As an avid pipe smoker, I was hesitant to believe there could be any tobacco-flavored vaping liquid that would compare to the robustness of the original leaf. I was wrong.
I’m not here to advocate smoking or vaping to anyone, but as responsible adults, we should have the liberty of choice to put into our own bodies whatever we wish.
So, it was with a sense of wonder and curious optimism that I purveyed a sampling of e-liquid from the producers at Black Note.
Opening the box I am presented with an array of elegant and vintage-looking tubes reminiscent of bygone days packed with the most sophisticated chemistry that only modern e-liquids can provide.
I pull out the Black Note tube labeled “Quartet a latakia blend” and my nicotine receptors start dancing.
If you are a pipe smoker and a fan of English blends, you will know how powerful and utterly delicious authentic and rare latakia tobacco can be when cured correctly. It can also be so spicy and overpowering that it is almost never smoked on its own, but rather blended, and its deep black color and earthy aroma is enough to send you to another time and place — all the way back to the port in Syria where Latakia gets its name and has been literally under fire due to the war.
I can’t wait to taste it. I fill the vaporizer with the caramel liquid that reminds me of a well-aged whiskey. I take the first hit. Chocolate? What the hell? Oh yes! that must be leftovers from my previous brand. Let’s try this again.
Wait for it… Boom! There comes upon my palette a very smooth, distinctly woody, nutty, and almost vanilla-like sensation — I’m talking pure vanilla, not that imitation crap in the grocery store.
But for an actual latakia taste, it’s very subtle and it doesn’t have that level of robustness I’m used to, although, to be fair the e-liquid is a blend, and I have to admit that its flavor really is like that of a finely cured pipe tobacco.
The Dark Note tobacco-flavored e-liquid holds up its end of the bargain by providing a flavor that closely imitates that of real tobacco and without the bite or moisture that can collect at the bottom of a pipe.
For the tobacco purists, these blends are a socially-acceptable way to enjoy the seemingly natural taste of real tobacco that won’t attract negative attention from those nearby looking for an escape from the haze.
You will find no fruity cocktail variety whose flavor dissipates like a cheap bubblegum within seconds, but rather a sensational plume of velvety vapor that lingers on the lips long after the first pull.
Combine Dark Note’s blend with a scholarly-looking e-pipe like those at EPUFFER or ePipeMods, and you’re ready for a night at the theatre or a relaxing evening at home with your waistcoat and pocket watch.
A younger generation born in the 90s can also appreciate Dark Note’s blends as well, as they are like a retro throwback that combine elegant style with sophisticated tech.
A recent report featured in Digital Trends suggested that “vaping really is safer than smoking,” and that “people who swapped regular cigarettes for e-cigarettes for at least six months had significantly lower levels of cancer-causing substances in their body,” although additional study is needed “before definitive answers can be given.”
But please note that Black Note products contain nicotine, are not smoking cessation products, and have not been tested as such.
