All I needed was a third Kernow liquid called “Sack”
Then I’d have had the full Black, Sack and Crack.
No? oh well I tried… 🙂
Shit joke out of the way, we’ll get black on track and crack on with the reviews for a couple of popular Kernow mixes. I’ve never tried any of their range before, but over on the ELFC Facebook group a LOT of the members are really into them.
Only seemed right that a buy a few in and see why they are so popular!
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THE BLACK
Mixed at 15% ( suggested 15-20% )
Mixed at 75vg / 25pg, 3mg and 50vg / 50pg 16mg Salts
Steeped for over 7 days ( suggested 7 days )
Priced at £6.99 for 30ml concentrate at time of review (also available as 250ml Bottle Shot for £9.99)
I still can’t believe just how popular Astaire style juices are. But they are, and I must admit I can be partial to them when in an MTL 50/50 mix. As it goes, “The Black” looks like Kernow’s most popular creation by far, so I sorta had to buy this in.
I mixed a portion up at 50/50 with 16mg Nic Salts, and the rest as 75/25 VG/PG at 3mg
I fully expected to mainly prefer the MTL mix and find the other sub-ohm mix too much, what with the Eucalyptus/Menthol/Cooling likely in there.
I was very, very wrong.
Astaire Juices, as most of us know, are usually Fruit + Aniseed + Eucalyptus / Menthol. Blackcurrant Gives you Black Astaire, Mixed fruit Red Astaire etc, etc. The key to a good or great Astaire is where the mixologist places his emphasis when balancing this trio of flavours, and subsequently how much the consumer enjoys it.
The Black’s fruits of choice are Blackcurrant and Grape, with Blackcurrant accounting for a slightly larger chunk of the fruity taste, and the grape not only giving hints of American Style grape flavour but also a very subtle bubblegum vibe too. Interesting.
I was happy to notice the Aniseed has been handled quite subtly and deftly too. It’s there but balanced well with the fruits.
As for the menthol / eucalyptus it’s weird because I get an effect that’s quite opposite to what I was expecting.
In the MTL 50/50 mix, The Black is very cooling-driven with a fruit / aniseed aftertaste. And if I’d have left it at that this would’ve likely received a lower rating.
But in the Sub-ohm RTA ( I was using the Doom Mesh tank at 0.2 ohms ) the Fruits blossomed, the Aniseed sang, and the chilling effects were not half as bad as I’d imagined they’d be. Not at all.
In fact, I can say that I really am enjoying this as a 75VG ADV mix, and if I were to buy again would surely invest in the 250ml Bottle Shot.
It’s a little more complex than a Blackcurrant Tunes vape, what with the added aniseed and grape, but if this sounds even slightly appealing to you then you know what to do. Just jump on the bandwagon.
PEEGOREVAPES RATING :
KERNOW CRACK
Mixed at 17% ( suggested 17% )
Mixed at 75vg / 25pg, 3mg
Steeped for over 7 days ( suggested 7 days )
Priced at £6.99 for 30ml concentrate at time of review (also available as 250ml Bottle Shot for £9.99)
This second choice was sort of a random pick. I didn’t know what I fancied. It probably should’ve been Bluebena due to popularity, but reviewing two blackcurrant liquids seemed a bit ‘samey’
So I scoured the list at ELFC, and Crack seemed fairly interesting. Strawberry and Marshmallow with, unusually for this combo of flavours, cooling ( well not so unusual for Kernow I suppose! They seem to love their chilliness )
The Strawberry is certainly a candy style fruit, and the the marshmallow is detectable in the usual marshmallowy way; mouthfeel and sweetness.
My issue with this mix is that the two chosen flavours don’t stand up well against the cooling, which to be honest is no stronger than in ‘The Black’ really. They are fighting to push past it’s iciness and generally failing, unlike the stronger dark fruits and anise in ‘The Black’ which have way more flavour-backbone and presence.
Kernow Crack could have been a great vape, but the balance of fruit vs cooling lets it down. It’s just O.K. I would never usually choose a juice where 75% of the perceived ‘flavour’ is cooling effect.
PEEGOREVAPES RATING : 
FINAL THOUGHTS
One hit and one near miss. Not too bad for my first foray into the world of Kernow. I know there will be more hidden gems to dig-out here, and I’m fairly sure it’ll be Bluebena.
Cheers, Peegore
I got them here – 
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