Flavor West Raspberry

Setup: Recoil w/ flavor barrel, Dual 15 wrap 26g 3mm Nifethal 70 coils @.16 ohms. 60w power, 450F temp limit. Full Cotton Wicks.

Testing: FW Raspberry, 3 and 6%, 60/40 VG/PG, Steeped 7 days.

Flavor Description: A very artificial raspberry flavor. The raspberry itself definitely tastes more in the raspberry candy family, but it's missing some of the richer, warm, juicy sweetness you can get with other raspberry flavors. I don't really taste a floral note, but there's this off-putting perfumey and bitter chemical taste in the same space in the top notes where the florals usually show up. Closer to an artificial mixed berry flavor than a realistic raspberry. Mouthfeel is actually a little dry and chalky. Overall effect is sort of medicinal and odd. With better raspberries available, I'd be tempted to skip this one.

Inhale is bitter and sharp. Flat candy raspberry sweetness builds through the inhale with a dryer mouthfeel. Feels a bit airy overall, not quite dense and coherent even at 6%, but it's all sorts of bitter and chemical up that hight. Exhale starts with some candy raspberry bordering on generic mixed berry flavor. Sweet, but dry. Almost like a raspberry smartie or pixy-stik. Top notes are kind of a mess. High, bitter flavor with a distinct chemical edge. That chemical taste lingers for quite a while after the vape. Stil feel airy. Raspberry flavor is okay but the combination of the drier, airier mouthfeel and bitter edge seem pretty off-putting.

Off-flavors: Not a realistic raspberry, but too sharp and dry for a convincing candy raspberry. Pretty heavy bitter chemical edge to it all.

Throat Hit: Pretty harsh solo.

Uses & Pairings: I'm not sure there are any places where you wouldn't be better suited by another raspberry. If you want an artificial, candy raspberry both FLV Raspberry and TPA Raspberry Sweet do a better job without that weird chemical bitterness and a thicker mouthfeel.

This doesn't taste much like a realistic raspberry, so I'd stick with INW or FA Raspberry.

This doesn't really do a rich enhanced raspberry flavor for bakeries or creams like INW Shisha Raspberry would.

If you were going to use this, I'd try to hide in the background of a busy fruit mix somewhere and use that drier texture and the sweetness it brings to the table.

Notes: Concentration testing, this doesn't really have a percentage where it works well. 1% isn't actively offensive, but I'm not getting much raspberry out of it. Tastes sweet and bitter without much actual flavor. At 3%, the raspberry is a bit more prominent and full, but that bitter edge is staring to get really obtrusive. I'm not finding enough raspberry in here to really balance out that sharp chemical edge. At 6%, the raspberry that is in here tastes a bit muted, it's more up front but it's missing some of that warmer sweetness from at 3%. The bitterness is starting to chemical as well. At 10%, it's kind of a mess. Sweet, dry off notes.

Second Opinions:

Apparently people like this stuff well enough, I could just be off-base.

A three and five star on BCF. User "selena" writes: "I used as a standalone 7% an it was good fresh shake an vape. Then I let it steep an it got a medicine taste. Maybe it will work for a sub in recipes." User "Paul Verlengia" is more postive with: "Taste like a hand full of sweet raspberrys."

2 5-stars on NicRiver. User "Calvin A." says: " The flavor is spot on and works well for a vast array of mixes, or as a standalone vape. Seriously good." Eric E. adds: "So this is a very sweet raspberry in my opinion. It is great with Chai Tea recipes. I enjoy it very much. A staple in my Flavor inventory."

DIY_eJuice Flavor Reviews

H/T to ID10-T for suggesting this for review.

Bonus first test video for FW Grape Soda, Grapeberry Ice, Raspberry, and Blue Raspberry.