Hangsen Apple Mix
ConcreteRiver
Setup: Recoil w/ flavor barrel, Dual 15 wrap 26g 3mm Nifethal 70 coils @.17 ohms. 60w power, 450F temp limit. Full Cotton Wicks.
Testing: HS Apple Mix @ 3%, 60/40 VG/PG, Steeped 31 days.
Flavor Description: Instant apple cider from a packet, all the way. Some cranberry and cinnamon notes, but overall the effect is dead on for a rehydrated powdered apple cider down to the warm and thin mouthfeel.
Inhale is warm cinnamon and some nondescript apple. Cinnamon itself is nice and doesn't have that weird sour metallic note from something like CAP's Cinnamon Danish Swirl. More like a very mellow version of FA Cinnamon Ceylon. Apple has that really basic dehydrated apple taste. No real juice or flesh here. Exhale starts with that apple note then a really mild cranberry type of tartness. Cinnamon shows up again on the tail end of the exhale, with a star anise inflection. Overall exhale is fairly thin without being astringent and dry without being too powdery.
Off-flavors: None. Dead ringer for instant apple cider.
Throat Hit: Moderate. Right off the bat it's pretty intense. Settles down a bit with extended use but never gets too smooth.
Uses & Pairings: So this is used in a couple of DIY-famous cider recipes, and with good reason. It's the main component of /u/fizzmustard/ 's Mustard Cider and /u/skiddlzninja/ 's Arbor. It's the obvious use in the best possible way.
The relative softness of the apple and the pleasant use would lend itself to a cider donut. This is fairly dry, so I'd watch the moistness in the recipe, but this should impart just the right level of fruit and spice to bump up a standard donut recipe.
The dehyrdrated apple part of this also makes think of mixing with a tobacco. It should give you a fruity essence without making the tobacco too juicy or adding too much spice.
Notes:
S&V concentration testing, I like this as a mixer around 2%. You still get most of the actual flavor available, but the dryness isn't too pronouned. As a primary note, for a cider, 3 or 4% is the way to go. 3% is a little more subtle, with 4% bringing a heavier cinnamon and a distinct sweetness. This by itself is complex and full enough to work as a pretty damn good cider at 3%.
Figured that a solid review of this concentrate would help, given that we are pretty much past the holiday vape season and everyone (myself included) can go back to forgetting this exists for the next 10 months. Really great, if really specific flavor.
Second Opinions:
I know I linked already, but /u/fizzmustard provides an awesome description in his recipe notes:
"...it's a very clean and bright mix of tart apple, cranberry and a subtle bit of cinnamon spice. The marquee feature here is balance. None of the notes wash out the others and each is distinct and at the appropriate potency. It doesn't SMACK you in the face with apple...just like a cider shouldn't."
Most of the other mentions are just people complaining it's sold out. Some discussion of a cider base here.
EDIT: I knew I had seen this in a donut recipe. /u/trevorxgage includes it his "Thankful Donut" recipe. His notes are also worth reading: "This flavor is one of the best fall flavors I've used. It's not really an apple mix, so much as a fall spice mix. Notes of apple, cinnamon, cranberry, and perhaps some other spices, maybe nutmeg?"