# Dragon fruit e-liquid, the format, strength and ratio to pick > Dragon fruit e-liquid as a 10 ml nicotine bottle or a shortfill. The real strength after mixing, the PG/VG ratio and the iced version, worked out. Plain pitaya, iced, blended with strawberry or blackberry, in a 10 ml bottle or a nicotine free shortfill. The **dragon fruit e-liquid** shelf is crowded, and almost every listing talks about taste without saying what happens to the bottle once nicotine is in it. Yet this quiet fruit reacts more than most to the strength, format and ratio you choose. Before comparing brands, it pays to know what to read on the label. ## Dragon fruit e-liquid, three settings before the flavour A dragon fruit e-liquid is chosen on three criteria, in this order. The format first, a 10 ml bottle that already contains nicotine or a nicotine free shortfill topped up with a nic shot. The strength next, which does not always match the number on the label once the mix is made. The PG/VG ratio last, which has to suit the device. Flavour comes after that, because the same pitaya will taste full at a moderate strength in the right ratio, and washed out in a badly dosed mix. The sections below go through each point, sums included. ## A cactus fruit with a quieter taste than its looks Dragon fruit, or pitaya, grows on a cactus. Its striking appearance hides a gentle flavour that retailer listings describe as lightly sweet and sometimes slightly sharp. That restraint explains how manufacturers handle it. ### The flavour profile manufacturers describe Published descriptions range from a soft, sweet version to a brighter, tangier one. One retailer's guide also separates the varieties, describing red-fleshed pitaya as stronger and sweeter than the more common white-fleshed fruit. ### The most common pairings On its own, pitaya gives a clean but light fruit. That is why blends fill the shelves, with red berries, strawberry, blackberry, lychee or pineapple adding the sharpness or body the fruit lacks alone. Versions sold as fresh or iced add a cooling effect at the end of each puff. ## Nicotine strength against a delicate flavour A **dragon fruit e-liquid** carries a light flavour, and that is exactly what makes the nicotine strength decisive. The higher the strength, the more the throat sensation competes with subtle fruit notes. Our guide to [e-liquid flavours for beginners](/uk/e-liquid-flavours-for-beginners/) shows that complex fruits are the first to lose their sharpness as the strength climbs. The form of nicotine matters just as much. Nic salts give a smoother throat feel at the same strength, which leaves more room for a fine flavour on a tight draw pod, while freebase nicotine is more noticeable. The guide to [nic salts or freebase](/uk/nic-salts-or-freebase/) explains the difference. Pitaya e-liquids exist in both forms in 10 ml bottles. ## Formats and the strength you actually get The shelf splits into two families of bottle, and the figure on the label does not read the same way in each. A 10 ml nicotine bottle states a final strength, while a shortfill leaves the strength for you to work out. ### The 10 ml bottle, a fixed strength In the UK, nicotine e-liquid is sold in bottles of no more than 10 ml at a maximum of 20 mg/ml. The strength printed on the label is the strength of the liquid that goes into the tank, with no sums to do. This is also the format for ready to use nic salt versions. ### The 50 ml shortfill with nic shots A 50 ml dragon fruit shortfill contains no nicotine and comes in a 60 or 70 ml bottle depending on the brand, leaving room for one or two 10 ml nic shots. With one 20 mg/ml shot, the bottle holds 60 ml and 200 mg of nicotine, which is 200 ÷ 60, about 3.3 mg/ml. With two shots, 400 mg in 70 ml gives about 5.7 mg/ml, provided the original bottle can take those 70 ml. Some listings round these results to 3 and 6 mg. The gap is small, but it explains why a mix can feel lighter or heavier than expected. The full calculation, shot by shot, is in our guide to the [nic salt shot](/uk/nic-salt-shot/). ### The 100 ml shortfill in a 120 ml bottle When a 100 ml shortfill comes in a 120 ml bottle, it leaves room for two shots. The mix then reaches 120 ml with 400 mg of nicotine, about 3.3 mg/ml, the same strength as 50 ml with a single shot. A larger shortfill does not let you go any higher, it simply makes more liquid at the same strength. ## Matching the PG/VG ratio to the device In the dragon fruit selections reviewed, 50/50 dominates. The choice matters even more for a light flavour, because propylene glycol carries flavour and throat feel, while vegetable glycerine thickens the liquid and the vapour. A 50/50 suits pods and tight-draw tanks, which in the UK hold no more than 2 ml, while a high VG ratio is aimed at airy direct-lung devices. The nic shot adds its own ratio to the mix, as our guide to the [PG/VG ratio and nicotine](/uk/pg-vg-ratio-nicotine/) explains. ## Plain or iced The iced version of a dragon fruit e-liquid adds a cooling effect on top of the fruit. On a flavour this soft, that effect quickly becomes the dominant note and the pitaya slips into the background. Anyone who wants the fruit itself is better off starting with a plain version and comparing afterwards. The cooling effect also changes how the throat feel comes across, in a different register from the nicotine hit. It is best to change one setting at a time, strength or cooling, to know which one altered the sensation. ## FAQ These questions often come up when buying a first bottle of pitaya, on points the label does not always settle. ### Are pitaya and dragon fruit the same flavour? Yes. Pitaya is another name for dragon fruit, and manufacturers use either on their labels. Only the rest of the recipe changes from one bottle to another, plain, blended with other fruit or iced. ### Can you get dragon fruit e-liquid without nicotine? Yes. Shortfills of 50 and 100 ml are sold without nicotine, and 10 ml bottles also exist at 0 mg/ml. The liquid can be vaped as it is or topped up with a nic shot. ### Can you mix two dragon fruit e-liquids from different brands? It is possible in principle if both liquids have a similar PG/VG ratio, but the final strength then has to be worked out from the total nicotine in each bottle and the combined volume. A mix that is not written down quickly becomes impossible to repeat. ### Does a pitaya concentrate work for DIY? Several brands sell dragon fruit concentrates intended to be mixed into a PG/VG base. These concentrates are never vaped neat, and their dosage follows the maker's instructions printed on the bottle. ### How should an opened bottle be stored? Cap tightly closed, away from light and heat, like any e-liquid. A nicotine bottle belongs out of reach of anyone under 18 and pets, in its original container. ## Choosing a dragon fruit e-liquid, format before flavour Pitaya suits almost every format, but it forgives a poor setting badly. A 10 ml bottle for a strength fixed in advance, a shortfill for anyone happy to do the sums, a ratio that follows the device and a plain version to discover the fruit before its iced variant. Choosing a **dragon fruit e-liquid** therefore means checking three lines of the label before comparing recipes. It is the same logic that runs through this whole notebook, where nicotine strength and how you reach it come before flavour. ## Further reading - [E-liquid flavours for beginners, strength decides](/uk/e-liquid-flavours-for-beginners/) - [Nic salt shot, choosing one and getting the strength right](/uk/nic-salt-shot/) - [Nic salts or freebase, how the two forms differ](/uk/nic-salts-or-freebase/) Editorial content for adult readers only. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. Nicotine vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. Nothing here is a purchasing recommendation or a recommended nicotine strength.