The first of these and the subject of this review is Bear Tropics. The website describes this juice as "Classic Gummy Bear with a Tropical Twist". As with all Diamond Vapor juices, Bear Tropics is available in bottle sizes of 10ml ($5.00) or 30ml ($12.00), nicotine strengths of 6, 12, 18 or 24mg and PG/VG ratios of 50/50, 60/40 or 70/30. They also offer the option of customer specified PG/VG ratios which is very useful if you suffer from an allergy or intolerance of some sort to one or the other. Or you want to maximise flavour over vapour production. Or vice versa.
While the plastic of this 10ml bottle is soft I found I had to apply a reasonable amount of pressure to get the liquid out of it. The screw-top lid is not child proof, so parents may want to exercise caution in the storage of this juice. The label contains the date of the juice's production, nicotine strength and PG/VG ratio. It also has a warning to "keep away from children" and informs the user that it is "handmade in the USA".
As I unscrew the lid and raise the bottle to my nose, I smell the unmistakable aroma that comes with opening a fresh packet of fruit flavoured, gelatinous confectionery. The liquid is clear with just a hint of colour, ivory perhaps, to suggest the presence of something more than the PG and VG liquids which form its base.
I have never had a particularly sweet tooth. Since beginning to vape however, only a matter of a few months ago, I've discovered that I quite like the sweeter end of the flavour spectrum. It comes as a bit of a surprise that Bear Tropics, despite the significantly sweet aroma is a fairly subtly sweetened flavour. I struggled with this a bit until I began to think in terms of confectionery pitched to an adult palate. Wine gums, also a gelatinous, fruit flavoured confectionery come to mind. I find that to get the best out of this liquid, I need to take several short, shallow drags followed by a sustained inhalation. The vapour heats up with each puff and the flavour builds until the final inhalation and brief holding of the breath when the Gummy Bears reveal themselves in all their glory. The flavour is fully apprehended on the exhalation, when I discover what I think is the presence of pineapple. It's a subtle, pineappley sweetness but without the acidity. A few moments after the exhalation I begin to salivate. Finally, there's a light sensation of fine grained tingle on the forward part of my tongue as though I've actually been eating Gummy Bears.
The vapour production is excellent and is nothing less than what I'd expect from a juice with a 50/50 PG/VG ratio. Throat hit is negligible, though there is a slight rasping at the back of the tongue and throat with sustained inhalation.
If you have a sweet tooth and you enjoy your confectionery, then I wouldn't hesitate to suggest you give this juice a go. The aroma and flavour are remarkable facsimiles of the actual candy.
