Update: April 11, 2006
«©NCSX» Last week, the Premium versions of the FFXII Potions arrived. This week, we receive the single serving bottles which hold 120ml of liquid. The glass bottles are packaged six per retainer but the cardboard holder is so flimsy that anyone attempting to lift up a sixpack from the top will end up losing all four of the outlying bottles. A dropped bottle also explodes into tiny shards of very sharp glass as NCS discovered earlier this morning... The FFXII single serving bottles are the perfect solution for Final Fantasy XII Premium Edition collectors loathe to open up their limited edition boxes but have a powerful thirst for the potion inside. As an aside, the 120ml versions of the FFXII potion may also become collectible over time, especially if bundled together with a FFXII Premium Edition. Pricing is set at US$8.75 per bottle. Sadly, the shipping cost per bottle cost more than the bottle itself. To order a complete "case" of six bottles, please enter a quantity of "6" in your shopping cart. Bouquet
Upon snapping open the bottle cap, a fragrance not unlike medicine wafts from the mouth of the bottle to one's nostrils. The first thought was Robitussin but there was also the scent of a ginseng-like aroma and a sickly sweet odor. One of the major ingredients in the potion is royal jelly, which is secreted from the salivary glands of worker bees to feed larvae. Queen bees are fed a steady diet of royal jelly for the rest of their lives. It's doubtful that any Queens will rise up from drinking the potion however. Color
Suntory used a tinting agent known as "Blue 1" to color the potions a light blue color that looks like windshield washer fluid. Blue 1 is used to give beverages, jellies, confections, ices, syrups, extracts and condiments a bright blue color that's unnatural in foodstuffs. Blue 1 is also used in cosmetics such as eyeliner. Taste Test
First impression: apple juice. Or is it Kool-Aid? No, make that sugared water infused with a tangy bite that hits your tongue with a tart explosion of flavor which slowly dissipates as the liquid washes down your throat. A loose approximation of the flavor is Arizona Green Tea in those fanciful green bottles. The sugar content is loaded and NCS tasters felt that dilution was required - say 1 bottle of potion mixed with a glass of water would cut down on the sharp sugar-powered flavor. There's a barely distinguishable aftertaste which is reminiscent of Chinese medicinal herbs - the kind that may be savored in any well stocked Asian herbal pharmaceutical. We can't imagine anyone drinking the potions on a daily basis but as a collectible gimmick for Final Fantasy XII fans, they're probably something that will be much sought after in a few years. These things tend to behave that way... Ingredients
Suntory lists the ingredients as follows: Grape carbohydrate solution, sugar, royal jelly, propolis extract, elder (sambucus nigra), chamomile, sage, thyme, hyssop, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, basil, melissa (lemon balm), acidulant, spice, caffeine, save charges (benzoic acid Na), phosphate (Na), vitamin B6, vitamin B1, blue 1. This document is ©NCSX 2006. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc.
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