Disclaimer: This E-liquid was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of conducting a review. This fact notwithstanding, I will, as best I'm able, provide an honest, accurate and unbiased assessment of this product. Portions of this review are quoted from my review of Manabush by Manabush. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/manabush-by-manabush.html Quoted passages are in italics.
"From the full moon fell Nokomis/Fell the beautiful Nokomis"
from Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Nokomis was Manabush's Grandmother. I suspect she was a very patient and tolerant woman because Manabush liked nothing better than to cause trouble. He stole tobacco from a giant, diluted maple syrup so that the tribespeople wouldn't grow fat, disguised himself as a rabbit and stole fire from an old man and his two daughters. Manabush was/is the trickster God and hero of the Menominee and Anishinaabe tribes of North America. http://www.native-languages.org/nanabozho.htm See my review of Manabush By Manabush for further information. http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/manabush-by-manabush.html
Manabush, the company run by a gentleman called Wenebojo is situated in the UK. Besides Nokomis they offer the Manabush signature liquids and Powwow Sauce and are preparing to roll out Nokomis Maple Blend, Nokomis Gingerbread and Coyote Coconut.
Nokomis is available from EjuiceBOX http://ejuicebox.co.uk/manabush-tobacco-and-maple-e-liquid.html, Leisure Liquids http://www.leisureliquids.com/manabush.html, and the Planet of the Vapes Marketplace http://marketplace.planetofthevapes.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&filter_name=manabush. Nokomis is available in 10ml bottles (£4.99) at nicotine strengths of 15 and 18mg. The Manabush website says that with the next batch (date?) available nicotine strengths will be 12 and 18mg.
The bottle is an easily squeezed, clear plastic with a white, childproof screw-top cap. Attached to the bottle is a 1cm plastic, needle type dripper. The label includes the following information: the brand name, the name of the liquid, liquid contents in ml, nicotine strength in mg, PG/VG ratio, toxicity graphics, the company website address, storage and first aid instructions, an advisory notice that the liquid may contain traces of nuts, a warning that the liquid may be dangerous if released into the environment and a tactile warning triangle which complies with EU laws regarding the storage of toxic substances. Although the label on the bottle in front of me contains no age warning, Wenebojo assures me that this will be added to the labels with the next batch to go out into the market. As of the writing of this review, this may have already occurred.
The label completely surrounds the diameter of the bottle, so it's difficult for me to accurately determine the colour of the liquid. However, from what I can see, it appears to be a species of dark brown. The Manabush website states that there are no added colouring agents in their liquids. http://www.manabush.com/Manabush-News.html The aroma of the liquid itself is of a sweetened biscuit/cookie.
I'm vaping Nokomis in a Killer on a mechanical mod running on a freshly charged 18650 battery. (The Killer is essentially a dripping atomiser that sits within a cartomizer tank, so it delivers the full flavour of a dripping atomiser without having to drip liquid into it every few minutes. A popular hardware reviewer on YouTube likens the vape you get from the Killer to the much more expensive Kayfun.) As I fire the device, I hear a satisfying crackling and sizzling. I draw the vapour into my mouth and it has a dense texture with a payload of warm sweetness which I experience throughout my mouth but seems concentrated on the tip of my tongue. I begin by just filling my mouth and then after a few seconds commence inhaling the mouthful of vapour and more as I continue firing the device. While usually I can only taste broad categories of flavour on the inhalation, ie, sweetness, sourness, umami, etc., as I inhale Nokomis I can taste the maple. (Manabush use a heavier, darker Maple syrup flavour than the type generally used for desserts.) As I finish inhaling and draw in a small amount of fresh air, the maple flavour continues to dominate, but I begin to sense the presence of a certain biscuit/cookie note and a light tobacco note. As I exhale, this medley of flavour is amplified and continues through to the aftertaste which lingers for a good while. As I've found with a number of E-liquids, there is a slight metallic tang around the gums and teeth which I never find unpleasant; in fact I enjoy this aspect of the aftertaste as integral to the overall experience.
I find that the throat hit is relatively light. There's a mild building of pressure at the back of the throat but it never becomes uncomfortable. Vapour production is very good with opaque white streams flowing out into the room ahead of me. Veils of vapour seem to hang in the air for some time.
The maple biscuit/cookie flavour dominates from beginning to end and I've found this to be a very agreeable all day vape. Sweet, but without being cloying and just enough of the tobacco flavour to add some umami body to the overall (full-bodied) taste. I like Nokomis very much and the fact that I've been vaping it on and off consistently for the last two days should give an indication of the regard I have for this juice. The consistent branding on the website and bottles sparks my imagination and lends additional pleasure to the experience of vaping Nokomis. I'm looking forward to the forthcoming releases from Manabush; if they're as good as Nokomis and the Manabush signature liquids then we're in for a treat.
