How does everyone test new flavors? I have a decent amount of flavors I have not tried yet. Some are over a year old. I am trying to go about this the right way this time Ann’s ikr making single flavor 5 or 10ml batches to try out the new to me flavors and get a feel of the flavor profiles… This is tedious and time consuming lol. Any ideas on some other ways to test them out? I remember reading somewhere that some people add a drop or two to some water and drink it? How does this work? I feel like I’m wasting a lot of vg and nic doing these small batches and I Still have not come up with any brilliant mixes lol… Still vaping on a couple of single flavors that my fiance and I both like until I can concoct some better more elaborate recipes… Thanks in advance for all replies 
i think the drop in water and taste method is merely to get an idea of strength and flavor profile. Testing this way can be deceptive though. Most flavors will not taste as they smell or vice versa. I read a thread where someone had tossed a flavor untested based on finger test, a flavor i know and use with success (Cap Grenadine…) others taste good but smell terrible in the air (tpa guava…) Couple this with the fact that whatever magic that happens when you add nic( ie steeping, curing, milliard reaction ) can and does completely change a flavors initial profile when compared to intial finger test, water test or smell. For these reasons i SF test everything now and like you am well behind in this endeavor. 4 weeks later and before mixing with said flavor again i go back and test the samples. I try to gauge what aspect(s) the flavor can add to a mix (high and low notes) determine whether its best suited as an additive or main note and most importantly to determine what % the flavor is best at. With experience you will develop an instinct based on brand and flavor profile where to start. There is a wealth of knowledge available here but opinions of others may not suit or benefit you as much as first hand experience. IMO
Establish:
My normal PG/VG ratio.
No nic.
Use ELR single flavor recommendation and adjust to my taste if necessary.
Steep 1 month.
Will add a sweetener depending on flavor.
Run taste test with clean RDA (new wick and clean coil).
First vape of the day.
I bought a couple RDA’s to try flavors with (yes still had to mix small SF batches) to try them out with, but for the life of me I just can’t get an RDA to play nice with me. So I mix SF 15ml batches and use one of my tanks and vape with it for about 5 or 6 ml of the juice to try and understand the flavor a bit. I’ll then (normally) pour the remaining of the test batch into one of 2 “suicide bottles” I have… one for fruits and one for creams, if I think the tested flavor has any life in it. If the flavor I tested “just isn’t my thing”, I just get rid of it. It sounds like I’m really wasteful, but I don’t really test a whole lot of things unless I’m trying some new flavor that has come out for the first time. Mostly I’ll make recipes I think I would like, or add change up things I have already played with and learn flavor strengths that way.
Thanks for the detailed response that’s awesome info… For single flavor testing I get that an RDA is recommended… I normally vape sub ohm… Around 0.4 and I have an old magma RDA that I heard a couple years ago was the best thing around for flavor… I don’t think it is much of a sub ohm dripper doesn’t taste change a bit when you go from let’s say a 1.2 ohm coil to a .5 ohm coil? I would love to just do a simple spaced single coil build in the magma and just taste and re wick and repeat… Seems like the easiest but a bit sketchy on testing above ohm and then normal vape below ohm… What’s your thoughts?
I hear you on RDA’s not playing nice… I was never big into drippers until I got the troll… That has been the best dripping experience I have ever had… I have a magma, dark horse and a mutation xs and no luck with any of them until I got the troll recently… Because I have had such a good experience with the troll I figured it was time to dust off the others and give it another try… I normally just use an rba tank like my trusty Griffin and before that it was the kanger subtank… My Griffin is my primary… Have to have a tank when I’m driving or chasing the kids around the house lol save dripping for quiet times when I have nothing else better to do lol or my attempt at flavor testing
For testing I run a single fused clapton 2 26Gauge core 32wrapped, 4 wraps= 0.3ohms on a twisted messes RDA. I recently saw a video that suggests using 36 gauge for Claptons for less delayed heating and better heat dissipation though. I find fruits are better at 50-65watts and desserts are best 65-85watts. I never use tanks. RDAs only. I am becoming more openminded towards tanks though as vast improvements that have been made with newer RTAs RDTAs. Had bad experiences with Kayfuns and genny tanks in the past though i was inexperienced.