Vaping has grown quickly, as the BBC has reported, and with that growth came a very long list of e-liquid flavors. For someone new, the shelf can look like too much to sort through. This guide walks through the flavor families first, then the two technical choices that shape how any of them will taste: nicotine strength and base liquid.
The main flavor families
Sweet
Most e-liquid is sweet, so a sweet tooth is well served. Shops usually split sweet juice into several groups rather than one, with fruits and desserts being the common ones. A sensible first pick is whatever fruit or cake you already like to eat.
Savory
Not everyone wants sugar, and savory juice exists for those people. It sounds odd, yet the recipes are put together with care and vape well. Breakfast flavors are a popular corner of this group: milk, pancakes, cereal and coffee. Further out you will find bacon, prosciutto, popcorn, pretzel and porridge.
Adventurous
This is the polite label for the strange ones, and strange is not automatically bad. Pizza, crab legs, hot dog, beer and black pepper have all been made into e-liquid. A beer-flavored bottle will get a reaction from your friends, good or otherwise.
Tobacco and menthol
Tobacco blends are the familiar option for people who come from cigarettes, and some are built to imitate a particular brand, Marlboro Reds for example. Menthol is the other low-risk choice in terms of taste: it is fresh and does not leave a heavy tobacco smell behind.
Single flavors and blends
A single flavor such as mango or vanilla keeps things simple. Blends layer several notes to copy something more complicated, like a cocktail or a bowl of breakfast cereal. Neither is the better type. If the description appeals to you, it is worth a go.
Two things to settle before you pick
Nicotine strength
E-liquid is sold from 0 up to 36mg of nicotine. People who smoked often lean toward the higher strengths, but beginning in the middle and adjusting once you know how vaping feels is a reasonable approach. Be aware that certain flavors are only made in a few strengths. Nicotine is addictive.
PG, VG or both
The base of an e-liquid is propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerol (VG) or a mix. We cover it fully in our article on PG versus VG. In short:
- VG makes the large clouds. It is a little sweeter, which can mask some of the flavoring.
- PG carries flavor clearly but gives very little cloud.
- A blend gets you some of each. A 2:3 ratio of PG to VG is a common favorite and a fair place to begin.
Some vapers find that PG does not agree with them and move to an all-VG liquid instead.
Sample before you commit
Taster packs let you try several flavors in small amounts. Buying full-size bottles of juice you turn out to dislike leaves you with money spent and nearly full bottles gathering dust. Mystery grab bags are another route: they push you toward flavors you would not have chosen, and they make the decision for you if you cannot make it yourself.
If a flavor misses
Not every bottle will be a keeper. Pass an unwanted one to a friend, or swap it with another vaper for something they did not get on with. With this many flavors in circulation, a few are likely to suit you. You can browse the range on our shop by flavor page.