Table of Contents
Last Updated on December 5, 2023 by Team Spinfuel
The Spinfuel eLiquid Review Team and Lucky Ruckus
Lucky Ruckus Top Shelf eLiquids
Lucky Ruckus provided the review team with five of their new “Top Shelf” eLiquids for this review almost a month ago. At the time not all five were available on their online store so we decided to hold back a bit before doing the review. Ultimately, there will be another eliquid added to the ‘Top Shelf’ line, and when that eliquid is ready we’ll add it to this review.
Reviews like this one are always a pleasure for the Spinfuel eLiquid Review Team. All five eliquids scored extremely well, due to the quality of the eliquids, as well as the particular flavor combinations and exacting recipes chosen by the mixologists at Lucky Ruckus. They did a marvelous job on all five. In fact, when we reached the roundtable discussion part of the review there wasn’t a drop left. (Always a good sign.)
Protocols – If this is your first Spinfuel eLiquid Team Review we suggest heading over to our Protocol page to learn how we conduct these extensive, in-depth reviews. The review itself will make more sense once you understand the complicated procedures we go through during our 72-hour review period.
Packaging – Labels – Lucky Ruckus is offering the Top Shelf line is 30ML and 120ML sizes, amber glass bottles for both. The labels, while somewhat difficult to read the name, are gorgeous, full color, highly stylized graphics. Child safety caps with glass droppers round out the physical aspects of this new line. The graphic to the right is the style of each of the labels. At times we had to shine a light on the label to read the name.
Prices – These are top shelf eliquids, and as such carry a moderately higher price than other 30ML premium label eliquids. Strangely enough, the 120ML size is a real bargain.
The 30ML bottle will run you $19.50, or 65 cents per ML, while four times the quantity, a full 120ML bottle, costs just $64.99, or 54 cents per ML, saving you more than 10 cents per ML. When you discover the eliquids you want to add to your own rotation we suggest you consider the 120ML size…not just for the price, but because you’ll want to make sure you always have some on hand.
Nicotine Levels are 3mg, 6mg, 12mg, 18mg, and of course, the zero-nic option is available as well. Again, we see the trend of offering lower nicotine strengths is continuing with Lucky Ruckus as well.
These Top Shelf eliquids make great choices for all types of vapers, from those that want dripper eliquids to mainstream vapers looking for rich, luscious flavors for their clearomizers and tanks. Only one of the five is fruity, none contain menthol.
Commonalities – All five are deep, rich flavors with particular flavor notes unique to each one. Each one presents with a dominant flavor and unique hints and notes of other flavors that complement the dominant one. If custards, vanillas, caramels and nuts are flavors you enjoy there is a high chance you’ll add many, if not all, to your collection. We suspect all are PG-Free, high VG eliquids. Each one is on the thick side, and combined with high vapor production and lesser throat hits using mainstream vape gear, we would be surprised if PG was used at all.
Vapor production was excellent in each eliquid. Throat hits varied, however, despite our request for 18mg nicotine. Tom did attempt to drip a couple of the eliquids and was amazed at the vapor, but the nicotine level of 18mg caused a much too powerful throat hit. All our vape gear was limited to what we use in our normal protocols. Tom intends to buy some 3mg and 6mg eliquids in this line in order to do some proper dripping, and quad-coil, sub-ohm vaping.
Lastly, all five eliquids handles higher power settings much better than most other deep, rich flavored eliquids we know. I found myself in the 5+ volts range more than a few times, and with it were warm clouds of vapor, filled to the brim with flavor. No easy feat, but Lucky Ruckus did it.
The Review
Caramello Pirium – “This vape is a sweet, savory, vape that combines luscious caramel and a mellow fruit that will give your sensations a re-awakening and leave you wanting more!” – Lucky Ruckus
Julia: Whatever ‘fruit’ layer there is in this awesome vape it is mostly lost in the richest, creamiest caramel flavor I’ve experienced in a while. It did take a few minutes to settle in, the caramel hits you hard at first, but once it does settle… in you’re looking at one of the richest caramel vapes you can get, with only hints of a fruit component. 4.75 Stars
Tom: Caramello Pirium is one of those eliquids where you really wish you could drip all the time. I came at this flavor after I had already tried to drip one of the others so I knew I couldn’t try it again, not at 18mg of nicotine, but man I really wanted to. The caramel layer is very thick, very rich, and the hint of raspberry reminded me of a very expensive chocolate candy from Godiva. Pure pleasure. 5 Stars
Jason: I didn’t expect to like this one as much as I did. I read the description and I just didn’t think that caramel and fruit needed to be together. But, I can see now why Lucky Ruckus took the chance to development such a deeply satisfying vape. That hint of berries is an awesome touch. 4.5 Stars
Keira: The caramel flavor in this powerful eliquid was almost too much for me. Almost. The caramel comes at you like a freight train and just as you think you’re going to be over-powered that spark of fruitiness kicks in on the exhale and assures you that everything is going to be okay. For vapers that love strong caramel vapes who also might also think that a touch of berry fruit would do the trick. 4.75 Stars.
CUSSIN APE – A Spinfuel Choice Award Winner “Fantastically smooth and creamy glazed banana custard! Simply Delicious” – Lucky Ruckus
Julia: Cussin Ape was one of my favorites of the five. However, the banana custard was more custard than banana. And what a custard it is. Deeply flavorful, creamy as hell, with vanilla custard so rich you won’t want to stop. The banana is definitely there, but more of a flavor note than anything else. This is a delicious vape and very, very satisfying. 5 Stars
Tom: The thing that made me want to score Cussin Ape the 5 stars was how Lucky Ruckus managed to squeeze in so much of a deep custard flavor without ruining the banana flavor notes. On the inhale you are flooded with a creamy custard beginning, and only on the exhale does the creamy banana flavor reveal itself in such a comforting manner. Definitely a satisfying vape, and one that sets a new standard in deep creamy custard flavors. 5 Stars
Jason: Cussin Ape nearly qualifies as the first deep custard eliquid that can double as an all-day-vape. Usually a custard flavor will numb your taste buds after a while, but with Cussin Ape it didn’t happen until after more than 12 hours went by. I started vaping it in the morning and didn’t need to change flavors until a couple hours after dinner. This is why we vape at various times of the day before making up our minds. 5 Stars
Keira: Cussin Ape confused me at first. Seeing the word ape in the title I expected a primarily banana vape and instead it is, to me, a creamy vanilla custard with banana notes at the end. Which was perfectly fine with me. Such deep, luscious custard, creaminess to the max. Like a few of the others, Cussin Ape is going into my rotation. 5 Stars
Obsidian – “A cream bakery tobacco base blend with some other special ingredients that will leave you wondering why you’ve waited so long to get a bottle.” – Lucky Ruckus
Julia: Obsidian is a wonderful eliquid with just one quirk. If you don’t give it enough volts or watts (power), the tobacco flavor hides among this rich creamy background flavor. Now, don’t get me wrong, keeping the power levels where the math tells you to gives you a delicious and creamy vape, but pumping up the power brings out this sweet satisfying tobacco flavor that even vapers who are not into tobacco flavors would enjoy it. Clouds of vapor, a nice throat hit, and a wonderful, satisfying flavor. 4.75 Stars
Tom: I enjoyed Obsidian quite a bit despite the tobacco flavor being well hidden behind a front of creamy, almost cookie dough flavor. As we discussed during the roundtable, Obsidian takes more power to reveal its complicities, but once it does, tobacco lovers will enjoy it a lot. 4 Stars
Jason: Obsidian is okay, but I didn’t enjoy as much as I did some of the others. Although, it is the one eliquid of the five where there is no doubt that it is an all day vape. Julia mentioned this could be a tobacco flavor for people that don’t particularly like tobacco eliquids and I agree. I wanted more tobacco, but it was still enjoyable. 4 Stars
Keira: You definitely need to push the voltage up in order to uncover the tobacco flavor underneath, and until you do what you will taste instead is a sort of bland creaminess without a lot of identity. Having said that, pushing the voltage will give you a really smooth tobacco vape with creamy notes all around. Not bad at all, but maybe it could be more of a punch in the tobacco area; it is after all, a tobacco flavor. 3.75 Stars
Red Pirium – “Red Pirium is a complex fruit blended together perfectly to give you a pleasant vape full of a mixture of fruity flavor notes!”- Lucky Ruckus
Julia: A delicious raspberry base starts off this all day vape of fruity goodness. As far as the other fruits are concerned, at certain times I could taste different berries, but not in enough density to know exactly which ones. The photo on the left indicates a pear flavor, but I didn’t taste it. If you’re looking for a light fruity vape for all day vaping, this could very well be it. I bet at 3 or 6mg nicotine this one would make drippers very happy. 4.5 Stars
Tom: After vaping this in an Aerotank with a 1.6ohm coil at 11W’s I knew this had to be tried in a dripper. It’s so good, but dear god, don’t try to drip this at 18mg! The throat hit was way too powerful, but the flavor was incredible. Moving back to my Aerotank, Red Pirium was a delicious raspberry all day vape. One I will add to my drip rotation, albeit in 6mg nicotine. 4.75 Stars
Jason: While I prefer to spend my personal vaping time with no more than maybe one fruity flavor I decided to add Red Pirium to my rotation because this one has such a nice fruity texture to it that it’s a splendid all day vape with a deep fruity flavor. I couldn’t tell much about what berries are in this, other than raspberry (and only because Julia and Tom think its raspberry), but whatever it is, it’s delicious. Definitely a drippers eliquid. 4.75 Stars
Keira: I vaped Red Pirium in a Nautilus mini with a 1.8ohm coil and the vapor production is equaled only by the intense fruity goodness. Each time I picked it up to vape I would be hit by an intense burst of fruity berries, and then it would calm down and deliver hours of fruity pleasure-filled vaping. Raspberry, blackberry, and other berries combine in an all day formula that will please any fruit vaper. It’s eliquids like this that make me want to learn how to drip, all on my own. 4.5 Stars
Teres Nut – A Spinfuel Choice Award Winner – “Think Peanut butter luxury. This is a rich nutty vape with a touch of creamy goodness that just may become your all day vape!” – Lucky Ruckus
Julia: What makes Teres Nut an amazing peanut butter vape is that along with a sweet, rich peanut butter flavor you also taste individual nuts. It’s a peanut butter and nuts combination that brings new vaping pleasures to vapers that like peanut butter flavors. For best results, try vaping at 3.7v and working your way up, when you hit your sweet spot you’ll know it because the creamy peanut butter will make way for real peanuts and it will take you to new heights in nutty vape heaven. I loved it! 5 Stars
Tom: A common thread in our roundtable discussion was how this peanut butter vape was somehow infused with the flavor of actual peanuts too. I described as most other peanut butter eliquids are “smooth peanut butter” and Teres Nut is chunky peanut butter. Excellent! 5 Stars
Jason: Teres Nut is a great peanut butter vape because it tastes like a spoonful of sweet peanut butter. Very authentic, and very much an all-day-vape if you like peanut butter. Definitely going into my collection, and probably a once a week rotation. Very satisfying, very nicely done. 5 Stars
Keira: I think I was vaping Teres Nut for more than an hour before Julia asked me how I liked this peanut butter ejuice. I said “peanut butter? I thought it was nuts”. When I first started vaping all I tasted was a lightly salted peanut flavor, a delicious one at that. But as soon as Julia told me it was a peanut butter blend I began tasting that peanut butter flavor too. What a great combination! I thought Tom hit it right when he said it was like a chunky peanut butter instead of creamy peanut butter. For vapers looking for a great putter butter and nuts vape for high-end vaping. 5 Stars
Conclusion
These five, intense flavors are all excellent blends of very satisfying flavors. Custards, vanilla, sweet tobacco, and even a berry-centric flavor are all truly marvelous choices in the art of producing high-end eliquids. If you like the base flavor as described, and you’re looking for high-VG formulas you can’t go wrong with any of them.
We all had our favorites, and this is what it came out to be:
- Julia: Teres Nut – The flavor just kept getting richer, nuttier, more satisfying
- Tom: Cussin Ape and Teres Nut – Ape: So rich and satisfying, with just the right amount of a banana to offer something new. Nut: A perfect blend of chunky peanut butter.
- Jason: Cussin Ape – Loved, loved, loved it.
- Keira – Red Pirium and Caramello Pirium – Red: The raspberry pulled it over the top. Caramello – The more I vaped it, the better I liked it. Powerful caramel for special times.
Buying Advice
We recommend you begin with a 30ML bottle of the one eliquid that most interests you. Know that all 5 have similar qualities, and that if you like one, you’ll like the others that appeal to you in written form. Once you discover the ones you want to add into your own rotation we recommend the 120ML bottles, for two reasons. The 120ML bottle saves you more than 10 cents per ML, and as they age they will get even better, this is true of all high-VG eliquids we’ve had this year.
Julia, Tom, Jason, and Keira
