Capella Apple Snacks SL
ConcreteRiver
Setup: Recoil w/ flavor barrel, Dual 12 wrap 24g 3.5mm SS316 @.32 ohms. 60w power, 450F temp limit. Full Cotton Wicks.
Testing: Capella Silverline Apple Snacks, 4% and 8%, 60/40 VG/PG base, Steeped 10 days. Flavor Description: Capella calls this “Your favorite apple cinnamon cereal in a cold bowl of milk, you can taste every detail, from the tiny red specks to the crunchy grainy texture of the loops.” So I’m guessing a solo apple jacks profile, and it gets most of the way there.
This definitely leads with the cereal. Seems fairly similar to CAP Cereal 27, but maybe a bit farther towards corn pops with less of that corn flakes crispness. Feels a bit fluffier without feeling soft or soggy. Nothing that feels too overly toasted, and nothing like the corn chips hit of overwhelming acetyl pyrazine.
The apple here is a bit trickier. It’s definitely on the subtle side, but that’s probably a fit for an apple cereal. It feels a bit soft though, and maybe a bit too natural. It tastes a lot like CAP went with something more similar to their fuji apple instead of a more artificial and fuller apple like their double apple. The apple doesn’t quite sink in the cereal for me, tasting more like cereal with apple as opposed to an apple cereal.
The product photo for this has some cinnamon in there, but I’m not picking up any really strong cinnamon component. If it’s there, it’s there like it is in apple jacks, and is overall pretty subtle. I get maybe a bit on cinnamon hiding in that more prominent cereal note. Doesn’t have that slightly sour, metallic cinnamon note that I get in most of the Capella cinnamon concentrates.
According the product description, this is supposed to have a milky component to it. I pick up the milk mostly on the tail end of the exhale. Nothing sour or butryic but fairly light overall. Same sort of mild creamy aftertaste as cap sweet cream or fa fresh cream.
So, a lot of components executed fairly well. Overall, texture is moderately full. The corn pops type base brings most of the texture but it balances a cereal and a creamier component fairly well. Sweetness level overall seems appropriate for the profile, and doesn’t come across as cloying or undersweet.
Off-Flavors: Nothing chemical or unpleasant. Apple feels a bit soft. More corn pops than loop based apple jacks.
Throat Hit: Light. Nothing major, but gets a bit dry.
Percentage testing: At 4%, this just feels dry and light. I’m tasting my base through the flavor here. Apple is pretty nonexistent and I’m not getting much texture from the cereal. No real milky nuance.
At 8%, this is getting quite a bit better. Cereal texture is coming in, the apple is still subtle but it’s there. Some light milk notes on the exhale.
Just based on these tests, I’d go high with this. I’d probably start around 10% and use this as a primary flavor or solo flavor with some bolstering. There is a lot going on here, and it really isn’t going to translate well in an accent role.
Uses & Pairings: This seems a lot more like a solo flavor than anything else. Relatively complete as is, but it could probably use a bit more apple to sell the profile. I’d pick something gloriously artificial like a red apple and keep it fairly low. Additionally, this could use a boost of cinnamon from your favorite bakery cinnamon if you’re into it that kind of thing. If you want a milkier cereal, some additional cream would probably help. If you’re into forbidden fruit maybe some FA Milk.
Outside of just trying to fill out the apple cereal, there isn’t anything here that wouldn’t let you use this in whatever degenerate application of cereal you want. So like a donut or something.
A little more hard to recommend for a non apple cereal profile. If you just want the cereal note, CAP Cereal 27 is a thing that exists. The apple, cinnamon, and milk also don’t really punch hard enough to really show up in a busier mix.
Second Opinions: Still not a ton out there.