The purpose of this short guide is to give a brief insight into the different types of vape e-liquid which are now available, such as Shortfills, Longfills, Bottle Shots and Nic Shots and why these terms have come about.
Gone are the days, certainly within the EU, when vapers could buy larger 30ml, 50ml or even 100ml bottles of flavored e-liquid at varying strengths of nicotine, typically 3mg to 36mg. Prior to the implementation of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) back in 2017, this was common practice.
Following the TPD introduction, flavored e-liquid bottles that contain nicotine were limited to a size of 10ml at a maximum nicotine strength of 20mg, but typically 18mg. This obviously impacted the vaping market and limited us vapers to restricted bottle sizes and strengths of nicotine flavored e-liquids. This also caused an increase in costs.
DIY vapers who mixed their own e-liquid were also affected by the new TPD implementation making it illegal to purchase higher strength nicotine (72mg) in 500ml or 1 litre bottles. The only legal alternative was to purchase 10ml bottles of 18mg strength nicotine……called a Nicotine Shot.
What is a Nicotine Shot?
A Nicotine shot (or Nic Shot) is a small 10ml bottle of unflavored 18mg strength concentrated nicotine suspended in either a PG or VG base, or a ratio of the two, designed to be added to nicotine free e-liquid.
What is an E-Liquid Bottle?
A flavored e-liquid bottle, often referred to as vape juice or vape liquid, contains 4 main ingredients; the Flavoring, Propylene Glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and Nicotine.
Certainly within the EU, or should I say those countries that adhere to the TPD rules, flavored e-liquid which contains nicotine can only be sold in a 10ml size bottle. Larger bottles that we all used previously are no longer available and allowed. Nicotine strengths available depend on the individual e-liquid manufacturer but at best range from 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, 9mg, 12mg and 18mg.
One solution the vaping industry came up with shortly after the TPD was implemented, was the introduction of the Shortfill bottle. This in effect meant larger bottles of zero nicotine flavored e-liquid could be sold with separate 10ml Nic Shot bottles purchased to add to the Shortfill bottle. This in effect overcomes the hurdle of restricting 10ml flavored e-liquid bottles that contained nicotine as the nicotine is sold separately as a nic shot which doesn’t break the TPD rules.
What is a Shortfill?
Shortfills are larger sized bottles of nicotine free e-liquid that contains the Flavor with varying ratios of PG and VG added (known as base liquid), contained in a bottle that is not completely filled (Short-filled). This allows the addition of a Nicotine Shot(s) to be added to the shortfill bottle. This meant the user could purchase larger capacity bottles at a cost effective price.
Typically a 60ml bottle will have 50ml of e-liquid with 10ml of space for you to add a 10ml Nicotine Shot bottle giving you 60ml of 3mg/ml strength. Equally a 120ml bottle will have 100ml of e-liquid with 20ml space for you to add 2x 10ml Nicotine Shot bottles giving you 120ml of 3mg/ml strength.
The downside of the “shortfill” is the overall nicotine strength of your shortfill bottle can only be 3mg. Adding more nic shots will dilute the flavor strength of the mix or overfill the shortfill bottle. There is a workaround but only if you’re fortunate enough to have higher strength nicotine (72mg instead of 18mg nic shots).
Using higher strength nicotine means you can add less nicotine to achieve a higher strength final mix up to 16mg while not over-filling the shortfill bottle.
Some e-liquid manufacturers do have the option of a shortfill bottle with less base e-liquid and increased flavor strength to allow double nic shots to be added resulting in an overall e-liquid strength of 6mg. For example, 60ml shortfill bottle with 40ml flavored e-liquid plus 2 18mg nic shots gives you 60ml at 6mg strength.
We have developed our own Nicotine Shot/Shortfill Calculator which takes the guesswork out of adding any strength nicotine to a shortfill to achieve an overall e-liquid strength.
Fast forward a couple of years and another solution was introduced……welcome to the Longfill. This is basically the same size bottles as per our shortfills but they just contain the flavor concentrate leaving space for the PG, VG and Nicotine to be added.
What is a Longfill (Bottle Shot)?
Longfills again are larger sized bottles (typically 60ml) of nicotine free e-liquid that contains just the Flavor concentrate only. This allows you to add your own PG and VG at any ratio plus your own nicotine to achieve an overall higher e-liquid strength.
For example, a 60ml longfill bottle will have just 20ml of flavor concentrate added leaving you 40ml free to add your PG, VG and Nicotine. This opens up more possibilities in terms of PG/VG ratios and increased final nicotine strengths.
Adding 4x 18mg nic shots to 20ml of flavor concentrate in a 60ml bottle will give you 60ml of e-liquid at a maximum overall e-liquid strength of 12mg. Adding different combinations of PG or VG based nic shots will also alter the PG/VG ratio of your final mix to suit your requirements. Alternatively you can reduce the overall strength of the final mix anywhere between zero nicotine and 12mg by adding additional PG or VG base mix.
While longfill is the most common term for this type of e-liquid mixing, some e-liquid retailers do call this by an alternative name of Bottle Shot.
Summary
A Nicotine Shot is a 10ml bottle of 18mg nicotine suspended in either PG or VG. A Shortfill e-liquid bottle contains flavor and base e-liquid and requires you to just add your nicotine. A longfill or Bottle Shot just contains the flavor concentrate and requires you to add your PG/VG base liquid and nicotine.
Shortfills and longfills are a much cheaper alternative to buying 10ml flavored e-liquid but do require you to add your own nicotine shots, or in the case of longfills, add your own PG/VG base mix and nicotine.
Three websites we regularly use for our e-liquid supplies are Go Smoke Free, Darkstar Vapour and Everything Liquid but do shop around for your specific needs.
Our Nicotine Shot/Shortfill Calculator, E-Liquid Calculator and PG/VG Ratio Calculator together with our other E-Liquid Guides will help you to achieve your ideal mix.
Hope you found this guide helpful. If there’s anything you’re not sure about or need help with mixing then please drop us a comment and we will be able to answer your query.