Al Fakher 30K Hypermax Pods – Blackcurrant Ice

Ice flavours live or die on one thing: does the cold actually arrive, or is it just a menthol label stuck on a fruit that doesn't really change? Blackcurrant Ice on the Al Fakher 30K Hypermax pods answers that question on the very first draw, and it answers it loudly.

How the Cold and the Fruit Actually Interact

The inhale opens with the blackcurrant first, dark, tart, unmistakably that cordial-style fruit, but it's only there for a beat before the cold rolls in behind it and takes over. This isn't a background chill sitting politely under the fruit; it's a proper icy rush that hits the roof of the mouth and the back of the throat, the kind that makes you exhale through slightly pursed lips whether you meant to or not. Mid-vape, the two elements settle into a rhythm: fruit on the way in, cold building through the middle, and by the exhale it's almost entirely menthol, crisp, sinus-clearing, with the blackcurrant reduced to a faint tart echo underneath the frost. It's less a fruit flavour with ice added and more an ice flavour with fruit riding along for the first half-second.

When and Who This Actually Works For

Given how big a device the 30K Hypermax is, Blackcurrant Ice is built for people who want one flavour to last them a long stretch without it turning cloying, and an icy fruit is far easier to vape for hours than a sugary one, since the cold resets your palate on every single draw rather than layering sweetness on sweetness. It's an obvious pick for hot weather, gym sessions, or anyone who just runs warm and wants something that feels refreshing rather than rich. It's a poor match for anyone sensitive to strong menthol or who finds icy vapes irritate the throat, since this leans firmly toward the cooling end rather than a gentle hint of it.

• Best for: summer, exercise, long vaping sessions, anyone who wants the cold to actually be there
• Less suited to: menthol-sensitive throats, or anyone who wants blackcurrant to be the dominant, lasting note

Comparing It to the Softer Option

Set next to Blackcurrant Mint from the same range, the difference is really about what kind of "cool" you're getting. Mint is a herbal, leafy freshness, you can still taste the fruit clearly the whole way through. Ice is a physical cold sensation, more about temperature than taste, and it pushes the blackcurrant into a supporting role rather than letting it lead. If you find Ice a bit much on its own, rotating it with Mint on alternate days gives you a lighter version of the same fruit without losing the cooling element entirely, useful if straight menthol starts to feel numbing after a few sessions in a row.

Making Sure You're Getting It at Its Best

Because the cooling agents in ice flavours are more volatile than fruit sweeteners, letting a fresh pod sit and settle for a few minutes before the first draw makes a real difference, a pod vaped too soon can taste unbalanced, with more fruit and less chill than it settles into later. The icy hit is also more pronounced on a slightly faster, deeper draw than a slow sip, which is the opposite of how most fruit-only flavours behave. Given the puff count on this device runs into the tens of thousands, expect the cooling intensity to soften gradually over very long-term use even while the fruit stays fairly consistent, that's normal wear on the cooling agent rather than a fault.

Room temperature affects how strong the ice hit reads, too. Vaping it somewhere already cold, outdoors in winter, for example, can make the cooling feel almost too sharp, while a warm room lets the effect land more comfortably without losing intensity. If the chill ever feels overwhelming, easing off to shorter, shallower draws for a session or two rather than stopping the flavour altogether usually lets your throat adjust.

Living With It Over a Long Puff Count

A 30,000-puff device isn't something most people finish in a day or a week, so the real test for a flavour like this is whether it still tastes good on puff fifteen thousand, not just puff one. Icy fruit flavours generally hold up better than sweet ones over that kind of stretch, precisely because the cooling sensation doesn't build up on the palate the way sugar does, there's no cumulative cloying effect to fight against. That's arguably the biggest practical advantage Blackcurrant Ice has on this particular device: it's built to still feel fresh a long way into the pod's life, not just on the first few draws out of the box.

Blackcurrant Ice FAQs

Is the cold hit strong compared to other ice flavours?

It's on the stronger side. The menthol comes through clearly enough to dominate the exhale, so it's a better fit for people who actively want that sensation rather than a light suggestion of it.

Will the blackcurrant taste get lost under the ice?

It stays present on the inhale and gives the flavour its identity, but yes, the exhale is where the cold takes over, so this reads more as an icy vape with fruit character than a fruity vape with a cool finish.

Is Blackcurrant Ice a good all-day flavour on a high-puff device like this?

Generally yes, since the cooling effect prevents the sweetness fatigue that a straight fruit flavour can cause over thousands of puffs. As with all nicotine vape products, it's restricted to over-18s and sold at nic salt strengths within the UK's 20mg/ml cap.