VIP Electronic Cigarettes are have been developing e cig products since 2009 and have become a recognised brand on the UK high street.
They started with their cig-a-like e cigarettes but have moved into vape pens, vape mods and e-liquids. The latter of which we are taking a look at today with their new Arcadia Gran Reserva e liquid range.
The Arcadia range of e liquids are recommended for use in sub ohm tanks or clearomiser tanks with dual coils due to the higher VG content.
All the e liquid I am reviewing below does not contain nicotine and is a 50PG/50VG mix.
Masters Choice
Described by VIP E Cig as:
Our improved version of a popular U.S. gourmet e-liquid. Master’s Choice is a distinctive mix of Kentucky Bourbon, toasted coconut, roasted almond and finished with caramelised brown sugar.
Now, I have to admit two things. The first is that I actually really enjoy a single malt or a touch of Woodford Reserve Bourbon every now and then.
The second is that some things aren’t meant to be vaped.
I mean I like cockles, I love blue cheese and I’m all for a swipe of Marmite on my toast in the morning.
But I wouldn’t be rushing to pop them in my sub ohm tank and vape them.
So it’s safe to say I wasn’t really looking forward to Masters Choice. With that in mind I thought I would get it out of the way first.
I filled up my Aspire Cleito Pro with a fresh 0.4Ohm coil, which has been superb for flavor, and took my first vape.
To say I was surprised is an understatement. This e juice is lovely. On the inhale you get a light touch of the toasted coconut and almond with the exhale bringing a subtle yet noticeable Bourbon. This is all rounded of with the caremalised brown sugar.
This is a seriously tasty juice. It all works so well together and none of the flavours are overpowering. I have found myself vaping this sparingly in the evening, pretty much my after dinner vape.
If you are into your Bourbon and the other flavours sound like your thing then I would recommend giving this a try, it might just surprise you. Masters Choice is a top vape juice.
Aphrodite
Described by VIP E Cig As:
We’ve improved on a famous U.S. recipe to create our gourmet Aphrodite complex blend of mouthwatering flavours. A combination of creamy custard and a sweet strawberry flavour. Perfect to vape all day.
Jonny – Out of the package I received this was the e juice I was looking forward to trying!
I topped up the Vaptio P-I tank with a fresh 0.2 Ohm coil. The first flavour on the inhale is the strawberry, it’s not a fresh strawberry, more like a milkshake strawberry.
This is further enhanced by the custard that adds more of a creamy element while the custard itself sits in the background.
The exhale brings in the brown sugar to complete what is another delicious vape. At higher 40/50 wattage the brown sugar flavour was almost coming across a touch ‘burnt’ in flavour for my tastes so my preference was around the 30W watt range.
As VIP E Cigs describe it, Aphrodite was an easy all day vape for me.
Neils Aphrodite review:
Aphrodite is the Goddess of love and as sweet dessert e-liquids go – you’re either going to love this one or hate it.
This juice is sweet and then some.
The vanilla custard might be quite overpowering for some – for me it was a case of ‘almost too much vanilla’.
However the brown sugar takes your taste buds off on a tangent and then suddenly ripe fresh strawberries wash both flavours away.
I can’t help thinking this would have been the perfect dessert vape had the strawberry taste been a little less sweet.
Ecstasy
Described by VIP E Cig As:
Ecstasy is an e-liquid that blends the fantastic flavours of hot-baked Crème Brûlée with raspberries and a light as a feather cheesecake. This is a for those of you with a sweet tooth and a love of sugary treats.
Neil Says:
Raspberry – Crème Brulee and Cheesecake.
Cheesecake is one of my favourite desserts come to that so is Crème Brulee and I adore raspberries so I was interested to see if Arcadia had managed to combine the three.
First up and the smell was divine – I really got that sweet Creme Brulee custardy odour and on the inhale my mouth was convinced I was about to crunch down on the sugary topping.
This was quickly whisked away by fluffy and slightly sharp cheesecake with the merest hint of buttery biscuit.
But it’s the exhale that I enjoyed most – fresh raspberries add a wondrous not too sweet not too sour palate cleansing that leaves you wanting more.
Ecstasy for my taste buds indeed.
Night Screamer
VIP E Cig Say:
Night Screamer is an e-liquid that shouts fun and frolics from the rooftops. Flavoured with a fantastic mix of lemonade, strawberries and vanilla ice cream. This liquid fizzes, bubbles and is bursting with energy.
Neil Says:
Lemonade – Vanilla Ice Cream and Strawberries.
Back in the early eighties I tasted my first ice-cream float – a glass of lemonade with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream on top – and it was delicious.
Arcadia has re-created this popular drink/dessert and has almost pulled off the perfect blend.
The inhale is tarty lemon with the merest hint of fresh ripe strawberries but sadly the vanilla is far too heavy leaving my mouth tasting of tinned custard rather than ice-cream on the exhale.
Holier than Thou
VIP E Cig Say:
Holier Than Thou is a sacred blend of sweet English apples, New Zealand kiwis and Californian black grapes. This luscious, cosmopolitan e-liquid has an intense sweet citrus taste and makes for a great daytime vaping experience.
Neil Says:
Sweet Apple – Kiwi – Black Grapes
I’m a fruit flavoured e-liquid lover and as far as real fruits go this trio is on my top ten list of must haves in my fruit bowl.
The smell is stunning and my mouth was watering once I managed to pop the cap.
Arcadia has certainly blended these three together perfectly with the sweetness of the black grapes and apple filling your mouth with the taste of summer, before the slightly sharp kiwi washes over your tongue.
Of the five I tasted this was my favourite. I’ve sampled hundreds of fruit flavoured e-liquids and this is one of the best I’ve tasted – a gorgeous all day vape.
Sweet Fog
VIP E Cig Say:
Sweet Fog tastes of squishy smoky marshmallows, smooth peanut butter and caramel cream. This delectable e-liquid produces dense, sweet plumes of vapour that will leave you misty eyed and blissfully happy.
Neil Says:
Marshmallow – Peanut Butter and Caramel Cream.
I’m yet to find a peanut butter flavoured e-liquid that I like and sadly once again I’ve found another one I don’t like at all.
The smell is reminiscent of one of those plugin air-fresheners and sadly for me the three flavours do not combine at all.
For me it was sickly sweet on the inhale and whilst the peanut butter flavour comes through on the exhale – unfortunately it didn’t taste like any peanut butter I’ve ever tasted.
Arcadia Gran Reserva Production
VIP E Cig Arcadia e juices are tested by a registered UKAS lab to screen for harmful compunds. The e liquid flavours are all stamped on their respective pages to show the results for Ethylene glycol, Diethylene glycol, Diacetyl, Acetoin and Acetyl propionyl.
All the Arcadia Gran Reserva range is free from the above.
Final Review Verdict
Jonny Says – I have, so far, only tried two of these e liquids (Maters Choice & Aphrodite). Both the flavours are, for me, very good.
If you want something away from the norm then I would recommend giving the Masters Choice a whirl, this was (surprisingly to me) my top pick. It may not be an all day vape but as a juice to put your feet up and vape it’s superb.
Aphrodite is an easy all day vape suited for those of you with a sweet tooth.
Add to this the fact that VIP Electronic Cigarette have gone the extra step to not only develop flavours that are free of Diacetly and AP but an overview of their lab results are listed on each individual flavour page for all to see.
Neil Says:
VIP are calling this collection the Arcadia Gran Reserva and given the flavours are a little bit different from the usual fayre you can see why.
However.
If you’re entering the higher end of the e-liquid market you need to have all your bases covered.
I guess most of us don’t care what our go to juice is called. Mostly we just like the taste first – the vapor production second and then in some cases the throat hit.
The five e-liquids I’ve sampled are just OK – don’t forget e-liquid reviews are subjective and you may think they are stunning.
It’s the packaging as well as the flavours that lets these juices down for me. Now before you start I know ‘packaging is packaging’ lol but Arcadia has let themselves down if they think these juices are going to sit alongside other high end liquids.
I received the TPD compliant 10ml bottles/boxes and for me they are a boring brown with a weird eye staring out at you.
The bottles themselves are old school – as in they are squashy plastic with those really annoying tops that do not seem to want to snap open or indeed screw closed.
Maybe this is another TPD compliant issue more than anything else and something we are just going to have to get used to!
They have also added a little black cloud chaser logo to the box however the vapour production for me was merely OK.
More of a black cloud than a billowing white foggy cloud if I’m honest.
So I’m sorry to say whilst they are a reasonable e-liquid for me they are not Gran Reserva – though I would urge fruit flavoured e-liquid lovers to try the Holier than Thou it is delicious.
