Wow, I had someone sell me a device and they recommended .6ohms for it! Thats why I decided to start using Ai to figure out what was going on! Long story short the First Nations had disposable pods they discontinued and they started selling juices instead and said it was the same formula but that the devices they have are too big of a coil compared to stlth pods. And then from there I got conflicting information but that could have been bad! I appreciate all the help. I’m very curious to see how your formula turns out once I buy the supplies
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Honestly I went to people first! So to make a long story even longer I used to smoke juul, banned in Canada. Shopped around for 2 years asking peoples recommendations on something similar, wa sold things that taste like cigars and all sorts of tobaccos that was absolutely no where close. Then I found a shop on the First Nations when I ran out of disposable pods, so I tried it and it was almost a dead ringer for juul. The past 3 years that’s all I bought.
Now they discontinued that pod, sold me on refillable tobacco juice and a refillable device. Tried it and it tastes like a cigar but even worse. They tell me it’s the coil size of the device and the wattage making it taste off. I shop around for new juice from multiple places. I ask the staff for devices that are low watts and high resistance. Some guy talks me into a device at .6 ohms since “that’s needed for salt nic” tried the juice again, tastes way worse. Then I go to another store realizing the juice is definitely a different formula, one tastes like sugar the other tastes like ashtrays.
I look up on AI since I figure it can scan the internet annd reduce my google research and I start realizing I can get devices that have high resistance and low watt settings. I try that with the old juice and new juices, nothing close to similar. Then I start using ai to make a couple of formulas to match juul, it then tells me Canada has juul realizing it’s removed the ban. So I go and buy a juul2 and start telling it what I notice with the flavours and throat feel and it gives me a seemingly good formula, from there I noticed there’s sites dedicated to diy juice so now I’m here!
So I have no knowledge on juice and would rather be safe and double check since now I’m out hundreds of dollars on devices I basically have to throw out and juices that are probably throw aways because I was recommended them.
So long story short people’s recommendations have been costing me money when I could have just used ai (which I used to help me code and set up a website) and saved myself a lot of time and money which I should’ve used with knowing nothing about ejuice like I knew nothing about coding. I’m not a fan of AI but I’m coming into this forum with bad experience from people who sell vapes for a living 
but once I saw Rocky’s formula I just had to plug it in and see what it said.
We definitely live in some weird transition period in time though. So on your thoughts of public discourse it’s definitely going to have a huge effect going forward
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No but you can buy it from Flavor Jungle. Not bad for the price. Of course Inawera has some good Absolutes but he’ll have to order direct. The real good stuff is expensive, the kind that gets used in perfumes, colognes,etc.
Wow @Rocky02852 that was great sleuthing!
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I’m glad your search helped. I never did Juul but I do enjoy tobacco flavors and I might, out of curiosity, try that recipe. I did something similar to you when I started (pre AI) and didn’t know a thing. I was using Blu cigalikes tobacco flavor and finally discovered they were using flavors from Johnson Creek.
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Juuls hands down my favourite but tobaccos are definitely a subjective preference. I just like how subtle it is. I used to smoke next and Canadian classics and I found switching to a juul was like finding a perfect cigarette. Doesn’t taste gross or smell gross, the smell vanishes super fast, so I can smoke it inside the house instead of having to go outside for a smoke. And the throat hit I found from it was just like a cigarette so it was an easy transition to quit smoking. I was very upset when they banned them in Canada for “flavours” that appeal to kids but now you go in the stores and that all they have is appealing flavours. They did a complete 180° on trying to get kids off of vapes. I almost went back to smoking cigarettes to be honest too because I feel like a lot of those flavours give people popcorn lung. With juul I never had any phlegm or coughing and wheezing and after years I’ve never had a single side effect. Then after a week of trying any other brand I just felt sick
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Definitely ant get it from a Canadian supplier but if all goes well with the recipe I’d be open to paying the extra shipping cost to get the absolute!
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I wouldn’t worry about that too much. Popcorn lung is a real thing but is pretty much found among those who work in the factories that produce those flavors, like for buttered popcorn in a bag, margarines, etc. I’ve been using flavors with diacetyl and acetoin for almost 12 years and my lungs are fine.
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Looks like I’m having trouble sourcing some of the items in Canada, do you think this mix may yield slightly similar results worth testing until I can source everything through different suppliers?
FLV Virginia Tobacco: 1.00%
FLV Cured Tobacco: 0.75%
INW Dirty Neutral Base: 0.20%
Ethyl Pyrazine (10% solution in PG): 0.20%
Ethyl Maltol (10% solution in PG): 0.10%
I think the main thing I’ll be missing is the oak flavour, which I’m hoping the cured tobacco may help settle, and of course the other ingredients meant to help with some of the bottom notes and chemistry (if that’s the right wording)
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I’m fairly certain that juul was using a chinese brand for flavorings. So you might want to start looking there. That’s what I heard about a few of them anyway. I used to be OBSESSED with their mango 
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Flavorings that have diacetyl in it contain 1/1 millionth of a percent that cigarettes have, & not one person has ever gotten popcorn lung from smoking cigarettes. Don’t fall for big tobaccos bs. Also, most flavors that had diacetyl in it, they reformulated & took it out.
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The all FLV recipe I posted is not a clone, I was just giving you an example of directions you could go to come up with a similar profile. You would need all the raw ingredients to mix a “clone”.
Personally I would not even be starting with any AP (or EP) or EM, focus on the core of the recipe, any additives can be added later if needed…
Start with the top 4 or 5 key ingredients:
Tobacco Absolute - Deep earth, leather, dried fruit, molasses, and warm herbaceous hay. Extremely thick, resinous, dark brown paste or heavy liquid that requires pre-dilution. Never use tobacco absolute raw or undiluted. It must first be cut down into Propylene Glycol (PG) or high-proof food-grade alcohol (at a 2% to 5% active ratio) before mixing.
Triethyl Citrate - Functions as a non-volatile solvent, fixative, and flavor carrier in tobacco flavor concentrates and e-liquids. It helps dissolve complex aromatic compounds, extends the persistence of top flavor notes, and can act as a diluent or viscosity-adjusting agent. Dissolves hard-to-mix aroma compounds and distributes them evenly within the flavor base (most likely only needed with the Tobacco Absolute, TPA Dragonfruit has the most Triethyl Citrate out of any other flavor I’ve researched)
Gamma-butyrolactone - Creamy, milky, faint buttery notes with sweet peach and fruity undertones. Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) is an industrial solvent and regulated central nervous system depressant that has been detected in specific commercial tobacco-flavored e-liquids (such as JUUL Virginia Tobacco) at low concentrations, raising public health concerns regarding its safety when inhaled, direct data tracking the long-term pharmacological or pulmonary safety of inhaling vaporized GBL are scarce.
Veratryl aldehyde - A sweet, woody, and vanilla-like aromatic compound used in flavor concentrates to add depth, warmth, and complexity. Sweet, creamy, powdery vanilla, woody, spicy, and slightly smoky or nutty. Acts as a high-end alternative or booster to vanillin and ethyl vanillin, adding deeper “brown” and toasted dimensions.
Oak extract, 16x (French Roast) - A high-strength botanical flavoring that delivers intense, deep wood tannins, subtle dark chocolate, and roasted coffee notes. It is used at very low dilutions to mimic barrel-aging characteristics. Derived from sustainably toasted French oak (Quercus) wood via specialized maceration or evaporation extraction. 16x potency, meaning it requires only fractional amounts compared to standard single-strength extracts.
Lactic Acid - A mild organic acid used in flavor concentrates as an acidulant to add a soft, smooth sourness, adjust pH, and enhance dairy, fruit, or fermented flavor profiles without overpowering delicate aromas. Imparts a yogurt-, cheese-, or buttery-tang in dairy and creamy profiles, and a gentle tartness in fruit or beverage concentrates.
Damascenone - A potent rose ketone naturally found in cured tobacco and essential oils, used in trace amounts within tobacco flavor concentrates to impart deep, sweet, dried-fruit, and woody-spicy tobacco nuances with a natural, realistic warmth, Delivers stewed apple, plum, rose-like floral depth, and a dark tea or woody-tobacco backing. Recreates the natural carotenoid degradation products inherent in genuine cured leaf. Helps bridge sweet top notes with heavier, earthy, or herbal base notes in complex blends.
Ethyl Lactate - An additive and green solvent with a mild, sweet, fruity, and buttery odor. It is used in tobacco flavor concentrates as a minor blending ingredient to add subtle fruit, cream, or fermented depth that rounds out harsh, dry tobacco notes.
2-Acetylpyrazine - A potent aroma chemical used in tobacco flavor concentrates to provide realistic, warm, and savory depth. It recreates the toasted, nutty, bread-like, and cured-leaf characteristics inherent in natural cured tobacco and roasted grains.Imparts distinct undertones resembling roasted nuts, popcorn, or freshly baked crust. Softens the sharp, flat, or overly sweet edges of synthetic tobacco bases, mimicking the earthy dryness of real tobacco smoke or leaf. Adds structural “weight” to a mix, bridging the gap between high-note sweeteners and deep, dark tobacco absolutes.
MCP (Methyl Cyclopentenolone) - A potent aromatic crystalline compound used in tiny amounts to impart a sweet, warm, caramel, maple, and nutty flavor profile while enhancing overall sweetness.
2-Acetylpyridine - A powerful aromatic chemical used in trace amounts to impart authentic roasted, bready, nutty, and popcorn-like realism. Replicates the dry, toasted, and cured nuances present in natural leaf and flue-cured tobacco or traditional smoking experiences. Blends effectively with tobacco absolutes, coffee extracts, and cocoa notes to build complex, layered middle and base notes. Combines well with sweet modifiers like vanillin and ethyl maltol to round out rich, complex pipe or specialty tobacco profiles.
2,3,5-Trimethylpyrazine - A potent aroma and flavor additive used in low concentrations (typically 0.0005% to 15 ppm) within tobacco flavor concentrates and e-liquids to impart authentic roasted, nutty, musty, and cocoa-like toasted notes mimicking cured tobacco leaf. Added in trace amounts (parts per million range) because of its extreme olfactory potency. Acts as a sensory modifier that rounds out harsh throat hits and increases product acceptability.
Ethyl maltol - A sweetening and caramel-like flavor enhancer frequently added to commercial tobacco-flavored e-liquids and concentrates (present in roughly 60% of tested tobacco e-cigs). It rounds out harsh tobacco notes, adds body and mouthfeel, and provides a sweet, sugary profile. Acts as a blender and smoother to cut the bitter, sharp edges of raw tobacco or dark/oriental flavor extracts.
Citalox - (also known as Amberlox) A high-impact synthetic Aromatic Chemical with a rich, woody, ambergris-like scent profile used in perfumery and specialized flavor formulations. It is not a standard component of traditional or natural tobacco extracts, but rather an aroma chemical added in trace amounts to advanced tobacco flavor concentrates to impart warmth, depth, and a dry, sophisticated amber undertone
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Okay you know what that makes total sense, I will definitely start with the flavours then before getting into those additional AP and EM sections of the recipe! And I’m going to have to re read that multiple times to grasp each layer of the ingredients.
Thank you loads for starting me off at a good base to run to from! I’m hoping the first batch of items I get that comes in will help me narrow down what to really aim for. As long as I can get something that’s close in flavour and hits the same as a juul I’m happy! But the closer I can ge to the actual thing the better!
Again I really appreciate all the help and you taking time to break down things for me to understand.
Side note, if I find a good recipe that I decide to stick with, is it smart to make a big batch that I can store (if so what’s the best way to store it, I assume darkness and chilly area) or is it better to make a concentrated flavour without the base (pg/vg salt mix) and then just add whatever the flavour ratio would be to the pg/vg salt mix base as needed? I’m just curious if it would cut down on the “steep time” and make things a bit less tedious once I get a recipe I’m happy with down
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Well first you’re going to need a big batch to vape while the next big batch steeps. I first mix a one shot (flavors only).
My favorite vape takes a week to steep and I go thru 220ml a week, so when I’m done with the first batch another one is already steeped, using the one shot concentrate I mix another 220ml batch and put it in the cupboard for the next week…
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Smart! Okay thats a great idea! Hopefully I don’t go through that much but to be honest Ive never calculated it since I buy disposable zpods basically and just started looking into juice. How’d you get so knowledgeable anyways? Is this a hobby for you or do you have a background in chemistry or something along those lines?
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Like most it all started out as a need to get off cigarettes after nothing else worked, then turned into a hobby / obsession 
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Well I just made my mix with the available items and boy does it smell so close! I will make the recipe that I decided to go with and let you know how it went!
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Day one tastes of heavy oak, but very very close, I am going to allow this to fully steep for a couple weeks and see what I may need to adjust but this is very very close. If it still tastes like heavy oak I may reduce the percents of it in half and see! But so far I’m happy with it. I’m testing it side by side with a juul and notice the juul is much more mild so the reduction may be all I need to do to call it a replica. Thank you to everyone for helping me almost nail it on my first attempt!
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Just curious, are you mixing your own Acetyl Pyrazine 5%, Ethyl Maltol 10%, and Oakwood or do these come from a manufacturer?
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I mixed my own ethyl Maltol but the acetyl pyrazine and oakwood came from a manufacturer for now. I’d have to order everything else from the US so I didn’t want to invest too much into it and it be off. So once I run out of these I may order that tobacco absolute you recommended
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