REVIEWS
STRAWBERRY CUSH MAN
The original Cush Man e-liquid was part
of the Yummy Fruity range from Nasty
Juice. It’s fair to say that it took the
world by storm in 2017 and was largely
responsible for familiarising Western
palettes with stronger coolants more
popular in the eastern market. Nasty
Juice have now taken the hint and given
Cush Man its own line. Their strawberry
offering is most reminiscent of the original,
with a subtle candied strawberry top note
that enhances the sweetness of this
unmistakable profile. It doesn’t interfere
very much with the pungent, earthy
mango, and for the majority of people
that will be a relief. Instead it’s more of an
accent, and makes for somewhat more
of a mellow vape than the original Cush
Man. The signature coolant is present of
course, which makes for a fantastically
refreshing vape.
IVG DESSERTS – JAM ROLY POLY
Jam Roly Poly is a classic British dessert
and is an incredibly nostalgic flavour
profile to emulate in e-liquid form.
Front and centre here is a rich, sticky
strawberry jam top note. It’s more akin
to the commercial jam that is found in
baked goods, rather than the slightly
earthier homemade variety. This is rather
fitting for a jam roly poly mix, and I feel
a more natural strawberry conserve top
note would have felt out of place. This is
supported by an indulgent cake body that
adds a fluffy mouthfeel and slightly tames
the richer sweetness of the strawberry.
I’m also detecting some baked cinnamon
in the mix, too. This isn’t something I
would expect in a traditional jam roly poly,
but it works well nonetheless. Certainly, a
liquid for vapers with a sweet tooth, Jam
Roly Poly is a solid dessert e-liquid.
82 | VMC
BANANA CUSH MAN
Banana Cush Man is the last of the new
series from Nasty Juice that I sampled.
This one is a bit more of a departure from
the original profile than the other new
offerings. The banana here is slightly
more natural than what is often found in
e-liquids. It adds a thick mouth-feel and
slight creaminess to the mix, which is
unexpected but not unpleasant. Rather
than being a top note, the banana seems
to play second fiddle to the mango
element of this blend, which makes
sense, as strong banana flavours tend to
make for a heavier e-liquid, whilst Cush
Man was loved for being a light and
refreshing vape. The result of this pairing
is similar to what would happen if you put
mango, banana and ice in a blender. A
lovely tropical profile with subtle creamy
undertones and a cooling finish. All
around this is a winner.
IVG SWEETS – ORANGE MILLIONS
IVG have had incredible success with their
Bubble-gum Millions e-liquid. Winning
the Best Sweet/Chocolate category at
the recent Vapouround Awards, this titan
of the British e-liquid industry have now
expanded their millions offerings, in order
to cater to a broader range of tastes. IVG
describe Orange Millions as “Citric candy
orange, infused with light undertones of
bubble-gum.” The candy orange top note
is the most prominent feature of this mix.
It’s not overly sweet and doesn’t impart any
additional throat hit, which often comes
with citrus flavours. Instead, it works well
with the bubble-gum base to produce
a brighter twist on an already beloved
profile. Subtle mint undertones from the
bubble-gum keep this mix refreshing and
stop the candied notes from outstaying
their welcome on the palate. If you usually
enjoy confectionary styled vapes, Orange
Millions is well worth a try.
GRAPE CUSH MAN
Grape Cush Man is the second of
the new line that I sampled. This one
combines a light grape top note with
the well-established Cush Man profile.
Again, the grape here isn’t overbearing,
and doesn’t distort or take away from the
vibrancy of the profile. It comes across
as a mellow green grape rather than the
North American styled concord grape that
we so often see in e-liquid flavour profiles.
This adds a somewhat sour sweetness to
the mix, which is a nice contrast to the
bright notes of the mango base. I prefer
this to the original Cush Man, as the
added complexity keeps me guessing
throughout the day. Despite the addition
of grape, the mango here is still in your
face, so this blend doesn’t stray too far
from the original. The coolant finishes
things off nicely, making this a fantastic
choice for a summery e-liquid.
IVG MENTHOL – KIWI KOOL
IVG describe Kiwi Kool as fresh kiwi
blended with a hint of lemon. Kiwi can
be a tough flavour to replicate in an
e-liquid, but IVG have made a fair attempt
here. It’s not quite as earthy as the real
thing and seems more like a candied
representation of the fruit, but it still
brings some nice sour notes to the mix.
The lemon that is present here is rather
potent. Although described as a hint, to
my tastes it’s coming across just as strong
as the kiwi. It’s a nice pairing, though and
the citric tang of this hard candy style
lemon makes the sweeter kiwi pop. The
mix is finished with a moderately strong
mentholated exhale which cuts through
the candy notes and keeps this sweet
profile from becoming overpowering. Kiwi
Kool is a solid fruit menthol profile that will
be perfect for beginners to vaping who
require a simple but tasty e-liquid.