Flavor Express Guava
ConcreteRiver
Disclaimer: I didn't pay for these, shoutout to ECX for sending them to me.
Setup: Recoil w/ flavor barrel, Dual 12 wrap 24g 3.5mm SS316 @.31 ohms. 60w power, 450F temp limit. Full Cotton Wicks.
Testing: Flavor Express Guava, 1% and 3%, 60/40 VG/PG base, Steeped 22 days.
Flavor Description: Sweet guava candy flavor.
Solo, this tastes a lot like the classic red Hawaiian Punch. I'm getting mostly a sweetened, very "red", artificial guava flavor. Flavor itself seems halfway between strawberry and candy watermelon. There's a moderate tartness and lighter muskiness to offset some of that heavy sweetness, but it's reading more like a candied take on guava. The flip side of that is that this doesn't seem to some of the funkier, muskier off notes that comes from more realistic versions of Guava. Nothing that tastes too "artificial" besides that really heavy sweetness.
Mouthfeel on this is interesting. It's moderately dense, and kind of sticky. Somewhere between a syrupy and hard candy kind of mouthfeel. A lot less sticky than FA Blackcurrant, but from that same genre of candy mouthfeel. I'm getting some of that familiar FE/SC type of dryness on the tail end of this, but it's relatively restrained as far as those things go. This is is sweetened to the point where it ends up coming across a little warm and flat, at least for me.
Trying to put this in the context of some of the other guava flavors, this is definitely sweeter than FLV and FA. Leans more toward CAP Sweet Guava, but if that's more of a guava nectar this is closer to a guava syrup or candy. It's definitely the sweetest and heaviest guava I've tried.
Off-flavors: Not really. intensely sweet take, but nothing chemical or unpleasant.
Throat Hit: Light. That heavy sweetness gets a bit dry and harsh for me right at the end of the vape.
Percentage testing: At 1% this is pretty indistinct. more just generic "red" than anything else. Sticky but thin mouthfeel. Sweet, but not cloying yet. Feels like a less developed candy watermelon.
3% has a bit more nuance. Substantially sweeter, but that tartness is coming through a bit clearer and this feels less one-dimensional. Sticky texture, moderately thick, but seems to vape a bit warm for something this candied.
Just based on these tests, I'd be around 2% as a starting point for this as a primary flavor, maybe up to 3% if you really want your mix sweet. This should work fine as an accent at 1% but I don't really think the guava will come across.
Uses & Pairings: Out of the trinity of Passionfruit, Orange, and Guava making up the elusive POG, the guava is probably the least tricky component. This seems a little too sweet for POG guava, but it may help to sweeten up a more aggressive and citrusy passionfruit and orange.
This really reminds me of Hawaiian Punch solo, could probably be filled out with some like TPA Champagne and INW Pineapple for a pretty convincing and still very red Hawaiian punch. Add some cooling and it could go full juice drink.
Good base for Guava jelly or guava bakeries. This may need a bit more nuance from FA or FLV guava to come across a realistic, but the sticky mouthfeel already feels like it has some pectin to it.
Pair with citruses, or other tropicals. Guava generally pairs well strawberry, and the candy "red" nature of this is going to make a syrupy strawberry like JF Sweet Strawberry or INW Shisha Strawberry feel even thicker and sweeter while the tartness helps it pop a bit.
Second Opinions: I can't find much substantive out there.
Here's the product page from ECX. Their description: "Guava possesses a unique flavor that is lies somewhere between pear and strawberry. This refreshingly juicy flavor will quench your cravings and satisfy even the most discerning of palettes. Try this amazing flavor in your next DIY mix with other fruit or beverage flavors!"