Monkey Paw is the first in a set of juices sent to me by Canadian vendor Vapor North.

Promising a natural banana flavour with a fruity and nutty finish, this is a juice that puts me slightly outside of my flavour comfort zone. Will Monkey Paw make me go bananas for Vapor North? Or will it awaken PTSD-like symptoms from my exposure to banana-flavoured medicine in my youth? There’s only one way to find out, dear readers. Read on.

The Details:

PG:VG Ratio: 50% PG / 50% VG

50% PG / 50% VG Nicotine: 6mg

6mg Tank Cracker: Yes

Yes Origin: Canada

Canada Price: $10.95 CAD / 15ml

$10.95 CAD / 15ml Website: http://www.vapornorth.com

The Goods:

But first, a disclosure. Monkey Paw, was sent to me free of charge from the good folks at Vapor North. Brett and Mark are very responsive owners, and I appreciate the opportunity to test and review more juices than my budget would normally allow. Rest assured, this, along with all of my other reviews, remains my honest opinion.

Nosed from the bottle, Monkey Paw greets with the deep scent of ripe banana. While I am fully aware that most vape juice contain artificial flavours – organic compounds and chemicals that trick our nose and tastebuds – I cannot help but demand the very best facsimile that vendors can supply. Monkey Paw, in this respect, does not disappoint. The banana scent is appropriately dark and pungent without hinting at any chemical warfare that would leave me running for the hills.

Similar to the nose, vaping Monkey Paw begins with a full, ripe flavour of banana. How ripe is this banana, do you ask? Dark yellow, with the faintest stipling of dark spots appearing upon the skin. Altogether, the beginning of this vape fills the mouth with a decent creamy feeling, one that might be better achieved with higher VG mixes.

Exhaled from the mouth, the depth of banana quickly changes to a hazelnut finish. The papery redness of the skin can almost be perceived at the edge of the mouth – it’s quite good. Banana will occasionally enter the exhale as a counterpoint to the nuttiness; this, I like – but the interplay doesn’t occur nearly as seamlessly as I would like. It comes out as either banana or nut, infrequently both.

Blown through the nose, Monkey Paw comes together more fully as a vape. It feels like banana bread. Ripe banana, roasted hazlenut, and a slight buttery note that makes itself known on the top of the palate. It’s a flavour that cries out for semi-sweet chocolate, though I know that in execution this may simply muddy the overall flavours, unlike with baking.

Sadly, vaped without the presence of a beverage (I suggest coffee wholeheartedly), the banana-nut flavour in this juice will eventually morph into a very faint chemical flavour that coats the tongue. It occurs about two minutes from the last vape, and is enough to make one aware of its presence. I now believe this to be the process of whatever flavour esters used in this juice breaking down into different compounds, but it’s something to note for all sensitive to this.

Overall, Monkey Paw presents as a medium-sweet vape. Higher wattages accentuates this, as well as how quickly the hazlenut aroma makes itself present in the exhale. A session with Monkey Paw will leave the room with the aroma of freshly baked banana bread. It fades relatively quickly, and doesn’t stick particularly aggressively to clothing.

Mixed at half-half PG/VG, Monkey Paw delivers a throat-hit far greater than a typical 50/50 mix. Brett and Mark insisted that I try their line of juices at this propostion since the majority of customers will likely gravitate that way – which I completely agreed with. While my tastes will always factor into reviews, I think it’s valuable to review juices the way most readers will.

I must proclaim, though, that I don’t understand the appeal of throat-hit. Never in my tenure as a smoker did I search for this feeling in the back of my throat as I reached for a pack; in fact, what we vapers call throat-hit is what I would have called an end to cigarettes that day as a smoker.

Nevertheless, those hunting for a good throat hit will find that the 50% PG mix will deliver quite nicely. Those looking for a silkier exhale should simply look to the range of different VG mixes that Vapor North offers for each of their juices.

The Verdict?

Monkey Paw is a vape that succeeds in delivering a banana taste I enjoy, but could be more cohesive as an overall flavour. Supertasters should note the slight artificial aftertaste and keep water on hand.

Rating: 3.5/5. An intriguing vape that would perform well as a change-up between your ADV, but certainly not my favourite.