVic. Top-of-the-line products include gorgeous mechanicals like the Atmomixani Gus 22 and 69, as well as House of Hybrids products like the Zenesis Sidewinder and Z-Atty-Pro. In the future, the store hopes to include more mechanical mods and rebuildable atomizers.

As for e-liquid, the shop is proud to only offer juices that are made in the USA. The lineup includes Mountain Oak Vapors, Virgin Vapor, Villain Vapors, Zeus e-Juice, and Desert Horizon. Customers are free to sample all the e-liquids they wish. For tasting, the shop has a great bar setup, with Vivi Nova Mini clearomizers loaded up with 0mg nicotine versions of all the juices. Customers just to need to put their drip on the clearo and the clearo on their battery to find the right juice for them.

The Vapor-Mart has partnered with local Los Angeles artists to offer some beautiful paintings and sculptures. The store gets some unique decorations that make the place look fantastic, while the artists get free gallery space. Should the art sell, all proceeds go to the artist. It’s a win-win situation for the store and the artists.

While there are loads of vape shops north and (especially) south of Los Angeles, there aren’t that many in the city itself. I love that stores like The Vapor-Mart and the Vaping Ape LA have opened up within the last few months. Hopefully this is the start of a burgeoning LA vape scene. On a side note, my fine friend Paul and I often lunch near The Vapor-Mart, usually before a trip to the excellent Golden Apple Comics. It looks like our long lunches are going to get even longer, with good food, nerdy conversation, comics, and vaping on our agenda.

Vaping Diaries #58: Cafe Ahlusion Opens This Week

Ahlusion is one of my favorite e-liquid vendors in the vaping business and I’m thrilled that the company is opening its cafe this week. In addition to being able to hang out and enjoy some of the best e-liquids around, you’ll be able to enjoy beverages made with the same ingredients as the juices. For example, the company has a sasparilla beverage based on its unique and delicious W&A Sasparilla e-liquid. The site also states, “Don’t be surprised to find some of our actual flavors on our site also avialable in coffee, tea, smoothie or juice form.”

As an added bonus, you’ll be able to watch some RPadTV Vaping Diaries video reviews starring Raina Lee and me. I’m sure that customers will enjoy staring at the super-cute Raina and I’m also sure that I’ll scare some customers away. Ha! Seriously though, I feel honored that Ahlusion’s Wlad and Alley are playing my videos at Cafe Ahlusion. Check out the two photos in the article featuring my reviews. Hopefully I’ll make it out to Swartz Creek, MI some time in 2013, enjoy Cafe Ahlusion, and interview Wlad. It sounds like a brilliant trip — exquisite e-liquids, a cool cafe, and chatting with a true master of vaping juices.

Vaping Diaries #57: Ahlusion Review IV

Ah, another Ahlusion review. These are always fun to do because the company is so good. My excellent friend Glenda was over this week and tried some of the Ahlusion goods I had. She had a moment that reminded me of one of Alan Rickman’s lines in Bottle Shock; she got quiet after vaping them and said, “All these Ahlusion juices…are…so good!”  Anyway, back to the review. This time around I vaped the company’s Boba Tea with Lychee, Honey Cured, and Peachy Criminal. Two of the e-liquids were outstanding — easily two of the best I’ve had in 2013. The other was good, but not what I was expecting. Here are the breakdowns and steeping notes.

Boba Tea with Lychee: Raina and I covered plain Boba Tea in January and enjoyed it. I had high hopes for this juice, since I often order boba with lychee in real life. As far as the lychee flavor goes, it’s spot on — very clean and flavorful. Unfortunately, there’s too much of it. It drowns out the milk tea flavor associated with boba. The milky sweetness that I like in plain Boba Tea is overpowered by the lychee, making this juice more like Lychee with Boba Tea than Boba Tea with Lychee. While this juice was definitely well made, the flavor wasn’t quite what I wanted or expected.

The good news is that Ahlusion has changed the formula from when I ordered the juice. The company says that it should be more balanced out now. Considering that the majority of my Ahlusion experiences have been fantastic, I’m willing to give the company the benefit of the doubt and will revisit the flavor in a future review.

Honey Cured: This juice is part of Ahlusion’s phenomenal aromatic line of tobacco e-liquids, which includes two of my favorite tobacco e-liquids: Blue Grass Burley and Vurley. Like those two fine juices, I absolutely love this one, but it’s a little bit different than its sisters. For people intimidated by the aromatic line, this is a great starter juice since it’s not as bold as the others. It’s still way more flavorful than the majority of tobacco e-liquids on the market, but the somewhat lighter tobacco combined with the sweet honey taste makes it more approachable than the other aromatics I’ve enjoyed.

As for the honey flavor itself, its very sweet and natural-tasting. Normally, I don’t enjoy e-liquids that are too sweet, but this one is amazingly well balanced. The strength and complexity of the tobacco combines with the bright honey sweetness perfectly. I’m often amazed by how masterful Ahlusion is with blending flavors. Honey Cured is another example of why the company is better than the vast majority of its competitors. Like the other aromatic juices, this one isn’t ideal for carto/tanks; it tastes great in a clearomizer and tastes divine in a dripping atomizer.

On a side note, I spilled some of this juice on my sleeve and a cute girl in an elevator thought it was “hot” cologne. This is the first e-liquid I’ve vaped that lead to a coffee date. Bonus! (Also, hi Kyung!)

Peachy Criminal: I love peach. I love tobacco. Ergo peach-tobacco e-liquids should be a homerun for me. As I learned with HHV’s Georgia Peach Tobacco, that’s not necessarily the case. Fortunately, this juice surprised me and exceeded my expectations. Some people feel that this juice has too much going on, but I completely disagree. I loved the blend of Smooth Criminal’s nutty and sweet tobacco combined with a fantastic peach flavoring. It comes together brilliantly. Whereas HHV’s juice tasted like the flavors were fighting for supremacy, the flavors in this e-liquid complemented each other marvelously, resulting in a blissful vape.

One caveat with this juice is that you should give it a long steep. For me, the juice started to “bloom” five weeks in and really started to change after two months. Some people like to steep their Smooth Criminal for as long as four months. In my experience, five weeks is good, but two months is better.

While I loved Honey Cured (as I thought I would), I’m going with Peachy Criminal as my favorite of this batch. I’ve had other full-bodied tobacco e-liquids that I’ve enjoyed as much or more than Honey Cured, but I’ve never had a better peach tobacco than Peachy Criminal.

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.

Boba Tea with Lychee
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: January 1, 2013 2:12PM
Vaped: April 4-10, 2013

Honey Cured
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: January 12, 2013 2:50PM
Vaped: April 5-10, 2013

Peachy Criminal
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: January 1, 2013 2:12PM
Vaped: April 5-10, 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 #56: Janty President on Ego, RY4, and More

Last month, I caught up with Janty president and founder Ludo Timmermans during my trip to the Philippines. Recently, the company has been making waves with the MiD One — a potentially gaming-changing vaping device with the most advanced features I’ve seen. While Janty’s future is definitely exciting, I was more interested in helping vapers learn about its past. Janty is one of the most influential and copied e-cig companies in the world, but I don’t think it gets enough credit for its contributions.

When most vapers hear “eGo,” they think Joyetech. When they hear “RY4,” they think of Dekang as the originator. The original eGo e-cigarette and RY4 e-liquid are Janty creations (though some longtime vapers dispute the latter claim). These are huge contributions to vaping. The eGo is the most-copied e-cig in the world; it was one of the first devices to offer a significantly better experience than cig-alike products. RY4 juice is one of the most popular flavors ever made; the vast majority of e-liquid vendors have their own version and many offer multiple takes of this juice.

If you’ve been reading my videogame and comic-book articles then you know that I favor creators. In gaming, I care far more about developers than publishers. In comics, I care much more about writers and artists than DC or Marvel. With that in mind, it bugs me that many vapers don’t know that Janty created the eGo and RY4. These are extremely significant inventions that have improved and influenced the vaping industry. I hate to sound like a kiss-ass, but Janty should be recognized and lauded for these two notable contributions.

It was fun spending time with Ludo, learning about Janty’s history, and hearing tales of the early day’s of the vaping business. In the interview above, he talks about the origins of Janty, the creation of the eGo, and the creation of Ry4. He’s an interesting guy with a different approach to vaping. I admire and appreciate that he has an artistic view to vaping. It’s one of the reasons his company has become an innovator, but it’s also one of the reasons why the Janty brand isn’t as recognized as it should be. He’s always looking forward, looking for the next exciting thing. Unfortunately, that approach also caused the company to neglect things like copyrights and trademarks. That said, he has acknowledged his early mistakes and isn’t fretting about the past.

Spending time with Ludo off-camera was fantastic as well. He shared a lot of off-the-record story’s about the early days of the vaping industry (totally Wild West) and his career before Janty. I was surprised to learn that we had several things in common — playing music, working in video, and being in IMDB (his page and my page). His artistic background (and slight craziness) is one of the reasons Janty is bold enough to offer a product like the MiD One and the even bolder products the company has planned for the future. It wasn’t a surprise to learn that Ludo is an Apple fan — the products and the company. I believe that the vaping business needs more people like Ludo and more company’s like Janty. As the legendary Steve Jobs once said in a famous Apple commercial:

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.

Janty has a long, long way to go (especially on the business side) before people view it as the Apple of vaping, but I believe that it’s in a good position to do so. Unlike many of its competitors, I believe it has the attitude, inventiveness, and craziness to do something “insanely great.” I have no idea if Janty will get there, but I’ll be rooting for it on the sidelines.

Vaping Diaries #55: Vapor Zeus Review

For the last few months, I’ve been using Vapor4Life’s latest e-cig, the Vapor Zeus. This is an easy-to-use vaping device that delivers a surprising amount of power. Like most products in the V4L arsenal, the Vapor Zeus is an 808D-threaded product. Unlike most fixed-voltage vaping-devices that put out 3.7 volts of power, the Vapor Zeus delivers 5.0 volts. If you’re looking for a simple e-cig and want strong performance without having to worry about different voltage or wattage settings then this product is definitely worth a look.

What’s in the Kit: The Vapor Zeus is available in a kit that comes with one battery, two Smileomizer cartomizers, a wall charger, a MiniUSB cable, and a 30ml bottle of e-liquid. The automatic kit currently lists for $89.95, while the dual-mode kit runs $99.95. Vapers that are just interested in the battery, which uses an 808D connection, can pick one up for $54.95 (automatic) and $64.95 (dual-mode).

The V4L Smileomizers are pretty unique. The vast majority of cartomizers on the market hold 1.0 to 1.5ml of e-liquid. The Smileomizers hold 3.5ml, which is as much or more than what many clearomizers and tanks hold. Next to dripping, standalone cartomizers offer the simplest vaping experience. A lot of people don’t mind the extra work that comes with carto/tanks or the inconsistency of many clearomizers, but those looking for absolute ease-of-use will appreciate what the Vapor Zeus and Smilomizers offer.

Construction and Build Quality: The construction of the Vapor Zeus is totally straightforward. It’s a simple battery that resembles a long and thin cigar. The coating has a slightly rubberized feel that adds some grip. The device is available in black and brown. I liked both colors, but preferred the black version.

Ergonomics and Design: The Vapor Zeus is thin enough to be pocketable, but its length — particularly with the included Smileomizer cartomizer — might be a bit much for some vapers. Personally, I was happy with its dimensions, but understand that some people might think that it’s a tad too long.

Performance and Battery Life: For a simple vaping device, the Vapor Zeus delivers a lot of power. The five-volt performance gives it a kick that most devices of this style lack. I was initially surprised and quickly delighted by the big-time flavor and vapor production this baby put out. As for battery life, the 900 mAh got me through roughly half a day of heavy vaping. While passthrough charging will enable some people to use this as a sole vaping device, heavy vapers — especially those that aren’t always near a PC or wall outlet — should consider picking up two batteries.

As for the difference between the automatic and dual-mode models, I greatly preferred the dual-model version. The automatic mode has an expectedly tighter draw and I prefer an airier one. While I generally used the dual-mode model in manual mode, I really appreciated the option of having the automatic mode available. This e-cig is too heavy for most people to use hands-free all the time, but it’s totally doable for short sessions. I enjoyed being able to type while enjoying a satisfying vape.

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Verdict: As far as performance goes, the Vapor Zeus is a winner. I haven’t used a fixed-voltage device of this style that offers this much performance. The kit is complete and comes with everything a vaper needs to get started. It’s a fantastic choice for those just starting out with vaping and good choice for advanced vapers that want a simple backup. Like most V4L products, it’s back by great service that includes a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 90-day warranty.

All that said, I think that the kit is a bit overpriced. The good news is that Vapor4Life often sends out newsletter coupons. So while I think that the Vapor Zeus is definitely a great product, my personal recommendation is to wait for a good newsletter coupon before picking one up.

Vaping Diaries #54: Highbrow Vapor Review

While I rarely come across three e-liquids that I don’t like in a single review (though it does happen), it’s also rare for me to love all three e-liquids from a single review. Yet that’s the case with the three Highbrow Vapor juices I recently vaped. It was a pleasure puffing away at the company’s Limoncello, Tabac de Perique, and Buttered Rum and Then Some e-liquids. These are definitely three juices that I’d recommend to fellow vapers and want to vape again in the future. Here are the breakdowns and steeping notes.

Limoncello: A few Highbrow Vapor fans have said that this juice tastes like lemon Italian ice and I think that description is right on the money. Specifically, it reminded me of the Marino’s Italian ice that I enjoyed as a kid. You get a pleasant and sweet lemon flavor, with a touch of tanginess. Out of the three flavors in this review, this is the most straightforward and probably the one with the broadest appeal. While Italian ice is a treat for a hot summer day, this is a delicious juice any time of the year.

Tabac de Perique: Juices made with perique flavor are some the most divisive out there. Perique has a very distinct taste, which some people describe as “musty” or “funky.” Personally, I enjoy perique, but understand why some people don’t. This juice isn’t as “funky” as some of the other perique juices I’ve had because burley tobacco is in the mix. The burley does a great job at complementing the perique and toning down the qualities that some people find overwhelming. It comes together for a very rich and flavorful tobacco blend that’s nutty and sweet. It was tough picking a favorite out of these three juices, but this was the one I always reached for first.

Buttered Rum and Then Some: Closing things out is a moderately sweet e-liquid with lots of complexity. Highbrow describes it as having “buttered rum, vanilla bean, hazelnut, hints of cinnamon, and nutmeg” flavors. The lovely thing about this juice was that different flavors become more pronounced depending on the wattage. For dessert vapes, I prefer juices that have complexity and aren’t overly sweet. With that in mind, this one was an absolute homerun (it’s baseball season!). Vapers that prefer really sweet juices might not like this one as much as I did, but for what I enjoy, it was truly outstanding.

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.

Limoncello
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: February 14, 2013
Uncapped: February 16, 2013 5:31PM
Vaped: March 24 – April 2, 2013

Tabac de Perique
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: February 14, 2013
Uncapped: February 16, 2013 5:31PM
Vaped: March 24 – April 2, 2013

Buttered Rum and Then Some
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: February 14, 2013
Uncapped: February 16, 2013 5:31PM
Vaped: March 24 – April 2, 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 #54: Highbrow Vapor Review

While I rarely come across three e-liquids that I don’t like in a single review (though it does happen), it’s also rare for me to love all three e-liquids from a single review. Yet that’s the case with the three Highbrow Vapor juices I recently vaped. It was a pleasure puffing away at the company’s Limoncello, Tabac de Perique, and Buttered Rum and Then Some e-liquids. These are definitely three juices that I’d recommend to fellow vapers and want to vape again in the future. Here are the breakdowns and steeping notes.

Limoncello: A few Highbrow Vapor fans have said that this juice tastes like lemon Italian ice and I think that description is right on the money. Specifically, it reminded me of the Marino’s Italian ice that I enjoyed as a kid. You get a pleasant and sweet lemon flavor, with a touch of tanginess. Out of the three flavors in this review, this is the most straightforward and probably the one with the broadest appeal. While Italian ice is a treat for a hot summer day, this is a delicious juice any time of the year.

Tabac de Perique: Juices made with perique flavor are some the most divisive out there. Perique has a very distinct taste, which some people describe as “musty” or “funky.” Personally, I enjoy perique, but understand why some people don’t. This juice isn’t as “funky” as some of the other perique juices I’ve had because burley tobacco is in the mix. The burley does a great job at complementing the perique and toning down the qualities that some people find overwhelming. It comes together for a very rich and flavorful tobacco blend that’s nutty and sweet. It was tough picking a favorite out of these three juices, but this was the one I always reached for first.

Buttered Rum and Then Some: Closing things out is a moderately sweet e-liquid with lots of complexity. Highbrow describes it as having “buttered rum, vanilla bean, hazelnut, hints of cinnamon, and nutmeg” flavors. The lovely thing about this juice was that different flavors become more pronounced depending on the wattage. For dessert vapes, I prefer juices that have complexity and aren’t overly sweet. With that in mind, this one was an absolute homerun (it’s baseball season!). Vapers that prefer really sweet juices might not like this one as much as I did, but for what I enjoy, it was truly outstanding.

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.

Limoncello
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: February 14, 2013
Uncapped: February 16, 2013 5:31PM
Vaped: March 24 – April 2, 2013

Tabac de Perique
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: February 14, 2013
Uncapped: February 16, 2013 5:31PM
Vaped: March 24 – April 2, 2013

Buttered Rum and Then Some
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Mix Date: February 14, 2013
Uncapped: February 16, 2013 5:31PM
Vaped: March 24 – April 2, 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 #53: A Visit to Vaping Ape Los Angeles

Earlier today, I had a fun meeting with Mr. Xia from Innokin. Since we planned to connect in Hollywood, I thought I’d stop by Vaping Ape Los Angeles. It’s a new shop, close to the bustling intersection of Hollywood and Highland. The store had a soft opening last week and things are off to a promising start. Vaping Ape LA has a chill vibe and a cool staff, making it a great place to shop, hang out, and vape.

The company is still acquiring more hardware and e-liquid (remember, soft opening), but the initial selection is pretty good. On the hardware front I noticed ProVape, Ovale, Boge, and Vape Affinity products. E-liquid selection currently includes Villain Vapors, Vaping Monkey, E-Liq Cube, and Naughty by Vapor (the company’s house juice…which I sincerely hope is followed up by A Tribe Called Vape). In the near future, Vaping Ape LA will have several new hardware and juice selections from some of the top companies in vaping.

As far as lounging goes, there’s a couch and a few chairs inside. There are also tables and chairs just outside of the shop, which is great because the weather in Los Angeles is fantastic 80 percent of the year.

For e-liquid sampling, Vaping Ape LA has carto/tanks loaded with every juice offered in the store. The shop provides drip tips for you to use and you can sample away. I tried a pair of E-Liq Cube juices, as well as every flavor in the Naughty by Vapor Line (after being followed by A Tribe Called, Vape La Soul should be next).

I really enjoyed chatting with the Vaping Ape LA team. Everyone was friendly and knowledgable. Everyone was also Filipino-American and I happened to be wearing one of my Manny Pacquiao t-shirts. I’m pretty sure that it was kismet that I wore that shirt and chose to visit the shop on this day. I think it means that it’s my destiny to hang out at Vaping Ape LA more. Ha!

Stay tuned for a video interview on the shop in the near future. For now, check out the Vaping Ape LA photo gallery below.

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