The electronic cigarette is a relatively new invention from China, aimed at giving the smoker a real alternative to traditional cigarettes.  The e cigarette consists of a small lithium battery which powers an atomiser to produce vapour from a small refill cartridge that is enclosed inside the cigarette.  The e cigarette looks and feels very much like a real cigarette and the vapour produced when the smoker inhales gives the sensation of smoking (including the much required throat hit) that smokers crave.  The refill cartridges are filled with an e liquid that contains propylene glycol (dry ice), nicotine, colourings and flavourings but none of the harmful chemicals associated with traditional cigarettes.  And of course, there is no tar.

There are literally hundreds of different flavours of refill cartridge available on the market today.  The most popular and ‘standard' flavours are tobacco flavour, menthol, cherry, vanilla, strawberry and apple.  However, there are companies offering as many as twenty different ‘cigarette' or ‘tobacco' flavours.  Often these refills have been developed to taste as closely to well-known tobacco brands as possible.  You can purchase very strong, rough tobacco flavoured refills (aimed at smokers who use roll-ups or very strong cigarettes) or you can buy smooth, light flavoured refills and everything in between.  There are American style tobacco flavours, Turkish and English style flavours along with flavours that would be used by pipe smokers.

Menthol flavoured refills are the second most poplar refill flavour after tobacco flavour.  Again, these menthol refills are available in several different flavours of mint to correspond with different brand flavours and tastes.

You can now purchase the e liquid in bottle form.  This can be used to top-up your refill cartridges two or three times before the disposable cartridge has to be thrown away.  This makes the already very cost-effective e cigarette, even more so.  The major e liquid manufacturer in China produces over 200 different flavours and will custom make any flavour required by the distributor.  The flavours available include fruits (anything from apple to kiwi and banana), spices (cinnamon, clove, vanilla, etc), drink flavours (cola, whisky, rum, coffee etc) and sweet flavours (such as chocolate, peanut butter and caramel).

Whilst these different flavours give the smoker an interesting alternative, the majority of liquid and refills sold are in the cigarette and menthol flavours which, after all, give the smoker the nearest sensation to the real thing.