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Question about my nicotine (smell)
submitted over 6 years ago by sdczero24

To preface this, I searched all around for this issue but I came up short, so I figured Id ask here.

So I have two bottles of nic I ordered say a month ago. One was from Nic River (which I didnt open at all, just stored it in my fridge) and the other was from Liquid Nicotine Wholesale (which I poured some into a glass bottle and then stored the rest with the nic river batch). So upon going to make some mixes today, I wanted to check if the nic was bad and I went to smell each just to make sure they didnt have any odor. First was the LNW, which smelled sort of bready, in a way. I wouldnt say fishy, but just really off. Then I went to check the nic river ones and i opened the bottle for the first time and those were VERY fishy, so i tossed them. But the LNW has me a bit puzzled. The smell is there, but not overpowering, and when vaping a test batch of it i cant really taste anything, but it vapes in a way that has a mouthfeel to it, but nothing overtly distinctive.

So im wondering if anyone has had this odd issue and if the nic is bad from LNW. The smell is there, taste is kind of but not really there, and I just fear that it might be messing up my mixes. Also, I have nic coming from Carolina Extracts (salts and freebase) to get some better quality stuff, but im curious to know if i should store it differently because im thinking maybe how i stored the nic aided in this issue (i cant be sure though, as i didnt smell it when i bought it)

Anyways thanks in advance and im sorry if this was long (i just didnt know where else to turn)

Comments
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3 points
 
by Ave-Dominus_Noxover 6 years ago

If it has a peppery smell and has turned colour, I.e to a pinkish or brownish hue then that's usually a good indication that it's gone bad.

It should be clear with virtually no smell at all.

2 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

See thats whats odd about it. Its near clear with only a slight yellow tinge, but so faint that it looks translucent, yet it has that odd smell. Its almost like bready/pretzel like and its really bizarre, and it doesnt seem to be that harsh at all when vaped.

2 points
 
by MasterBeernutsover 6 years agoMixologist

Then it's perfectly fine.

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

Ok cool, and thank you for the reply! Have you heard of this issue happening before with bready smelling nic by any chance? Or could nic have and odor and still be good? I just havent seen many people say their nic doesnt have a smell at all and it just made me wonder about mine

2 points
 
by aSternreferenceover 6 years ago

It would probably taste great if you mixed bready with peanut butter and jelly juice

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

Haha I mean, maybe thats why my pb and j juice i started concocting tasted great a few days ago! But yeah, i think its just me picking up on the smell and it actually just tastes a tad sweet and thats about all

2 points
 
by TimInElmiraover 6 years ago

Normally, storing nicotine in a refrigerator is the best thing to do and one month is no issue. But both batches of nicotine went bad? How cold is your fridge? I'm wondering if the temperature is doing wild swings when the freezer compartment does a self-defrost.

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

I have a smaller than average fridge without a thermometer (i should get one) but where I store the nic in the back typically get to near freezing temps (when I have drinks back there, they can get frosty). But for next time ill throw a thermometer just to be certain. As for going bad, the nic river ones i expected in a way (my salts i got with that same order were bad and had to be sent back) but the LNW is still puzzling me. I just had my girlfriend test the unflavored tester and she said it "kind of tastes like a cigar smells". I just smell faint pretzels which is just so odd to me

2 points
 
by Sociofuneticover 6 years ago

Bad nic (so far) smells like nuts (not testicles). Although some might recommend freezing nobody is going to advocate fluctuations. I think that is whats up. That or you need to clean and defrost the fridge. Freezers smell fishy to me. Everything breathes. Even plastic.

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

This was really informative and good to know for the future. I didnt even think of taking into consideration absorbing odors from my fridge. Definitely noted and thank you!

1 points
 
by St1llFrankover 6 years ago

I try to not breathe in nicotine fumes. When I first started mixing I got sick from breathing it. I have changed my method since then and its not a problem anymore. I still get a weird sensation when adding the PG to my mixes. Its the strangest thing.

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

I wouldnt say i had that same experience, i just just moreso seeing if it had a scent to indicate if its gone bad. And judging by the smell, i cant really tell

1 points
 
by Tom-Wingoover 6 years ago

I had two bottles of PurNic that was bad both from the mail and straight to the freezer. Called No Riv and a replacement finally showed up and same nasty shit. I think LNW or Mid West NicSelect is going to be my only nic from now on. I have a whole slew of pissed off buddies that demanded money back from me for shitty juice.

2 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

Yeah im with you there with Nic River. My first order from them around November of last year was ok, and everything since was a nightmare. Missing items, delayed shipping for weeks, bad nic... But yeah, LNW seems to be great IMO, even if the nic smells odd to me haha. It seems that might just be its natural odor in further investigation, because I just got my carolina xtract order an hour ago and it smells the same way, so must be normal (or my sense of smell is just really off). That nic river one i opened though made me gag.

1 points
 
by Tom-Wingoover 6 years ago

I have not tried Carolina Extract but I do see a lot less complaining about them other than the price difference. Let us know how it works please.

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

Will do! Ive only heard amazing things about their nic, and it comes packaged without ever touching oxygen, so that alone has me sold. Their salts are only in 100vg though, which is gonna be a bitch to use, but other than that, that and their freebase should be fantastic. Ill whip up some mixes and report back!

2 points
 
by Tom-Wingoover 6 years ago

LNW is gassed with nitrogen as well but a lot cheaper. I am thinking that 100% PG nic has a little better shelf life but have no facts to back it up. VG nic is a pain in the ass to work with if you keep it in the freezer or refrigerator. I'm almost ready to buy some Chemnovatic or whatever that shit is and try a 50mg/ml mix I also keep hearing about synthetic nic and need to learn more about it.

Have a good one. Tom

1 points
 
by FlyDungasover 6 years ago

Mine is clear but has a pretty strong smell of maybe chlorine crossed with celery. It’s weird but it doesn’t taste bad and gets me my fix just fine. The smell gets stronger with time, had it about 6 months now with no harshness or anything. I get it from nicotine river as well. /shrug

The paper lining on the cap is stained brown though, maybe that’s what’s causing the smell

1 points
 
by chozo142over 6 years ago

Its not unusual for it to gain a slight color over time, what you really need to be careful of is if it starts smelling strongly a slight smell is still safe to vape and as long as you are using flavoring it shouldn't change the flavor although you may get more throat hit

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

If the smell is strong what would that indicate? I notice that compared to my freebase from Carolina xtracts, the smell is definitely more potent (that weird yeasty/bready/pretzel type smell) but it doesnt really have a taste or harsh peppery throat hit. However that smell is there, so would that indicate anything to which i shouldnt use it?

1 points
 
by chozo142over 6 years ago

Depends on the company that manufactures it, we get all our nic from a local company and it has a slight Bready smell right away. If it is extremely strong then it has more then likely gone bad. (When I say gone bad I mean enough nicotine has broken down that it no longer has the original concentration) as long as doesnt have an off taste or smell sharp it should still be safe to vape. Is your nicotine base vg or base pg? I recommend you store it in the freezer from now on is it will slow the breakdown of the juice even further

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

I have my freebase in PG and salts are in VG (but only because Carolina didnt have them in PG). But as of now I have the not currently being used freebase in the freezer while the salts i kept refrigerated (as i heard salts shouldnt be froze by nic river, but not sure if thats all true). But yeah ill note that for the future and thanks for that advice!

1 points
 
by Samatonover 6 years ago

I bought a 100ml bottle of 7.2% nic salts, i use it at 3mg/ml. I haven't kept it in the fridge, just in a cupboard and it has gotten darker over time, the smell is the same as the day i bought it and i cannot taste it in any of my juices and it is not harsh. I have had 18mg nicotine shots before this that made my juices harsh on the throat and made a massive taste difference and they were clear. I don't know why.

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

Well as i do know salts work differently and also have a much better shelf life in comparison. I havent decided if i want to use salts instead of my freebase entirely just yet, but that idea is still up there as i feel it might cut my chain vaping down a bit. But harshness would equate to the freebase and also could indicate oxidation, at least i believe so

1 points
 
by sdczero24over 6 years ago

Well as i do know salts work differently and also have a much better shelf life in comparison. I havent decided if i want to use salts instead of my freebase entirely just yet, but that idea is still up there as i feel it might cut my chain vaping down a bit. But harshness would equate to the freebase and also could indicate oxidation, at least i believe so

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