E-Liquid Reviews

Bunkr E-liquid by Manabush

Bunkr e-liquid by Manabush is back, and is possibly better than ever

by Michelle (Purplefowler)
Jul 16, 2024

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We recently took a look at the freshly relaunched Phileas Fogg e-liquid range which has been brought back from the dead by Manabush as part of the Old School Vape E-liquids series. But that isn’t the only line that has been lovingly reintroduced, oh no, there are lots of other goodies in the all-star line-up, and this time round, we are going to check out the Bunkr range of shortfills.

Manabush are known and loved for their tobacco based e-liquids, so it was a bit of a departure when they first brought out the Bunkr range as this was a complete departure from their usual recipes. I can clearly remember having a chat with Martyn back in the day, and he said he was coming out with something completely different, a sweet, dessert range. I thought he’d gone slightly mad or was selling his soul to the devil, or it was all some elaborate joke, as this seemed completely out of character, but then he sent me some bottles of this new patisserie style rage, and I totally got it. Yes it was sweeter, and the names sounded on trend for what was going on in the e-liquid world at that time, but Bunkr was something different. These were sophisticated e-liquids for people who care about flavour on a deep level. These were truly gourmet blends.

Now, all these years later, Bunkr is back, and it has been really interesting to revisit these classic flavours. Back then, pod kits weren’t really a thing, you had tanks with replaceable coils which were ok, but not a patch on modern mesh based coils, or rebuildables, and I was purely a rebuildable girl. But things have moved on, and mesh coils have really changed the shape of vaping, and these days, I pretty much exclusively use pod kits as the flavour is just so good. Plus I guess I’m getting lazy in my old age. So how would these old school flavours work in modern kits? Well as it happens, they work fantastically well.

The Flavours

There are five flavours in the Bunkr range, four are part of the original line up, but there is also a new kid in town. Lemon Torte was part of the 2023 Summer Range, but it fits really well with the Bunkr range, and I think it has deservedly earned its place here. As well as this, a couple of the original flavours have been remixed to great effect, and a couple are true to their OG form.

Apple Strudel

“Apple Strudel is back from the Dead! - this popular Old School E-liquid is a wonderfully deep Apple Strudel, a mix of flaky cinnamon pastry topped with stewed apple, encrusted with brown sugar and drizzled with Maple Syrup”

This was where it all began, the original inspiration for the Bunkr concept, back in the days of the Manabush Café. It totally fits as what could be better than a really decent coffee paired with a delicious dessert? Well the café is sadly no longer around, but I consider myself a coffee nerd, so I can still recreate the experience at home, and it is still a match made in heaven. This is a really well crafted juice, beautifully layered with space for every element. What I really love is the apple, it tastes like real homemade baked apple, sweet but mellow, and with a slight tang which you only get by using fresh cooking apples. The pastry with a hint of cinnamon matches the apple perfectly, and then you get the rich sweetness of the maple syrup. Now I am a total maple syrup addict, I have been known to drink it out of the bottle when I think nobody is watching, so I am always happy to see it in my e-liquid, especially when it is used as well as it is here. This is heavenly! It also really highlights how good modern pods are too, as you really get the full breadth of flavour here with mesh coils.

Toffee Crème

“Toffee Crème is quite simply a delicious mix of Custard, Toffee, and Chantilly Cream—a sublime indulgence reminiscent of a toffee-infused Créme Brûlée”

This makes my mouth water, just reading the description. I have to agree that there is definitely a strong likeness to crème brulee, but I would say it is richer and creamier, and all round more decadent on every level. It is one of the newly remixed flavours, but fans of the original Base Zero Toffee Crème X will still instantly recognise the taste. But it has taken everything that the original flavour offered and has cranked it up a level, so you get more of everything, richer toffee, sweeter cream, and more depth.

Fruit Crème

“Fruit Creme Pastry Old School E-liquid is a flaky pastry mixed with oodles of Fresh Vanilla Cream dotted with Raspberries, Satsuma pieces and grapefruit - then finished off with sprinklings of Brown Sugar”

Another remixed original, and this time it is night and day. I always felt the original Fruit Crème was good, but it lacked a punch, but that has been fixed, and I found this one has been the one I’ve reached for the most, although it is close as I have really enjoyed all of the Bunkr flavours. The pastry and cream are top notch, but what really makes this stand out is the combination of fruit. Only Manabush would think of putting fresh, zesty citrus flavours in a creamy pastry based recipe. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. I think the subtle raspberry is what brings it all together, with a gentle sweetness. It is just such an easy liquid to vape any time of the day.

Lemon Torte

“Are you a dessert lover who craves the sophisticated flavours of high-end bakeries and tart desserts? Look no further than our Lemon Torte E-liquid. It is a pastry torte with lashings of Lemon and Custard”

Here’s the new guy! To be honest, it seems like such a natural fit that I thought it was one of the original line up, and I was quite surprised that it was a new addition. Here the pastry is lighter, still there, but it just acts as a solid base for the sharp lemon and the creamy, rich custard. I love the lemon, it is clean and fresh, but also very natural so you get no nasty chemical aftertaste. It is also extremely well balanced, so it blends seamlessly with the custard. Nothing feels out of place, all the flavours complement each other beautifully.

Rhubarb tarte

“A rich French-style spiced Tarte with tangy Rhubarb and ginger - sweetened with Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar. This Old School Rhubarb Tarte E-liquid was a popular flavour among Rhubarb enthusiasts”

This has my name all over it, I am a total rhubarb addict. But I am not a fan of ginger as most people don’t know how to use it properly so it ends up completely overpowering everything. Thankfully Manabush are the masters of delicate mixing, so the ginger just enhances the rhubarb, giving it a light yet exotic spiciness. The rhubarb is very sharp, so the mix of brown sugar and my beloved maple syrup is a very welcome addition. If you like rhubarb e-liquids, this is a must try.

Final Thoughts

The Bunkr range has been a very welcome change from all the super sweet, basic flavours that have been rehashed to death. These are unique e-liquids that have been carefully crafted from the ground up to provide an interesting, multilayered flavour experience that you won’t get anywhere else. Whilst they are all fruity desserts, they are all unmistakeably Manabush too, there is a certain signature to all of their flavours which can’t be described but if you’ve tried any of their ranges, you will know what I mean.

Not only are these superb flavours, if you buy these or any of the excellent Manabush e-liquids, you will be doing your bit to support the homegrown e-liquid industry which is being slowly erased by the larger corporate vaping companies. In the same way that we should be supporting our own farmers and food producers, we should also be doing our bit to support and encourage our own craft vape scene. This is my own personal little call to arms, but if you can make a conscious choice to buy more bespoke handmade e-liquids, you are directly supporting small businesses and that can make a real difference. We have some amazing talent here in the UK, and I would hate for us to lose it.

That is enough of my moral preaching, but if you do fancy giving the Bunkr range a try, click over to Manabush where you can pick them up. A 100ml bottle with space for two nic shots (sold separately here) is usually £14.95, or you can pick up a bundle of the complete range which includes your nic for £84.95. If you go for the bundle, you can also choose between a MTL option or a DTL one, depending on your vape style. Manabush run frequent offers too, so at the moment the bundle is only £59.99, so it is well worth regularly checking as you can pick up some real bargains

Many thanks to Manabush for sending over the Bunkr range for review.

Pros

Unique flavours
Craft UK made e-liquid
Easy fill bottles

Cons

None

Michelle (Purplefowler)

Reviewer at POTV

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When her usual forum closed, Michelle found herself in a brave new world full of excitement that something fresh and new was happening. A few days later she somehow found herself on the moderating team and is still not really sure how that happened. Even stranger, she slowly worked her way up to admin and now helps behind the scenes, liasing with vendors and coordinating social media but she can still be found making smutty comments on the forum. If all that wasn't enough, she also is a proud member of the Potv review team specialising in E-liquid reviews for the discerning vaper.