I have noticed that several mixers are asking more about DIY Flavor Shack flavors recently. Upon investigating ELR, I noticed that there is not an actual review thread topic on DIY Flavor Shack. Today I am adding this thread and I hope many find it to be helpful. DIY-Flavor shack concentrates are under rated in my opinion and I think others will agree. I also believe that some of their concentrates can take our DIY game further because of the quality and also that the development of certain concentrates hit authenticity better than other concentrate creators. Not all but a lot of them. They also have unique concentrates that can make recipes more diverse and unique.
Looking through my concentrates, I was surprised at how many I actually have. I thought I only had a few but it seems I have many so I will be doing 12 at a time each weekend that I have the extra time to add to the review list. I will review until I’ve exhausted my stash of flavors to review. Any other reviews of DIY Flavor Shack flavors not already reviewed are welcomed and encouraged to be done by any others if you wish.
I will review each concentrate I test as accurate as possible by aroma and flavor. I will be testing with two different RTAs. One is a DNA 75 using a Dead Rabbit RDA with a 24ga TI Coil Temp control and the other will be an NLPWM using a Mod-Father 30mm RDA with a 24/38 SS Fused Clapton Coil. I will describe the notes all together from both devices. Just looking for flavors notes and not doing any device performance here.
All DIY Flavor Shack concentrates only"DIY-FS" in this review.
Most flavors have sat no more than one day only. A few I already know fresh and steeped and I will add an asterisk to each flavor that I am trying for the first time. Also, the usage suggestions are my suggestions based on a guess only and what I would try first if I were mixing for myself and are my personal “guesstimations” for each concentrate.
Just to get the word out of this review to others, asking for some assist.
@JoJo
@Ken_O_Where
@Amy2
@BoDarc
@R113
@VapeyMama
@SthrnMixer
@Sprkslfly
@fidalgo_vapes
@juice_junkie_lover
Holy Vanilla
Aroma-Deep Vanilla and Malty notes like a fresh made Vanilla.
Flavor Notes-Lower percentages of this yield a flavor much between vanilla classic and vanilla bourbon. It gets bolder and darker the higher you go up and also gets creamy but never eggy. It has a rich dark (not too dark) vanilla flavor that is all on it’s own that no other vanilla has.
Recommendations- A must have for any mixer if you like this Vanilla flavor. Some mixers do not like the malty tones in this but others love it. This vanilla is also very forgiving in mixes and mostly easy to use.
Usage- As Standalone-4% to 3%. As an Additive- 2% to .5%
Pound Cake*
Aroma-This smells very sweet like batter,eggs and all with strong vanilla notes. In the sweetness I smell some Icing behind it all. The aroma is heavenly and makes me want to try it quickly.
Flavor Notes-This flavor is amazing, I taste rich vanilla frosted cake that seems to be drizzled with cake batter. The vanilla is strong but not over whelming and the entire vape inhale and exhale is balanced. Everyone needs to have some of this for a base or an additive. It is better than it smells for sure and it smells really,really delicious.
Recommendations- I would say this should be in ever mixers toolbox because of how versatile this flavoring could be used. Great for bakeries and desserts.
Usage- As Base-1.5% to 1%. As Additive-.5% to .25%
Angel Food Cake*
Aroma- Cake is here along with some vanilla, also I detect a slight butter note here. Smells light and sweet.
Flavor Notes-A really nice and slightly sweet white cake with a tad bit of icing along with subtle buttery notes. I feel this will further deepen with some steep or perhaps and increase of percentage. Still a nice, clean and balanced vape at 1%.
Recommendations- If you like cake, I would suggest you get this one. The cake concentrates are better than most any other concentrates that I have tried. Very impressed with this cake as well as the others they have.
Usage-As Base 3% to 1.5% As Additive- 1% to .5%
Gooey Butter Cake
Aroma- The aroma is complex and sweet with cake, frosting vanilla and yea, the butter it everywhere.
Flavor Notes- The caky vanilla note lingers heavy in the background with yep, creamy buttery notes up front with a vanilla cream frosting finish. There is a distinct and satisfying mouthfeel that plays in all of their cakes that I have tried. Very impressed and surprised when I try each one. This is another must have for any mixer for desserts and bakeries.
Recommendations- Get this if you love cake or bakeries. This has a great buttery note that used at small percentage would compliment about any bakery you want to make.
Usage-As Base-1.5% to 1%. As an Additive- .5% to .25%
Mr. Good Stuff
Aroma-This aroma to me is much like a Bavarian Cream of some sort with the exception of the very noticeable and strong vanilla note and whipped topping note. Can smell a nice neutral caramel note as well.
Flavor Notes-Well it does not taste anything like Bavarian Cream as I don’t taste a dairy note. I taste a nice caramel and vanilla note along with a dallop of whipped topping. Great and different flavor than I am used to tasting in an e-liquid. Very impressed with the flavor of this.
Recommendations- I would say to get this and at least try it. Sure vanilla and caramel have been done over and over but the whipped topping really makes this concentrate special. Not a must have but great for getting out of the mundane and to something different.
Usage- Additive Only- 2% to .5%
Honey Chew*
Aroma- The aroma has tons Absinthe/Anise/Fennel/Licorice notes going on in with a bit of what I think is Molasses in there as well. I do not detect much in the way of honey though but the Absinthe aroma is so strong it’s hard to detect much else.
Flavor Notes- This surprised me as I thought that Absinthe/Anise would be all I would taste but I taste Anise, Licorice, Molasses and now the honey comes in behind it all from beginning to end of inhale exhale. Very balanced and smooth but tastes nothing like a honey chew to me. I got this thinking it was possibly their mock up of Bit-O-Honey but I was definitely wrong. If this is a Honey Chew, I’ve never had one. Nonetheless, this immediately made me think that this could easily be incorporated into a Tobacco recipe nicely. Possibly some bakeries as well.
Recommendations-Since there is nothing I can already do with what I already have in my stash, I would not recommend buying if you have Anise/Absinthe, Licorice, Molasses and Honey. However, the honey is a tasty and clean honey which is difficult by itself but there was nothing offensive about this flavoring at all.
Usage- As Additive Only-1% to .5%
Pecan*
Aroma- A slight Pecan note with some sweet note throughout. Don’t know if this is supposed to be Pecans or Pralines and I would say by the Aroma that I’m not sure what this is about quite yet.
Flavor Notes-At 1% there is hardly anything but some strange and empty sweetness here. I will have to bump this up to 2% and come back to this later.
Update-10/08/17
I went all the way to 20% with this flavor and it’s a fail for me. All I get is old old brown sugar flavor. Maybe I just cannot taste this flavor but I cannot taste much of anything to even review it as I cannot find a sign of any Pecan flavor at all.
Expert Peanut Butter
- Expert Flavors are from DIY Flavor Shack’s House of Flavors line and the note there says these flavorings have lower percentage usage. I guess it’s their SC line in other words.
Aroma- Really strong roasted peanut aroma coming from the bottle, really really strong as I can still smell it in my nose for a minute after I put the bottle down.
Flavor Notes- Creamy Roasted Peanuts and Reeces Peanut Butter Ice Cream Topping is what I taste. This is somewhat akin to mixing TFA Peanut Butter with Flavorah Peanut Butter only this is much better. This is an excellent creamy peanut butter and topping that is smooth and silky at just 1% stand alone, awesome. They knocked this out of the park in my opinion.
Recommendations-If you like all things Peanut Butter you have no other choice than to get some of this. This Peanut Butter will work nicely placed in a PB Pie, Sandwich, Ice Cream, Cake or as far as your imagination wants to take it. It is that good so stop now and order some and you will be glad you did.
Usage- As Base 1% to 2% As an Additive- .5% to .25%
Fuzzy Pom Pom*
Aroma-An Indistinguishable multi-fruit flavor. The aroma smells nice and nothing is offensive it’s a sweet ,unique and fruity aroma. Hard to describe.
Flavor Notes-A fruity and surprisingly sweet floral flavor. I don’t know if this is supposed to be like the cocktail as I have never had one but this is really good and vaping this reminds me of FA Monsoon. Nice and pleasurable experience and the floral note is not cloying at all and makes the vape even more enjoyable.
Recommendations-If you like fruity e-liquids then this may be for you and it is similar to the experience one gets from FA Monsoon. I do not see any purposeful use for this other than stand alone, which it does well.
Usage- Stand Alone- 1% to 3%
Fruit Punch*
Aroma- I am detecting a light fruity candy like scent off of this and nothing at all offensive.
Flavor Notes- At 1%, there is not enough of anything to report, too weak. I have to go back and bump it up to 2% and come back to this.
Update-10/08/17
2%-Not much change and will have to jump at higher levels.
5%-Can taste a sweet fruit flavor that is still faint.
10%- This tasted like a candy fruit of some kind but not fruit punch.
15%-This was still a fruit candy but with a chemical off note and this just gets bad to worse. I don’t think I care for this flavor but some may. It’s just not for me.
Kettle Corn*
Aroma- A pungent and sour aroma coming off of this, like a spoiled yogurt or milk. Very unpleasant and the aroma makes me leery of trying to vape it.
Flavor Notes- Foul and disgusting sour cheesy note that makes me so disappointed as lots of you may know that I love using TFA Kettle Corn. I don’t know if this is a bad batch maybe but what I have here is NOT Kettle Corn. This is at most spoiled yogurt and is very unpleasant.
I do not recommend this and if this is a bad batch then please let me know. I have no usage suggestion percentage.
Blueberry Muffin*
Aroma- A realistic and sweet blueberry jam with a nice batter note. Strong but really clean and the aroma is very pleasant and wonderful. This has me excited as my mouth is salivating.
Flavor Notes- DIY Flavor Shack will send a sample along with an order most of the time, this was one of those samples and I’m so glad they sent it because I didn’t even know they made a Blueberry Muffin. The flavor of this is another out of the park hit. This tastes like the most authentic Blueberry e-liquid I have ever vaped. The batter I detected is the Muffin that is there but it may be more prominent at 2%. However, at 1% I know that this flavor is a hit and I will be getting a big bottle of this. This Blueberry flavor is really impressive, authentic, jammy and also very nice and sweet. This is another must have for any mixer and will go well in bakeries, desserts and tobaccos easily.I cannot believe how good the Blueberry tastes in this.
Recommendations-Buy this and you will not regret it. This folks is the blue whale concentrate that we all have been looking for in a Blueberry. It is that good and I am looking forward to mixing it up with this over and over and over and over…
Did I say how good this Blueberry Muffing is?
Usage-As Base-2% to 1%. As an Additive-.25% to .5%
Updated 10/08/17-Added 10 flavors and added notes to Pecan and Fruit Punch.
Bavarian Cream*
Aroma-Sweet cream with soft Vanilla and Caramel notes. Very pleasant with no offensive notes. Reminds me a lot of how TFA’s Bavarian Cream smells from the bottle.
Flavor Notes-A smooth and creamy Vanilla Cream with soft Caramel notes. The dairy presence is softer than TFA’s but could be as useful. I am enjoying this one and will try this out in recipes.
Recommendations- Will be useful in ecipes as a base or supporting flavor. Very clean and smooth concentrate.
Usage-As base-3% to 5%. As an additive-1% to 2%…
Vanilla Custard*
Aroma- Oh wait, did I pick up the right bottle? This smells just like TFA Vanilla Custard. Peppery Vanilla notes is my best interpretation.
Flavor Notes- Aroma like TFA Vanilla Custard but tastes nothing like it. There is a nice buttery Vanilla profile but there is no eggy note here. At least I’m not tasting it. To me this tastes more like a Vanilla Cream or Pudding but not a custard. It tastes good only I’m missing the egg note to complete this flavor. maybe it needs to be higher but the flavor here at 1% is banging out some nice Vanilla notes.
Recommendations- I would just use this as a supporting flavor for other vanillas or vape stand alone as it is a nice Vanilla flavor.
As stand alone 2% to 5%. As an additive-.5% to 1%.
Metro Man*
Site says this is a Glazed Donut with you favorite Breakfast Cereal.
Aroma- Sweet bakery and bready notes. A nice and pleasant aroma with no off notes.
Flavor Notes-Tasting what is unmistakable Fried Pastry and Brown Sugar notes along with a grainy and malty note. It’s close to what is says and some higher percentage mix may produce better results. I will mix this higher and report back with more plus my recommendations.
Menage A Trois*
Site says that this is 3 delicious Vanillas mixed together.
Aroma-Intense Vanilla with Buttery dairy notes that smells very delightful. A bit of a sour note throughout but nothing that seems out ofplace.
Flavor Notes- I was thinking that this was going to knock my socks off at 1%, sadly, all I taste is a slight Vanilla Marshmallow type note. I need to turn up the percentage before going any further.
Apple Crumbles
Aroma-Sweet cooked Apples with spice,also a nice caramel lingering in the background with a bready note. I almost want to drink this every time I smell it. No offensive notes whatsoever.
This is one I have used and I love it. This has a nice apple filling flavor that is savory and very delicious. It has a nice cooked apple flavor with very balanced spices behind the apple. There is a bit of pastry that is softly reminiscent of a sweet buttery brown sugar profile. It’s just a hint but it’s there. I use this in my personal remix of Five Pawns Gambit.This concentrate is great for base or support in bakeries and desserts.
Recommendations- As a base-3% to 6%. As an additive- .5% to 2%
Banana Cream Pie*
Aroma- Candy like Banana that reminds me almost exactly of LA Banana Cream. No offensive notes detected here. Also has a yellow food coloring to it just like the original LA Banana Cream had before they introduced the colorless option.
Flavor Notes- So the aroma is identical to LA and the flavor notes are basically the same.I checked the bottle, it’s not LA so it’s possible that they share some things in common by supplier maybe. I don’y know anything other than the similarities between the two are uncanny.
Recommendations- I do not recommend using concentrates that contain food color in them.
Banana Nut Bread*
Aroma- First though for me is Banana Laughy Taffy and then I can detect faint notes of a sweet bread. Nothing off or odd here.
Flavor Notes- A very nice Banana Nut Bread very similar to TFA’s brand except this is just a bit softer. Would be as useful as TFA but would need to use a bit more concentrate with this.
Recommendations- Use just like you would TFA Banana Nut Bread except use 1% to 2% more concentrate.
Crime Scene*
This was sent by DIYFS for review and is not listed as far as I can tell on the site so I don’t know what profile they are shooting for with this one._
Aroma- A bitter smelling fruit mix of some sort and kind of strange.
Flavor Notes- A medicinal fruity note that is a bit tart with something of a raw seed flavor lingering throughout. Not sure what to think of this or how to use it. I don’t particularly care for it but others may like this flavor. I only see this as a stand alone concentrate only.
Recommendations- Use at 1% to 3% as stand alone.
Waffle*
Aroma- Strong Maple note with light Batter and a slight Buttery note. The maple syrup note is so strong that it smells like a Maple Liquor to me. Nothing offensive here but the Maple is strong smelling.
Flavor Notes-I’m tasting Pancake more than Waffle and the Maple is no nearly as present as it is in the aroma of it. The butter note is missing. This is a decent Waffle and may be better turned up some but I’m not counting on it.This may be useful as a base only and could be bumped up with other concentrates.
Recommendations- Use as a base at 5% to 7%.
Pumpkin*
Aroma- I smell spices of Holiday Cheer in this bottle, especially clove and nutmeg.Can also detect an unmistakable raw pumpkin aroma very easily.
Flavor Notes- Really strong spice notes a a very raw and bitter tasting pumpkin in this. All the parts are here but needs some serious work to smooth and balance in my opinion but could be made into something special. Only experienced mixers should even attempt to take this task on.
Recommendations- Use as a base at .5% to 1.5%.
It’s all about the pot of gold here though.