43
FA Black Fire
submitted over 8 years ago by T_Maceresident tobacco specialist

Specs:

  • percentage used: 3%
  • 1 month steep
  • PG/VG ratio: 50/50
  • vaped on NarDA rda, A1 Kanthal, 28 gauge, spaced coil, 1.77 ohm, 12-18 watts

Type Of Tobacco

  • non-aromatic (*caveat - This is not a standalone, it's a support tobacco which should be used as an accent flavor)

Flavor Properties:

  • smokey
  • dry
  • warm feel

Relatable Flavors:

  • smoke (if you've ever tasted liquid smoke, this is pretty close, if you've never tasted liquid smoke, think bbq smokiness)
  • In lower doses this definitely imparts a taste of burning tobacco (the combustion part without any actual tobacco leaf flavor)
  • at 3%, I get a fleeting sweet note that comes and goes sparingly. It's caramel if anything and very hard to detect, once you notice it, it's gone

Mouth Feel:

  • medium density

Off Flavors:

  • none

Position In A Recipe:

  • accent, use in small amounts to add the smoke/burning note to your tobacco mixes

Suggested Percentage:

  • max 3%, most would say 0.5-1%
  • it can and will overpower mixes above 1%

Pairings:

  • taken straight from someone else's notes: Get your tobacco recipe to your liking, then add Black Fire in small steps, just 0.25% at a time, for a realistic smoke effect.

Conclusion:

  • Will fit into any "oh my god this tastes like tobacco" blend.
  • At 3% it's kinda harsh, even for me and I don't mind my vapes rough around the edges.
  • FA Black Fire and INW Dirty Neutral Base are cousins and do share similarities.
  • Black Fire is smoke but no ash tray taste and it has that slight sweetness. INW DNB has some smoke to it but really adds that acrid ashy note which kicks in about halfway through a smoking a cigarette. It also has zero sweetness.
  • They can certainly be used together, low in the mix, to get you as close to burning tobacco as possible.
  • If I had to choose only 1, I would go with Dirty Neutral Base.
  • I went in hard at 3%, it was uncalled for, I regret nothing.

Second Opinion /u/ConcreteRiver did a thorough review of Black Fire which you may also want to check out HERE

Comments
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6 points
 
by ChemicalBurnVictimover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

To me, Black Fire tastes more like Latakia than the Latakia flavors I've tried. FA Latakia is good, but doesn't have that roaring campfire taste. INW Latakia just wasn't really close at all to me. With tobacco absolutes you can get a decent English blend going on. It mixes pretty well with TFA Kentucky Bourbon as well for a more aromatic type of Pipe tobacco. I used to add it with FA Latakia at a 1:1 ratio, usually at .5%. They make a pretty good team.

But I agree, I would still pick DNB if I had to choose.

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

Ya FA Latakia did not hit the mark. FA does this thing with many of their baccos where they add a weird mustard note, I've also characterized it as charred green pepper. I mentioned this before but it's so off putting to me I can't even begin to try to use it.

5 points
 
by cooperCollinsover 8 years ago

Excellent notes. It's very easy to visualize the flavor through your descriptions. Thanks for the review!

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

My pleasure! Glad I can give back to this awesome community!!!

3 points
 
by surfishermanover 8 years ago

Thanks for the review , i bought this a long time ago and it's still sitting after trying it a few times .

To me it taste like a barbecue not the ashy tobacco type smoke flavor i was hoping for.

I think most will agree with your perception of it though, i would choose the "Dirty Neutral Base" if given a choice myself.

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

Ya DNB is the clear winner but I feel both are worthy of messing around with. What % did you try Black Fire at? 0.25-0.5% is normal usage levels. It definitely does have bbq flavor, especially at +0.75%.

4 points
 
by surfishermanover 8 years ago

Low percentages , like 0.3 lol. Not for me .

3 points
 
by leapinglabratsover 8 years ago

I get straight up smell of burnt wood no matter what the percentage, a smell I really enjoy, but unrelated to anything tobacco. I've had a hard time putting it to good use.

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

Ya I feel ya. DNB comes out on top of this battle.

2 points
 
by surfishermanover 8 years ago

Burnt wood fits , i agree .

2 points
 
by SolanaceaeEnthusiastover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

Upvote for the bbq smokiness vs the campfire woodsiness , maybe im just sensitive to that flavor molecule but it ruins it for me

1 points
 
by surfishermanover 8 years ago

Yeah, i never use it but wanted to try it so i did . I hate when it turns out i made a bad choice lol.

2 points
 
by ID10-Tover 8 years agoWinner of the 2nd DIYorDIE World Mixing Championship

Sounds like this would a must for a BBQ recipe. Little FA Ripe Tomato, little FA Black Fire, maybe some TFA Brown Sugar and TFA Jalapeno.

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

Ye, reaching outside the box with Black Fire would be pretty cool. I only ever see it put to use in tobacco recipes but anything bbq would do well with some FA Black Fire.

Watched your episode on DIYorDIY. Good shit :)

2 points
 
by ID10-Tover 8 years agoWinner of the 2nd DIYorDIE World Mixing Championship

BBQ, or something completely crazy like a custard and fruit, like when chefs use those those handheld smoking gun thingys.

Thanks. I had hoped not to embarrass myself too badly, sounds like I might have succeeded.

2 points
 
by RuntDastardlyover 8 years agoBursting with dorky enthusiasm for mixing

Funny you should mention custard. Last weekend I mixed up a smoked vanilla/tobacco custard using FA Black Fire at .50%.

I'm a little worried though; I just shook it, and the smoky smell seems completely gone? We'll see. I'm not planning on touching it until 5/14.

2 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

> hoped not to embarrass myself too badly

Nah man, you were cool as a cucumber. Was good to see you on there.

I hope we'll see an influx of smoked fruits and custard recipes now. It's uncharted territory for the most part.

2 points
 
by RuntDastardlyover 8 years agoBursting with dorky enthusiasm for mixing

Thank you for this review! FA Black Fire fascinates me, because it seems to have less of that Liquid Smoke-type vinegary-backnote funkiness than FW Hickory Smoke.

I'm guilty of under-utilizing this one as much as I'd like to, because so far I haven't come up with anything really amazing using it. Still trying, though!

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

S'up Runt, been a minute!

I'm thinking of doing a grilled peach or something. I'm not really a fruits guy but it seems like a good application for Black Fire. In tobaccos, I prefer DNB all the way.

2 points
 
by RuntDastardlyover 8 years agoBursting with dorky enthusiasm for mixing

Oooooh, grilled peaches sounds amazing! I have a weird relationship with fruit mixes too, in that I kinda' almost need a cream, custard or heavy af candy or beverage base to feel any satisfaction with them. Fruits alone are delicious, but too "tease-y" for me, if that makes sense.

I'm probably in the minority here, but, I'll take Black Fire over DNB, because that ashy note, turns out, is not my favorite thing. I like my tobaccos rich and deep and moist, with maybe some hints of dark fruits, nuts and heavy desserts. More like pipe tobacco and less like cigarettes for me, I guess.

Keep me posted on the grilled peaches! Pretty please! That's right up my alley!

3 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

ID10-T was riffing on this too. Tagged you.

I hear ya on the custard + fruits logic. I'm pretty much the same way. I pretty much only sip anything that's not tobacco throughout my day, but especially with fruits, I enjoy a cream/custard pairing.

Interesting about Black Fire over DNB. If you don't like that ash note I completely see why.

1 points
 
by ID10-Tover 8 years agoWinner of the 2nd DIYorDIE World Mixing Championship

Grilled Peach (or pineapple!) sounds amazing. Lay that on top of some custard or add a dollop of cream to it? Yummo!

2 points
 
by T_Maceover 8 years agoresident tobacco specialist

Mmmmmm. Sounds like I have a new project for this evening.

You think CAP Peaches and Cream would work? It's the only peach I have sadly. FLV Cream might work in there too cuz it's light.

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