IVG 70/30 Shortfill E-Liquid 100ml – Blue Raspberry Ice

Blue Raspberry Ice: sweet, sour and seriously cold

Blue raspberry is a flavour that does not exist in nature, and that is exactly why people love it. It is a memory flavour, the taste of slush drinks, ice pops and penny sweets, bottled up and given a menthol chill. IVG's take in their 70/30 shortfill leans into all of that nostalgia and then drops the temperature, giving you a Blue Raspberry Ice that is equal parts candy stall and cold snap.

What is actually going on in the glass

The opening inhale is pure sweet blue raspberry. It is bright, bold and unmistakably artificial in the best possible way, that instantly recognisable blue-sweet flavour that hits the front of your tongue and makes your mouth water. There is a candy roundness to it, like a raspberry bonbon rather than a real berry.

Then the sour arrives. As the vapour develops mid-draw, a tart, tangy streak cuts across the sweetness, sharpening everything up. This is the push and pull that defines a good blue raspberry: sugary one second, mouth-puckering the next. On a 70/30 blend, the vapour is thick enough to carry both sides of that flavour without either one thinning out.

The exhale is where the ice takes over. A clean menthol wave rolls in and freezes the sweet-sour fruit in place, leaving your mouth cool, refreshed and slightly tingly. The aftertaste is crisp rather than sugary, so you are not left with that heavy candied coating. It resets fast, which is why so many people find it moreish.

When Blue Raspberry Ice hits hardest

This is a warm-weather hero. On a hot day, the frozen finish does the same job an ice lolly does, and it is hard to beat sat in a garden or walking somewhere in the sun. It is also a brilliant palate-waker, so vapers who want something loud and refreshing first thing, or as a pick-me-up in the afternoon slump, tend to gravitate towards it.

Mood-wise, it is an upbeat, energetic flavour. It suits sociable moments more than quiet, cosy ones. If you want something to sip on slowly by a fire, this is probably not it. If you want a bright hit that keeps your mouth feeling fresh through a busy day, it fits perfectly.

How it compares to the rest of the blue family

Against a no-ice blue raspberry, the difference is temperature and cleanliness. The plain version is sweeter and rounder, and it can feel a touch heavier over a long session. Adding ice, as this one does, thins that sweetness into something crisper and more drinkable. Compared to a Mr Blue or a mixed blueberry, Blue Raspberry Ice is far more candy-forward and sour, where those blends are jammier and more grown up. And set against a straight menthol, this keeps a big fruity personality rather than being all about the cold.

What to rotate it with

Because it is such a high-impact, sweet-sour flavour, your palate can start to numb to it if you never switch things up. The trick is to break it with flavours that live somewhere else entirely.

• Go creamy: a custard, vanilla or milkshake flavour gives your taste buds a soft, warm rest after all that tang.
• Go fruity but calm: a plain strawberry or a stone fruit like peach feels gentle after the sour hit.
• Stay cold, change the fruit: a menthol berry or a cola ice keeps the chill you like while giving the raspberry a night off.

Rotating like this keeps the sour spark alive, so when you come back to Blue Raspberry Ice it lands as sharply as it did on day one.

Getting the truest taste from it

A shortfill flavour tends to improve after a short settle. Once made up to strength, giving the bottle a good shake and a little time to mingle helps the sweet, sour and menthol layers marry into one coherent flavour rather than three separate ones. A gentle shake before each session never hurts either, as it lifts the flavour that settles at the bottom.

Flavour-wise, this profile is at its best on a fresh coil. The sour top notes are the first thing to dull as a coil ages, so if the tartness ever starts to disappear and you are left with mostly sweetness and ice, that is your cue to change the coil rather than the liquid. Serving it cool, straight from a session in a cooler room, exaggerates the icy finish nicely if that is what you are after.

Quick questions on Blue Raspberry Ice

How strong is the ice in this one?

It is a proper cooling finish rather than a light chill, noticeable on every exhale, but it is balanced so the fruit still leads. Menthol lovers get their fix while fruit fans still taste plenty of raspberry.

Is it too sweet for all-day vaping?

The sour and icy layers keep the sweetness in check, which makes it more sustainable than a pure candy flavour. That said, pairing it with a creamy or calm fruit flavour on rotation stops palate fatigue setting in.

Does it taste like a slushie?

Very much so. The sweet-sour blue raspberry with a frozen finish is the closest a vape flavour gets to a blue slush drink, which is a big part of its appeal.

This shortfill is intended for adult vapers of 18 and over in the UK, and any added nicotine must stay within the legal strength limits.