Flavorah Connecticut Shade

First let me start off by saying two things; tobacco flavored ejuice super-duper freaks meowt. My previous experience with it was in 2012, when I was using a cig-a-like with refillable liquid cartomizers, and I bought all my juices from the same incredible vendor, one that had, up until this point, rolled out nothing but hits for me.

I was about 6 months quit, and starting to itch for an analog, because cig-a-like, so I thought the solution was to maybe stray from my preferred coffee, cream and floral vapes and dip a toe in the tobacco waters. Elvis Fucking Christ, what a colossal mistake that turned out to be.

For those who have never had the pleasure, allow me to describe what tobacco ejuice was like back then. Fish all the butts out of a dangerously full, dirty ashtray, but leave the ash and fragments of half-charred tobacco shag. Sprinkle liberally with a lot of barbershop talc and deglaze with some cold, long-forgotten Earl Grey tea, ideally with milk, that's formed a nice scum on top. Add a dash of cheap perfume you bought from a guy selling “Paris Fragrance” and incense off a blanket outside Downtown Crossing station. Whisk until frothy, then strain through the discarded stocking of a hooker that died of Guinness World Book Records-worthy athlete's foot. Drip into crappy (But clean! Though it won't be after this!) plastic carto with silica wicks and vape at 4.2 watts because you don't know no bettah'. Keep a bucket handy.

Side note: my neighbor's toddler is having a straight-up meltdown in our shared driveway right now, and I swear, it is my fault. I mean, that sissy bitch has a couple meltdowns every day, usually way earlier than this, but, my recollection of how awful tobacco ejuice is seems so potent that I feel like there is a sickly, gray-green miasma emanating from my house and overtaking the 'hood like a poisoned fog. Wow, I've got earbuds in, and he is straight up bleeding through those and my closed windows. Get it the fuck together, Colton! Preschool in Boston is not going to be kind to your pansy ass.

Anyway, the other thing I wanted to say was, sorry, /u/ID10-T! I know you were hoping for a real disaster of a review, where I just acted out vigorous vomiting in onomatopoeia form, but, this flavor is a surprise to us both!

My Build/Wattage: 7 wraps, Kanthal, 26 guage, at 2.0mm, 20-25 watts on an RTA, Japanese organic cotton wicking.
What It Smells Like In The Bottle: Smoky soy sauce with a touch of burned black coffee and mahogany, which made me totally tumescent.
Percentage & Steep Time: 3% in a 70/30 VG/PG Mix.1 Month to the day, which I could hardly wait for. Throat Hit: Like a 4.5 out of 10. It starts out bold, but seems to smooth out pretty quickly.
What I Look Forward To Trying To Mix It With: INW Wera Garden Coffee, which was one of my first flavor buys, so, yeah, mistake, and it has always tasted like burnt hair when I tried to mix it with any creams, but this might finally be the place for it! Also; FA Black Fire, FA Clove, FA Honey, TFA Brown Sugar and FW Hazelnut.
What You Should Avoid Mixing It With: Honestly, I'm having a hard time with this, and that's likely due to my lack of experience mixing with tobacco flavors. I want to say almost every fruit, but, maybe apple might be nice? Or a cherry, fig or plum? Anything bright would be bad. Try it solo first. You'll see what I mean .
But Runt, How Does It Vape?: Honestly, like a dream. I'm so glad I found this before fall/winter. I can see myself leaning on this a lot. It's leathery, but not in a motorcycle jacket way. It's smoky, but not in a bonfire way. It's sweet, but not in a RY4 way. Dig if you will a picture: It's like a touch of black honey on the very tip of your tongue on the inhale, and then you exhale pure antique books and rich Corinthian leather as you reach for your peaty, smoky, single malt, which is sitting on an intricately carved Indian rosewood end table.

It's not quite a pipe tobacco, I don't think, though it could easily be shaped into that. This is a really classic, idealized tobacco flavor, like “2012 Me” was hoping for. It's much more savory than a RY4, which limits your mix-ins, but opens up a wealth of disused flavors that you might have given up on. If you want to vape like a Sir, give it a shot solo. This might be your jam.
What To Pair It With: Drinks-wise: anything single-malt, whiskey & bourbon, too! A nice stout. Or, an Old Fashioned with a touch of extra orange zest. Coffee. Black Tea. Food-wise? Try it after BBQ or Indian. A good beef stew, or maybe a steak & ale pie. A starchy mid-western casserole? This will go well with winter comfort food for sure!
TL;DR: mix this up at 3% 70/30 VG/PG at the nic level of choice for all those old schoolers that “don't want no fruity flavors” to quit with. Try it that way for a fall/wintry change for yourself, then dream of all the tasty shit you can work into it, then POST THOSE RECIPES! Share your creations with this flavor, because, my palate is ready!

EDIT: Here's a link to /u/T_Mace's more current review of this flavor, which beautifully illustrates the benefit of multiple flavor reviews, and the subjective nature of taste. https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY_eJuice/comments/59s8p4/connecticut_shade_flavorah/?context=10