Flavor Revolution Red Raspberry
ConcreteRiver
Setup: Recoil w/ flavor barrel, Dual 15 wrap 26g 3mm Nifethal 70 coils @.18 ohms. 60w power, 450F temp limit. Full Cotton Wicks.
Testing: Flavor Revolution Red Raspberry, 1,3 and 5%, 60/40 VG/PG base, Steeped 15 days.
Flavor Description: A drier bright and tart raspberry flavor which is softer low, or sweet and candied up high.
The raspberry here sort of splits the difference between realistic and candied. The description calls out floral notes, but they aren't too overwhelming or perfumey. More of a light floral accent that stays pretty manageable even at higher percentages.
At low percentages, it's a softer raspberry without much depth, but it tastes quite a bit like a ripe raspberry if you can past the sweetness. Cranking up the percentage starts to really bring the candy out, and it picks up a more aggressively sweet, bright candy edge. At those higher percentages it reminds me of a gummy raspberry flavor with a minimal amount of that gummy texture. It's bright, and a little sharp. Doesn't have the warmer, juicier hard candy notes from FA or INW Raspberry.
There's a pretty intense tartness here, burnishes some of the authenticity at lower percentages, and starts to feel like the base of a sour raspberry type candy at higher percentages.
This is a bit dry and top heavy. I'd call it relatively full in the middle and up top, but it doesn't have much in the way of a deeper, juicy base. The finish on the flavor is a bit thin.
Sweetness really ramps up quickly and gets fairly dry. At lower percentages it's sweeter than an actual raspberry but the flavor feels fairly true. At higher percentages it's a pretty solidly candy-sweet raspberry. Starts to pick up a heavy cotton-candy type of dryness.
Off-flavors: Nothing completely out of line for a raspberry. Finish is thin, starts to get dry and harsh up high.
Throat Hit: Light low, although still a bit harsh and dry. Harshness picks up quite up quite a bit up higher as the flavor dries out more.
Percentage testing: At 1% the actual raspberry tastes fairly close to realistic, but that sour candy baggage is starting to creep in. Light floral notes, fairly aggressive tartness, and a softer actual raspberry. Not much body, but some light dryness. Still fairly sweet here.
At 3% this is starting to get pretty heavily sweet and tart. Raspberry is a bit deeper but still is struggling a bit in the base. Getting dry.
At 5% this is bright, sharp, and dry. Very sweet and tart. Nothing overwhelmingly floral or off, just a bit too intense.
Just based on these tests, I'd be using this at around 2-3%. It's pretty sharp and intense, but the base needs some fullness so I wouldn't use it as a solo flavor. Would work lower at 1% as a tart raspberry accent.
Uses & Pairings: The thinner base or finish on this could work well for layering. Still realistic enough to work as a raspberry syrup or topping in bakeries. Creams should also help smooth this out quite a bit.
Fine mixed with juicier fruits. I'd avoid anything too floral or too dry, so be careful with additional berries. Nice "bright" fruit for pairing against something syrupy and dark.
Has the sweetness to pull of a candy raspberry with one of the candy texturizers to fill in the base. Dry, bright, sweetness is going to work really well with bubble gum bases, or something pixie stix-ish with FLV Candy Roll or TPA Sweet and Tart.
Second Opinions: Nah.
AFAIK, these are only available through Nicotine River. The product page is here. Not much info besides a description: "Bright floral notes with the perfect balance of sweetness makes this Raspberry a mouthwatering sensation! Natural tasting and delicious! Suggested starting percentage: 2% and adjust to taste." DAAP Free, and via the SDS the flashpoint is >200F, so it's probably not primarily ethyl alcohol based?
I can't find a manufacturer website, or any real notes.