Smoque Vapours – Shady Leaf E Juice Spinfuel Team Review

Taking over as lead writer for this review, I am very excited to introduce a 4-flavor line of e liquids from Smoque Vapours that I believe every fan of tobacco flavored e juice is going to go truly enjoy. I’m Tom McBride, and along with my writing partner Julia Hartley-Barnes and her lovely ‘better half’ Keira Hartley-Barnes, as well as my great friend and fellow Spinfuel original member, Jason Little, we bring you this in-depth review for Smoque Vapours Shady Leaf Elixirs.

The Brand: Smoque Vapours

 Smoque Vapours, despite the British spelling, is a premium e juice company out of Chicago. Their main product is artisanal e-Liquids, but they also stock vape gear online and in their physical vape shops in the neighborhoods of Lakeview and downtown Chicago, in the area of the historic Printer’s Row. In addition, they have a new lounge that has opened in Kenosha, Wisconsin. These vape shops are more like vape lounges, where their customers can stop by and sample the complete range of hand crafted e-Liquids, at least until the FDA regulations go into full effect and it will no longer be legal to allow customers to sample e juice. But for now, they definitely want you to come in and try every e liquid they make.

The Shady Leaf Elixirs

After spending more than 3 days with the Shady Leaf line, I am convinced these are flavors that tobacco Vapers have been waiting for.

The Shady Leaf Elixir line are handcrafted, tobacco-based flavors that will be enjoyed by New Vapers just coming to vaping from smoking, or vapers like Jason and I that always have a special place in our palate for tobacco flavored eliquids.

The Shady Leaf base flavor is a smooth, authentic Turkish tobacco. However, because of the flavors chosen for these blends, it will be that original flavor that greets you on the inhale, and finishes with a luscious Turkish tobacco on the exhale.

High VG = Huge Clouds

The Shady Leaf Elixirs are at least 70% VG. The liquid is thick, and it slides off the long eye dropper slowly. However, it is not too thick to use that dropper in a side-fill, top-fill, or bottom-fill tank. I asked the team not to mention the vapor production because we all agreed that when it comes to creating clouds of vapor, Shady Leaf Elixirs does the job and then some. Scoring vapor production on a 1 to 10 scale, we voted all four flavors a 9.5 on the vapor scale. Why mention it for each flavor by each member?

Synopsis of the Shady Leaf Elixirs

Blunt Berry –  brings in a seasoned strawberry on the inhale, then allows a subtle tobacco exhale.

Mean Mutha Mint – is a menthol blend with a cool peppermint spun together with that rich Turkish tobacco finish.

Natty ‘Nilla –  a favorite of the team, it is a real treat. It begins with a creamy vanilla ice cream that hints at the full-bodied tobacco finish. However, more often than not, Natty ‘Nilla reminds me of a spicy vanilla flavor that satisfies on many levels.

Honey Leaf – is an all-day-vape for people that enjoy an honest honey flavor. You can truly taste the sweet, sticky flavor of pure honey while blended with a tobacco flavor that then creates a flavor that is more than the sum of its parts. With Honey Leaf I think we’re going to find Vapers that love it, and Vapers that don’t want anything to do with it. Like other honey flavored e liquids this team has vaped in the past, you need to like honey in order to like a honey flavored vapor.

Sizes – Prices – Availability

During our discussion part of the review each member was astonished to learn that the 60mL bottles we received were the only size available (it makes sense, and we’ll talk about that below), and the price is currently just $19.99. That is a very affordable .33 cents per mL.

Each of the Shady Leaf Elixirs are available online at Smoque.net or in the Smoque Vapours lounges.

Why 60mL Bottles? – Finally, more and more e liquid brands are admitting the fact that High VG e juice vaporizes faster, much faster, than 50:50 blends. Therefore, today’s 30mL bottle is now 60mL.

Spinfuel Choice Awards

Before we get into each of the members’ impressions for these four flavors, I’m going to tell you now that all four earned a Spinfuel Choice Award during our blind vote. No member knew what the other members’ vote would be, and when I saw the results I was not surprised. Like much of a Smoque Vapours e liquids, Shady Leaf Elixirs are super premium, super delicious, and are perfect for sub-ohm tanks and RDA’s.

Vape Gear Used in This Review

Some of the vape gear used during this review are products currently under review. What better way to put a product to the test than to use them heavily for 3 days or more?

Tom – HotCig DNA 75, Triade DNA200 and Dripbox 160 TC – tanks included the Lemo 3 by eLeaf, Simba tank, Goliath v2, and the RDA/RBA on the Dripbox.

Julia – Fuchai 213, Joyetech eVic VTwo, Vaporesso Target Pro, tanks included the Lemo 3, Lyche by eLeaf, Kanger Protank 4, Cerabis by Ceravape, and Horizon Cerakoat Ceramic tank, and the cCell tank that came with the Target Pro.

Jason – Sigelei 213, SMOK H-Priv 220w, and Tesla 100W Stealth, tanks in included the Lemo 3, Zephyrus v2, Uwell Crown v2.

Kiera – eLeaf iStick 200W TC and the following atomizers – Kanger Protank 4, Lemo 3 by eLeaf, and the Vaporesso ORC tank.

Note* While you’ll need to properly set up your tank if it’s new, or if you’ve changed the coils to vape these flavors, sub-ohm and ceramic coils can easily hit wattages of 50-90w, depending on the tank/atomizer/resistance. I was able to vape these flavors with the Kanger Dripbox 160 TC at the full 160w without scorching the juice. Vapor production in the Dripbox was unbelievable.

Smoque Vapours Shady Leaf Elixirs

CLICK TO VIEW LARGER PIC

Berry Blunt – Spinfuel Choice Award Winner

“This bold berry blend has the perfect balance of strawberry and tobacco. The sweet and tart richness from fresh strawberries swirls together with mellow Turkish tobacco. Flavored tobacco lovers will clamor for more ‘Blunt Berry’!”

Tom – 5 Stars – If you are looking for another strawberry flavor but don’t want a tobacco infusion in that strawberry, don’t even try this one. What makes Berry Blunt so damn good is the strawberry, fully ripened and on the sweet side, swirling with a very smooth, but hearty, tobacco. A real all-day-vape for tobacco lovers, and a nice treat for those bold enough to give a different kind of strawberry e juice a try. Blended perfectly for my tastes.

Julia – 5 Stars – The four flavors in the Shady Leaf Elixir line use a delicious tobacco base that even I can enjoy. That said, I don’t have to love any of these flavors to understand why they are 5 star winners. While I would rather vape a strawberry shortcake then a strawberry tobacco, I’ll be damned if I didn’t enjoy Blunt Berry for an entire day. Very different kind of strawberry, unique, interesting, and kinda wonderful.

Jason – 5 Stars – Had Smoque Vapours chosen a different tobacco to fuse with these carefully chosen flavors that might have blown the entire line. It is this deliciously smooth Turkish tobacco that captures and infuses the essence of the different flavors, in this case, Strawberry, and that makes Shady Leaf Elixirs so impossibly good. An all-day-vape for tobacco Vapers, but if you don’t like tobacco flavors in your ejuice, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Kiera – 5 Stars – While Blunt Berry was a pleasant vape experience I would not add this one to my rotation. The reason is simple; I don’t enjoy tobacco flavors much. However, there is something wonderfully strange about these ‘elixirs’, and while I might not like tobacco outright, I did enjoy it. Natty ‘Nilla is definitely in my rotation, as well as Honey Leaf (I love honey in any form), but I can taste the brilliance in Blunt Berry. Smoque Vapours is one of the more serious hand-crafted brands on the market, and I sincerely hope they will be around long after 2019. CLICK TO VIEW LARGER PIC

Mean Mutha Mint – A Spinfuel Choice Award Winner

“Mint tobacco e-juice has never been this flavorful! Cool peppermint blends together with our premium Turkish tobacco to fill your lungs with the ultimate menthol experience.”

Tom – 5 Stars – When I saw the name it was a dead giveaway that Smoque Vapours was going to cover that menthol branch of the tobacco line, and I was fearful that they would do so with menthol crystals. Thankfully I was wrong. This is a fantastic peppermint tobacco, the likes of which I have never tasted before.

That cool punch of peppermint is made prominent on the first pull from the drip tip, and your throat feels it right away. The taste is candy-cane peppermint, and when exhaled that cool pathway that was made on the inhale gives a nice cool slide for the rich, smooth Turkish tobacco on the way out. This one is one of my personal favorites, especially in the warm weather.

Julia – 5 Stars – Mean Mutha sounds like a rough menthol, so in that respect I think they gave it the wrong name. This delicious peppermint candy and smooth tobacco blend creates a singular flavor that is unlike anything I vaped before. But, it’s not mean, and it’s not tough. A healthy amount of peppermint candy, a cool tobacco finish, I’m thinking they should have called this excellent flavor something like “Peppermint Dreams”, or “Minty Delight”. Mean it is not.

Jason – 5 Stars – The first flavor is obviously peppermint, a sweet but full peppermint blast. It coats your throat with a cool peppermint armor, and on the exhale that rich Turkish tobacco floats on out and mingles with the cool peppermint, creating an original vape experience that is just awesome. NOT an all-day-vape for me, but on days when it’s just too hot outside, or if I want a vape that will cut through a day of vaping super rich flavors, Mean Mutha cleans and refreshes, like resetting your flavor palate.

Kiera – 5 Stars – Mean Mutha Mint could have gone horribly wrong in some other brands master blender’s hand. Here though, the right peppermint flavoring, combined with the right kind of tobacco flavor, creates something entirely new. Not a menthol in any sense of the word, but rather a sweet candy cane flavor mixed with a smooth, yet rich tobacco. Lovely, spirited, and something I will always want in my collection for certain occasions. Sometimes flavors you don’t necessarily like can be just what you need. CLICK TO VIEW LARGER PIC

Natty ‘Nilla – A Spinfuel Choice Award Winner

“Natty ‘Nilla is the perfect dessert treat; creamy vanilla ice cream overlaying a robust tobacco finish. This dreamy e-juice will have you scream for ice cream!”

Tom – 5 Stars –  Natty Nilla was the first flavor of the four, and I vaped every drop by the end of the review period. This one has made my rotation, for several reasons. First, the vanilla flavorings are truly a vanilla ice cream flavor, like vanilla from one of the premium ice cream brands, rich, honest vanilla tones, with just a smidge of edginess.

The tobacco flavor comes mostly in the finish, although its presence is known throughout. The thing that really made this one special vape is how that vanilla is powerful, but then exits the stage smoothly in the finish and allows that rich Turkish tobacco to come in and finish the vape.

Julia – 5 Stars – I don’t think I’ve tasted a more “real” vanilla bean flavor before. It’s supposed to be ice cream, and maybe it is to most people, but to me it is an authentic vanilla bean flavor, full-bodied, rich, wonderful. On the exhale I’m greeted with a blend of vanilla and tobacco, making it one of the few all-day-vapes of its kind. If you want to try one of these affordable super premium flavors, but are weary of tobacco, try this one first.

Jason – 5 Stars – I’m all for a vanilla tobacco blend. I’ve had vanilla and tobacco before, but nothing this deeply seated in authentic flavors. I loved Natty Nilla, and I vaped every bit of it. I am definitely putting it in my rotation, and at $20 for 60mL, how could I not? Still, I want to make something clear, over the years of vaping vanilla/tobacco blends I’ve enjoyed many of them. Some are still in my collection and are vaped on occasion, but this is different somehow. I tried one of the vanilla tobacco blends I have in my collection and compared it to Natty Nilla. The results were dramatically different. The vanilla/tobacco blend from my collection was more of a mainstream, non-premium flavor, one in which still delights my tastebuds, but Natty Nilla was bolder, richer, with a very different vanilla.

Kiera – 5 Stars – When Julia bought home these eliquids she said nothing about them having a tobacco infusion. So I took my bottles and stashed them until the review started. I grabbed Natty Nilla first, expecting a rich vanilla vape. I love vanilla flavors, so I expected to love this one too. The fact is, I did find a lot to like, and still do, but it is not what I expected it to be.

On the inhale expect to get a rich, vanilla bean ice cream flavor with a pinch of something that is almost peppery. Delicious, but with some muscle. On the exhale the vanilla hangs in, but allows for an unmistaken smooth tobacco to finish out the vape. After the first drag I went to Smoque.net and looked at the description and discovered they were all tobacco-laced blends. While I’m not a huge tobacco flavor girl, this vanilla was perfect for the chosen (Turkish) tobacco flavor. I’m not sure how I did it, but I wound up vaping Natty Nilla all day long, and enjoyed every bit of it. Very unlike me. I am seriously considering adding this one to my rotation. CLICK TO VIEW LARGER PIC

Honey Leaf – A Spinfuel Choice Award Winner

“Honey Leaf blends the sweet, sugary and sticky goodness of honey and coats this tobacco flavor for sweet/bold perfection.”

Tom – 5 Stars – Honey is, in my opinion, one of the toughest flavors to integrate into a e-liquid. A lot of people say they like honey, but when you ask them the last time they had it, 99% can’t remember. Honey is a very unique flavor; any way you slice it.

A few years back I was staying at John’s house in New Hampshire and one morning I woke up, came downstairs for a cup of coffee and John was at the breakfast table pouring honey over toasted wheat bread. This was my first experience with pure honey. He told me to try it, so I toasted up some bread, and using John’s weird honey “ball” made of word, slathered some honey onto the toast. I thought it was going to taste like maple syrup for some reason, but instead it had this totally original, ultra-sweet-but-not, raw flavor. From that moment one I’ve had a large jar of 100% real honey in my cupboards. Honey and toast at least twice a week.

I tell you this little story because I know the taste of real honey, and the honey in Honey Leaf e juice delivers the real flavor of raw honey, with a tremendously smooth tobacco finish. I had 60mL of Honey Leaf, and I treated it like gold. Eventually I ran out, but I’ve already ordered more. If you like honey, this is an e liquid you must try.

Julia – 5 Stars – I’m not a huge fan of honey, and when I watch Kiera stick her finger in a jar of honey at home I see this look on her face that tells me she is loving every drop. I don’t get it, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s great that she loves the stuff. I hear its good for you. So, about Honey Leaf e juice…

I’m not going to try to tell you that Honey Leaf made me a believer, because it didn’t. But what I will say is that Honey Leaf e liquid is definitely a premium flavor, and an original flavor that I know honey lovers will vape the hell out of. I enjoyed it for the most part, and I give it 5 stars on authenticity and quality, but unless you really like honey, you won’t love this e liquid.

Jason – 5 Stars – Honey is a hard flavor to work with in e liquid, but it makes a great sweetener in Tea and coffee. I like honey in moderation, but it’s a flavor I hardly ever think about. After vaping 60mL of Honey Leaf I think I have more respect for its flavor.

I’ve had honey e liquids before and I’ve enjoyed some, not enjoyed others, but in the hands of Smoque Vapours I think it’s never been done better. A real honey flavor hits you on the inhale, and if it is a long lung hit that flavor will stay with you…. On the exhale a tinge of honey remains, but is overtaken by the tobacco portion of the vape. The experience is original, and also fantastic. I think I might even make it a part of my rotation, I’m thinking Sunday mornings would be perfect for it.

Kiera – 5 Stars – Yum! Honey! I love honey. I mean, I LOVE HONEY. There is nothing like plunging a spoon into a jar of honey and then sliding that spoon, with honey dripping off the sides, onto my tongue, and then to let it just flow all over the insides of my mouth and hit on every tastebud as it slides down my throat. If you have not tried honey before, please do, though you should know beforehand if you are allergic to honey… (some people are), it won’t be pretty.

Okay then, so does the Shady Leaf Elixirs Honey Leaf deliver a real honey flavor? YES! Yes, it does, on the inhale mostly, but it does linger on during the exhale. The honey flavor tastes more like real, raw honey then it does the honey you buy in the Teddy Bear plastic bottle. Raw honey is so much better, and if you can find jars with the honeycomb inside, that is the best honey. And that is the honey flavor you will taste in Honey Leaf.

The exhale of Honey Leaf mixes that lingering honey flavor from the inhale with a smooth rich Turkish tobacco. The best way to vape Honey Leaf is to use the Direct Lung method, a deep, several second inhale, and then just let the vapor fall out between your lips, so that every flavor molecule is at least touched by the tongue. Vaping a deliciously rich honey tobacco e juice is a lot like sex. Almost as much like sex as pouring raw honey directly on the tongue and letting it slide to the back of the throat. I don’t think I would enjoy this one if it wasn’t with a sub-ohm tank with super dense vapor.

Conclusion

After more than 4 years of reviewing e liquids we know what quality is, what good flavor is, and what these flavors taste like in vapor form. Smoque Vapours Shady Leaf Elixirs are pure luxury e juice, thick, flavorful, full-bodied….and very affordable.

For quality, hand-crafted quality, bottling, labeling, and pure ingredients, whether artificial or natural, all four flavors earned the Spinfuel Choice Award. If any of these impressions of the team makes you want to try one or all four, you would not be wrong to do so.

High quality, High VG, e juice for 33 cents per mL, ($19.99/60mL) this is a line you should not at least try. Although we were not all in agreement with the joys of every flavor, the one thing we all agreed on is that all four were created by people that love flavor as much as we do.

It’s been several weeks since we got together to do a 4-flavor team review, and it was fun to get back to it. We have a couple of brands in the queue for review, but from here on out, team reviews will be limited to brands we invite. When we heard about Shady Leaf Elixirs from Smoque Vapours, it sounded like a line we would enjoy reviewing. We were right.

Tom McBride, with Julia and Kiera Hartley-Barnes, and Jason Little… the Spinfuel eLiquid Review Team