Why Menthol Flavours Remain a Favourite Among Northern Ireland Vapers
Menthol-profile vapes outsell pure fruit at Just Vape Omagh by a meaningful margin. Here is why the cool finish has held its ground through every UK vape market shift.
NI vapers favour menthol because menthol cigarettes were huge here pre-2020, and the cool finish doesn’t trigger smoking cravings the way tobacco vapes can.
Pure menthol is the classic. Fruit + ice (blueberry sour raspberry ice, mango ice, watermelon ice) is the post-disposable category that has dominated reorders since June 2025.
Shop the menthol range at Just Vape Omagh
Pure menthol, fruit + ice profiles, menthol-tobacco hybrids and bar-style cool finishes. The full Just Vape menthol range plus matching pod kits and starter bundles. Phone 028 8226 7207 or email Info@justvapeshop.co.uk.
Four reasons menthol has held its ground in NI
Menthol could have faded from the vape market in NI several times over the past decade. It hasn’t. The reorder data at Just Vape Omagh tells a clear story: menthol-profile flavours have been the consistent backbone of the range since 2015, despite the rise of fruit blends, dessert profiles and bar-style flavours layered on top.
1. The NI menthol cigarette heritage
Before the UK menthol cigarette ban came into force in May 2020, Northern Ireland had one of the highest menthol cigarette usage rates in the UK. A large share of long-term NI smokers grew up on Mayfair Menthol, Marlboro Menthol or Silk Cut Menthol. When those smokers switched to vaping (mostly between 2015 and 2022), they wanted the same cool finish they had been used to for decades.
2. The 2020 menthol cigarette ban acceleration
When menthol cigarettes were banned in May 2020, the NI menthol smoker had a stark choice: switch to regular cigarettes, quit, or find a menthol vape. Many chose the vape. That spike in menthol vape demand in 2020 and 2021 became the steady demand that continues today. The Omagh team helped a large wave of menthol switchers through the changeover.
3. The clean palate finish
A small but important factor for ex-smokers: menthol does not taste like cigarettes. Tobacco-flavoured vapes can be a stumbling block because they remind people of smoking and can trigger cravings rather than satisfy them. Menthol gives a different sensation that feels distinct from cigarette taste, which helps break the smoking habit cleanly. Many of the long-term ex-smokers at Just Vape Omagh have stayed on menthol for exactly this reason.
4. The post-disposable bar-style crossover
The disposable wave introduced a generation of vapers to fruit + ice profiles like blueberry sour raspberry ice, mango ice and watermelon ice. These are technically menthol-family flavours (the “ice” comes from menthol or its synthetic cousin koolada). When the disposable ban hit in June 2025, those vapers moved to bottled e-liquid and kept buying the same fruit + ice profiles. Fruit + ice is now the largest reorder category at Foundry Lane. See our flavour rankings guide for the full breakdown.
Pure cool menthol
The classic. Suits long-term menthol cigarette smokers and anyone who finds tobacco vapes too close to cigarette taste. Clean, sharp, no fruit notes.
Fruit + ice profiles
Blueberry sour raspberry ice, mango ice, watermelon ice. Match the bar-style flavours that dominated the disposable era. The biggest reorder category in 2026.
Menthol-tobacco hybrids
Niche but steady. Suits very long-term smokers who want the gradual transition rather than the clean break. Just Vape stocks but does not lead with these.
Vape tongue on menthol
Vaping the same menthol all day can dull your palate within a week. Rotate with a fruit-only profile or a different menthol variant to keep the sensation fresh.
How to pick the right menthol vape for you
The Omagh team’s most common recommendations by customer type, based on a decade of in-store conversation with NI menthol customers.
Long-term menthol cigarette smoker
Start with pure cool menthol in a tight MTL pod kit at 20mg salt or 10mg if you smoked under 10 a day. Familiar sensation, easy switch.
Ex-disposable user (Bar Juice, Elf Bar, etc)
Match your old disposable flavour. Blueberry sour raspberry ice if you used Bar Juice 5000, mango ice for Elf Bar Mango, watermelon ice for the classic Crystal Bar profile.
Existing vaper experiencing vape tongue
Switch to a contrasting menthol variant. If you have been on pure menthol, try a fruit + ice. If you have been on fruit + ice, try a different fruit base or pure menthol for a week.
Sensitive throat or cough on inhale
Try a softer menthol profile (mint rather than full menthol) or a fruit + light ice rather than a heavy ice finish. Menthol intensity varies hugely between bottles.
Whichever menthol profile suits you, pair it with the right pod kit at the right strength. Local advice from the Omagh team takes the guesswork out of the choice.
Omagh Store FAQs hub
Opening hours, location, the full range stocked and what to expect on your first visit.
For more on the local Just Vape Omagh setup, the range stocked and what the team can advise on, see the Omagh Store FAQs hub. Menthol customers have been the backbone of the local reorder pattern since the store opened in February 2015.
Related articles
Frequently asked questions
Why is menthol such a popular vape flavour in Northern Ireland?
What kinds of menthol vape flavours are available?
Did the 2020 UK menthol cigarette ban push smokers to menthol vapes?
Is menthol better than fruit flavours for ex-smokers?
What is the best menthol flavour at Just Vape Omagh?
Do menthol vapes burn coils faster than fruit?