Perfect Kringle's Curse clone

[NolesDave]

I'm a long-time user of Halo's Kringle's Curse, and have finally got the recipe down perfect. I have been modifying HIC's Kringle's clone to fit my taste buds, and finally figured out the mix that tastes perfect.....to me, at least. If you try this and it's spot-on for you as well, give the shout out to HIC for creating the base plan for this incredible flavor. You can't go wrong when using his recipes.

I used a 60/40 mix, 2% PG-based nicotine. Recipe is for 30ml. I used Koolada at 2%. Adding 1 drop per 5 ml did NOT give me that smooth Halo Peppermint hit. 1% was close, but Koolada at 2% is the bomb.com in this recipe. I tried other Peppermint varieties for the 2% add-on flavor, but none compared to Capella's for that perfect Peppermint kick. TFA Peppermint made it tast like spearmint gum. Flavour Art Peppermint was a close second to Capella's, and will suffice in a pinch. If you go max VG, increase FW Candy Cane to 18-20%, and 3% on Capella's Peppermint and Koolada. Shake and vape, no steeping needed. Thanks HIC

Flavor West Candy Cane 15%
Capella's Peppermint 2%
Koolada 2 %

 

[Kat]

On 60/40, is the 60 VG ?

 

[NolesDave]

Yes. 60% VG and 40% PG. Halo is rumored to use high PG, but I found the flavor to be more exact using 60/40 and bumping up the Koolada. Let me know how yours turns out.

 

[parkay]

Flavour Art Peppermint was a close second to Capella's, and will suffice in a pinch.

would flavour art peppermint also be at 2%?

thanx

 

[NolesDave]

Yes. While FA Peppermint is not quite as strong as Capella's, I would still recommend starting at 2%.

 

[NolesDave]

UPDATE: I've made a few changes to this recipe, as I noted it was missing that sweet aftertaste present in the Halo version, and the peppermint was a bit strong after steeping for one week. I've been vaping this one for a few weeks now and it is hitting on all cylinders. I use 80/20 (VG/PG) and 0.75% nicotine, 60mL batch. I sub-ohm, which is why I use a higher percentage of flavors.

FW Candy Cane 12%
CAP Peppermint 1%
Koolada 1%
TFA Marshmallow 2%

 

[domyz]

I agree with the lacking peppermint note in FW Candy Cane, but IMO the CAP Peppermint needs to be higher than 1 or 2% to get the true Kringle's Curse taste. I'm at 3% and still lacking a little bit of flavor comparing these side to side. I think it would need about 3.5 / 4%. I'm not surprised because the single flavor concentration in a mix for this peppermint is about 10%. Also the final flavor profile is a just little bit different, pointing that Halo was maybe not using Capella's when they released kringle's curse. (I suspect that they now probably use their own reverse engineered flavorings)

I still cannot believe that HIC posted this recipe with only FW Candy cane and called it a clone. If it was a clone, then FW know for sure has changed it's candy cane recipe. I contacted them about this, and they told me that nothing had changed since the release of this flavor. I even ordered from multiple places searching for a different / older generation batch and they were all the same candy cane, lacking the "in your face" peppermint flavor Halo has.

By the way I'm using genuine VT nic, at high PG (70/30), with essential depot VG and PG. I vape in an Aspire Triton Mini with 1.8 clapton coils (the best mouth to lung kit for flavor out there in my experience)

Also, you're right Koolada (standard 10% powder dilution) is near 2% in Halo's recipe. Nowhere near 1% like HIC posted, but this all depends on which original concentration you use (10% or 20%, etc).

P.S.: Not bashing HIC, just disagreeing with him for this particular recipe.

 

[DIYjim]

I made the HIC recipe and I really like it {in my rotation} but have nothing to compare it to as I got into DIY before trying the real Kringle's Curse, LOL. I wouldn't mind adding some peppermint for shits n giggles. Thanks for the recipe.

 

[Trail]

Oh i used to like to add halo's subzero to my kringles curse for an extra kick.. Sooo

My recipe is:

12% Candy Cane Mount Baker
2% Peppermint Capella
1.8% Menthol (my own bottle made from about 15gram crystals disolved in 45ml pg)
1% EM
0.5% koolada

I make 250ml at a time 40/60 pg/vg 5% water 4mg nic
30ml CC
5ml PM
4.5ml Menthol
2.5ml EM
1.25ml Koolada
(10ml nic juice of 100mg)
50ml pg, 130ml vg, 12.5ml H20

I like the numbers

After steeping the peppermint and menthol blends in very well.. shake and vape and the peppermint and menthol will be too strong..

In my daily rotation and inside 2 tanks on 2 mods currently.. totally loving it!!!

 

[NolesDave]

I add TFA Marshmallow at 1.5% for that sweet aftertaste found in Kringle's. I still only use CAP Peppermint at 2%, and Koolada at 1.5-2%, while using FW Candy Cane at 8%. The addition of the Marshmallow really makes this recipe pop.

 

[Trail]

Made 250 ml of your recipe but replaced FW CC with MB CC @ 12%

12% Candy Cane Mount Baker
2% Peppermint Capella
1.5% Marshmallow
2% Menthol (my own bottle made from about 15gram crystals disolved in 45ml pg)
0.8% koolada
40/60 pg/vg

poured 3x 10ml bottles of this @ 3mg to give to co-workers and friends

 

[NolesDave]

How did it come out? I haven't tried the MB Candy Cane yet. Do you agree that the Marshmallow makes it rock?

 

[Trail]

Im still steeping. the mix is about 20 hours old

i'll definately report back here. i think i should give it a few days at least.

'come on come on shake it baby now...'

 

[NGAHaze]

Twist and Shout ... lol

I tried this recipe and I definitely like it. It does taste more like the real Kringles Curse than the simpler 2 flavor mix I used previously. The one difference I did note is that the mix took on a amber tint as it steeped, something I did not see occur in the actual product.

I used FA Marshmallow rather than TFA and I suspect it was this flavoring that caused the color to develop. I'm just guessing of course but I was wondering if any of your mixes did this as well?

 

[Trail]

@NGAHaze the mix without the marshmallow does not color amber and stays clear.

I tried the marshmallow mix and must say i like that it adds some sort of fluffyness and fullness to the mix and it hints more of a candy that i was looking for, BUT

I do not like the marshmallow muting down my peppermint, dulling its kick tremendously, and because i removed all ethyl maltol, the candy that its suggesting is dissapointing because im left without a finishing sweet fullness.

Hence i have been trying to change and tune the recipe, who knew it could be so delicate.

My first thoughts where, add a percentage more peppermint, and add back the EM.
Second thoughts are less is more, so im experimenting with the numbers and trying to get them down, alot.

So far, best of both worlds is pretty good, but still dull on the peppermint and menthol.
By best of both worlds i mean i mix my original recipe with the new recipe in 50/50 ratio to see if half of the EM i add from my old recipe and the half of the marsh mallow thats in the new recipe will play nicelky together..

I'm still on the drawingboard for this..
if i had to choose, i'd pick my old recipe because it gives me that kick in the butt i like so much, and thats what makes kringles curse so addictive for me.
on the other hand my recipe can use a kick in the sweet candy department butt.

If i make a new batch im certainly not going over 0.75% on marsmallow, and i suspect i will try 0.5.

 

[NGAHaze]

if i had to choose, i'd pick my old recipe because it gives me that kick in the butt i like so much, and thats what makes kringles curse so addictive for me.

I'm going to try your version next ... I really like the kick that KC offers too. I had to use FA Peppermint also in my mix but I plan on getting some CAP soon since it was mentioned that it was a better fit than FA ... doesn't hurt that I love Peppermint, lol.

 

[Trail]

Ok this might be confusing to some.. i took 125ml of my original recipe with the em and that has the peppermint kick and added that to 125ml of the recipe with marshmellow that lost its kick but is towards the sweet tooth that i also like.

I added 1% Cotton Candy (EM) and 0.5% FA Caramel (should not be detectable as caramel, but brings out the candy, and adds to the marshmallow) and 1% more peppermint, and a bit more koolada

So im now vaping it as we speak after just a shake, it has a combined recipe that goes like:

12% Candy Cane (MB)
3% Peppermint (Cap)
1% Cotton Candy (TPA) (=EM)
0.75% Marshmallow (TPA)
0.5% Caramel (FA)
1% koolada
0.25 - 2% Menthol (mine was 30% solution and 2% is nice and fresh, but more than kringles curse had)

Even for non mental lovers i recommend at least a tiny bit in here to lift up that kick and pronounce it, it makes this vape an experience instead of a flavor.

I can't wait for this to steep, the kick is back, and the candy is much more pronounced due to the marshmallow and sweet notes.

Next mix is to see if i can do with just 10% candy cane so im around 16.5% flavoring wich is at my upper limit of being acceptable.

 

[Trail]

I'm chainvaping this and i cannot put it down.. something about angels... harps... stars... everything...

 

[NolesDave]

Lol. Lately I've been more sensitive to the high Peppermint flavor....irritated throat, cough, etc. this was once my favorite vape, now I can barely stand to vape it. Been playing with the Marshmallow and peppmint levels, up and down, and experimenting some cream type bases to soften the blow a bit....no luck.