Mod Reviews

Drake’s E-liquid Tobacco Shortfills

Question everything you thought you knew about tobacco vapes, with Drake's fantastic NET e-liquids range

by Michelle (Purplefowler)
Aug 6, 2024

Share on:

It’s a small world sometimes, isn’t it! I was out walking my dog a few weeks ago when I bumped into one of my dog walking friends, and whilst chatting, I pulled out my vape and the conversation drifted away from dogs and growing vegetables to vaping. As we got chatting, he happened to mention that he had a friend who makes the liquids. Now this is not an unusual thing to hear, I often hear of a mate of a mate who mixes his own juices, but as the conversation moved forward, this didn’t sound like some dodgy backroom mixer. He told me how these e-liquids are made with specially imported tobacco leaves and how much work had gone into getting all the correct approvals and certification, all seriously above board and then some. By now, I was really intrigued so I asked what his mate’s business was called, my Potv hat firmly squashed on to my head by now, and he said “Drakes”. I said “what? THE Drakes?, and he said “ I would assume so”. He then went on to tell me what a great bloke John from Drakes was, and that he wondered if there was anything I could do to spread the good word, so I said I could always do a review if that would help. “Leave it with me” he said, and we went our separate ways to take our now exhausted dogs back home. A couple of days later we caught up again, and out of his coat pocket came a bag full of e-liquid for me to try. In the meantime, I have now had a few good chats with John “Mr Drakes” himself, and I can absolutely back up what our mutual friend had said, what a lovely guy, and his passion for what he does just beams out of him.

About Drake’s E-liquids

Drake's has been around for quite a while now, starting out in 2014. They specialise in expertly crafted tobacco blends, and having now tried a selection of their e-liquids, I can see why they have so many fans. Instead of using tobacco flavours to make their juices, they source the finest speciality tobacco from all over the world and legally import them into the UK to process them at their base in Lincolnshire.

Now I won’t even pretend that I understand the ins and outs of NET (naturally extracted tobacco) e-liquids, but the basics are that the tobacco leaves are processed through a method of cold maceration which takes 8-16 weeks to complete. This is a term more usually found in wine making, and it is basically like giving them a controlled soak to extract as much of the flavour and characteristics of the leaves, so you are getting the purest natural leaf flavours that it is possible to extract.

As for the other flavours used in some of the recipes, there are no artificial flavours or any other nasties lurking, and all of the e-liquids have been stringently tested to make sure that the finished product is of the highest possible standard and fully complies with the current legal requirements. So not only do they taste amazing, but they also contain some of the highest levels of purity possible.

Drake’s E-liquids come in both 50VG/50PG and 70VG/30PG so are suitable for both MTL and DTL vapers. I have been using both a traditional mod and tank and a pod kit to put them through their paces, and they worked beautifully in both set ups. I must admit I was surprised how well they worked in my SX Mini PureMax, as traditionally tobacco flavours can be a bit of a coil killer, but vaping technology has come on so far in recent years, and the latest generation of mesh coils seem to be able to handle anything you can throw at them. This is great news as it means that e-liquids like this are no longer the reserve of the elite vapers anymore, anyone can easily enjoy the best juices out there without having to worry about whether their kit can handle it.

I was sent six flavours to try, a nice cross section of the liquids available. There are plenty of other on the Drake’s website, and there is also the choice of shortfills, longfills, and pre-mixed 10ml bottles, so regardless of your vape style, you should find something that works for you.

Burley

“Made from natural air-cured Burley tobacco, this e-liquid captures the essence of this renowned tobacco variety, known for its mild, nutty flavour”

I think we are on for a bit of a trip around the world with this review, starting with good ol’ USA. I wasn’t expecting this to taste so fruity, but there is a natural delicate sweetness which really sits well with the pure natural tobacco leaf flavour. There is also a slight tangy twist in there too. Welcome to the complex world of real tobacco, if you’ve only ever cracked open a regular packet of baccy, you are in for a world of discovery with these e-liquids. I am not a regular tobacco flavour vaper, but I can feel myself being converted!

Kentucky

“This e-liquid offers a distinctive fragrant Kentucky tobacco with a slightly smokey taste and a woody undertone”

Sticking with the States, we are now taking things a bit darker. The leaves here have been fire smoked which gives them a very distinct flavour and I think this will appeal more to people looking for a more familiar flavour as the smokiness comes through strong. It is dusky but still tastes very fresh and clean. It is the kind of tobacco that makes me want to pour a frosty beer, it would be a perfect partner. There is still a fruity note that you get with natural tobacco, but there is a much deeper and darker vibe to this flavour.

Virginia Oak

“Barrel aging is not just for wines and spirits. Experience the rich and refined taste of Virginia Oak Tobacco”

This is where I really show myself up as my first instinct here was that I always hated golden virginia, so I probably wouldn’t like this one….wrong! The only thing they have in common is the name, this e-liquid is worlds away from the nasty pouches. You can really taste the added depth that the barrel aging gives to the leaves, it just enhances everything. It is surprisingly light, but the flavour notes just keep building. It starts off with that signature light sweetness, but then a rich depth starts to come through, ending with a subtle smokiness. The more you vape it, the more subtle notes come through and you notice more elements than you taste from the initial puff.

English Pipe Tobacco

“Our English Pipe Tobacco Blend E-liquid is carefully crafted using traditional methods, ensuring a truly authentic experience”

I’ve never smoked a pipe, but I have always loved the smell. After all these years smoke free, I can’t stand the smell of a freshly lit ciggie, but pipe smoke is just so nostalgic. Out of all the e-liquids I was sent, this one probably highlights the craftsmanship that goes into these e-liquids the most as it takes real skill to blend different varieties properly. Drake’s nail it though. It is very dark and rich, but with some delicious floral notes which come through on the exhale. I will admit that it would be too heavy for me to have as an all-day vape, but hardcore tobacco aficionados will be in seventh heaven here. Saying that, I do keep reaching for the bottle, it is such an enigmatic flavour.

Whiskey

“Indulge in the bold and captivating flavors of William's Whiskey Tobacco E-liquid. Experience the perfect blend of spicy tobacco and characterful Scottish single malt whiskey"

I have to be very careful here and make sure I use the correct spelling of Whiskey as this is a pure Scottish single malt, and these things are very important. As a dedicated tee totaller, I love the flavour of alcoholic vapes, and this is as pure and authentic as it gets, you can almost feel that warm burn as it slips smoothly down. I used to go out with a proud Scot many years ago, and he was always trying to educate this English heathen in the dark arts of real Scottish Whiskey, and I think he would have been proud of me appreciating the finer details of this juice. The Whiskey is perfectly paired with Greek and Polish Oriental Basma leaves which enhance the spiciness and the smoothness. It is just so good.

Mango

“Experience the perfect combination of tropical sweetness and robust tobacco flavour with Magnus's Mango Tobacco E-liquid”

I would never have thought of mixing mango and tobacco, but this has been a taste revelation. The base tobacco is a Greek Basma Oriental leaf which is light yet smoky, and mixed with that is a naturally extracted Sri Lankan mango, and boy is it good. I love mango flavours anyway, but this is another level of ripe juiciness, and it complements the tobacco incredibly well. As a non-tobacco vaper, this was the one I gravitated to, but it also showed me just how versatile high end tobacco can be when used in more unusual ways. I’ve promised my Mum can have these e-liquids after the review, but I might just have to hold this one back for myself!

Final Thoughts

Everything I thought I knew about NET tobacco flavours has gone out of the window, and I am now a newly converted fan. The clean taste, the depth and subtlety, the coil life, all of these were unexpected discoveries, and I have come away with a real appreciation for these e-liquids. For those despairing at the state of modern vaping and the super sweet, artificial flavours full of ice and vile sweeteners, look no further if you want the highest of high when it comes to adult oriented flavours. As the mango proved, even if you aren’t naturally a fan of tobacco flavours, give this a try as you may be very pleasantly surprised. I have never been too proud to admit when I was wrong about things, and I have to say, I was very wrong about tobacco flavours, it turns out when they are in the hands of a true master, there is one hell of a lot to enjoy.

If you fancy stretching your tastebuds, or if you already know how good NET tobacco flavours can be, you can pick these up, and many more, from Drake’s E-liquids. The shortfills I reviewed here can be picked up for between £7.49 and £9.99 a bottle, and you can also pick up your nicshots too for an additional £1.49 each.

Many thanks to John at Drake’s E-liquids for getting these over to me for review (and a very big thank you to Malcolm and Jack, our mutual friends, for getting us in touch in the first place). It’s a funny old world sometimes!

Pros

Fantastic value for money
No sweeteners or artificial flavours
A masterclass in e-liquid crafting
UK made
The purest tobacco ingredients from across the globe

Cons

Probably not for anyone who hates tobacco (but give them a try as you may surprise yourself!)

Michelle (Purplefowler)

Reviewer at POTV

View Articles

When her usual forum closed, Michelle found herself in a brave new world full of excitement that something fresh and new was happening. A few days later she somehow found herself on the moderating team and is still not really sure how that happened. Even stranger, she slowly worked her way up to admin and now helps behind the scenes, liasing with vendors and coordinating social media but she can still be found making smutty comments on the forum. If all that wasn't enough, she also is a proud member of the Potv review team specialising in E-liquid reviews for the discerning vaper.