HIC's Notes On FA 170525
HIC's Notes On FA 170525
HIC's Notes On FA 170525
Shake, shake, shake! Many flavorings settle into layers as they sit, and you cant
always tell by looking. Always shake flavorings right before you use them.
How old is your flavoring? If you buy FA flavors in factory packaging, theyll have a
best before date stamped on them. If you buy rebottled, write the date on them when
you receive them. You can maximize the life of your flavorings by keeping them cool &
dark. Ive found most flavorings can sit for a couple years and taste just as fresh as
when they were new. There are exceptions! Delicate fruit flavors can fade over time.
They fade gradually, so you may not notice. When you buy a new bottle & it seems
different, thats the likely explanation. Some flavorings lose sweetness and taste
unpleasant when theyre old. If a flavor you once loved no longer tastes great & youve
had it for a while, buy a new bottle. Keep the old one until the new one arrives, then
compare them to taste how it changed over time.
Are you looking for my recipes? I maintain about 80 free, public recipes only at
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My recipe names begin with HICs Those are mostly from 2015 & earlier, though I
still edit & add to them occasionally. For my more recent recipes, visit my recipes store:
http://www.hicsmixes.com/.
Do you have questions about these notes or my recipes? I truly enjoy helping DIY
mixers ditch tobacco products and avoid overpriced vendor premixed liquids. Please
dont be shy if you have questions or problems I might be able to help with. You can
email me from this page: http://www.hicsmixes.com/notes-etc.html (be sure to include
your email address if you want a reply). You can meet vapers who use my store recipes
here: http://vapingunderground.com/threads/hics-mixes-diy-recipes-store.54921/. If
youre a VU member, you can publicly post there - or click on my avatar and choose
start a conversation to send me a private message.
FA Almond
Sweet-almond flavor, very much like almond extract. Use it in bakery vapes just like
youd use almond extract when baking. To reduce the sweetness, use Almond with a
little FA Nut Mix - this tastes more like raw almonds. Add some Almond when using
Coconut for a classic flavor pairing and more complexity. A little almond can change the
cherry/almond accent in FA Vanilla Tahiti to almond-vanilla. If youre looking for sweet
bitter-almond flavor (like in amaretto), see Marzipan. This is not a roasted or toasted nut
flavor, but little accents of Oak Wood, TFA Brown Sugar, and/or Black Fire in a recipe
can give that effect.
FA Anise
Bright, sweet, pure star-anise flavor with a characteristic sweetness on your tongue as
you inhale. For a sweet and cool effect with subtle anise flavor, use 0.5% or less in your
recipe. Anise makes fruits taste bright and sweeter at a fraction of a percent - or adds
distinctive anise flavor over 1%. It brightens and sweetens dark licorice flavors; thats
why real licorice candies often include anise oil. Anise can sweeten and lighten tobacco
mixes; it is one of the flavors in FA 7 Leaves tobacco blend. Anise is a classic with all
citrus flavors and combines well with most fruits. Its a nice twist to add to your favorite
minty vape. Anise flavor does not change as you pass 3%; it just gets stronger. FA Anise
and TFA Absinthe are interchangeable in most recipes.
FA Apple (Stark)
Mild, mellow, realistic apple juice flavor, like the juice of Stark Yellow Delicious apples.
Mildly sweet with no tart notes. Apple never dominates a recipe. It blends smoothly with
other flavors and makes an appealing sweetener in fruit blends. Add a little FA Liquid
Amber or FA Brandy to bake or ferment Apple. FA Walnut can accentuate Apple
FA Apple Pie
Savory crust with some flavor of FA Apple and light spice that many people will not
notice. Apple Pie is not very sweet or fruity. The apple flavor is easily covered by other
fruits, especially dark fruits and berries, so adding a small touch of Apple Pie to your
other fruit can make a tasty pie. Classic American apple pie would begin here but
require additional FA Apple and/or Fuji plus extra cinnamon flavor - at the very least. For
a cobbler-type crust flavor try a 2:1 ratio of Apple Pie: FA Cookie. Adding Cookie to
replace part of Apple Pie also helps minimize the apple, so you can get a crust flavor
that works well with light fruit flavors. FA Joy brings out the cinnamon flavor. Adding
sweet flavors like Marzipan or Zeppola can surprisingly make the cinnamon and apple
quite prominent.
FA Apricot
Fresh, juicy, ripe apricot - realistic flavor with just the right level of natural sweetness. It
can seem weak used standalone, but Apricot blends great with other fruits. Coconut
accents it well. Makes excellent apricot brandy (with FA Brandy) and apricot rum (with
FA Jamaican Rum), which can be used for cocktail-type vapes. To 'bake' Apricot, use a
little Brandy or Jamaican Rum along with a touch of TFA Brown Sugar. FA Peach can
boost Apricot flavor; FA Pear is the ideal sweetener for Apricot.
FA Aurora
This is mostly a citrus blend, sharper than most FA citrus flavors. Its more like fresh
citrus zest than juice, with an emphasis on lemon. Its not especially sweet, and its not
one to fade with steeping. Try spiking your FA-based citrus recipes with a little Aurora if
you feel they mellow too much as they age. Vaped standalone, youll taste a little
something else in the background. Its hard to identify but reminds me of white wine or
gin - though subtle enough that it wont interfere with use as a citrus booster in
recipes. This flavoring is naturally a bit cloudy and separates as it sits, so be sure to
shake it before you use it.
FA Banana
Banana can be used at higher percents than many other FA fruits: 5% standalone is not
unreasonable. This is totally realistic, natural tasting banana flavoring. Like real
bananas, it's not a bold flavor. This is yellow banana, not green, not brown, and not
strongly sweet. Its ideal in smoothie-type vapes. FA Walnut can accentuate Banana.
Adding other sweet flavors can give you stronger than expected, riper banana flavor.
FA Bergamot
Totally accurate Bergamot flavor - the earthy, aromatic orange you may know from Earl
Grey tea. Add to FA Black Tea to make an Earl Grey. Bergamot is also the key to orange
FA Bilberry
Stronger than most FA fruits! This is fresh-picked bilberries, which are European
blueberries, similar to American huckleberries. Bilberries are a bolder flavor, "darker"
and "wilder" than cultivated American blueberries - and not as sweet. Bilberry is a very
popular flavor in Europe, not too common in the U.S. American blueberries taste bland
and watery when compared to bilberries. This flavor can dominate a recipe. It can
overpower weak fruit flavors at surprisingly low percentages, but it blends easily with
other dark fruits and berries like Black Cherry, Pomegranate, and Blackcurrant. Use a
light touch (start at 0.5%) to add berries to bakery vapes. Excellent paired with
raspberry (many European candies use the two together); this combination is great with
tea and chocolate recipes. Try with FA Brandy for a liqueur flavor. To make it taste more
like an American blueberry, use plenty of sweet flavors with it, and consider adding
creams. Add a little FA Forest Mix for extra complexity in recipes that feature bilberry.
FA Bitter Wizard
This is an additive to mask sweetness, especially for tobacco blends and high-VG
mixes. FA recommends using about 1% to cover sweetness, more to add a bitter edge.
FA Grapefruit has a similar effect on fruit blends.
FA Blackberry
<1% !! Warning, very strong! FlavourArt has said this is one of their strongest flavors.
Its a deep, full, complex, blackberry flavor. It is not especially sweet. The background
flavor is musky, like wild blackberries, and earthy. If it tastes like soap or perfume to you,
you are using too much. Consider making a 10% dilution to use as your flavoring - this
makes it easier to use very small amounts or fine-tune your percentage. Fresh Cream is
excellent to lighten the flavor; include additional sweeter flavors for the best flavor. Fans
of berry tobacco might enjoy a tiny (0.1%) touch of Blackberry in the background for the
dark berry flavor. If you have an aversion to floral flavors but want dark berries, consider
using FA Forest Mix or Bilberry instead. Blackberry mellows some with a long steep.
FA Black Cherry
Perfect for cherry cola! (try 4% Cola with 2% Black Cherry). Black Cherry can overrun
mild fruit flavors at surprisingly low percentages. Its great for sweetening other strong,
dark fruits and berries, like Bilberry, Pomegranate, and Black Currant. Black Cherry
makes tasty cherry brandy (add a touch of FA Brandy) or cherry rum (mix with FA
Jamaican Rum). For baked fruit flavor in bakery mixes, add a touch of Brandy or
Jamaican Rum. Excellent with FA Almond for a bold cherry-almond addition to any
recipe. For cherry tobacco, Black Cherry is probably the one you want (as opposed to
Cherry). For a less dominant, less sweet cherry flavor, try FA Cherry. The two flavors
work well together, usually with more Cherry than Black Cherry for a balanced flavor. If
FA Black Currant
No other brand does this flavor near as well. Its a berry-like flavor with sweet and tart
notes. It sweetens dark berry flavors, like Bilberry. It adds tartness to others, like
Raspberry. Small additions of Black Currant can add tanginess and interest to other fruit
flavors without distracting too much. This is one of the main flavors in FA Forest Mix.
FA Black Fire
Smoke flavor without tobacco notes. Black Fire is most often used with tobaccos to add
authentic smokiness to the exhale. Get your tobacco recipe to your liking, then add
Black Fire in small steps, just 0.25% at a time, for a realistic smoke effect. It does not
alter the tobacco flavors but adds some sourness as you approach too much. If you add
more than that, you'll taste hickory. Also read about FA Latakia.
FA Black Pepper
This is worth getting just to satisfy your curiosity. Its a warm, woody spice flavor, not at
all sharp. It does not sting, add throat hit, or make you sneeze! Pepper is certainly at
home in Indian chai vapes. If you vape tomato or cucumber flavors, try adding Black
Pepper. Some people pepper melons, so thats worth a try. There may be some tobacco
blends that work with this warm spice, too. Chefs pair black pepper with vanilla.
FA Black Tea
Plain, unsweetened black tea. Mixed with 50% or more PG, youll get authentic
bitterness. Youll need to add your own lemon, mint, honey, cream, bergamot, and so
on. Note that Black Tea tastes stronger with cheap/spicy nic base! The better your nic
quality, the MORE of this flavoring you need. Start at 2% & work up.
FA Blood Orange
This is the authentic, bold flavor of blood oranges. If theres room for only one orange
flavoring in your collection, I recommend either this one or FA Royal Orange. Fade-
resistant Blood Orange includes both sweet and zesty notes. Its a flavor you can vape
standalone thats also excellent for fruit blends and juicy-type recipes. Although Blood
Orange isnt a straight-out substitute for any other FA orange flavor, if you run into
recipes that call for both FA Orange and FA Mandarin, you can often substitute an equal
quantity of Blood Orange for realistic and juicier flavor. Equal measures of Blood
Orange and Royal Orange make an excellent start for juice blends - like a shot of fresh-
squeezed o.j. To emphasize the zesty note in Blood Orange, add 0.5% FA Mandarin. To
sweeten Blood Orange, add Royal Orange. Note that Blood Orange separates into
layers & is an orange color (likely from natural ingredients). Always shake this one well
before measuring and shake your finished mix before using it, too.
FA Burley
Versatile, neutral, pleasant, light brown tobacco flavor, like air-dried burley tobacco. Its
an excellent blender, just like in real tobacco blends. From accents under 0.5% to full-
strength at 2% or so, only the strength of the flavor changes; no hidden notes emerge or
vanish at different percentages. If you like the flavor of American cigarettes, youll like
adding Burley as part of almost any tobacco blend. Just 0.5% in a recipe makes it
distinctly tobacco. It has earthy, spicy, and nutty notes in roughly equal measure. As it
steeps, its smoother and slightly creamy. There is no caramel, licorice, or vanilla,
nothing sour, nothing green or grassy, no ash or smoke flavor, nothing exotic. If you
need the flavor of a plain, neutral tobacco leaf, reach for Burley. For cigarette tobacco
blends, use it with Virginia and a tiny bit of Desert Ship.
FA Butterscotch
Bolder, richer, and sweeter than FA Caramel, like butterscotch ice-cream topping. For
bold caramel flavor in a recipe, Butterscotch stands out more distinctly than FA
Caramel. Where caramel blends in; Butterscotch pops. 2% Butterscotch + 1% FA
Brandy makes a Buttershots butterscotch schnapps flavor, good in cocktail-type vapes.
When combined with nut flavors or Coconut, some very rich, buttery notes can develop
over time. The higher quality your nic and the more VG in your mix, the smoother
Butterscotch will taste. FA Jamaican Rum sweetens it well - think butter rum.
FA Cam Blend
This has been sold under various names over the years: CamBlend, CamT, and
CamTel. Right after mixing, this is unmistakably sandalwood - the aromatic, spicy,
earthy, woody flavor of sandalwood incense or massage oil. For tobacco blends, it must
be used in small amounts and MUST steep. It will make itself known in tobacco mixes
even at 0.25%, mellowing and losing a lot of its perfume qualities as it ages. If you are
looking for spicy Turkish type thats less aromatic, consider FA Desert Ship.
FA Caramel
More like ice-cream topping than hard candy. It never tastes burnt or cracker-jacks-like.
Definitely less sweet than most other brands caramels. It adds rich caramel to tobaccos
without transforming the mix into candy. Add FA Butterscotch for bolder, sweeter
caramel. Adding nut flavors can produce buttery effects as a mix ages; see notes on FA
Butterscotch and Walnut.
FA Cardamom
No other company makes this spice flavor, and FA did it perfectly! If you vape coconut,
fruit flavors, chai/tea, or spiced bakery recipes, you need this flavor. It tastes just like
sweet green cardamom, a sweet, earthy spice related to ginger. If you dislike ginger,
you may not like Cardamom - otherwise, give this spice a try. It's a distinctive flavor
youre likely to recognize from Indian chai. Cardamom adds a great touch to many fruits.
Accent citrus with Cardamom for a Scandinavian accent. Cardamom and coconut are a
perfect pair; cardamom sweetens the flavor of FA Coconut, especially on the exhale. Try
it in recipes featuring FA Almond for a traditional Indian flavor pairing. Of course you
need Cardamom for authentic chai flavor. Add 0.25-0.5% Cardamom along with your
other chai spices.
FA Catalan Cream
This is the flavor Spanish catalan cream custard made with the traditional ingredients.
Its sharper and more complex than Vienna Cream. Its sweet and creamy, with vanilla,
a little lemony citrus, a little dark caramel, and a small touch of cinnamon-spice (which
some can taste and some cannot). FA Joy accentuates the spice in Catalan Cream.
Vary your vaping power to taste the range of flavors. It's bold enough to stand up to
strong berry flavors. For a milder version of this flavor, use it with Vienna Cream.
Catalan Cream makes a complex vape all by itself. It can smooth bold tobacco flavors
while adding a hint of sharp vanilla-caramel-citrus; the bit of spice in Catalan Cream can
vanish when mixed with some other flavors. Excellent with fruity and bakery flavors.
FA Cherry
Red, slightly tart, fresh cherry flavor - not a sweet or dark cherry. 3% or more will remind
some people of cherry candy or cough drops. A little menthol makes it into a proper
cough drop. If you want it to taste more like candy, try adding tiny amounts of FA
Orange and/or FA Fuji. To overcome the cough-drop effect in any cherry flavor, add
supporting, similar fruit flavors; try an accent of Forest Mix for more complexity, Black
FA Cigar Passion
This is a potent flavor; 2% standalone is quite strong after steeping. This is designed to
be a Cuban cigar flavor, robust and complex enough to enjoy as a standalone flavor. I
have no knowledge of real Cuban cigars, so I cant offer any comparison. Those who
know cigars better than I do use this flavoring as a base for cigar mixes. Its a spicy,
woody, dark tobacco flavor, bolder than Tuscan Reserve. Cigar Passion changes flavor
as it ages, so be sure to let it mature before passing judgment.
When using Cocoa and Chocolate together, more Cocoa than Chocolate gives you
darker chocolate flavor. For milk chocolate use more Chocolate and less Cocoa. The
two together are still not a candy bar flavor - youll have to add milky/sweet/caramel
notes with other flavorings. Acetyl pyrazine is a secret weapon for chocolate vapes, but
it doesnt have to be used in pure form. Bakery type flavors like FA Cookie or TFA
Cheesecake Graham can serve the same purpose while adding bakery or creamy
notes. Many tobacco flavorings and most nut flavors contain acetyl pyrazine, if youre
interested in experimenting.
Like many other dark-colored flavorings, too much Cocoa can clog your wick/coil fairly
quickly, and too much power will give you a burnt flavor. If youre sub-ohming, beware. If
youre using more basic hardware, youre in luck, because Cocoa is one amazing flavor
when vaped at higher resistance. The higher quality your nicotine base is, the better
Cocoa and Chocolate will taste. Thats true of most flavors, but the difference with these
two can be drastic. If youre not sure of your nic quality, try vaping Cocoa (or a recipe
containing it) with your usual nic base versus 0 mg, using identical hardware. If the
difference is stunning, your nic is interfering with your flavors.
FA Clove
Somewhere between the flavor of clove oil and powdered cloves used in baking. Its a
strong flavor that does not fade much with time, with the sweetness of real cloves. As
little as 0.25% will stand out in a chai-type spice mixture. Clove is a pure spice flavor,
not a kretek clove cigarette. Try a little clove to help sweeten recipes that feature lots of
Cinnamon Ceylon.
FA Coconut
Creamy, realistic coconut flavor like raw coconut meat/milk or unsweetened coconut
cream. It's the same level of sweetness as fresh coconut - not sugar-coated or candy,
and not at all processed or artificial tasting. Its a great tropical touch for fruit blends,
tobaccos, coffee, and bakery recipes. Mix with sweet candy flavors for candy bars.
Excellent in cocktail-type vapes, where it works just like coconut cream. When building
a recipe, keep in mind that youll taste Coconut as a lingering flavor at the end of an
exhale. For dry coconut flavor, FA Oakwood gives a coconut-husk effect, like the paper-
thin, light brown, inner shell of a coconut (a good combination for coconut tobaccos.) FA
Cardamom is superb with Coconut. It adds an exotic spicy touch and sweetens the
exhale. Bakers often include vanilla and/or almond when working with coconut - try the
same in your recipes for a familiar flavor.
FA Coffee Espresso
Strong, bold, true, never bitter, excellent coffee flavor! No skunky flavor that some coffee
flavorings have. No offensive vapor trail. For Starbucks-like flavor, start with your
favorite cream and flavors. Get them to your liking, then add 0.5-1% Espresso. Think of
0.5% addition as an 'espresso shot' in a venti sized Starbucks drink. For plain blonde
coffee, try 1-2% Espresso with 2% FA Fresh Cream. With high-VG, high-quality nic
base, Espresso is mildly sweet. With lower quality nic, Coffee Espresso is very strong
FA Cola
This is great Coke flavor. It does not require any steep. It's a totally clear liquid that
vapes clean and tastes great all by itself. It even gives you a bubbly, carbonated effect,
easiest to notice if you use some PG in your nic base. 4% FA Cola with 2% FA Black
Cherry is a perfect Cherry Coke. For ice in your Coke, add a little Polar Blast. Real cola
is a complex blend of citrus, spice, and vanilla flavors. With that in mind, innovative
DIYers can sometimes find uses for it other than soda pop flavors.
FA Condensed Milk
Beware: this is a misnamed flavoring! It would more accurately be called Evaporated
Milk or Powdered Milk. This is NOT sweetened, condensed milk; its certainly not like a
can of Eagle Brand. It tastes like powdered milk, including the dustiness you smell
opening a box of it. The dusty note can be very persistent in recipes. Condensed Milk
can erase existing sweetness from other flavors in a recipe. If you use it in a recipe,
start around 0.25%; it easily overwhelms other flavors. Steeping is recommended for a
little more mellow flavor.
FA Cookie
Very versatile flavoring! Has no diketones, which sets it apart from most other vendors
cookie flavorings. Its a very neutral cookie base with no spices, vanilla, or other flavors
to interfere with your additions. It can be used standalone (some like it that way), as a
cookie base, or to add bakery effects to recipes. It adds rich, warm, baked flavor. If
you're making a cookie recipe with bold flavors, start with about 2% Cookie. For crunchy
cookie flavor, use more. For the flavor of browned edges, include some Caramel. For
soft-baked, gooey cookies, use less and add Marshmallow. For smoother flavor and rich
cookies include Vienna Cream. Including Anise adds an authentic Italian biscotti flavor.
Also see the notes on FA Apple Pie regarding Cookie.
FA Cowboy Blend
A Virginia-based tobacco blend with honey flavor. The more VG you use and the higher
your nic quality, the sweeter this is. If youre looking for a mild cigarette type flavoring,
also read the description of FA Max Blend. In lower quality or peppery nicotine base,
especially with high PG, you may taste more caramel than honey. If you want a honey
tobacco and Cowboy Blend is too sweet, consider using Cowboy as just the honey
accent in a plain tobacco blend.
FA Cuban Supreme
There are many conflicting reviews for this, so I've describe it in detail. It's a neutral,
mild, true tobacco flavor. It's less bold than FA Virginia or Burley, but it's more obviously
tobacco than Maxx Blend or 7 Leaves. It's dry, woody, and smooth, neutral, light brown
FA Cucumber
This tastes like fresh cucumbers - actually a very appealing and intriguing flavor to
vape. Its light, refreshing, and slightly sweet. The cool/green flavor works well to add
the impression of rind to melon flavors, like the white part of watermelon. Try pairing
Cucumber with Spearmint, lime flavors, or Black Pepper.
FA Custard
If you are looking for an American vanilla pudding flavor, read my notes on FA's Vienna
Cream, Catalan Cream, and all three FA Vanilla flavors. FA Custard is a true custard
flavor, the chefs version made by cooking egg yolks, sugar, milk/cream, and vanilla into
a thickened cream. FA is an Italian company, so they've included lemon zest as an
Italian chef would. This is a bright, sweet, lemony-vanilla cream. Use Custard with your
favorite fruits to make them creamy. The vanilla accents all fruit flavors, and the lemon
complements most. If you enjoy vaping fresh fruit flavors, you need FA Custard. Gelato
is Italian ice cream that begins with cooked custard. Simply adding FA Custard to your
favorite FA fresh fruit flavors can give you authentic Italian gelato flavor. The stronger
the fruit flavor is, the higher the ratio of Custard to fruit. If a (real food) recipe begins with
egg yolks, milk/cream, and sugar stirred together over heat, then the vape equivalent
needs FA Custard. You'll find it's the beginning of many cooked candies, ice cream,
FA Dark Vapure
I cant vape enough of this very bold, harsh tobacco flavor to properly describe it, but
just an observation that 0.5% is too intense for me personally, standalone or in recipes.
FA Desert Ship
This is FAs mainstream Turkish tobacco flavor. It does not have the depth of a naturally-
extracted tobacco flavoring like Hangsen, but it does have the rich spice blend and
brown tobacco leaf flavor I expected. Desert Ship is best after steeping. FA suggests
using just 1%. For cigarette tobacco blends, use it as an accent for Virginia and Burley.
If you want a smokier flavor, consider FA Latakia instead or in addition to Desert Ship.
FA Dusk
A very mild, soft tobacco blend with notes of raw wood. Very light sweetness that
diminishes as it steeps. Not floral or spicy. If youre using this flavor standalone, start at
3% and work up.
FA E-Motions flavors see individual flavor names: Aurora, Eclipse, Glory, etc.
FA Eclipse
One of FlavourArts less strong flavors; try about 5%. This is a semi-sweet, smooth,
dark chocolate-cigar tobacco blend that tastes very similar to an equal mix of FA Tuscan
Reserve and FA Cocoa (be sure to read notes here on those two flavors), with a subtle
accent of mint (not menthol). The cocoa flavor in Eclipse does not scorch when vaped
at higher power and does not clog a coil like recipes that feature FA Cocoa can. The
cocoa in Eclipse tastes very smooth, not at all dry or powdery. Eclipse does not
change much as it ages, so no long steep time is needed. Note that this flavor
separates into layers quickly as it sits, forming an opaque layer at the bottom, especially
if the temperature is cool.
FA Fresh Cream
One of FlavourArts most useful flavors. This is just plain, fresh, light cream - no
sweetener, no vanilla - and none of the chemical, plastic, or fake flavor or diketones that
most other brands include. Use 0.5% to add creamier, smoother flavor to a recipe. Use
up to 2% in a recipe for milky flavor. Its excellent with coffees and other beverages,
fruits, bakery flavors, mints, creamy desserts, the cream in cocktail recipes, even to
mellow a harsh tobacco. Remember your other flavors must provide the sweetness -
Marshmallow often works well for that. If using it with fruits, a touch of Lychee or Pear
can sweeten it. If FlavourArt has a single most-useful flavoring for DIY recipes, this is it.
FA Flash
This is an additive intended as an alternative to nicotine, especially for tobacco smokers
transitioning directly to zero-nic vaping. FA recommends 2% or less added to any mix; I
recommend trying 0.5% first, then working up. If you taste chili peppers youve used too
much; its designed to give throat hit - not flavor. If youre looking for a vaping
experience similar to smoking, also read about FA Black Fire.
FA Fuji
Fresh, crisp apple flavor - exceptional fresh fruit flavor - one of FAs very best fruit
flavors. Fuji is a prominent flavor that stands out in mixes more than FA Apple. If you
want apple juice, mild baked apples, or apple sauce sweetness, you want Apple
(instead of or in addition to Fuji). Fuji is between red and green apple flavor; it can be
edged in either direction by other flavors in your recipe. For sour accents, experiment
with small additions of Kiwi, Black Currant, and/or lime flavors. Dont be afraid to use
Fuji and Apple together for more complex apple flavor.
FA Gin
Very realistic aroma and flavor of actual gin (with the same distinct juniper flavor),
especially right after mixing. It is a little bit sweet. This is an excellent addition to fruity
vapes, even if you don't drink alcohol. Adding 1% FA Gin makes light fruit flavors bright
and summery; it adds sparkle to darker fruits and berries; it enhances all the citrus
flavors. Use 2% or more Gin with fruits for vape-replicas of cocktails. Just look online at
bartender recipes for inspiration (google 'gin cocktails' for a good start). Combined with
some fruits, even 2% Gin can give you a nonalcoholic beverage flavor. 2% Gin, 1%
Lime Tahiti, 1% Cherry reminds me more of soda or tonic water than a mixed drink.
FA Ginger
WARNING: This is listed here just to make it clear it is NOT for vaping. Its flavored
vegetable oil, so do not buy it unless youre making stir-fry!
FA Glory
FA is after the NET crowd with this one. Hangsen fans are likely to enjoy Glory (also see
my notes on SOHO). Hangsen fans will compare Glory to Hangsen Highway, and might
FA Grape Concord
Fresh-picked Concord dark grapes from the vine, bitter skin and all. Fresh Concord
grapes are strongly flavored and aromatic, and so is this flavoring. This is not Welchs
juice, pop, or candy flavor - and its quite strong. 2% as the main flavor in recipe gives
very bold grape flavor, and <1% still stands out. Mix with plenty of sweet flavors and/or
keep below 1% Grape Concord for milder grape juice flavor. This can be a tricky one to
mix with, but it really is the flavor of this particular grape variety right from the vine.
FA Grape White
Tastes like a handful of white wine grapes plucked from the vine and eaten fresh, skin
and all. This is very useful for making the flavors of real fruit-juice blends. Look at the
ingredients on a 100% juice blend, and youre likely to see white grape juice in the
listing. It is aromatic with a perfume-like exhale around 2%, but use 1% or less to
sweeten other fruits without adding much grape flavor. For a more neutral fruity
sweetener, see FA Pear.
FA Grapefruit
Yellow or perhaps pink grapefruit flavor - the whole fruit, not just the juice. This is not a
sweet flavor, not a ruby-red grapefruit. It includes a realistic bitter edge, like the
membrane between grapefruit sections. If you like fruity cocktail vapes, try Grapefruit
with Gin. FA Orange and Lemon Sicily are both sweeter and combine well with
FA Green Tea
This is a very earthy flavor that doesn't appeal to me at all, like vaping garden soil with a
bit of vegetation. FA makes such a perfect Black Tea that this Green Tea is a major
disappointment in comparison. If you want good green tea flavor, I recommend TFA
Green Tea instead.
FA Guava
This seems especially strong to me, with a sharp aromatic/floral bit that permeates other
flavors. When you drink the original red Hawaiian Punch, there is a distinctive aromatic
flavor as you finish a sip - thats guava. I think its best used as the only aromatic touch
(and strong sweetener) in a blend of tropical fruits - and then at <1%.
FA Hazelnut
In my opinion, this is the single most accurate nut flavor that any manufacturer
produces. It's the strong flavor of hazelnuts without the papery brown skin, like plain
hazelnut butter (not sweetened). This is an excellent flavor to add to your chocolate
candy bar recipes. Hazelnut carefully mixed with acetyl pyrazine (plus Caramel and
other accents) can give the impression of peanut butter. In dessert and coffee recipes,
even 0.25% can add sufficient hazelnut flavor. It's excellent in coffee vapes, especially
used with caramel and/or vanilla.
FA Honey
Extra-strong flavoring! This is sweet, realistic, excellent amber honey flavor - deeper
than clover honey, lighter than buckwheat honey. It is not floral or fruity, and it smells
just like a bottle of honey when you sniff the bottle. It's very strong and very sweet! Even
0.25% FA Honey can overwhelm a recipe. I suggest making a small bottle of 10% FA
Honey to use as your flavoring bottle. Using 1% from that bottle gives you 0.1%
flavoring - which is a light 'spoonful' of honey flavor in a recipe. To reduce the
sweetness, add a very tiny bit of FA Brandy along with it - a good trick when working
with tobaccos. For a floral orange-blossom honey flavor, try a tiny addition of FA Neroli
or Bergamot flavoring. For honey-sweetened almond flavor, see FA Torrone. Using large
amounts of FA Honey in a recipe produces a long-lasting vape trail that bystanders may
find offensive.
FA Hypnotic Myst
A light, sweet flavoring with elements of marshmallow and fruit. This is a nebulous blend
of soft flavors, hard to identify. Its not the flavor of Hpnotiq liqueur, despite the name.
FA Irish Cream
The flavor of Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur - not the mint or other flavored
versions - and without added cream. This smells and tastes like a bottle of the real
liqueur, so much tastier than other brands' versions. It's a delicious standalone vape, but
FA Jamaican Rum
An excellent general sweetener and tasty rum flavor. This is more sweet than boozy
(think butter rum not yo-ho-ho). Many vapers enjoy it standalone. It mixes with other
flavors just like real rum for cocktails. Add other FA flavors to make your own flavored
rums (apricot and coconut are excellent) and more complex cocktail vapes. Rum is a
tasty sweetener for coffee vapes. Jamaican Rum can taste very dark, amber or golden -
depending on the flavors you mix it with. A little rum in dark fruits and berries makes
them taste warm and oven-baked. Try a little rum in your eggnog (Vienna Cream), pies,
banana bread, and other bakery flavors. Rum and Cola is easy and good.
FA Jasmine
The floral sweetness of Jasmine is right at home with tea flavors. Just add 1% or less
FA Jasmine to your standalone percentage of FA Black Tea or TFA Green Tea, perhaps
a little Lemon Sicily, and youll have a very impressive jasmine tea vape.
FA Joy
If you're familiar with funnel cakes, imagine glazed funnel cakes. That's my best
description of Joy - sweet, oil-fried, doughy flavor with vanilla. I find it a very appealing
standalone vape from 2% to 3%; over 3% is cloying to me. Vape Joy standalone before
using it in your recipes. Some of us find it delicious; some find it quite unpleasant and
yeasty like beer; I have not yet found an explanation or solution, but some who do not
like it standalone still enjoy it in certain recipes. Joy boosts spice flavors, especially
when the spices are hidden, as in Catalan Cream, Apple Pie, and tobaccos. Joy can
add glaze-like flavor to bakery recipes, especially when used with FA Vanilla Classic. My
best results with Joy have mostly included Cookie and creamy vanilla flavors. If you do
not like Joy, read about Zeppola for a possible alternative.
FA Kiwi
Authentic kiwi fruit flavor, with the sweet-and-tart flavor of fresh fruit. I'm most impressed
that they got the sweetness level just right. I don't recall ever reading negative
FA Latakia
FlavourArt recommends 1% standalone. At 1% Im reminded of a strong, unfiltered
cigarette. At 1.5% I tasted some accents that I missed with just 1%, including anise that
sweetens the smoke exhale a little bit. I find this harsh before a long steep. Its a strong,
fairly dark, smokey tobacco, among FAs boldest tobacco flavors. Latakia has a dry,
smokey exhale with sour and bitter accents. If Latakia is much too intense for you, but
you like realistic tobacco vapes, keep it around. You can add Latakia to mild blends to
darken the tobacco flavor and add good smokiness in one step (0.25% is good for that
purpose). If you want Latakia a little sweeter, use extra VG in your base; extra PG
makes a drier flavor. If you want a little bolder flavor with the same basic profile of
Latakia, mix in some Perique Black. If Latakia is just too intense for you, try Tuscan
Reserve instead.
FA Lavender
The aromatic, sweet, slightly camphor flavor of lavender plants. If you enjoy lavender
tea, candies, or lemonade, this flavoring will make you happy.
FA Layton Blend
This flavor tastes different at different percentages! You will find wildly-conflicting
descriptions of this flavor online, but hopefully these notes will help clarify why, and help
you use Layton's chameleon flavor to your advantage. Fine-tuning your percentage and
vaping power is key. Layton is a complex tobacco flavor and an agreeable mixer. The
tobacco flavor is mild, smooth, not very 'dark', but definitely tobacco. The tobacco bit
stays unchanged from under 1% to at least 5%. However, all the other flavor notes vary
by percentage, with major flavor changes around 1%, 3%, and 5%. Mixing less than 1%
of Layton with other flavors adds a gentle, subtle coolness that's very useful to brighten
and smooth dark, spicy, or pipe-like flavors. Under 1% standalone, you'll taste fairly
neutral, mild, smooth tobacco flavor, and little else. Over 1% standalone gives you some
distinct coolness. This isn't 'menthol' - just something cool and minty. Vaping at low
power brings out a mystery-sweetness you'll find difficult to identify under 2%. It isn't
honey or caramel, and there's no spiciness to it. Over 1% standalone and using higher
power, the mystery-sweetness becomes a subtle, general fruitiness. At 3% standalone,
the sweet-coolness is accentuated and begins to taste like clove, sweet on the tongue
during inhale. The vague fruity notes become mixed citrus. At 5% standalone, some
anise joins the clove. I suspect Layton may be among the most useful and versatile of
FA Lemon Sicily
Limoncello lemon liqueur or Italian ice flavor. This lemon flavoring can be enjoyed all by
itself - fresh, crisp, bright, a little sweet. Its not candy-sweet, not sour or bitter, not
harsh, floral, or artificial tasting. Add your favorite fruit flavor to 3-4% Lemon Sicily for
flavored lemonade, maybe with a little Polar Blast for the cool effect. Add 1% Lemon
Sicily to fruity mixes to help separate the flavors and brighten the overall vape. Mixes
perfectly with FA Custard for creamier, sweeter lemon flavor. Lemon Sicily becomes a
sharp flavor around 4%; some people will taste lemon rind at that point. FA Torrone can
boost that zesty note, as can FA Aurora.
FA Lychee
Very sweet, aromatic, tropical fruit flavor. Smooth, almost creamy as it steeps. Lychee is
similar in flavor to dragonfruit and can make an interesting substitute or partner for it.
Try Lychee at 0.5% as a sweetener for fruits. Lychee sweetens late in an exhale, which
makes it an especially useful touch in recipes; few sweet flavors linger like FA Lychee.
FA Magic Mask
This is a unique additive. FA recommends using 1% or less. Its a clear liquid with little
flavor on its own, but it generally reduces sharp or acidic notes in other flavors. Its effect
is most notable on tobacco and spice flavors. Try adding some to strong cinnamon
flavoring for mellower, dessert-like flavor.
FA Mandarin
Like a fresh mandarin tangerine, not the canned ones floating in bland syrup. If you
prefer a 'Cutie' to a navel orange, you'll like this flavor. Try it in place of Orange or as an
accent for Orange in any recipe to add interest and stronger orange flavor. It will
sometimes taste like orange zest if used as an accent with milder citrus flavors. It lacks
a little sweetness, so if its a main flavor, you might add some FA Orange for that.
FA Mango
Realistic flavor of mangos, stronger than most FA fruits. This is not especially sweet or
ripe flavor; it has the acidic edge of a barely-ripe mango. Sweeter fruits like Orange or
Peach help ripen it. Mango combines well with all the other tropical fruits, but use 0.5%
or less Mango if you want the other flavors to be noticeable. 2% standalone is strong.
FA Mangosteen
An excellent match for the flavor of fresh mangosteen, which is very hard to find in the
U.S. If you ever have the chance to try fresh mangosteen - do it! It's called 'Queen of
the Fruits' for good reason. Fresh mangosteen is incredibly sweet. Though this flavoring
is one of FlavourArt's sweetest, it doesnt quite match the sweetness of the fresh fruit.
To maximize the sweetness use high VG and very clean nicotine. A clean coil is
essential for this delicate flavor. I think hardware that produces a cooler vapor makes it
FA Maple Syrup
Excellent flavor of sweet maple syrup, ideal for touch of syrup in bakery, candy, and
beverage vapes. If mixing with bold flavors, just 0.25% Maple Syrup or less can act as a
sweetener. If you have a major sweet tooth, try Maple Syrup with some Caramel and
Fresh Cream. Adding a very tiny bit of FA Honey makes the most flavorful, sweetest
honey-maple vape ever, with no weird artificial-sweetener aftertaste. It's so sweet, you
might want to brush your teeth after vaping that. If you're looking to make a maple
tobacco or mix with boozy flavors, be aware Maple Syrup will sweeten the recipe, and
start with just 0.5%. As it steeps, Maple Syrup will lose some sweetness.
FA Marshmallow
Plain marshmallow candy flavor with a little vanilla. This isnt toasted or fruity, just plain
sweet mallow. Use it to smooth and sweeten edgy flavors, to sweeten Fresh Cream, to
lighten the caramel bit of Meringue, or as a general sweetener. Around 2% youll detect
some sharp flavor that you probably dont want from a marshmallow flavor, so I
generally use no more than that in recipes.
FA Marzipan
Dont pass this one by, even if you dont like marzipan candy. Its the flavor of sugar-
glazed bitter almonds, reminiscent of the distinctive almond flavor in amaretto liqueur
(but its not a boozy flavoring). Additions of 0.5% or less complement and sharpen stone
fruit flavors like apricot, peach, and cherry. Marzipan is a powerful sweetener that adds
superb, clear almond flavor to bakery vapes - try it with FA Apple Pie for a sweet treat. If
youre looking for mild almond extract background flavor, see FA Almond instead.
FA Maxx Blend
This is one of FAs mildest tobaccos; 3% is not overwhelming. Its a mild caramel/honey
cigarette tobacco leaf flavor. This and 7 Leaves are two FA tobacco blends popular with
vapers transitioning from cigarettes. If mixed using very clean/pure nic base, the
caramel/honey flavor is mostly honey; with more peppery or lower-quality nic, its more
caramel than honey. It must steep for the tobacco flavors to mature. The tobacco seems
to feature mostly Virginia with Burley, but they are mild here. For bolder tobacco without
major changes in the flavor profile, add a little FA Shade. Maxx Blend makes a gourmet
substitute for caramel-honey flavor in some non-tobacco recipes, especially bakery
types.
FA Meringue
The flavor of well-baked, caramelized meringue from the top of a meringue pie. Beware
mixing Meringue with subtle fruit flavors, which it can overwhelm. In recipes with nut
flavors, strong spices, and some coffee recipes, Meringue can be the ideal sweetener.
Of course it is the perfect flavor for meringue pie vapes.
FA Metaphor
This tastes like creamy, sweet, very-vanilla cake with accents of sharp, sparkly, citrus.
You can emphasize the creamy cake flavor by vaping with lower power. Higher power
brings out sharper citrus notes. Metaphor leaves a sweet, delicious-smelling vapor trail.
FA Monsoon
This is a bit stronger than most FA flavors, so try 2 - 2.5% first. Around 3% produces a
strongly fragrant vapor trail, like fruity incense, so start low. Right after mixing youll
taste mostly sugary-sweet, bright fruits, a tutti-frutty mix of cherries, candied orange
peel, perhaps papaya, and others that come and go. By a day or two after mixing, a
background flavor of vanilla cake (similar to Metaphor) emerges. Monsoon is among
FAs sweetest flavors, excellent standalone - complex, sweet, and unique. It really
needs nothing added to taste complete. Monsoon is prominent in recipes - even under
1% it can dominate; be sure to try it standalone a while before mixing with it.
FA Morning Sun
FlavourArt describes this as a milky flavor with fresh fruit, but I taste a generous amount
of Joy (see flavor notes) and apples - plus some cinnamon.
FA Nonnas Cake
Nonnas Cake is a traditional Italian custard pie made with sweet ricotta or mascarpone
cheese. Think of this flavoring as a cross between baked vanilla custard and rich, sweet
cheesecake - it can be coaxed in either direction - and it can contribute a vanilla cake
flavor. Nonnas Cake changes as it ages, especially as a recipe ingredient. The
mascarpone-like flavor (and a bit of lemon) is most prominent right after mixing and/or
when used over 2% or so in recipes. Add Vienna Cream and vanillas to emphasize the
custard bit. Use more Nonnas Cake and accent with Catalan Cream to emphasize the
FA Nut Mix
This is not quite as potent as Hazelnut, but it's still quite strong. I taste hazelnut, walnut,
and almond. This is good for nutty tobaccos. Try it in candy bar recipes with
butterscotch, caramel, cocoa, chocolate, nougat, a little fresh cream. It's awesome in
Torrone, very authentic Italian candy flavor. A little Maple Syrup or Honey make great
sweeteners for it.
FA Oba Oba
When its fresh, Oba Oba is a vanilla-marshmallow flavor. Its a deeper flavor than FA
Marshmallow, almost as sweet, and the vanilla is reminiscent of a tobacco flavoring.
Most people notice a slightly sharp note in it and may describe as citrus. As it ages -
especially if used in larger quantities - that sharp note tastes more like a hint of tobacco.
Oba Oba makes an interesting substitute for smaller quantities of marshmallow
flavorings in recipes, where it can create the impression of maltiness when combined
with chocolate flavors.
FA Oak Wood
This is not a tobacco flavor, though vendors often classify it as one. Oak Wood is one of
FA's darker-colored flavorings, but the flavor is mild. This is fresh, raw oak wood - not
charred or ashy, not smoke-like. Its surprisingly good as a standalone at 3%, gives the
impression of standing in a lumberyard or starting a woodworking project. Try it for a
pleasant break from other flavors. FA obviously intends this as an additive to tobacco
blends, but it also adds an "Oak Barrel aged" effect to other recipes and alcohol-flavors
like Whiskey and Brandy. Use about half as much Oak Wood as the boozy flavor, but
don't be afraid to go as high as equal amounts. Remember fruit ciders are often barrel-
aged, too. With tobacco blends, a little Oakwood adds overall dryness; more produces
the woody flavor. Add it to recipes containing coconut to get the flavor of the papery,
light brown 'skin' inside a coconut shell. Try it with your favorite vanilla, too. Raw wood
flavor adds an agreeable, rustic effect. For smoke flavor, look at FA Black Fire.
FA Orange
Plain, basic orange flavor. It's not as snappy as fresh-squeezed juice, not a knockout
flavor on its own, but Orange is a good, basic orange for blending. Orange is often the
ideal flavor to mimic packaged, artificially-flavored orange snacks. It combines very well
with Mandarin for bolder, longer-lasting flavor. If you also add Bergamot, you get a flavor
like Grand Marnier orange liqueur. If you need vanilla with FA Orange, FA Vanilla
Classic is the easy choice. FA Vanilla Tahiti with it adds a hint of sweet cherry/almond
for extra interest. FA Vanilla Bourbon tends to overrun Orange. If youre looking for
realistic, juicy orange flavor, read about Blood Orange and Royal Orange. If a recipe
includes FA Orange as the only orange-y flavor, Royal Orange can generally substitute
at the same percentage - the result will taste juicier and sweeter. If a recipe uses FA
FA ORYental 4
Less strong than most FA tobaccos, with no major flavor changes from 2-4%. This is
NOT similar to other flavors with "RY" in the name. It would have been better named
"Asian Bitter Herbs". If you've used Maxx Blend, you will taste similar but drier light cig
tobacco on the inhale. THEN comes the distinctive exhale of ORYental 4. Its a blast of
Asian flavors and aromas. If you vape it with a plugged nose, you will not detect any
flavors described in below. The overall effect is bitter-sour-herbal. It reminds me of Asian
bitter melon. If you've been in a traditional Chinese medicine shop, ORYental 4's exhale
will remind you of a deep breath in that shop. For those unfamiliar with those scents,
imagine sniffing rice wine vinegar with dried dill and perhaps cilantro. This is not an
unpleasant bitter-sour-herbal effect, if youre looking for exotic tobacco. There is a light
background flavor of mild cigarette tobacco and a bit of smokiness reminiscent of Dark
Fire, but they're faint behind the bitter-sour-herbal flavors. If this were named "Smokin
Dill Pickles" I would have believed it. Anyone searching for a way to create marijuana-
flavored vapes ought to have this in their collection. I think the herbal part of could prove
very useful in that pursuit. If you like ORYental 4, also read about FA Storm.
FA Ozone
The distinct aroma and flavor of dried celery seeds(!)
FA Papaya
Another accurate representation of fresh fruit, this is the flavor of the smaller, sweeter,
more common variety of papaya. This is only the ripe fruit flavor, NOT including the
peppery seeds in real papaya (thank you, FA). Chefs sometimes pair papaya with Black
Pepper; try that if you like papaya seeds. Lime is a great contrast for papaya, and
adding coconut makes a fine tropical trio. Papaya with equal amounts with FA Pineapple
is the start of many excellent, sweet, tropical fruit juice blends.
FA Passion Fruit
If you like tropical fruit flavors, you need this one. Its sweet and exotic, and it combines
well with all of FAs tropical fruits. If you already have tropical fruit blends without this
flavor, use 0.5-1% Passion Fruit in place of part of your other tropical fruits for an almost
guaranteed improvement. Passion Fruit is excellent with Papaya. If you use Passion
Fruit as a main flavor, consider an accent of Black Currant. If you have a citrus recipe in
need of something special, try adding 1% or less Passion Fruit. Its good with most
citrus, especially tasty with orange and peach flavors.
FA Peanut
This is a very raw nut flavor. It will be useful at a fraction of a percent in tobacco recipes
for general nut flavor, but it will take very creative mixing to make the peanut-buttery
flavor Americans expect.
FA Pear
Fresh pears, sweet and a little creamy. Pear can be used as an alternative to
Sucralose-type sweeteners - especially nice with less-sweet fruit flavors and in fruity
bakery recipes. FA Pear adds creamy sweetness thats perfect with peach, apricot, and
plum flavors, whether FA versions or not. Pear gains creaminess as it steeps.
FA Peppermint
This is the true flavor of peppermint, mildly sweet (not as sweet as a candy cane), mildly
cool, and a little bit creamy. There is no hint of spearmint, menthol, or vanilla. Its a clean
peppermint flavor, easy to work with and excellent standalone. If you want a cold blast,
add Polar Blast, any menthol, or 0.5% FA Anise for a different twist on the cool effect.
FA Perique Black
FA describes this as their strongest, darkest, most harsh tobacco, recommending 1%
standalone. This is definitely intense, very dark tobacco, smokey, and harsh. I
personally find it very unpleasant. Those who do like it generally give it a long steep.
Even as a minor ingredient in a tobacco blend, well-steeped, I taste something like burnt
metal in the charcoal-smoke exhale. If youre looking for harsh or ashy flavor, this is the
FA flavor to try. If you find Perique Black too harsh, but you like smokiness and strong
tobacco, try FA Latakia.
FA Pineapple
Strong, realistic flavor of fresh pineapple juice, not as sweet as canned juice or the core
in the center of the fruit, and definitely not a candy flavor. This is a love/hate flavor!
Some unfortunate vapers taste and smell it as onions or rubber; if you do, try the
sweeter TFA Pineapple instead. Try FA Pineapple with equal amounts of FA Papaya for
extra tropical sweetness - the pair make a great base for all kinds of tropical fruit blends.
2% standalone is strong.
FA Pistachio
This is a strong, woody, raw nut flavor. If youve ever had fresh, raw pistachios, youll
recognize it. It does make an intriguing wood-and-nut accent in tobacco vapes (at 0.5%
FA Polar Blast
This is an additive (start with just 0.5%) for a cool sensation without distinct menthol or
mint flavor - similar to TFA Koolada. I find Polar Blast a little more powerful. Beware of
tasting a drop of right out of the bottle; its intensely cold on lips and tongue. Although
its not a menthol, using 1% or more can subtly alter some other flavors (I notice this
with Koolada, too). Try plain Peppermint or Spearmint, then add 1% Polar Blast to taste
the difference. I think it makes those flavors taste like breath-freshening chewing gum -
and of course it adds a fun cool effect. At less than 1%, youre not likely to notice any
flavor, just mild coolness. If inhaling Koolada makes you cough, give Polar Blast a try.
FA Pomegranate
Like fresh pomegranate, this is both sweet and tart, with a hint of the bitterness of the
actual fruit. This is a very authentic flavor that will stand out in most recipes. It blends
well with all the dark fruit and berry flavors. Orange makes a good sweetener. Lime and
Coconut contrast well. FAs version has a realistic bitter note thats missing in TFAs
sweeter pomegranate flavor. The two are interchangeable in most recipes.
FA Raspberry (Berryl)
This is a little stronger than most FA flavors, and it tends to make itself noticed in
recipes, so go light with it. Even 0.5% can stand out in a recipe with mild flavors, and
2% will overwhelm most recipes. This is a natural berry flavor with mostly sweet and a
little fresh-tart flavor. It is not candy-sweet, but its easily made into candy flavors when
used with sweeter flavors. A really excellent pairing for fresh berry flavor is FA Black
Currant. Equal amounts of the two make the beginning of popular European candies.
Raspberry is an ideal fruit accent in chocolate vapes.
FA Reggae Night
A leafy herbal flavor that lacks the skunky quality you might be looking for. The juniper/
pine notes would be interesting with Oak Wood for a walk in the forest flavor. :-)
FA Rose
If you like rose candies, youll be pleased with this floral, fairly sweet flavoring.
FA Royal (tobacco)
A smooth, mildly-sweet tobacco. This is not one of FAs strongest tobaccos, so start
around 2% & dont be surprised if you want more. Royal includes a light, clean, minty-
menthol flavor that leads me to believe this flavoring is based on a mild menthol
cigarette (though American menthols I smoked used much stronger menthol than this
flavoring does). I havent mixed much with this flavoring, so I dont have many
comments on it.
FA RY4
This is not a substitute for TFAs RY4 Double - theyre very different. FA RY4 is not near
as sweet or bakery like. This is a more tobacco-y flavor and far more concentrated
than TFAs version. A recipe for similar flavor using FA would include perhaps 2% FA
RY4, along with plenty of sweet caramel, vanilla, and nut flavors. I distinctly taste FA
Virginia in FA RY4, so read those notes, too. This isnt a complete description, but that
much is important to know.
FA Saffron
This is an accurate flavor; its quite subtle compared to other FA flavors. Tobacco fans
might use it to complement woody blends.
FA Shade
2% standalone. Fairly neutral, smooth, light-medium brown tobacco flavor with
background of caramel; mildly sweet. Shade tobacco is often used to wrap cigars, so a
little FA Shade is an authentic addition to cigar recipes. If your tobacco blend is too
harsh, Shade can lightly sweeten and will add nice smoothness as it ages. Shade is a
step up in tobacco intensity from Maxx Blend; the two share a similar caramel-honey
background flavor, so they combine well. Small amounts of Shade make an intriguing
replacement for caramel in non-tobacco recipes, especially bakery vapes.
FA SOHO
A complex tobacco blend that many tobacco fans will find fully satisfying as a single
flavor. Its described as a tobacco-based flavor, supporting my conclusion that it
includes NETs (naturally extracted tobacco). Unlike some NET-based flavorings, this is
a light-colored flavoring that doesnt clog coils. SOHO is the least-strong of FlavourArts
tobaccos. I recommend starting at 4-5% for your first taste, but note it will gain strength
during a long steep. FAs suggestion of up to 20% would be seriously over-flavored for
most vapers. SOHO is FAs sweetest tobacco flavor - a semi-sweet, very smooth, rich
Burley-Virginia type tobacco blend with prominent supporting notes of burnt sugar (an
element reminiscent of FA Joy), some deep caramel-vanilla, and a rich backdrop of
toasted nuts. There is no grassiness (FA Virginia can add that), little spice (FA Desert
Ship can add that), very little sourness (FA Tuscan Reserve or Glory can add that), no
FA Spearmint
True spearmint flavor, mildly sweet, mildly cool, and a little creamy. There's no menthol,
peppermint, or vanilla - just spearmint, the same flavor as Wrigley's Spearmint Gum. Try
2% Spearmint with 2% FA Peppermint to match Wrigley's Doublemint Gum. If you want
mint in your tea vape, Spearmint is the one. If you want a cold effect, see Polar Blast.
FA Storm
Wildly different results at 2-3%! I mixed this at 3% and let it steep (capped, room temp)
a few days, taking notes along the way. THEN I read FA's description, "warm, dark,
spicy Tobacco flavour with a hint of sweetness" (FA's UK site) and "dark spicy
Tobacco" (Italian site). Not remotely like what I tasted! I found a German description
("herbal tobacco") that matched my opinion. It turns out we're ALL correct - depending
on how much you use. Like FA Layton Blend, this is a chameleon flavor. At 3% I tasted
a 50/50 mix of grassy Virginia tobacco and a camphor-like herbal blend. The grassy
Virginia flavor tastes and ages just like FA Virginia, mellowing with age. The herbal
blend changed little during steeping. Flavors I noted include balsam, eucalyptus, clove,
a little menthol, with perhaps accents of cedar, juniper, cardamom, ylang-ylang. The dry-
wood and lack of sweetness (just very mildly sweet) is odd to experience with flavors
like cardamom, which we expect to taste sweet. Its sharp, medicinal, camphor-like. Try
it with citrus flavors, or add Storm to Kretek-like recipes for the clove high notes and
herbal flavor, or pep up dull menthol blends with Storm for something unique. At 2% it's
very different - a dark and spicy tobacco with few of the flavors you taste at 3%. Rather
than grassy, its a darker, smoother tobacco blend. The herbal blend is a milder version
of the spices in many Camel-like "Desert Ship" flavors. It's distinctly bright-sweet-spicy
on the inhale, with a warm spice blend and brown tobaccos. One element I clearly
tasted at both 3% and 2% is clove.
FA Tiramisu (Booster)
Tiramisu (rightfully) has a reputation as one of FAs best flavorings. Its the bold flavor of
strong coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate, creamy mascarpone, and a little vanilla cake.
It's strong and just lightly sweet. Many people enjoy it standalone at 2% or less. For
milder, sweeter tiramisu, use 1% Tiramisu with Vienna Cream, Fresh Cream, perhaps
some fruits (raspberry! strawberry! apricot!), maybe Caramel, etc. Or make a sweeter,
boozy version with Irish Cream or Rum. Tiramisu makes great coffee and mocha vapes!
Get all your cream, caramel, nut, vanilla, and other flavors to your liking, then add
0.5-1% Tiramisu to make a Starbucks-like coffee/mocha. If you like milder coffee or
mocha flavors, try Tiramisu in place of FA Espresso in any recipe, generally at the same
percent. Of course add a little Chocolate and/or Cocoa if you want mostly chocolate with
just a hint of coffee flavor. Tiramisu can taste quite different with various brands of nic
base! The "spicier" your nic base and the more PG you use, the stronger and rougher
Tiramisu tastes.
FA Torrone
Heres one of FA's best flavors! This is chewy, sweet, white, Italian 'nougat' candy, not
American candy-bar nougat. It's sweet but not cloying, the flavor of almonds, lemons,
and a touch of honey. Tasty standalone or with a little Marshmallow for milder almond.
Even if you do not like actual torrone, this might appeal to you for fruit+nut recipes. Use
2-3% Torrone and add 1-2 fruit or nut flavors. Mandarin-walnut torrone is an excellent
combination - mild, sweet, juicy, complex, tasty enough to vape for hours on end. Other
combos I recommend, all with FA flavorings: Black Cherry-Pistachio, Honey Almond
(very light on the honey), Cherry-Almond, Nut Mix, Hazelnut-Orange. Torrone can be
used as a tasty sweetener. Try it as sweetener for your tea vapes. Its almond-honey-
citrus flavor complements fruits especially well.
FA Tuscan Reserve
2% standalone is usually plenty. This is FAs Toscano cigar flavor. Its a complex, bold
tobacco blend. FA says it has a hint of charcoal smokiness in the background. That
smokey note tastes slightly sour to me, with notes of Oak Wood and Black Fire. Age it
well for smoothest flavor. With high VG youll taste smooth, dark caramel within the
tobacco. If you drink liquor, Tuscan Blend would make a great vape to accompany it. If
you mix with Tuscan Reserve, consider including an accent of TFA Kentucky Bourbon,
which will also add some sweetness. If Tuscan is too mild for you, try adding Latakia.
FA Up (flavor blend)
This is a unique, dessert-like coffee flavor. I think of it as sweeter, creamier, smoother,
but boozy Tiramisu (see flavor notes on that flavoring). The major flavors are sweet,
strong coffee, vanilla cream, dark chocolate, and fruity brandy. As a mix (standalone or
in a recipe) ages, cake-like bakery flavor develops. Up is not as concentrated as
Tiramisu, so 2-3% standalone is not too much. FAs flavor blends are meant to be tasty
as standalone flavors; this one sure is!
FA Vienna Cream
Probably the richest, creamiest, no-diketone sweet cream out there. Its sweet and
creamy with a hint of vanilla when used below 3%. Over 3% may give you a sharp flavor
that few will find appealing. Vienna Cream is similar to the filling in Boston cream pie.
Its closer to what most Americans consider custard than FA's Custard flavor is. If you
add a little nutmeg flavor (rum and/or vanilla optional) its excellent eggnog. Vienna
Cream is a good start for ice cream flavors. Vienna Cream plus Vanilla Classic tastes
like vanilla ice cream. Vienna smooths out bakery recipes well. It tames the strong
flavors of FA Tiramisu, for example, and makes FA Cookie richer and sweeter.
FA Vanilla Bourbon
Rich, dark, bold vanilla - the flavor of gourmet Madagascar vanilla extract. This is NOT
the flavor of bourbon alcohol! Although it can be too prominent for light fruit flavors,
Vanilla Bourbon adds bold, gourmet vanilla flavor to just about anything else. It's more
complex than Vanilla Classic and more versatile than Vanilla Tahiti. Vanilla Bourbon is
often the best choice for coffees, dark tobaccos, dark fruits, rich bakery flavors, and as a
noticeable hint of vanilla in complex recipes.
FA Vanilla Classic
Like vanilla extract flavor sold in the U.S., comparable in flavor to Mexican vanilla
extract. This is the vanilla flavor Americans know from vanilla ice cream, cake, and
FA Vanilla Tahiti
Tahitian vanilla is a bright vanilla with a note of almond/cherry. Its the sweetest of FA's
vanillas. Vanilla Tahiti is usually the best choice with fresh fruit flavors, especially mild
fruits. Bold or 'dark' flavors can overwhelm it, so it's best with either with mild flavors or
in recipes that feature vanilla as a main ingredient. It's just as strongly-flavored as FAs
other vanillas when vaped standalone, but it's more easily lost as an accent.
FA Violet
This will remind you of the scent of spring time lawn violets. Its an aromatic, sweet
floral flavor. If you like Chowards violet candies, buy this flavoring! If you dont like
florals, skip it.
FA Virginia
2% standalone. The yellow/golden flavor of straight Virginia type tobacco leaves. Before
it steeps it has a lot of half-ripe (green/yellow) grassy/hay flavor. With aging it ripens to
a drier yellow tobacco leaf flavor, like the tobacco used heavily in Canadian cigarettes. It
does not have the smoky notes of fire-cured tobacco. Virginia, Burley, and Desert Ship
are the main flavors for mixing basic cigarette tobacco blends.
FA Walnut
This tastes like raw English walnuts, not the sharper flavor of black walnuts. There is no
bitterness; it's very slightly sweet. This is a mild nut flavor that blends easily and adds a
rich, nutty flavor to recipes. It can contribute to buttery notes when used with creams
and caramel/butterscotch. Walnut is good in bakery and candy mixes that need some
general 'nuttiness' without identifiable nut flavor. It doesn't 'clash' with other flavors or
dominate a recipe like more distinctive nut flavors can. Its also excellent for nutty
tobacco blends.
FA Whisky
Tastes like Irish whisky, not sweet like American bourbon. This has quite a boozy kick,
especially immediately after mixing. It does mellow substantially as it steeps. Add a little
FA Oak Wood for more barrel-aged flavor. Whisky is really tasty accent for many fruit
mixes, whether you add just enough for interest (it will also reduce the sweetness of fruit
flavor), or more for a boozy cocktail flavor.
FA White Peach
This is one of FA's most accurate and distinctive fruit flavors - like a fresh, lightly-ripe,
white peach. White Peach can taste a little sharp or astringent starting around 3%. For
a more ripe flavor, combine with FA Peach. To keep the astringent edge and add
sweetness, use White Peach with some FA Pear. White Peach is a more delicate,
complex flavor than plain Peach - but White Peach is the more concentrated flavoring.
For cocktail recipes, White Peach is ideal with FA Gin, Brandy, and Whiskey, or spiced
with FA Cardamom. If you use peach only occasionally or want just one, I recommend
FA White Peach, but fans of peachy vapes need both.
FA Ylang Ylang
Use this ONLY if you enjoy extreme floral vapes. This is just like the essential oil or
incense of the same name. Its a bit sweet. If you enjoy Ylang Ylang and want to mix
with it, consider adding a bitter contrast with Bergamot or Grapefruit. If youre an
incense fan, try 2% Ylang Ylang with 0.5% FA Cam Blend for its sandalwood flavor; its
like vaping an incense shop (Use within a few days before sandalwood mellows).
FA Yogurt
Very strong, persistent flavor of sour (rancid?) yogurt. I find it unpleasant, but some
enjoy tiny quantities for adding yogurt-like tartness to their recipes. The milk base flavor
(which youll also taste in FA Condensed Milk) easily overruns other flavors, and it
erases sweetness, so begin with very tiny additions if you want to mix with it.
FA Zeppola
Zeppola is FAs donut base flavor. Its not as strong as most FA flavorings; 4-5%
standalone is not unreasonable. It tastes like the sweet pastry bit of FA wOw. Zeppole
are Italian pastries like donut holes - fried sweet dough topped with powdered sugar,
much like beignets from New Orleans. A note for those who find FA Joy unpleasant:
there are *none* of those yeasty notes in Zeppola. If you have a recipe that includes FA
Cinnamon Ceylon, but the spice tastes powdery & not sweet enough, add some FA
Zeppola. The combination gives you the flavor of real bakery cinnamon with white
sugar. In fact, try FA Zeppola as an addition to just about any bakery recipe that needs
extra sweetness. If Zeppola is the main flavor in your recipe, adding 0.5% Nonnas
Cake will give you denser, richer cake flavor.