Nicnic Nic Shot 50VG 18mg

Overview

The Nicnic Nic Shot 50VG 18mg by NicNic at 0mg. Free UK delivery over £20, same-day dispatch on weekday orders before 4pm.

Nicnic Nic Shot 50VG 18mg: what you are buying

Nicnic Nic Shot 50VG 18mg is a 10ml bottle of nicotine base from the NicNic range, supplied at 18mg/ml in a carrier of 50% vegetable glycerine (VG) and 50% propylene glycol (PG). It is not a vape liquid you pour into a tank and use on its own. It is a mixing component. You squeeze it into a larger bottle of nicotine-free shortfill e-liquid, shake it through, and end up with a full-size bottle at a strength you can actually vape. That is the entire job of the product, and the rest of this page explains how to do it properly.

The figures worth knowing before you buy:

• Volume: 10ml per bottle.
• Strength: 18mg/ml, which means 180mg of nicotine in the whole bottle.
• Carrier: 50VG/50PG, so half glycerine and half propylene glycol.
• Flavour: none that you will notice once it is diluted. The shot is there to add nicotine, not taste.
• Typical use: one shot into a 50ml shortfill in a 60ml bottle, giving 3mg/ml.

Why does this product category exist at all? Under the UK Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, any e-liquid that contains nicotine has to be sold in bottles of 10ml or smaller, and the strength is capped at 20mg/ml. A ready-mixed 50ml bottle of 3mg e-liquid therefore cannot legally be sold in the UK. Nicotine-free liquid has no such volume limit, which is why 50ml and 100ml shortfills are sold with a gap at the top of the bottle. The nic shot is the other half of the arrangement: the nicotine you add yourself, in a sealed bottle that sits inside the 10ml limit.

The 18mg/ml strength became the common choice because the arithmetic is tidy. One 10ml shot at 18mg/ml in a 60ml bottle gives exactly 3mg/ml, a strength widely used with sub-ohm tanks. Two shots in a 120ml bottle give the same result. If you vape at 3mg, 6mg or somewhere in between, this single product covers all of them with different bottle sizes, which the strength section below works through in full.

This page is deliberately practical. It covers what the shot does to flavour and throat hit, the maths for every common bottle size, how to mix and store it safely, how it compares with other routes to the same strength, and where the limits of the product are. If you are new to shortfills, read the how-to-use section before you open anything.

Nicotine delivery: what a shot does in practice

A nic shot has no puff count, no wattage and no coil life, because it is not a device. What it has is a nicotine concentration, and everything you notice in use follows from what you do with that figure. This section covers the practical side of delivery, since it is the part buyers most often get wrong.

The total nicotine in one bottle is fixed at 180mg. What changes is how thinly you spread it. Mixed into a 60ml bottle it becomes 3mg/ml; mixed into a 30ml bottle it becomes 6mg/ml. The nicotine you take in with each draw depends on that concentration, on how much liquid your device vaporises per puff, and on how you inhale. A high-powered sub-ohm tank moves a lot of liquid per puff, so a low strength is usually enough. A low-powered mouth-to-lung device moves very little liquid per puff, so people tend to want a stronger liquid to feel the same level of satisfaction.

Some rough arithmetic helps with planning. A full 60ml bottle at 3mg/ml holds 180mg of nicotine. If you get through 3ml of liquid a day, that is 9mg of nicotine passing through the tank daily; at 5ml a day it is 15mg. Only part of what is vaporised is absorbed, so those figures are an upper limit and not a dose. They are still useful for one thing: if you find yourself using far more liquid than you expected, you may be mixing too weak for your device, and moving up a step in strength can reduce how often you reach for the kit.

The same arithmetic tells you how long a mix lasts. Sixty millilitres at 3 to 5ml a day lasts roughly 12 to 20 days. That is why one shot per shortfill is a convenient routine: a single mixed bottle covers a couple of weeks for a typical sub-ohm vaper, and a 120ml bottle with two shots covers a month or more.

On sensation, this shot is a freebase nicotine product, as nearly all 10ml shots are. Freebase nicotine gives a noticeable throat hit that rises with strength. At 3mg/ml the hit is mild and most vapers find it comfortable on a sub-ohm kit. At 6mg/ml it is firmer, and above that it is usually only chosen for tight, low-wattage mouth-to-lung setups. The half-PG carrier in this shot adds a small amount of extra throat hit compared with a 100VG shot, though once it is diluted into a larger bottle the difference is slight.

Because the shot contains no flavour of its own, it should not change the character of the liquid you add it to, other than by thinning the flavour slightly, which is covered next.

Flavour: what the shot does to the liquid you add it to

An unflavoured shot has no flavour profile of its own, so the useful question is what it does to yours. There are three effects to understand: dilution, carrier ratio and the nicotine itself.

Dilution. Adding 10ml to a 50ml shortfill makes a 60ml bottle, so the flavour concentrate is spread across 20 percent more liquid. Put another way, the flavour sits at roughly 83 percent of its original concentration. Most shortfills are formulated with that dilution in mind, which is why they are sold in oversized bottles with room left at the top. If a shortfill is sold as 50ml in a 60ml bottle, the maker expects exactly one 10ml shot. Adding more than the space allows is not possible, and adding fewer than intended simply leaves the bottle part-filled and the flavour a little stronger.

Carrier ratio. The shot is half VG and half PG. If the liquid you add it to is higher in VG, the finished mix moves slightly toward 50/50. Approximate results for one shot into 50ml:

• 50VG/50PG shortfill: stays at about 50VG/50PG.
• 70VG/30PG shortfill: becomes about 67VG/33PG.
• 80VG/20PG shortfill: becomes about 75VG/25PG.

Those shifts are small. The effect on cloud and thickness is slight, and it is the reason a 50VG shot is a sensible match for the common 70/30 and 80/20 shortfills: it barely alters the formulation the maker intended. A 100VG shot would keep the VG level a little higher but, as the comparison section explains, comes with trade-offs in handling.

Nicotine. Nicotine carries a faint peppery, slightly bitter note that most people only notice at higher strengths. At 3mg/ml it is largely hidden behind the flavour. At 6mg/ml you may pick it up more with delicate flavours such as light fruit, cucumber or cream, and less with robust ones such as tobacco, menthol, cola or bakery profiles.

In practice, flavour after mixing is usually good straight away and settles over the first day. If the mix tastes a little thin immediately after shaking, give it a few hours with the cap on and shake again before filling the tank. Both effects are mild and behave consistently from bottle to bottle, which is why many vapers standardise on one shot and then change only the shortfill flavour.

One more point on flavour: because the shot is neutral, it works with any category of shortfill, whether that is fruit, ice, dessert, tobacco or drink flavours. The only compatibility question is whether your chosen shortfill has the headspace for it, and that is printed on the shortfill label.

Bottle, carrier and build quality

There is no hardware here, but there is still build quality, and it shows up in the bottle, the cap and the label.

The shot is supplied in a 10ml soft plastic bottle with a narrow nozzle, so the contents can be squeezed neatly into the neck of a shortfill bottle. Bottles of nicotine-containing e-liquid sold in the UK must have a child-resistant, tamper-evident closure, so expect to press and turn, or otherwise use a deliberate action, to open it. That is a legal requirement and not a quirk of this product. Tamper evidence means you can see whether the seal has been broken before first use; if it has been, do not use the bottle.

The label should carry the information UK regulations require, including:

• The health warning stating that the product contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance.
• The nicotine strength per ml and the total volume.
• A list of ingredients.
• A batch number and the supplier details.
• Child safety and keep-out-of-reach information.

Check the batch number before you mix, and keep a note of it if you plan to use several shots over a few weeks. If a fault ever occurs, the batch number is the first thing a supplier will ask for.

On the liquid itself, legitimate UK e-liquid uses pharmaceutical-grade VG, PG and nicotine, and products legally on sale must be notified to the MHRA before they are marketed. The 50/50 carrier here is a mid-viscosity blend. It pours more freely than a 100VG shot, which can be thick enough to cling to the nozzle and resist squeezing, particularly in a cold room. If your shot feels stiff, let the bottle sit at room temperature for a while before use.

Treat the original bottle as the only container this liquid should ever be in. Do not decant it into other bottles, syringes left lying around or anything that could be mistaken for a drink. Do not leave it in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill, because heat and light age e-liquid faster.

Finally, note the packaging fit. A 10ml shot is sized to slot into the headspace of a 60ml bottle, so you can mix without a funnel. Nothing else is needed beyond the shortfill and a clean, dry surface. If you plan to mix regularly, a small tray or a sheet of kitchen roll under the bottles catches the odd drip and makes cleaning up easier.

Batteries, charging and coils: matching the mix to your kit

This product has no battery and no coil, so there is nothing to charge or replace on the shot itself. What matters is the device you are going to vape the finished liquid in, because the right nicotine strength depends on it. This section covers the questions people usually ask.

Sub-ohm tanks and mesh coils. The mix this shot is built around, 3mg/ml in a 60ml bottle at around 70VG, is intended for sub-ohm tanks. Those use coils with a resistance below 1 ohm, often between 0.15 and 0.4 ohm, and many use mesh coils: a flat sheet of woven metal that heats more of the wick surface at once than a wire coil. Mesh coils vaporise more liquid per puff and tend to give stronger flavour for their size, which is why a lower nicotine strength is enough. They work within the wattage range printed on the coil, commonly somewhere from 40 to 80W. Run them below that and they can taste muted; above it and they can burn.

Batteries. Sub-ohm kits are powered by a built-in battery, often 1,000mAh or more, or by replaceable 18650 or 21700 cells. Charge them with a USB-C lead or a proper external charger, never leave a battery charging unattended, and replace any cell that is damaged, swollen or hot to the touch. Do not carry loose cells in a pocket with coins or keys.

Mouth-to-lung and pod kits. Regulated mouth-to-lung (MTL) devices use higher-resistance coils, usually 0.8 to 1.2 ohm, and vaporise much less liquid per puff. They are usually paired with 6 to 12mg freebase liquids or 10 to 20mg nic salts. This 18mg shot can reach 6mg at the low end of that range, but it is not the natural fit: a 6mg mix with a 50VG carrier is thicker than many small pod coils like, and nic salts are generally smoother at the strengths those kits need. If you vape a pod system, consider whether nic salts in a 10ml bottle suit you better.

Disposables. Disposables are the one place the UK sets a hard ceiling on strength in the product itself: 20mg/ml and no more than a 2ml tank. Disposables cannot be refilled and this shot is not for them. The sale of single-use vapes has also been banned in the UK since 1 June 2025, so reusable kits and refillable pods are now the standard route. The 18mg figure on this bottle is the concentration of the shot before mixing, not the strength you would vape.

Recycling. Used batteries, old kits and spent pods should go to a proper drop-off point. Shops that sell vapes are expected to offer take-back, and many council recycling centres have bins for small electricals and batteries. Never put a vape or a loose lithium cell in household waste or kerbside recycling, where it can start fires in collection vehicles.

Choosing your nicotine strength: the mixing table

Because the shot is a concentrate, the strength you end up with is set by the bottle you mix it into. The formula is simple: multiply the number of shots by 180mg (each shot is 10ml at 18mg/ml), then divide by the total volume in millilitres, shot included. These are the combinations people use most:

• 1 shot + 50ml shortfill (60ml total): 3.0mg/ml. The standard sub-ohm mix.
• 2 shots + 100ml shortfill (120ml total): 3.0mg/ml. The same strength in a bigger bottle.
• 1 shot + 60ml of liquid (70ml total): about 2.6mg/ml. A lighter mix for people stepping down.
• 1 shot + 90ml of liquid (100ml total): 1.8mg/ml. A very light mix for high-power clouds.
• 1 shot + 40ml of liquid (50ml total): 3.6mg/ml. A little firmer than standard.
• 1 shot + 30ml of liquid (40ml total): 4.5mg/ml.
• 1 shot + 20ml of liquid (30ml total): 6.0mg/ml. A firmer mix for lower-power kits.
• 2 shots + 40ml of liquid (60ml total): 6.0mg/ml in a 60ml bottle.
• 1 shot + 10ml of liquid (20ml total): 9.0mg/ml. High, and rarely needed.

Several of those combinations need you to use a bottle that is not sold as a standard shortfill, or to pour some liquid out to make room. A 50ml shortfill in a 60ml bottle is designed for one shot and one shot only. To reach 6mg from a 50ml shortfill you would need to remove 10ml and add a second shot, which is easy to get wrong. If you want a firmer mix regularly, it is simpler to buy a smaller shortfill, such as 20ml or 30ml, or to mix into a clean empty bottle with a measuring syringe. Always work from the maths above and never guess.

A rough starting guide. This is general guidance and not medical advice:

• People who vape lightly, or who are stepping their nicotine down, often choose 1.8 to 3mg.
• Most sub-ohm vapers settle on 3mg. It gives a comfortable throat hit at high wattage.
• People moving from heavier smoking sometimes start at 6mg, then adjust once they know how much they use.
• Above 6mg in a sub-ohm tank, the sheer volume of vapour per puff makes the throat hit harsh for most people.

Signs that a mix is too strong include nausea, dizziness, headache, a racing heartbeat or a very harsh throat hit. If you notice any of those, stop vaping, get some fresh air, and mix a weaker bottle next time. The 18mg figure on the shot sits inside the 20mg/ml UK ceiling, but a concentrate should never be vaped neat.

Never mix this shot into liquid that already contains nicotine without recalculating the total. The table above assumes the base liquid is 0mg.

Who the 18mg shot suits, and who should skip it

This product is aimed at a specific kind of buyer, and being honest about that saves you money and frustration.

It suits:

• Adult vapers who already use a sub-ohm kit and buy shortfills in 50ml or 100ml bottles.
• People who like to control their own strength, with the option to move between 2mg, 3mg and 6mg by changing the bottle size.
• Vapers who go through a lot of liquid and want to buy in bulk rather than in 10ml bottles.
• Anyone comfortable with a short mixing routine and with handling a concentrated nicotine product carefully.
• Those who rotate flavours often. One shot format works with every nicotine-free shortfill, so you are not tied to a single brand.

It is the wrong choice if:

• You do not currently use nicotine. Nicotine is addictive, and vaping is not recommended for people who have never smoked or vaped.
• You are under 18. It is illegal to sell nicotine products to anyone under 18 in the UK, and we do not do so.
• You use a small pod system. Most pod kits are designed around nic salts at 10mg or 20mg, not a 50VG freebase mix.
• You want something ready to vape out of the box. A pre-mixed 10ml bottle is more convenient, even if it costs more per ml.
• You have small children or pets at home and cannot store a nicotine concentrate securely. Keep it in a locked or high cupboard, and think carefully about whether the convenience is worth it.

If you are pregnant, have a heart condition, or are taking medication that could interact with nicotine, speak to your GP or pharmacist before using any nicotine product. If your aim is to stop smoking, free NHS stop smoking services are available across the UK and can combine support with a vape or other aids. Vaping is not risk-free, but for adult smokers who switch completely it is widely recognised by UK public health bodies as far less harmful than smoking.

If none of the warnings above apply to you, and you use a sub-ohm device, the shot is a straightforward and economical way to build your own bottle at the strength you want.

How to add the shot: step by step

Mixing takes about two minutes. Done carefully, it is clean and repeatable. Follow these steps every time rather than working from memory.

• Step 1: prepare. Clear a clean, dry surface, wash and dry your hands, and consider disposable gloves. Keep children and pets out of the room, and have kitchen roll to hand.
• Step 2: check the shortfill. Confirm it is nicotine-free (0mg) and that its label states the headspace for a shot. A 50ml shortfill sold in a 60ml bottle has room for one 10ml shot.
• Step 3: open both bottles. Unscrew the shortfill cap. Open the shot by pressing and turning the child-resistant cap. If the nozzle is tight, remove it carefully and keep it clean.
• Step 4: add the shot. Place the nozzle in the neck of the shortfill and squeeze slowly until the shot bottle is empty. Hold it upside down for a few seconds so the last drops come out, because the thicker VG can cling to the walls.
• Step 5: close up. Fit the shortfill cap or dropper tip firmly, and check there is no liquid on the thread before closing.
• Step 6: shake. Shake hard for 20 to 30 seconds. Look for streaks or swirls where the thicker liquid has not yet blended and keep shaking until they disappear.
• Step 7: label it. Write the strength and the date on the bottle or a sticker. A mixed bottle looks exactly like an unmixed one, and that is how mistakes happen.
• Step 8: rest it. Leave it for a few hours, or overnight, and give it a final shake before filling your tank.
• Step 9: tidy up. Wipe any drips with kitchen roll, wash your hands, and put the empty shot bottle in a safe place until you can dispose of it.

A few points of technique. Do not try to speed the process by heating the bottle or running it under hot water. Do not add the shot to a bottle that already has liquid in the neck, because it can overflow. And do not shake with a thumb over the nozzle, since a cap that is not fully closed can spray. If you ever spill the concentrate on your skin, wash it off immediately with soap and water.

Troubleshooting a mix that does not taste right

Most problems with mixed liquid come from a handful of causes. Here is how to work through them.

• The mix tastes harsh. The nicotine is probably too strong for your device. Check your arithmetic against the mixing table, then dilute the next bottle or switch to a larger shortfill. A burnt coil can also cause a harsh taste, so rule that out by fitting a fresh coil.
• The mix tastes flat or thin. Some of this is the normal 83 percent flavour dilution. Rest the bottle for a few hours and shake again. If it still tastes weak, check that your coil is primed, that you are within its wattage range, and that it is not at the end of its life, which is typically one to two weeks.
• The throat hit is too strong. Mix into a larger bottle, drop the wattage slightly, or open the airflow. A fraction of a milligram can make a difference.
• The throat hit is too weak. You may be at the low end for your device. Consider moving from 3mg towards 4.5mg or 6mg using the table, not by adding extra shots to a full bottle.
• Streaks of clear liquid in the bottle. The shot has not blended. Keep shaking. VG is thick, and blending takes longer in a cold room.
• The liquid is darker than before. Slight darkening over time is normal and more noticeable with sweet and cream flavours. A strong change in colour or smell, or visible separation that does not recombine on shaking, is a reason to discard the bottle.
• The tank gurgles or spits. This is a coil or airflow matter, not a nicotine matter. Check the coil is seated properly, the tank is not overfilled, and the wattage is within the coil rating.
• The shot cap will not open. Press down firmly while turning. Wipe your hands dry first, since oily fingers slip on the plastic.

If you feel unwell after vaping, stop and get fresh air. Persistent symptoms need medical advice. If concentrate gets into the eyes, rinse with plenty of water and seek advice. If any is swallowed, call 999 or NHS 111 straight away and have the bottle to hand so the strength and ingredients can be read out.

Value for money: the cost of a mixed bottle

The shot itself is a small purchase. The real cost of a mixed bottle is mostly the shortfill, so value comes from how you combine the two rather than from the shot alone.

A worked example with round numbers shows the logic. These are not quotes, just arithmetic you can repeat with the prices on this site. Suppose a 50ml shortfill costs 8 pounds and a nic shot costs 1 pound. The mixed 60ml bottle then costs 9 pounds, which is 15p per ml. Now compare buying the same 60ml as six ready-mixed 10ml bottles of 3mg liquid at 2.50 pounds each. That is 15 pounds, or 25p per ml. In that example, shot-and-shortfill saves about 40 percent. Your real prices will differ, but the shape of the saving is typical because larger bottles carry less packaging and handling cost per ml.

Why does the gap exist? UK rules limit nicotine-containing e-liquid to 10ml bottles, so every ready-mixed bottle needs its own compliant packaging, label and closure. A shortfill moves the bulk of the liquid into a nicotine-free bottle without that restriction, and the shot supplies the nicotine in the one small bottle that does need the full packaging.

Other things that affect value:

• Multibuy and bundle pricing. If you vape daily you will use a shot every couple of weeks. Buying several at once, where the site offers a multibuy, reduces the per-shot cost.
• Strength flexibility. One product covers 1.8mg to 6mg. You are not buying separate 3mg and 6mg bottles, so there is less waste when your preferences change.
• Shelf life. An unopened shot stored properly keeps for a long time, so stocking up is practical. Check the date printed on the bottle.
• Avoiding spoilage. Mix only as much as you will use in a few weeks. A mixed bottle left half-used for months loses flavour.

Where the economics do not work is at very low consumption. If you only use a few millilitres a week, a single 10ml ready-mixed bottle is fine, and you avoid the risk of a large mixed bottle going stale. Base the choice on how much you actually vape, not on the headline price per ml.

For current pricing, check the price shown on this page and any multibuy option shown under it.

How it compares with other routes to the same strength

The shot sits in a crowded category, so here is a fair comparison with the alternatives, including cases where something else may suit you better.

Against a 100VG nic shot. A 100VG shot keeps the finished mix a little higher in VG, produces slightly less throat hit and gives marginally denser clouds. The trade-off is handling: 100VG is thick, can be slow to squeeze out of the nozzle, and takes longer to blend. The 50VG shot pours easily, blends quickly and changes a 70VG shortfill only to about 67VG. If you vape 80VG or higher at very high power and care about every last bit of cloud, a 100VG shot is a fair alternative. For most people the difference is hard to notice.

Against a 20mg shot. A 20mg shot in a standard 60ml bottle gives about 3.3mg/ml, which is slightly stronger than most people intend and gives a less tidy sum. The 18mg strength is the one that produces a round 3.0mg in the common bottle size.

Against another brand of 18mg shot. Functionally these are very similar. Differences come down to carrier ratio, bottle design, nozzle shape and price. Choose on carrier ratio and price rather than on a name, and check each label for the same strength and volume.

Against ready-mixed 10ml bottles. Pre-mixed 3mg or 6mg bottles need no mixing and are better for travel, for beginners and for light users. The cost is a higher price per ml, more packaging, and more trips to restock.

Against nic salts. Nic salts are a different type of nicotine, usually sold at 10mg or 20mg in 10ml bottles for low-power pod and MTL devices. They are smooth at high strengths, which freebase is not. They are not interchangeable with a freebase shot. If you vape a pod kit, salts are the more suitable choice; if you vape a sub-ohm tank, a freebase shot and shortfill is the usual route.

Against disposables. Single-use vapes are no longer on sale in the UK, and they were always limited to a 2ml tank at up to 20mg/ml. A reusable kit with a shortfill mix works out much cheaper over time, produces less waste, and lets you choose your own strength.

The honest summary: this shot does one narrow job well, and for sub-ohm users who mix their own bottles it is a sensible, low-cost component. For anyone else, one of the alternatives above is likely to fit better.

UK rules, safety, storage and disposal

Nicotine concentrate deserves more care than ordinary e-liquid, so this section is worth reading even if you have mixed before.

Legal basics. In the UK you must be 18 to buy nicotine products. E-liquid is regulated under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, which set the 20mg/ml strength ceiling, the 10ml bottle limit for nicotine-containing liquid, the child-resistant closure requirement and the labelling rules. Products must also be notified to the MHRA before sale. We may ask for age verification when you order, and a parcel can be refused if the person receiving it cannot be shown to be an adult.

Handling. Nicotine can be absorbed through the skin. Avoid touching the liquid, wear disposable gloves if you prefer, and wash any contact area straight away with soap and water. Do not let it touch your eyes. Never mix over food, drink or a shared kitchen surface.

Storage. Keep the shot, and any mixed bottle, in a cool, dark place, upright, and out of reach of children and pets. A high cupboard or a lockable box is better than a bedside table or a bag. Keep the cap on whenever you are not actively mixing. Heat, sunlight and warm cars degrade e-liquid and can cause leaks.

Shelf life. Unopened shots keep well when stored properly; check the date or batch information on the label. Once mixed into a shortfill, most vapers use the bottle within a few weeks to a few months. If it loses flavour, smells off or changes colour dramatically, replace it.

If something goes wrong. If someone swallows any of the liquid, or a child or pet gets hold of the bottle, treat it as an emergency: call 999 or NHS 111 immediately and do not wait for symptoms. Keep the packaging so the strength and ingredients can be read out.

Disposal and recycling. The empty shot bottle should be fully emptied before disposal. Small empty plastic bottles can normally go in household plastic recycling, but council rules differ, so check your local guidance. Keep any residue away from skin and pets. Batteries, vape kits and used pods should never go in the bin or kerbside recycling. Take them to a drop-off point: a council recycling centre with a battery or small electricals bin, or a shop that offers take-back for vaping devices.

Delivery. We deliver across the UK. Delivery options and cut-off times for next-day dispatch are shown at checkout. Check the seal on arrival and contact us promptly if the bottle is damaged or the item is not as ordered.