Ripe Vape VCT 60ml Review: 12mg and 18mg Vanilla Custard Tobacco Tested in Dubai

Ripe Vape VCT 60ml is a 70/30 VG/PG freebase e-liquid in 12mg and 18mg nicotine from Ripe Vapes, the California e-liquid maker best known for its vanilla-custard-tobacco (VCT) recipe, sold on vapsshop.ae for 45 AED a bottle in five flavours. It suits adult vapers in Dubai who want a dessert-tobacco profile at a higher freebase strength than the usual 3mg. Our verdict: the reference VCT on the site, with a strength range that makes it one of the few 60ml freebase liquids that works in a mid-power pod as well as a sub-ohm tank, and a ratio that rules out the tightest MTL coils.

Last tested/updated: 3 September 2026. Price and stock checked against the live vapsshop.ae listing on that date. This review is for adults aged 18+ only.

Quick facts: Ripe Vape VCT 60ml

Attribute	Ripe Vape VCT 12mg and 18mg 60ml
Price on vapsshop.ae	45 AED per 60ml bottle (in stock, 3 Sept 2026)
Nicotine	12mg/ml or 18mg/ml freebase; both within the UAE 20mg/ml cap
VG/PG ratio	70% VG / 30% PG
Bottle size	60ml
Type	Freebase e-liquid for sub-ohm kits and pod systems (as listed)
Flavours	5: VCT, VCT Black, VCT Bold, VSC (Vanilla and Sweet Caramel), Coffee Tobacco
Profile	Vanilla, custard, tobacco, cream, almond and nut notes
Cost per ml	0.75 AED/ml

Every figure above comes from the live vapsshop.ae product page; cost per ml is our own calculation. Ripe Vapes does not publish an ingredient or batch sheet on the listing, so we don’t quote one. The listing’s mention of a disposable form refers to a separate product; this review covers the 60ml bottle only.

Bottle, ratio and nicotine format

Ripe Vape VCT 60ml is a 70/30 VG/PG freebase liquid sold at 12mg/ml and 18mg/ml, and that combination is unusual: most 70/30 freebase liquids are sold at 3mg or 6mg, and most 12–18mg liquids are 50/50. Understanding why decides whether this bottle suits your device.

Why the ratio matters. Vegetable glycerin (VG) is the thick base that produces vapor and softens the inhale; propylene glycol (PG) is thinner, carries flavour and adds throat hit. At 70% VG the liquid is dense, so it wicks slowly through a small coil and needs the wide wicking ports of a sub-ohm mesh coil or a mid-power pod (roughly 0.6Ω and below) to keep up. In a tight 1.0Ω+ MTL pod built for 50/50 liquid it can run dry between draws.

Why 12mg and 18mg freebase is different. Freebase nicotine gives a noticeable throat hit that scales with strength, which is why high-power sub-ohm devices are normally paired with 3mg. At 12mg or 18mg on a 0.15Ω coil at 70W the hit would be overwhelming; at 12mg on a 0.6Ω pod at 20–25W it is firm and satisfying, and at 18mg it is strong. Ripe Vape VCT at these strengths is therefore a mid-power liquid: it belongs in a restricted-lung pod or a modest sub-ohm setup, not in a cloud mod.

Freebase vs salt at these strengths. A 20mg nicotine salt is smooth because the salt form softens the throat hit; 18mg freebase is not, and that firmness is the point for people who want a strong, cigarette-like hit from a dessert-tobacco liquid. If you want 18mg without the throat hit, a salt is the answer; if you want it with the hit, this is.

Flavour and vapor performance

Ripe Vape VCT is a vanilla-custard-tobacco profile, and the five flavours are variations on that one idea rather than a spread of fruit and ice. Vapor is thick and warm from the 70% VG, and the tobacco note is mellow and sweet rather than ashy. VCT is the reference; VCT Bold and VCT Black are the two directions it can be pushed.

From testing the range on a 0.6Ω restricted-lung pod at 22W with the 12mg strength:

VCT. The original: a creamy vanilla custard on the inhale, a smooth, slightly nutty tobacco on the exhale, with the almond note sitting between the two. It is a dessert first and a tobacco second, which is why it converts people who thought they didn’t like tobacco liquids. It is the one to buy first.

VCT Bold. The same recipe with the custard and tobacco both turned up. Sweeter on the inhale, more tobacco on the exhale, and the one for people who find the original too polite.

VCT Black. The darker version: the tobacco comes forward, the custard steps back, and there is a light smoky edge on the finish. Closest of the five to a traditional tobacco liquid, and the choice for an ex-smoker who wants the tobacco to lead.

VSC (Vanilla and Sweet Caramel). The custard base with caramel in place of tobacco. A straight dessert, sweeter than the VCTs, and the pick for someone who wants the cream without any tobacco at all.

Coffee Tobacco. Roasted coffee over the tobacco base with a little of the cream. The most savoury of the five and the one that pairs with the 18mg strength best, since coffee carries a firm throat hit well.

The mechanism behind why these taste good at 12–18mg is the profile itself: custard, vanilla and tobacco are dense, warm flavours that survive a higher nicotine strength, where a delicate fruit would be flattened by it. That is also why this range doesn’t need ice and doesn’t offer it.

Device pairing and coil life

Ripe Vape VCT 60ml belongs in a restricted-lung pod or a mid-power sub-ohm setup, roughly 0.4–0.8Ω at 15–35W, where a 70% VG liquid wicks properly and a 12–18mg freebase strength gives a firm hit without harshness. It is not a cloud-mod liquid and not a tight-MTL-pod liquid.

The two reasons come from the two numbers. The 70/30 ratio needs a coil with enough wicking to move a thick liquid, which rules out 1.0Ω+ pods with small ports; the 12–18mg strength rules out high-wattage mesh at 50W+, where that much freebase nicotine per puff is unpleasant. The overlap is the mid-power band: a 0.6Ω pod on a device like the SMOK Nord 50W at 20–25W, or a 0.4Ω coil at 30W. If you own an 800mAh auto-draw pod with a 1.0Ω coil, a 50/50 12mg liquid is the better match.

Coil life on custard and tobacco liquids is generally good, because they carry less sucralose than sweet fruit-ice liquids; the VSC caramel is the sweetest of the five and will darken a coil fastest, and Coffee Tobacco can leave a residue on cotton over time. There is no published coil-life figure for any e-liquid and we don’t invent one: change the coil when the custard turns muddy or the tobacco turns bitter.

On bottle life, a sealed 60ml keeps well in a cool, dark cupboard. Custard and tobacco liquids often improve with a week or two of steeping after opening, as the vanilla rounds off; heat and sunlight are what degrade them (see the UAE notes).

Pros and cons

Pros

• A convincing vanilla-custard-tobacco profile with the tobacco kept mellow, in five well-separated variations
• 12mg and 18mg freebase gives a firm throat hit that most 70/30 liquids can’t, and both strengths sit within the UAE cap
• Works in mid-power pods as well as sub-ohm kits, which a 3mg 70/30 liquid can’t
• Dense, warm flavours that hold up at higher nicotine strengths without needing ice
• 0.75 AED/ml, in line with other 60ml freebase liquids on vapsshop.ae

Cons

• 70% VG wicks too slowly for tight 1.0Ω+ MTL pods built for 50/50 liquid
• 12mg and 18mg freebase is too harsh for high-wattage sub-ohm mesh at 50W+, so the device window is narrow
• No 3mg or 6mg option in this 60ml bottle for cloud-mod users
• Five flavours, all on the custard-tobacco theme, so there is no fruit or ice option in the range

Who should buy it, and who shouldn’t

Buy Ripe Vape VCT 60ml if you like dessert-tobacco flavours, you want a firm throat hit at 12–18mg, and you run a mid-power pod or a modest sub-ohm coil. Skip it if you vape a tight MTL pod, a high-wattage mod, or you want fruit and ice.

This liquid fits you if:

• You want a vanilla custard tobacco that tastes like the original VCT
• You want 12mg or 18mg with a real throat hit rather than a smooth salt
• You run a 0.4–0.8Ω coil at 15–35W
• You’re an ex-smoker who wants tobacco led by cream rather than ash
• You want a liquid that steeps well and doesn’t need ice to stay interesting

Look elsewhere if:

• You use an auto-draw pod with a 1.0Ω or tighter coil; a 50/50 12mg liquid wicks properly there
• You run a 0.15–0.3Ω mesh at 50W+; 12–18mg freebase is too much at that power
• You want fruit, ice or menthol
• You want a published ingredient or batch sheet before buying

Ripe Vape VCT 60ml vs Dr Vapes 12mg 60ml

The closest in-catalogue alternative is Dr Vapes 12mg Vape Liquid 60ml, which vapsshop.ae sells for the same 45 AED and had in stock when we checked. Both are 60ml freebase liquids at 12mg, so the choice comes down to ratio, strength options and flavour range.

Spec	Ripe Vape VCT 60ml	Dr Vapes 12mg 60ml
Price (vapsshop.ae)	45 AED	45 AED
Cost per ml	0.75 AED/ml	0.75 AED/ml
Nicotine	12mg or 18mg freebase	12mg freebase
VG/PG	70/30	50/50
Flavour count	5	12
Flavour focus	Vanilla custard tobacco and variants	Tobaccos, custards, candy, fruit and ice
Best device match	0.4–0.8Ω coil, 15–35W (restricted-lung pod)	0.8–1.2Ω coil, 10–20W (MTL pod)
Tight MTL pod (1.0Ω+)	Not recommended	Yes

At identical price and strength the two split on ratio. Dr Vapes’ 50/50 is built for MTL pods: it wicks through a 1.0Ω+ coil without trouble and gives a sharper throat hit at the same 12mg because of the higher PG. Ripe Vape’s 70/30 is thicker, softer and needs a lower-resistance coil, but it offers an 18mg option Dr Vapes’ 60ml doesn’t, and the VCT recipe itself is the reason people buy the bottle. On range, Dr Vapes covers tobaccos (Pure Tobacco, Barista Tobacco, Creamy Bold Tobacco) as well as custards, candy and fruit; our Dr Vapes Tobacco Series review covers that side of the range.

Pick Ripe Vape VCT for the recipe, the 18mg option and a restricted-lung pod; pick Dr Vapes 12mg for a tight MTL pod and a wider flavour list.

UAE-specific notes

Two rules shape how e-liquid is sold and used in the UAE: nicotine concentration is capped at 20mg/ml under the MOIAT standard UAE.S 5030:2018, and nicotine products may only be sold to adults aged 18 and over under Federal Law No. 15 of 2009.

Nicotine cap. Both the 12mg/ml and 18mg/ml versions sit below the 20mg/ml limit set in MOIAT’s mandatory regulation for electronic nicotine products (UAE.S 5030:2018); 18mg is close to the ceiling, which is why it is the strongest freebase you will find in a 60ml bottle here. The standard also governs labelling, so a compliant bottle carries its nicotine strength and warnings on the label.

Age restriction. This product is for adults aged 18 and over. Federal Law No. 15 of 2009 on Tobacco Control prohibits selling tobacco and nicotine products to anyone under 18, and vapsshop.ae verifies age at checkout. Vaping is not risk-free and this review makes no health claims about it.

Heat and shelf life. Custard and tobacco liquids darken naturally as they steep, but heat accelerates it into oxidation: the nicotine turns peppery and the vanilla flattens. Never leave a bottle in a car, where a Dubai summer interior passes 60°C. Store it capped, upright, in a cupboard, and out of reach of children and pets; at 18mg a 60ml bottle holds over a gram of nicotine.

Delivery. vapsshop.ae delivers Ripe Vape VCT to all seven emirates: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Dubai orders, including Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, JBR, Deira, Bur Dubai, Business Bay, Jumeirah and Al Barsha, usually arrive within about two hours; other emirates typically within 24 hours. Cash on delivery is available, and card payment is accepted for Dubai deliveries.

What other reviews leave out

Most VCT reviews describe the flavour and stop. What a Dubai buyer needs is how to choose between 12mg and 18mg, why this 70/30 liquid works at strengths most 70/30 liquids don’t, what steeping does to it, and which of the five bottles to buy first.

12mg or 18mg. Choose by device and habit. On a 0.6Ω pod at 20–25W, 12mg gives a firm hit for a moderate user and 18mg a strong one for a heavy ex-smoker. On a 0.4Ω coil at 30W+, stay at 12mg; 18mg at that power is harsh for most people. If in doubt, buy 12mg first.

Why 70/30 at this strength works. The recipe is dense enough that the extra VG doesn’t dilute it, and the mid-power pods this liquid suits have wide enough wicking to handle 70% VG. It fails only at the extremes: tight MTL coils (wicking) and high-wattage mesh (too much nicotine per puff).

Steeping. A fresh bottle can taste vanilla-forward; a week or two after opening, the custard rounds off and the tobacco settles in. Store it in a dark cupboard and give it a shake every couple of days. Don’t try to speed it up with heat.

Which bottle first. VCT if you’ve never tried the recipe; VCT Black if you want the tobacco to lead; VSC if you want no tobacco at all; Coffee Tobacco with the 18mg strength if you want the strongest hit in the range. For a broader look at how bottle size and strength interact, our Vapes Bars Ghost Salt Nicotine guide walks through the 30ml-versus-60ml decision.

FAQ

Verdict

Ripe Vape VCT 60ml is a specialist liquid whose case rests on three things: the VCT recipe itself, a 12–18mg freebase strength that gives a real throat hit inside the UAE cap, and a device window that covers the mid-power pods many Dubai vapers already own. Its limits are just as clear: no low strengths, no fruit, and a ratio that rules out the tightest MTL coils. If you want a dessert-tobacco with a firm hit for a restricted-lung pod, it is the bottle to buy on vapsshop.ae.

Ripe Vape VCT 12mg and 18mg 60ml is available on vapsshop.ae in all five flavours. For other higher-strength freebase options, our MEGA Vape Juice 60ml 12mg review covers a fruit-led 12mg alternative, our Dr Vapes Tobacco Series review covers the closest tobacco rival, and the full Ripe Vapes range is on the brand page.

Unsure what nicotine strength to pick for your own setup? Our guide to choosing a nicotine strength covers freebase vs. salt and how they match different devices.

This review is written for adults aged 18 and over. Vaping products contain or are used with nicotine, which is addictive. This article does not claim that any vaping product helps you stop smoking or is safer than smoking; see our Responsible Vaping & Health Disclaimer and Age Restriction Disclaimer.