The 15ml bottle of Black Label 555 that Nik at SpringVapor sent me free for review is a golden tan colored liquid, 24mg nic strength in a 50/50 PG/VG base blend. Testing was done by loading the juice into a 2.5 ohm Ultimate XL Clearomizer (rev 6) run by a madvapes VV box set to 4.5 volts for a loaded power output of 8.1 watts.
I should start this review by stating up front that Im not particularly an aficionado of State Express 555 juices. Yes, Ive bought and vaped a bunch of them (about ten all told) over my year and a half of vaping, but I have yet to use up a single of those bottles. It's not that I dislike 555s, theyre just not among my go-to juices. Ive tried 555s from Dekang, Nhaler, BWB (both Dons 555 and his newer 555 Exotic), KalamazooVaporShop, VapeRite, and Want2Vape. And now SpringVapor.
What dont I love about most 555s? Well, in part its what Dr. Vapenstein calls the mystery nut flavor thats nearly ubiquitous among Chinese nutty tobacco blends, which is a sort of ersatz peanut flavor. Not real peanut, but something synthetic and peanut-y, in much the same way that cereal companies use the term chocolate-y to describe kids cereals that contain no chocolate, but some flavoring designed to imitate chocolate. Beyond my relative disdain for mystery nut, however, is my brains characteristic reaction that tobacco and nut blends fairly yearn for additional flavors. By themselves in a blend, tobacco and nut flavors are OK, but they lack something indefinable to my taste buds.
Black Label is SpringVapors custom line of tobacco blends. Below is the description of Black Label 555 from its ordering page on the SpringVapor web site:
How accurate is that description? To my palate, very accurate. Black Label 555 is indeed warm, toasty, and nutty. What the description doesnt mention is that its tobacco base is quite smooth, rich, and pleasing. I dont know for sure if SpringVapor uses natural extract, but the tobacco tastes very natural. Some natural tobacco extracts are grassy or cereal-like. This one is toasty and delicious.
So, with all my caveats and disclaimers established, I can now state that Black Label 555 is my favorite of all the 555s Ive ever vaped. Why? First, because the nut flavor is more like mixed nuts than fake peanut. Second, because that nut flavor is used in a restrained way that doesnt dominate the smooth tobacco base. Its not weird nut with a hint of tobacco, its good tobacco with a hint of mixed nuts, which I like much better. And third, I like it because Black Label 555s flavor profile bears the least resemblance to all the other 555s Ive tried that were sort of OK but not truly delicious to me.
To write that I like a juice because its less like other supposedly similar juices may seem to damn with faint praise, but what I mean is that I will actually vape Black Label 555 with enjoyment, whereas my 16-month-old 50ml bottle of Dekang 555 will probably languish forevermore in my juice cellar, untouched for a year already and likely to remain so.
In other words, Black Label 555 gets my heartiest recommendation, even though 555 in general occupies only a small part of my heart. This is a 555 created for tobacco lovers, and thats a lovely thing.
I should start this review by stating up front that Im not particularly an aficionado of State Express 555 juices. Yes, Ive bought and vaped a bunch of them (about ten all told) over my year and a half of vaping, but I have yet to use up a single of those bottles. It's not that I dislike 555s, theyre just not among my go-to juices. Ive tried 555s from Dekang, Nhaler, BWB (both Dons 555 and his newer 555 Exotic), KalamazooVaporShop, VapeRite, and Want2Vape. And now SpringVapor.
What dont I love about most 555s? Well, in part its what Dr. Vapenstein calls the mystery nut flavor thats nearly ubiquitous among Chinese nutty tobacco blends, which is a sort of ersatz peanut flavor. Not real peanut, but something synthetic and peanut-y, in much the same way that cereal companies use the term chocolate-y to describe kids cereals that contain no chocolate, but some flavoring designed to imitate chocolate. Beyond my relative disdain for mystery nut, however, is my brains characteristic reaction that tobacco and nut blends fairly yearn for additional flavors. By themselves in a blend, tobacco and nut flavors are OK, but they lack something indefinable to my taste buds.
Black Label is SpringVapors custom line of tobacco blends. Below is the description of Black Label 555 from its ordering page on the SpringVapor web site:
Warm, toasty and nutty, this juice was a special request from a local client that that wanted
that analog feel with a nutty undertone. I give to you a classic remake that rivals the best!
State Express SV style!
that analog feel with a nutty undertone. I give to you a classic remake that rivals the best!
State Express SV style!
How accurate is that description? To my palate, very accurate. Black Label 555 is indeed warm, toasty, and nutty. What the description doesnt mention is that its tobacco base is quite smooth, rich, and pleasing. I dont know for sure if SpringVapor uses natural extract, but the tobacco tastes very natural. Some natural tobacco extracts are grassy or cereal-like. This one is toasty and delicious.
So, with all my caveats and disclaimers established, I can now state that Black Label 555 is my favorite of all the 555s Ive ever vaped. Why? First, because the nut flavor is more like mixed nuts than fake peanut. Second, because that nut flavor is used in a restrained way that doesnt dominate the smooth tobacco base. Its not weird nut with a hint of tobacco, its good tobacco with a hint of mixed nuts, which I like much better. And third, I like it because Black Label 555s flavor profile bears the least resemblance to all the other 555s Ive tried that were sort of OK but not truly delicious to me.
To write that I like a juice because its less like other supposedly similar juices may seem to damn with faint praise, but what I mean is that I will actually vape Black Label 555 with enjoyment, whereas my 16-month-old 50ml bottle of Dekang 555 will probably languish forevermore in my juice cellar, untouched for a year already and likely to remain so.
In other words, Black Label 555 gets my heartiest recommendation, even though 555 in general occupies only a small part of my heart. This is a 555 created for tobacco lovers, and thats a lovely thing.
