Per this thread, I agreed to take on cloning Watermelon Crack. I've never tried this flavor so I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. I've heard the flavor talked about quite often on other subreddits and forums though. It's a very popular juice and I would likely end up crucified if I don't deliver or give up.
In order to fulfill my obligation, and because I was excited as hell, I got to work right away. I received the package from /u/Eizooz Friday evening containing BX Watermelon Crack, BX Horchatatas, FW Watermelon, and FW Extreme Ice, and I will add an additional thank you to Eizooz because I did not have either of those flavorings.
So, lets get started.
#THE CLONING PROCESS
The Original Juice
First, we need to go look up the original description of the juice. We need to get an idea of what we're looking for. Maybe it will also clue is in on some 'hidden' flavors.
> This started out as a clone attempt of kryptonite by cosmic fog, but I got sidetracked and it turned out way better than I intended. It is a delicious watermelon jolly rancher type flavor that will seriously have you addicted the moment you start vaping it! Kryptonite used to be my favorite flavor and actually what got me into making my own juice, since their pricing is so freaking expensive. I have tried it several times since making my own version and I really can not vape it any more. It just doesn't taste the same anymore after vaping on the watermelon crack. There will be a slight hint of mint your first few drags, but that goes away quickly and turns into the most delectable, juicy and watermelony goodness you have ever tried! I apologize in advance for your new addiction.
Now we need to take our own flavor notes on the original juice. Pretty simple. It's going to be exactly like taking flavor notes on your ingredients. However, first we need to prepare!
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Clean up your atomizer. Residual juice inside your atty can still greatly affect your flavor perception even if it's not actively being vaped by the coil or in the wick. I just use hot water from the facet. Maybe a touch of soap.
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Dry burn your coil or install a new one.
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Fresh wick.
Vape enough to get past the break in period for your wicking. This is a full recipe juice. There are layered flavors that need time and attention to detail to fully grasp.
- Watermelon Crack Flavor Notes - HOLY MENTHOL! This stuff makes my nose run like crazy. Very chilly sensation. Not sure if it's only menthol, or a combination of menthol, koolada, and mint. The watermelon flavor is very weak to nonexistent at first. After about 5-6 drags, my senses are dulled to the menthol and the watermelon starts to push forward. It's a very juicy watermelon. Very candy-like, similar to a jolly rancher, which is in the description. The background and base flavors are very 'wet' tasting. After about 8-10 pulls, I start to pick up on some underlying freshness. It's separate from the menthol. It has a more natural flavor. Something ever so slightly recognizable. At just about the same amount of the freshness, there is also an underlying exotic earthiness.
So, lets grab a list of potential flavors based on our flavor notes.
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Watermelon LA - Very Juicy and candy flavor
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Watermelon Sweet CAP - Extremely juicy and candy flavor
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Watermelon FW - Candy flavor with a touch of earthiness similar to the rind of a watermelon
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Menthol / Koolada - Duh.
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Cool Mint CAP - The description says there's a hint of mint, and this is a chilled mint at that
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Extreme Ice FW - Mixture of menthol and mint
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Cucumber CAP - That wet uplifting freshness we might need
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Dragonfruit INW - An exotic earthy flavor
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Passionfruit CAP - I have a feeling B-X uses a lot of CAP. This could satisfy the exotic fresh flavor.
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Cactus Concentrate INW - Wet earthy, exotic flavor. May also provide some of that freshness (Or so I hear. Still need to buy this one)
Well, after about 4 revisions playing with the flavors that I could, I have come up with the V.1. It's not perfect, but it's definitely headed in the right direction.
Watermelon Crack Clone V.1|% ---|--- Menthol CAP|5 10% Koolada TFA|2 Sweet Watermelon CAP|1.75 Watermelon LA|1 Cucumber CAP|0.5
This one immediately seems more upfront with the watermelon, but after a couple more days steeping, I think it will fall into place. The profile seems right though.
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Menthol CAP 5% - This seemed like a pretty obvious choice. Not sure if there is any different between the different menthol brands, aside from the concentration levels. However, putting menthol at a high enough level to acquire the cooling flavor this juice has makes it a bit too strong. So I think we need some...
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Koolada TFA 2% - Ok, I'm not entirely sure if this is in the juice. It provides a strong cooling, slightly chemical flavor similar to menthol without the overpowering minty-ish flavor.
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Sweet Watermelon CAP - Super juicy, strong candy flavor, very wet on the tongue. Seems to be the main watermelon profile.
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Watermelon LA - The watermelon flavor is ever so slightly more complex than just the sweet watermelon. These two compliment each other very well to acquire a nice balanced candy.
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Cucumber CAP - That background wet freshness. It's playing very well with the watermelon and lifting it up in the recipe. At 0.5%, you can't taste that it's really cucumber. I think this would be hard to discern if you haven't used cucumber for this type of profile before, or never used it for something like a smoothie. Nonetheless, I'm about 99% sure it's in the recipe.
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Lastly, there is still something missing. Based on the descriptions I've read of INW Cactus, I have a strong suspicion it could be it. However, I won't know till it shows up in my mailbox.
What didn't work
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Extreme Ice FW / Cool Mint CAP - Neither of these mints are in the recipe for sure. It's all menthol. Both of these mints are just a bit too sweet and natural. I think they taste really good in the recipe, but it's not what's in BX's recipe, so onward we go.
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Watermleon FW - Too earthy. Not candy enough. Next!
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EM / Sucralose - There is zero sweetener in this recipe. Both of these flavors do weird stuff with the menthol that I don't care for. And they mute the shit out of the watermelon flavors.
Still Need to Try
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CAP Passionfruit - At a very, very low percentage, it may be the missing ingredient.
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INW Dragonfruit - This came at the suggestion of someone else. I can't remember what it tasted like, but it could be it at a very low percentage as well.
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INW Cactus - Got big hopes on this one. We'll see what happens. The idea of the aloe vera based on INW's description of it could be exactly what this needs.
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FW Jungle Juice - People keep saying this is a part of it, so I'll add it to the list.
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CAP Jelly Candy
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FW Hard Candy
Final Thoughts
After reading everyone's comments, it's pretty obvious this still isn't as close I thought it would be. Some clues also indicate the overall flavorings should be close to 20%.
Ive been wanting to make a juice like this for a long time as Watermelon candy is my favorite thing of all time. Way back over a year ago i stumbled upon no other than B-X himself trying to clone Kryptonite. Not sure if this will help you, but if i remember correctly he was trying to clone Kryptonite and ended up with something better... Watermelon Crack!
Dig this action jackson: https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY_eJuice/comments/2cqb24/z/clcm8uf
Hopefully it helps. I've tried that recipe and its pretty good, it isn't exactly Watermelon Crack but it may inch you closer.
Dang, here I am chasing a clone of a potentially published recipe :P
Have you tried:
- 10% watermelon (LA)
- 1% watermelon (FA)
- 5% jungle juice (Fw)
- 5% jolly rancher (Fw)
Add Marshmallow or EM for sweetness (to taste)
I don't know if he changed his recipe but I believe that's what it was.
I don't have the last three flavors, and that's A LOT of watermelon for how much menthol is in this recipe.
Do we know for sure that was the leaked recipe, or just someone else's attempt at a clone?
that recipe without the marshmallow or EM is the one B-X posted himself in the clone thread on a post further down, ordered the stuff to make that one will post when I get it/mix it
I found that FW Jungle Juice with Cap Watermelon and Double Watermelon are the keys. Using those 3, I get it pretty spot on. It was hard to try and get something close until I had grabbed the Jungle Juice just on a whim to try it.
Noted. Thank you!
You're quite welcome! I use 6% Jungle Juice and 2.5% of both Cap Double Watermelon and Sweet Watermelon. Sometimes I add a little TFA Cotton Candy or EM, if I want it a little sweeter, but that's definitely to taste. That recipe, especially after a week steep, is pretty damn close in color, aroma, and taste.
I personally believe that he uses Creme De Menthe (Likely TFA) and one of the Juicy Fruit/Tutti Fruity flavors (I think FA Blenderize) . Also, MAX VG is posted on the site. For Watermelon Crack it is 80/20. I don't personally think that Jungle Juice is in it but I could be wrong (I've went through multiple bottle of that stuff...I'm no where near sure so I easily could be wrong). I've tried cloning it a couple of times but always get bored and move to something else.
I've always tasted cotton candy in WC, and it looks like that's one of the flavors B-X said he might add in that thread that was posted earlier here.
That would certainly account for the high amount of watermelon flavoring. If I make the assumption that there is EM in the recipe, I'll have to redo everything.
Just mixed up 10% watermelon (LA) 1% watermelon (FA) 5% jungle juice (Fw) 5% jolly rancher (Fw) so far smell wise its there, and I can 100% confirm jungle juice is in play, when I first had watermelon crack and smelled it I could smell what I now know is jungle juice in it.
Mixing this up right now as I have everything but Capella Menthol, but where menthols are generally interchangeable for me, I think I can swing it with a percentage tweak.
Thanks for sharing this one, Vurve!
Am I the only one who gets an insanely rough throat hit from LA Watermelon at ANY percentage?
Probably not; it is an alcohol base however. I don't get throat hit from it.
The first thing I figure is the alcohol, but even after extended steeps it just has an insane dryness to it, mostly on the exhale. I've tried two different batches of it to make sure it wasn't the just a messed up batch. Weird that you don't get a throat hit from it.
You're definitely not alone in this, and after 1 experimental melon salad recipe, I put LA Watermelon back on the shelf for this very reason.
However, I'm hoping the Koolada/Menthol/Cuke in this recipe takes the edges off and gives me a reason to start using it again.
Yeah I could see the menthol covering the dry exhale from LA. Maybe it depends on the person though, since trance doesn't notice it.
Since we're pretty sure they use FW Watermelon, have you considered FW Cucumber Mint? I don't know what Watermelon crack tastes like, but I make a mix that is something like 12% FW Watermelon and 1% FW Cucumber Mint and it tastes a lot like what you're describing.
Every once in a while I get a grape soda like note from WC. I also get a smarties candy note from it as well. Hope this helps. WC is the only juice I actually buy. The juice really shines at the 60-80 watt range on a dual fused Clapton type build. Lower wattages the menthol overpowers everything. The first hit or two of every drop I get mainly menthol then it dies off. Hope this helps
This is why I was considering cap jelly candy. It has lots of weird flavor notes in it.
Do you have any other suggestions for what it could be coming from? Maybe the FW jungle juice people keep telling me to try?
Hey, just reading through this as I'm finally about to mix some of these up. In that linked thread, the recipe has fw jolly rancher (hard candy), iirc, I get grape soda like notes from that. I just smelled it, and it reminds me of cheap/fake grape flavor. Thanks for all you're doing around here btw.