Yes, totally. It’s a super interesting one, because normally we’ll complain if we can pick out too many nuances or notes, or we’ll complain it hasn’t steeped enough to meld/mesh/blend, but NOT with this one. It’s it’s super power !!!
3 Likes
Right? When I started reading your review I was thinking the same! Yes, I mixed this up the same day I received them. Only off the smell. I’m using Flv with it because I picked up some caramel-ish notes, a brighter anise and wintergreen on that one. I think BCF could fare as the only rb in a mix, but adding the cream soda and ice cream I wanted an in your face root beer.
6 Likes
Grape Slush (BCF) 5.5% (12-11-25) – Right Out Of The Gate I had two big take-aways from this one. First, I was GLAD as hell that BCF did NOT taint this flavor with ANY COOLING !!! The second, was it was EXACTLY what it claimed to be. If you wanted cooling, you could ADD it, and DAMN, this tasted exactly like a sweet, grape, almost candied syrup that you would pour over shredded/crushed ice, and enjoy on a hot summer day. EXACTLY. As previously mentioned, I stopped playing around with 3.5%, and just started testing at 5.5%, and this one POPPED at this weight. I don’t think I’ve ever done this before, but I"m giving it a 10/10 on the strength scale. Grape, grape, and MO grape here people. I could try and list a hundred different comparisons to try and convey exactly what it tasted like, like grape bubbleyum, grape nehi, tart grape candies, but I think you get the idea. It was almost entirely artificial, with only hints of natural grape, sweetened higher as you would expect for a slush/ie syrup, and kissed off with just a bit of tart/sour on the finish.
The grape profile was actually kind of complex, despite being a one dimensional “artificial” grape, as it wandered around a bit, and sometimes it would make me think of grape bubble yumm (the grape, not the gum profile), other times a grape nehi soda, other times simply a great candied syrup. It didn’t really keep you guessing what it was, but it kept you interested if that makes sense. Sweetness was a couple of clicks above mid-level, but never reached "cloyingly sweet’ status, and it worked for the flavor profile. All in here, BCF nailed the flavor, as it tasted to me exactly as it should, and at times, it reminded me of how I responded to my first tests of Medicine Flower Blueberry. Blueberry explosion !!! Well, hehe, this was a GRAPE explosion my friends. Not natural, not like the fruit per se, so if you want that, look elsewhere. If you want something to make a Grape Slushie, WITH, the ability to add cooling if you WANT to, get this flavor. I can’t not release the Kraken again with this one. 10/10. Zero hesitation.
9 Likes
Like Alexander the Grapes? Cuz ima need a liter if thats the case.
5 Likes
So your strength of flavor scale is based off the strength you mixed at not the strenth of concentrate?
4 Likes
Correct. Only at the strength I tested at. It would be near impossible to try and rate the actual concentrate strengths relatively. You can however gauge that to some degree by the percentage I test flavors at though.
4 Likes
Strawberry (BCF) 5.5% (12-12-25) – As the number of Strawberries on the market increases, I always wonder if the one I’m testing will be different, or unique in any way from all of the others I’ve tested. Luckily BCF made it easy on me with this one. It WAS fairly unique, and that’s always GREAT for me when testing. It presented as a fairly “artificial” strawberry, but with some unexpected TWISTS. It was candied, but maybe almost more of a syrup, or syrup’d might be more accurate. Throughout the tests, I did keep getting some damned nice jammie notes, and some high end, sparkly notes. The initial on-rush was very full, and with some jammie notes, but the mid and finish morphed into a smoother strawberry. It actually proved to be fairly complex throughout my tests. I kept getting a light under tone that I had a hard time nailing down, and I think it was similar to a juicy white grape note. Very light, but still there, and worked very interestingly along with the SB notes.
At 5.5% it was full, and I’d rate it at about a 8.9/10 on the strength scale. No real complaints other than a slight dryness at the very end. I got brief, very slight natural notes, but overall it was 98% artificial. My first mixing thoughts were Strawberry Milks, SB Malted Milkshakes, etc., and it would power them very nicely. I think we can all agree that coming to market with a new and unique SB is hard, but BCF did it, with this one. If you’re looking for a realistic natural, this one isn’t for you, but it you are in the mood for a VERY good, unique, and complex artificial SB with some nice tart, and syrupy jammy notes, this one SHOULD be on your list. As a general rule, I don’t mark down purely for artificial or natural for that matter, and it is/was a great SB. My only complaint would be the ever so slight dryness on the finish, but that was minor. Leaving this sticky sweet one very high at a 9.6/10.
10 Likes
Mango (BCF) 5.5% (12-14-25) – Out of the gate, I could tell this one was going to cover MORE of the Mango spectrum than most. My current go to has been Flavor Express Mango which excelled at the bright and punchy notes. Kind of syrupy, but never a full on “syrup-ed” flavor, nor candied. Sweetness was about 2 ticks above mid-level, and without any off-notes to complain about, it did have just a touch of mango funky-ness, that did help sell it even more.
At 5.5% it was damned full, and near the top of my Strength-O-Matic strength scale, and it landed at about a 9.2/10 on the strength scale. This mango was really a FULL spectrum flavor. Juicy, bright yellow and orange punchy notes, sparkly high end notes, and even more of the mid, and mid-dark lower notes to fully round it out. Syrup notes, but not sickly sweet, and just a touch of funk. It was honestly, very hard to fault this one, or decide where it might NOT work out. About my only “ehhh” was a slight dry kick on the finish, but only on the finish, and very minor. Leaving this juicy one high at a 9.2/10.
8 Likes
Peach (BCF) 5.5% (12-14-25) – Moving onto the Peach, and 2nd to last in this series from Bull City Flavors. At 5.5% this one presented more of a semi-vague yellow peach. I mean, it was actually a GREAT flavor, and had aspects of a juicy yellow peach, fairly natural, and with some nice syrup-d notes. It just didn’t feel like it made it 100% of the way there. Throughout the tests, I kept getting the aforementioned notes, along with a light apricot, and if you can believe it, an almost red delicious apple. Now, hehe, this wasn’t an apple flavor, but I did get some of that in the mix.
At 5.5% it was present, but not what I would call strong, and maybe an 8/10 on the strength scale. I didn’t get any definitive “off-notes”, but it still felt like it could use a little help getting across the full on peach finish line. With that said, I could see loads of uses for this one, but maybe not as the primary yellow peach driver. Very tasty, but not 100% of the way there. Leaving it squarely at an 8.1/10.
8 Likes
Rich Vanilla (BCF) 5.5% (12-14-25) – Moving on to the LAST ONE in this series, and maybe the one I wanted to test the most (kinda). Right from the start, I could tell, this wasn’t going to be a “regular” vanilla ride. I picked up on a few notes from this one, a Madagascar Vanilla, an interesting bakery undertone with caramel, and nutty-ness (??), some light spicy-ness, and a creamy carrier. WOW, talk about a complex flavor. The creamy undertone/carrier was a very interesting inclusion, and it stayed present, but below the main vanilla note, and helped bridge in the caramel, bakery, spicy notes. The nutty-ness was a guess, as it wandered around a bit to avoid complete isolation.
At 5.5% it was almost too damned good, and almost assaulted you with it’s rich, creamy, vanilla. I would put it very high on the strength scale at this percentage, about a 9.7/10. It tasted very solidly in the Mada camp with it’s darker notes, and slight spicy-ness. The amount of notes/nuances might sound like a lot, but as a whole they worked in concert, and presented as, well, a pretty Rich and Interesting Vanilla. I have to say, it had a lot more than I had expected it to. I could see a LOT of uses for this one, and honestly, I can’t think of another flavor on my racks that it was like, and I’ve got a LOTTA racks, so that’s saying something. No one wants to buy a flavor, only to dupe another one (or more), that they already have. You won’t with this one. If you are in the mood for a hella surprising “vanilla” flavor, madagascar based, with light bakery, nutty, and spice notes, riding on a smooth creamery carrier, you might want to look at the BIG bottles for this one. Sweetness was about mid-level, and it worked here, and I could not find any off-notes, complaints, or hell, even any “wants” with this one.
I love it, when I can close out a series, especially a NEW series, with a banger, and that’s exactly what happened her folks. Releasing the Kraken one final time in this new flavor line from BCF with a 10/10. I have quite a few “Vanilla-Head” friends, and I can’t wait to hear what they think.
7 Likes
Wow, Bull City Flavors came up with not only some very good, but also very unique flavors in this new series. I appreciate you guys taking the time to read these reviews, and can’t wait to hear YOUR feedback on the flavors. Thanks again out to @wllmc for shipping these out for this review.
Don’t forget to pick some up for yourselves !!!
6 Likes
Wooo! My notes have been up. What a complex flavor! Personally I don’t think there’s another vanilla quite like it. 
I think we thought the same thing lol
5 Likes
Whut ?? Where you posting them ? On the flavor page ?
Found them.
I picked up definable fruity notes,
Interesting.
4 Likes
this is one of the most important things for me with a new flavor. I am always hoping the new ones have some type of uniqueness about them.
5 Likes
COMPLETELY agreed @fidalgo_vapes. I’m glad I thought to mention that, as who wants a stack of identical, or almost identical flavors on their racks ??
I’ve gotta pick @wllmc’s brain for any/all non proprietary info on these, as they clearly spent some time, and effort making them NOT what was already out there.
4 Likes