Kick Ash E-Liquid's RY4

Author's Note: Going to try a new review format with this one. Let me know how it works for you. Details on the About VR page.

I judge all restaurants by the quality of their chicken fried steak. It's the first thing I order anytime I try a new eating place. It's a simple culinary philosophy - if you can make a good chicken fried steak, I know you can cook - that has served me and my stomach well for many years.

For a vape juice shop, I do the same thing with RY4. If you can mix up a good RY4, you can mix some good juice. Surprisingly few mixers seem to get it right. RY4 is generally considered a light tobacco flavor with a sweet caramel component to it and often mixed with a hint of vanilla. Depending on which vaper you ask and who mixes it, though, RY4 can be a bit more complex.

I recently popped by the local vape store (Vegas Vapers in Broken Arrow, OK - be sure to tell them Cris from the Vape Right blog sent you!!!) and picked up Kick Ash E-Liquid's* version. Any new tobacco juice is always a gamble. RY4 is no different. Luckily, Kick Ash nailed it.

The Vape Data

Liquid Name: RY4
Produced By: Kick Ash E-Liquids, Owasso, OK
Blend: PG/VG 70/30
Nicotine: 18mg
Producer's Description: 'Light bodied tobacco'

Taste: 4

Vapor/TH: 3.5

Presentation: 2 

Vape Right Score: 3.55 out of 4

Taste

First vape comes with a hard woodsy tobacco flavor overlayed with a creamy sweetness. After a few vapes the woody flavor of the tobacco recedes, begins tilting slightly toward the nutty side, and the sweet caramel flavor seems to come out more. There does seem to be a wisp of vanilla in there somewhere, but it's sneaky and hard to pin down.

What you end up with is a perky tobacco vape with a nice and dry feel and blended with a rather pleasant and smooth caramel. Many RY4 attempts push too hard on the tobacco side of the taste, while others hit the sweetness too hard.  Kick Ash's mix is nicely balanced and presents the flavors layered in a not too complex but interesting blend that hits the highlights and ends on a satisfyingly sweet note.

Vapor/TH

The 70/30 blend is well mixed. It's not as thick as some 70/30 blends I've seen, which is surprising considering the sweet component that often makes a juice heavier, as well. This is a good thing, though, because this juice pumps out a considerable amount of vapor, yet still flows nicely through the wicks. This is a well thought out and put together juice.

I tested it on an eGo-C twist at ~3.6 - 4.0V on a Kanger T3E at 2.0 ohms, and on the iTaste 134 Mini with the iClear tank at 7.5, 8 and 8.5 watts. Both PVs produced lovely clouds when loaded with Kick Ash RY4 and the juice did well with a little heat applied. The VG component ensures that it will please anyone looking for solid vapor output, regardless of what you're vaping it on.

For throat hit, Kick Ash's RY4 does splendid. It actually comes in just about right for me, but I would judge it on the medium side of my personal scale. Like many juices with 70/30 blends, the TH just doesn't stick after half a dozen back-to-back puffs. Heavy vapers that require lots of continuous TH may find it lacking, but the vast majority of vapers will be quite pleased with it.

Presentation

Kick Ash RY4 comes in standard dropper bottles of the easy squeeze, high flow variety. I really like this kind of bottle with the narrow drip tip. Fits down in the tank nicely. Points off for no born on date, expiration date, or contact information, though. No quality control disclosures on the website, alas. All I could find is a small blurb that reads 'KICK ASH E-Liquid is produced from the finest American-made USP food grade ingredients.'

I did like that they took the time to put proper warning label on the bottle in addition to the mix percentages. Snaps also for shrink wrapping and a child proof safety lid. Always appreciated. However, there is no complete list of ingredients on the packing or the website. Particularly, what's in the "flavoring."

There's nothing particularly fancy in the graphics department as far as the packaging goes. Kick Ash is apparently going for the "it's what's inside that counts" angle. Fair enough! However, when many vape stores are carrying ten different lines of juices from different vendors, we're getting to the point where presentation matters. A little more of a professional and unique look, combined with proper labeling, certainly doesn't hurt.

Verdict

Overall, this is an outstanding example of the RY4 style of mix. I certainly vaped the crap out of it! If you're looking for a sweet caramel and light tobacco blend that works as an all-day-vape, this is a contender. If you're already an RY4 fan, Kick Ash's version is hands down a must try!

Vape Right Says: One the best tasting and well executed RY4 blends I've tried. Must try for RY4 fans!

Vape On! Vape Right!

-Cris

* Apparently "kick ash" is a rather popular name for vape stores! It's rather confusing if you do the Google thing on it. The link provided to Kick Ash E-Liquid will get you to the correct place for the juice reviewed in this article. If you live in the Tulsa, OK area, Vegas Vapers in Broken Arrow carries the line of juices from Kick Ash E-Liquids (among many others). Pop by to see them and tell them I sent you. :)