How to Choose the Right Vape Juice Flavour

In 2014, an analysis by the journal Tobacco Control found that there were 7,700 e-liquid flavours on the market. 

In 2017, they found that there were 20,000 e-liquids and 250 totally unique flavour descriptions in the Dutch market alone. 

And in 2022, with the popularity of vaping increasing every single day, there are probably many times that number. It's hard to find exact numbers -- the market has grown too huge! 

But, with all these incredible new e-liquids being created, tested, and sold every single day, the choice can quickly become overwhelming. How can vapers find the perfect vape juice with the flavour, PG and VG ratio, and nicotine strength they desire? 

If this problem is familiar to you, you've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll teach you how to choose the right e-liquid in a few simple steps. From identifying your flavour preferences to picking your preferred manufacturers and finding the right e-liquid strength, this article will guide you through the process of choosing the perfect vape juice. 

Let's get started. 

Think about the type of flavours you enjoy

This first step might seem obvious, but it's an essential part of the process. When choosing a vape juice flavour the options are endless; you'll need to narrow it down.

Think about what sort of flavours you tend to gravitate towards. When ordering a drink at a bar, what do you choose: a fruity cocktail, a full-bodied whiskey, a zesty lemonade, or something else? What type of ice-creams or sweets appeal to you? Nostalgic classic flavours or new and unique blends? What sort of perfume or aftershave do you prefer? All these prompts will help you figure out the flavours and scents that stand out to you. 

Still not sure? Here are some of the main flavour groups you'll come across when browsing juices for your e-cigarette. 

Fruity / Tropical

Fruity flavours are probably the most popular type of e-liquid and there are thousands of different varieties and flavour combinations to choose from. Blackcurrant, Pomegranate, Watermelon, and Grape are some of the must-try flavours for anyone who is interested in a fruity e-liquid. 

Fruity and tropical vape juices make the perfect all-day vape -- they provide complex and interesting flavours that will make your taste buds tingle. With a wide range of different fruit flavours and combinations available, it's fair to say that every vaper will find a fruit e-liquid they love. 

If you think you might be a fan of fruity or tropical vape juice, you'll love the Dr Vapes Gems range. These are three vibrant fruity e-liquids: Topaz is the perfect Mad Mango flavour with a creamy and rich taste; Ruby is a strawberry lover's dream and is packed with juicy freshly picked berries; while Emerald is a zesty, refreshing flavour that combines tangy lemon and lime with an icy breeze of menthol. 

Icy / Refreshing

Icy, minty, and menthol filled e-liquids are another popular option among many vapers. Former smokers of menthol cigarettes might gravitate towards these cooling vape juices, as might any vapers who simply enjoy a minty vape. 

There are two main options when it comes to icy vapes: e-liquids with a pure mint flavour such as this Spearmint vape juice, and e-liquids that combine another flavour with an icy twist such as Pink Ice or Watermelon Ice. The latter option is ideal for anyone who enjoys a complex flavour to their vapour, with a fruity sweet taste on the inhale and a cooling minty vapour on the exhale. 

Dessert / Candy 

Another popular category of e-juices is dessert and candy inspired flavours. Dessert inspired e-liquids take classic dessert flavours such as ice cream and meringue and transform them into decadent e-juices, while candy or sweet inspired vape juices take inspiration from our favourite sweet treats. 

Sour e-liquids are a popular candy e-juice variation, with lip-smacking e-liquid flavours such as Pink Sour and Pink Remix being some of our best selling juices. Fans of a sugary vape will prefer Bubblegum varieties such as Watermelon Bubblegum or Pomegranate Bubblegum. And, don't forget Cotton Candy -- one of the best vape juices for blowing taste bud tantalising clouds of vapour. 

Drinks

In recent years, we've seen beverage inspired vapes take the vaping world by storm. Drink flavoured e-liquids are some of our favourites and there's a huge range available, from gorgeous cocktail-inspired vape juices like these Pina Colada flavours to chilly Slushie flavours and creamy Smoothies. 

If you're keen to try vaping some drink-inspired e-liquids, the classic Pink Smoothie or mind-blowing Einstein is a great place to start. Blue is the quintessential slushie flavour, while Blue Ice provides an even more refreshing twist to the delicious drink. 

Tobacco 

It doesn't matter whether you're a former smoker or have never touched a cigarette in your life, tobacco vape juice is one of the best flavourings on offer. Rich, full-bodied, and full of interesting flavour notes, these e-liquids are the ones preferred by many vaping connoisseurs. 

If you're interested in a tobacco flavoured vape, look no further than the Dr Vapes Black e-liquid. Available as a nic salt or a shortfill e-liquid, this award-winning flavour will delight any vaper who wants a sophisticated and bold e-liquid flavour. Don't forget to try Tobacco Kings for another excellent tobacco-flavoured vape. 

Find an e-liquid manufacturer you trust

If you're still struggling to identify e-liquids you want to try, our next tip is to narrow down your search by choosing an e-liquid manufacturer that produces a range of high quality vape juices, then trying a bunch of different flavours from their range. 

How do you know if a vape liquid manufacturer is good quality? There are a few ways to find out:

1. Read online vape reviews where people discuss the pros and cons of the brand's vape liquid
2. Follow vaping influencers and bloggers to hear their suggestions
3. Check which vape juice brands have won industry awards (for example, VapourRound)
4. Check that the brand is TPD compliant 
5. Check their ingredients list -- do their e-liquids contain high quality food-grade flavourings? 

Once you've found a brand that you like and trust, you can sample a bunch of their flavours to find your favourites. 

Consider the type of e-liquid you need

When picking an e-liquid, flavours aren't the only thing you need to consider. Choosing the type of e-liquid that's right for your vape device and nicotine needs is also important. Here's what you need to look out for. 

VG and PG ratio 

VG and PG, also known as Vegetable Glycerin and Propylene Glycol, are the two main ingredients in e-liquid. The proportion of VG and PG determines how the e-liquid will behave and which devices it can be used in. 

For example, a high VG e-liquid is more viscous and gloopy than a vape juice with 50% Vegetable Glycerin and 50% Propylene Glycol. This is because VG is naturally thicker than PG; it has a syrupy texture and is slightly sweet. As a result, high VG e-juices will be thicker than 50/50 blends and will therefore require more battery power and heat to vapourise (turn into vapour). These VG-based e-juices produce bigger vapour clouds and are often used in sub-ohm vaping.

In contrast, an e-juice with 50% or more Propylene Glycol (such as a nic salt) is perfect for use in a lower powered pod kit or vape pen. Vape liquids with more PG than VG are thinner and easier to vapourise, so they don't require as much battery power or heat. However, they produce less vapour, so they're not ideal for cloud-chasing vaping. 

Nicotine type

The next thing to consider is what type of nicotine you want in your vape juice. There are three main types of e-liquid you can buy:

1. Freebase nicotine e-liquids: these contain freebase nicotine (the same type of nicotine as in cigarettes) and provide a noticeable throat hit
2. Nic salts: these use a new form of nicotine that has been created to provide a smoother throat hit and faster nicotine absorption
3. Shortfills: these are nicotine-free e-liquids that can be mixed with a shot of nicotine (sold separately) to achieve your desired nicotine strength, or vaped nicotine-free

At Dr Vapes, we provide many of our vape juice flavours in all three forms, so you can easily find the type suited to your vaping style. 

Nicotine strength

In addition to nicotine type, it's important to choose a vape liquid with the right nicotine strength. If you're a fan of sub-ohm vaping and don't want any throat hit or nicotine, we recommend choosing a nicotine-free shortfill. If you're a former heavy smoker trying to reduce your nicotine consumption, you might want to start with a 20mg nic salt and then reduce your strength to 10mg. Every vaper is different, so it will take some experimentation to find the perfect nicotine strength for your e-cigarette. 

Conclusion

With vaping, there's no need to pick a favourite e-liquid flavour and stick to it. In fact, we think that would be a pretty boring way to vape! The joy of vaping is getting to try lots of different e-liquid types with unique flavour profiles. 

We hope that this guide has helped you figure out what e-liquid to try. If you're new to the world of vaping, check out our guides to choosing your first vape kit and identifying the best nicotine strength for you. We've also put together a list of the best e-liquid flavours that new vapers need to try, so if you're still looking for inspiration read the list here. 

Enjoy your new e-liquids!