My DIY Diary

[flowerpots]

This is the last flavor of the last single flavor test batch, now at 14% concentration, tested on a LR510 atty:

Orange Cream - TFA Still no change from 11%, 12% and 13%. The reason I keep testing this is I read somewhere that this flavor is good standalone at 15%. I will stop testing at 15%.

Fragrance: 1/5
Sweetness: 2.5/5
Tartness: 0/5
Strength of taste: 3/5

Is It any good?

It's okay. I haven't tried any other brand of Orange Cream to compare it to, but I would say it's a little light in flavor, but it doesn't have any chemical or plastic taste. I think I will end up trying another brand of Orange Cream just to see.

 

[flowerpots]

I also mixed the Dragon Fruit and Mango, both at 17%

The Dragon Fruit/Mango is interesting, but lacks something.

This has been steeping over a month. With just these 2 flavors, this is a mellow vape. The Mango definitely dominates, and the Dragon Fruit is a backnote, more noticeable on the exhale, at least to my palate. It is too 2-dimensional for me, though. I divided this 5ml bottle into 3rds, thereby making 3x1.5+ bottles of this mixture. I am adding:


Bottle #3) 1 drop of TFA Juicy Peach

Going to let these steep a few days

The bite of the Mango is what I notice first, along with medium Mango flavor. Then, I get a backnote of DF, subtle, and Peach is not discernible. I want to taste the peach. Going to add 2% more.

This is an interesting mix. I'm not sure what to think of it. The Dragon Fruit provides a constant background sour note. The Mango is medium strength, with a slight bite still. The Juicy Peach is now recognizable as a juicy note and sweet finish on the exhale. This is not something I would ordinarily vape, but it's interesting. I'm going to add a little watermelon and see what happens.

This is just an odd fruit mix. It's not bad, it's just odd, at least to my palate. On the inhale, it's the 1% TFA Watermelon I taste, followed by a mix of the sour TFA Dragon Fruit and sharp TFA Mango note, then finishing with the Dragon Fruit. I don't detect the TFA Juicy Peach. I am going to try adding 1% TFA Blackberry and see what happens.

This is better than I thought it would be. I'm going to make another sample of this using slightly altered %'s with different flavor brands and see what I get:

INW Dragon Fruit 6%
INW Mango 8%
TFA Juicy Peach 3%
INW Watermelon 1%
TFA Blackberry 1%

I wanted to redo this recipe because the other sample was developing nicely, but the flavors were just too saturated, even for me. I have let this new mix sit for a couple of days. This a fruit explosion mix, aptly called fruit salad by Mone415.

The Dragon Fruit is the dominant note. It is detectible on the inhale and exhale. The Mango is a slightly biting tart note on the inhale. The Juicy Peach and Watermelon are not overtly present. I can taste a slight juicy watermelon flesh note on the exhale that is very subtle, and I only taste it because I know it's there. The Blackberry sour/tart note is a light lingering on the tongue after exhale. Overall, the juice is sour, lightly sweet, but mostly tart. I'm going to add 1% more Juicy Peach and see if this balances the sour notes a bit. The other sample (first sample) was sweeter. Using the INW flavors brought a more authentic fruit taste to the table without artificial sweetness.

The extra 1% of TFA Juicy Peach made a big difference in this mix. It is now balanced between tart/sour and moist/juicy. You get the sour notes on the inhale, and the juicier notes on the exhale. The Watermelon is not detectible, but I think it adds to the balance. You could easily bump it up another % if you want to taste it and boost the sweetness factor.

I'm going to call this one done. Thanks to Mone415 for naming this one as Fruit Bowl.

_______________

Fruit Bowl

INW Dragon Fruit 6%
INW Mango 8%
TFA Juicy Peach 4%
INW Watermelon 1%
TFA Blackberry 1%
2 drops 0.9% saline/5mls

If you want a sweeter version, substitute TFA flavors for the INW flavors.

 

[flowerpots]

I got NF Gooseberry in the mail this week. I'm excited to work with it, so I started a 10ml 1% standalone tester of this flavor. I will report my progress after it steeps a few days.

I tested this the next day and 1% was just too light. So, I added another 1% and continued to steep. This is still a bit too light, adding 1% more and will continue to steep.

I read the pairing chart for flavors to see what Gooseberry would match with and the only thing mentioned is Lychee, which surprises me. When I reach a good starting % of the Gooseberry, I may pair it with Lychee and see what happens.

This is now at 3% and steeped for a few days. 3% is probably good for people who enjoy lighter flavor/lower %'s, or maybe people who are sub=ohming. I like strong flavor, so I am going up another %.

This flavor comes with a 60 drops/ml needle-nose drip top. The calculation is 6 drops/%, so at 4% there are 24 drops/10ml sample.

4% is good medium strength flavor to work with. I am going to divide this 10ml sample into 3 equal parts to test with different flavors. Since this flavor is grape-esque, I am going to pair 2 flavors mentioned in the flavor chart that go well with grape along with the Lychee mentioned as pairing specifically with Gooseberry:

Bottle #1 - 2% TFA Lychee
Bottle #2 - 1% CAP Fig
Bottle #3 - 1% FW Blood Orange

I will let these steep a few days then test.

Bottle #1 - 2% TFA Lychee = These 2 flavors mix well, better than I thought they would. The tart bite of the Lychee compliments the sour grape-ish flavor of the Gooseberry. The 2% Lychee is too strong to my palate, so I'm going to add back in 1% Gooseberry (3 drops), and test in a few days.

Bottle #2 - 1% CAP Fig = The Gooseberry dominates this mix with the Fig barely noticeable. I'm going to add 1% more Fig to bring it to the table.

Bottle #3 - 1% FW Blood Orange = This is really good. I'm not fond of orange flavored anything, but the Blood Orange works well. At 1%, it is present, but not drowning out the Gooseberry. The Gooseberry is more dominant on the inhale while the Blood Orange lingers on the exhale. I cleaned up the chart for pairing flavors before posting it in this thread, and I must have erased this: Gooseberry pairs well with: citrus, hazelnut, honey, other berries, white chocolate. I haven't worked yet with honey or white chocolate. So, I'm going to try TFA White Chocolate at 1% to see what happens.

Bottle #1 - NF Gooseberry 5%, Lychee 2% = The Lychee is still dominant and first noticed on the inhale. The Gooseberry is in the background still, more so than I would want. I'm going to add 3 more drops of Gooseberry to this mix.

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Gooseberry, 2% CAP Fig = I am getting chemical/plastic taste now. I'm going to continue to steep this with cap off.

Bottle #3 - 4% NF Gooseberry, 1% FW Blood Orange, 1% TFA White Chocolate = This is really interesting! I'm going to add 1% more of the TFA White Chocolate.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee - The Gooseberry is more present now, especially on the exhale. The Lychee is strong on the inhale. I'm going to add 1% INW WG Raspberry to this to balance out the more sour notes of the mix.

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - I'm not sure what happened. This still tastes like burning plastic. I'm going to let this continue to steep, cap off, and see where it's at in a couple of days. I'm not confident this taste will steep out though.

Bottle #3 - 4% Gooseberry, 1% FW Blood Orange, 2% TFA White Chocolate - This is not very good. The White Chocolate mellows the Blood Orange and Gooseberry, gives the impression of a mild creamy texture, but the flavor is too muted to really enjoy. So, the extra 1% of the White Chocolate was not a good idea. I think I will ditch this bottle and start over again with another flavor combination.

_________

For bottle #3, I made a mix of 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear. I will let this steep a few days.

For bottle #2, I made another batch of this to see if it comes out chemical/plastic again.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee, 1% INW WG Raspberry - This needs another % of the INW WG Raspberry.

Bottle #2A - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - This still tastes like plastic to me.

Bottle #2B - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - This one does not taste like plastic to me, so I don't understand what happened with the first sample, but I will toss it and keep the latter bottle. This is a good match in flavors, it is like a musky dark grape. I'm thinking adding a cherry to it, specifically the INW Wisnia Cherry, which is like cherry pie filling, not fresh fruit cherry. This will add a savory note. I will add it at 1% and steep.

Bottle #3 - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear - This is the best combination so far. It's a balance between the sourness of the grape note and the crisp, clean, bright pear note. Surprisingly, it also has some depth to it, it's not 2-dimensional. In thinking what I should add next, bubble gum flavor comes to mind immediately. I'm not a big bubble gum flavor fan, but I honestly think it would work. So, I am going to make a separate sample of this and name it bottle #3A and add 1% TFA Bubble Gum. I will add 1% LAN Banana to the original bottle, now called Bottle #3B.

 

[rbmayfield]

In this post I am going to list the flavorings I purchase that state on the label that they have food coloring in them, or are dark in color: (Will repost when adding new flavors)

Cherry Flavor Concentrate - LA
Apricot Flavor Concentrate - LA
Honey Flavor Concentrate - TFA
Brandy Flavor Concentrate - LA
Caramel Candy - TFA
Cream - FE
Huckabee and Heinz (tobacco) - FE
Mint - HS Essence
Vanilla Classic - FA
Oakwood - FA
Hickory Smoke - TFA
Custard - FA
Vanilla Bourbon - TFA
Pecan - LA
Black Walnut - LA
Brandy - TFA
Pralines and Cream - LA
Butter Rum - LA
Kalua and Cream - TFA

What vendor does FE stand for?

 

[flowerpots]

What vendor does FE stand for?

FE=Flavor Express - purchased at ECX or Electronic Cigarette, Clearomizer, USA e-Liquid, e-Cig Juice, DIY Flavors, Wholesale Nicotine, Empty Bottles for E-Liquid - ecigExpress

 

[rbmayfield]

FE=Flavor Express - purchased at ECX or Electronic Cigarette, Clearomizer, USA e-Liquid, e-Cig Juice, DIY Flavors, Wholesale Nicotine, Empty Bottles for E-Liquid - ecigExpress

Thank you. I'm still trying to get a handle on all of these abbreviates. Thanks again.

 

[flowerpots]

Thank you. I'm still trying to get a handle on all of these abbreviates. Thanks again.

No problem

I should probably post a legend for all of the vaping lingo/jargon/abbreviations.

 

[flowerpots]

Another member, RocketPuppy, has graciously let me copy/paste a legend of abbreviations for DIY vaping suppliers and lingo:

Flavor Supplier Abbreviations


AV/BM – Azure Vaping/BlueMist (same company)
BCV - Bull City Vapors
CAP – Capella
CT – Chinese Tobacco
ECX – ecigExpress (uses TPA/TFA for signature line)
EGFD – Ella’s Gournet Flavor Drops (sold by High Desert Vapes)
ESS - Essence Flavor Concentrates (Hangsen line of flavors)
FA – Flavour Art
FE – Flavors Express/Fruit Express (ECX line)
GP – Good Prophets
FW – Flavor West
HC – Health Cabin
HS - Hangsen
HV - Heartland Vapes
INW/INA – Inawera
JF – Jungle Flavorz
LA – LorAnn
LAN – LorAnn Naturals
LF – Liberty Flights
MBV – Mount Baker Vapor
MFS – My Freedom Smoke
NF – Nature’s Flavors
NN – Nude Nicotine
101/OoO - One on One
PA/TPA/TFA – The Perfumer’s Apprentice/The Flavor Apprentice (same company)
Sig - Signature, some adapt other suppliers' flavors and create a new line (ECX signature is TFA flavors)
SM – Seedman
TD - Tino D'Milano (Inawera line)
TE – Tobacco Express (part of the Flavors Express line from ECX)
TP – Tasty Puff
TW – Totally Wicked
VT - Vaperstek (seller of INW flavors and bases)
VZ/VZ SC- Vaping Zone/Vaping Zone Super-Concentrated (Some are from Baker’s, Russian Company)
W2V - Want2Vape
WG - Wera Gardens (Inawera line)

* Misc. Abbreviations

AP - Acetyl Pyrazine
ACV - Apple Cider Vinegar
CP - Crock Pot
DM - (or Demi water) Demineralized water (term used for INW bases usually)
DW - Distilled water (same thing as DM)
EM - Ethyl Maltol
NET - Naturally Extracted Tobacco
PG - Propylene Glycol
PGA - Pure Grain Alcohol
SC - Slow Cooker
UC - Ultrasonic Cleaner
VG - Vegetable Glycerin
WTA - Whole Tobacco Alkaloid

 

[Mone415]

Another member, RocketPuppy, has graciously let me copy/paste a legend of abbreviations for DIY vaping suppliers and lingo:

Flavor Supplier Abbreviations


AV/BM – Azure Vaping/BlueMist (same company)
CAP – Capella
CT – Chinese Tobacco
ECX – ecigExpress (uses TPA/TFA for signature line)
EGFD – Ella’s Gournet Flavor Drops (sold by High Desert Vapes)
ESS - Essence Flavor Concentrates (Hangsen line of flavors)
FA – Flavour Art
FE – Fruit Express (EXC line)
GP – Good Prophets
FW – Flavor West
HC – Health Cabin
HS - Hangsen
HV - Heartland Vapes
INW – Inawera
JF – Jungle Flavorz
LA – LorAnn
LAN – LorAnn Naturals
LF – Liberty Flights
MBV – Mount Baker Vapor
MFS – My Freedom Smoke
NF – Nature’s Flavors
NN – Nude Nicotine
101/OoO - One on One
PA/TPA/TFA – The Perfumer’s Apprentice/The Flavor Apprentice (same company)
Sig - Signature, some adapt other suppliers' flavors and create a new line (ECX signature is TFA flavors)
SM – Seedman
TD - Tino D'Milano (Inawera line)
TE – Tobacco Express (EXC line)
TP – Tasty Puff
TW – Totally Wicked
VZ/VZ SC- Vaping Zone/Vaping Zone Super-Concentrated (Some are from Baker’s, Russian Company)
W2V - Want2Vape

* Misc. Abbreviations

AP - Acetyl Pyrazine
ACV - Apple Cider Vinegar
CP - Crock Pot
EM - Ethyl Maltol
NET - Naturally Extracted Tobacco
PG - Propylene Glycol
PGA - Pure Grain Alcohol
SC - Slow Cooker
UC - Ultrasonic Cleaner
VG - Vegetable Glycerin
WTA - Whole Tobacco Alkaloid

Koo. Thanx 4 this

 

[flowerpots]

I started steeping 3 15ml tobacco standalones, each at 5%, about 2 months ago. I have used some of the original 15ml to test different fruit flavors and DNB with them. I am going to decant 3ml from the remaining samples and test with new/different flavorings:

Bottle #1 - FA 7 Leaves - When I taste test this tobacco flavor, there is a distinguishable bright note to it on the inhale. This makes me think a citrus or other bright fruit would pair well with it. My first thought is lime, but the idea of lime and tobacco together just doesn't sound good to me. I can see something like lime and a very small amount of coconut with the 7 Leaves. The other choices would be lemon, grapefruit (which I don't have), or orange. Apple might work too. But, I have already worked with orange and apple in a tobacco recently, so I would like to do something different. I hear that masterpieces are found when you take a risk, so I'll try the lime first, without coconut, and see how it develops. The lime is TFA Key Lime and I will add 1%.

Bottle #2 - INW Virginia Tobacco - This tobacco is also bright, but mellow and smooth at the same time. It gives you the feeling of waking up slowly from a good night's rest, when the sun is shining and the birds are singing. It's just a feel-good vape. That said, the first thing that comes to mind is coffee. But, I don't think coffee, any kind, will pair well with this, that's just my impression. But, I'm thinking honey maybe and then perhaps a bit of hazelnut. I'm going to try the honey first, INW Honey (Miod) at 1%.

Bottle #3 - INW Dark Fire - This already has what I perceive as a plum/raisin note on the inhale. This is a dark, dirty, smoky, vinegary tobacco and I just love it. I think a dark nut like a walnut would go well with it. Or, even a liquor like KY Bourbon or Vanilla Bourbon. I'm going to start with the nut flavor first. I have both FA Walnut and LA Black Walnut. I think I will go with the FA Walnut because it tastes cleaner than the Black Walnut and the tobacco is already dirty/dark tasting, so maybe the plain nut will add a bright note that will compliment it. I'll start with 1% and steep.

Bottle #1 - FA 7 Leaves 5%, TFA Key Lime 1% - This is not as bad as I thought it would be. The Key Lime is too subtle, so I will add 1% more and let steep.

Bottle #2 - INW Virginia Tobacco 5%, INW Honey (Miod) 1% - The Honey goes very well with this tobacco. It adds a smooth, slightly creamy richness. I think you could bump it up 1% more, but then the Honey may overshadow the tobacco, and I want it to compliment, not take over. I'm going to add 1% INW Vanilla (Wanilla) and steep.

Bottle #3 - INW Dark Fire 5%, FA Walnut 1% - This is pretty good, but the Walnut is a little light. I'm going to add 1% more and steep.

_______________

Bottle #4 = FE Huckabee & Heinz - I decided to work with this tobacco as well, which has also been steeping for a few months. I'm not a tobacco connoisseur, so I can't tell you what specific tobaccos are in this blend. It has a strong hay/grassy note to it. It's acidic and pungent. Some may like that hay note, but I think it's too strong and needs some tempering. So, I'm going to add FA Fuji to it at 1% and see what that brings.

Bottle #1 - FA 7 Leaves 5%, TFA Key Lime 2% - Now the Key Lime is present, but just a little bit too much so; I think the mix would be good with a 1.5% of the Key Lime. This really goes well with the tobacco, each flavor compliments the other. My next thought is to add some coconut - TFA at 0.5% to prevent the coconut from taking over.

Bottle #2 - INW Virginia Tobacco 5%, INW Honey (Miod) 1%, INW Vanilla (Wanilla) 1% - This is very smooth with a silky texture. The tobacco is present with medium impact. The vanilla and honey meld together, but are also tasted separately. I will add 1% of LA Black Walnut and steep.

Bottle #3 - INW Dark Fire 5%, FA Walnut 2% - This mix is very good. The dark qualities of the tobacco are maintained with strong overall impact. The walnut is present, but not overpowering the mix. This needs a bright note to bring it in balance. I will add 1% INW Pear (Gruszka) and steep.

Bottle #4 - FE Huckabee & Heinz 5%, FA Fuji 1% - Fuji apple flavor is not discernible, going to add 1% more and steep.

 

[flowerpots]

This is the last flavor of the last single flavor test batch, now at 15% concentration, tested on a LR510 atty:

Orange Cream - TFA Still no change from 11%, 12%, 13%, and 14%. I am calling this flavor as maxed out at 10%.

Fragrance: 1/5
Sweetness: 2.5/5
Tartness: 0/5
Strength of taste: 3/5

 

[flowerpots]

These are the results of single testing each flavor standalone at 1% concentration increments until the flavor either became saturated, or developed a chemical/plastic taste:

Passion Fruit - TFA Recommend using at 2% - 9%, anything greater than 9% and a chemical/plastic taste develops

Quince - TFA Recommend 2% - 9%, slight perfume note - needs to steep for 4 days, cap off

Blueberry Extra - TFA Recommend 2% - 9%, no change in flavor after 4+extra increments of flavoring

Honeysuckle - TFA Recommend 2%-6% for the sweetening effects, 7%-8% if you want the taste of the honeysuckle flower too; higher %'s cause a chemical taste

Honey Dew - TFA Recommend 1% - 9%, this has the same underlying taste as the cantaloupe; it is sort of fake-ish, but not bad; higher %'s cause plastic/chemical taste

Pomegranate Deluxe - TFA Recommend 2% - 7%, TFA has a perfume note that needs to steep 4+ days, cap off

Strawberry (Ripe) - TFA Recommend 1% - 11%, I'm not a strawberry fan, but if I were, I would love this flavor. It's authentic, ripe, juicy strawberry, not candy-ish, and doesn't include the stem taste

Orange Cream - TFA Recommend 4% - 10%

 

[flowerpots]

I got NF Gooseberry in the mail this week. I'm excited to work with it, so I started a 10ml 1% standalone tester of this flavor. I will report my progress after it steeps a few days.

I tested this the next day and 1% was just too light. So, I added another 1% and continued to steep. This is still a bit too light, adding 1% more and will continue to steep.

I read the pairing chart for flavors to see what Gooseberry would match with and the only thing mentioned is Lychee, which surprises me. When I reach a good starting % of the Gooseberry, I may pair it with Lychee and see what happens.

This is now at 3% and steeped for a few days. 3% is probably good for people who enjoy lighter flavor/lower %'s, or maybe people who are sub=ohming. I like strong flavor, so I am going up another %.

This flavor comes with a 60 drops/ml needle-nose drip top. The calculation is 6 drops/%, so at 4% there are 24 drops/10ml sample.

4% is good medium strength flavor to work with. I am going to divide this 10ml sample into 3 equal parts to test with different flavors. Since this flavor is grape-esque, I am going to pair 2 flavors mentioned in the flavor chart that go well with grape along with the Lychee mentioned as pairing specifically with Gooseberry:

Bottle #1 - 2% TFA Lychee
Bottle #2 - 1% CAP Fig
Bottle #3 - 1% FW Blood Orange

I will let these steep a few days then test.

Bottle #1 - 2% TFA Lychee = These 2 flavors mix well, better than I thought they would. The tart bite of the Lychee compliments the sour grape-ish flavor of the Gooseberry. The 2% Lychee is too strong to my palate, so I'm going to add back in 1% Gooseberry (3 drops), and test in a few days.

Bottle #2 - 1% CAP Fig = The Gooseberry dominates this mix with the Fig barely noticeable. I'm going to add 1% more Fig to bring it to the table.

Bottle #3 - 1% FW Blood Orange = This is really good. I'm not fond of orange flavored anything, but the Blood Orange works well. At 1%, it is present, but not drowning out the Gooseberry. The Gooseberry is more dominant on the inhale while the Blood Orange lingers on the exhale. I cleaned up the chart for pairing flavors before posting it in this thread, and I must have erased this: Gooseberry pairs well with: citrus, hazelnut, honey, other berries, white chocolate. I haven't worked yet with honey or white chocolate. So, I'm going to try TFA White Chocolate at 1% to see what happens.

Bottle #1 - NF Gooseberry 5%, Lychee 2% = The Lychee is still dominant and first noticed on the inhale. The Gooseberry is in the background still, more so than I would want. I'm going to add 3 more drops of Gooseberry to this mix.

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Gooseberry, 2% CAP Fig = I am getting chemical/plastic taste now. I'm going to continue to steep this with cap off.

Bottle #3 - 4% NF Gooseberry, 1% FW Blood Orange, 1% TFA White Chocolate = This is really interesting! I'm going to add 1% more of the TFA White Chocolate.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee - The Gooseberry is more present now, especially on the exhale. The Lychee is strong on the inhale. I'm going to add 1% INW WG Raspberry to this to balance out the more sour notes of the mix.

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - I'm not sure what happened. This still tastes like burning plastic. I'm going to let this continue to steep, cap off, and see where it's at in a couple of days. I'm not confident this taste will steep out though.

Bottle #3 - 4% Gooseberry, 1% FW Blood Orange, 2% TFA White Chocolate - This is not very good. The White Chocolate mellows the Blood Orange and Gooseberry, gives the impression of a mild creamy texture, but the flavor is too muted to really enjoy. So, the extra 1% of the White Chocolate was not a good idea. I think I will ditch this bottle and start over again with another flavor combination.

_________

For bottle #3, I made a mix of 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear. I will let this steep a few days.

For bottle #2, I made another batch of this to see if it comes out chemical/plastic again.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee, 1% INW WG Raspberry - This needs another % of the INW WG Raspberry.

Bottle #2A - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - This still tastes like plastic to me.

Bottle #2B - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - This one does not taste like plastic to me, so I don't understand what happened with the first sample, but I will toss it and keep the latter bottle. This is a good match in flavors, it is like a musky dark grape. I'm thinking adding a cherry to it, specifically the INW Wisnia Cherry, which is like cherry pie filling, not fresh fruit cherry. This will add a savory note. I will add it at 1% and steep.

Bottle #3 - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear - This is the best combination so far. It's a balance between the sourness of the grape note and the crisp, clean, bright pear note. Surprisingly, it also has some depth to it, it's not 2-dimensional. In thinking what I should add next, bubble gum flavor comes to mind immediately. I'm not a big bubble gum flavor fan, but I honestly think it would work. So, I am going to make a separate sample of this and name it bottle #3A and add 1% TFA Bubble Gum. I will add 1% LAN Banana to the original bottle, now called Bottle #3B.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee, 2% INW WG Raspberry - This still needs another 1% INW WG Raspberry

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig, 1% INW Wisnia Cherry - Needs 1% more INW Wisnia Cherry

Bottle #3A - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear, 1% TFA Bubble Gum - Different and refreshing bubble gum flavor, but too light - adding 1% more Bubble Gum

Bottle #3B - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear, 1% LAN Banana - Letting this one steep another day or two before commenting

 

[flowerpots]

I started steeping 3 15ml tobacco standalones, each at 5%, about 2 months ago. I have used some of the original 15ml to test different fruit flavors and DNB with them. I am going to decant 3ml from the remaining samples and test with new/different flavorings:

Bottle #1 - FA 7 Leaves - When I taste test this tobacco flavor, there is a distinguishable bright note to it on the inhale. This makes me think a citrus or other bright fruit would pair well with it. My first thought is lime, but the idea of lime and tobacco together just doesn't sound good to me. I can see something like lime and a very small amount of coconut with the 7 Leaves. The other choices would be lemon, grapefruit (which I don't have), or orange. Apple might work too. But, I have already worked with orange and apple in a tobacco recently, so I would like to do something different. I hear that masterpieces are found when you take a risk, so I'll try the lime first, without coconut, and see how it develops. The lime is TFA Key Lime and I will add 1%.

Bottle #2 - INW Virginia Tobacco - This tobacco is also bright, but mellow and smooth at the same time. It gives you the feeling of waking up slowly from a good night's rest, when the sun is shining and the birds are singing. It's just a feel-good vape. That said, the first thing that comes to mind is coffee. But, I don't think coffee, any kind, will pair well with this, that's just my impression. But, I'm thinking honey maybe and then perhaps a bit of hazelnut. I'm going to try the honey first, INW Honey (Miod) at 1%.

Bottle #3 - INW Dark Fire - This already has what I perceive as a plum/raisin note on the inhale. This is a dark, dirty, smoky, vinegary tobacco and I just love it. I think a dark nut like a walnut would go well with it. Or, even a liquor like KY Bourbon or Vanilla Bourbon. I'm going to start with the nut flavor first. I have both FA Walnut and LA Black Walnut. I think I will go with the FA Walnut because it tastes cleaner than the Black Walnut and the tobacco is already dirty/dark tasting, so maybe the plain nut will add a bright note that will compliment it. I'll start with 1% and steep.

Bottle #1 - FA 7 Leaves 5%, TFA Key Lime 1% - This is not as bad as I thought it would be. The Key Lime is too subtle, so I will add 1% more and let steep.

Bottle #2 - INW Virginia Tobacco 5%, INW Honey (Miod) 1% - The Honey goes very well with this tobacco. It adds a smooth, slightly creamy richness. I think you could bump it up 1% more, but then the Honey may overshadow the tobacco, and I want it to compliment, not take over. I'm going to add 1% INW Vanilla (Wanilla) and steep.

Bottle #3 - INW Dark Fire 5%, FA Walnut 1% - This is pretty good, but the Walnut is a little light. I'm going to add 1% more and steep.

_______________

Bottle #4 = FE Huckabee & Heinz - I decided to work with this tobacco as well, which has also been steeping for a few months. I'm not a tobacco connoisseur, so I can't tell you what specific tobaccos are in this blend. It has a strong hay/grassy note to it. It's acidic and pungent. Some may like that hay note, but I think it's too strong and needs some tempering. So, I'm going to add FA Fuji to it at 1% and see what that brings.

Bottle #1 - FA 7 Leaves 5%, TFA Key Lime 2% - Now the Key Lime is present, but just a little bit too much so; I think the mix would be good with a 1.5% of the Key Lime. This really goes well with the tobacco, each flavor compliments the other. My next thought is to add some coconut - TFA at 0.5% to prevent the coconut from taking over.

Bottle #2 - INW Virginia Tobacco 5%, INW Honey (Miod) 1%, INW Vanilla (Wanilla) 1% - This is very smooth with a silky texture. The tobacco is present with medium impact. The vanilla and honey meld together, but are also tasted separately. I will add 1% of LA Black Walnut and steep.

Bottle #3 - INW Dark Fire 5%, FA Walnut 2% - This mix is very good. The dark qualities of the tobacco are maintained with strong overall impact. The walnut is present, but not overpowering the mix. This needs a bright note to bring it in balance. I will add 1% INW Pear (Gruszka) and steep.

Bottle #4 - FE Huckabee & Heinz 5%, FA Fuji 1% - Fuji apple flavor is not discernible, going to add 1% more and steep.

Bottle #1 - FA 7 Leaves 5%, TFA Key Lime 2%, TFA Coconut 0.5% - This is really good, but different. It's not something I will vape regularly. But, it's a refreshing tobacco (is that an oxymoron?), a good break from the ordinary. I'm going to call this one done and name it Limerick. I don't have a gin flavoring or I would try that. I am ordering some this weekend. When it comes in, I will add the gin to this recipe and see if adds complexity or ruins it.

Bottle #2 - INW Virginia Tobacco 5%, INW Honey (Miod) 1%, INW Vanilla (Wanilla) 1%, LA Black Walnut 1% - The Black Walnut adds a distinct dark syrupy note to the recipe. I think it works, but the FA Walnut, having a cleaner taste, may work even better. I am going to test this same recipe using the FA Walnut and allow it to steep, then test these 2 side-by-side in a few days.

Bottle #3 - INW Dark Fire 5%, FA Walnut 2%, INW Pear (Gruszka) 1% - This is really very good. It maintains the Dark Fire tobacco plum note and the characteristic smoky, vinegary back notes, but then you get the nutty walnut flavor on the inhale followed by the bright, crisp pear note on the exhale, and lingering afterwards on the tongue. This is much better than I expected. I'm not sure if I want to add anything else to this. I'll decide later.

Bottle #4 - FE Huckabee & Heinz 5%, FA Fuji 2% - Eeeek This tobacco is just too hay-like/grassy for me. The apple only seems to intensify that note. 86'ing this tobacco altogether.

 

[flowerpots]

I got NF Gooseberry in the mail this week. I'm excited to work with it, so I started a 10ml 1% standalone tester of this flavor. I will report my progress after it steeps a few days.

I tested this the next day and 1% was just too light. So, I added another 1% and continued to steep. This is still a bit too light, adding 1% more and will continue to steep.

I read the pairing chart for flavors to see what Gooseberry would match with and the only thing mentioned is Lychee, which surprises me. When I reach a good starting % of the Gooseberry, I may pair it with Lychee and see what happens.

This is now at 3% and steeped for a few days. 3% is probably good for people who enjoy lighter flavor/lower %'s, or maybe people who are sub=ohming. I like strong flavor, so I am going up another %.

This flavor comes with a 60 drops/ml needle-nose drip top. The calculation is 6 drops/%, so at 4% there are 24 drops/10ml sample.

4% is good medium strength flavor to work with. I am going to divide this 10ml sample into 3 equal parts to test with different flavors. Since this flavor is grape-esque, I am going to pair 2 flavors mentioned in the flavor chart that go well with grape along with the Lychee mentioned as pairing specifically with Gooseberry:

Bottle #1 - 2% TFA Lychee
Bottle #2 - 1% CAP Fig
Bottle #3 - 1% FW Blood Orange

I will let these steep a few days then test.

Bottle #1 - 2% TFA Lychee = These 2 flavors mix well, better than I thought they would. The tart bite of the Lychee compliments the sour grape-ish flavor of the Gooseberry. The 2% Lychee is too strong to my palate, so I'm going to add back in 1% Gooseberry (3 drops), and test in a few days.

Bottle #2 - 1% CAP Fig = The Gooseberry dominates this mix with the Fig barely noticeable. I'm going to add 1% more Fig to bring it to the table.

Bottle #3 - 1% FW Blood Orange = This is really good. I'm not fond of orange flavored anything, but the Blood Orange works well. At 1%, it is present, but not drowning out the Gooseberry. The Gooseberry is more dominant on the inhale while the Blood Orange lingers on the exhale. I cleaned up the chart for pairing flavors before posting it in this thread, and I must have erased this: Gooseberry pairs well with: citrus, hazelnut, honey, other berries, white chocolate. I haven't worked yet with honey or white chocolate. So, I'm going to try TFA White Chocolate at 1% to see what happens.

Bottle #1 - NF Gooseberry 5%, Lychee 2% = The Lychee is still dominant and first noticed on the inhale. The Gooseberry is in the background still, more so than I would want. I'm going to add 3 more drops of Gooseberry to this mix.

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Gooseberry, 2% CAP Fig = I am getting chemical/plastic taste now. I'm going to continue to steep this with cap off.

Bottle #3 - 4% NF Gooseberry, 1% FW Blood Orange, 1% TFA White Chocolate = This is really interesting! I'm going to add 1% more of the TFA White Chocolate.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee - The Gooseberry is more present now, especially on the exhale. The Lychee is strong on the inhale. I'm going to add 1% INW WG Raspberry to this to balance out the more sour notes of the mix.

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - I'm not sure what happened. This still tastes like burning plastic. I'm going to let this continue to steep, cap off, and see where it's at in a couple of days. I'm not confident this taste will steep out though.

Bottle #3 - 4% Gooseberry, 1% FW Blood Orange, 2% TFA White Chocolate - This is not very good. The White Chocolate mellows the Blood Orange and Gooseberry, gives the impression of a mild creamy texture, but the flavor is too muted to really enjoy. So, the extra 1% of the White Chocolate was not a good idea. I think I will ditch this bottle and start over again with another flavor combination.

_________

For bottle #3, I made a mix of 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear. I will let this steep a few days.

For bottle #2, I made another batch of this to see if it comes out chemical/plastic again.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee, 1% INW WG Raspberry - This needs another % of the INW WG Raspberry.

Bottle #2A - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - This still tastes like plastic to me.

Bottle #2B - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig - This one does not taste like plastic to me, so I don't understand what happened with the first sample, but I will toss it and keep the latter bottle. This is a good match in flavors, it is like a musky dark grape. I'm thinking adding a cherry to it, specifically the INW Wisnia Cherry, which is like cherry pie filling, not fresh fruit cherry. This will add a savory note. I will add it at 1% and steep.

Bottle #3 - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear - This is the best combination so far. It's a balance between the sourness of the grape note and the crisp, clean, bright pear note. Surprisingly, it also has some depth to it, it's not 2-dimensional. In thinking what I should add next, bubble gum flavor comes to mind immediately. I'm not a big bubble gum flavor fan, but I honestly think it would work. So, I am going to make a separate sample of this and name it bottle #3A and add 1% TFA Bubble Gum. I will add 1% LAN Banana to the original bottle, now called Bottle #3B.

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee, 2% INW WG Raspberry - This still needs another 1% INW WG Raspberry

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig, 1% INW Wisnia Cherry - Needs 1% more INW Wisnia Cherry

Bottle #3A - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear, 1% TFA Bubble Gum - Different and refreshing bubble gum flavor, but too light - adding 1% more Bubble Gum

Bottle #3B - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear, 1% LAN Banana - Letting this one steep another day or two before commenting

Bottle #1 - 5% NF Gooseberry, 2% TFA Lychee, 3% INW WG Raspberry - This is a sour recipe so far. The Gooseberry and Lychee are both sour, and the Raspberry is true to the fruit, but not sweet at all. Also, these 3 flavors just kind of meld into 1 without much distinction, with the Lychee being the dominant note. I'm going to see what adding 2% TFA Honeysuckle will do.

Bottle #2 - 4% NF Goosebrry, 2% CAP Fig, 2% INW Wisnia Cherry - This is decent. The Gooseberry is dominant on the inhale. The Fig is more of a carrier flavor present the whole time, but not overtly present. The Cherry is the exhale note and lingers on the tongue. But, it's boring and needs something. I'm going to add 1% INW Pineapple (Ananas) and see what happens.

Bottle #3A - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear, 2% TFA Bubble Gum - This needs another 1% Bubble Gum flavoring added.

Bottle #3B - 4% NF Gooseberry and 1% INW Pear, 1% LAN Banana - This needs another 1% Banana.

 

[rowdyplace]

FlowerPots - Your work here needs to be preserved in a better format - beyond this forum. The amount of deep detailed information is going to used by many of us for years to come. Think about how to gather and publish it... If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.

You, little lady, are my heroine!!!

RPsr

 

[Mone415]

FlowerPots - Your work here needs to be preserved in a better format - beyond this forum. The amount of deep detailed information is going to used by many of us for years to come. Think about how to gather and publish it... If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.

You, little lady, are my heroine!!!

RPsr

I would def purchase. True statement. [emoji106]

 

[flowerpots]

Thanks, guys, but this is just for a thread to maybe be of help to others just beginning in DIY and needing some direction.

 

[3mg Meniere]

I am not a beginner, but I am certainly less advanced than you.

I have 25 devices in my regular rotation. I empty all before I start refilling. A criterion for dropping any is that "ugh! that one again?" feeling. I have a .5ml TFA pecan, 12 dr Inawera honey, with sweetener, juice that I would like to improve. What would you suggest?

 

[flowerpots]

I am not a beginner, but I am certainly less advanced than you.

I have 25 devices in my regular rotation. I empty all before I start refilling. A criterion for dropping any is that "ugh! that one again?" feeling. I have a .5ml TFA pecan, 12 dr Inawera honey, with sweetener, juice that I would like to improve. What would you suggest?

Just to make sure I understand, dr means dram? If that's the case, that's a large sample you are working with, which can be very beneficial because you can break it up into several smaller allotments/samples and test with different flavors. At least, that's what I do. To answer your question, if dr means dram, is it the Miod house flavor of honey? If so, that is the one I have and find it adequately sweet. If you do not, and need extra sweetness, I would suggest trying TFA Honeysuckle or TFA Brown Sugar. These two can add a sweet note to your mix without adding an artificial quality. I tested the TFA Honeysuckle and at 4%-6%, you will add a sweetness to your mix, but if you go to 7% or higher, you will be able to taste the actual honeysuckle flower, so I would stick with less than 6%. I have not tested the TFA Brown Sugar yet, but my rule of thumb now is to start at 1% and increase by 1% until I reach the flavor impact I am seeking. Did you use sucralose or some artificial sweetener? The artificial sweeteners can truly alter the taste of a mix, I've found. So, I don't use them at all anymore. Honey is not a flavor that I would think would make a good standalone. It is probably best to mix with other flavors and use it as an enhancer. Vanilla goes well with honey, as well many fruits (peach, pear, berries), and also cinnamon and some nuts.

Pecan is another flavor I have not yet worked with. I have it, but have not used it. I plan to start using it (along with chestnut) in the fall with more cold weather type recipes. But, I have worked with some nut flavors and I find that they really aren't good for standalone, but more for enhancing a recipe, to add another flavor note. If you want to work with pecan, I would think a good place to start would be thinking of what types of food use pecans. The first thing that comes to my mind is pecan pie. I know there are some pre-made vendor juices that are pecan pie flavored, so that is a possibility. Pecans are also used in pralines, with ice cream, in brittles, and in turtle recipes. When I think of the food recipe I want to mimic, I just think of what ingredients would be in the recipe and start mixing using those flavors. Not knowing what flavors you have, I don't know which ones to suggest.

By 25 devices, do you mean batteries/mods or juices?

I hope this helped to answer your question. If not, I can clarify if you will be more specific and let me know what you are looking for exactly in a flavor profile.