Just wanted to give an update to my situation. I posted about a week ago that I had some issues with the first batch I received of nicotine from nic River. Thankfully they replaced it with little to no questions. I just received my replacement batch in the mail and sad to say that it smells pretty much identical. Maybe slightly less musky but pretty close. They are going to issue me out a refund. The interesting thing is when I got my first batch, the color was pretty clear. However over the past week it has darkened quick. Today my replacement batch is clear again but I'm sure it will change color quick.
As for ways of disposing it, they recommend the sand or liter trick along with double bagging it.
I think this might mark the end of mixing and vaping for me sadly (after my half gone bottle I'm using of nic is gone). I know that there might be one other company still shipping nic right now but this might be a sign.
Good luck to everyone else on their replacement batches!
EDIT: Update to anyone who wanted me to mix up a test batch unflavored. I just made a 10ml 30/70 mix. I am using a billetbox with a vapesnail as my setup at 22 watts, .6 ohms.
The good: I had a small bit of residual juice on the coils and I couldn't tell too much with the left over juice.
The bad: once that flavoring was gone, I can definitely tell. It tastes exactly how it smells, a little earthy. Similar to vaping dirt. It's not super overpowering in taste but it's definitely there. I am going to throw a few drops of cap custard and cap sugar cookie in the mix and test again. But if it still is off, I'm just SOL.
FINAL EDIT: I threw in 10 drops of cap custard, 10 drops cap sugar cookie into the test batch. I can hardly even taste the flavoring, mostly just dirt mixed with a little sweetness of the flavoring on the exhale. So sweet dirt I guess. Will vape what I have in my tank to see if the flavoring changes but don't have high hopes. Thank you to everyone who has commented on this post along with the ones who have given me tips. You guys rock and make this community unique ✊
Not a replacement, but recently received the same batch 03302021-02-PG ordered on 3/23. It's color is clear, but has a strong dirt/nutty smell and an awful taste. Tried mixing with some flavors to see if it could be covered up and still had strong notes of that awful taste.
Reached out to customer support and got this back " after extensive testing on this batch, we've concluded this meets PurNic quality standards and we are unable to provide compensation " Great, so no replacement available, and no refund.
I'd say I would never order from them again but since they can't ship nic anymore anyway it's a moot point. Going to dump the whole liter, total garbage.
UPDATE: I was just contacted by Nic River and they are giving me a refund now. They stated since I contacted them within 14 days I should of been given the refund on my initial request. This makes it sting a little less.
It almost feels like this is all intentional. They know it’s the end of their direct consumer sales, and suddenly their nicotine is all bad/spoiled. I’ve used nic river in the past it was always a superior product. Feels like a last ditch effort to get rid of bad product, that they know consumers won’t get a chance to touch for years to come before it would’ve been caught, and by then it’s too late... (tinfoil hat off)
Yes, I have a 16 year supply, untouched in my freezer that I purchased 4 months ago from Nic river. I’m basically gambling that when I open it, it won’t be spoiled. I’m hopeful since this batch was before any of these issues have become a concern, and everyone’s bad nic seems to be PG, but mine is VG. 🙏
Looks like they were giving out returns and then refunds while they still had nic on the site for sale but now that they aren't trying to sell nic anymore they're denying refunds and claiming no issues even with nic batch numbers they've previously refunded which makes me wonder if that wasn't the plan all along.
Here’s where I find these batch numbers to be a bit suspect too. The batch # should be an actual batch. Like a LARGE amount of bulk nicotine. All this bad nicotine should be traceable back to a single batch #.
But instead, it’s basically the date they shipped it to you. That isn’t a real batch #.
This nic with a 032821 batch # very well be nicotine in a 55 gallon drum that’s been sitting in the heat since 2017...
What is fucky about the batch # to me is if you assume they are real batch numbers then they almost have to be straight up lying to people. They said "after extensive testing on this batch, we've concluded this meets PurNic quality standards and we are unable to provide compensation" but I have that same batch as do many others who reported these issues. There 100% is something wrong with it both in smell and flavor. There is no way they could have actually tested it and came to the conclusion that the batch is fine.
So to me this means one of the following
They know its shit and don't care
They didn't actually test the batch
Batch numbers don't mean anything (because the only way you could extensively test and say the batch I and others got with this batch number is okay is if you are testing something else entirely)
Interesting, I got the same batch, 03302021-02-PG.
Open and tested on Saturday. Looked and smelled fine, taste is fine, but it's really fucking harsh.
3mg 80/20 VG/PG, no flavors.
Mixed a test batch up and updated the original post with my findings.
I went back to the mix today and it's a little more mellow but definitely has a distinct taste if I focus on it. Still not very strong, sort of like a funkier fresh cotton taste, but all the time.
Hope you can still use the nic with other flavors. Sucks that our experiences are so different, I guess your palate is just way better than mine lol.
If you don’t mind me asking, where can I find the batch number? My nic seems fine and I haven’t gotten any weird smells or tastes. It did turn almost like a pinkish Hugh tho.
Interesting. Maybe I'll give it a test mix but I'm just kind of skeptical at this point.
Why wouldn't you? What's it gonna hurt to try it? Mine came in, had an odor to it but it vapes perfectly fine. Hell, I've never even tried to smell my nicotine till I've seen all this drama. Don't be defeated until you've at least vaped it. Then you'll know for sure. I'd never be so content to just waste my time/money.
I'm curious if anyone who order 100% VG is having issues as well. My batch was 03252021-02-VG and it was fine thankfully. Wondering if it's issue is with the PG for whatever odd reason.
I ordered 100% VG nic from them at the end of March but this is literally my first time doing DiY so I don't know what to compare it to and I'm not familiar with the smell or anything. I haven't even opened it up, I just threw it in the freezer when I got it.
Yeah, I’ve never mixed before either and don’t even have VG and PG yet to do a test. My 2 liters are supposed to get here tomorrow. I’m not really sure what to do when I get it. Glad I at least ordered some extra juices at the end to hold me over for a bit.
When you get your PG and VG, make a small 5mL or 10mL flavorless test bottle. So only mix PG, VG, and the nicotine. If the nic is good, the batch won't really taste or smell like anything. However, if the nic is bad, it'll have a taste or smell to it. I'd also suggest just smelling it straight from the bottle it came in. I got my nic from River Supply today and it smells like an ashtray, and vaped the same way. So if yours is similar, or has an earthy or dirt-y smell, it's no good.
I've got vg batch: 12302020-01-vg It's more clear than my other bottles of vg, but smells and tastes the worst.
My other batch: 05262020-01-vg is dark yellow almost light red and smells and tastes bad.
Didn't get around to checking them until I had seen the posts the other day. I'm SOL.
Update to anyone who wanted me to mix up a test batch unflavored. I just made a 10ml 30/70 mix. I am using a billetbox with a vapesnail as my setup at 22 watts, .6 ohms.
The good: I had a small bit of residual juice on the coils and I couldn't tell too much with the left over juice.
The bad: once that flavoring was gone, I can definitely tell. It tastes exactly how it smells, a little earthy. Similar to vaping dirt. It's not super overpowering in taste but it's definitely there. I am going to throw a few drops of cap custard and cap sugar cookie in the mix and test again. But if it still is off, I'm just SOL.
That sucks man. I use such SMALL amounts of nic that even a bad batch might not affect my vapes too bad since i've never even had a bad batch or maybe never noticed. I've been mixing for over 6 years now and never been too crazy about storage or anything. Maybe i've had a bad batch from them before but just never used enough at one time to notice.
I’m waiting on a replacement and that really sucks.
Good luck. Hopefully you get a good batch.
I got a bad batch from nic river and I’m waiting on a replacement. I read this morning that the replacement someone got was worse. That is depressing.
Ouch yeah I wouldn't say this one is any worse than the first but the first was pretty rough. Even the color after sitting for about a week is just brown. I have nicotine that I've been using the past year and it doesn't smell or look like the brand new nic I got from nic River.
I've only ordered the smooth salts from them, but I did just get a bottle a few months ago (currently sealed in the freezer) - I'm wondering if I should dig it out and test it, since otherwise I may not crack it open for months.
Thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear all that, I too got a bad batch. The nic was yellow in the bottle, clear in my mixing bottle, but smelled and tasted of copper, metallic cat piss, and spicy garbage. Unfortunate. They did refund me though so props to them on that.
I placed an order through nicotine giant who is still shipping USPS priority. I needed it quick as I’m almost out too. From SC to San Jose CA it’s only taking 2 days to get here. I pray there’s no issues.
Also placed an order through Carolina Xtracts as well (for my DIY nicotine patches, obv) but they’re saying it takes about 3 weeks for shipping if you order PG nic. Fingers crossed all goes well.
Ask a local shop to order for you . From a different lab LNW & delosi are the only 2 I know , there are others I'm inexperienced. That sucks.
Have you mixed a test batch with it?
I haven't. I'm just concerned if it smells that way. I can try but I might be a little tainted at this point.
Taste is the only sure way to know 100%. Color and scent aren't always good indicators. Good nic can smell earthy, like wet tobacco, or chemically. I have had yellow nic that has been smoother than clear nic. Also had some nic that smelled like straight wet tobacco that vaped really clean.
I better check the bottle I just got. I already separated it into smaller amber glass bottles. I think the big container is still in the trash.
I ordered 750mL from Wizard Labs (48mg- PG), and then also ordered 1Liter (100mg-PG) from Nic River. I wasn't going to open the liter until I was out of the stuff from wizard labs, but now I'm kind of worried. I'm wondering if I should open it even though I won't need it for several years to smell and make a test batch, or just leave it sealed and hope for the best. It sounds like either way I won't get a refund or exchange. Maybe I should decant it from the plastic jug to one of my amber glass bottles anyway, and take out just a little while I'm at it to test? Thoughts?
I'm brand new to DIY juice, just started due to PACT bullshit, stocked up before the end. I've only made maybe 12x 10mL test batches so far, and 500mL no flavor to stretch out what I have left of my store juice.
> I'm wondering if I should open it
I would open it. If the nic is good, it can be tested in a way that won't make it turn bad.
If it's bad, I'd want to find out about it while I still have something else to use, not years down the road, when there may be nothing else even available. Besides, if River screwed me, I'd want to know about it right now, not after 2 years pretending the shit in my freezer is worth the cost of keeping cold.
I just got mine yesterday i order 500ml and they sent me a liter i was stoked about that. I was worried about the story's of bad batches and such. Got it opened it smells like ash and awful has a dark yellow color. And i cannot stress this enough taste yours mine had no flavor which is really good so thank god i dodged a bullet. I would definitely test yours smell and color are not good indicators. As long as it tastes like basically nothing in an unflavored mix its perfectly fine.
I mixed a test batch up and updated the original post with my findings.
May i ask have you tasted unflavored before? Just want to make sure your not mixing it up with the taste of unflavored i personally don't like it. Unless you really do mean it tastes as it smells.
In all transparency, I've never tried unflavored with nic involved. I've had pg and VG mixed but not with nic. However it does taste how it smells for the record. Like dirt. I can mix another test batch with my known good nic from wizard labs as a comparison but I don't think it will taste like this.
I ordered nic from them back in the beginning of March. I've never purchased nic like this before; I usually got Sapphyre or Squeeze pre portioned additives. What should it smell like, or should it not have an odor at all? I didn't know to check it when it arrived; I just stored it in my freezer. My batch number is 02242021-03-PG.
So I can only speak to the good nicotine I have. But to me the smell isn't very strong, almost scentless but it burns my nostrils a little bit similarly to how alcohol does is that makes sense.
Ok. I've read quite a few threads complaining about the earthy/shroomy smell and taste. This bottle definitely has a strong dirt smell, while my salt bottle does not. But a lot of people are saying smell isn't an indicator and to taste it. So I've put some into a branded bottle of zero mg Strawberry kiwi ejuice and am waiting to test that. I appreciate you taking time to reply to me.
Got my replacement from River Supply, and it seemed much less pungent than the one I sought a replacement for. Smells much more like the original Nic liter I bought, which vaped just fine. I’m terribly sorry about your luck buddy. I’ve been waiting to get my replacement solely to comment on this post lol
Got my replacement nic today. It's the same batch number as the original order that they sent me. Wtf!?
No fucking way lmao. That is just a straight slap to the face. I'm sorry man. You can give it a test but not looking hopeful.
Batch numbers??
Sorry I forgot to mention that. The batch numbers on the two PG based bottles are 03302021-02-PG
I thought this was just concerning PG nic, your bottles were VG nic? Or is the "PG" in the batch label the same regardless?
I wonder if it's some type of shipping issue bc I was able to smell it through the packaging and they would've had to know how bad it smelled when they packaged it
I ordered the last day of the St Patty's sale 3/19 got my nic on 4/3 batch-03102021-02-pg. Mixed a unflavored test batch taste fine and is clear no shroom taste at all. It did sit out in the sun on my steps it was hot when I opened up the box I got a little worried the heat got to it. I guess I lucked out and got a good batch. I did call them before they shipped and mentioned all the problems people were having on reddit. She told me they did recieve complaints and were working on solutions. Idk if this helped or not.
So, got my 250mg replacement, new batch 03092021-4, clear with a slight pink hue to it and tasteless. Makes no sense as my original order from 2 weeks prior had a batch number of 03112021-3.
Anyway, compared to 3 other bottles I got from them I've determined those were shite as well. I just emailed asking for an additional refund for other bottles, as they didn't seem that bad compared to the ones replaced. We'll see.