Drakes Vapes Premium Review

Sometimes looking around for quality blends really does pay off even if it does cost double the amount & quadruple the delivery time a national vendor could provide you with. I’ve heard all too many times that there’s no real difference in quality when it comes to e-liquids due to the fact it’s more or less the same ingredients being used – but I beg to differ & those people definitely have no clue (or taste) - which brings me on to my next review – Drake’s Vapes!

Up until around a few months ago I heard nothing about this manufacturer & when I went searching around to gather a little more info I found Kevin Drake’s – Drake’s Vapes Facebook profile. From what I’ve seen, there’s a dedicated website (www.drakesvapes.com) where Kevin showcases his gourmet selections with an interesting “about” section regarding how Drake’s Vapes came to be. You can’t actually purchase direct from the website & instead get redirected to the Vape Goddess website which I’m guessing would be the main authorized reseller - but it’s not the vendor I purchased my selection from - So, i will be using the details provided on the Vape Goddess website & prices for this review. (I’ve seen a few online vendors in the UK that sell these blends at more or less the same exchange rate equivalent so for my readers in the UK, a 15ml bottle shouldn’t cost more than £9 to £10 – is it worth it though!)

I urge you to check out Kevin’s website or Facebook profile. There’s plenty of information & pictures of the gourmet blender himself - of which I must say that Kevin looks like the friendliest person ever & that just put a positive note on the whole Drake’s Vapes “experience”. 

Drake’s Vapes FB Profile: http://www.facebook.com/DrakesVapes

For this review I used the Joyetech Delta 23 on the Joyetech eVic Supreme on all blends.

Please note: When making a review of vendor products, you usually get an idea after testing a few liquids the quality & dynamic of their production processes. Because of this i choose 5 liquids to review. If a vendor has more than 1 line of e-liquid (such as standard & premium) i will review 5 from each. Any e-liquids that say IN TESTING or AWAITING REVIEW/DELIVERY next to the title will be updated in due time. I like to take my time with a product which is usually a week but sometimes it could be more & sometimes less. These reviews are my own opinions & the score i give each is my own preference score. A rating of 7 for me might be a 10 for you. 10 for me is the perfect vape in flavour complexity, vapour production & throat hit on any & every device i try it on.

VENDORS: If you would like more of your liquids reviewed, please contact me via email: chris@inojuice.eu

Drake’s Vapes Flavour Line:

Alchemist, Chai Town, Drakeula, Echelon, Figen Kanel, Melon Fiasco, O-Face, Punky Bruiser, Vanilla Trifecta, YOLO. (Correct at time of posting)

Vendor: VapeGoddess

Manufacturer: Drake’s Vapes

Location: USA - California

Website: http://www.drakesvapes.com & http://www.vapegoddess.net

Lab Tested/Certificates: UNDISCLOSED

Ratio Information: 50/50 PG/VG

Nicotine Options: (mg) 0, 6, 12, 18, 24

Sizes & Price Range: 15ml $13.00, 30ml $22.00, 120ml $65.00 (Dropper)

YOLO REVIEW: 12mg

Testing Period: 3 Days

Received: This item was purchased by me

Equipment: Joyetech Delta 23, Joyetech eVic Supreme, Joyetech C3 Triple Coil Atomizer – 1.4ohm @ 18 Watts

The YOLO is a lemonade & lavender gourmet blend which to be completely honest is the most bizarre fusion of ingredients I’ve come across thus far. At first I was a little hesitant in making the YOLO purchase because I smell lavender on occasions from the air freshener I have in the bathroom. But as the name suggests – You Only Live Once! On opening the bottle I was surprised at just how well the scent of the lemon/lemonade masks the lavender which is a plus for me because although lavender has a lovely, fragrant aroma – it’s just not something that would appeal to me as a vaper from the get go, actually I probably wouldn’t have even made the YOLO review if it did. On inhale you really start to appreciate the complexity & thought processes behind the making of this blend! The lemon/lemonade flavour is crisp, clean & very refreshing with high notes of what reminded me of maybe clove or close enough to something that fits that profile. A slight sweetness which was perfect on every inhale with a slight “edge” all round (not sour). On exhale slight nuances of the lavender shine through but it’s not overpowering in the slightest & compliments the other flavours incredibly well. I’m not sure how this creation was born but all I can say is bravo to this “ballsy” yet brilliant fusion idea. Throat hit had a slight spice to it which gave a satisfying kick to the back of my throat & vapour production was superb with a pleasant carrying aroma – not lemonade or lavender for that matter but very pleasant. I’m not sure what kind of vaper the YOLO would appeal to but it’s a refreshing “go to” blend to have when you get tired of the same stuff all the time & a good blend to put your taste buds back in check when flavours from your regulars start to get a little dull. Would I purchase the YOLO again? No I wouldn’t & that’s only because it doesn’t fit the flavour profile I personally vape although the blend itself is superb! Could the YOLO be an all day vape? Yes it could very easily & don’t let the lavender scare you because it really is the cherry on top. On a scale from 1 to 10 the YOLO gets a 7. Give it a try – you only live once after all! 

PUNKY BRUISER REVIEW: 12mg

Testing Period: 4 Days

Received: This item was purchased by me

Equipment: Joyetech Delta 23, Joyetech eVic Supreme, Joyetech C3 Triple Coil Atomizer – 1.4ohm @ 19.5 Watts

I had a little giggle when I first saw the name of this blend. The Punky Bruiser - which sounds more like a name given to that special type of foliage found abundantly throughout coffee shops in Amsterdam (& almost everywhere for that matter) -  is advertised as more or less a citrus/fruit punch gourmet blend . On opening the bottle there’s plenty happening in the aroma department & I can firmly say that what you smell is only a fraction of what you actually taste – for example, straight off the bat I could smell hints of maybe pineapple, orange & lemon with a slight spiciness reminiscent of star anise. On inhale my taste buds were blasted with an array of flavours with layer upon layer that seemed to change with every vape & as I couldn’t nail it down to specifics, these flavours are what I did taste: lemon/lime, orange, pineapple, watermelon, strawberry, blueberry, (maybe) raspberry & a tartness that I could only associate with grapefruit. Now I’m really not certain if all these flavours were actually used but this is what I tasted & what I really liked about this blend was the fact that not 1 flavour overpowered the other! It’s as consistent as it is complex with a perfect balance between sweet & sour. I found the orangey/lemony flavours come through more on the top end during inhale with the tartness being kind of like an after effect during exhale which actually makes the blend strangely moreish. Throat hit I found perfect & was spot on in terms of kick to what I like. Vapour production was, again, superb with a really delicious carrying aroma that reminded me of SweetTarts I used to buy as a kid. Would I purchase the Punky bruiser again? Yes I would hands down. Could the Punky Bruiser be an all day vape? Yes – it’s such a complex fruit blend that the question should be “Why couldn’t you vape this all day”. On a scale from 1 to 10 the Punky Bruiser gets a 10 (for a fruit type blend).                 

MELON FIASCO REVIEW: 12mg

Testing Period: 3 Days

Received: This item was purchased by me

Equipment: Joyetech Delta 23, Joyetech eVic Supreme, Joyetech C3 Triple Coil Atomizer – 1.4ohm @ 17 Watts

Ok, I think the name says it all with this blend! The Melon Fiasco is a watermelon & cantaloupe gourmet blend & was the easiest to review out of the 5 because that’s exactly what you get. On inhale you get the sweet combination of watermelon & what tasted to me like honey dew cantaloupe. The blend itself is so refreshing & bold in flavour that you just can’t go wrong with this if you’re a melon fan. The sweetness was only just slight & I noticed a creaminess in the mouth during exhale. After using the MF for the 3 days of testing I did notice dryness – more so than all the others I tested which I think is due to the watermelon as it’s something I’ve noticed before with watermelon blends. The cantaloupe I believe is what adds the sweetness & creaminess to the whole blend. I wouldn’t call the MF complex but it is very consistent in flavour. Throat hit I found more on the smooth side, much smoother than the Punky Bruiser & YOLO. Vapour production was great of course with a refreshing, clean carrying aroma which leaned more towards the watermelon. The flavours themselves are more on the candy side than a representation of the real fruit/s but still – spot on if that makes sense. Would I purchase the MF again? No I wouldn’t – not for me I’m afraid but again, this is a well developed blend. Could the MF be an all day vape? Yes it could be if you like your melon type blends – actually I think you would love this as it’s one of the best types I’ve tried in its class. On a scale from 1 to 10 the Melon Fiasco gets a respectable 6. 

VANILLA TRIFECTA REVIEW: 12mg

Testing Period: 3 days

Received: This item was purchased by me

Equipment: Joyetech Delta 23, Joyetech eVic Supreme, Joyetech C3 Triple Coil Atomizer – 1.4ohm @ 19 Watts

I really like the name of this blend! Vanilla Trifecta just sounds like a classy blend from the get go & was 1 of the main blends I couldn’t wait to start vaping on because I do like dessert vapes & the VT is advertised as a vanilla/custard gourmet blend. I’ve tried many custardy type blends & I think it’s one of those flavour profiles that’s hard to get spot on in terms of consistency. On opening the bottle the aroma was superb! The scent of the sweet vanilla really stands out – good enough to drink (which I wouldn’t advise although I came close). On inhale I was impressed & I mean really impressed – absolutely delicious, creamy notes of vanilla with slight high notes of what I can only explain as maybe nutmeg with hints of cinnamon. The vape itself was “thick” & what I mean by that is what I got was a truly creamy vanilla custard that reminded me of ambrosia custard & for those that have had ambrosia custard – this is spot on in terms of complexity & consistency. VT is by far 1 of my top selections for a dessert/custard type vape & is the most luxurious in its class! On exhale a sweetness stays on the tongue, the creaminess from the custard envelops the mouth & the vanilla flavour sticks to the taste buds. I found each & every vape full of flavour which again impressed me because another thing I notice with these type of blends is dullness in flavour after extended vaping sessions. Throat hit I found silky smooth which wasn’t strong enough for me but the flavour was so good it didn’t bother me & vapor production was (just like the others) superb on the Delta. Would I purchase the VT again? 100% yes! Could the VT be an all day vape? Not for me because it’s just too good! Blends like this need to be vaped during relaxation where you can really appreciate it. On a scale from 1 to 10 the Vanilla Trifecta gets a 10 – peaking 11. Buy it – Vape it – Love it!

DRAKEULA REVIEW: 12mg

Testing Period: 3 days

Received: This item was purchased by me

Equipment: Joyetech Delta 23, Joyetech eVic Supreme, Joyetech C3 Triple Coil Atomizer – 1.4ohm @ 16 – 21.5 Watts

The Drakeula is another citrus type gourmet blend with a twist & it smells so good. I’m guessing the name Drakeula (Drake-ula) comes from the blood orange flavouring used. Black cherries & guava are also in the flavour description & it sounds absolutely delicious so again I couldn’t wait to get down to business. The aroma itself when I opened the bottle was delightful & fruity. The guava really stands out more so than the other flavours so to be honest I was expecting basically a guava vape – which itself didn’t sound bad to me because I love guava with a passion. During the testing period I found that upping the voltage would make the flavours “switch” during the inhale & what I mean by that is at 16 Watts, the tangy blood orange would come through at first with high notes of guava, then the higher in voltage I went it would switch from guava to high notes of tangy blood orange. I ended up at 21.5 watts which was perfect for me on the set up I was using & I found produced the most flavour all round. So on inhale at 21.5 watts I tasted straight guava & at its peak I could clearly taste the tangy blood orange, now I’m not sure where the black cherry fits in because I just couldn’t spot it so I’m guessing it maybe just enhances the guava flavour or adds to the sweetness all round. I did find Drakeula very tangy – borderline sharp & the sweetness was only just slight but then I suppose it adds to the blend’s complexity & character. On exhale the citrusy notes of the blood orange  really become clear & the taste of guava stays on the tongue which was consistent every time. Throat hit was perfect for me & provided a good, robust kick each & every time. Vapour production was (I let you guess) with a lovely guava carrying aroma. I can see this blend attracting more mature vapers or those with a certain palate (not sure if that makes sense). Would I purchase Drakeula again? No I wouldn’t although it’s a lovely blend – just not for me. Could Drakeula be an all day vape? Yes it could be to the right vaper & for those that don’t like their citrus/fruity blends to have much sweetness. On a score from 1 to 10 the Drakeula gets a 7. 

OVERALL OPINIONS:

Drake’s Vapes have really impressed me! True gourmet, quality blends that have been created perfectly. I have a few more reviews coming up from vendors with a limited selection but one thing I’ve noticed is that less really is more – especially when it comes to vaping. Most vendors spew out countless flavours & I’m not knocking them because I do like quite a few blends by some vendors that have big menus – but it really makes a difference when a vendor just concentrates on a specific line & sticks to it keeping the consistency & quality the same time & time again. Drake’s Vapes is a shining start in our community & I place these blends on par with Suicide Bunny in terms of superior quality. The DV line seems to concentrate more on fruity blends so of course it will not appeal to every vaper but if you do like those kind of blends then you’re in for a real treat. I really wish the best for Kevin & I hope the Drakes Vapes line stays at such a high standard – quality through & through! Time to go & give the Drake’s Vapes Facebook profile a well deserved like :)