What Is a Nicotine Shot?

A nicotine shot (or nic shot) is a small bottle of concentrated nicotine carried in either PG, VG, or a blend of both — with no flavouring added. It's designed to be mixed into a nicotine-free e-liquid (a shortfill or longfill) to bring your finished liquid to your preferred strength.

In South Africa, shortfills and longfills are sold without nicotine included. This keeps the liquid fresher for longer before mixing, and — practically speaking — gives you full control over your nicotine level. The Prime Nicotine Shot MTL (VG) 30ml is a 24mg VG-based additive specifically formulated for mouth-to-lung vaping, designed to mix 1:1 with 30ml of PG flavouring and land at a smooth, satisfying 12mg every time.

At a Glance

What Does MTL Mean — and Why Does It Change What You Need?

MTL stands for mouth-to-lung — a vaping style that directly mirrors the draw of a cigarette. You pull vapour into your mouth first, hold it briefly, then inhale into the lungs. It's a tighter, more controlled draw that produces far less vapour per puff than direct-to-lung (DTL) or sub-ohm vaping.

Because MTL devices run at low wattages and consume much less liquid per session, you need a higher nicotine concentration per ml to feel satisfied. This is why MTL vaping and higher nicotine strength always go together — and why 12mg freebase is the widely accepted standard for ex-smokers moving to pod systems.

Why VG Base — Not PG?

Nicotine shots come in two carrier bases: PG (propylene glycol) and VG (vegetable glycerin). The base you choose has a direct impact on how your finished liquid feels to vape and how it performs in your device.

VG (Vegetable Glycerin) is thicker, slightly sweet on its own, and significantly gentler on the throat. For vapers who are sensitive to PG — or find the sharpness of PG-heavy liquids uncomfortable — a VG nic shot is the smoother, more comfortable option. The Prime MTL (VG) shot uses BP Grade VG — British Pharmacopoeia pharmaceutical-grade purity — which means it meets strict quality benchmarks for compounds used in inhalation applications.

There's also a practical mixing reason to choose VG: most MTL longfill concentrates are PG-based. Adding a VG nic shot to a PG flavouring naturally balances the final ratio toward a 50/50 or 60/40 VG/PG blend — the ideal consistency for MTL coils to wick efficiently.

How to Mix the Prime MTL (VG) 30ml — Step by Step

The Prime MTL shot follows a clean 1:1 ratio — one part shot, one part flavouring. No calculations, no measuring equipment beyond the bottles themselves. Here's the full process:

Which Devices Work Best

The Prime MTL (VG) 30ml is clearly labelled for MTL use only — not intended for sub-ohm or high-wattage devices. At sub-ohm wattages you vaporise far more liquid per puff, which multiplies the effective nicotine delivery and makes a 12mg liquid far too strong for comfortable use.

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  MTL pod systems (1.0Ω+, 8W–20W)

  The primary home for this shot. Vaporesso XROS series, Uwell Caliburn G2/G3/G4, OXVA XLIM V3, and Lost Vape URSA V3 all run in the ideal range. The 12mg strength delivers satisfying nicotine at the low consumption rates these devices produce.
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  Starter kits with restricted airflow

  Compact starter kits designed for ex-smokers — running coils above 0.8Ω at under 20W — are well matched to the 12mg freebase strength. This is exactly the setup this shot is made for.
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  MTL rebuildable tanks (1.0Ω+, 10W–18W)

  MTL RTA builders running tight, high-resistance builds at 10W–18W get excellent performance from a 12mg freebase mixed liquid — smooth delivery with enough hit to keep ex-smokers satisfied.
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  Sub-ohm tanks and DTL pod mods

  Avoid. Running 12mg freebase in a sub-ohm device at 30W+ delivers a nicotine hit far beyond what's comfortable. For sub-ohm vaping, use a freebase nic shot at 3mg–6mg instead.
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  High-wattage mods and box mods

  Not suitable. Variable wattage mods running sub-ohm coils vaporise significantly more liquid per puff — the effective nicotine dose at those consumption rates would be uncomfortably high from a 12mg liquid.

How It Compares to Other Nic Shot Options

If you're choosing between the available nicotine shot formats, here's how the Prime MTL (VG) 30ml sits against the other options at Downtown Vapoury:

Frequently Asked Questions