What is a nic shot?
A nic shot is a 10ml bottle of concentrated, unflavoured nicotine made for mixing into shortfill e-liquid. UK nic shots carry 18mg/ml freebase nicotine or 20mg/ml nicotine salt. Each shot holds no flavouring, so it raises strength without changing taste.
TRPR caps nicotine-containing e-liquid at 10ml per bottle and 20mg/ml in strength. Shortfills sidestep the bottle limit by shipping at 0mg, because nicotine-free liquid carries no size restriction. Nic shots close that gap, lifting a 50ml or 100ml bottle to a usable strength. Our guide on shortfills covers bottle sizes, VG/PG ratios and flavour ranges in full.
Royal Vapery stocks 10ml nic shots in freebase and nicotine salt formats, matched to every shortfill size on the shelf.
How do I add a nic shot to a shortfill?
To add a nic shot to a shortfill, pour the full 10ml shot into the bottle, reseal the cap, and shake for 30 to 60 seconds. The whole process runs to 6 steps and takes under 2 minutes.
A 50ml shortfill arrives in a 60ml bottle with 10ml of headspace, so one shot fits without emptying any liquid first. Follow the 6 steps below in order.
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Remove the child-resistant cap
Press down on the cap and twist anticlockwise to release the safety catch on the shortfill bottle.
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Lift out the dripper nozzle
Slide a fingernail under the lip of the nozzle and prise it upwards. The wide neck underneath accepts the shot far faster than the narrow dripper hole.
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Pour in the full 10ml nic shot
Squeeze the entire nic shot into the shortfill. Take the nozzle off the shot bottle first, then tip it in, which empties 10ml in seconds without straining the bottle.
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Push the nozzle back into place
Seat the dripper firmly into the neck until it sits flush, then screw the child-resistant cap back on until it clicks.
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Shake the bottle for 30 to 60 seconds
Shake hard until the liquid runs uniform with no streaks. Even distribution prevents a weak first tank fill and a harsh final one.
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Rest the shortfill for 10 minutes
Leave the sealed bottle to settle so the bubbles clear. The e-liquid is ready for a tank or pod once the foam drops.
Remove the nozzle from the nic shot bottle before pouring. The open neck drains the full 10ml in seconds and saves squeezing a stiff bottle over a full shortfill.
How many nic shots do I add to a shortfill?
Add one 10ml nic shot per 50ml of nicotine-free shortfill to reach 3mg/ml. A 50ml shortfill takes 1 shot, and a 100ml shortfill takes 2 shots. Both combinations land on 3mg/ml, the standard strength for sub-ohm vaping.
The table below maps each shortfill size against shot count, shot strength and the nicotine level in the finished bottle.
Every figure above assumes a full shot goes in. Half a shot halves the result, which puts a 50ml shortfill at 1.5mg/ml. Bottles in the 100ml shortfill e-liquid range ship with 20ml of headspace, so two shots fit without decanting.
HMRC applies an excise duty of £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid from 1 October 2026, with nicotine-free liquid included and VAT charged on top. A 100ml shortfill plus 2 nic shots carries duty across all 120ml. GOV.UK publishes the current rates and duty stamp requirements.
How do I calculate the final nicotine strength?
To calculate the final nicotine strength, multiply the shot volume by its strength, then divide by the total volume of the finished bottle. One 10ml shot at 18mg/ml holds 180mg of nicotine.
Four worked examples cover the mixes UK vapers reach for most often.
- 50ml plus one freebase shot: 180mg of nicotine across 60ml gives 3mg/ml.
- 100ml plus one freebase shot: 180mg of nicotine across 110ml gives 1.6mg/ml.
- 100ml plus two freebase shots: 360mg of nicotine across 120ml gives 3mg/ml.
- 50ml plus one nic salt shot: 200mg of nicotine across 60ml gives 3.3mg/ml.
Reaching 6mg in a 60ml bottle takes 2 freebase shots and a decant. Empty 10ml of nicotine-free base into a clean bottle, leaving 40ml behind. Two shots then add 20ml of nicotine for a full 60ml at 6mg/ml. Flavour thins slightly at that ratio, because the extra shot dilutes the concentrate further.
Do I need to steep a shortfill after adding a nic shot?
No, steeping is optional after adding a nic shot. Nicotine carries no flavour of its own, so a shaken bottle vapes straight away. Steeping deepens flavour across 2 to 7 days in a cool, dark place.
To steep a shortfill, leave the cap off for 10 minutes after shaking, reseal the bottle, then store it away from light. Dessert, custard and tobacco blends gain the most from a long rest, because their concentrates develop slowly. Fruit and menthol blends taste ready within an hour and gain little from waiting.
How do I handle and store nic shots safely?
Store nic shots in a cool, dark place, sealed with the child-resistant cap and out of reach of children and pets. Nicotine at 18mg/ml is concentrated and addictive, and it absorbs through skin on contact.
Five handling rules apply to every nic shot and every bottle mixed with one.
- Keep bottles sealed: press the child-resistant cap fully shut whenever a shot sits unused.
- Store out of reach: place every nic shot and mixed bottle high up, away from children and pets.
- Wash skin immediately: rinse any contact area with soap and water for at least 1 minute.
- Avoid heat and light: stand bottles upright in a cupboard, clear of radiators and direct sunlight.
- Dispose of empties responsibly: rinse each empty bottle before recycling it with household plastics.
Swallowing a nic shot is dangerous. Contact NHS 111 or a GP straight away if anyone swallows nicotine liquid.
What is the difference between freebase and nic salt nic shots?
The main difference between freebase and nic salt nic shots is throat feel. Freebase shots at 18mg/ml give a firmer throat hit in high-VG shortfills. Nic salt shots at 20mg/ml feel smoother and absorb faster.
The table below compares the 2 shot types on the attributes that decide which one suits a setup.
| Attribute | Freebase nic shot | Nic salt nic shot |
|---|---|---|
| Nicotine strength | 18mg/ml | 20mg/ml |
| Throat hit | Firmer and sharper | Smoother and rounder |
| Nicotine absorption | Steady | Faster |
| Result in a 50ml shortfill | 3mg/ml | 3.3mg/ml |
| VG/PG match | 70/30 and 80/20 high VG | 50/50 balanced |
| Device match | Sub-ohm kits, direct-to-lung | Pod kits, mouth-to-lung |
| Best for | Sub-ohm vapers on high VG blends | Ex-smokers wanting a smooth draw |
Freebase shots pair with the 70/30 and 80/20 shortfills built for sub-ohm kits and direct-to-lung vaping. Nic salt shots suit vapers moving from a prefilled pod to a refillable one, matching the smoothness of ready-mixed nic salts in 10ml bottles. Our guide on [nic salt vs freebase nicotine] compares the 2 nicotine types in full.
Frequently asked questions about nic shots
Yes, you can add a nic shot to almost any shortfill, because nic shots hold nicotine with no flavouring. Match the nicotine type and the VG/PG ratio rather than the brand. Freebase shots suit high-VG shortfills, and nic salt shots suit 50/50 blends. Any 10ml UK shot fits a standard 60ml or 120ml bottle.
Add 1 nic shot to a 50ml shortfill. The 50ml of nicotine-free liquid sits inside a 60ml bottle, leaving exactly 10ml of headspace for a single shot. One 18mg/ml freebase shot brings the finished 60ml bottle to 3mg/ml, the most common strength for sub-ohm vaping.
Add 2 nic shots to a 100ml shortfill. The bottle holds 120ml, so 100ml of nicotine-free liquid leaves 20ml of headspace for two 10ml shots. Two 18mg/ml freebase shots bring the finished 120ml bottle to 3mg/ml. A single shot in the same bottle gives 1.6mg/ml.
A UK nic shot is 18mg/ml in freebase form or 20mg/ml in nicotine salt form. TRPR caps nicotine-containing e-liquid at 20mg/ml and 10ml per bottle, so no legal UK shot exceeds those figures. Both strengths land a 50ml shortfill between 3mg/ml and 3.3mg/ml.
Shake a shortfill for 30 to 60 seconds after adding a nic shot. The motion spreads nicotine evenly through the base liquid, which prevents a weak first fill and a harsh last one. Shake until the liquid runs uniform with no streaks, then rest the bottle for 10 minutes.
No, nic shots do not change the flavour of a shortfill, because pure nicotine carries no taste. Adding a 10ml shot to 50ml of base dilutes the flavour concentrate by roughly 17%, which softens intensity a little. Steeping for 2 to 7 days restores depth in richer blends.
No, steeping is optional after adding a nic shot. A shaken shortfill vapes straight away, because nicotine adds no flavour that needs time to blend. Dessert, custard and tobacco shortfills gain depth from 2 to 7 days in a cool, dark cupboard. Fruit and menthol blends taste ready within an hour.
Yes, you can add two nic shots to a 50ml shortfill after decanting 10ml of the nicotine-free base. Pour 10ml into a clean, empty bottle, leaving 40ml behind. Two 18mg/ml shots then fill the 60ml bottle to 6mg/ml. Flavour thins at that ratio, because the concentrate carries more dilution.
Yes, you can use nic salt shots instead of freebase shots in any shortfill. Nic salt shots run at 20mg/ml, so one shot lifts a 50ml shortfill to 3.3mg/ml rather than 3mg/ml. Smoother throat feel and faster absorption make them the better match for pod kits and mouth-to-lung vaping.
No, a nic shot and a nic salt shot hold different forms of nicotine. Standard nic shots carry 18mg/ml freebase nicotine with a firmer throat hit. Nic salt shots carry 20mg/ml nicotine salt, buffered with benzoic acid for a smoother draw. Both arrive in 10ml bottles under the same TRPR limits.
Yes, nic shots shift the VG/PG ratio slightly, because each shot carries its own base. A 50/50 shot added to a 50ml bottle of 80/20 shortfill pulls the finished 60ml to roughly 75/25. Matching the shot ratio to the shortfill keeps a blend on target, which is why 80/20 high-VG shots exist.
Shortfills are sold without nicotine because TRPR limits nicotine-containing e-liquid to 10ml bottles. Nicotine-free liquid carries no bottle-size restriction, so brands ship 50ml and 100ml at 0mg with headspace left for a shot. The two-part system delivers large-format e-liquid inside UK law.
To reach 6mg in a shortfill, decant 10ml of nicotine-free base from a 50ml bottle, then add two 18mg/ml nic shots. The finished 60ml bottle carries 360mg of nicotine, giving 6mg/ml. Vapers wanting 6mg or higher in a pod kit find ready-mixed 10ml bottles simpler and more consistent.
Royal Vapery sells 10ml nic shots in freebase and nicotine salt strengths, ready to pair with any shortfill. Every shot meets TRPR limits of 20mg/ml maximum nicotine in a 10ml bottle. Orders placed before 12pm dispatch the same day, with free UK delivery on orders over £49.99.
Mix your own strength with 10ml nic shots and matching shortfills from Royal Vapery.
Royal Vapery sells nicotine products to adults aged 18 and over, with age verification applied at checkout. All nic shots and e-liquids meet UK TRPR limits of 20mg/ml maximum nicotine strength and 10ml maximum bottle size for nicotine-containing liquid. Nicotine is an addictive substance. Keep nic shots out of reach of children and pets.
