Jack the Ripple by T-Juice

Disclaimer: This E-liquid was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of conducting a review. This fact notwithstanding, I will, as best I'm able, provide an honest, accurate and unbiased assessment of this product. Pertinent portions of this review are quoted from my review of T-Juice's Afro Dizziac. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/afro-dizziac-by-t-juice.html Quoted passages are in italics.

Earlier this month (7th August 2013) I posted a review of T-Juice's http://t-juice.com/ sampler tin, "Let There Be Juice: Volume 1". http://vapour-taster.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/let-there-be-juice-volume-1-by-t-juice.html One of the six liquids included in "Let There Be Juice: Volume 1" is Jack the Ripple, the subject of this review.

"Jack the Ripple is the best-known name given to an unidentified cardboard manufacturer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. He was known to have operated the machinery of a local cardboard factory at night when he could be certain nobody would disturb him. Much conspiracy theory surrounds his identity due to his prolific and disturbingly proficient production of corrugated cardboard, which it seems was his forte. Despite repeated attempts to catch or espy him at work by a group called The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee and the Constabulary of Scotland Yard, he eluded detection which suggests that he may have had one or more accomplices. Not content to produce the cardboard, he delivered it on five separate occasions to different locations. In recent years, conspiracy theorist Charles "Iocus Severus" Hastings discovered a significant symbol when he traced lines on a map between the five Whitechapel locations. That symbol was a pentagram, leading many to surmise that Jack the Ripple may have been a member of the Golden Dawn and as such, a luminary of London Society. Despite the many and varied theories about the identity and profession of Jack the Ripple, authorities are not agreed on a single solution and the number of named suspects reaches over one hundred." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripple

In honour of the mysterious corrugated cardboard manufacturer, T-Juice have concocted an E-Liquid called Jack the Ripple. T-juice describe Jack the Ripple as being "Based on a classic British raspberry ripple ice cream, which produces immense vapour and gives a really solid throat hit." http://t-juice.com/jack-the-ripple.html

T-Juice are a UK company based in Northwest London. Their catalogue consists of 26 E-liquids which range from deserts and fruits to menthols and tobaccos. They appear to take the creation of their juices very seriously; sourcing all their ingredients from the EU or US, acknowledging the art and science of flavour crafting, recognising the roles of each of the senses in the apprehension of flavoured vapour and allowing for the quality assurance provided by a panel of seasoned vapers.

The bottle included in Let There Be Juice: Volume 1 contains 5ml of liquid. When bought as an individual bottle, Jack the Ripple is available in a 10 (£5.95) or 30ml bottle (£15.95) at nicotine strengths of 0, 3, 8, 11, 16, 24 or 33mg with a PG/VG ratio of 80/20. 

The 5ml bottle that T-Juice uses is a clear, easily squeezed plastic with a 1cm long needle type dropper and a red, childproof, screw top cap. The label includes the following information: the name of the juice in a theme appropriate font, the phrase "Premium UK E-Liquid", liquid content in ml, nicotine content in mg, an ingredients list, the address, website and phone number of the manufacturer, a batch number, a best used by date, storage advice, safety instructions ("Keep out of reach and sight of children") and warning symbols. The label also advises that the liquid may contain traces of nuts.

Jack the Ripple is a limpid Dark Orange http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange#Dark_orange_.28web_color.29 The liquid is reasonably aqueous, having the consistency of an undiluted cordial and is mildly lubricious. When rubbed between the tips of my thumb and forefinger, the liquid is absorbed into my skin within a minute and a half. The aroma that ascends from the bottle is a rather appealing raspberry and vanilla which is very suggestive of a raspberry laced ice-cream.

The sample sent to me for review is 16mg nicotine strength and I'm vaping it in an Igo-L on a mechanical mod running on an 18650 battery. I don't have the means to check the ohms of the coil but there's four wraps of 0.2 Kanthal wire (32 AWG) around three strands of 2mm Silica wick, which should give you an idea of what I'm working with.

When I first fire the device and draw the vapour into my mouth a wash of moderate sweetness registers throughout, alongside a mild degree of sourness. Whether it's the influence of knowledge (that this is a raspberry flavoured e-liquid) or the interaction of the vapour with my taste buds, I recognise the general flavour of berry. As I continue to inhale, the berry flavour and sweetness/sourness is amplified slightly until I cease inhaling vapour and take a short breath of fresh air to chase the dense volume into my lungs. At this point, and as the breath begins to turn, the primary flavour of raspberry is unfurled combined with the suggestion of a creamy vanilla. The slow, measured exhalation carries these flavours through to the aftertaste, where the tart aspect of the berries predominates. Like several other liquids I've written about recently, there's a "dry" aspect to the aftertaste which I would liken to the "dryness" found in certain white wines. There's also a familiar metallic tang around my teeth and gums, which is by no means unpleasant.

If I fill my mouth with vapour before inhaling, I experience a significant throat hit. If I draw the vapour directly into my lungs, I experience what I can best describe as a mounting of pressure at the back of my throat. Either way there's a substantial amount of pleasant stimulation as the vapour passes through the throat. The Igo-L seems to influence the amount of vapour produced; a saturated wick produces a small amount of vapour, while a less saturated wick, one or two drags shy of being dry produces a generous amount. As an 80% PG liquid, I wouldn't expect there to be vast volumes of vapour bellowing into the room around me.

The flavour presented in Jack the Ripple is full bodied and sweet without being cloying. The mild sourness adds an element of authenticity to the berry flavour while the vanilla is creamy and luxurious. Jack the Ripple is a successful approximation of the flavour of raspberry laced ice-cream without any hint of artificiality about it, beyond the (sometimes) obviously artificial taste of flavoured ice-cream itself.

Prince Albert Victor

In conclusion, I'd like to leave you with a suggestion regarding the identity of the original Jack the Ripple, after whom this e-liquid was named. In 1890, a scullery maid in the employ of the Royal family at Buckingham Palace, in her absent-mindedness turned left instead of right as she traversed the servant's work-rooms below the palace and entered a narrow corridor leading to a storage room that had lain unused for a number of years. As she approached the room, she heard two men arguing behind a closed door. Her curiosity got the better of her and she bent to put her eye to the keyhole. Although she could see the two men, she couldn't see their faces, nor make out what they were arguing about. Nevertheless, she recognised the dress and voice of one of the men, whom she identified in her dictated memoirs as Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale. She recognised the second man in the room, by his voice, as one of the coachmen. Although she thought nothing of it at the time, she also remarked that the room was filled from floor to ceiling with pristine corrugated cardboard.

Barnett, Bessy Alice; Memoirs of a Scullery Maid in the Service of the Royal Family; pp. 269–270; Marriott, p.238