Thanks out to Darren aka @Jetz from https://flavrz.com.au/ for sending all of these flavors, and one-shots for the purposes of this review.
04-21-23 JUST talked to Darren, and he said that they are running a Limited Time Discount over at FLAVORZ for you guys.
ELR20 for 20% off your order
As always, the flavors, and One-Shots will be tested at the listed percentages, and in a 70v/30p/3mg carrier base. All steeped 1.5 + weeks before testing. ALL tests done on my beloved SteamCrave RDTA v.1 @ 65 watts. As always (also), I am running dual Kanthal 24 ga. 7 wrap coils, in the vertical configuration, with dry burned coils, and fresh cotton before every test. A big shout out to my “cotton sponsor” for 2023 @KC111, as I’m using her generously gifted Koh Gen Doh for these tests.
Disclaimer — Darren from Flavrz sent these flavors, and one-shots for the purposes of this review, but I will not receive any compensation, in any form. This is a NEW flavor house for me, so I’m excited to get into them, and I hope these reviews help you guys out.
FLAVRZ One-Shots / Flavor Shots:
Blue Slushie Ice
Boysenberry Cheesecake
Chocolate Milk
Eat the Rainbow
Grape and Berries
Mulberry Mess
Pastel de Nata
Raspberry Jam Toast
Red Skins
Splice
Zenergy
Part I:
Single Flavors:
Acai (FLAVRZ) 5% / 7.5% (4-6-23) – Welcome to the FIRST flavor from FLVRZ, and a brand new flavor house for me. Let’s get it on !!! Did you know that the Acai berries grow on a palm tree ?? I didn’t. I’ve had acai juice a few times, and this flavor was pretty spot on for it. A darker berry flavor, with earthy undertones. And the earthy tones were good. Sweetness was authentically below mid-level sweet, and even when testing at two different levels, I got NO off-notes, florals, uglies. At 5% it was fairly full, but felt like it needed a little boost, so I upped it to 7.5% and it started to really come alive, with a much richer, darker, fuller profile. The berry notes were similar to a medley of a blueberry, with maybe some dark raspberry in there, but only similar, not identical, and it was a very unique fruit flavor. I don’t typically use acai often, BUT, I think that might change. There was a really “smooth” tartness to this one, and it really added some great authenticity, and a really nice finish to this flavor. Many times when I test darker berries, I can sometimes detect “florals” JUST lurking around the corner, but not here, so you might even be able to go a little higher if needed. You could boost the sweetness if needed, but as it stood, the lower than average sweetness, just plain worked. For a very unique, fresh, darker berry, with below average sweetness, with a super tarty finish, you WILL like this one. GREAT way to start off this series, and with no nit-pickings here, leaving this one high @ 9.7/10.
Aniseed (FLAVRZ) 2% (4-7-23) – Throughout the ENTIRE test on this one, I kept thinking, “Man, this is RIGHT in the sweet spot”. While I cannot claim to be a huge anise seed / black licorice user, this one presented as a really accurate flavor. I really did get the fennel-ish notes, as well as the black licorice, and it stayed very accurate to the end. After talking to @Jetz, I decided to test this one lower (relatively), and at 2% it was very good, AND, it felt like you could maybe push it a little higher if needed, to maybe 3.0% as a single. Even at 2% I had no issues, no off notes, and sweetness was about mid-level. What has turned me off from some similar flavors in the past, were dry, or bitter notes, especially on the finish, and they were NOT here with this one. At times I felt like I could almost taste the “kernel”. If you are one of the ones who loves a great anise (fennel / black licorice) this one will do it for you, with no issues. Hard to nitpick and nothing to mark down on, leaving this one high @ 9/10.
Apple (FLAVRZ) 5% / 7.5% (4-7-23) – I’m always interested when I see an “Apple” flavor listed, but without any “Red”, “Green”, or “Fuji” included in the name. This one was on of those “Just Apple”'s. Out of the gate, I could tell it was not a strong flavor, and tested at both 5", and 7.5%, with only minor saturation increases at the higher rate. It was a VERY interesting mix OF apples, and to my tastes, I clearly got some red, and yellow apples, with MAYBE just a hint of Fuji in there. No sour green apple here. Because it was a lighter flavor, it wandered around, and sometimes favored one or another apple type, but it stayed very fresh, and almost juicy throughout. Sweetness was below mid level, and there was a nice little tarty finish at the end. Even while light(er) I didn’t get any overt artificial notes, and that left it leaning heavily to the natural. Care would have to be used when mixing so as to not overpower this one. With that said, it was a nice red/yellow apple medley, that was just sweet enough, and a slightly tart finish. With no off-notes, the only take-offs would be for it’s fairly relaxed nature. 7.5/10.
Apricot (FLAVRZ) 5% / 7.5% (4-7-23) – As SOON as I loaded this into the SteamCrave, the new PATTERN was becoming obvious, and after only a FEW of these New (to me) FLAVRZ flavors. Clean, clean, clean. Like a few of the previous flavors, I did test this one at 5% and 7.5% as it was not as saturated as I felt it could have been at 5%, and increasing it to 7.5% it did really seem to open up. “Clean and Accurate” were the two big immediate take-aways on this one. At both percentages it presented as a deliciously orange, almost CHEWY apricot. Clean, accurate, and just about spot on, and as close as I think I’ve ever tasted. It presented as VERY natural tasting with no artificial notes, and no OFF notes to speak of either. Real apricots, can have an almost slight funky-ness to them, and it was IN this one. NOW, I know funky-ness often times is a negative, but NOT here, as it just sealed the deal on it’s authenticity. At the higher testing weight, it didn’t really leave much out, and was a few ticks below mid-level sweet. Not dry, but not juicy, but just almost CHEWY if that makes sense. I clouded up the lab with the delicious Apricot Fog, TRYING to find something to nit-pick, and I couldn’t. Clean, accurate, chewy, and delicious WERE the only things that needed to be said, with the only take-offs being somewhat relaxed at the lower weight, but is that even really a take-off ?? I don’t apricot all the time, but when I do, this one will stay high up on the list. Easily a 9.5/10.
Banana (FLAVRZ) 5% / 7.5% (4-7-23) – The nana crowd can be a PICKY bunch, and I’m no different. Green, yellow, Runtz, mashed. Everyone seems to have their OWN wants when it comes to nanas. My tastes lean toward a more greener banana, as once they get mushy and brown, I just can’t eat them anymore. I always review, geared towards my tastes, so yours may vary or differ. This one really HIT the nail on the head for me on the first taste ? Why ?? It seemed to be just the PERFECT mix of some yellow, and some green for me. NOW, just like some of the preceding flavors, it was NOT the strongest, and at 5% while good, I felt it needed a bump up to 7.5%, and it DID improve. For MY tastes, it really was the perfect ratio of green and yellow, which was almost evenly paired as far as I could tell. At both the lower and higher testing weights it was a great full bodied banana flavor with no off-notes, and almost mid-level sweet. I got NONE of the over-ripened, or mushy-ness that some nana flavors had, and just enough of the green to cater to my tastes. Not candied or Runtz profiled, nor creamed, just a simple, very natural tasting pairing of green and yellow bananas, with no dry notes, and an almost starchy finish. Even at the higher weight, it felt like it could even go stronger if needed, but at 7.5% it was fairly full and present. Depending on your nana needs, this green/yellow combo just might work out for you. About the only take-off (again), would be the slight lack of presence, but even that, was a nit-pick. Leaving it solidly at a 9.2/10.
Bavarian Cream (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-8-23) – After talking to Darren from FLAVRZ he explained that their flavors were not only DAAP free, but also free of other “Not Safe For Vaping” compounds as well. Most of my other Bavarian Creams can’t say that, so let’s see what’s what. I tested this one at 5%, and it tasted like a smooth, clean (repeating here) Bavarian Cream, but it needed some more, so I increased it to 8%, and it did indeed take shape. I’m repeating here, but the further I get into these FLAVRZ, the “clean” trend just continues. It presented as a natural tasting BC, with good mouthfeel, creamy-ness, and and almost light graham undertone. There were also subtle caramel, and light bakery undertones as well, and they all just worked in concert to complex-ify the flavor to the good. Some of my BC’s were similarly rich, but had an almost burnt aftertaste, and this one did not, lending to it’s creamy and rich, but clean finish. At both weights I couldn’t find any off-notes, and at the higher weight, there were no signs of bending, just a richer, fuller taste. All in, this one WOULD make a great addition to any Bav Cream heads stash, as it was pretty unique with it’s subtle caramel, graham, bakery undertones, and noticeably clean finish. Not the strongest, but once you got it into it’s “range”, it was ON. Minor take-offs for a slightly dry finish, and leaving it solidly at a 9.3/10.
Blackcurrant (FLAVRZ) 5% / 7.5% (4-9-23) – I could tell this one was different than all of the other Blackcurrants I’d tested to date, and in an interesting way. This presented as a very complex darker berry-ish flavor, with multiple berries, and a nice, slightly boozy grape undertone. When I say berry-ish, it’s for lack of better words, as it did have the very expected tart finish which screamed “currant”. It ranged from modest darker notes, followed up by a very generous helping of mid notes, and some modest bright, and tarty notes on the finish. It centered around the mid notes, but had just enough of the low and highs to help it into complex-if-ication. After two full testers, it still wandered around with sometimes more berries, other times, more of the grape, but it was always finished by the tartness. At 5% it was good, but (repeating), felt like it needed a little push, and 7.5% did just that. It was about 2 ticks above mid level sweet, but the tart finish kept that in check, and there were not off-notes, OR florals to be found. After struggling to try and figure out what made it so unique, I had to settle on the mid-level notes, which were higher in the mix, and kept it fully centered. A very good darker berry-ish medley with grape-y undertones, and a nice tart finish that kept it squarely in the “currant” camp. VERY hard to nit-pick this one, and leaving it at 9.5/10.
Black Tea (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-9-23) – Having never tested a straight black tea before, but only sweet teas, I was curious how this one would unfold. Smelled very black tea-like in the bottle, and vaping it, continued that, BUT, only about 70% of the way there. It smelled like a black tea, and had SOME aspects of it, and it even had the almost dryness that you got after actually drinking some, BUT, there was just something missing. It was actually far sweeter than I had expected, at just below mid-level sweet, and because it was not billed AS a sweet tea, that surprised me. The dryness on the finish was what really tried to push this one to authentic, and despite the nuances OF a black tea, it was almost more of a Black Tea Soda, with reduced sweetness from what sodas normally are. It wasn’t sweet enough to be a sweet tea, and there WERE really good black tea notes coming from it, but two testers in, I just couldn’t define it, as “All The Way There”. No off notes, and nothing out of place, it just needed to get that LAST 30% of the way there. It was a hard one to define, judge, and articulate for sure, and it MAY just get you that little Black Tea push you were looking for. It felt fair @ 7/10.
Blueberry (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-9-23) – This flavor presented me with a pair of profiles on the first taste, and it stayed with me throughout. I got a fairly natural Blueberry, tempered with equal parts, Sweet, and Tart. I noticed this on the first taste @ 5%, and after half a tank I decided to increase it to 8%, and the delicious, natural blueberry increased, BUT, so did the S&T. It was a few ticks above mid-level sweet, yet it still didn’t taste “candied”. At the higher percentage, I did get a nice increase OF the blueberry, and at times I could almost get some of the skin (tart), and the white fleshy part of the fruit. I got the desired slight funky-ness, and a slight fermented punch from the BB, and it was really good. At times however, I wished the S&T were less pronounced, so I could better enjoy the natural BB. For a test, I went even HIGHER, JUST to see if it would get floral, or squirrel-y, to about 12% and it did NOT. No soap, no perfume, just MORE of the same. No off-notes could be found, and about the only take-offs would be for the fairly present Sweet and Tart notes, that at times I felt overshadowed the really good BB. Scoring this was complex because I DO love a sweet and tart blueberry, but this felt solidly placed at 7.0/10.
Blue Raspberry (FLAVRZ) 3% / 6% / 7.5% (4-9-23) – Every time I review a Blue Raspberry, I always link to the same where did it come from story and it’s STILL interesting. Darren from FLAVRZ warned me this one was a little stronger so I started out at 3%, and it had ALL of what you needed in a blue raspberry, but it felt like (you guessed it), it needed some BAMM. Pushed it up to 6% and it started to fill out nicely, and I only bumped to 7.5% just to see if it got squirrel-y, and it didn’t. I spent most of the test on 6%, and it had the almost perfect (does anyone even REALLY know what it is ??) flavor. I never can tell if there is/was actually RB in there or not, but the flavor, when done right, is unmistakable. Full, tarty, and just sweet enough without being overpowering, and non-fatiguing. After 2 full testers, my opinion(s) hadn’t changed, as this was a good BRB, and it just might bring you back to your Icee days. It was CLEAR in the bottle, JUST to be clear, hehe. The finish was more than just tart-y, it almost had a twang to it, and it really sealed the deal at the end. It tasted “blue” if that’s really a thing, and it tasted good doing it. Even when pushed higher, it showed no signs of folding, no florals, soaps, perfumes, etc. All in, it was a great representation of a BRB. After I get through these 80 flavors AND 11 one-shots, I may mix this up with some fairy floss to see if it helps or hurts. As it stood at 6%, with no real nitpicks, it felt solid @ 9.0/10.
Boysenberry (FLAVRZ) 5% / 7.5% (4-9-23) – When you ask most people, many will think Boysenberries are interchangeable with Blackberries, but not exactly. This one from FLAVRZ continued the clean (and clear in the bottle) trend that is becoming obvious now. It presented as a VERY clean, and accurate Boysenberry with plenty of the darker berry tones, along with some bright notes, and slightly tart finish. I started out at 5%, and increased it to 7.5% to see how it improved, and it became fuller and tastier. It felt much better at the higher weight, and more engrossing as a solo. No florals, perfumes, or soapy notes were to be had, nor any off-notes. Sweetness was about mid-level, and it suited this one fine. Because Boysenberries are crossed from 3 different berries, exactly nailing down particular aspects can be hard, but needless to say, it was pretty spot on. I had to fight the urge to toss this one into a custard/pudding to see how it would fare, but I’ll do that later. Fresh, clean, accurate, with just enough tart to finish it off. This one would def. handle your darker berry needs, and then some. Freshly placing this one high due to little to no take-offs @ 9.6/10.
Butterscotch (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-11-23) – Sans all of the dirty DAAP’s, I was again interested to see how FLAVRZ pulled off a known “offender” for these. Interestingly enough, this was a different, and “clean” butterscotch. It took me two tanks to really understand what was happening. Although not saturated in dikatone laiden butter heavy-ness, it did impart some buttery mouthfeel. It was a lighter BS, and some of the darker, almost “burnt” notes that many others had, were absent from this one. It centered, squarely on the mid notes of a BS, with a few highs. When testing this at 5% (again), decided to boost it to 8% and it did become much fuller. Semi-rich, but without the heavy butter overtones. Again, it wasn’t NOT buttery, just cleaner, and not as overtly. With most of the burnt notes (darker) it really changed what a BS could be, and depending on your needs/uses could work out perfectly. No off-notes at either testing weight, and it was about mid-level sweet at both as well. For a cleaner, not so heavily over-buttered BS, with no burnt notes, this one was a really interesting one to get into. It felt solid @ 8.5/10.
Caramel (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-11-23) – This one shared many of the same nuances as the Butterscotch before it, WITH one big difference. It almost tasted like more of a DDL (Dulce De Leche) than a Caramel. There was/were some nice caramel notes/tones in there, but there was something in there, almost like a non-descript bakery that added weight to it, and it almost did favor a DDL over a caramel. At 5% it felt a little thin, and boosting it to 8% cleared THAT right up, and it fattened up nicely. No overt buttery tones, but it had an rich mouthfeel throughout. Much like the Butterscotch, it was a cleaner flavor with no burnt notes, and it actually had more darker tones/notes than the BS did. No off-notes at either strength, and it was about mid-level sweet. It was caramel-y, but was it a caramel ?? To my tastes, it just really tasted like a melding OF a Carmel, AND a DDL. No cinnamon notes, and no overt dairy notes, just a good smooth caramel tempered with a DDL. Two tanks later, I had the same assessment. Scoring this will be tricky as it was very good, but some minor take-offs, as I couldn’t classify it as a “pure” caramel. As a caramel-y DDL I would rate it high at a 9/10, but as a pure caramel I would probably kick it down to a 7/10. It was an INTERESTING flavor, and you probably DON’T have one like it on your shelves, and the only thing that stopped me, was when the tester bottle ran empty…
Cheesecake (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-13-23) – Kuh Kuh Creamy was the word of the day with this one. This presented as a really good, and CREAMY cheesecake, with hints of sour cream and cream cheese to give it a LOT of authenticity. Some cheesecakes can be footy, or overpoweringly sour, and almost bitter, but this was had none of those, and centered around the creamy style, with JUST enough (hints) of the sourness to keep it authentic, but in no way in an overpowering way. I was through three full testers before I knew it, if that helps you. At times I could really almost pick out the cream cheese and sour cream notes, that were blanketed in a super smooth creamy body. Not sharp, or pungent in any way, but with just a pinch of sharpness as the end. NO graham or crust here, BUT, fear not, as I smelled the “Cheesecake 2”, and hehe, it’s coming. At 5% it was good but (you know the deal), felt like it needed a boost and 8% REALLY fattened this one up. VERY good mouthfeel and creamy-ness at the higher weight, and no off-notes. Just a really good creamy smooth cheesecake. Hard to fault, and even harder to put down. Rating this one high as it was VERY hard to put down @ 9.6/10.
Cheesecake 2 (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-15-23) – Grahamy McGrahams was the take away on this one. A deliciously creamy cheesecake, WITH a rich graham crust. When I smelled it in the bottle I had thought it was JUST the crust, but NO, it was the cheesecake AND the crust. This one, I tested, and left at 5% as it was just fine where it was. The graham was authentic, with buttery notes, AND, some good bakery grains to boot. No dryness, bitterness, or burnt notes to be found or any other off-notes. It was just below mid-level sweet, and through 3 testers, I couldn’t find many faults. The GC was higher in the mix, SO, it could easily be mixed with the previously tested Cheesecake, to push/pull the ratios of CC to GC. I think it would be a safe advisement if you were going to get the Cheesecake, you should also buy this one, and just get it on !!! All in, a slightly recessed creamy cheesecake with a somewhat dominant graham crust, that were paired very nicely. After the third tester I DID have to fight the urge to mix this, with the Cheesecake, and some Strawberries, BUT, I’ve got too many left to test. Easily a 9.1/10.
Cinnamon Swirl (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-15-23) – Realizing there are some PRETTY unsafe for vaping Cinnamon compounds, AND, the FLAVRZ doesn’t use them, I had no idea what to expect from this one. I’ve received a LOT of questions if this was simply CAP CDS (Cinnamon Danish Swirl), and I can say for sure, it is NOT LOL. Similar overall profiles, but only similar. This presented as an interesting cinnamon, that had great smooth and creamy elements, and SOME bakery elements. I didn’t get an overwhelming “Danish” or “Sticky Bun”, so the bakery notes were lower in the mix, but DID work to fatten this one up, and give it more body. The cinnamon tasted rather unique and almost unlike any other I’ve tried, and was present without being overbearing or harsh. The swirling swirl was kind of hard to nail down. Somewhat sweet (just above mid-level), rich and almost creamy, and at TIMES, I did almost get a light Cream Cheese Icing note. Not all the time, but it did peek out form time to time. Trying to nail down the “bakery” proved equally difficult, at least for an exact definition, but it seemed centered around a dough element, which was NOT greasy, or fried, but more baked, which actually worked really well. Maybe some touches of a light vanilla in there, but the “swirl” stayed fairly elusive. Overall it was a pretty complex flavor with a lot swirling around (no pun intended), with a good not harsh cinnamon, some vanilla and / cream cheese icing notes, and some bakery thrown in for good measure. 3 testers later, I struggled to think what I would add, if anything, and I settled on a smidge more bakery, but even that was a small nit-pick. No off notes, and this one tasted fine and I kept it at 5%. Deliciously placing this one @ 9.3/10.
Coffee (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-16-23) – I have tried some really BAD coffee flavors over the years, many of which were bitter, acidic, and just plain bad, but the first thing that came to mind with THIS one was, “Yeah, they got this right”. RIGHT out of the gate, and “I shoulda mixed up more”, hehe. At 5% this one was damned near it’s own one-shot, and didn’t need any boosting, OR any real help EITHER. A nice natural semi-bold tasting coffee that was so accurate, you could almost taste the bean like it was JUST roasted. Punchy and bold without being overly acidic or artificial, and was tempered by a light(er) cream, and sweetener. Now tempered might not even be close as it was not even close enough as the mid to dark bean roasted coffee NEVER quit, so let’s say “tempered” with a light cream and sweetener, not “buried”. The super delicious roasted coffee bean(s) never stopped taking the limelight. Sweetness was just below mid-level, and the cream was just light enough to smooth it out a bit. A very impressive flavor, that allowed the roasted bean to be the showcase. Quite natural, and might have even tasted BETTER than the coffee I was drinking during this test LOL. All in, a VERY good representation of a mid to darker roasted coffee, with JUST enough sweetener and creamery notes to round it out, and nothing more. No off-notes, no take-offs, and didn’t even have to boost it, so this one is going to push up high @ 9.8/10.
Coffee Espresso (FLAVRZ) 4% (4-16-23) – Testing this one RIGHT on the heels of the FLAVRZ Coffee, I can say they are VERY similar. So much so, that I was having to double check the “differences”. This one had some darker bean tones, and MAYBE some lighter cream elements, but that could simply be relative given the darker beans/roast. Very accurate, tasty, just slightly darker than the FLAVRZ Coffee. I found it JUST about as good, accurate, and satisfying, so if you’ve read my Coffee review, you’re already about 90% of the way there, here. Clearly the team at FLAVRZ knows how to do coffees. Not dry or bitter, which can sometimes happen with dark/darker roasts, and it had JUST enough acidity to keep it real. Another good one, just slightly darker than the coffee, and just as great. No off-notes no nit-picks, and leaving this just as high AS the Coffee @ 9.8/10, so your shade of roasts will decide which is closer to what you want.
Cookies and Cream (FLAVRZ) 8% – (Down sampling, for re-test) …
Creaming Soda (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-16-23) – Cream Soda aka. Creaming Soda has quite a history, and the best I’ve tasted were always creamy, vanilla-y, and almost ice-cream-like, AND, FLAVRZ did JUST that with this one. I could tell it was about spot on as soon as I started the test. It was great @ 5% with no need to increase the strength, and just above mid-level sweet. The super smooth vanilla notes hit you right on the front end, and a creamy, almost ice cream like body took it from the middle to the end. Surprisingly there was just enough “Soda” in there, to be convincing. Not effervescence, and not carbonation, BUT, it was in there, and was convincing. The creamy, vanilla was rich, smooth, and just damned delicious, and was similar (not exact), to an orange-sicle MINUS the orange. Yeah, THAT kind of deliciously smooth, and creamy-ness. I should talk to @Jetz and see if this profile could be married to a Custard, because WOW. I was soo good, that I didn’t want to temp fate by increasing the strength, to see if it would get even FULLER. As it stood at 5%, it didn’t need anything, or left you wanting, which is always good. Smooth, creamy vanilla soda, with an almost ice cream like undertone is what this was, and with about NO off-notes or nit-picks, I think it’s time to release the Kraken. 10/10.
Dairy Milk (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-17-23) – Having used “another” Dairy/Milk for years, and having found a FEW good Creams I rely on, I am always on the prowl for new(er) Dairies, Creams, Milks, etc. There are a few “creams” that I use almost daily, that really don’t taste like much solo’d but their “effect” CAN be tasted in finished recipes, so needless to say, testing all of the above can be a challenge for me AND you guys, hehe. This one surprised me, with a very clean, accurate milk (with dairy notes) flavor. Yup, that’s how they chose the name. It wasn’t 100% spot on for say a “Whole Milk” but it had a LOT of those nuances, mouthfeel, and creamy-ness to it. There were some other notes that I could only classify as “Dairy” which added to the richness, and depth of it. There were also some subtle notes that almost resembled powdered milk, but only on the finish, and lower in the mix. Wow, lots to try and unpack on this one, AND, try to explain. It was def. NOT a cream, with the associated heavy creamy notes, BUT, it still had some creamy undertones with great mouthfeel. It was actually fairly complex, and that was a surprise. After 3 testers @ 5% I in no way needed to boost this up, as it was great at this weight. No off-notes, and it was a couple ot ticks below mid-level sweet, which I think actually helped it stand out a little bit better without being “sweet”. All in, a damned fine Whole Milk flavor, with great mouthfeel, and some creamy-ness, with some subtle powdered milk notes on the finish is what this was. About the only nit-pick would be a slight dry-ness on the end of the finish, but that was it. If you want/need a great milk that will probably not get washed out in the mix, this one will get it done. 9.2/10.
Double Chocolate (FLAVRZ) 2.5% / 5% (4-19-23) – Having tested many of the available chocolates out there, I always look out the typical off-notes such as dryness, bitterness, band aids, etc. Luckily for me (and you guys) NONE were present here. I started out testing this one at 5%, and shortly into it, I decided to reduce it to 2.5% and it felt much better. Even at the higher rate, this flavor never got squirrel-y or strange, BUT, it took on a darker chocolate with fairly high liquor notes. Now, if you want or need more of a chocolate liquor then 5% is your starting point. Reducing to 2.5% it took on a fairly different choco profile, which lightened up a bit, into a mid to mid-dark chocolate, with almost completely eliminated liquor notes. It was not a milk chocolate, nor a dark, but right in the middle. No overt dryness or bitterness, no band aids, and a flavor that tasted pretty accurate, with no detectable off-notes. The shift from 2.5% to 5% was interesting, and a plus as you could “temper” your chocolate as needed. As far as the “double”, it wasn’t a flat, linear chocolate, and fairly complex, which kept it interesting. Sweetness was a little lower than mid-level, and even AT 2.5% you could still reduce more if needed, but it felt and tasted very good at this weight. I’ll experiment with it later, and test it with the Dairy Milk, and Bavarian Cream to see how it shifts, but for the purposes of this review, I had a hard time faulting it. I’m sure you could range this one even further, and push it into yet ANOTHER type of chocolate. At 2.5% you got a good mid to mid-dark chocolate that wasn’t candy bar-ish, nor a baking chocolate, but just right in the middle. The only minor take-off would be for just a pinch of dryness on the finish, but just a touch. 9.0/10.
Dragonfruit (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-22-23) – This presented as a lighter flavor, so I tested at 5, and 8%. At both weights, it was fairly spot on, with the typical bright, and punchy high end notes, but this one was more centered on the CENTER of the fruit notes. The mid-body notes carried the main freight here, and the bright, top, high-end punchy notes were on the top. At the lower weight, it was good, but recessed, and increasing it, it did increase somewhat, but not linearly. It’s hard to directly profile Dragonfruit, as there are always comparisons to Watermelon, and Pear, or Pear, and Kiwi, but suffice it to say, this was an accurate one. There was an almost bright Kiwi-like finish at the end, which kept it bright. No off-notes at either of the two testing weights, and while not “syrupy” it was about mid-level sweet. I’m curious to hear @Jetz’s thoughts on this, because he had mentioned (I think) using this with custards, which was very interesting. As it stood, a good, mid-body centered Dragonfruit, with a nice shot of bright notes on the finish. 8.75/10.
Fairy Floss (Cotton Candy) (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-22-23) – Biff, Bamm, Boom. This one was an ASSAULT on your senses, BUT, in a good way. 
From the VERY first taste test, this one, smacked you RIGHT in the face, with a super delicious, light and airy, cotton candy. It was soo realistic, that you could almost taste the cotton spun sugar. What was nice about it, was it was actually ONLY about mid-level sweet, so it was not overblown, or overbearing. As odd as it sounds, it actually had some BODY to it, and actually carried some weight, and had some fullness, which was unexpected. There was an almost underlying “pink” hue to this one, that I couldn’t really explain as a note or profile, but needless to say it was there, and it really DID give the impression of a pink-ish, spun sugar. At 5% it was full on, in your face full, BUT, (repeating) without being overbearing or fatiguing, as I burned through 2 testers before I realized it. Can you solo a cotton candy ??? Yes. As for the whole, “Yeah, but isn’t it JUST EM” ?? I can’t answer that, BUT, even after two full testers, I didn’t get any muting, and the coils were pretty clean afterwards, so I’ll leave you with that. Fresh, clean, and a great cotton candy flavor, that was spot on full at 5% with no off-notes, aftertaste, or muting. Because of the added “body” to it, it was very enjoyable, AS a solo. Had to knock a flavor down that does what it claims, and does it perfectly. Need a great cotton candy, you might want to pick this one up. Easily a 9.5/10.
Fuji Apple (FLAVRZ) 4% (4-22-23) – This flavor turned out to be a surprise. I’ve been using “one” Fuji for quite some time, and while good, can be rather “sharp” at times. This one however presented as an almost “smooth” Fuji. This isn’t to say it didn’t have the expected tartness because it did, but there was something about this flavor, that just had a certain smoothness to it. This was def. a Fuji with sweet undertones that were almost Pear like with a dash of honey. Very crisp and natural tasting with JUST enough sweetness, and tartness, but not too much of either. Sweetness was just about mid-level, and there were no off-notes to be found. Continued testing revealed more and more of a truly natural taste, that stayed complex from beginning to end. The more I tested, the more I became convinced that the “smoothness” I was getting was from the pear and honey undertones. Wow, just a deliciously crisp, complex, natural tasting Fuji, with JUST enough bite (tart) on the finish. If you love a great Fuji, you WILL love this flavor. Another stellar fruit offering from FLAVRZ, and I struggled to nit-pick it. At first I thought maybe a dash more of tartness would have worked, but by the time I finished, I was convinced it was exactly where it needed to be. Placing it squarely at a 9.8/10.
Glazed Doughnut (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-22-23) – How many doughnuts have I tested over the years ?? Too many LOL. Seldom to they work out, so we’ll see what happens with THIS one. Smelling it in the bottle, I THOUGHT I might have gotten a whiff of “Play Doh”, BUT, when testing it, this was NOT the case. This WAS like NO doughnut I’ve tried thus far. It had a VERY unique approach, and it almost tasted like a slightly fried, white cake-y doughnut. At the lower 5% weight, I THOUGHT I could tell where FLAVRZ was going with this one, but it was kind of murky, and not as “full throttled”, but stepping it up to 8%, proved that the slightly fried, very slightly doughy, white cake-y method WAS what they were after. The glazed aspect came through loud and clear at both testing weights, but the main body seemed to work better at 8%. Now, this approach may or may not appeal to you, but it’s an interestingly different approach to a doughnut, at least as in comparison to those I’ve tested thus far. At the higher weight, there were no off-notes, no flavor bending, and the light, white cakey-ness came through in spades. No darker, deep fried, greasy, or cinnamon-y notes here, but a fairly mid weight doughnut that was centered around a white cake element. I think the closest comparison I could find would be a Little Debbie Powdered Donut, BUT, with most (not all) of the powdered sugar removed, and a glazed topping in. Hard to rate donuts for EVERY user, as everyone seems to have a different want/need. I think with the lightly fried, white cake-d main notes, and no yeasty-ness, it will appeal to many who were/are turned off by higher levels of yeast, and or greasy fried notes. With that said, I think that 8.0/10 fits the bill here.
Golden Pineapple (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-23-23) – Fresh, Juicy, and Yellow were the three big take-aways with this one. I started testing at 5%, and it was good, but I wanted to push it a bit, and 8% did the trick. Nice, full, and juicy pineapple in SPADES. It was very natural tasting with loads of mid-level, and bright high end notes. It was damned near just like eating a juicy pineapple, without the mess. Nothing baked, or darker caramelized notes in this one, just fresh picked only. At both testing weights there were no off notes, and no florals, and it stayed just as accurate throughout both, with the higher percentage yielding a much fuller experience. FLAVRZ did a great job of really FULLY representing a fresh pineapple, without falling into a “juice”, or “canned / candied” category. Sweetness was about two ticks above mid level, and that just plain worked here. 3 testers later, I was still looking for something to nitpick. All in, especially at the higher rate, a fresh, natural, and juicy pineapple was exactly what this one was. Easily a 9.5/10.
Golden Syrup (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-23-23) – This was an INTERESTING one to test. Much like many of the other FLAVRZ I started testing this one at 5%, and it was so-so, and felt a little thin. It also had a somewhat dry, abrupt (yes abrupt) finish. Smelling it, I knew it needed more, and 8% WAS the ticket. Talk about IMPROVING a flavor, as this one REALLY opened up at 8%. It became a full on, in your face Golden Syrup. Because it’s not as common in the US, all of my UK friends tell me there is only one. Having only tasted Golden Syrup once, AND, quite a while ago, this was a great one to test. At the higher weight it was a deliciously sweet, almost dark-sweet flavor, with definite caramel, and almost buttery undertones. NOW, 8% may (or may not) have been pushing it, but I didn’t detect any flavor bending, BUT, it started to take on an almost boozey like finish. Now that’s on me, as it wasn’t there at the lower weight, and quite frankly, it actually worked LOL. What was interesting was the complexity, and how it revealed itself during tasting. The mid to dark sweetness started from the beginning, with the caramel, and buttery undertones coming in near the middle until the end. A sweet ride with an interesting finish. Sweetness as expected was a few ticks above mid level, BUT, no sickeningly sweet, as I was able to burn through 3 testers of it without fatigue. Rich, darkly sweet, and buttery caramelly !!! About the only off-note(s) were the slight dry-ness on the finish at the lower weight, and the slight boozey finish at the higher weight, which I caused by ramping up the %. Beyond that, just a dark sweet bunch of deliciousness. I’ll lower my solo rec. to 7.5%, and leave it squarely at a 9.2/10.
Graham Cracker 2 (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-24-23) – Any of you who’ve followed me over the years, KNOWS I’ve got a S’mores obsession, and therefore, I also have a Graham Cracker obsession. Having never really fallen in love with FW, and FLV’s GC’s, and using TPA’s Cheesecake (Graham Crust) for different things, it left RFSC as my go to GC. As with many others, I started testing this at 5%, and then moved to 8%. For comparison it was more like RFSC’s GC than any other. A very good, not coconutty, authentic GC. I had some subtle undertones that added TO the authenticity, that we lost to some degree when increasing the percentage, which was interesting. Slightly dry on the finish, but not astringent at all. A rich, almost textured GC with lots of notes that could easily have been graham flour, brown sugar, etc. Very realistic, and if you smelled the bottle you might think you’d find a crushed up GC in the bottle. No overt cinnamon, but it felt like it was in there somewhere, because it was just too damned graham-y. No off-notes at either strength, and about the only take-off would be the slight dry-ness on the finish. Accurate, tasty, with an almost grainy texture is what this was, and it was damned tasty too boot. I haven’t even gotten INTO the Marshmallows yet, and I feel compelled to mix up a S’mores or two now, BUT, I cannot get distracted. Very authentic, accurate, with a slightly dry finish. I’m leaning towards 7% for a final solo weight, and leaving it very high up, @ 9.6/10.
Grape (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-25-23) – The Power of Purple !!! You will notice, I again dual tested this one at 5%, and 8%. At the lower weight, it was lacking some punch, and 8% served exactly that up. A great grape, that was centered around the high and mid notes, with some lower notes mixed in on the bottom. Fairly well rounded, and complex, and seemed to cover almost the entire grape. No bitter skin notes, but a fairly sweet purple grape, that was 70% natural 30% artificial. It was a few ticks above mid level sweet at 8%, and even with that, it wasn’t fatiguing, nor a true “candied”, nor a soda. Even though it hit all the low, mid, and high notes, it lacked some of the lowest low notes, which kept it a mid, to mid-dark purple grape. No off-notes, no florals, and nothing out of place, even at the higher weight. All in, it was a great mid / mid-dark grape, that married a natural with an artificial, and did so nicely, that was sweet on the lips. While the sweetness levels were above mid level, I’m fairly certain that it added to the “pop”. Below the sweetness was some slight tart-ed-ness that helped add to the complexity a bit. Because it straddled both the natural and artificial, you could use it in a wider array of mixes. It felt purple-y @ 9/10.
Green Apple (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-25-23) – This one took a little bit to open up. Upon first filling, I didn’t really get much flavor, and then shortly thereafter it started to reveal itself. I felt it was light(er) at 5%, and increased to 8%, and once it finally started to produce some flavor, it was pretty good. Even still at the higher weight, it was not an overpowering flavor, which is NOT what I can say for some Green Apples, which can rapidly overpower a mix, and go completely sideways when used too high. This one never got squrielly and played nice regardless of the percentage. It presented much like the Grape in that it tasted like a mixture of natural and artificial combined. The tart/sweet ratio felt evenly paired 50/50, so it had some tartness, and some sweetness. Sweetness was a little below mid-level, so no candy, or candied here, and the tart/sour was JUST high enough to add to the “green”-ness. No off-notes, and I did prefer it at 8%, but it still felt a little underwhelming. The flavor was good, but I couldn’t get the exact saturation levels maybe needed. Crisp, green, tart and sour, with a mix of roughly 50/50 natural/artificial is what this presented. Minor take-offs for saturation and that was about the only nit picks. It was interesting that it took a little bit to get going in my testing setup. It felt fairly placed @ 7.0/10.
Guava (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-27-23) – I spent some extra time with this one, as I was not 100% sold ON the Guava. I many times seem to prefer the more “fermented” punchy Guava flavors, and this one was sweeter, and very smooth. It did present as a Guava, but at times, not 100%. It had many aspects of a Sweet Guava, but at times I almost got apricot, and peach notes, albeit lighter in the mix. Sweetness was just below mid level, with no off-notes at either 5% or 8% with my preference being the higher weight, which produced a fuller experience. 3 testers in, I was still not 100% sold on it, as a pure Guava. It felt like it was 70% of the way there. Tasty, but just felt like it needed a little more focus. It was delicious enough to motivate me through 3 full testers, and other than a little lack of focus, I had no complaints. A good Guava, but just not the top of the pack. It felt fairly placed @ 7.0/10.
Honeycomb (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-29-23) – Back on track with the Honeycomb, and deliciously so. Clean, buttery, a smidge of bakery, and a touch of honey is what this one brought to the table. When starting at 5%, I knew it needed a bump to 8%, and then it came alive. “Very clean” was the first take away, and much like many of the other FLAVRZ, it worked here. At about mid-level sweet, this one really captured all of the aspects of a good HC. At times I almost thought I could taste the Baking Soda !!! 3 testers later, nothing changed, and with nothing out of place to nit-pick, it was a solid one. At 8% it was very rich, and full, and was actually kind of hard to put down, and that’s NEVER a bad thing when testing. Smooth, rich, and tasty. The butter/honey/sweet elements were perfectly balanced, with just enough “bakery” in to give it some weight. It was hard to NOT have a good time taste testing this one. Easily a 9.5/10.
Honeydew (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-29-23) – Nice, nice, and MORE nice. Get a napkin because you’ll think you’re eating a fresh Honeydew with this one. As with some others, 5% was good, but 8% was much better. Full, juicy, and delicious were the take-aways with this one. Very natural tasting, with no: Soaps, Perfumes, Florals, or off-notes at either of the two testing weights. Very clean, accurate, and just at or above mid-level sweet. It had all the right notes, and in JUST the right balance, to pull this off like they did, and it was just simply, very “melon-y”. More smooth than crisp, and when increasing it, it just got better, and more full. A few lower end notes, and TONS of mid notes, with a few high end notes, left this one juicy, and fresh from beginning to end. It really seemed to capture the darker “green” and slightly “white-r” parts of the melon. Everything but the seeds, and skin people. I looked hard for some nit-picks, but couldn’t find any. If you are in the market for a very natural, fresh, and juicy Honeydew, this one will get it done for you. Juice-ily placing this one high @ 9.8/10.
Lemonade (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-29-23) – Many times, TRYING to nail a Lemonade can be hard, as it is too easy to fall into a Lemon Head, or Candied Lemon, or even a Sweet Lemon. FLAVRZ successfully kept this one RIGHT in the Lemonade camp. At 5% it felt like it needed a little push, and I upped it to 8%, and it didn’t increase much, so it would seem that 5-6% would be the top usable top end. At the higher weight there were no signs of hitting the saturation point, or flavor curling. It presented as a slightly relaxed Lemonade that tasted roughly like a 50/50 split between Natural, and Artificial. What was interesting WAS the ratio of natural to artificial, as it could EASILY be pushed/pulled into EITHER direction, if needed. The lemon notes were fairly complex, and tasted almost like a Country Time Lemonade dry mix, with real lemons on top. It wasn’t that both layers were clearly distinct, but they could each be tasted none the less. Sweetness was surprisingly lower than expected, at about mid level, and when increasing to 8%, the sweetness didn’t really increase, so clear over-sweetening restraint was used. The overall lemon(s) had a nice level of tart, and sweet, but not too much of either. No off-notes, nor bitterness, just a clean lemon medley with JUST enough tart/sour punch to keep it interesting but without being fatiguing. About the only take-off would be for the slightly relaxed presentation, and none for the actual profiles. All in, this was a nicely sweet 50/50 natural/artificial lemonade with just enough tart and sour on the finish. Nicely placing it at 9.0/10.
Lemon Tart (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (4-30-23) – Following on the heels of the FLAVRZ Lemonade, I was wondering IF this was/were the same Lemon profile(s) in this one as well. Possibly. If not, then they were very similar. As with many others, I started out at 5%, and felt it would be better at 8%, and it was. The Lemon was bright, and punchy with some sweet and tart which allowed it to punch through. There was a carrier that the lemon was riding on, but it wasn’t 100% clear what is was, maybe a pudding-like element, maybe a lighter custard, or even a light curd, but unsure. There was a light crust element, and I couldn’t detect any graham, but I did detect a lighter biscuit, so it tasted like a flour based crust. I couldn’t detect any meringue, which left if much more in the “tart” region than a LMP, As a whole, it really worked, and it was pretty (not completely) unique in the tart realm. There was an almost Lemon Zest sprinkled on the top that gave it just a little more ZING. Sweetness was just above mid level, and even at the higher weight, there were no off-notes, and no real nit-picks. At first, I was unsure was the crust was very light, and I felt like it needed more, BUT, 3 testers later, it actually felt great the way it was, WITH the ability to crust boost if needed, or not. All in, a very fresh, Lemon Tart with a nice smooth pudding/curd center, topped with a bright, punchy Lemon Zest. Too good, to NOT mark this one high, and it felt tight at 9.5/10.
Lychee (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-30-23) – Every time I’ve eaten Lychee, it’s always tasted like a combination of Rose Milk, and Citrus. Guess what ?? That’s EXACTLY what THIS tasted like. It even actually had the same light florals as the actual fruit, so if you like the fruit, you’ll love this flavor. Because of the inherent florals I did choose to start, and leave this one at 5%, and it worked fine at that level without being TOO floral. At the 5% weight, it was plenty full, and sweet, with slightly above mid-level sweetness. Even after 3 testers, I still couldn’t find a better description then that of a almost creamy Rose Milk, paired with a light citrus. Because of the authentic florals, it is possible if used to strong it could get squirrel-y, but at 5%, it just felt, and tasted right where it needed to be. With nothing out of place, nor off-notes, it was a solid flavor with no real take-offs. Granted I don’t find myself using Lychee as often as other flavors, but when I do, this one, will be one of the first ones. Easily a 9.3/10.
Maccas Coffee (FLAVRZ) 5% (4-30-23) – Be advised the bottle I received was labeled “Macca”, but the website shows “Maccas”. After REALLY liking both FLAVRZ’s Coffee, and Espresso Coffee, I was ready to try a THIRD Coffee from them. This one was PERFECT at 5% and didn’t need any boosting. It actually had a FULL SPECTRUM of notes that seemed to cover coffee AND espresso. Now there seemed to be something ELSE, lurking just under the surface, that almost gave it a “cake-y” undertone. Well below the much more pronounced coffee and espresso, yet it was still there. 3 testers later, I still couldn’t identify the cakey undertones, but a close comparison would be a coffee cake-ish, without any cinnamon. VERY interesting, and complex vape. Sweetness was just above mid level, and there were no off-notes to be found. Because it was more full spectrum than either their coffee or espresso, I almost preferred this one. The cake-y undertones whether intentional or not, just added to the mystery. Dark, medium, and light roasted notes just swirled around with this one. Since I nailed both FLAVRZ Coffee and Espresso @ 9.8, I truly feel this one out complex-ified them, and have no choice but to 10/10 this one. If you want a very unique, and interesting Coffee vape, you might want to get a big bottle of this one, and experiment.
Mango (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (5-3-23) – When testing this one @ 5%, and 8%, the latter yielded a much fuller Mango experience. It was still a little relaxed at the higher weight, but still very good. When increasing to 8% it seemed to “thicken” up a bit, and increased the orange-y yellow texture(s). Like many other of the FLAVRZ flavors, it was very clean, and seemed most centered on the mid notes, with some bright notes, but not many in the lower region. While bright and somewhat punchy, it was clean and natural tasting with no artificial notes, or off-notes. Sweetness was below mid level, and there were no real take-offs except for the slightly relaxed presentation, even at the higher weight. All in this stayed clean, natural and punchy through all of the testers, and felt good at 8.0/10.
Mango Jam (FLAVRZ) 5% / 8% (5-4-23) – Oh YES, it IS Jammy !!! This is the LAST FLAVOR from the first 40 flavor series and I appreciate you guys hanging in there, for the ride. This one was similar to the previously tested FLAVRZ Mango, BUT, it felt like it had a lot more sticky yellow body to it. At 5% it was good, but (you know the drill), it needed a boost, and 8% did it. This flavor exchanged some of the fresh mango nuances for some sticky, and jammy ones. At 8% it was very full, and still had some fresh/juicy aspects to it, but the thick and jammy-ness was front and center without being too much. It was a little sweeter than the Mango, but only at about mid-level sweet. The sticky/jammy could not be overstated, as it rode through from beginning to end. No off-notes, and no “green”-ness, just a juicy, sticky, yellow mango with great jammy notes was what it delivered. At the higher weight, it tasted less relaxed, and more forward than the Mango, and that worked out nicely for my tastes, so rating it a bit higher @ 9.3/10.. Having paired both this and the Mango in Darren’s Mango recipe, I can attest to how WELL they pair together.
Continue on with the Part II here
