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Review From the House of Manabush, Pt 1 Cuba Libre

Simon G

Olympian
Joined
Apr 12, 2016
Messages
26,190
Cuba Libre: Part of the 'Cola Divergence' range

This is my first experience of the Cola Divergence liquids and I'm impressed. I do like Cola vapes and this is one of the better ones I've tried. It's the Traditional Cola base (available as a straight cola if you wanted that) with Rum and lime. I'm not the biggest lime fan if I'm honest but thankfully it's not too overpowering and I can deal with the subtle 'twist' in this blend. The rum is very good and if like me you quite like a rum and cola then you'll enjoy this, it's not overly boozy tasting though and the main flavour is the very rich and bold cola.

That's what I like about this the most, it seems a bit weird describing cola as 'rich and bold' but it really is. It's not thin or watery tasting and it has some really nice underlying notes of spiciness. A while back I bought a bottle of fancy cola from Asda, it was called something like 'curiosity cola' and this reminds me of that a lot. This isn't Coke or Pepsi and it certainly isn't just a squirt of FA cola in the mix because that tastes nothing like this. I'm really going to have try all the other Manabush Cola flavours now, I think I would love the Raspberry one and the Base Cola especially.

Knowing they all share a common Cola flavour, and knowing that Manabush don't mess up with their 'toppings', I could pretty much safely recommend any of them if you like the taste of good cola and fancy what that's been paired with. I don't know why this tastes unmistakably like a Manabush flavour as there's no tobacco here but somehow it absolutely tastes 100% Manabush.

It's not 'sugar lips' sweet or dripping with sucralose but it's sweet enough to be authentic to a 'soda' flavour and the lime also helps the balance with that dash of zesty citrus. The overall balance is spot on for me in 'ye ole corolla' but I can imagine that in other tanks you might get a little more rum or a little more lime and that would be fun to experiment with too. Right now I'm kind of obsessed with the Cola element of the liquid though... it's so good. :)

As expected there's no weird off notes or anything that tastes like vomit, mushrooms, musty wet newspapers, second hand record shops or hippies.

I didn't pay for this liquid but @ZT only sent me a little 10ml sample so it's not like I was paid off or paid to write this. (I might be cheap but I ain't that cheap!) If I have any bias then it's because I fully support UK independent liquid manufacturers and I have nothing but respect for everyone over at Manabush HQ. Vaping on this Cuba Libre has done nothing to diminish that respect either, it tastes pretty damn special.

Buy them here:

https://manabush.com/collections/the-cola-divergent

I'm gonna. :)
 
Good write up @Simon G

If you want a couple of suggestions on the colas, Cola Float is excellent, a decent steep really brings the Vanilla through. Another favorite is Cola Jackfruit and Cactus, has a really good, juicy mouthfeel to it.
 
Good write up @Simon G

If you want a couple of suggestions on the colas, Cola Float is excellent, a decent steep really brings the Vanilla through. Another favorite is Cola Jackfruit and Cactus, has a really good, juicy mouthfeel to it.

I think I need try them all. :D
 
Great write up @SimonG. You and @eyeball kid have both wrote down so brilliantly your thoughts. I won’t even try to match your well written prose. I agree this stuff is amazing. All of it.
 
Nice review. MB seem to make everything taste good, which as any DIYer knows isn't easy.
 
Cuba Libre: Part of the 'Cola Divergence' range

This is my first experience of the Cola Divergence liquids and I'm impressed. I do like Cola vapes and this is one of the better ones I've tried. It's the Traditional Cola base (available as a straight cola if you wanted that) with Rum and lime. I'm not the biggest lime fan if I'm honest but thankfully it's not too overpowering and I can deal with the subtle 'twist' in this blend. The rum is very good and if like me you quite like a rum and cola then you'll enjoy this, it's not overly boozy tasting though and the main flavour is the very rich and bold cola.

That's what I like about this the most, it seems a bit weird describing cola as 'rich and bold' but it really is. It's not thin or watery tasting and it has some really nice underlying notes of spiciness. A while back I bought a bottle of fancy cola from Asda, it was called something like 'curiosity cola' and this reminds me of that a lot. This isn't Coke or Pepsi and it certainly isn't just a squirt of FA cola in the mix because that tastes nothing like this. I'm really going to have try all the other Manabush Cola flavours now, I think I would love the Raspberry one and the Base Cola especially.

Knowing they all share a common Cola flavour, and knowing that Manabush don't mess up with their 'toppings', I could pretty much safely recommend any of them if you like the taste of good cola and fancy what that's been paired with. I don't know why this tastes unmistakably like a Manabush flavour as there's no tobacco here but somehow it absolutely tastes 100% Manabush.

It's not 'sugar lips' sweet or dripping with sucralose but it's sweet enough to be authentic to a 'soda' flavour and the lime also helps the balance with that dash of zesty citrus. The overall balance is spot on for me in 'ye ole corolla' but I can imagine that in other tanks you might get a little more rum or a little more lime and that would be fun to experiment with too. Right now I'm kind of obsessed with the Cola element of the liquid though... it's so good. :)

As expected there's no weird off notes or anything that tastes like vomit, mushrooms, musty wet newspapers, second hand record shops or hippies.

I didn't pay for this liquid but @ZT only sent me a little 10ml sample so it's not like I was paid off or paid to write this. (I might be cheap but I ain't that cheap!) If I have any bias then it's because I fully support UK independent liquid manufacturers and I have nothing but respect for everyone over at Manabush HQ. Vaping on this Cuba Libre has done nothing to diminish that respect either, it tastes pretty damn special.

Buy them here:

https://manabush.com/collections/the-cola-divergent

I'm gonna. :)
Nice one bud. Spot on.
I completely get the unmistakable manabush element. If someone asked me what this reminds me of its nanabhozo. Sounds bizarre but the masterful blend of multiple complex flavours flavours is the only commit factor I can put my finger on and that goes even more so for the firewater cuba libre.
Won't touch a review here on this one as I couldn't explain any better.
 
Great write up @SimonG. You and @eyeball kid have both wrote down so brilliantly your thoughts. I won’t even try to match your well written prose. I agree this stuff is amazing. All of it.
Would really appreciate if you would do one of the flavours @Coolie27 .
I'm sure folks are sick of me banging on and think it's an inside job.
I think you'd do fantastic and with good juice your trying to quantify the unquantifiable anyway.
 
Nice one bud. Spot on.
I completely get the unmistakable manabush element. If someone asked me what this reminds me of its nanabhozo. Sounds bizarre but the masterful blend of multiple complex flavours flavours is the only commit factor I can put my finger on and that goes even more so for the firewater cuba libre.
Won't touch a review here on this one as I couldn't explain any better.

Yeah, it's also got that thing that I would call a 'grown up taste' which is something Manabush can always seem to pull off.

How many companies make liquids that don't taste like a sweet shop, a kids juice box, an ice cream dessert, custard or cakes. But aren't tobacco? Not many...

I always felt that was why the BUNKR liquids had the Manabush thing too. They didn't taste like any other desserts either.
 
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