Despite using FA's flavors for years, I'm FINALLY getting around to doing some SFT on them. A huge thanks out to @drew1 from BCF for sending these new flavors my way for testing. Mixing them now, and am finalizing the steep time(s).
**Amarula (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- FIRST one on deck from FA's NEW flavor releases. Ama what ?? Yes, Amarula. If you've never had it, it is a creamy liquor from the African Marula fruit. I've only ever tried [one brand](https://thedrinkblog.com/amarula-cream/), which is aged in oak barrels, and Flavor Art PERFECTLY captured this one, and I have no clue how they did it. The most common description would be a combination of Baileys Cream and an almost Grapefruit (not exactly) like citrus note. I don't think I can improve on that widely used comparison. The fruit component is grapefruit-like, but unique enough to avoid a closer comparison. The mid and back end cream notes are very Baileys-like, and are paired perfectly with the citrus. Throughout testing this one, I did get an almost smoky lower end note on the finish, with maybe a smidge of bitterness, but, it in no way detracted from the overall flavor or experience. Wow, I hate to use "unique" so early in the run, but it IS. I can think of no other close comparison flavor, so this one would be a great choice for something new and unique. The interesting thing was the citruis and cream notes stayed perfectly balanced from beginning to end, with a sometimes smoky, slightly bitter finish. Nothing out of place, off-putting, and sweetness was below mid level, which really kept this interesting from beginning ot end. It's actually rekindling my need to dash out and grab a bottle, and that's saying something. First one from FA was a homerun. Hard to detract from this one, and it felt very good @ **9.65/10**.
**Banana Candy (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- I was expecting a traditional "runt" with this one, but instead I was greeted with a nice, unobtrusive artificial banana instead. Now, runts ARE artificial, but most I've tried were fairly "in your face", and had an almost acetone like note, whereas this one, was much more of an even keeled, relaxed banana. It def. wasn't a natural and did lean artificial, and the "candy" will be subjective to the individual. I didn't get an overt candy-ness from it, and sweetness was below mid level, which was surprising for a "candy" flavor. It was very smooth from start to finish, but not creamy. Convincing, tasty, but not as punchy as a traditional "runt". No off-putting notes, and felt fairly relaxed at this testing weight. Because of it's more "relaxed" nature, you would be able to use it more often than not. No real takeoffs other than relaxed nature, and somewhat lacking candy notes. Convincingly good, and leaving it at a **7/10**.
**Cheesecake Olympus (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- I'm assuming the Olympus was paying homage to the actual origination of cheesecake in [ancient Greece](https://www.cheesecake.com/History-Of-Cheesecake.asp), a little known fact, thanks to New Yorkers. Unlike many Cheesecakes, I did not get an overwhelming sense of a graham cracker crust in this one, but it still COULD be in there. VERY creamy, smooth, and delicious cheesecake is what you get with this one. No BA, and lacking most, if not all acidity, it worked along the lines of LA's Cheesecake, more than any other. Missing were the sometimes pungent sharp cheesy notes, but in their place, was just a very velvety smooth cheesecake experience. I almost did get a crust on the bottom, just lingering in/out of sight, which really kept this one interesting. One of the more unique cheesecakes, and probably the smooth creaminess would be the biggest take-away. Great at this testing weight, nicely sweetened, no off putting notes, and will be easily usable. By adding TPA's CGC, or CAP's NYC you easily shit this one around as/if needed. Going to finish the tester on this one, to get more creamy smootness. Creamily at **9.4/10**.
**Cherry Juice (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- Testing this one at what will probably be close to the upper limit worked out nicely, with no soap, perfume, or medicinal side effects. At about mid level sweet, this cherry definitely portrayed a "juice". Not sure how they did it, but it worked/works. Not a "juicy" cherry, but a cherry "juice", and they got it right. It didn't come across as a bright red, or maraschino, but had aspects of them, and it also wasn't a black cherry. It almost presented as maybe a medley of sorts, and that'll probably increase it's usefulness, and broaden it's range. As a cherry, it was very convincing, with no off-putting notes, and rode about mid level sweet. It had some slight similarities with FW Cherry Crush, but only slightly. While having some tartness, it was not a tart cherry. Overall, a convincing cherry, and indeed a cherry juice at that. While not off putting at 2.5%, I'd recommend more of a 1.5-2.0% just to be safe. Nicely sitting at **8.5/10**.
**Costa Rica Pineapple (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- I've never eaten a Costa Rican Pineapple that I'm aware of, so wasn't sure how this would compare to my regulars. At 2.5% it presented as a nice and full pineapple, with plenty of low and mid notes, but lacking some of the high end punch. While looking around for mixing info, I saw someone mention it was lacking acidic notes, which seems accurate as well. Not terrible, but with the lack of bright, and high end punchy notes in a solo, it is unclear how it would hold up in a mix. Clearly it could be boosted/bolstered with other PA's. Because it only had low and mid notes, at times it almost tasted like a papaya. No off notes, just the aforementioned missing ones would be the only take offs. Leaving this one at **6.5/10**.
**Custard Extra 1 (FA) 2.5% (6-5-21)** -- *Disclaimer, custard steeped only 1 wk 2 days...*
Well, well, well, what do we have here. Realizing custards should be steeped a bit longer, rolling on this one at slightly over 1 week. Right out of the gate, two things were evident, no in your face heavy egg, and an almost pudding like quality. We'll talk more about the other nuances, but those two main aspects, continued from beginning to end. First, this is a lighter custard LIKE (minus the citrus note) FA Custard, than say a heavier custard like CAP's v.1. @ 2.5% it was quite good, relaxed, but full, delicious, but not overpowering in any way. I use FA's Custard often, but it is a much lighter custard, and has some citrus elements to it, but this one, takes/took a lighter custard and UPPED the game a bit. I think the pudding element(s) work perfectly here, but weren't high enough to pull it into a full pudding category, but really accented, and carried the custard portion. Quite a tasty lil' gem FA's come up with here. Your mileage WILL vary depending on what YOU want/need from a custard. One of the better things about this one, was it wasn't overbearing, and non-fatiguing. Nothing off-putting at this weight, nicely smooth, and maybe a tick above mid level sweet. It presented as a fairly unique custard, which puts it into the "you might want to pick it up" cataeory. For a nice custard, with decent pudding elements, that wasn't entirely vanilla focused, plenty rich, without a heavy handed egg profile, this one may get it done for you. For me, it's a tester tank finisher. Easily **9.5/10**.
**Decano Tobacco (FA) 2.5% (6-5-21)** -- Decano translated means literally the Dean, or Professor, so your takeaway on the name or meaning may vary. The Professor of Tobaccos ?? This one WAS a complex one, no other way to put it. The main note it centered around an RY4 main note, but the other notes, swirling around, made it hard to nail down. At times I almost got an orange nuance, but without the sharp citrus punch, and others I was picking up a slight dark choco, maybe even a coffee. More often than not, I was greeted with a dark earthy, almost slightly smoky finish. Hehe, yeah, this one's hard to nail down. There was a creamy element thrown into the main RY4 note, that wandered around a vanilla, but not consistently, but it was there none the less. If you think it's hard to perceive this one, try to explain it hehe. I'd love to hear others thoughts on this one, as it WAS a great, complex ride for sure. All in, this one was QUITE the mysterious one, and in a GOOD way. I'm going to have to leave this one as a very complex RY4-ish mix, with some slight fruity notes, a good creamery element, with an interesting slight chocolate/coffee/smoky finish. 2.5% felt really good, mid level sweet, and just a swirling deliciously mysterious one this one was. Going high for the complexity, blending, and overall effect. **9.8/10**.
**Ice Cream Italian Premium (FA) 2.5% (6-6-21)** -- ASSUMING this was is/was/is DAAP free, it is quite an interesting flavor. First off, the creaminess, and mouthfeel are quite dominant, and really carried through from beginning to end. My only experience with "Italian Creams" was with Hangen's IC, and that was a powerhouse. This one (granted an Ice Cream), didn't have the forceful impact as the aforementioned, but it surprisingly held it's own, none the less. Sweet, creamy, and mouthfeel were the big initial takeaways, followed up by a fairly neutral sweetened note. Maybe some very relaxed vanilla, maybe some vienna cream, but just maybe. That left this one as a deliciously creamy blank slate to be pushed/pulled as you needed it. I didn't get an extreme amount of "ice cream", and while not sure how that is described, you know when it's there or not. Even with that, this one may just end up on your must have list. Below mid level sweet, very smooth and creamy, and ready to do your bidding, and doing so well at 2.5%. Feels very good @ **9.2/10**.
**Jacote Plum (FA) 1.5% (6-6-21)** -- Upon first testing this one @ 2.5%, I was getting some strange boozey notes, and strong overtones, re-tested @ 1.5%, which was MUCH better. At the lower 1.5% weight, this Plum revealed itself much better, and without the strange overtones. Having never eaten a [Spanish Plum](https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/jocote/) I had no direct comparison, but that didn't stop this one from being good. A nice, authentic, fresh plum with plenty of main body, and a hint of skin was where this one was centered. Fairly dark, with a spattering of high notes, but the majority were mid and low notes. About mid level sweet, and with some minor tartness, it was an interesting, and different one to taste. It was a different approach than the other Plums I've tried, so that pushes it into the unique category again, which is never bad. At this lower testing weight the boozeyness was gone, but it still had an almost slight red-wine contour, which again, made it interesting. Because it opened up, and I lost some of the strange notes I think the lower weight of 1.5% is far better to use this one, and no off-putting notes could be had, at this lower rate. Def. a tester finisher for me, and despite not being one of the more forward flavors, it was very good. Leaving it at 1.5% and **9.1/10**.
**Longan Fresh (FA) 2.5% 6-6-21)** -- Continuing on our interesting fruit travels is the [Dragon Eye](https://thaifoodparadise.com/what-is-longan-fruit/), aka. Longan. True to the fruit, this was similar to Lychee, but more restrained, with an almost 7-up kicker, and a musky afternote. The muskiness, just like in the fruit wasn't overbearing, and just worked here as well. The 7-up nuance(s) persisted throughout, and I'd swear when smelling it in the tank, it almost smelled like beer hops. Now, hehe, I get it, sounds crazy, but, as a solo flavor, it DID work, and was very close to the actual fruit. The beer hops was really only present when smelling it, not tasting it, so fear not. @2.5% it felt really solid, sweetness was below mid level, and all in, another unique fruit offering from FA, and if you like Lychee, you'll probably like, and want this one as well. Interestingly set @ **9.3/10**.
**Lulo (FA) 2.5% (6-6-21)** -- I've never [Lulo'd](https://thefoodhog.com/lulo-fruit-naranjilla/) have you ?? With another exotic from South America, the Lulo presented as a super fresh and juicy pairing of and orange and a lime, BUT, there was something MORE going on here. There was an almost watery juicy-ness to this one, and not in a cactus sort of way, so I obsessed on it, until I could figure out how to explain it. It's almost the watery juicy-ness you'd get from Celery. I know, I know. Now, before you go running screaming, "What the hell, celery ??!!", it was not high up in the mix, as the orange/lime took center stage, but sure enough, there was that other element, that the best way I can describe it was like celery. It strangely help bond the two main players together, and tie the flavor together. Despite recognizing the use of cactus for it's juicy qualities, I've not been able to use it because of the taste, and I'm wondering if THIS one could be used (in recipes with citrus) to impart that same juicy-ness. The flavor was laid back @ 2.5% but didn't taste lacking, it had a certain light, and freshness to it as well. Not heavy, below mid level sweet, and almost a refreshing vape. Wow, this is now becoming a trend here with FlavourArt's exotic fruit offerings, as this one was another wow-er, and I'm not even really a "fruit guy". A very unique citrus with an even more unique juicy-ness is what you get. Refreshingly nice @ **9.5/10**.
**Papaya Indian (FA) 2.5% (6-7-21)** -- Here was yet another fascinating fruit roll out from FA, and one I've never tasted before. Unlike most papayas I've tried before, this one was almost UN-ripe, and was missing a lot of the more typical almost creamy body notes. I kept trying to put my finger on what profile I was getting from the un-ripe-ed-ness, and sometimes it almost presented as a slight wintergreen ?? Not 100% sure, but there was a distinct note in there, and once I tasted it, I couldn't shake it. If you're looking for an unripe Papaya, this one is it. Is it better, than a fully ripened, full bodies Papaya ?? Perhaps not. Uniquely placing this at a **6.5/10**.
**Pina Colada Brazilian (FA) 2.5% (6-11-21)** -- Most times, Brazilian Pina Coladas differ from standard PC's with the addition of cream, and fermented sugar cane, in addition to coconut, rum, and pineapple juice. This one turned out to be a lightly refreshing drink, with MOST of the profiles, but missing the big one, Coconut. The biggest players I could detect, were a light, bright pineapple, and with a hint of lime, and a nice cream element. The coconut, if there, was so low in the mix, it was barely detectable, if at all. To my tastes, it kind of pulled it OFF target, as far as a Pina Colada, but it was still a nice summer time drink profile. The rum was present, and just low enough such that it didn't overwhelm the flavor, or overshadow the other elements. You could easily overcome the lack of coconut by adding your own. The pairing of the pineapple and lime, was actually done quite nicely, as lime can be a steam roller in mixes, but here, it was kept fairly balanced and in check. At 2.5%, it was actually quite good, light, refreshing, and tasty, just NOT 100% nailing the Pina Colada due to the lacking coconut. Almost mid level sweet, and was great @ 2.5%, with no out of place flavors. Despite it being a quite tasty lime/pineapple/cream flavor, minor take-offs due to the missing coconut. Felt right at **6.5/10**.
**Strawberry Green (FA) 2.5% (6-11-21)** -- RIGHT out of the gate, this one impressed me, but was it a GREEN strawberry ? That's going to be hard to say, for everyone. Some yes, some no. I might just be in the no camp, BUT, that doesn't mean it wasn't good. My immediate thoughts were directly "Kiwi meets Strawberry". Throughout the entire test, I couldn't shake that assessment. I know what FA was trying to do, and in many ways they succeeded. The Strawberry was deliciously bright, punchy, and and a very sparkly high end finish to it. As far as the "green"-ness, to my tastes, it just really presented as more of a Kiwi. Some people may perceive it as more of a "green", so this one will REALLY be up to you guys to decide. As it stood, it was just damned good. Juicy, accurate, and at 2.5%, felt really centered, and good. It leaned heavily towards a natural SB with only slight undertones otherwise. What made it interesting, was it didn't singularly lean towards a ripe, or a fresh, or even a candied, but had multiple elements swirling around, and kept it interesting throughout. While it may not be an FLV Alpine killer, it was certainly a new-ish take on a SB, and might not be a bad addition to your racks, even if you already are flush with SB's. I tend to gravitate to SB's that have a nice bright, almost sparkly finish, and this one has them, so possible fading aside, it would be able to punch through, and hold it's own even when surrounded by creams, etc. While I'm not 100% on the greeen-ness of it, and despite really getting an almost Kiwi from it, it's hard to mark this one down, as it did, what it did, well. Even within a crowded Strawberry field, this one, breaks new ground, and that's not an easy thing to do. Handily a **9.3/10**.
**Vanilla Cookie (FA) 2.5% (6-11-21)** -- LAST ONE on deck. As these were steeping, this one caught my nose, as different than expected. My current go to Cookie is CAP's Sugar Cookie for reference. Upon first taste, it felt somewhat familiar to me, and it took a second to figure it out (yeah, I test a LOT of flavors LOL). Luckily for you guys, I placed it. This has SOME similarities to ...
Molinberry's Butter My Biscuit
**Butter My Biscuit (Molinberry) 6% (1-26-20)** – FIRST Molinberry out of the gate, and what the HELL is this one ?? !! Do I have your attention LOL ?? OK, the moment you vape this, you get literally SMACKED by the Butter. Not a smidge, a dab, a bit, literally right between the eyes. Wow, didn’t see that coming from a “non-triangle” formulation. Once you get past the shockingly good butter, the biscuit starts to reveal itself. This is not an INW Biscuit which is more like an American Bisquik, but more like Jungle Flavors biscuit which is more of a European biscuit. It has some sweetness, but lower in the scale, with a convincing bakery finish, which has a subtle note, perhaps a slight almond maybe ?? Now I’m quite sure not many of you, just go out and single flavor test a biscuit, but that’s why you’re reading this LOL. As a SF it is an interesting one, and even with the slight sweetness and probably almond-ish undertone, the overwhelming buttery nature of it, will lead to a LOT of uses for this one. For a buttery biscuit, or a really buttery biscuit, Molinberry nailed this one. Easily **9.5/10** .
Now in comparison to the aforementioned, this one had a much more relaxed butter note, and a FAR less biscuit note, which to me, started to drop it into more of a cookie profile, but the similarities, still existed. The bakery/texture in this one REALLY came through, and almost added some grainy-ness to it, which is really hard to do IMO. While there were some buttery elements in here, they were NOT high enough to push this into a butter cookie status. The vanilla aspect(s) were present, but somewhat relaxed, so it was IN there, but it didn't SCREAM vanilla at the same time. The bakery, and texture just kept really impressing me throughout the entire tester, and the buttery notes, and about mid-level sweetness kept it interesting. Wow, always nice when you can run out a series with a BANG. Your tastes on cookies vs. biscuits will vary, especially if you're US vs. UK, but this one really seemed to almost bridge the gap of BOTH, and did it with a buttery undertone, and a texture-ous-ness that really drove it home. This one is yet another, that should probably end up on your racks, as it really bonded the cookie/biscuit, and tasted great. Going to finish out this great new series from Flavour Art leaving this one at a smoking hot **9.8/10**.
As always, huge thanks out to @drew1, @wllmc, and the entire crew @Bull_City_Flavors for making this run possible, and the continued support.
www.bullcityflavors.com
**Amarula (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- FIRST one on deck from FA's NEW flavor releases. Ama what ?? Yes, Amarula. If you've never had it, it is a creamy liquor from the African Marula fruit. I've only ever tried [one brand](https://thedrinkblog.com/amarula-cream/), which is aged in oak barrels, and Flavor Art PERFECTLY captured this one, and I have no clue how they did it. The most common description would be a combination of Baileys Cream and an almost Grapefruit (not exactly) like citrus note. I don't think I can improve on that widely used comparison. The fruit component is grapefruit-like, but unique enough to avoid a closer comparison. The mid and back end cream notes are very Baileys-like, and are paired perfectly with the citrus. Throughout testing this one, I did get an almost smoky lower end note on the finish, with maybe a smidge of bitterness, but, it in no way detracted from the overall flavor or experience. Wow, I hate to use "unique" so early in the run, but it IS. I can think of no other close comparison flavor, so this one would be a great choice for something new and unique. The interesting thing was the citruis and cream notes stayed perfectly balanced from beginning to end, with a sometimes smoky, slightly bitter finish. Nothing out of place, off-putting, and sweetness was below mid level, which really kept this interesting from beginning ot end. It's actually rekindling my need to dash out and grab a bottle, and that's saying something. First one from FA was a homerun. Hard to detract from this one, and it felt very good @ **9.65/10**.
**Banana Candy (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- I was expecting a traditional "runt" with this one, but instead I was greeted with a nice, unobtrusive artificial banana instead. Now, runts ARE artificial, but most I've tried were fairly "in your face", and had an almost acetone like note, whereas this one, was much more of an even keeled, relaxed banana. It def. wasn't a natural and did lean artificial, and the "candy" will be subjective to the individual. I didn't get an overt candy-ness from it, and sweetness was below mid level, which was surprising for a "candy" flavor. It was very smooth from start to finish, but not creamy. Convincing, tasty, but not as punchy as a traditional "runt". No off-putting notes, and felt fairly relaxed at this testing weight. Because of it's more "relaxed" nature, you would be able to use it more often than not. No real takeoffs other than relaxed nature, and somewhat lacking candy notes. Convincingly good, and leaving it at a **7/10**.
**Cheesecake Olympus (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- I'm assuming the Olympus was paying homage to the actual origination of cheesecake in [ancient Greece](https://www.cheesecake.com/History-Of-Cheesecake.asp), a little known fact, thanks to New Yorkers. Unlike many Cheesecakes, I did not get an overwhelming sense of a graham cracker crust in this one, but it still COULD be in there. VERY creamy, smooth, and delicious cheesecake is what you get with this one. No BA, and lacking most, if not all acidity, it worked along the lines of LA's Cheesecake, more than any other. Missing were the sometimes pungent sharp cheesy notes, but in their place, was just a very velvety smooth cheesecake experience. I almost did get a crust on the bottom, just lingering in/out of sight, which really kept this one interesting. One of the more unique cheesecakes, and probably the smooth creaminess would be the biggest take-away. Great at this testing weight, nicely sweetened, no off putting notes, and will be easily usable. By adding TPA's CGC, or CAP's NYC you easily shit this one around as/if needed. Going to finish the tester on this one, to get more creamy smootness. Creamily at **9.4/10**.
**Cherry Juice (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- Testing this one at what will probably be close to the upper limit worked out nicely, with no soap, perfume, or medicinal side effects. At about mid level sweet, this cherry definitely portrayed a "juice". Not sure how they did it, but it worked/works. Not a "juicy" cherry, but a cherry "juice", and they got it right. It didn't come across as a bright red, or maraschino, but had aspects of them, and it also wasn't a black cherry. It almost presented as maybe a medley of sorts, and that'll probably increase it's usefulness, and broaden it's range. As a cherry, it was very convincing, with no off-putting notes, and rode about mid level sweet. It had some slight similarities with FW Cherry Crush, but only slightly. While having some tartness, it was not a tart cherry. Overall, a convincing cherry, and indeed a cherry juice at that. While not off putting at 2.5%, I'd recommend more of a 1.5-2.0% just to be safe. Nicely sitting at **8.5/10**.
**Costa Rica Pineapple (FA) 2.5% (6-4-21)** -- I've never eaten a Costa Rican Pineapple that I'm aware of, so wasn't sure how this would compare to my regulars. At 2.5% it presented as a nice and full pineapple, with plenty of low and mid notes, but lacking some of the high end punch. While looking around for mixing info, I saw someone mention it was lacking acidic notes, which seems accurate as well. Not terrible, but with the lack of bright, and high end punchy notes in a solo, it is unclear how it would hold up in a mix. Clearly it could be boosted/bolstered with other PA's. Because it only had low and mid notes, at times it almost tasted like a papaya. No off notes, just the aforementioned missing ones would be the only take offs. Leaving this one at **6.5/10**.
**Custard Extra 1 (FA) 2.5% (6-5-21)** -- *Disclaimer, custard steeped only 1 wk 2 days...*
Well, well, well, what do we have here. Realizing custards should be steeped a bit longer, rolling on this one at slightly over 1 week. Right out of the gate, two things were evident, no in your face heavy egg, and an almost pudding like quality. We'll talk more about the other nuances, but those two main aspects, continued from beginning to end. First, this is a lighter custard LIKE (minus the citrus note) FA Custard, than say a heavier custard like CAP's v.1. @ 2.5% it was quite good, relaxed, but full, delicious, but not overpowering in any way. I use FA's Custard often, but it is a much lighter custard, and has some citrus elements to it, but this one, takes/took a lighter custard and UPPED the game a bit. I think the pudding element(s) work perfectly here, but weren't high enough to pull it into a full pudding category, but really accented, and carried the custard portion. Quite a tasty lil' gem FA's come up with here. Your mileage WILL vary depending on what YOU want/need from a custard. One of the better things about this one, was it wasn't overbearing, and non-fatiguing. Nothing off-putting at this weight, nicely smooth, and maybe a tick above mid level sweet. It presented as a fairly unique custard, which puts it into the "you might want to pick it up" cataeory. For a nice custard, with decent pudding elements, that wasn't entirely vanilla focused, plenty rich, without a heavy handed egg profile, this one may get it done for you. For me, it's a tester tank finisher. Easily **9.5/10**.
**Decano Tobacco (FA) 2.5% (6-5-21)** -- Decano translated means literally the Dean, or Professor, so your takeaway on the name or meaning may vary. The Professor of Tobaccos ?? This one WAS a complex one, no other way to put it. The main note it centered around an RY4 main note, but the other notes, swirling around, made it hard to nail down. At times I almost got an orange nuance, but without the sharp citrus punch, and others I was picking up a slight dark choco, maybe even a coffee. More often than not, I was greeted with a dark earthy, almost slightly smoky finish. Hehe, yeah, this one's hard to nail down. There was a creamy element thrown into the main RY4 note, that wandered around a vanilla, but not consistently, but it was there none the less. If you think it's hard to perceive this one, try to explain it hehe. I'd love to hear others thoughts on this one, as it WAS a great, complex ride for sure. All in, this one was QUITE the mysterious one, and in a GOOD way. I'm going to have to leave this one as a very complex RY4-ish mix, with some slight fruity notes, a good creamery element, with an interesting slight chocolate/coffee/smoky finish. 2.5% felt really good, mid level sweet, and just a swirling deliciously mysterious one this one was. Going high for the complexity, blending, and overall effect. **9.8/10**.
**Ice Cream Italian Premium (FA) 2.5% (6-6-21)** -- ASSUMING this was is/was/is DAAP free, it is quite an interesting flavor. First off, the creaminess, and mouthfeel are quite dominant, and really carried through from beginning to end. My only experience with "Italian Creams" was with Hangen's IC, and that was a powerhouse. This one (granted an Ice Cream), didn't have the forceful impact as the aforementioned, but it surprisingly held it's own, none the less. Sweet, creamy, and mouthfeel were the big initial takeaways, followed up by a fairly neutral sweetened note. Maybe some very relaxed vanilla, maybe some vienna cream, but just maybe. That left this one as a deliciously creamy blank slate to be pushed/pulled as you needed it. I didn't get an extreme amount of "ice cream", and while not sure how that is described, you know when it's there or not. Even with that, this one may just end up on your must have list. Below mid level sweet, very smooth and creamy, and ready to do your bidding, and doing so well at 2.5%. Feels very good @ **9.2/10**.
**Jacote Plum (FA) 1.5% (6-6-21)** -- Upon first testing this one @ 2.5%, I was getting some strange boozey notes, and strong overtones, re-tested @ 1.5%, which was MUCH better. At the lower 1.5% weight, this Plum revealed itself much better, and without the strange overtones. Having never eaten a [Spanish Plum](https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/jocote/) I had no direct comparison, but that didn't stop this one from being good. A nice, authentic, fresh plum with plenty of main body, and a hint of skin was where this one was centered. Fairly dark, with a spattering of high notes, but the majority were mid and low notes. About mid level sweet, and with some minor tartness, it was an interesting, and different one to taste. It was a different approach than the other Plums I've tried, so that pushes it into the unique category again, which is never bad. At this lower testing weight the boozeyness was gone, but it still had an almost slight red-wine contour, which again, made it interesting. Because it opened up, and I lost some of the strange notes I think the lower weight of 1.5% is far better to use this one, and no off-putting notes could be had, at this lower rate. Def. a tester finisher for me, and despite not being one of the more forward flavors, it was very good. Leaving it at 1.5% and **9.1/10**.
**Longan Fresh (FA) 2.5% 6-6-21)** -- Continuing on our interesting fruit travels is the [Dragon Eye](https://thaifoodparadise.com/what-is-longan-fruit/), aka. Longan. True to the fruit, this was similar to Lychee, but more restrained, with an almost 7-up kicker, and a musky afternote. The muskiness, just like in the fruit wasn't overbearing, and just worked here as well. The 7-up nuance(s) persisted throughout, and I'd swear when smelling it in the tank, it almost smelled like beer hops. Now, hehe, I get it, sounds crazy, but, as a solo flavor, it DID work, and was very close to the actual fruit. The beer hops was really only present when smelling it, not tasting it, so fear not. @2.5% it felt really solid, sweetness was below mid level, and all in, another unique fruit offering from FA, and if you like Lychee, you'll probably like, and want this one as well. Interestingly set @ **9.3/10**.
**Lulo (FA) 2.5% (6-6-21)** -- I've never [Lulo'd](https://thefoodhog.com/lulo-fruit-naranjilla/) have you ?? With another exotic from South America, the Lulo presented as a super fresh and juicy pairing of and orange and a lime, BUT, there was something MORE going on here. There was an almost watery juicy-ness to this one, and not in a cactus sort of way, so I obsessed on it, until I could figure out how to explain it. It's almost the watery juicy-ness you'd get from Celery. I know, I know. Now, before you go running screaming, "What the hell, celery ??!!", it was not high up in the mix, as the orange/lime took center stage, but sure enough, there was that other element, that the best way I can describe it was like celery. It strangely help bond the two main players together, and tie the flavor together. Despite recognizing the use of cactus for it's juicy qualities, I've not been able to use it because of the taste, and I'm wondering if THIS one could be used (in recipes with citrus) to impart that same juicy-ness. The flavor was laid back @ 2.5% but didn't taste lacking, it had a certain light, and freshness to it as well. Not heavy, below mid level sweet, and almost a refreshing vape. Wow, this is now becoming a trend here with FlavourArt's exotic fruit offerings, as this one was another wow-er, and I'm not even really a "fruit guy". A very unique citrus with an even more unique juicy-ness is what you get. Refreshingly nice @ **9.5/10**.
**Papaya Indian (FA) 2.5% (6-7-21)** -- Here was yet another fascinating fruit roll out from FA, and one I've never tasted before. Unlike most papayas I've tried before, this one was almost UN-ripe, and was missing a lot of the more typical almost creamy body notes. I kept trying to put my finger on what profile I was getting from the un-ripe-ed-ness, and sometimes it almost presented as a slight wintergreen ?? Not 100% sure, but there was a distinct note in there, and once I tasted it, I couldn't shake it. If you're looking for an unripe Papaya, this one is it. Is it better, than a fully ripened, full bodies Papaya ?? Perhaps not. Uniquely placing this at a **6.5/10**.
**Pina Colada Brazilian (FA) 2.5% (6-11-21)** -- Most times, Brazilian Pina Coladas differ from standard PC's with the addition of cream, and fermented sugar cane, in addition to coconut, rum, and pineapple juice. This one turned out to be a lightly refreshing drink, with MOST of the profiles, but missing the big one, Coconut. The biggest players I could detect, were a light, bright pineapple, and with a hint of lime, and a nice cream element. The coconut, if there, was so low in the mix, it was barely detectable, if at all. To my tastes, it kind of pulled it OFF target, as far as a Pina Colada, but it was still a nice summer time drink profile. The rum was present, and just low enough such that it didn't overwhelm the flavor, or overshadow the other elements. You could easily overcome the lack of coconut by adding your own. The pairing of the pineapple and lime, was actually done quite nicely, as lime can be a steam roller in mixes, but here, it was kept fairly balanced and in check. At 2.5%, it was actually quite good, light, refreshing, and tasty, just NOT 100% nailing the Pina Colada due to the lacking coconut. Almost mid level sweet, and was great @ 2.5%, with no out of place flavors. Despite it being a quite tasty lime/pineapple/cream flavor, minor take-offs due to the missing coconut. Felt right at **6.5/10**.
**Strawberry Green (FA) 2.5% (6-11-21)** -- RIGHT out of the gate, this one impressed me, but was it a GREEN strawberry ? That's going to be hard to say, for everyone. Some yes, some no. I might just be in the no camp, BUT, that doesn't mean it wasn't good. My immediate thoughts were directly "Kiwi meets Strawberry". Throughout the entire test, I couldn't shake that assessment. I know what FA was trying to do, and in many ways they succeeded. The Strawberry was deliciously bright, punchy, and and a very sparkly high end finish to it. As far as the "green"-ness, to my tastes, it just really presented as more of a Kiwi. Some people may perceive it as more of a "green", so this one will REALLY be up to you guys to decide. As it stood, it was just damned good. Juicy, accurate, and at 2.5%, felt really centered, and good. It leaned heavily towards a natural SB with only slight undertones otherwise. What made it interesting, was it didn't singularly lean towards a ripe, or a fresh, or even a candied, but had multiple elements swirling around, and kept it interesting throughout. While it may not be an FLV Alpine killer, it was certainly a new-ish take on a SB, and might not be a bad addition to your racks, even if you already are flush with SB's. I tend to gravitate to SB's that have a nice bright, almost sparkly finish, and this one has them, so possible fading aside, it would be able to punch through, and hold it's own even when surrounded by creams, etc. While I'm not 100% on the greeen-ness of it, and despite really getting an almost Kiwi from it, it's hard to mark this one down, as it did, what it did, well. Even within a crowded Strawberry field, this one, breaks new ground, and that's not an easy thing to do. Handily a **9.3/10**.
**Vanilla Cookie (FA) 2.5% (6-11-21)** -- LAST ONE on deck. As these were steeping, this one caught my nose, as different than expected. My current go to Cookie is CAP's Sugar Cookie for reference. Upon first taste, it felt somewhat familiar to me, and it took a second to figure it out (yeah, I test a LOT of flavors LOL). Luckily for you guys, I placed it. This has SOME similarities to ...
Molinberry's Butter My Biscuit
**Butter My Biscuit (Molinberry) 6% (1-26-20)** – FIRST Molinberry out of the gate, and what the HELL is this one ?? !! Do I have your attention LOL ?? OK, the moment you vape this, you get literally SMACKED by the Butter. Not a smidge, a dab, a bit, literally right between the eyes. Wow, didn’t see that coming from a “non-triangle” formulation. Once you get past the shockingly good butter, the biscuit starts to reveal itself. This is not an INW Biscuit which is more like an American Bisquik, but more like Jungle Flavors biscuit which is more of a European biscuit. It has some sweetness, but lower in the scale, with a convincing bakery finish, which has a subtle note, perhaps a slight almond maybe ?? Now I’m quite sure not many of you, just go out and single flavor test a biscuit, but that’s why you’re reading this LOL. As a SF it is an interesting one, and even with the slight sweetness and probably almond-ish undertone, the overwhelming buttery nature of it, will lead to a LOT of uses for this one. For a buttery biscuit, or a really buttery biscuit, Molinberry nailed this one. Easily **9.5/10** .
Now in comparison to the aforementioned, this one had a much more relaxed butter note, and a FAR less biscuit note, which to me, started to drop it into more of a cookie profile, but the similarities, still existed. The bakery/texture in this one REALLY came through, and almost added some grainy-ness to it, which is really hard to do IMO. While there were some buttery elements in here, they were NOT high enough to push this into a butter cookie status. The vanilla aspect(s) were present, but somewhat relaxed, so it was IN there, but it didn't SCREAM vanilla at the same time. The bakery, and texture just kept really impressing me throughout the entire tester, and the buttery notes, and about mid-level sweetness kept it interesting. Wow, always nice when you can run out a series with a BANG. Your tastes on cookies vs. biscuits will vary, especially if you're US vs. UK, but this one really seemed to almost bridge the gap of BOTH, and did it with a buttery undertone, and a texture-ous-ness that really drove it home. This one is yet another, that should probably end up on your racks, as it really bonded the cookie/biscuit, and tasted great. Going to finish out this great new series from Flavour Art leaving this one at a smoking hot **9.8/10**.
As always, huge thanks out to @drew1, @wllmc, and the entire crew @Bull_City_Flavors for making this run possible, and the continued support.
