Vapouround magazine ISSUE 23 | Page 217

REVIEW BY BENEDICT ‘NED’ JONES The Panther Series – Pink Smoothie The Panther Series – Gold VG/PG ratio: 78/22 Additional sweetener: Moderate Throat hit: Mild VG/PG ratio: 78/22 Additional sweetener: Moderate Throat hit: Mild Having come third place in the Juice of the Year category at this year’s Vapouround Awards, I knew to expect something special with Pink Smoothie. The top note is a rich blackcurrant. It provides some sharper sweetness, but also has a full-bodied depth that you might expect from a blackcurrant jam. It’s tangy, sticky and very authentic. This is supported by a mellow vanilla cream base. This layer gives the profile a robust mouthfeel while contrasting with the darker sweetness of the top note. Pink Smoothie is a simple but very nicely balanced profile that will please dessert and fruit fans alike. Dr Vapes describe Gold as a lychee and mixed fruits blend. I must admit, the lychee top note is very mild here. Usually you would expect a bold aromatic sweetness from this exotic fruit, but in the case of Gold, we have something much more subtle. Supporting the lychee is a subtle fruit cocktail that seems to incorporate citrus and berries. This too is rather mild, so it’s hard to say for sure what’s going on in the background. The result is a moderately sweet, mildly sticky fruit cocktail profile that doesn’t overpower the palate. Purple Ice Dat Stuff – Dat Punch Stuff VG/PG ratio: 78/22 Additional sweetener: Moderate Throat hit: Mild, with cooling VG/PG ratio: 78/22 Additional sweetener: Moderate Throat hit: Mild, with cooling Purple Ice is described as a blend of green, red and dark grapes with coolant. The top note is a bright green grape. It’s quite unusual in that it provides a pleasant sharpness along with a tangy aftertaste that lingers. This is supported by a blend of darker grapes which add a deeper sweetness along with that unmistakable sticky mouthfeel. This is a grape blend with more definition than usual, as different aspects of the grape layers present themselves throughout the day. The profile is finished with a moderate coolant, which does not interfere with the flavour, keeping things nice and light. Dat Punch Stuff is described as a cherry, watermelon and strawberry slush. The authentic cherry top note has a natural deep sweetness along with very mild bitter notes. This is supported by a light candy strawberry, which boosts the cherry’s sweetness and pushes it to the top of the profile while providing the candied connotations of a slush. The berries are contrasted with an authentic mild watermelon flavour, bringing a pleasant juicy mouthfeel to the blend. The profile is finished with a moderate coolant which really sells that slush designation. A great fruit/ice blend for the summer. VM23 | 217