We’ve all heard about the weird vaping flavors: breakfast cereals, peanut butter, bacon, and even cigarette ash. We’ve also probably been warned that choosing the right e-juice can make all the difference to your vaping experience. So what goes into vape juice and how do you choose wisely?
How they make the flavor
The base of all vaping juice is combination of three things: nicotine, flavoring, and vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol (sometimes both).
Nicotine
The nicotine in a vaping pod comes in varying strengths. People trying to give up cigarettes usually prefer a higher nicotine strength, but vaping pods also come in lower strengths and even all the way down to 0. The idea is that smokers can start out high and slowly ramp down to lower levels.
If you’re not trying to quit smoking, you can get vaping pods with minimal or even no nicotine. The nicotine does alter the flavor the vaping juice, so even the same flavor pod will taste different on the palette at 0 mg of nicotine than it does with 3 mg.
Vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol
These additives have different effects on the juice. Vegetable glycerin is sweet and thick. It makes the vaping smoke taste sweet and also gives you a satisfyingly thick puff. The propylene glycol is made from a byproduct of petroleum production and causes you to feel the juice higher in your throat.
Flavoring
Here is where the different vaping flavors really stand out from one another. Flavoring is what makes a juice taste delicious—or disgusting—to any particular user. Some are made to taste like tobacco, some are sweet, and some are just downright strange.
What are the types of flavors?
Tobacco
There are various types of tobacco flavored pods available, and these are particular popular among those who are trying to quit cigarettes. It allows you to enjoy the flavor of the tobacco plant without the carcinogens that are in regular smoke. Whichever type of tobacco you prefer, you’re likely to find a vaping flavor to satisfy the craving.
High VG
High VG juice tends to taste richer and more crisp than regular juice. They’re very satisfying, but if the manufacturer hasn’t made it well, you’ll find it bitter and dry. If you choose one of these, make sure you get a quality juice and a flavor that you know you’ll like. Use a quality vaporizer like the Sourin Vagon that can handle high VG juice easily.
Single flavor
This is the most popular type of vaping juice currently on the market, and you can get almost any flavor your imagination can come up with: and a lot you probably would never dream of. The most popular flavors are fruit, but you can get flavors that mimic your favorite foods, from breakfast cereals to creme brulee, and also some really strange things that appeal to a niche market.
Multi-flavor
A number of companies will let you create your own flavor through custom order. You can determine the nicotine content, choose your glycerin levels, and mix up flavors to get just what you want. This is something to try once you’ve gotten into vaping and know what you like.
How do I choose a flavor?
The primary consideration is what sounds good to you. If you’re new to vaping, choose something that matches what you like to eat and keep the nicotine level low. Stay away from High VG blends until you have some experience with your vaping equipment and have chosen a company you trust.
Currently, the average vaper will go through between 3 mL and 5 mL of juice per day, and heavy vapers can easily run through 10 mL. Always start out with smaller bottles in different flavors until you find out what you like and how much you’re going to go through.