Boardwalk Vapor might not be the biggest name in the industry, but with an enjoyable selection of hand-crafted e-liquid flavors, the company definitely has a lot to offer. Freakshow and Juice Monkey might not quite reach the heights of Bombshell and Captain Crusty, but every e-liquid on offer has something going for it, and it’s hard to imagine anybody regretting the purchase. The only real downside is the limited number of flavors, but that’s only because what they do have on offer is pretty darn tasty.
Boardwalk Vapor says they’ve “bottled the beach lifestyle so you can take it home, load your tank and take a fat rip,” boasting a line of four VG-heavy e-liquids (with one more on the way soon) that aim to bring the boardwalk to wherever you call home. The California-based mixer names their “top-shelf” juices after the characters of the boardwalk, spanning fruit, bakery and breakfast-inspired flavors. They also value quality above all else, mixing everything in an ISO 7 certified lab and only using USP grade PG, VG and nicotine. But does the juice get the job done? We’ve put Captain Crusty, Bombshell, Juice Monkey and Freakshow to the test in our Boardwalk Vapor e-liquid review to find out.
Packaging and Design
Boardwalk’s e-liquids are shipped in 15 or 30 ml glass bottles (priced at $12 and $22, respectively), each bearing the name of the juice, the nicotine level, a basic list of ingredients and a warning to keep the bottle away from children. Their design is excellent, with carnival-esque lettering for “Boardwalk” and each juice bearing a cartoonish image of the “characters” of the boardwalk, ranging from the seafaring, yarn-spinning and pipe-smoking Captain Crusty through to the Derek-Zoolander-on-steroids Juice Monkey. Every single one is visually striking, and although it doesn’t really matter to how good the e-liquid is, they’ve really outdone themselves in terms of design. The juices definitely stand out amid your collection.
The glass bottles come with dripper tops, giving an impression of quality and the care taken over the juices every step of the way. Particular praise goes to their child-proofing, which is often absent from glass-bottled e-liquids, but the bottles from Boardwalk have a clicking, plastic, medicine bottle style cap that you need to firmly push down before turning to open. Every so often, even as an adult, they’re a little tough to open, which is a big confidence-builder in terms of the quality of the child-resistant cap. You still need to be careful, of course, but your last line of defense here is pretty strong. Overall, they’ve done fantastically in this department.
Mixing Options
The juices from Boardwalk are all in a 30/70 PG/VG blend, keeping it VG-heavy and being pretty good for anybody sensitive to PG or looking for thicker clouds and a smooth throat-hit. You don’t get a choice when it comes to the ratio, but the standard mix does a great job overall, and most vapers will be happy with the satisfying vapor production. The throat hit is a little light but definitely pleasant, making for a smooth vape with just a hint of a smoke-like sensation on the inhale.
They offer five nicotine levels overall: 0, 3, 6, 12 and 18 mg/ml. This is a great selection for already-converted vapers, particularly with the extra 3 mg/ml option for those on their way to being totally nicotine-free. The 18 mg/ml option will be enough for most smokers, but as always, a 24 mg/ml option would be a little better for any heavy smokers just trying to make the switch. Regardless, the chosen PG/VG ratio and the available nicotine options are pretty good, particularly for a small mixer.
Boardwalk Vapor E-Liquid Flavors
Juice Monkey – Rating: 3.5/5
Accuracy: This is billed as “pina colada banana party juice,” promising a fruity medley of pineapple, coconut and banana. The pineapple is the dominant element here, hitting you smoothly and strongly on the inhale and leaving the coconut and banana to take center-stage more on the exhale. The coconut comes through a bit more notably than the banana, though, leaving the juice coming off more as a pina colada flavor overall. The banana is present, but it could definitely be dialed up a little.
Overall: Juice Monkey is a generally pleasant fruity e-liquid, evoking memories of tropical punch and summertime cocktails. It’s not the most exciting of flavors – pina colada is the core taste and it’s quite common in e-liquids – but it’s definitely pulled off well. Perhaps not all-day-vape material, nor one you’ll be excitedly recommending to fellow vapers, but it’s one most will enjoy non-the-less.
Bombshell – Rating: 4.5/5
Accuracy: This is a peach cheesecake e-liquid, billed as the signature dessert juice from Boardwalk. The peach is immediately detectable, coming through with a juicy, succulent and realistic quality that almost carries the juice by itself. It’s backed up by creamy, cheesecake undertone that gives the whole thing more character than a basic peach e-liquid, pushing it further into dessert territory than fruit. This is definitely accurate: if I’d ordered a peach cheesecake at a restaurant and got something that tasted like this, I’d be very happy indeed.
Overall: A beautiful e-liquid, well-crafted and with expertly balanced flavors. In some ways, it could be fairly-well described as a peaches and cream blend, but the distinction does come through, with a lighter, more delicate sweetness than you’d get from a cream emulation. It’s deliciously sweet, but the cheesecake backing softens the whole experience and makes it one you can happily vape all day. Overall, this is one of the best options from Boardwalk, and definitely one to pick up if the flavor sounds like your type of thing.
Freakshow – Rating: 3.5/5
Accuracy: The forked-tongue, flesh-tunneled character on the label is a sure sign you’re about to taste something unique: a watermelon and mint blend. The watermelon is the dominant flavor here, being present throughout your draw underpinned with some subtle minty notes. The watermelon has a realistically subtle, mouth-watering flavor, and the mint is very understated but strong enough to make its presence felt. The tastes blend together pretty nicely, with the mint seeming almost like it’s supposed to be part of the watermelon flavor.
Overall: This has been pulled off well, but it’s a touch lacking, more due to the chosen flavor combination than anything else. The watermelon and mint do work well together, but the watermelon is really the core element, and it’s a touch too understated to really make the flavor shine. Freakshow is another one that makes for a nice vape, but it’s not one to really get excited about. Good overall – especially if you’re in the market for unique liquids – but there are better options in the line-up.
Captain Crusty – Rating: 5/5
Accuracy: Captain Crusty is Boardwalk’s breakfast blend, mixing oatmeal, honey and cinnamon for a sweet-but-inventive flavor combination. The oatmeal is impressively well-captured, forming the base for the flavor and being brought to life with the addition of the gentle sweetness of the honey and the slight hint of spice from the cinnamon. Every element is well-represented here, and although the honey and cinnamon aren’t as pronounced as you might imagine, they blend into the overall flavor very nicely indeed.
Overall: This is my favorite juice from the line-up, packing the sweetness of a dessert blend but with a warming, wholesome undertone from the cinnamon and oatmeal. Oatmeal might not sound like the most appealing e-liquid flavor, but it’s more reminiscent of a soft, freshly-baked oatmeal cookie than a bland bowl of breakfast oatmeal, imparting a pleasant gentle nuttiness to the resulting flavor. The combination works wonderfully, producing a well-balanced flavor with the soft sweetness that makes for perfect all-day-vape material.
If you're looking for new awesome e-juice flavors to vape, check out our new list of the top 20 best e-cig liquids and vape juices, as voted by vaping experts and the community.