Sobucky Single Flavor Tests Series V TESTING NOW !!!!
That's right people, as I finish up the Medicine Flower reviews, and then the NEW Flavorah reviews, these are getting mixed up AS we speak, and steeping so I can run into them as soon as the queue is empty.
Because my experience thus far with SSA's has been that they ARE fairly strong, I decided on a starting point of 1% again, with some minor adjustments as needed. All will be tested at their listed percentages, and in a 70v/30p/3mg carrier. As always, will be tested in the SteamCrave RDTA v.1 running dual 24ga. Kanthal vertical coils, at 65 watts, and using Koh Gen Do cotton. Fresh coils installed before the start of the tests, with dry burned coils and fresh cotton before every test.
Stay tuned !!!!!
**Chocolate Mousse (SSA) 1% / 2% (11-16-23)** -- Starting this series off of new(er) Sobucky flavors, with the Chocolate Mousse. I started the test out at my typical 1% and it felt a little thin and lacking, so I doubled it, let it re-steep and it was MUCH better. Every CM that I've ever eaten has always used a bittersweet chocolate, and Sobucky followed suit. Darker, slightly dry, but not bitter, and it fit the bill perfectly for a CM. No scorching, band aids, or rubber bands to be found in this one. The main mousse body was rich, and fairly thick, with some pretty good mouthfeel. Surprisingly it wasn't overly creamy, but 3 testers later, I just don't know if I missed it or not. Even doubled it still had a somewhat airy quality (not thin-ness) that represented a whipped mousse very well. To be fair, I was surprised it got as good as it did after doubling, as I had expected a "little" better, but it almost seemed TWICE as good as at the lower 1% rate, so increasing this one DOES increase the fun. Sweetness was actually below mid-level, and there were no off-notes to be found, and I was looking for them. As the last tank ran dry, I was just a little bummed out (yes, I can make more). All in, a VERY impressive mousse showing from SSA, with an almost perfect bittersweet chocolate. The choco wasn't just on top, or in there, it was completely blended into the mousse. It was NOT a pudding, but really a mousse. My only nit-picks would have been maybe some more mouthfeel, and maybe some creamy-ness, but but minor nit-picks. Def. a keeper, and it def. worked better solo'd at 2%. Minor take-offs only, and it was too good to go below **9.5/10**.
**Crumbly Cookie Flavor (SSA) 1% / 2% (11-18-23)** -- When I was first mixing this one up, I could already tell it shared a lot with SSA's Shortbread Cookie, and Shortbread Biscuit. Testing it, revealed that was correct. Now, I'm not calling this a "re-hash", but, if you've already got either (or both) of the two aforementioned, you won't need this one. This one had the same great buttery, somewhat grainy bakery elements as I had gotten before, and with a nice underlying vanilla note. When I started testing it at my typical SSA 1%, it felt like it needed a little more, and I doubled it. It did get somewhat richer, but not double in richness, so the single flavor sweet spot might be 1.5-1.75%-ish. While not truly "crumbly" it did have somewhat of a dry-er, almost crunchy cookie texture, as opposed to a moist/chewy one, so that's probably the "cumbly"-ness. Tasty as hell, and VERY much a cookie, just not breaking NEW ground let's say. Sweetness was just about mid-level, and it tasted good at that level. All in, a new (but not new) cookie from Sobucky that shared a lot with it's previously release Shortbread Cookie and Biscuit, that still worked really well. No off-notes, or anything out of place, and hard to nit-pick except for the slightly weaker (in comparison) flavor, and similar profiles. It felt nice and buttery @ **9.0/10**.
**Lemon Pound Cake (SSA) 1.5% (11-22-23)** -- Wow, I HAD to take some extra time with this one. 9 tester tanks later, MORE wow. I have to start this out by thanking @lukeloop who told me a WHILE ago, to get this one, and finally, I see why. Yes, this IS the Pound Cake to get, period, hands down, just buy a BIG bottle now. I know in the dark underbelly of the baking scene, the whole "Yes or No" to the Baking Soda is a REAL thing, BUT, I can tell you, every time I've "pounded", I've always used it, AND, I got some of it with this one. With this flavor, although HAVING some Lemon, the Pound Cake is/was/will always be the star of the show. It IS the most accurate, spot on PC I have ever tried. It had basically every nuance of a PC that you would ever need. Dense, rich, somewhat buttery, and with a grainy-ness that wouldn't quit. It really captured how a PC is supposed to taste, without being overly "cake-y", like a Birthday Cake for example. NOW, the Lemon, was no slouch either, as it tasted very natural, and honestly, PERFECTLY paired with the PC. Not only did Sobucky pick the RIGHT Lemon notes, they nailed the ratio as well. Sure, sure, you Lemon HeadZ out there, could dose it up with some MO, but you might find, it's almost perfect, as is. To say this would NOT be a One-Shot would be incorrect.
Sobucky did a great job of covering the entire PC, with lighter "yellow" notes, and some of the darker, more cooked elements, and just ladled it in the grains, which gave it a palatable "weight" and "feel", which was impressive. As I continued to test this one (yes, I just kept re-filling the SteamCrave), I could not find ONE nit-pick, out of place note, or even a slight complaint about this one. It was VERY rich, full, and tasty at my 1.5% testing weight, and it was just below mid-level sweet. Again, thanks out to Luke, who DID hit me up about this one earlier on, and I only wish I had gotten into it sooner. If you want the MOST realistic LPC out there, you should pick this one up. Release the Kraken people, because it's THAT good. **10/10**. Thanks Luke, you were right mate.
**Marshmallow (SSA) 1%/2% (11-23-23)** -- Happy Turkey Day !!!!! I initially started testing this at my typical (past tests) testing weight of 1%, and it came across as fairly thin, and unimpressive. Doubling this to 2% however, CHANGED the game. WOW, as I was UN-prepared for how much better this one would become. On my racks I typically bounce between FA, TPA, and LA depending on what I need, and/or a combination of the three. All are great, but serve single purposes. I will admit to TWO thoughts, the moment I tested it at 2%, "Wow, this is what FA's MM should have been", and "This may now be the best marshmallow out there". Review over, right ? This seemed to pick up all of the pro's from the 3 aforementioned MM's and did it in ONE package. A very authentic Marshmallow flavor encompassing every aspect from the light vanilla, mallow, gooey, AND, the dry powdered sugar finish. YES, all in ONE package. At 2% (possibly higher) it is an impressive flavor to test, and enjoy. As of this writing, I'm struggling to think of a MM use, where this would NOT fit the bill.
At 2% it was fairly thick, rich, and had a solid mouthfeel, and just did not leave you wanting. And coming from the S'mores Guy, THAT is impressive, as I tired of stacking multiple MM's just trying to get it present, and tasty in my S'mores recipes. While not the strongest SSA flavor, once tested at the correct weight, it was a gooey force to be reckoned with. I blew through 3 testers before giving UP on trying to nit-pick this one, with no off-notes. It's blending/softening is outside the scope of this review, but I can tell you two things. I'm getting a much bigger bottle, and I"m mixing up some S'mores. If you feel your current MM's fall short, or require tempering with other MM's, you SHOULD pick this one up. Realizing I JUST released the Kraken on the previous flavor, and do NOT want to diminish it's value, I cannot in good conscious, NOT slam this one at a **10/10**. Keep the Kraken out people !!!
**Marzipan (SSA) 0.90% (11-25-23)** -- I don't recall ever actually eating Marzipan, but I've used it from time to time in recipes, most often in cherry/cranberry mixes, or Apple Pies, and it's worked great. Testing this one would be kind of a first for me. Most times, I can't taste much Almond unless it's dark and bitter. That continued with this one, for the most part, as I did get SOME lighter, earthy nutty-ness, but it was fairly low in the mix. This could mean I'm Almond blind ?? The main note did resemble a nice Cherry, riding on a somewhat creamy carrier. Now this was NOT a full on, in your face Cherry, just for clarity, but it did have somewhat soft, yet very distinct cherry overtones. I didn't get an overt bakery element from this, but it had some weight to it, so perhaps that was it. The aforementioned creamy-ness while not to the level of a cream, did seem to soften, or temper the overall flavor. Being a huge fan of everything Cherry this one appealed to my tastes, and I could see using it often. Because it smelled stronger in the bottle I did test this just below 1%, and after 3 testers, it was clear it wasn't overpowering at this weight, and could even be increased a little bit. No off-notes, and it was a few ticks below mid-level sweet. All in, it was a great flavor, with clear Cherry overtones, and a nice creamy middle, with some light nutty undertones on the bottom. This one is harder to rate, as I strongly suspect I don't typically taste Almonds, regardless of the flavor, but with that said, it felt right at a **8.75/10.**
That's right people, as I finish up the Medicine Flower reviews, and then the NEW Flavorah reviews, these are getting mixed up AS we speak, and steeping so I can run into them as soon as the queue is empty.
Because my experience thus far with SSA's has been that they ARE fairly strong, I decided on a starting point of 1% again, with some minor adjustments as needed. All will be tested at their listed percentages, and in a 70v/30p/3mg carrier. As always, will be tested in the SteamCrave RDTA v.1 running dual 24ga. Kanthal vertical coils, at 65 watts, and using Koh Gen Do cotton. Fresh coils installed before the start of the tests, with dry burned coils and fresh cotton before every test.
Stay tuned !!!!!
**Chocolate Mousse (SSA) 1% / 2% (11-16-23)** -- Starting this series off of new(er) Sobucky flavors, with the Chocolate Mousse. I started the test out at my typical 1% and it felt a little thin and lacking, so I doubled it, let it re-steep and it was MUCH better. Every CM that I've ever eaten has always used a bittersweet chocolate, and Sobucky followed suit. Darker, slightly dry, but not bitter, and it fit the bill perfectly for a CM. No scorching, band aids, or rubber bands to be found in this one. The main mousse body was rich, and fairly thick, with some pretty good mouthfeel. Surprisingly it wasn't overly creamy, but 3 testers later, I just don't know if I missed it or not. Even doubled it still had a somewhat airy quality (not thin-ness) that represented a whipped mousse very well. To be fair, I was surprised it got as good as it did after doubling, as I had expected a "little" better, but it almost seemed TWICE as good as at the lower 1% rate, so increasing this one DOES increase the fun. Sweetness was actually below mid-level, and there were no off-notes to be found, and I was looking for them. As the last tank ran dry, I was just a little bummed out (yes, I can make more). All in, a VERY impressive mousse showing from SSA, with an almost perfect bittersweet chocolate. The choco wasn't just on top, or in there, it was completely blended into the mousse. It was NOT a pudding, but really a mousse. My only nit-picks would have been maybe some more mouthfeel, and maybe some creamy-ness, but but minor nit-picks. Def. a keeper, and it def. worked better solo'd at 2%. Minor take-offs only, and it was too good to go below **9.5/10**.
**Crumbly Cookie Flavor (SSA) 1% / 2% (11-18-23)** -- When I was first mixing this one up, I could already tell it shared a lot with SSA's Shortbread Cookie, and Shortbread Biscuit. Testing it, revealed that was correct. Now, I'm not calling this a "re-hash", but, if you've already got either (or both) of the two aforementioned, you won't need this one. This one had the same great buttery, somewhat grainy bakery elements as I had gotten before, and with a nice underlying vanilla note. When I started testing it at my typical SSA 1%, it felt like it needed a little more, and I doubled it. It did get somewhat richer, but not double in richness, so the single flavor sweet spot might be 1.5-1.75%-ish. While not truly "crumbly" it did have somewhat of a dry-er, almost crunchy cookie texture, as opposed to a moist/chewy one, so that's probably the "cumbly"-ness. Tasty as hell, and VERY much a cookie, just not breaking NEW ground let's say. Sweetness was just about mid-level, and it tasted good at that level. All in, a new (but not new) cookie from Sobucky that shared a lot with it's previously release Shortbread Cookie and Biscuit, that still worked really well. No off-notes, or anything out of place, and hard to nit-pick except for the slightly weaker (in comparison) flavor, and similar profiles. It felt nice and buttery @ **9.0/10**.
**Lemon Pound Cake (SSA) 1.5% (11-22-23)** -- Wow, I HAD to take some extra time with this one. 9 tester tanks later, MORE wow. I have to start this out by thanking @lukeloop who told me a WHILE ago, to get this one, and finally, I see why. Yes, this IS the Pound Cake to get, period, hands down, just buy a BIG bottle now. I know in the dark underbelly of the baking scene, the whole "Yes or No" to the Baking Soda is a REAL thing, BUT, I can tell you, every time I've "pounded", I've always used it, AND, I got some of it with this one. With this flavor, although HAVING some Lemon, the Pound Cake is/was/will always be the star of the show. It IS the most accurate, spot on PC I have ever tried. It had basically every nuance of a PC that you would ever need. Dense, rich, somewhat buttery, and with a grainy-ness that wouldn't quit. It really captured how a PC is supposed to taste, without being overly "cake-y", like a Birthday Cake for example. NOW, the Lemon, was no slouch either, as it tasted very natural, and honestly, PERFECTLY paired with the PC. Not only did Sobucky pick the RIGHT Lemon notes, they nailed the ratio as well. Sure, sure, you Lemon HeadZ out there, could dose it up with some MO, but you might find, it's almost perfect, as is. To say this would NOT be a One-Shot would be incorrect.
Sobucky did a great job of covering the entire PC, with lighter "yellow" notes, and some of the darker, more cooked elements, and just ladled it in the grains, which gave it a palatable "weight" and "feel", which was impressive. As I continued to test this one (yes, I just kept re-filling the SteamCrave), I could not find ONE nit-pick, out of place note, or even a slight complaint about this one. It was VERY rich, full, and tasty at my 1.5% testing weight, and it was just below mid-level sweet. Again, thanks out to Luke, who DID hit me up about this one earlier on, and I only wish I had gotten into it sooner. If you want the MOST realistic LPC out there, you should pick this one up. Release the Kraken people, because it's THAT good. **10/10**. Thanks Luke, you were right mate.
**Marshmallow (SSA) 1%/2% (11-23-23)** -- Happy Turkey Day !!!!! I initially started testing this at my typical (past tests) testing weight of 1%, and it came across as fairly thin, and unimpressive. Doubling this to 2% however, CHANGED the game. WOW, as I was UN-prepared for how much better this one would become. On my racks I typically bounce between FA, TPA, and LA depending on what I need, and/or a combination of the three. All are great, but serve single purposes. I will admit to TWO thoughts, the moment I tested it at 2%, "Wow, this is what FA's MM should have been", and "This may now be the best marshmallow out there". Review over, right ? This seemed to pick up all of the pro's from the 3 aforementioned MM's and did it in ONE package. A very authentic Marshmallow flavor encompassing every aspect from the light vanilla, mallow, gooey, AND, the dry powdered sugar finish. YES, all in ONE package. At 2% (possibly higher) it is an impressive flavor to test, and enjoy. As of this writing, I'm struggling to think of a MM use, where this would NOT fit the bill.
At 2% it was fairly thick, rich, and had a solid mouthfeel, and just did not leave you wanting. And coming from the S'mores Guy, THAT is impressive, as I tired of stacking multiple MM's just trying to get it present, and tasty in my S'mores recipes. While not the strongest SSA flavor, once tested at the correct weight, it was a gooey force to be reckoned with. I blew through 3 testers before giving UP on trying to nit-pick this one, with no off-notes. It's blending/softening is outside the scope of this review, but I can tell you two things. I'm getting a much bigger bottle, and I"m mixing up some S'mores. If you feel your current MM's fall short, or require tempering with other MM's, you SHOULD pick this one up. Realizing I JUST released the Kraken on the previous flavor, and do NOT want to diminish it's value, I cannot in good conscious, NOT slam this one at a **10/10**. Keep the Kraken out people !!!
**Marzipan (SSA) 0.90% (11-25-23)** -- I don't recall ever actually eating Marzipan, but I've used it from time to time in recipes, most often in cherry/cranberry mixes, or Apple Pies, and it's worked great. Testing this one would be kind of a first for me. Most times, I can't taste much Almond unless it's dark and bitter. That continued with this one, for the most part, as I did get SOME lighter, earthy nutty-ness, but it was fairly low in the mix. This could mean I'm Almond blind ?? The main note did resemble a nice Cherry, riding on a somewhat creamy carrier. Now this was NOT a full on, in your face Cherry, just for clarity, but it did have somewhat soft, yet very distinct cherry overtones. I didn't get an overt bakery element from this, but it had some weight to it, so perhaps that was it. The aforementioned creamy-ness while not to the level of a cream, did seem to soften, or temper the overall flavor. Being a huge fan of everything Cherry this one appealed to my tastes, and I could see using it often. Because it smelled stronger in the bottle I did test this just below 1%, and after 3 testers, it was clear it wasn't overpowering at this weight, and could even be increased a little bit. No off-notes, and it was a few ticks below mid-level sweet. All in, it was a great flavor, with clear Cherry overtones, and a nice creamy middle, with some light nutty undertones on the bottom. This one is harder to rate, as I strongly suspect I don't typically taste Almonds, regardless of the flavor, but with that said, it felt right at a **8.75/10.**
