Snustopia!!!

Thunder Cool Mint portion snus, reviewing a sweeter Thunder Mint!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:48:00 +0000

Welcome Back Snustopians!

Well, as you can imagine, every television here in Skruf Square has been tuned in to the 2012 Olympic Games for the past five days, including the three here in my office! As I sat there watching the White Water rafting trials and deciding on which snus to review, I was taken back to a scene I saw while in Denmark last month. The weather was nice and cool and while we walked along the river that ran thru Silkeborg, we stumbled across a small rapids. I had a portion of Thunder Cool Mint in and thought what a peacefull view and Thunder Cool Mint portion snus was the perfect snus for a day like this! Then I remembered that Thunder Cool Mint is a relatively new snus in the V2 Tobacco portfolio and decided that this will be the snus we will review this week! So, set your DVR's to record some of the Olympics, grab a portion or prilla of your favorite snus and a cold drink and let's begin our review of Thunder Cool Mint portion snus by V2 Tobacco! (click here to read the full story!)

Now, before we get into the review of Thunder Cool Mint, there has been a bit of confusion between this snus and Thunder Frosted. While both are intensely flavored with mint, they are two separate snus flavors with completely different characteristics. We will go thru a review of Thunder Frosted in the very near future but I just wanted to clear that up! So, with that out of the way, let's see just what Thunder Cool Mint portion snus is!

Thunder Cool Mint portion snus is another quality snus made by Marc and Patrick Vogel of V2 Tobacco in Silkeborg, Denmark. Introduced in early 2012, Thunder Cool Mint is classed as an Original type portion which, for you new Snustopians, is a portion that goes thru an additional wetting step prior to being packaged. This additional step adds a few drops of water to the portion material and helps the tobacco meld better with the flavorings. It also turns the portion material brown from its original white and allows the flavor to be sensed as soon as the portion is put in the lip. The portion material that V2 uses for Thunder Cool Mint is the same soft, tea bag type material that they use for all their snus brands and is pretty comfortable in the lip. I've had a portion in for up to 2 1/2 hours with no discomfort whatsoever.

Each can of Thunder Cool Mint portion snus contains 22, .9 gram portions with each portion containing 16 mg of Nicotine. The Nicotine content of Thunder Cool Mint is the same as the rest of V2's Thunder line which is one of the strongest among all Swedish snus brands. "Sounds more and more like its the same as Thunder Frosted Snus Guy! Where's the difference?" Now, now....you guys are jumping the gun here. Just because they both have the same Nicotine content and are mint flavored, doesn't mean that they are the same! Let's finish the technicallities and I'll explain the flavor differences. Now, the Nicotine content may scare off some of the new Snustopians but let me assure you, it's really manageable but, I'll leave it up to you to decide. Like my pops always said, "you'll never know until you try it."

The can that Thunder Cool Mint comes in is the typical black plastic can that V2 uses for all their portion and has the typical sized used portion compartment built in the lid. The label is actually pretty cool! The graphics are in a light blue color scheme with a summery splash theme. It's also a plastic type material that keeps the can sealed well until you open it. Even then, the lids that V2 uses fit really well and stay closed while in the pocket or, if it falls of the table. A pretty cool thing I learned while at the factory was that the cans that they use are made in Denmark and pretty close to the factory! I know......more can obsessed commentary so before I go completely OCD on the can, let's go on to the flavor of Thunder Cool Mint!

V2 describes Thunder Cool Mint as a strong Nicotine snus with the cool flavor of Peppermint. While I agree with this description, I think there's a bit more to it really! One of the most asked questions I get from new Snustopians, when it comes to mint flavored snus is, "what causes the burn in my lip Snus Guy?" It's simple really. Well, it isn't really but at the risk of being tagged as That Science Guy as opposed to That Snus Guy, I'll give you the simple answer. Mint flavorings, such as Spearmint, Wintergreen, Peppermint and so on, contain a natural chemical that triggers the pain receptors in the mouth. Instead of feeling pain like one would feel with chili peppers, this chemical makes the brain translate it into a cooling feeling. You get the same reaction from mint flavored toothpaste or, a Wintergreen Lifesaver. Ok, Science class is over, back to the flavor review!

While the flavor of Thunder Cool Mint is definitely a long lasting mint, there's more to it. What I taste is a fresh minty that has a light sweetness to it! Think those Starlight Mints that restaurants give you after your meal and you'll have the flavor of Thunder Cool Mint! For those seasoned Snustopians that are thinking that this is just a re-engineered Thunder Frosted, you couldn't be more wrong! Where Thunder Frosted is an "In Your Face", supercharged Mint flavor, Thunder Cool Mint is a more mellow, sweeter tasting Mint snus. I liken it to the same flavor as General Mint but, stronger and much longer lasting. In essence, Snustopians who like the flavor of General Mint but, wish it had more flavor, lasted longer and had more Nicotine, Thunder Cool Mint is the answer. I've had a portion of Cool Mint in for over 2 hours and the flavor just keeps going! As for other flavors in this snus, there really isn't any. It's just cool peppermint from start to finish with no bitterness at the end. So, what drinks would pair well with Thunder Cool Mint? Let's take a look!

As you all know, I'm a bit of a tea freak and I think Cool Mint is a great compliment to many different stronger teas. English Breakfast tea and other black teas go really well with Cool Mint. I say this because the Mint flavor in Cool Mint can stand up to the stronger flavors in black teas. Lighter teas like White tea and Green tea tend to be to weak and the mint flavor mutes the tea's flavor completely. It still goes well with them but, if you like to taste the tea as well as the snus, I recommend sticking with the black teas. From an adult beverage standpoint, stronger drinks will go well with Cool Mint! One that comes to mind would be an old fashioned Mint Juliep. Bourbons tend to be pretty strongly flavored and the strong yet sweet flavor of Thunder Cool Mint would be perfect! Another one would be a Mojito. Since the primary flavor of a Mojito is mint, the Sweetness of Cool Mint would pair really well but, try it with your favorite drinks and I'll let you be the judge!

My overall recommendation for Thunder Cool Mint portion snus by V2 Tobacco Snustopians, is this; if you're a Snustopian who is a die hard fan of General Mint but wish it was stronger in flavor and Nicotine, Thunder Cool Mint is the perfect snus for you. New Snustopians looking to try a strong snus with a familiar flavor and no saltiness, Thunder Cool Mint would fit that bill! But, like I always say, everyone should give Thunder Cool Mint a try and form your own opinions. So, why not add a can or two of Thunder Cool Mint portion snus to your next order and see what you think? Thunder Cool Mint is available at Snustopia's number one place for Swedish snus, the SnusCENTRAL snus shop! They always have the best prices, quick delivery and great customer service and, if this is your first order, just click the banner on the left, enter the code and get 10% off! If your a return Snustopian, just click the banner and tell Moe Unz that That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found this review of Thunder Cool Mint portion snus by V2 Tobacco informative and fun and that you'll tell your friends about Snustopia. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please leave a comment in the space below and I'll answer them as soon as I can. I look forward to hearing them! So Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That SnusGuy

Göteborgs Rapè White Large Lime portion snus by Swedish Match. Reviewing the boldest flavor in the Göteborgs family!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:55:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

I know, I know, it's been quite a long time since we've been together and actually reviewed snus. The past year has been a pretty hectic one here in Snustopia and I must apologize for not being here to bring the new Snustopians reviews on all of the new snus flavors that are out there today. As I sit here, it's hard to believe that in only 2 short years we've seen such a huge influx of new flavors from so many different manufacturers! I can remember back to a time when Swedish Match only had 45 types of snus in their portfolio and ..."Hey Snus Guy, as much as we'd love to hear about your walk down memory lane, we want to hear about Göteborgs Rapè Lime!". Well, as you can see I'm still the same Snus Guy and I still ramble on so, without any further delay, sit back, pop in a portion and let's get started on our review of Göteborgs Rapè White Lime portion snus!

I wanted to start off our new series of reviews with an intriguing, new addition to a well loved brand. You may be asking yourself "Why do you think Göteborgs Rapè White Lime is intriguing Snus Guy?" and I wouldn't be upset if you did. You see, The Göteborgs line of Swedish snus is what you might call a "Staple Snus" brand in Sweden. As we found out in our review of Göteborgs Rapè White portion, this brand is one of the best selling brands in Sweden and one that most people really didn't want to see changed. With Göteborgs Rapè White Lime, it's not a change to any of the other flavors, it's actually an addition that seems to be well received. Now, let's take a look inside the can and see what makes this addition so well liked!

Göteborgs Rapè White Lime portion is a snus made by the folks at Swedish Match in Sweden. It is a white type portion snus which, as longtime Snustopians know, is a bit dryer due to the omission of the final wetting step in the manufacturing process. While it is a bit dryer than its Original type cousins, the same soft, tea bag type material that Swedish Match uses in all it's portion snus, is still pretty comfortable in the lip with little or no irritation even after 2 hours! Each can of Göteborgs Rapè White Lime has 24 portions that are arranged in the "Star" formation, that Swedish Match has adopted for most of its white portion snus varieties, with each portion containing approximately 8 mg. of Nicotine. My recommendation for keeping a portion in is about 1 1/2 hours for full flavor enjoyment but if it's the Nicotine hit you're aiming for, I recommend about an hour max. So, now that we've done away with how it's made, let's take a look at the can!

"Snus Guy, we're not going to hear you obsess about the can again, are we.". Well, since it's been a while since I've posted a review, I think possibly a refresher course on the cans may be in order so, bear with me for a minute or two. The can that Swedish Match has chosen is the same gold toned, plastic can that they use for all the Göteborgs portion snus and the label resembles the Göteborgs Rapè White Lingon label with one small change. The red swish that is present in the Lingon label has been changed to green since this snus is Lime flavored. The can's lid fits nice and tight on the body, even after you break the seal which does well to prevent the portions from drying out while it's out of the chiller, if you keep your snus in one. Now, the refresher course! Most portion snus cans contain a second, smaller lid on the top of the can. Now, some new Snustopians and almost all of the snus curious have mistaken the compartment as the true lid and, well, if you use the catch compartment the way it was intended, as a place to put your used portions in until you can find a place to toss them, You can imagine what happens next and it can be pretty embarrassing so, as a reminder, the small lid, under the Göteborgs Rapè White Lime label on the top, is the cover for the used portions compartment! Ok, I'm done being Professor SnusGuy so, let's get into the flavor part of the review!

Swedish Match describes GR White Lime portion as a snus having "the characteristics of Göteborgs Rapè with the addition of Lime and Mint.". While I do agree that GR White Lime does have some of the base Göteborgs Rapè flavors of quality tobaccos, salt and some herbal qualities, I also taste some of the Lime flavor but what seems to be missing is the Mint. "SnusGuy! Why would they say it has a mint flavor if it actually doesn't? What gives?" Now, now.....just because I don't taste it, doesn't mean that it's not there. As I've said in almost all our past reviews, this is just what I taste, it's up to you to form your own opinions but, let me explain what I taste and you might understand why I said I don't taste the mint. I was really excited to see that a snus manufacturer finally decided to break with tradition and replace the bergamot and lemon flavors with a lime flavor. If you look back in snus history, almost all snus uses a citrus flavoring be it Bergamot, Lemon or a combination of both. Citrus really compliments tobacco flavors and me being a big fan of limes over lemons or Bergamot, really made me curious about GR White Lime. Limes tend to be a bit sweeter than Lemons or Bergamot and in this snus, you can taste the slight sweetness that lime gives the snus. Mint, when used in tobacco products, also adds a slight sweetness to the end product but when you combine these two flavors in a snus, the lime flavoring will always win out over the mint due to its acidity.

Think of it this way, when you use a lemon or lime vinaigrette on a plain salad, what's the main thing you taste? It's not the lettuce or endive or even the peppery Rockett, the main thing you taste is the citrus in the vinaigrette. The different lettuce components are there but are in the background. The same thing is happening with the mint in GR White Lime! You can taste the lime as the predominant flavor followed by the salt, tobacco and then, in the very back, is the slight sweetness and very subtle hint of mint. Now, the scent coming from the can is a completely different story! It's quite the opposite really. "SnusGuy, we don't follow! If there's hardly no mint flavor, how can it be one of the first things you smell? Well, it's weird really and I could go into a long, drawn out culinary/chemistry lesson but instead, here's the Cliff notes version. The scent of Mint is much stronger than that of a lime. The proof is to take a couple sprigs of Mint and a cut piece of lime and you see what I mean. So, to review, the flavor of GR White Lime is predominantly lime, there are subtle hints of salt, tobacco and herbs mingled in as well but, overall the flavor is mild. The scents that come from the can can be a bit misleading but enjoyable. The strength of the flavorings are mild, not overpowering like one would expect in an Original type portion but light like most white portion snus typically is. The flavor of GR White Lime, albiet light, does last for about an hour and a half which is pretty good since the Swedish snus users typically only keep a portion in for 30 minutes or so. So, let's see what types of drinks we can pair with GR White Lime portion snus!

Most Snustopians would assume that a snus that flavored with lime would make a great snus to use with Tequila drinks or Rum drinks, specifically Mojitos. Well, if this were an original type portion snus I would agree since the flavor would be much stronger but this is a white type portion and the flavor is much lighter. This means that strong alcoholic drinks would completely drown out the flavor of the snus. Being one of the hottest July's in the history of Snustopia, I decided to try some different NA beers. Since there is no alcohol in these beers, GR White Lime went really well with the imported NA beer. The other drink that went well was iced teas! Your standard sun brewed iced tea ,with it's lighter flavor went really well but, some of my black teas tended to drown out the flavor. Overall, lighter flavored drinks like lighter beers and green iced teas go really well with GR White Lime while stronger flavored beers, like Sam Adams or Wheat beers, and stronger, brewed Iced teas tended to overpower the snus. I really suggest that you try both but, I'll let you decide and form your own opinions!

My overall recommendations for Göteborgs Rapè White Lime portion snus from Swedish Match Snustopians, is this; If you're a new Snustopian looking for a white portion snus to use as a main use brand with a light taste and little salt, GR White Lime Portion would be great for you. Experienced Snustopians who use mid strength snus, and are looking for a uniquely flavored snus will also be pleasantly surprised. Those of us who use Extra Sterks like their candy, may find the light flavors in GR White Lime a bit too light but, that is for you to decide! Göteborgs Rapè White Lime portion snus can be bought at most online shops but I recommend getting it from Snustopia's only place for Swedish snus, The SnusCENTRAL Snus Shop. They have the best prices on the web and great customer service. Just click on the banner to the right to be taken right to the shop and, if your a new customer, just enter the code on the banner at checkout and get a 10% discount on your first order! Just tell them That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed Our tour of Göteborgs Rapè White Lime portion snus by Swedish Match And found it fun and informative. I look forward to any questions or comments you may have And will answer them as soon as I can. So Snustopians, until our next review, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Swedish snus in Demark II, Reviewing the manufacturing process!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Welcome back Snustopians!

Well, as we learned in the last article, not all Swedish snus is made in Sweden. While the credit for it's conception seems to have gone to Sweden, it's now proven that Denmark did indeed produce snus back in the early 1800's, at the same time that some of the early Swedish snus brands, like Ettan for example, were being produced! While that was over 150 years ago, the tradition of snus making in Denmark continues with V2 tobacco and their Thunder, Offroad and Phantom brands of Danish made, Swedish snus. "You told us all about that in the last article Snus Guy! We want to know about how they make it!" And in this article, we will go thru a tour of the new V2 plant and how two Americans were privileged enough to work on the manufacturing lines to see just how, exactly, V2 makes their world renowned snus brands. So sit back, pop in a portion of Thunder Cool Mint and let's see just how they do it!

I know what you all are thinking, "Didn't you already tell us how Swedish snus was made when you saw Swedish Match's factories in 2009 Snus Guy? How is this article going to be different?". Well, as a matter of fact I did give everyone in Snustopia a "Virtual Tour" of the factories and of the Swedish Match way of manufacturing snus. As I sat here these past few weeks, trying to decide how I would do the article, I went back and read thru "Swedish snus! The first American review of the snus manufacturing process!". I started to realize that some of the things I reported back then, really don't hold true now and the access we were given at V2’s plant was much more hands on as opposed to the “Don’t touch anything” rules at Swedish Match’s facilities. For example, at Swedish Match we were allowed to enter the production floor but, couldn’t touch anything. At V2, not only were we allowed to touch the machines, we were allowed to work the lines so, I knew this had to be a more in-depth article. So, with that in mind, lets go forward and see how Patrick, Marc and all the great folks at V2 Tobacco make their snus!

Before we begin, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Patrick and Marc Vogel, owners of V2 Tobacco, for inviting me to Denmark and allowing me to experience and work in their factory. It was an unforgettable experience that I'll never forget. I also want to thank Nils, Martin and all the great people that work for V2 for sharing their stories, knowledge and hospitality while I was there. It's their knowledge, commitment to quality and dedication that really shines thru in the products they produce. Keep up the great work guys!

The first stop in the plant is where the unprocessed tobacco is stored. Unlike the huge tobacco storage lockers that were in the Swedish Match facilities, The tobacco storage is right where it needs to be at V2, in front of the grinding room. As you can see in the picture on the left, the storage racks can hold alot of raw material! The tobaccos that V2 uses in their snus is a mix from all over the world including the U.S.. One of the things that makes V2’s snus unique from its competitors is the fact that they only use five different types of tobaccos in it’s snus where the others can use up to twenty. The tobaccos that V2 uses are already aged and ready for the next step in the process, separating and grinding!

While I was impressed with the things I saw and learned in both tours, this was one of the things that really impressed me with V2. When I was in Swedish Match’s plant, we saw the grinding process and were able to touch the tobacco and see it ground which was cool. At the V2 plant we were not allowed in the grinding room. In fact, nobody was allowed in the grinding room. Not because it held secrets or because they were trying to hide anything but because of the particulate matter the grinding process kicks up. All the tobacco dust generated by the milling machines while they were running would make it dangerous to walk in there without respirators. Now, don’t think that there’s so much dust you can’t see anything, in fact, I asked Patrick “What Dust?”. The fact of the matter was that V2 is so concerned about safety that they felt it was better to keep the room sealed off. I did get to see the process though thru a row of windows in the door and I was surprised at what I saw!

Not only did I see the milling machines but I was also surprised to see the leaves were seperated from the stems and ribs. “Hey Snus Guy, why would that surprise you? nobody uses those parts, right?”. Wrong actually! All snus manufacturers, all tobacco product manufacturers for that matter, use stems and ribs in one way or another. V2 uses them to manage the Nicotine content in the final product. What most big tobacco manufacturers don’t do is separate them prior to milling. Separating them from the leaf gives V2 better control of what goes into the snus as well as saving the millers from working so hard. Once the tobacco has been milled, its transferred to storage hoppers to await the next step, steaming and flavoring!

The steaming and flavoring room really reminded me of the commercial kitchens I used to work in when I was young. All white tile and spotlessly clean stainless steel everywhere. This is where the white jacket and hair net zone begins. V2 Tobacco adheres to the same strict rules of cleanliness that manufacturers in Sweden do which includes changing jackets and hair nets each time you leave a clean area, washing and disinfecting your hands prior to working the machines and safety glasses wherever required. When a new batch of snus is needed, a computer transfers the needed amounts of tobacco from the storage hoppers thru pipes and into the steamers. Once there, the tobacco steams until it reaches the right temperature and is then injected with the flavorings. Once injected, the tobacco is allowed to cool down prior to processing. Once cooled to the correct temperature, it’s transferred to the machines for packaging. It’s here where they allowed the clumsiest Snustopian alive to work some magic.........the snus lines!

To say I was nervous would be an understatement. All I could think about the entire nine hour flight to Denmark was how something I did could break a machine and cost thousands of dollars of damage and I’d be banned from the country. In fact, I had a dream that I was Larry the Cable Guy and all I could say was “It wasn’t me....It wasn’t me!!” while snus cans and portions flew from one of the machines. Now that I’m actually at the production lines, It’s nothing like that, thank god! The production processes for both loose and portion snus are really pretty fascinating. Let’s begin with the loose line since it’s the first line I got to run!

Actually, running a snus line isn’t really as hard as one might think. I say this because the actually “running” of the machine is controlled by computers, much like the one on the right. What makes it challenging is when an issue arises. Anyway, here’s the basic way it works. You feed freshly cooled snus into the feed hopper. In another hopper, empty cans go in and in yet another hopper, tops. Once the machine is switched on, a pre-measured amount of snus drops into an empty can and tamped down. The tamping allows for the tops to be placed on easily. After the tops are placed on, the sealed cans run over a scale to see if the weight falls within the specified parameters. If it does, it continues on to the elevator and to labeling. If not, it’s shot off the line into a hopper where its contents are recycled back into the system.

The elevator system is really fascinating! “Snus Guy, how can an elevator be fascinating?” Well, it’s not so much the elevator its self, more like what the elevator does! So what does this unit pictured on the right do, you may be asking? It actually does two things. One, it provides a cushion of time between the snus packing machine and the labeler, incase the processes before this unit hiccups. Two, it gives the snus some time to settle prior to the final steps. It actually takes roughly thirty minutes for a can to go thru this machine and can be stopped without stopping the entire line which is good since it takes about a minute or two to put a new roll of labels in the labeler. As for the labeler, remember back in the first article about V2 and the hand made labeling machine? Well, in the new factory, the labelers now place all labels on the cans in a few seconds each as opposed to the old way which took 10 times longer since the top and bottom labels still had to be applied by hand. So, let’s take a look at the portion runs!

There are actually 3 lines that produce portion snus. Two of them run original portions and one runs White portions. “Snus Guy!!! V2 doesn’t make white portions, right?” actually, yes they do! The Phantom line has white portions as does the Offroad and SnusX lines. The original portion lines are pretty hi-tech and start by adding snus, a bit dryer than the loose snus, to the machines hopper. From here, the snus is portioned out and placed in the teabag type portion material. The way this is achieved is pretty much the same method that potato chip companies use to package chips but on a much smaller scale. After the snus is incased in the portion material, a small bit of water is dripped on the portion and then placed in the can. From here, the process pretty much mimics the final processes of loose snus but with one difference I thought was neat! After the lids are placed on the cans, the catch lid is placed on in a separate, yet automated, process. Up until now, I thought they were already put on prior to delivery to the factory. Yes...yes, ThatSnusGuy can be taught!!

The white portion line is really something to see! It’s a unique machine that can produce up to 16 portions at a time and be retrofitted in a matter of minutes to accommodate whatever V2 is producing that day, from Phantom Blue white to buckets of SnusX or zip pack refills of Phantom white! It’s really an amazing machine to see in action! The day we were there, was a half day so we also got to see just how meticulous the team at V2 is at shut down time! Yes, at the end of every day or, between each type of snus, these guys breakdown and clean each machine! Each and every part that comes in contact with the snus is taken apart, cleaned and sanitized and reassembled, ready for the next day or snus flavor. Again, this step is just one more reason why V2 Tobacco produces some of the most popular snus brands!

After the cans are filled and labeled, another machine gathers 10 cans, shrink wraps them and places a batch label on the roll. The rolls are then placed in boxes by hand (a skill that yours truly was really good at!) and stacked on pallets, ready to be shipped out to retailers around the world! It’s really impressive to see how V2 can do this at full speed, which averages about 2000 portions an hour per machine, and without the highly skilled and dedicated team V2 has working these machines, those numbers could never be reached!

So, Snustopians, you may be asking yourselves, “Snus Guy, what’s your opinion on the V2 Tobacco factory? Is it good or bad?”. Well, as you all know, I try to do all my reviews as unbiased as I possibly can so that you as Snustopians can form your own opinions. But, when it comes to reviewing snus factories, it’s a bit harder to stick to that mantra. Overall, My time in Denmark at V2 Tobacco was awesome, to put it mildly. While my time in Sweden at Swedish Match was also an awesome experience, the trip to V2 really does top the Swedish Match trip. This was due to the hands-on experience that Patrick and Marc allowed both Julls at SnusCENTRAL.org and I to have and the access they gave us. What most impressed me was the complete dedication to produce the best products they can that seemed to be reflected in each and every person working there. That and the atmosphere of being a fun place to work!

Patrick and Marc’s commitment to making the best snus in the world is a vision that’s shared throughout their entire organization. From the guys out in the field selling their products to the great folks that produce it and the designers making the labels, each person shares this vision and it’s what, in my mind, makes V2 Tobacco one of the best in the business!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found this final installment of “Swedish snus in Denmark” informative and will help you on your journey in learning more about Swedish snus. As always, I welcome any comments or suggestions and will try to answer them as soon as I can.

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Swedish snus made in Denmark! Reviewing V2 Tobacco!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

You heard me right folks, some of the most popular, and strongest, snus brands in the world are being produced in the town of Silkeborg, Denmark by a family run company called V2 Tobacco. Last week, I, along with Julls from SnusCENTRAL, was privilaged enough to have been able to spend 4 days in this beautiful country and even more privilaged to spend an entire day at V2's production facility. We were given exclusive access to not only the factory it's self but, to actually work on the lines to see exactly how the products we all know and enjoy, are made! So, grab a can of Thunder Cool Mint, a cold drink and a seat and let's learn how V2 Tobacco makes its phenominal snus!

Tobacco shop circa 1700's

In order to fully understand the reason why what most Snustopians would consider a Swedish product, is being produced in Denmark, you have to really know the history of moist tobacco in Scandinavia. While we all know that snus has been produced in Sweden for over 200 years, is has also been produced in Denmark for just about as long. "Snus Guy! We thought that snus was solely a Swedish invention, what proof is there that snus was being made in Denmark?" Well, I'm glad you asked that! While we were in Denmark, Patrick, one of the owners of V2 Tobacco, took us to the town of Aarhus where there is a living museum called Den Gamble By. Within this museum, are historical buildings that have been meticulously taken apart from their original locations and rebuilt in this museum. The picture in the upper right is of the tobacco shop in Den Gamble By.

Within this shop, the hand powered machines of the tobacconist's trade are also preserved. When we first entered this building, we saw the proof that snus was indeed being produced in Denmark back in the early 1800's, the tobacco mill! Pictured on the left, below the picture of the shop, is a hand powered tobacco mill that would have been used to grind tobacco leftovers from the manufacture of cigars, twist tobacco and pipe tobacco. Once ground, the powered tobacco was mixed with a "Special snus sauce" to create the finished product.
While this is proof that snus was being produced in Denmark about the same time that Sweden was producing, it's also a driving factor for V2 to continue the tradition of Danish snus making. So, now that you have the Cliff notes version of Danish snus making, let's go into a bit of V2's history!

Hand made labeling machine

V2 Tobacco is a relatively new snus manufacturer having been producing snus since 2006. Owned by Patrick and Marc Vogel, hence V2, they are the driving force behind the company's passion for creating some of the most unique snus on the planet. While the company it's self is pretty new, the knowledge of snus making within the company is vast with some of the folks working in the Swedish snus industry for many years. "So, what brands does V2 make Snus Guy? Just incase some of us are new to Swedish snus." Well, V2 manufactures some of the most popular brands in the US, as well as some of the strongest. V2 Tobacco manufactures the Thunder, Offroad, Phantom/Rothbrix and Megapole brands along with the limited brands Nordstrommen and Julesnus, with Nicotine strengths varying between 8 mg and 21 mg per portion/gram and flavors that vary from pure tobacco flavor to berry, licorice and the popular Mint and Wintergreen flavors. Manufacturing snus at V2 in the beginning was pretty much a family affair. Everyone in the family had a hand in manufacturing and in some cases, even building the actual machines! To the right, is a picture of a can labeling machine built by Patrick and Marc's father. Prior to this machine, all labels were applied by hand and was painstakingly slow to do. With the creation of this machine, productivity was increased tremendously!

Side view of the original factory

Today, this machine has been retired due to the high speed labelers that are used in the new facility now but, the original machines that started V2 have been brought over to the new facility as a reminder of how the company started. According to Patrick, making snus back in the original facility was pretty hard. The old factory was half the size of the new one and was spread between 2 different buildings. While production, operations and sales were conducted in the main building, storage of cans, tobacco and finished product were kept in a building across the street. It was pretty much controlled chaos! One of the first places we stopped once we landed at Billund Airport was at the old factory and I could see what Patrick was talking about. The picture on the right is a side view of the original factory and it is pretty small. Even though it's not a large building, they still managed to run 2 lines in it and maintain first class quality! The other picture is of the production floor taken thru the window. Imagine this room filled with 2 snus lines, one portion one loose, employees and material. In my mind, its pretty incredible!

The new facility is almost 3 times the size of the old facility and holds 4 lines with room to expand and add even more. The new facility also remedies the issue of having multiple buildings for different parts of the production process by having space for storing raw tobacco, cans, finished product, the mills and a large cooling room. Overall, to see where V2 began and where they are now, it's not too hard to imagine where they will be in another 5 years! Another reason that brings us to this conclusion is the passion that everyone at V2 has for producing a premium product.

Now, if you remember back to the review we did on our trip to Swedish Match in Gothenburg, you'll recall that we also said that Swedish Match was passionate about snus but, there is a distinct difference between the passion that Swedish Match has and the passion of V2 Tobacco. Swedish Match is indeed passionate about snus but it's different with V2. Patrick, Marc, Nils and everyone at V2 takes pride in what they do, no matter what position they hold within the company. Everybody from the janitor to Marc and Patrick, even their families, are proud of the product they make and their part in the process. It's a passion that is hard to find here in the states and I think a passion that makes V2's products so special!

Well Snustopians, I hope you have enjoyed this first installment of the V2 Tobacco Trip series "A brief history of V2 Tobacco". It was a real treat to talk with the people who actually make the products we all love and really opened our eyes! The next installment will be about our time as snus makers and I promise, it will be fun!! As always, feel free to post any questions you may have and I'll answer them as soon as I can!

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek

That Snus Guy is back reviewing Snus!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:36:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

You heard it right gang! After a year long hiatus, That Snus Guy will be posting more reviews on snus, snuff and the manufacturing process. I know, I know, I can hear what long time Snustopians are saying right now, "Why did you leave us Snus Guy? There are so many new snus brands and flavors out there and we want to know more about them!" and I apologize for not being here to assist you all in you snus journey but, I have some big things planned for the next coming months......

The first big, exciting thing coming in the month of June will be another series of articles pertaining to the manufacture of Swedish snus, live from Denmark! "Denmark Snus Guy? We thought snus was made in Sweden?" Well, if you read the article I did in June on the Swedish Match tour, you'll remember that true Swedish snus can be made in other countries in Scandinavia, as long as they follow the Swedish method exactly. For example, V2 Tobacco, the plant I'll be reviewing over the next few weeks, is located in Silkeborg, Denmark and manufactures the Thunder, Offroad and Rothbrix brands, just to name a few. While they are located in Denmark, they manufacture snus in the Swedish tradition to exacting Swedish standards. Anyway, you'll see and hear more about their snus starting next week. Make sure you friend me on Facebook to see up to date pictures and commentary on the trip!

Other things on the horison along with more snus reviews are a live report from the floor of IPCPR in Orlando, Florida! For those who don't know what IPCPR is, its one of the largest tobacco shows in the US! Many tobacco manufacturers attend along with other types of products related to the tobacco industry. It's going to be a great project and I'm positive everyone in Snustopia will be pleased with the series.

Well Snustopians, again I apologize for my absence but I'll make it up to you all in the coming months!

As always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose snus, reviewing one of Sweden’s oldest snus brands!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:23:00 +0000

Happy 2011 Snustopians!

Today, I thought we would do something a bit different and actually, something I’ve been asking for ever since I started Snustopia, review a snus brand that one of you suggested! Since I created Snustopia to be an informative website that would hopefully answer some of the questions that users may have about a particular snus brand, I also wanted it to be a site that you could get questions answered or, get a snus brand you suggested reviewed. Well, thanks to Kikler, this review will be on the snus brand he requested, Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose by Swedish Match.

It’s kind of funny really, When Kikler posted the question as to why I hadn’t reviewed Prima Fint I actually had to think about it because I was certain I had reviewed it a few years ago but, after reading thru my reviews, I realized I hadn’t reviewed it and a wave of excitement rose over me. “Excitement over Prima Fint Snus Guy? Have you been reviewing Rooster nasal snuff again?” Well, as a matter of fact I have but that’s not the reason I got a bit excited. Let’s begin out trip thru Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose snus and you’ll see why!

There are plenty of reasons to get excited about Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose. For one, it’s one of the oldest snus brands in Sweden. Göteborg’s Prima Fint was first produced by the Swedish Tobacco Company (now Swedish Match) in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1919 and was created to rival Ettan loose snus. The name “Prima Fint” literally translates to Fine, First-Cut which is just what this snus is. Another reason is that it’s one of a few snus brands that’s only made as a loose. But what makes Prima Fint special for me is that it has always been made in Gothenburg. Why is that special to me, you may ask? If you remember back to 2009, I was in Gothenburg, Sweden and saw how Prima Fint was made from start, to finish including the way the cardboard cans were made. The entire time I was testing Prima Fint, memories of the people I met at the factory, the scents of dried tobaccos and the taste of freshly made snus came rushing back to me and that’s why this particular review made me excited. But, you guys are here to find out about Prima Fint, not my trip to Sweden, so back to the task at hand, the actual review!

Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose snus is a Fine ground snus meaning that the tobacco has been ground down to an almost wet powder-like consistency. Being ground to this level of fineness does have it’s good points but does have a few bad ones as well. Fine ground snus is really comfortable in the lip because it will conform to the inside of the lip and gums. Fine ground snus also releases a light flavor over a long period of time but there are those bad points I was talking about. One of these is that fine ground snus is really hard to hand bake. When I was testing Prima Fint, I found it was challenging to get the compression with an Icetool right because with too much compression, the prilla was really hard and didn’t release too much flavor. With too little, the prilla pretty much turned to mud within minutes. After some trial and error, I found that with a 3 click prilla and a medium amount of pressure on the plunger to the bottom of the can, the prilla was perfect, released a good amount of flavor and lasted for about an hour and a half before I started to get a bit of mudslide. Hand baking a prilla, even after reviewing loose snus for 3 years, I still can’t do but with Prima Fint I’d recommend to anyone that either an Icetool or a Prismaster is a necessity.

One of the most unique things about Göteborg’s Prima Fint is the can and I’m not just saying that because I like snus cans! “More like a snus can fetish Snus Guy!” I know, I know, I do tend to go on when it comes to the cans but with Prima Fint, I really have to. You see, most snus manufacturers now days will use plastic cans due to their durability but Swedish Match has kept Prima Fint in it’s original, wax lined cardboard can with a paper label. In fact, almost all of Swedish Match’s loose snus is packaged in these cans because it does keep the snus fresher in my opinion. Although, if you keep your snus in a back pocket, you may want to consider keeping Prima Fint in a coat pocket because the can may crush after repeated sitting. The only thing that Swedish Match has changed with Prima Fint’s can over the years is the lid. Up until the 1970’s, Prima Fint had a gold colored, metal lid with the company’s logo stamped in it. After that, they changed to a gold colored plastic lid. While I agree with the argument of using plastics for durability, I couldn’t imagine a classic snus like Göteborg’s Prima Fint in anything other than cardboard. Ok, can obsession over, on to the flavor!

Göteborg’s Prima Fint’s flavor is basic but not in a bad way. You have to understand that back in the early 1900’s, Swedish snus came in only one flavor, tobacco. So when I say basic, I mean that just the flavor of the tobacco with a touch of salt is all that’s there which is a good thing. With Prima Fint, I can taste the earthy, peaty flavors that are reminiscent of all tobaccos but there are also lightly sweet notes of dark chocolate and a hint of black pepper from the specific mix of tobaccos that Swedish Match uses in Prima Fint. What I find different in Prima Fint is that even though regular table salt is used in the production, it’s barely noticeable in the final snus flavor. Some have compared Prima Fint’s flavor to Ettan loose but in my opinion, they’re pretty far apart. While they both are a purely tobacco flavored loose snus, Ettan’s flavor is a bit more salty and smoky where Prima Fint is more earthy and sweet. Another difference is the intensity of the flavor which is due mainly to the grinds. Ettan is a coarser ground snus which allows more flavor to be released quicker while fine grinds like Prima Fint have a less intense flavor that lasts longer. Overall, Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose’s flavor is light and would be perfect for the Snustopian just starting out with loose snus. So, what types of drinks would be great with Prima Fint? Let’s take a look!

While I don’t drink Alcoholic beverages, I’ve decided not to do snus pairings with sodas. After some feedback from a few of you, I realized that it’s probably not a good thing. But I will, however, pair them with other non-alcoholic drinks. I’ve tried Prima Fint with a myriad of different drinks like coffee and tea, hot and iced, and I found that most coffee varieties are too strongly flavored for Prima Fint. They tended to overpower the flavor of the snus but teas, on the other hand, fared much better. Even stronger varieties like Black teas and Earl Grey went well to enhance the flavor of Prima Fint. Orange Pekoe was really interesting because the snus flavor actually enhanced some of the sweet notes that are inherent in that particular tea. The best overall tea was Green tea due to it’s light flavor.

For those of you that do drink, lighter beers like IPA’s or even beers brewed to the German Purity Law would be great with Prima Fint due to their lighter flavors. Maker’s Mark or Jack Daniels would also be great as well but, I’ll let you all decide!

My overall opinion of Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose Snustopians, is this; Prima Fint is only one of a few loose snus brands on the market that is still purely tobacco flavored with no other flavors like Bergamot or citrus. Even though it’s a Fine ground loose and a bit hard to hand bake, investing in a portioning tool will allow you to make the perfect prilla. Snustopians that are seasoned loose users will find Prima Fint’s traditional, light tobacco flavor unique and new Snustopians will enjoy the fact that the saltiness in Prima Fint is almost non existent. Almost every online snus shop carries Göteborg’s Prima Fint loose but Snustopia’s premier snus shop, The Northerner, always carries the freshest snus at the best price. If you’re a seasoned Snustopian, give snusbargain.com a try for the lowest prices on rolls of your favorite brands. Just click on the banner in the upper left of this page and see what great deals are available!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found this trip thru Göteborgs Prima Fint loose snus informative and fun. As always, I look forward to answering any questions, comments or brand suggestions you may have. I’ll be happy to answer them as soon as I can.

So, until our next review, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Kardus 2010, the world's most exclusive snus with a bit of history in the lid!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:42:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

Late Autumn, early Winter has always been my favorite time time of year here in Snustopia. Why you ask? Well, there’s a couple of reasons, the first one being that the leaves start to turn colors and here in Snustopia, it gives the forests a kind of surreal and calming look. Another reason is that the holidays are not too far off and my favorite one, Christmas, is getting ever closer but the main reason I like this time of year is that each November, a new Kardus is introduced to the snus loving world!

Now I know what you’re all thinking, “Why would you get all excited over Kardus Snus Guy? They come out with it every year!” Well, for those Snustopians that are new to snus, Kardus is an exclusive and ever changing snus! What I mean is that each year that Kardus is released, it has a new theme and flavor so, it’s a bit like waiting for an early Christmas present in November in a way. After we complete the review of Kardus Superior Blend, 2010 edition maybe you’ll understand a bit better so, grab a pris and a warm beverage and let’s begin!

Swedish Match has been creating Kardus Superior Blend every year since 2005 with a release date of around November 1st. Why wait until the end of each year to release it, you ask? Well, it's due to a couple of reasons. The first reason being how much time goes into creating Kardus and two, Autumn is typically when snus manufacturers introduce new flavors or brands. “Snus Guy, it can't take that long to make a new snus brand. After all, it's just tobacco and flavors right?” Actually, in the case of Kardus, it can take up to 3 years to make it from start to finish! From deciding what each year’s theme will be, what type of flavors will compliment the theme and which tobaccos to use to achieve the final taste can take quite a bit of time.

Kardus is also produced in an entirely different way than normal snus. It’s made the way Swedish snus would have been manufactured 200 years ago, entirely by hand! “By hand Snus Guy? This you have to explain”. Well, by hand I mean no machines to package the snus, no grinders to grind the tobacco or fancy, high tech flavor vats. Each edition of Kardus is cut by hand using centuries old cutting techniques that can take years to learn and are usually taught by father to son. There are not many people in the world that know how to cut tobacco in this fashion which is one of the reasons Kardus is an exclusive, limited run snus.

Flavoring is also done the traditional way by soaking the cut tobacco, in it’s primary flavorings, inside wooden barrels for several months, allowing the flavorings to penetrate deep into the tobacco and creating a unique, mellow flavor. After the flavorings are absorbed, which can take up to 18 months, the new snus is hand packaged in a special way so the tobacco doesn’t settle. As you can see, alot of time and passion goes into creating Kardus and why I get a bit excited when Autumn comes! Ok, now you know the basics behind the creation of Kardus, let’s take a look at this year’s offering!

This year's Kardus is unique since, in the past, multiple tobacco varieties have been used, while Kardus 2010 only uses one. The tobacco that has been chosen is from the island of Java, which is an island in Indonesia just south of Singapore, that is known for producing the world's finest teas, coffees and a unique type of tobacco that can only be found there. Along with the Javanese tobacco, Batavia Arrack (a liquor distilled from sugar cane with flavor components similar to Rum) is added to enhance the tobacco's flavors and give the finished product a well rounded taste. While we'll get into the flavors in more detail later, this is the basis for Kardus 2010. Let's take a look at the packaging for Kardus and get closer to seeing why this edition is a bit more special than past editions!

Fore the past 3 years, Kardus has been packaged in hand crafted, oak boxes made by the renowned Swedish cabinet maker Ulf Mellström but in this year's Kardus theme, it makes sense. Embedded in the lid is a shard of Qing dynasty porcelain that was recovered from the wreckage of the Swedish East Indian company's Götheborg sailing ship. On September 12th 1745, she was returning to her home port from China with her hold full of teas, spices and fine Chinese porcelain when she struck underwater rocks and promptly sank to the bottom of the sea. The crew and 1/3 of the cargo was saved but the majority of the porcelain was destined to be stuck on the seafloor until 1905 when it was finally recovered. It's this sunken treasure that makes up the shard of porcelain embedded in the lid of each box of Kardus! The box continues it's sea faring theme by being made of Oak, the same wood that made up the hull of the Götheborg. To cap it all off a smoked hemp cord, that would have been found on the ship, keeps the lid on the box. “Jeez SnusGuy, after all these months you still have box OCD! Who’d have thought!” I know, I know but the box is pretty special and the 100 year old shard of Chinese Porcelain is a part of this year's Kardus theme but, you’re right, let’s find out how it tastes and feels.

I was pretty excited when the UPS box came and I saw it was from Sweden. I was hoping it would be my box of Kardus and, lo and behold, it was! I couldn't wait to see, and taste, what this years offering would be like but, the minute I opened the plastic that protected the box, I know I was in for a unique ride. The first thing that greeted me when I opened the plastic was the scent of smokiness. Not like the box had been on fire at some point but, a smokiness I can only liken to a Scotch nasal snuff! I thought to myself "Wow! This edition is really going to be powerfully flavored since I can smell the main tobacco flavor without even opening the box!" Well, I was wrong about that. In fact, the smoky scent was coming from the cord that was keeping the lid on the box but, while the smokiness is in the tobacco's flavor, it kind of put me in the correct mind frame. I remember going to see an exhibit on the Mayflower and when on the replica ship, there was hemp cord that had the same smoky smell and actually, caused the entire ship to have that light smell. "Ok, enough reminiscing of days past, let's get back to the review SnusGuy!" Right, on to the flavor.

Kardus 2010's flavor is pretty unique from the past offerings due to only one type of tobacco being used in it's production. In the past, a mix of two or three different varieties of tobacco have been used in order to create a unique flavor unlike any other. This year, the use of a unique, Javanese tobacco called "Ranjangan Pakpie Karang Jati", which is grown only on the east side of the island, is the only tobacco used. The tobacco is harvested, leaf by leaf, from only the middle of the plant, hand shredded and left to cure in the sun on traditional Bamboo mats. This tobacco has a myriad of complex flavors like earth, leather and bittersweet chocolate but what I taste in the background is a mild black olive flavor! Don't get me wrong folks, I love black olives and think this background flavor mixed with the other main tobacco flavors make this Kardus one of the better versions! It's not an overwhelming black olive flavor, just a hint in the background. The other flavoring is a Rum-like liquor called Batavia Arrack.

Arrack is a distilled alcohol product made from sugar cane or coconuts. The Batavia Arrack used in Kardus 2010 is made from sugar cane and has an overall flavor similar to dark rums that we're accustomed to. The Arrack in Kardus is more noticeable by smell than it is in flavor. In the beginning, the Arrack's rum flavor can be noticed but, after about 20 minutes it's replaced by the tobacco's other deep, complex flavors and almost barely noticeable. It's not a bad thing though, especially if you like a snus that has the ability to change it's character over the 2 hour flavor period. Overall, Kardus 2010's flavor is just what I would expect from the world's most exclusive snus, unique and well balanced!

"So, how does it feel in the lip Snus Guy? Some of us have never tried a hand cut loose snus." That brings up a great point with Kardus, how to get it in the lip. I've tried just about all methods of creating a pris with Kardus! I've used a Prismaster, 5 ml Icetool and the hand bake method and I can tell you that a Prismaster and any Icetool smaller than 5 ml just don't work! The 5 ml Icetool does work pretty well but the best way is the hand bake method or, just take a healthy pinch and put it in the upper lip. Hand baking or pinching allows more flavor to come out of the snus and makes for a more comfortable pris in the lip. Using a tool can compress the snus too much and create an uncomfortable experience. If you've never used a hand cut loose, just take a good sized pinch out of the can, place it in your palm and gently mold it into a pellet. Then place the pellet in your upper lip and enjoy the complex flavors of Kardus 2010!

To sum it all up, Swedish Match has hit yet another home run with this year's Kardus. If you have not tried the previous versions of this "one of a kind", hand made snus you have got to try this one. Like I said in the beginning, Kardus 2010 is limited to only 500 units made and will surely sell out quickly. While this is the world's most exclusive snus, it's also the world's most expensive! Each box of Kardus Superior Blend snus will run you about $79 USD at Snustopia’s only place for Swedish snus, The Northerner, but in my opinion, it's worth every penny.

Well Snustopians, I hope you've found this review of Kardus Superior Blend snus, 2010 edition helpful and informative. As always, feel free to ask and questions or leave me feedback on what brands you would like to see a review on and I'll answer them as soon as I can!

Happy Snusing,

That Snus Guy

New look, new snus reviews and insights coming soon!!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:10:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

As you can see, Snustopia has gone thru a pretty big change in the way it looks. I thought it was about time to give the site a bit of a makeover not only in the way Snustopia looks but, in its content as well. Now, don't get excited Snustopians, I don't mean that instead of reading about Swedish snus you'll be reading about how to make a dried flower arrangement or who's fudge cake is better, what I mean is that I'll be posting new flavor reviews on all the new brands that have been introduced since we've last met. I've also been spending some time in Snuffland and we'll be reviewing Nasal Snuff as well! The main snuff brand we'll be looking at is Toque Snuff since the flavor variances that Roderick and his team have created are second to none in the nasal snuff world! So, stay tuned in the next few days as we take more interesting tours thru the world of Swedish snus and Nasal snuff!

General Mint White portion snus, reviewing General Mini Mint’s big brother!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:41:00 +0000

Welcome back Snustopians!

Today I thought we’d take a look at a snus that’s actually been anticipated by Snustopians for quite some time, General Mint White portion snus. I know what you’re all thinking, “What do you mean by anticipated Snus Guy?” Well, as you can tell by the title of this review, General Mint is actually the big brother of General Mini Mint and not just because it’s a General product or because it’s mint flavored but, because it’s really just General Mini Mint in a bigger size! Ok, before I get you all confused, let’s start our trip thru General Mint White portion by Swedish Match and you’ll see why.

If you remember back to General Mini Mint’s introduction back in 2009, there’s been a clamoring by Snustopians everywhere for the portions to be full sized and stronger in Nicotine and this year, Swedish Match has answered the call by releasing General Mint White. When I received the news here in Snustopia that General Mint White was going to be released, I had my reservations about it. “Reservations Snus Guy, What did you doubt about General Mint White?” Well, typically when something that was designed to be small, suddenly gets made larger, certain things can happen.

With General Mint White, my concerns were this; will the portion’s flavor be overpowering because of the jump in the amount of tobacco used or, will the flavor be completely different? After trying just one can of General Mint White, I realized my concerns were unwarranted. “Ok Snus guy, are you going to tell us about the snus or what?” You’re right; I just wanted to get my thoughts out there before going into the rest of the review! So, what’s General Mint White like? Let’s take a look.

General Mint White portion is, well, a White type portion which means that the portions do not go thru the additional step in the manufacturing process that adds additional moisture to them. This leaves the material its original white color and a bit dryer than an original type portion but, Swedish Match uses the same soft teabag type material that they use in Mini Mint as well as the rest of their portions and is actually quite comfortable under the lip for a pretty long time. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with a bit of wrinkling of the lip that I attribute to having the portion in too long. I recommend about 1 ½ hours max for comfort. Each can of General Mint White contains 24, one gram portions with each having 8 mg of Nicotine which is over twice the amount of Nicotine and snus in General Mini Mint! So, what about the can, you ask? Let’s take a look!

I know what you’re all thinking, “Oh boy, here comes the can OCD again!” so, I’ll try to keep it short. The can that General Mint White comes in is pretty similar to Mini Mint’s with the only exception being its size. The same grey metallic plastic that Swedish Match used for Mini Mint’s cans was used for General Mint White along with the same black and blue stripe and the trademark “General” logo on the lid of the used portion compartment. There, I shortened the can description but I know that all of you are here to see what General Mint White tastes like so, on to the flavor!

Like I said in the beginning, General Mint White was basically created due to the number of requests that Swedish Match received to make Mini Mint into a full sized portion. General Mint White’s flavor is actually a carbon copy of Mini Mint! The same lightly sweet, mint flavor that tastes like a cross between peppermint and wintergreen is the predominant flavor in General Mint White with the earthy flavor of the quality mix of hand selected tobaccos hinting in the background. What was missing in General Mint White is the same thing that’s missing in Mini Mint, the salt.

Now, I don’t mean that Swedish Match left out the salt in the formula because it’s needed to balance out the PH. What I mean is that you really can’t taste it like you can in the majority of Swedish snus flavors. Even though the strong minty flavor lasts for about an hour, the flavor changes a bit once the hour mark passes and leaves you with the flavor of the tobacco taking center stage and the light sweetness of mint just a hint with a slight bit of saltiness bringing it all together. At the 2 hour mark, the flavor begins to go pretty flat so; I recommend a 1 ½ hour max for full flavor enjoyment. So, what kind of drinks goes well with General Mint White? Let’s find out but first, a revelation!

When I began Snustopia back in 2008, I figured that the majority of Snustopians were either drinking soft drinks or energy drinks and I thought that trying to describe how each snus would taste with them would be a good thing. Well, times change and when I thought about it, it really didn’t seem right. As a Snustopian put it “It’s like pairing a fine wine with the taste of Skittles!” Unless you like to eat Skittles candy with a fine French Bordeaux! So, I decided to take this advice and look at trying General Mint White with other, non alcoholic drinks. The first one I tried was a cup of Earl Grey tea. This actually went really well together since the sweetness in the snus helped to cut the bite of unsweetened tea. The tea, in turn, helped to bring the flavor of the tobacco out a bit more. I tried it with a Breakfast Blend coffee and it really didn’t do too well. The coffee made the snus a bit bitter and, in my opinion, coffee and wintergreen really don’t go well together so, I recommend the tea but, the decision is up to you!

My overall recommendations for General Mint White portion by Swedish Match Snustopians, is this; Swedish Match did what they set out to do which was to create General Mini Mint in a larger portion size without effecting the flavor and I believe they did it! For those Snustopians that are diehard fans of General Mini Mint’s flavor but wished it were in a regular sized portion, your wish was granted with General Mint White. Snustopians that are new to Swedish snus will enjoy General Mint’s flavor and soft portions while seasoned Snustopians will like General Mint White as a great desert snus or a snus to just kick back and relax with! The cost for General Mint White averages about $3.65 USD per can at Snustopia’s only place to buy Swedish snus,The Northerner, and if this is your first time buying from them, you can get 10% off your first order by clicking on the banner to the left!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour thru General Mint White portion snus by Swedish Match and found it informative and fun. I look forward to your questions and comments and will do my best to answer them as soon as I can! So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Acknowledgements:

Snustopia, and the author, would like to thank the folks at Swedish Match for graciously providing the materials needed to complete this review.

Skruf Xtra Stark portion and loose, reviewing the new “King of the Extra Strong” snus brands!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:17:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t been posting as many reviews lately as I have in the past. The answer is that there have been a lot of things going on here in Snustopia and we’ve been pretty busy getting Skruf Square ready for the unveiling of Imperial Tobacco’s newest addition to the Skruf line, Skruf Xtra Stark and we’ve been chosen to be privy to an advanced “sneak peek” of both the portion version and the loose! So, if you’re ready, grab your favorite drink, a can of your favorite snus and let’s begin our tour thru Skruf Xtra Stark!

I know what you guys are thinking, “Snus Guy, how did you get chosen to get a “Sneak Peek”? Well, as you know, Snustopia is known by some of the biggest snus manufacturers in the world but, these didn’t come from them. A Snustopian traveling thru Norway brought them to me and asked that I share my unbiased thoughts with the world about the new “King of the Extra Starks” and I felt that everyone in Snustopia should know about this new contender!

Up until the introduction of Skruf Xtra Stark, the titleholder for the “King of the Extra Starks” went to Gajane and its Oden’s line. Having 17 mg of Nicotine per gram, the Oden’s line was the strongest snus in the world but now, Skruf Xtra Stark and it’s estimated 18 to 19 mgs of Nicotine per gram is undisputedly the king! While specifics in Nicotine content haven’t been released, the rush I get from them really feels like 19 mg.

Skruf Xtra Stark was released as both original portion and loose and uses select types of tobacco in order to create such a high Nicotine content. The portions are “original” type portions and as you all know, “original” type portions go thru an added process at the end of manufacturing to give the snus a bit more added moisture. This added moisture helps the flavors in the snus to marry and gives the portion material its “brownish” color. But in Skruf’s snus varieties, the moisture is added to the snus it’s self which is why they often are less runny that other snus brands. The material is made from a soft, teabag type material that’s comfortable under the lip for about 2 hours. Now that you know the portion type, let’s get to know the loose!

Skruf Xtra Stark loose is a medium to coarse grind snus which means that its pieces of tobacco are a bit larger but, still finer than most American dip’s consistency. This is both good and bad. “Good and bad, Snus Guy? How can it be bad?” Well, medium ground snus is good in the fact that it’s pretty comfortable in the lip because the pris will be a bit softer than a coarse ground snus. The bad thing is that if you’re a Snustopian that makes your pris’ by hand, it can be really challenging to mold the perfect one and keep it from falling apart in your lip! I personally recommend using a tool like a Prismaster or and Icetool to make them but, it’s a personal preference. At any rate, the tool made pris I tested stayed comfortable and flavorful for over 2 hours. My recommendation for the length of time would be around 1 ½ hours with the portions and about 2 ½ hours with the loose. Like I said in the beginning, the Nicotine content is around 19 mg per gram for both versions of Skruf Xtra Stark but the Nicotine kick you would expect from the “King of the Extra Starks” really isn’t there. “What do you mean Snus Guy? It’s not really a strong snus?” Now hold on, let me explain a bit.

Most people who use extra strong snus really can’t tell the difference between a snus with 17 mg of Nicotine and 19 mg of Nicotine. Like I said, most can’t tell. There are some Snustopians who can feel the difference but with me, it’s hard to tell, except with Skruf Xtra Stark! It’s not the head spin that most people would associate with a high Nicotine snus, just a bit more energizing, for lack of a better term. Snustopians that are just beginning to embark on the Extra Starks will definitely feel a difference between Skruf Stark and Skruf Xtra Stark! So, my suggestion to you Snustopians who’s strongest snus is below 11 mg, beware! “Ok Snus Guy, we get it! Don’t jump into the deep end of the pool without a life jacket! How does the snus taste?” Well, this is the surprising part.

As most seasoned Snustopians know, most of the extra strong snus brands are described as being stronger versions of the same snus brands. For example, General Ekstra Sterk is supposed to be just a stronger version of General Sterk and General right? That may have been the plan but, General Ekstra Sterk actually has a slightly different flavor that it’s weaker brethren. Same holds true with Offroad Cranberry and Offroad Cranberry Strong, albeit not as different as General but, there are subtle nuances in flavor that were different. In Skruf Xtra Stark, this is the case as well! The same earthy flavor from the hand selected tobaccos that Skruf Stark has, Xtra Stark has as well as the lemon/grapefruit flavor that bergamot gives is there as well. The surprising thing was that a light smoky flavor and peppery taste that was missing in Skruf Xtra Stark is in Xtra Stark along with the hint of herbal, flowery taste that made the snus just a touch sweet! Another difference is that there is a slight burn in the lip that’s not present in Skruf Stark. This is due to the higher Nicotine.

While the main flavors in Skruf Xtra Stark are relatively the same as Skruf Stark, there is another thing that’s a bit different, which I attribute it to the high amount of Nicotine, and that’s the fact that, with the portion type, dry mouth seems to happen. What I mean by dry mouth is that when using Xtra Stark during a workout or any strenuous activity, your mouth tends to go dry faster than with another snus type. It wasn’t a problem though, just drink more water or liquid but, it is different from when I was using other extra strong snus brands during my morning and evening walks thru the gardens here in Snustopia.

My overall recommendations for Skruf Xtra Stark portion and loose, Snustopians is this; even though Xtra Stark is only a week or so old and only available in Norway right now, it stands to be the most powerful snus in the world at this time! Snustopians that are seasoned extra strong snus users will really enjoy Xtra Stark, especially if they are fans of Skruf! Those new to the extra strong snus race, may want to choose Xtra Stark after they have acclimated to the higher Nicotine snus brands, if you do choose to jump in with both feet, be careful! We don’t want any Snustopians getting hurt! Even though I have used a can of loose and portion, I do feel that Skruf Xtra Stark will need another review when and if it becomes available worldwide and when it does, be sure to get it at Snustopia’s favorite place for Swedish snus, The Northerner. They also have everything the snuser wants and great prices as well. If you’re a first time customer, just click on the banner to the right and get 10% off your first order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed this “Sneak Peek” review of Skruf Xtra Stark loose and portion and like I said, keep an eye out for a more in depth review of this “King of the Extra Starks” soon after it’s hopeful international release! If you have any questions or comments on this or other reviews, please leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can!

So, until next time Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Bullet Proof by General, reviewing a new, unique snus can for your arsenal!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:03:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

Well folks, it’s the beginning of 2010 and with the New Year comes some great new products from the different snus manufacturers in Sweden. We, as snus users, typically think of fall when we hear about a new snus flavor coming out and we would be correct if Bullet Proof by General was a new snus flavor by Swedish Match but, this is not the case here. Bullet Proof is actually a snus can, a rather special snus can, and has a pretty unique story behind it. So, let’s begin our tour thru this new container to keep your favorite snus in, Bullet Proof by General!

If you’ve read “Snus Accessories 101”, you’ll remember that there are basically 2 different manufacturers of snus cans, Icetool and Slimcase, but now there’s another player on the market, Swedish Match with the recent edition of Bullet Proof by General. So how did the largest manufacturer of Swedish snus on the planet get into the can making business, you ask? The Swedish Military asked them to! Now, you have to understand one thing; Swedish Match doesn’t actually produce the cans, they came up with the initial concept and a manufacturer that supplies the Swedish Military with the same Aluminum Alloy produced the can for Swedish Match. “But Snus Guy, why would the military ask Swedish Match to make cans for them?” I’m glad you asked that question and the answer provides even more mystique to Bullet Proof!

As you already know, snus is very popular in Sweden and among military personnel, it has pretty much the same following as Skoal and Cope does with the American military. In the latter part of 2009, Swedish military officials asked Swedish Match to come up with a “Special Edition” snus that they could present to their personnel as gifts. What Swedish Match did was create a can that would, not only be a Limited Edition but, be a can that would represent, in my opinion, what the Swedish Military, or any military for that matter, was. The Bullet Proof by General can does just that!

The can is made of the same Aluminum alloy that’s used in other military applications but, with a twist! Not only does the can represent the mantra that militaries, in general, strive for, it also can stop a bullet! “Snus guy, explain how an Aluminum can can stop a bullet! Isn’t it just a marketing ploy?” well, here’s where we need to delve a bit deeper into the construction of the can in order to not only dispel all the rumors flying around other websites about the bullet proof claim being just advertising hula balloo and the fact that Bullet Proof by Swedish Match can actually stop a bullet.

First off, the lid and the body of the can are made of the same Aluminum alloy but, they are different thicknesses. The lid is made from a slightly thinner piece of alloy than the body and therefore lighter. Both the lid and the body are the same color but it’s the bottom of the can that we really need to take a look at. In the bottom of the can there is an Aluminum alloy puck that’s not been colored. Swedish Match states that the bottom of the can is 2 mm thick with the majority of this measurement coming from the puck. While it is made from the same alloy that the rest of the can is made from, it’s the secret of the “Bullet Proof” claim.

The manufacturer of Bullet Proof by General, for Swedish Match, has done extensive testing on the can by shooting it with a Submachine Gun that was the weapon of choice by the U.S. Navy SEAL’s back in the 1960’s, the Swedish K. The Swedish K uses 9 mm ammunition that has a steel jacketed bullet with a lead core and a muzzle speed of 420 mps (approx. 1378 fps). The results that came out of this testing show that the Bullet Proof by General can did indeed stop the round! Although I didn’t actually witness this testing, by dissecting the can’s bottom you can see that the additional puck of Aluminum alloy in the bottom does play a crucial role in stopping the 9 mm round! But know this; while the can is indeed “bullet proof”, it was not intended to be used as a replacement for the bullet proof vests being currently used and Swedish Match encourages responsible use of all firearms! Ok, I had to throw that last bit in because we in Snustopia also advocate for the responsible use of firearms by all Snustopians so, no shooting Bullet Proof by General cans in the middle of Skruf Square! Well, what are the benefits of having a snus can that’s bullet proof have? Let’s take a look!

For one, it’s actually a pretty cool looking can! With its brushed, matte black Aluminum color with the Bullet Proof name and General logo on a black label that’s placed on the lid, it’s a definite conversation starter when you place it on the bar or table. If you’re like me, I keep my snus in the fridge as often as possible as well as my collection of metal snus cans. I put Bullet Proof, along with the General Onyx it came with, in the fridge overnight and it did well to extend the coldness of the Onyx for just as long as the Stainless ones did. But, there are some drawbacks with carrying Bullet Proof around with you throughout the day and the first one is weight.

While Aluminum alloys are much lighter than steel, you would think that Bullet Proof by General would be substantially lighter than say, the Icetool can but it’s actually heavier. With being bullet proof there is a bit of additional weight and the 2 mm thickness of the bottom of the can adds to the overall weight of Bullet Proof, bringing up to the same weight as the stainless steel cans. This makes it a bit awkward to carry in a jacket or suit pocket but in the front pocket of a pair of jeans, it’s not as bad. While the Aluminum alloy does well to keep the cold in a bit longer, it also has another quality that the stainless steel cans have, heat transfer!

Carrying a metal snus can in the front pocket of your jeans brings it closer to your body and will transfer the heat from your body to its self, causing the snus to get warm. It’s nothing to be concerned about, but I like my snus cool! My recommendation for carrying the Bullet Proof by General can is to keep it in your jacket pocket or a backpack or briefcase. What I do with my can is basically carry it in my jacket pocket when I’m out and about in Snustopia or, it resides on my desk for the entire world to see.

In the end, the Swedish Military was pretty impressed with the look, feel and what Bullet Proof by General represented that they ordered 600 to be made so they could be given as gifts to their elite personnel. We here at Snustopia received one of these limited edition cans which Swedish Match has said would be the last but, there are now rumors that they will produce more of these unique cans so them can be sold to the general public. While Swedish Match has not officially announced this, we will continue to watch and when Bullet Proof by General does become available, you can bet we’ll let all Snustopians know. When you can buy it, the best place to get it will be Snustopia’s only place for Swedish snus, The Northerner!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour thru Bullet Proof by General fun and informative. I look forward to all your questions and suggestions and will try to answer them as soon as I can! So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Acknowledgements:

Snustopia.com would like to thank all the great folks at Swedish Match for providing me with a sample of Bullet Proof by General and the information on testing for this review!

Kardus 2009, reviewing this year’s most expensive and elegant loose snus brand!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

I know it’s been awhile since we’ve sat down and reviewed snus but it’s been a pretty hectic month here in Skruf Square. The Christmas season is Snustopia’s busiest time of year as well as our favorite. We’ve all been busy getting ready for the holiday festivities by decorating the square with lights and baking cookies as well as picking out gifts for our loved ones. And since it’s the holiday season, actually Christmas Day, I thought to myself what a better time to review the snus all Snustopians hope will be under their tree this year, Kardus Superior Blend 2009! So, grab your favorite hot drink, a portion of snus and let’s begin to see what this year’s “Most expensive snus in the world” is like.

Ever since Swedish Match began releasing the Kardus brand back in 2005, it’s always been a limited edition loose snus as well as an expensive one and with good reason. For one, it’s a completely handcrafted snus! “Hey Snus Guy, all snus is handcrafted, isn’t it?” Actually, no but, let me explain what I mean by “handcrafted” and you may see what I’m talking about. Most snus is only handled up to the point of grinding, once the tobacco enters the grinder, it’s never touched by human hands until you open the can. Flavoring is done mechanically and the vats resemble large stainless steel tumblers. Kardus on the other hand is manufactured much differently.

First, the tobacco for Kardus is specially chosen each year while other brands use the same mix of tobaccos throughout their existence. This year’s Kardus is made from two specific types of tobacco from two different growing regions; Air cured tobacco from the Nueva Concepcion and La Maquina districts of Southwestern Guatemala and Sun cured tobacco from the province of Salta at the foot of the Andes Mountains in Argentina. These two completely different tobaccos are what give Kardus 2009 its base flavors. While this is but one element in the handcrafting of Kardus, the next step is what makes Kardus stand out.

While other brands of Swedish snus use tobacco that’s mechanically ground to specific sizes, the tobacco for Kardus is hand cut. “Do you mean that the tobacco is actually cut up by someone with a pair of scissors Snus Guy?” Yes! Well, not with scissors but with special tobacco knives and it’s cut kind of like cutting lettuce leaves or, if you’re a culinary type, “chiffonade” which means cutting into extremely thin ribbons. This method of tobacco cutting is actually the original way Swedish snus was made back in the 1800’s and is pretty much a lost art now but, Swedish Match does have a few master tobacco cutters that have been trained in the art of tobacco cutting. They are the folks that do this precise and time consuming task for the manufacture of Kardus. “Is that the only thing that makes Kardus so special Snus Guy?” Nope, there’s one more step in the process and this one is the flavoring process!

Each year, Swedish Match chooses a flavoring for Kardus that they feel will pair well with the tobacco but not in the sense that you may think. While most snus flavorings are chosen by what the manufacturer thinks will be a popular one from a sales standpoint, the process of choosing the flavoring that will go into each edition of Kardus is much more complex. Since the types of tobacco change with every edition of Kardus, the flavoring has to change as well. For example, Kardus 2008 was flavored with Single Malt whiskey paired with Indian sun cured and Hungarian Air cured tobaccos. The whiskey helped to bring the tobacco’s earthy flavor to the front while the tobacco took a bit of the harshness out of the whiskey. This year’s Kardus uses tobaccos that have tropical flavors like chocolate, tropical fruits, nuts and tea so a flavoring needed to be chosen that would not only be part of the tropical theme but, would also compliment the flavors that the tobacco has. The flavoring that was chosen for this year’s Kardus was Rum, but not just any rum!

A “once a year” snus needs a rum that is special in its own rite. Anyone can just dump subpar rum into vats of tobacco and call it a tropical flavor blend but this was not the case with Kardus. Swedish Match wanted to add rum that was just as unique in flavor as the tobacco it’s self and searched for a type of rum that would not only compliment the flavors in the tobaccos but add its own dimension in the overall flavor as well. After months of searching and testing, they found a unique brand of Guatemalan dark rum that not only had the same base flavors as the tobacco but, added its own slightly sweet, caramel and spice flavors. This Guatemalan rum is aged for 23 years in American Oak barrels and is considered one of the finest rums in the world. Some rum connoisseurs liken it to a fine Cognac and it’s this rum that Swedish Match settled on for Kardus 2009. “Ok Snus Guy, we’ve read about the manufacturing process for Kardus 2009 but, how does it really taste?” Well, let’s get into the review and see!

I know I may have gone a bit overboard on the basics of Kardus 2009 but I felt that in order to understand the actual review, you needed to understand how it was made first. For example, Kardus 2009 is a loose type of Swedish snus and is hand cut. What this means is that it’s not like any other loose snus out there in mouth feel and the ability to mold a prilla with it. Kardus 2009 is a loose snus that you pretty much have to hand bake a prilla with but, I have managed to get a 5 ml Icetool to make a pretty nice one but with either method, the feel of Kardus in the lip is different from the standard loose. Since the tobacco is hand cut, you would think that the prilla would be a bit rough on the gums but surprisingly, it’s pretty comfortable. If you’re an ex-dipper, or a current one, you will probably recognize the same lip feel with Kardus that you do with the American smokeless types, without the burn. Overall, I had a prilla of Kardus in my lip for over 2 hours with just a small bit of irritation to the gums but this was probably from me moving the prilla around. Ok, I know everyone is waiting for the flavor reviews so, let’s go right into it.

When I heard about Kardus 2009 when I was in Sweden back in June I had thought in the back of my mind that Swedish Match had a job on their hands trying to top Kardus 2008’s flavors. Once I received my Kardus 2009, I was actually a bit confused since it came in the same type of handmade wooden box that last year’s Kardus came in. Don’t get me wrong, the box is pretty cool in its own rite but, I was thinking that each year would come in a different vessel. Once I opened the box though, that all changed! The first thing that hit me were the scents that came out of the container and the old adage, “never judge a book by its cover”, came flowing into my mind. The scent of the 23 year old Guatemalan rum was the first thing that hit me. After that scent dissipated, I could start to get the other scents that make Kardus unique and began to understand why Swedish Match chose it. Scents of the earthy tobacco began to come up along with the woodiness from the oak barrels that Kardus’ tobacco was stored in.

Next, you can really smell the high quality of the tobaccos that were used since the scent from the can, after leaving the top off for about 10 minutes, began to smell like a fine cigar. Initially, I thought that once I got the snus in my mouth, it would have a strong rum flavor but I was wrong! The flavor is nothing like I had initially thought. While you can taste the fine Guatemalan rum in Kardus, it’s not up front and you really have to look for it. What does come out first is a slight saltiness that’s really different from last year’s version but it’s pretty quick and begins to fall to the background. The next flavor that comes out is an earthy, leathery flavor but not like other tobacco flavors. This tobacco flavor is truly unique.

In past reviews, I often describe tobacco’s earthy flavor as being like sitting in a pile of freshly raked fall leaves while smelling a leather baseball glove but the flavors of this blend of tropical tobaccos is different. The peaty flavor that normally found in tobacco is not present in the Kardus tobacco blend but seems to be replaced with the flavor that I can only compare to the smells you might find on a tropical island! “Snus Guy, are you listening to Jimmy Buffet and wearing a Tommy Bahama shirt? What do you mean by Tropical Island scents?” Well, I am wearing one of my Tommy Bahama’s but, let me explain! Picture yourself sitting in a tropical forest, the scents of sandy soil and palms lying on the forest floor, the tropical smell of driftwood that’s just washed up and the floral scents of tropical flowers in the background. Add a bit of the scents of the sea and a hint of sweet spices, turn it into a flavoring and you have the taste that’s pretty close to Kardus 2009!

I know you all are used to me reviewing snus from an unbiased point of view but this edition of Kardus has flavors that I have never tasted in a snus and is more like the flavors one would expect from a fine cigar, dipped in rum. It’s actually very unique! The length of time the flavor lasts is pretty unique as well. Like I said, I had a prilla in for over two hours during my week of reviewing and each time I was ready to take the prilla out, the flavor was still coming out with just a small bit of weakness. Overall, I was really impressed with this year’s edition of Kardus Superior Blend and I positive you’ll be just as impressed as I am.

As you seasoned Snustopians already guessed, this is the part in the review that I normally give my drink pairing suggestions with the snus that we’ve reviewed. While reviewing Kardus 2009, I’ve tried a myriad of different drinks and have decided that just enjoying Kardus on its own, is the best pairing! I say this because the flavors in this year’s edition are so complex that pretty much all of the non alcoholic drinks that I’ve tried, with exception of H2O, skewed the flavors in the snus. As a matter of fact, I had one of our long time Snustopians give it a try with the very same rum that Kardus is made with, just to see how it would fare and the results were surprising. What he said was by adding more of the rum’s flavor notes kind of dulled down the tobacco’s notes because the flavors in the rum it’s self are so unique. So, my suggestion for using Kardus 2009 with a drink is this; use Kardus 2009 as a substitute for that relaxing after dinner drink. As a matter of fact, I think that’s exactly what I’ll do after tonight’s glorious feast here at Chateau Snus Guy!

Like I said in the beginning, the Kardus line is renowned around the world as the most exclusive snus in the world and the team at Swedish Match outdid themselves with this year’s offering. I hope a few of you Snustopians managed to get on Santa’s “Good” list this year and found a box of this unique snus since this year’s run was limited to 500 boxes. If you did miss it, take it from That Snus Guy to invest in next year’s edition. You really will not be sorry you did!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found this extensive, albeit late, review of Kardus 2009 Superior Blend snus enjoyable and informative and invite you to leave any questions or comments you may have and I’ll do my best to answer them. Also, I would like to take the opportunity to wish all Snustopians, and their families, a happy and safe Christmas and a prosperous New Year from all of us here at Snustopia.com!

So, until next time Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

1847 by Philip Morris snus, now by Swedish Match, reviewing a new manufacturer of a classic snus!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:59:00 +0000

Welcome back my fellow Snustopians!

I know, I know, the title to this snus review is a bit confusing but it’s true! 1847 by Philip Morris is now made by Swedish Match, the folks that make General, Röda Lacket and Catch snus brands. I decided to review 1847 while I was on the plane back to Snustopia from the family vacation a few weeks ago. It was the snus I used primarily during the vacation but that wasn’t the true reason I wanted to do a review of it. No, the reason I wanted to review 1847 by Philip Morris is due to a mindset that most people have. The mindset is that when something they are used to having one company make, gets sold or changes hands, the product typically changes be it in taste, if it’s a foodstuff, or quality. I want us to dispel this theory when it comes to 1847 by Philip Morris! So, if you’re ready, let’s be seated and begin our review of 1847 by Philip Morris Original and White portion snus by Swedish Match.

Like I said before, there is a mindset in some people, particularly in the States, that thinks if a product they’ve used for some time changes hands, the new product is not as good, or is better, than the original. To prove a point, let’s take Oreo Cookies! “Snus Guy, I thought we were talking about 1847? You miss dinner tonight?” No, but in order for everyone, including our newer Snustopians, to get an idea of what happened between Philip Morris and Swedish Match, I want to use a well known product to use as an example! You see, Oreo’s began their life as a product made by the Nabisco Company. Around 1981, the Nabisco Company merged with a company called Standard Brands. Between 1985 and 2000, the Nabisco brand changed hands a few more times until settling under the Kraft family of brands between 2000 and today. Thru all these different mergers and owners of the Oreo brand name, never once did the taste change. Oreo’s were, and still are, the same great tasting cookie they started out as, even though the original company is no longer around. The same is true with the 1847 by Philip Morris brand!

1847 by Philip Morris was first introduced to the snus world in 2008 and was originally made by Philip Morris AB in Sweden. In early 2009, a merger between Philip Morris AB and Swedish Match was completed and 1847 by Philip Morris, both Original and White portion, began to be made by Swedish Match. The Original portion is made in the Gothenburg, Sweden factory and the White portion is made in the Kungälv, Sweden factory. Both snus types made by Swedish Match were released in the fall of 2009 and the first, and most frequently discussed, difference was named, the can!

When Philip Morris AB produced 1847, they released them in metal cans with embossed lids. The ornately designed lids had the 1847 logo, complete with floral swag under the “1847” name, embossed in the metal lids. Each can also had a used portion compartment concealed in the bottom and, looked quite stylish! When the Swedish Match version of the 1847 family debuted, they were released in plastic cans. 1847 Original has a black can with a black and orange label on the sides and a gray label with the 1847 logo on the top. The White type has a silver plastic can with a gray and orange label on the side and the same label on the top. Each has a used portion compartment on the lid and the cans resemble the 01 and 02 cans by construction. What the snus community was questioning was why Swedish Match would change the cans!

It seems that the majority of snus users really liked the metal cans and thought that if they changed the cans, they must have changed the flavor. Even I wondered why the can was changed so, I asked my friends at Swedish Match. I figured it had to be something to do with the cost to manufacture the cans and I was right! What Swedish Match said was that to produce the cans would be much too costly and would actually raise the price of the snus which is what they wanted to avoid. But they assured me, the recipe was to remain unaltered. They were right! Before exploring the flavors though, let’s take a look at the portions.

First, 1847 Original is classified as a Regular type portion which means that each one gets a bit of additional moisture prior to being packaged. This added spray of water helps the flavors in the snus marry and release that flavor faster once it’s in the lip. 1847 White does not get the added water and leaves the material its original white color and actually lets the flavor last a bit longer than its regular type sibling. Both types have 24, 1 gram portions in each can and both have 8 mg of Nicotine per portion. Swedish Match also gave 1847 White portion the signature “Star” pattern in the can that it gives to all of its high caliber White portion snus.

Mouth feel with both 1847 by Philip Morris snus was pretty comfortable in the lip with only a bit of wrinkling after about 2 hours. This is due to Swedish match using the same soft material in the 1847 brand that they use in all of their portion snus. I did a side by side comparison of the portions that were made by PMAB and Swedish Match and the material from Swedish Match is indeed a bit softer so, you Snustopians that are fans of the PMAB version may find that in the comfort arena, the Swedish Match version is a bit more comfortable. My recommendation for length of time from a comfort standpoint is about 2 hours max. So, now we know about the history of the brand, I didn’t obsess too much about the can and we know about the portions. Now let’s take a look at the flavors!

In the versions of 1847 made by PMAB, the flavor was intended to be very simple, just quality tobaccos from various places around the world, salt and a touch of citrus. The only difference between the original portion and the White portion was the intensity of the overall flavor. The original version was a bit more pronounced in flavor in the beginning and softened as time went on. The White version was softer in the beginning and intensified as you kept it in. What I experienced in the PMAB version was just that! In actuality, the combination of flavors created a slight chocolaty scent with an earthy, peaty tobacco flavor that pure tobacco flavored snus is known for.

In the Swedish Match versions I half expected to taste the flavors that Ettan is known for but, believe it or not, the flavors were almost dead on to the flavors of the PMAB versions, with only one difference, the citrus flavor. To me, it seems that the citrus flavor is a little more recognizable in the Swedish Match version but, it’s not like you can taste it right out of the can, it’s just a slight background flavor that you can barely recognize and actually gives Swedish Match’s 1847 a bit of a twist from the old version. The flavor really lasts as well! I’ve had a portion of both 1847 original and White last for over two hours before the flavor began to fade away. I recommend a maximum time limit for flavor at about 2 hours. So, what to drink?

Well, it’s beginning to get a bit brisk here in Snustopia and I started to switch from my staples of Diet Coke and Monsters to hot coffee and teas. So, we’ll be looking first at how coffee goes with 1847 Original and White portion snus. First, I tried some plain black coffee, Gevalia to be exact, and it actually went really well. Some coffees can be pretty bitter but Gevalia isn’t. This bitterness can affect how some snus brands taste and turn them a bit sour tasting. With the Gevalia, this didn’t happen and really added another dimension of flavor with both versions of 1847. Another great drink that went well with 1847 was Black tea. The Black tea was great since it has the same base flavors of earth and foliage that tobacco has and just enhanced the flavor of the snus! I really suggest trying both with 1847 but, I’ll leave the decision up to you!

My overall recommendation for 1847 by Philip Morris, made by Swedish Match, Snustopians is this; If you’re a new Snustopian, looking for a true Swedish snus with just tobacco as a flavor, you can’t go wrong with 1847. Seasoned Snustopians that enjoyed 1847 by Philip Morris and were saddened by Swedish Match’s changes to the can really should try the new version. Nothing’s been lost regarding to the flavors and the change to the material is really a positive! Like I said in the beginning, only the can has changed, not the flavors. 1847 by Philip Morris can be bought just about everywhere but, I recommend using Snustopia’s only place for Swedish snus, The Northerner. They have really great prices and with some Swedish snus brands, have quick shipping to the US since they have added quite a few of them to their US warehouse and add more and more each day! If you’re a new customer, you can get 10% off your first order by just clicking on the banner to the left; just tell them That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour thru 1847 by Philip Morris, made by Swedish Match, and found it fun and informative. I really look forward to you questions and comments and will try to answer them as soon as I can. So, until next time Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Disney World and Swedish snus, reviewing a solution to a dilemma at “The Happiest Place on Earth”!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

As you’ve all probably noticed, it’s been pretty quite here in Snustopia the past 2 weeks. The reason is because last week was our annual family vacation to the happiest place on earth, Walt Disney World in Florida. On the plane back to Snustopia, I was writing a review of 1847 by Philip Morris, which was one of the snus brands I used during our vacation, when I began to think back to the last time we were there. You see, this is the first time I had been to Disney World as a snus user and for the past 9 years, the first thing I would do when we arrived at our resort, was find out where each and every smoking section was in all 4 parks! But this year was different, I was actually more concerned about if I packed enough snus for the entire time I was there! That’s when I thought to myself “there have got to be other Snustopians out there that will eventually go thru this and why not share my observations and some of the reactions I received while using Swedish snus in Disney World!” So, if you’re ready, grab your snus, your favorite drink and your Park Hopper pass and let’s take a trip thru Disney World and Swedish snus!

First off, I know some of you are thinking “That Snus Guy has lost it! He’s going to do a review of his vacation!” While it would be pretty fun to tell you all about The House of the Mouse, that’s not what I’m going to do. What I’d like to discuss is what kind of effect using snus had on the vacation it’s self. As you all know, I used Swedish snus to quit smoking over a year and a half ago and smoking really played a big part in any vacation we’ve ever taken but, it played a major part in our annual Disney trips. From the planning and reservations stage all the way up to the flight home, subconsciously we would make all the plans based on where the nearest smoking areas were.

When we would make our resort reservations, I would make it a point to look at the map online to make sure our room was a smoking room and last year, made sure it was close to the smoking area since Florida is a Non-Smoking room state. We would also make sure the car service would be sending a car that we could smoke in and get to the airport 2 hours early so we could get all of our smoking in before the flight. We’d also plan which attractions we would see based on where the nearest smoking areas were and in the back of my mind was this; do I have enough smokes to last the trip because a pack of cigarettes costs over $7 (this year they were over $9) a pack at the resort but not this year! This year was different.

Yes, I did have the worry about packing enough snus for the trip but, that was my only worry! This year I didn’t have to obsess about where the smoking areas were, sit out and smoke while the girls were off on a ride or feel like an outcast sitting in an area of the parks where nothing could be seen, including me! It was actually like going to the parks for the very first time again because I saw more of them than I had in the past! But that’s not all I wanted to tell everyone in this review. What was more exciting was what I saw, the people I met and the reaction to Swedish snus in Disney World. Believe it or not, I did see a few snus users in Disney but not Swedish snus users, they were using Camel SNUS. I could tell it was the pseudo SNUS because I could see the oblong outline of the can in their shirt pockets! These were the people I wanted to talk to so, I would try to pick them out in different queues. The best place to find them was, of all places, in the smoking areas!

“But Snus Guy, if they’re using snus, even though it’s Camel SNUS, what were they doing in the smoking areas?” Well, like I said before, I noticed things this trip that I never really knew before and one of those things was that a lot of the smoking areas were placed in the part of the parks that were secluded from the main traffic areas and were actually quite serene areas! For example, in EPCOT, there is a smoking area in the UK part of the World Showcase that had a small bandstand where a mock Beatles band called "The British Invasion" played every hour on the hour! This is where I got to talk to a lot of people about Swedish snus. Mainly due to me holding a can of either Montecristo portion or the old 1847 by Philip Morris can while I was waiting for the band to begin. Smokers would comment on the can or the Montecristo name and I would begin a conversation about Swedish snus. I usually keep a few sample packs of General on me and would give them out to interested folks there!

I would sometimes do the same thing at our resort since whenever I sit down, a can of whatever snus brand I happen to have with me goes on the table and it becomes a great conversation starter. Not only did the cast member serving us ask about Swedish snus but if I was alone at the table, other guests would ask about the can. It was pretty cool actually! The best reaction I had to snus was in the Norway pavilion at the World Showcase in EPCOT.

If you’ve never been to EPCOT, the back end of the park has a lagoon in the middle with areas representing 12 different countries. In each country, there are cast members that are sent from that particular country to work for 6 months. In Norway, there was a girl working in the bakery that was from Oslo. She saw me pull my can of General Extra Sterk out of my pocket and said “Oh, snus! I haven’t seen that since I left home!” She asked me where I got it and we talked for quite a while about snus in Norway. When I was there last year, I could only get “Hi” and “Thank you” out of the person working behind the counter, even though I know a small bit of Norwegian. Just goes to show that Swedish snus really can be a conversation starter!

In other parks, Like the Magic Kingdom, I actually met a Camel SNUS user in line for a show. I saw him pull the can out of his pocket and asked him if he’d ever tried real Swedish snus. His answer was “Camel SNUS is real Swedish snus according to the website!” I pulled out my can of 02 Strong and said “No, THIS is REAL Swedish snus” and began explaining to him about the differences between the two. My wife wasn’t real happy since we kept talking thru the entire show but, in the end, I gave him a few portions of 02 and gave him the address to Snustopia’s finest snus shop, “The Northerner”, to order a can or two. All in all, it was worth the jabs to the side and sitting thru the show twice to add another member to the Snustopia family!

While all of this may seem like normal, everyday things one might encounter in a large theme park like Disney World, in the past, this just wasn’t me. Like I said, I would spend so much time looking for smoking areas in the parks and obsessing about being able to make it for a ride if I have just one more smoke, I never made time to just walk around and take it all in! I saw more of the “Happiest Place on Earth” this time than all the other times combined. In previous visits, I would have never seen the Zen Garden hidden in Japan’s smoking area or, the great view you get of Main Street from the smoking area next to Cinderella’s Castle. In past vacations, I would have never just walked up to someone and started a conversation about the kind of cigarette they smoked or discussed how it was made and I would have never just placed my pack of smokes on a table waiting for someone to ask me about them. Nope, thanks to Swedish snus, and my family, I think this visit to Disney World was the most memorable of them all. So, to all you Snustopians that are planning a vacation for the first time without cigarettes and are planning to take your snus, I offer this; if you’re like me and go to the same place each year, you’ll be amazed at what you’ve missed in the past and surprised at the people you’ll meet when you bring out your can of snus! I know I was!

Well Snustopians, I know this was a completely different type of review from what you’re used to reading here but, I felt that these experiences just might help some of you break out of your shells and help spread the word of our wonderful country and the thing that created it, real Swedish snus!

So, until next time Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Kardus Superior Blend 2009, a “Sneak peek” review of this year’s most elite snus brand!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:42:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

Well, it’s that time of the year again here in Snustopia, the time of year when most of the snus manufacturers release “Special Edition” snus flavors that are geared toward the holidays. These snus flavors are called “Julesnus” which loosely translates to English as “Christmas Snus” but Swedish Match doesn’t make a Julesnus, per say. “What about Kardus Snus Guy? Isn’t it a Christmas snus?” Actually it’s not. While Kardus is released at the end of the year, around the Christmas season, and is limited in its availability, it’s not a Julesnus. It’s something better!

While I haven’t received this year’s Kardus offering yet, (I did place my advanced order on Northerner.com!) I did get a brochure that explains a bit about Kardus 2009. I don’t want to do a full review of Kardus 2009 until I get the actual snus, I did want to give you a small overview on what can be expected of this year’s offering. If you’ve read the review we did on Kardus 2008, you’ll already know most of what we’re going to learn today but, if you’re a new Snustopian, you’ll see why Kardus is the most elite of all snus brands and why it’s only released in limited quantities, for a limited time!

Along with being touted as the world’s most elite snus brand, it’s also known as the world’s most expensive snus. “Just how expensive is it Snus Guy?” well, mine cost $64 USD at Northerner.com but, before you all start throwing snus cans at me, let me tell you about how Kardus is made and you’ll understand why it’s so expensive.
First off, Kardus is made from only two different types of very special tobaccos which are both cured differently giving each one a unique flavor. The first tobacco type is from the Salta province of Argentina which is at the base of the Andes Mountains. This tobacco is cultivated in a unique blend of light clay soils and sun-cured which gives the tobacco a flavor that’s been described as being sweet, fruity, spicy and yeasty with hints of tea.

The second tobacco type comes from the Nueva Concepcion and La Maquina districts of Guatemala. This district in Southwest Guatemala grows a specific type of tobacco that’s air-cured in curing barns that are made from cultivated Eucalyptus trees. This tobacco has a tropical flavor that includes notes of chocolate, nuts and fruit which are the perfect complement of flavors to the Salta tobacco. Using these two hand selected and unique tobaccos is one of the reasons that Kardus is an elite snus but there’s more to Kardus than the tobacco, the next step is just as important!
If you’re a long time Snustopian, you’ve most likely read the review of the snus process it’s self where we learned the tobacco for snus is typically ground, stalks, leaves ribs and all go into the grinder to produce the snus we all know and love but here is where Kardus is very different.

The tobacco for Kardus is hand cut rather than ground and only the leaves are used in the making of Kardus. In fact, the stalk content in Kardus is between .2% and .5% which is even much lower than the amount allowed in making some of the world’s finest Cigars! This method of hand cutting makes the pieces of tobacco much larger than the typical loose snus and some care needs to be taken when hand baking a prilla but the trade off is a milder, more complex flavor! After the tobacco is cut, salt is added and it’s allowed to sweat and ready to be stored. Before it goes into storage, it gets a very special and unique addition, 25 year old Guatemalan Rum!

“Hey Snus Guy, rum is rum! What makes this Guatemalan Rum so special?” Hold on a minute, the “rum is rum” theory is not true. Some rum brands are likened to fine cognac! In fact, they are also graded in a similar way. But, this is a Kardus review, not a rum review so, let’s get back to that.

Swedish Match chose this type of flavoring for a couple of reasons. One is the well known fact that alcohol is a natural flavor enhancer and helps the flavors in tobacco to come out and marry better. Second, the subtle flavors of caramel, Hazelnuts and Nutmeg in the rum will add to the overall tropical taste and Caribbean feel that Swedish Match is aiming for with Kardus 2009!

While Swedish Match has been producing Kardus since 2005 with last year’s offering being the first I’ve experienced, it’s looking like this year’s version will be one of their best yet. Kardus is due to be released for sale in Week 44 (First week in November) and in a limited run, you can do what I did and place a pre-order for it at Snustopia’s only place for snus, Northerner.com, and if this is your first time ordering from them, you can get 10% off you order at checkout by simply clicking on the banner to the right. This week only, you can also save even more since they’re offering free shipping on all orders between October 25th and October 31st to celebrate their 10 year anniversary!

Well Snustopians, once I receive my order of Kardus 2009 Superior Blend, I’ll post a full review on the actual taste but until then, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus, an American taste review on one of Sweden’s most popular brands!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:35:00 +0000

Welcome back Snustopians!

Today I thought we’d take a closer look at what could possibly be one of Sweden’s most popular snus brands, Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus. I came to this decision last week when I was sitting in my office at the Ministry of Information, looking at the pictures I took of my trip to Gothenburg and remembering everything I learned and saw there. One of the things I remembered was that almost 75% of the time I was there, I was using Göteborgs Rapé White and, so were some of the people I met at the factory! The other reason was the fact that Swedish Match recently changed the design of the labels in the entire Göteborgs Rapé line and I’ve read at quite a few sites describing the labels but, not too many actually reviewed the snus its self so, I decided that I would do a proper review of this popular snus. Now, if you’re ready, let’s give Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus the review it deserves and yes, we’ll take a look at the can too!

One of the most intriguing things about Swedish snus, from an American’s point of view, is the fact that there are so many different brands and flavors. Think about it, there are over 160 different flavors, if you include the different variations in the total number, and we as new snus users, are committed to trying every one! 90% of these 160 are made in Sweden but, when you actually go to Sweden, you’ll only see about half of the entire line in the shops. As we learned in the 01 & 02 reviews, the Swedish snus user is pretty particular in which snus they use and what they want it to be. Göteborgs Rapé White is one of the snus brands you’ll find in almost every shop in Sweden and a brand that a lot of snus users love. “Snus Guy, what makes Göteborgs Rapé White so special?” Well, let’s take a look at what’s in it and find out!

First off, Göteborgs Rapé White portion is a snus brand made by the folks a Swedish Match and was first released 1992. In the past 17 years, it has grown to be the fourth largest selling snus brand in Sweden and the only thing that’s changed in its 17 year history was the recent change to the can’s label. Göteborgs Rapé White portion is classified as a White type snus which means that the portions do not go thru the final step in the process that adds moisture to them. Omitting the additional moisture leaves the material its original white color and, you would think, a bit rough on the gums. With Göteborgs Rapé, this is not the case! Swedish Match uses the same soft, teabag like material that they use in all of their snus brands and is actually pretty comfortable in the lip. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with no discomfort whatsoever. The only thing that did happen was my lip did get a bit wrinkly but I attribute that to keeping it in too long. Each can of Göteborgs Rape White portion has 24, one gram portions with each having a respectable 8 mg of Nicotine. My recommendation for keeping a portion in is about 2 hours max for full enjoyment! Now, let’s take a look at the change to the label and take a closer look at the can!

“Hey Snus Guy, please don’t let your can obsession get the better of you this time! Some of us have to work in the morning you know!” I know, I know, I can get a bit windy when it comes to the cans and I’ll try to keep it brief! First off, the cans that Göteborgs Rapé White portion come in are made of gold plastic with a used portion compartment concealed in the lid but the unique thing is the label! Both the old label and the new label are made of blue plasticized paper with a foil look to it. The differences between the old label and the new are the bigger blue background and the omission of the gold bands on the new label. The other change is that Swedish Match gave Göteborgs Rapé a logo of sorts. On the sides and the lid, you’ll see the letters “G” and “R” in gold and that they are connected. This makes sense since most people refer to the snus as GR when typing. Ok, I hope you’re all still awake because I’m done with the can and we can now move on to the flavor!

Swedish Match describes Göteborgs Rapé White’s flavor as being a distinctly aromatic snus with some sweetness and hints of fresh herbs. “Snus Guy, ALL Swedish snus has a distinctly aromatic smell!” Now, now! Take it easy! I said that was what Swedish Match describes the snus as. We’ll break it down like we always do but I want to take a side trip and explain something I think needs to be explained, especially to you new Snustopians! There’s been a lot of talk at other snus sites and forums about whether or not to smell the snus. Most say that smelling the snus is the worst thing you can do and will ruin the experience for you. I disagree. Yes, there is a distinct ammonia smell to some of the brands but, this is a regular occurrence and a natural byproduct of the snus making process. As you get more accustom to using snus, you’ll soon forget the ammonia smell and begin to get the hints of earthy tobacco and the other flavorings. So, let’s leave this topic with this thought; if you don’t care for the ammonia scent, don’t smell the snus in the beginning. As you gain more experience, slowly begin to lightly smell the can and you’ll begin to get the other subtle nuances. Remember, if the vintners in California let the vinegar smell, in the early stages of some varietals, get to them, we wouldn’t have so many great wines here in the states! Ok, back to the flavors.

What I get in Göteborg’s Rapé White is an earthy, leathery flavor, which comes from the tobacco, with a bit of salt and some peppery notes. The background flavor is sweet but this comes from the other flavoring, Juniper. For those Snustopians that don’t know what Juniper is or tastes like, it’s a berry that comes from certain Evergreen trees that grow in Sweden and the Northwestern American states. Its taste is bit sweet and bitter at the same time. It’s the primary flavoring in Gin but, the snus does not taste like Gin. When it’s mixed in with tobacco, it gets an almost tea like flavor and adds a touch of forest smell in the can. Kind of reminds me of walking thru an Evergreen forest in the fall with the mossy hints and Evergreen scents! All the flavors combine to give Göteborgs Rapé White portion a flavor that lasts quite a long time as well. I’ve had the flavor of Göteborgs Rapé White last for well over two hours before the flavor began to go a bit off so, I recommend about two hours max for the flavor. These elements combine to create, what I think, is a snus that is uniquely Swedish and explains why Göteborgs Rapé White portion is so popular in Sweden. So, what drinks would go well with it? Let’s take a look!

My Staple Diet Coke actually went well with Göteborgs Rapé White surprisingly enough! The Diet Coke did do well to bring out the peppery flavor in the snus and cut a bit of the saltiness but, it really didn’t do anything to enhance the flavor of the tobacco or the Juniper flavor. Monster Energy Drink basically overpowered the flavor completely but iced black tea was the overall winner in the Non Alcoholic drink category! The Black tea’s flavor did well to bring out the tobacco flavor as well as giving the Juniper a helping hand. Göteborgs Rapé White’s flavor actually gave the iced tea another dimension in flavor as well. From an Alcoholic drinks point of view, the obvious choice would be a Gin and Tonic but, since I don’t drink anymore, I’ll leave this part of the review to those Snustopians that do! Now, let’s go to the overall recommendation!

My overall recommendations for Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus, Snustopians, are this; it’s easy to see why Göteborgs Rapé White is one of Sweden’s most popular snus brands. From its comfortable portion material to its unique tobacco and Juniper flavor, it is definitely one of a kind. New Snustopians will like Göteborgs Rapé White’s lighter and long lasting flavor and seasoned Snustopians will like it as an all day snus with its 8 mg of Nicotine and comfortable portion material but, I’ll let you make the final decision!

Each can of Göteborgs Rapé White portion averages around $3.80 USD at Snustopia’s only place to buy Swedish snus, The Northerner.com! If this is your first time purchasing from them, just click on the banner to the left and get 10% off your first order at check out! There are no codes to enter just click and save! Just remember to tell em’ That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour of Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus by Swedish Match and found it fun and informative. I look forward to reading and answering any questions or comments you may have and will answer them as soon as I can!

So Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Northerner Energy snus, our first dry, purified Nicotine snus review!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:45:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

This week I thought we’d take a look at a snus type that is pretty unique to the Swedish snus world, the dry, purified type. The brand we’ll start with is also pretty unique to the snus world, Northerner Energy snus. “Snus Guy, there are dry portion snus brands out there, quite a few actually so, what makes this type different and unique?” Well, there are brands out there that are typed as “dry” but they still have a bit of moisture in the snus its self. With the dry type we’ll discuss today, there is no moisture in the snus whatsoever! There are also “Energy” snus on the market too but only one that combines them both! So, knowing this, grab a comfy seat, your favorite can of snus and let’s take a look at Dry, purified snus types and Northerner Energy snus!

Ever since the day I created Snustopia, I’ve wanted to review Northerner Energy snus but always hesitated to try it. Why, you ask? Well, it was mainly due to what I’ve read about it and Dry, purified snus in general. If you read comments on the other snus sites out there you can get a feeling for how the Swedish snus world feels about this type of snus. Some praise it but most of them condemn it and say that Dry, purified type snus isn’t really Swedish snus because the tobacco is a powder and real Swedish snus is supposed to be moist. The other thing you’ll read is that some snus users think that the snus its self is made by a subpar snus manufacturer because it looks like the inside of the cans are dirty. Well Snustopians, I hope to debunk these myths in this review and the first one we’ll tackle is the myth about Northerner Energy snus being “non-Swedish” snus!

A common misnomer among new snus users is the theory that true Swedish snus is made in Sweden. Well, while the majority of snus is made there, there are a few brands that are not. V2 snus brands are, for example, made in Denmark but made in the Swedish tradition to the high Swedish standards. Northerner Energy snus is made in Sweden by Snusbruket and also made to the high Swedish standards but, unlike V2’s snus, Snusbruket snus brands are dry. That leads us to the reason some snus users think that Northerner energy snus is “non-Swedish”, the fact that it’s really dry!

“But Snus Guy, there are snus brands out there that are dry, what makes Northerner Energy snus different?” It’s the fact that Snusbruket makes snus that is totally devoid of moisture. While they make Northerner Energy snus, it’s only one of a few brands they make. The best known brands they make are Oomph and Wise. What makes them unique is the fact that they are the only Swedish snus company to make a completely dry snus! If you take a look at the tobacco inside the teabag like portion material you’ll see that the tobacco is basically like a powder. This is also the reason why the inside of the can looks like there’s finely ground dirt in it. It’s from the powdered tobacco which is brown in color and really does resemble dirt dust but, take my word for it, it’s not! So for those that think the factory is subpar or dirty remember this, no matter if Swedish snus is manufactured moist or dry, it still has to pass the Swedish food agency’s strict standards so rest assured, Northerner Energy snus as well as the other Snusbruket varieties, are quality, Swedish snus. Ok, back to the review!

One would also think that a snus portion completely devoid of moisture would be really uncomfortable under the lip but, on the contrary, the portion is pretty comfortable under the lip for over 2 hours! They do, however, take a bit of getting used to. First, the portion it’s self is smaller than the typical portion and is pretty close in size to a Mini. They are also much thinner than a portion of moist snus due to the tobacco being dry and less is needed. The tobacco is also purified and has 6 mg of purified Nicotine in it and 0.3 grams of tobacco. I also found that when you first put a portion of Northerner Energy in the lip, it can stick a bit but, a quick dabbing of your gums with your tongue and the same on the portion quickly takes care of that issue. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with no discomfort whatsoever. “Whoa Snus Guy, back the truck up a bit! What is this “Purified” thing?” Yea, I thought that would throw you! Let’s take a closer look.

Northerner Energy snus, as well as the rest of Snusbruket’s snus, goes thru a process that actually removes the unwanted contaminants in tobacco such as TSNA’s or Nitrosamines and leaves a tobacco product that’s pure tobacco and Nicotine. What this does for the snus is make the 6 mg of Nicotine feel more like 8 mg. The purification process does something else to the snus, it lightens the flavor of the snus but, I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s finish the mechanics first then, we’ll look at the flavor. If you look at the can, you’ll see that Northerner Energy snus also keeps your breath fresh and your teeth white! In my time using Northerner Energy snus, I have had fresher breath and my teeth stayed white while the portion was in but I know your saying “Does it taste like toothpaste Snus Guy?” No. What does these things is the addition of Baking Soda to the snus.

Baking soda has been the teeth cleaner of choice for centuries. Even now, there are toothpastes that have baking soda added to help keep teeth white. Snusbruket adds a minute amount of baking soda to all their snus for this reason. If you’ve been a long time Snustopian, you’ll know that using Swedish snus can cause your teeth to stain a bit and with some people, make your breath smell. With Northerner Energy, this is not an issue and it’s due to both the baking soda and the fact that the portions really don’t juice up. Another unique thing about Northerner Energy snus is the can. The can is basically an oval shape and much flatter than the standard snus can. There are 2 compartments in the white plastic can, one on the bottom which holds the 24, 3 gram portions and a smaller compartment on the top that holds used portions. Both lids are hinged at the middle of the can and topped with a paper label. “Snus Guy, can we talk about the flavor now?” I know I’ve rambled a bit but, Northerner Energy snus is a pretty unique snus and a lot needed to be said about the snus its self so, now that you know the snus, let’s get to the flavor!

Northerner describes its snus as having flavors of peppermint and honey with a cool boost. They also say it’s an energy boosting snus due to it having Caffeine, Taurine and Guarana. For those that are not fans of Energy drinks, like yours truly, these three ingredients, along with the Nicotine, give a pretty good boost of energy and, minus the Nicotine, are the three main ingredients in most energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull. What I taste in Northerner is honey with a touch of sourness, which I think comes from the Taurine and Guarana, along with the slightest hint of tobacco flavor. There is however a baking soda taste in the first couple of minutes but quickly dissipates as the portion gets moist. There is also a light pepper flavor as the portion sits in. What I also got was an energy boost and a bit lightheaded after about 10 minutes. This is from the energy ingredients but the Nicotine can also be added to that mix because since the snus is purified, it allows the Nicotine to be absorbed quicker than the standard portion. There is a dark side to Northerner Energy snus and it shows up after about an hour and a half.

I’ve had the flavor of Northerner Energy snus last for about 1 ½ hours when the portion went from lightly flavored to really bitter! It truly sneaks up on you because the overall flavor is relatively light. I think of it as a reminder that it’s time to change it out. My overall recommendation for keeping a portion in is about 1 ½ hours max for both the flavor and comfort! Ok, we’ve learned about what exactly a dry, purified portion is, busted a few of the myths associated with it, learned what “purified snus” is and what Northerner Energy snus tastes like so, let’s take a look at what drinks go well with it!

If you’re an Energy drink fan, like me, give Northerner Energy snus a try with a Monster or a Red Bull! It’s the perfect snus to give them an added kick in the energy department but, since Northerner Energy’s flavor is pretty light, it’s only good for the energy kick and really does nothing for the flavor. I’ve tried coffee with Northerner Energy and it had the same effect as the energy drinks, adds a kick but didn’t compliment the flavor. I had a hard time finding something that would enhance the flavor of the snus it’s self and found that the new white iced teas that are out seemed to bring the subtle honey and tobacco flavors out. Not like it does with a standard snus portion but just enough to sense them on the back of the tongue. If you’re looking for a snus that has a flavor that won’t impede the flavor of anything you care to drink and give you an added energy boost, Northerner Energy snus is the one!

My overall recommendations for Northerner Energy snus, Snustopians, are this; new Snustopians will really like Northerner Energy for a few reasons. One, the flavor is extremely light. The Nicotine level is also perfect for those beginning their snus journey along with the fact there is no juicing of the portion. Experienced Snustopians will like Northerner Energy for the same reasons as well as the fact that it really does keep your teeth white and breath fresh. The smaller portions also make the snus much more discreet while delivering the same Nicotine kick as the standard portion does but, I’ll let you make the final decision!

Northerner Energy snus can be found exclusively at Snustopia’s favorite snus shop, Northerner.com, and is priced at $3.94 USD a can. If this is your first time ordering with them, just click on the banner to the left and get 10% off your first order at checkout! With a deal like that, what a perfect time to give Northerner Energy snus a try! Just tell them That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour thru Northerner Energy snus by Snusbruket and found it fun and informative. I look forward to your questions and comments and will do my best to answer them as soon as I can.

So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

01 Original & 02 Strong portion snus, reviewing the flavors of a new snus brand!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:09:00 +0000

Welcome back Snustopians!

Like I promised in the pre-review of 0102 portion snus, I can now bring you a full taste review of this completely new brand to Swedish Match, 01 Original portion and 02 Strong portion snus. I know what you are all saying, “Snus Guy, how can you give us a taste review when the snus isn’t due to be released until October?” Well, remember how I first received the information on 01 and 02 portion snus? I was out taking another constitutional last week and was met by the same person, the one in the white lab coat and dark glasses, only instead of just dropping an envelope in my path, he actually handed me a small package and asked me to give my usual, unbiased opinion and to spread the word throughout all Snustopia! So, I rushed back to my office and immediately opened both cans and, well, let’s begin the review of 01 Original and 02 Strong portion snus and we’ll discover this new brand of snus from Swedish Match together!

Like we discussed in the pre-release review of 01 & 02, this snus brand is completely new to Swedish Match and was created with quite a lot of input from snus users. “Snus Guy, if Swedish Match wanted to make a new brand, why are the cans so plain looking?” Great question! The answer is pretty simple. This is what the snus using world wanted. The panelists basically told them that they were tired of seeing brand names on everything from snus cans to clothing and wanted a snus that was just, well, snus! No intricately designed logos or catchy names. They wanted simple in the snus and the name so, Swedish Match delivered with a gray plastic can that looks metallic, a clear plastic label with icons to explain what the snus is and gave each a simple, yet memorable, name, 01 & 02. The name came from the test cans which they marked simply, test 01 and test 02. But the cans and the labels aren’t the only thing that makes 01 & 02 unique to the snus world; the portion changes themselves are a first for Swedish match as well!

If you’ve read most of the reviews here in Snustopia, you’ll probably already know that there are basically 3 sizes of portions; Mini, regular and maxi and all three have been pretty much the same shape which is kind of a short rectangle. The feedback that Swedish Match was getting included the shape of the portions. Snus users said that the shape of the portions caused them to move around and become visible when you would smile. What Swedish Match did was to create a longer, thinner portion that would stay in place better and become virtually invisible when it was in the lip. As you can see in this picture, the 01 & 02 portion is a bit longer and thinner than the portion of General Ekstra Sterk. 01 & 02’s portion is of the original type which means that each one does go thru the final step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more moisture to them. As you all know, this helps the flavors marry together better and release flavor faster when it’s in your lip. Each portion still contains 1 gram of snus and there are 24 portions in each can. The Nicotine content for 01 portion is 8 mg each and for 02 portion its 13 mg each. “That’s great and all Snus Guy but, how do they feel?” Let’s take a closer look at the portions and find out!

The material that 01 & 02 portions are made of the same soft material that Swedish Match uses in all their portion snus and, with the longer shape, is pretty comfortable in the lip. I’ve had a portion of each in for over 2 hours with no discomfort whatsoever. The new longer portion did stay put better and also was easier to keep up and added to the comfort in the lip. The other thing that helped with comfort was another innovation in 01 & 02 portion snus, the “No Drip” formula. “Hey Snus Guy, what does “No Drip” mean?” Well, we know it as how much a portion runs or the amount of juice it gives off. This was another thing that the panel of snus users was looking for, a portion that runs less. While I had each portion in, there was basically much less juice that came out of each one. Mind you, I keep a portion in for up to 2 ½ when I’m reviewing a snus but, remember; Swedish snus, as you may or may not know, is designed with Swedish snus users in mind. I bring this up because most Swedish snusers keep a portion in for between 15 and 45 minutes before discarding it. In my time reviewing 01 & 02, each portion remained drip free for about 1 ½ hours. After that time, they did begin to drip but, much less than any other portion I’ve reviewed. My recommendation for length of time is about 1 ½ hours max. While 01 & 02 portion snus is pretty much “No Drip”, this brings up an interesting question; what does 01 & 02 portion snus taste like?

One would think that a portion that doesn’t run or “drip” would be either dry or pretty tasteless. Well, we do know that the portions are not dry. In actuality, 01 & 02’s portions feel just as moist as most regular or original type portions that Swedish Match makes so, that just leaves the tasteless theory. “So Snus Guy, you’re saying they are tasteless?” Not at all. Like I said in the beginning, 01 & 02 are probably the most unique portion snus to date. Let me explain a bit; Both 01 & 02 have the same flavor first off. Swedish Match explains the flavor as having a “New fresh and natural tobacco taste” which is true but what does “Fresh and Natural” tobacco taste like? What I taste is the typical earthy, peaty flavor of the hand selected tobaccos from all over the world along with a touch of salt. What was missing was the citrus! Don’t get me wrong Snustopians, this is not a bad thing and also answers another request from the snus panel which was a snus that was just pure tobacco flavor with nothing else.

“But Snus Guy, there are snus brands out there that have only tobacco flavors. What makes 01 & 02 so special or different?” It’s in the intensity of the flavor that makes 01 & 02 different from the others. 01 & 02’s pure tobacco flavor is a fresh change to what was previously out there due to its tobacco flavor being pretty subtle. Brands like Ettan, for example, are pure tobacco flavor but it comes on strong due to the amount of juice that can come from it. 01 & 02’s tobacco flavor is pretty light but, it can be tasted after about 10 minutes in the lip but really doesn’t juice, unless you want it to. In order for me to really taste it, I had to make it run but, I think it’s due to me being used to running portions. There was only one difference between 01 & 02’s flavor and its 02 that has it. Due to 02’s higher Nicotine content, there is a slight burn in the lip and, if you want it to, in the back of the throat. There is a dark side to 01 & 02’s flavor though and this comes to play after the portion is in for longer than 1 ½ hours. The flavor tends to get a bit weird. What I got after about 1 ½ hours was an oatmeal type flavor. Not the Apple and Cinnamon type but the same taste as the brand that comes in the cardboard can with the picture of the old Quaker gentleman on the front but, again, 01 & 02 was designed to be used for a maximum use time of 45 minutes! I still recommend a maximum time of 1 ½ hours for complete enjoyment. So, what drinks go well with 01 & 02 portion snus? Let’s take a look!

As you all know, my staple drinks are Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks but, as one brave Snustopian kindly told me, sometimes drinking a Diet Coke with a snus can be a good way to ruin a good tasting snus so, I decided to forgo them both and tried a few other types of drinks. Unfortunately, I can’t drink alcoholic drinks anymore so, I’ll leave these pairings up to you but the first non alcoholic drink I tried was iced tea. I tried both sweetened and unsweetened and the unsweetened iced tea was a really good match. Since 01 & 02’s flavors are pretty light, the unsweetened iced tea helped to bring the tobacco flavor out while adding a bit more earthiness to the overall flavor. The sweetened tea seemed to add too much sweet to the mix and basically drowned out the tobacco taste all together. I tried iced coffee with 01 & 02 as well but the coffee proved to be too strong a flavor for the snus and completely overpowered it. But the drink that really went well with 01 & 02 was suggested to me by a fellow snusers friend of mine, Italian Soda!

Italian Soda, for those of you that have never tried it, is basically sparkling water with flavored syrup added. The lemon flavored soda was the best because it actually enhanced the snus’ flavor but didn’t completely overpower it. If you haven’t tried Italian Sodas before, you can usually find them in Espresso cafes or Gelato shops and I really recommend trying it with 01 & 02 portion snus.

My overall recommendations for 01 & 02 portion snus by Swedish Match, Snustopians, is this; Swedish Match set out to create a brand new snus brand that would be made with a tremendous amount of input from its customers. They pretty much asked the snus world what they didn’t care for and created a snus brand around removing them. New Snustopians will really like 01 & 02 simply due to its light taste and comfortable mouth feel. Seasoned Snustopians will find that the “No Drip” formula takes a bit of getting used to since we’re accustomed to an original type portion being runny but, after a few portions, will enjoy it’s light flavors but, I’ll leave the final decision up to you.

Swedish Match plans to release 01 & 02 portion snus in the beginning of October 2009 and what better place to get it than at Snustopia’s best place for Swedish snus, The Northerner. If this is your first time ordering with them, simply click on the banner to the left and get 10% off at checkout! Just tell em’ That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru 01 & 02 portion snus by Swedish Match and found it fun and informative. As always, I encourage you to leave any questions, comments or suggestions you may have below and I’ll answer them as soon as I can!

So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

0102 portion snus, a pre-review of a new snus family from Swedish Match!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:04:00 +0000

Greetings fellow Snustopians!

It’s been a pretty exciting day here at the Ministry of Information and everyone here is filled with anticipation on the release of Swedish Match Lab’s newest brand creation, 0102 portion snus! Before I go on about this totally new brand of snus, actually, it’s a brand new way of looking at Swedish snus as a whole; let me tell you how I came to find out about it.

During my morning constitutional in the gardens at Skruf Square, I was approached by a man in a white lab coat and dark glasses. As he passed by me, he dropped a gray catalog envelope with the words “Top Secret, for your eyes only. 0102 Labs” and “2 TSG” typed above it. Well, “TSG” is my code name in Swedish snus circles so; I casually picked it up and raced back to my office to see what exactly it was. It was exactly what I hoped it was, pictures and a synopsis of a new family of portion snus by Swedish Match called 0102 with a note saying “Let everyone in Snustopia know about this innovative, new snus before its too late!” Since it didn’t have any samples of the snus its self, I felt it was imperative to at least let you Snustopians know what it is, when it will be available and, most importantly, why it came to be! So, without further delay, I give you a preview of 0102 Original and Strong portion snus!

Like I said, the mysterious Lab worker didn’t include any cans of 01 or 02 so, the taste review will come in due time but, he did include a bunch of pictures which, I have posted in the picture review in the upper left corner of the page. As you can see, this snus family will be pretty unique in a couple of different ways, first being that there are two different types in the family. While they are both regular type portions, there is a difference in the Nicotine levels in them. 01 will be an Original strength portion with 8 mg of Nicotine per portion and 02 will be a Strong portion with 13 mg of Nicotine per portion. The portions themselves are also unique because they will be longer in size. This will allow the portion to sit better in the lip and move less and each can will have 24, one gram portions.

The other unique thing will be that the portions are said to be “No-Drip” portions. “Snus Guy, No-Drip? Does that mean that they are dry? Well, according to the documents I’ve read, the lab guys at Swedish Match Labs have created a new formula that keeps the snus moist but, makes it drip less. Once I can get my hands on a can or two, we’ll look at this part more but for now, we’ll take them at their word! If you take a look at this picture, you can see that even the cans get a makeover with just plainly “01” or “02” on the top and a new set of icons on the side that explain exactly what you can expect the snus to be. There are used portion compartments on the lid in a configuration much like the General Ekstra Sterk cans.

I know what you all are thinking, “Snus Guy, why would they call them 01 and 02? Why not give it a more creative name?” Good question! The answer is pretty simple. 0102 was developed with a lot of input from Swedish Match customers and the snus using world in general. Researchers typically ask panels what they would like to see in new brands but Swedish Match Labs asked them something that’s rarely asked, what they didn’t like in the current brands and what needed to be changed in order to create the “Ultimate” snus brand. The results were pretty startling. The panelists basically said that they were tired of seeing logos and brands wherever they go and on everything they see from buildings to ……well…… people! They wanted something simple, effective and new. And they wanted it NOW! With this information in hand, they passed it on to their team of highly intelligent, super creative scientists, no, not these guys to the left, real scientists and asked them to create the ultimate snus based on this criteria.

They came up with the formula and the flavor but, what to call it? It needed to be really simple according to the panelists and something that would be really easy to remember. They looked at these two test cans and voile, 01 & 02 portion snus were born! Yea, I know it sounds too simple to be true but, that’s really how they came up with the name!

Swedish Match plans to release 0102 portion snus the first week of October 2009 and, when it’s released; you’ll be able to get it at Snustopia’s best shop for snus, The Northerner. If it’s your first time buying snus from them, just click on the banner to the left and get 10% off on your first order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our pre-review of 0102 portion snus by Swedish Match and found it fun and informative. Like I said in the beginning, once the Ministry of Information gets me some cans of it, I’ll do a full taste review of it! If you have any questions about 0102 or any other snus or, any suggestions on a snus you’d like to see reviewed, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can!

So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Nick & Johnny Black portion snus, reviewing a new member in the Nick & Johnny snus line!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:17:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

Today I thought I would bring you the first taste review of a snus destined to be released this month but, for now at least, will be released first in Norway. As you all know though, Swedish Match does tend to change their minds when they feel there is a call for a new snus flavor in other places so, we’ll have to see what the future brings. As you all remember from the Nick & Johnny East and West review, there was a time that we Snustopians thought that when Swedish Match discontinued them, it would not be long before the entire line was gone so, it’s great to see that a new member of the Nick & Johnny family was born. This is also a first for Snustopia. Usually, I get new snus flavors after they have been released but, the great folks at Swedish Match have allowed us this sneak peek of Nick & Johnny Black and felt the need to share it with all Snustopians so, without any further blabbering from me, let’s take a look at the newest creation from Swedish Match, Nick & Johnny Black portion snus!

When the package first arrived at my door here at the Ministry of Information I thought I forgot about another snus order I made because there was no return address on the plain, white bubble envelope just “To: That Snus Guy” and the address here in Snustopia. The only way I knew it was snus was the Swedish postage mark in the corner. When I opened the pack, there was simply a can of Nick & Johnny Black and a note that said simply, “Please review, will be available in Norway by the middle of September!” At first glance, the can pretty much looks like a can of Nick & Johnny Stark and the label looks like the negative from the Nick & Johnny Stark label but once you really take a look at it, there’s an elegant feel to it. “Hey Snus Guy, how does a can of snus look elegant?” Well, take a look at the picture to the right and you’ll see what I mean.

While the can its self is the same white, pearlescent plastic can that Nick & Johnny Stark has it’s the label that has the elegant feel. It’s the opposite of the Nick & Johnny Stark label with a black background and the lettering in gold. The word “Black” is in a white cartouche that has the look of a single paintbrush swipe and the word “Strong” in white along the side. They have even changed the label on top of the used portion compartment cap to match the label on the side. “Snus Guy, your can OCD is coming out again! Let’s hear about the snus already!” Sorry, it is a pretty cool can though.

Let’s start with the portions themselves. Nick & Johnny Black is classified as a White type, black portion which, as you all may remember, do not go thru the final step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more moisture to them like Regular type ones. While this can leave the material a bit dry, Swedish Match uses the same soft material they use in all their black portions and stayed pretty comfortable in the lip for over 2 hours. The portions are also arranged in the unique “Star” pattern that Swedish Match uses for only the most special portion snus. Not only does this look pretty cool in the can, it gives the portions a wedge shape and adds to the comfort in the lip. “Sounds pretty good so far Snus Guy but, what about the Nicotine?” Well, let take a look at that!

Swedish Match describes Nick & Johnny Black as being pretty similar to Nick & Johnny Strong in every way with the exception of the portion color and Star pattern. The Nicotine level in Nick & Johnny Black is the same 11 mg per portion that Nick & Johnny Stark has but this is where the similarities end. The taste is where we need to look next!

Like I said, Swedish Match describes Nick & Johnny Black as being similar to its Stark sibling in taste but I taste a few differences and think the flavor is closer to another snus in the Swedish Match line, General Onyx! “Snus Guy, Onyx? It can’t be!” Well, there are quite a few similarities in the taste of the two. They both have a mild tobacco flavor and hints of citrus with a salty background but where Onyx has a Lemon flavor, Nick & Johnny has a bergamot taste. I know what you’re saying, “Snus Guy, what’s a bergamot?” Bergamot is a citrus fruit that’s grown in Italy and Spain and has the flavor that’s a cross between a lemon and a grapefruit. Its ability to blend well with the earthy, peaty flavor that tobacco has is truly unique and is the major taste difference between Nick & Johnny Black and Onyx. It’s also the common thread between both Nick & Johnny flavors and then there’s the saltiness. Nick & Johnny Stark has a light saltiness and the flavor of the tobacco takes center stage but in Nick & Johnny Black, the bergamot and salt are more predominant and mixes well with the hand selected tobaccos giving Nick & Johnny Black a taste that is pretty different from Nick & Johnny Stark! So, what drinks would go well with Nick & Johnny Black? Let’s take a look!

I thought I’d forgo my staple drinks of Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks and first start with the drink that went really well with Onyx, Lemonade. I figured since I tasted similar flavors in Nick & Johnny Black, it should go really well but, I was half right. The lemonade did go well with Nick & Johnny Black but it added a slight bitterness to it. I tried an iced green tea which also went well but my favorite was iced Earl Grey! Why Earl Grey, you ask? It’s because of the bergamot. You see, the thing that gives Earl Grey its distinct flavor is the addition of dried bergamot peel in the tea. That bergamot flavor along with the light bergamot flavor in Nick & Johnny Black helped to bring the tobacco flavor to the front as well as dimming down some of the saltiness. Overall, I really liked the flavor combination! Just as a side note, my staple drinks didn’t do too badly either with the Diet Coke being a neutral and the Monster adding a bit of sweetness.

My overall recommendations for Nick & Johnny Black portion snus Snustopians, is this; fans of the Nick & Johnny line will not be disappointed with this new addition. Fans of strong snus brands will find that Nick & Johnny Black’s 11 mg of Nicotine is perfect for an all day snus while beginners who want to try a stronger snus will find it’s a great higher Nicotine starter snus but alas, like I said in the beginning, Nick & Johnny Black will only be available in Norway for the time being. If Swedish Match does decide to release it to all Snustopians, you can be sure that Snustopia’s first shop for all things Swedish snus, The Northerner, will carry it! Until then, give them a try with your next order and, if it’s your first time ordering thru them, just click on the banner and get 10% off at checkout!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed this trip thru Nick & Johnny Black portion snus and found it fun and informative. Know that if Nick & Johnny Black does become available to the entire snus world, I will make sure I let each and every Snustopian know as soon as I do. I invite you all to leave any questions or suggestions you may have in the comments section below and I’ll try to answer them as soon as I can!

So Snustopians, until our next review, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Still Catch Violet Licorice, reviewing the third flavor in the Catch snus collection!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:04:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

Last week I received a package in the mail that simply said “To That Snus Guy, please review as soon as possible!” I thought perhaps that the guys at the Ministry of Information were trying to get me back for the last alcoholic drinks comparison I had them do because the package smelled like black tea. I looked at the package bit more closely and saw that the postmark was from Sweden and knew it was snus but what kind of snus would have the scent of black tea? Then I realized it must be the newest flavor in the Catch collection! I was right; it was a roll of Still Catch Violet Licorice. Since the name implies that the flavors should be flowery with a hint of licorice, I knew I had to get a review done on it quickly so you Snustopians knew what it tastes like and why it has a black tea scent! So, without any further rambling from me, let’s get right into our review of Still Catch Violet Licorice mini white portion snus!

Still Catch Violet Licorice is the third limited edition flavor, of a total of four, to be introduced in the Catch Collection and manufactured in Kungälv, Sweden by the folks at Swedish Match AB. Still Catch Violet Licorice is classified as a mini White type portion which means that each one is about half the size of a regular sized portion and do not go thru the added step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more moisture to them. While this leaves the material a bit dry, Swedish Match uses the same, soft material that they use in all their portion snus which is pretty comfortable under the lip. I’ve had a portion in for about an hour and a half with no discomfort what so ever.

Each can of Still Catch Violet Licorice contains 20 portions that have .5 grams of snus each. You may be saying to yourselves “only 20 portions Snus Guy? Why only 20 when most portion cans have 24? What gives?” Actually, 20 portions are the norm for Minis. If you think about it, the amount of snus in a portion dictates the amount of Nicotine it will have. Most of Swedish Match’s mini portions have between .3 and .5 grams of snus with Nicotine contents between 4 and 5 mg per portion. The total amount of snus in the can is between 6 and 10 grams and always comes out to 20 portions per can. I know, I took the long way around the explanation so, back to the review!

The Nicotine content in Still Catch Violet Licorice is approximately 4 mg per portion which is also the norm for a mini portion snus. While for most seasoned Snustopians this amount of Nicotine is low and most will double up on the portions, New Snustopians will find that 4 mg of Nicotine is the perfect level to begin with! Now that you know the makeup of the snus it’s self, let’s take a look at the can!

“Hey Snus Guy, you’re not going to let your can obsession take over, are you?” No! Still Catch Violet Licorice’s can is made of the same gray plastic that the other Catch Collection cans are made from with the only difference being the color of the label. That and the fact that Swedish Match added “Still” to the name! The label is purple to reflect the Violet in the snus’ name with gold embellishments just like the other two flavors. There is also a used portion compartment in the lid, under the Still Catch logo label but, before I let my “can obsession” get the better of me and I start to bore you all to death, let’s take a look at what you all came here for, Still Catch Violet Licorice’s flavor!

Like I said in the beginning, Still Catch Violet Licorice had the scent of Black tea but it’s a complex scent. When you really sit down and analyze the scent, you can really pick up the individual scents. “Snus Guy, we’ve always read at forums that you shouldn’t smell the snus. It’ll turn you off!” Well, personally I smell each and every can of snus. For me, its habit but the reason others say this is that some Swedish snus has an ammonia smell. This doesn’t mean that the snus has gone bad, on the contrary, the Ammonia smell is a natural byproduct of the Swedish snus manufacturing process and is typically found in snus that is tobacco flavored. Other flavored snus will have this smell in the background but with Still Catch Violet Licorice, this is not the case.

What I smell is licorice and an herbal scent that, when combined with the tobacco, gives the snus a black tea type scent. The flavor is just like the smell with the Licorice flavor being predominant. The flowery flavor of Violets gives the snus an herbal taste and really combines well with the licorice and the hand selected tobaccos from around the world. The earthy, leather flavor of the tobacco mixes with the herbal taste to give Still Catch Violet Licorice a sweet taste without the need for any added sweeteners. The addition of the licorice flavoring to the others is what gives it the slight tea taste in the background.

The flavor is pretty unique for a snus but the only downside is how long it lasts. I’ve had a single portion’s flavor last for about an hour when it pretty much went flat but, doubling up on the portion, or using two portions at the same time, made the flavor last for another half hour. I look at it this way Snustopians; Mini portions are made to suit Swedish tastes and usage habits. If the flavor in Still Catch Violet Licorice lasts for more than 45 minutes, which is the max time that the Swedish keep a portion in, anytime after that is a bonus so, my recommendation for keeping a portion of Still Catch Violet Licorice in is about an hour max. Ok, let’s take a look at what drinks go well with it!

As you know, I always review snus with my two staple drinks, Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks and Still Catch Violet Licorice was no exception. The Diet Coke was actually good in a unique sort of way. Like I said in the beginning, Still Catch Violet Licorice has an iced tea type of background flavor with a licorice front. The unique thing about the Diet Coke is that it takes the iced tea flavor out and enhances the licorice one. The Monster’s bitterness also gave Still Catch Violet Licorice another flavor dimension by dimming down the licorice flavor but the one drink that went really well shouldn’t be too big of a surprise, iced black tea!

I tried a green iced tea and it was just too light a flavor to have any effect on the snus. The flavored iced teas like Peach and Raspberry interfered with the licorice flavor and drowned out the tobacco flavor all together. The iced black tea enhanced the underlying tea flavor while bringing the tobacco taste to the front more. The licorice flavor was actually pushed more to the back and gave the snus a natural sweetness that brought it all together but, I’ll let you decide which is best!

My overall recommendations for Still Catch Violet Licorice by Swedish Match Snustopians, is this; Swedish Match created the Catch Collection to have a unique twist which is that 4 times this year it’s flavor will change and each one will be a unique, limited edition. Still Catch Violet Licorice is the third in that line and should be tried by all Snustopians! With a lower Nicotine content, new Snustopians will like the smaller size and the light flavor. Experienced Snustopians will like the unique flavor as well but, may find the 4 mg of Nicotine a bit on the light side but, since this snus is only available for a limited time, you should try at least one can before it’s gone but, like I said, the decision is yours. At around $3.60 USD a can from snus shops like The Northerner, it’s a small price to pay to give a snus that won’t be around long a try!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru Still Catch Violet Licorice by Swedish Match and found it fun and informative. Remember, if you have any questions about this snus or, any questions or comments about snus in general, feel free to leave them here and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can!

So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus, reviewing a snus that made the cut!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:03:00 +0000

Welcome back Snustopians!

I was sitting in my office this week looking over all the reviews we’ve done so far when I realized that my 1 year anniversary with Swedish snus was last Sunday! Well, I actually didn’t remember it until the guys from my Ministry of Information presented me with an anniversary gift while they were singing the Snustopian National Anthem. It is a beautiful tune and sounds a bit like the theme song from Sanford and Son! At least that’s how the guys played it. Anyway, the gift they presented me with was a roll of a snus we’ve mentioned in a previous review but, never really did a proper review of. That snus is Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus.

If you remember back to the review of its siblings, Nick & Johnny East and West, we only mentioned Stark in passing but it’s the only one of the past Nick & Johnny family to avoid being discontinued. So, I figured if this flavor made it, we need to find out why it did and what makes it so special. Now, if you’re all ready, grab a comfortable seat, your favorite snus and a cold drink and get ready to discover Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus!

I know what you’re all saying, “Snus Guy, why would your Ministry of Information give you Nick & Johnny Stark as an anniversary present? We all know your favorite is Skruf!” Well, I think it’s because either they really like Nick & Johnny Stark or, I’ve been working them too hard lately and they were trying to make a point! Either way, I’ve been meaning to do a review on it for some time now. Nick & Johnny Stark was introduced to the snus world by Swedish Match in 2007 and, at that time, was the second strongest snus in the Swedish Match line behind General Onyx. It was also released as a totally new flavor with a focus on the younger crowd.

“Hey Snus Guy, why did they decide to call it Nick & Johnny?” That may surprise you! According to Swedish Match, Nick & Johnny were actually real guys and the snus was named after them. The sketch on the used portion compartment cap is of one of them! Whether or not this is the actual way Nick & Johnny was named, Nick & Johnny Stark is a unique snus in its flavor and Nicotine content so, let’s find out why! But first, let’s take a look at the basics of it then we’ll get to the flavors.

Nick & Johnny Stark is classified as a regular type portion since it goes thru the final step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more water to each portion which helps the flavors marry and release its flavor faster when it’s in your lip. The material that Swedish Match uses for Nick & Johnny Stark is the same soft, teabag type material that they use in all their portion snus and stays pretty comfortable in the lip. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with no discomfort to speak of just a bit of wrinkling. Each can of Nick & Johnny Stark has 24 portions that have 1 gram of snus in each one. The Nicotine level in them is 11 mg each which is why this version is named Stark or Strong.

The can that Nick & Johnny Stark comes in is pretty cool in the fact that it’s made of a white pearlescent plastic with a plasticized paper label. The lid is where the used portion compartment is and its cap has a sketch of one of the guys on its label. The can is round which is unique because the other two Nick & Johnny flavors, that have been discontinued, were square and part of the reason they were cut but, I’m letting my can obsession get the best of me so, before you all say anything, let’s go on to the flavor!

Like I said in the beginning, Nick & Johnny Stark’s flavor is pretty unique for a couple of reasons. The first being that it’s a pure tobacco flavored snus with very little added to it. The flavor of pure tobacco may not be something that all Snustopians have tasted, let alone understand when used in descriptions on Swedish snus flavors so, let’s explain it now so everyone understands! Tobacco has a very similar scent of Fall leaves. “Hey Snus Guy, why Fall leaves?” well, they are leaves and dried like leaves get in the Fall and, have the same scent as a pile of them when they are not processed. They do have their subtle differences in taste though. Tobaccos from Honduras and Cuba for example, have peppery notes in them while tobacco from America has a bit of a leathery flavor. There are even some tobaccos grown in Sweden that have a flowery, herbal taste and smell. In Nick & Johnny Stark, the tobacco flavor is of fall leaves and leather with a slight pepperyness. I hope this cleared up the pure tobacco flavor description a bit but remember, different people taste things that other people don’t so, what I taste in a snus may not be what you taste. Ok, let’s get back to the flavor review!

Along with the tobacco flavor, there are other elements in Nick & Johnny stark like licorice and a smoky flavor. While these elements are very subtle, they give the snus its unique character. The licorice flavor actually gives Nick & Johnny a bit of sweetness while the smokiness enhances the tobacco flavor while adding a bit of mellowness and depth. Tying everything together is the salty taste that, not only helps to raise the Ph level so the Nicotine comes out, brings the flavors together to make a well rounded snus flavor with the added Nicotine level that Swedish match was aiming for. The flavor also lasts for a pretty long time as well! I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours when the flavor began to die out. So, now that you know what Nick & Johnny Stark tastes like, let’s see what drinks go best with it!

As you seasoned Snustopians know, my staple drinks are Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks and I try both with every snus I review. The Diet Coke did pretty well in bringing the smokiness out a bit more, it also took some of the saltiness away so the tobacco flavor could shine thru. Monster on the other hand made the snus a bit bitter but did bring the smokiness out as well. The best drinks I think that went well with Nick & Johnny Stark were iced black tea and iced coffee! Both drinks really complimented the snus for different reasons. The iced black tea enhanced the tobacco’s flavor while adding another depth in the earthy flavor. It also brought out the smokiness to add an element of sweetness as well. The iced coffee brought out the tobacco flavor as well but dimmed out the smokiness. This was not a bad thing though. Coffee tends to have a bitterness that mixes well with tobacco and intensifies it making the flavor of Nick & Johnny Stark even more unique.

My overall recommendations for Nick & Johnny Stark, Snustopians, is this; new Snustopians looking to explore the higher Nicotine brands will like Nick & Johnny Stark because it is strong but, not the mind numbing strong of the Extra Starks. Seasoned Snustopians will like the pure tobacco flavor and the higher Nicotine content plus the fact that it will make a great morning coffee snus but, this is my take, I’ll let you decide. At around $3.30 a can at stores like The Northerner, You really can’t go wrong with adding a can or two to your next order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru Nick & Johnny Stark and found it fun and informative! I encourage you to leave any comments or questions you may have about it or any snus in general and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can.

So until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

http://www.snustest.com/

Jakobsson’s Classic portion snus, reviewing another snus gem from the island of Gotland!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:19:00 +0000

Welcome back Snustopians!

As I was taking one of my famous long walks thru the gardens of Skruf Square last week, my trip to Sweden was still on my mind. I was remembering a small park just off the main boulevard that has canals, like the ones in Holland, meandering thru it and had been there for over 100 years. It reminded me of my own gardens here in Snustopia but not as old. That’s when it hit me. Our next review should be on a snus that not only comes from a beautiful place in the home of snus but, have a lot of history that’s tied to that place. So, this week, we’ll be reviewing a snus that comes from the island of Gotland in Sweden and that snus is Jakobsson’s Classic portion snus.

I picked Jakobsson’s Classic for a few reasons. The first one is the fact that it’s made by the folks at Gotlandssnus AB on the island of Gotland and has been made there since 1897. The new plant is actually located only a few miles where Jakob Jakobsson’s family farm is and where he came up with his recipe for his snus! While the basic recipe for Jakobsson’s Classic is more than 100 years old, the version we’ll be reviewing today was launched in 2008 with only a few changes. The second reason is because Gotlandssnus uses tobacco that’s grown right there on the island. This tobacco is called Alida and is grown only on the island of Gotland. So, now that you know a bit about the history of Jakobsson’s Classic portion snus, let’s get to the review!

Like we learned in the beginning, Jakobsson’s Classic is a regular type portion snus made by the folks at Gotlandssnus AB. Regular portions, as you all remember, are portions that go thru an added step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more water to the portion’s material. “Water Snus Guy? Are you sure it’s water? We thought it was a type of juice made from the snus!” I thought the same thing until my trip to Gothenburg but it is just plain, filtered water. The reason we think of the liquid being a “snus juice” is the fact that while the regular portions are in the can, the bit of added water helps the flavors in the snus to marry together and release its flavor faster when it’s in your lip. The byproduct of this is the portion material turning brown and that’s where we got the whole “Snus Juice” myth! Ok, back to the review.

The material that Gotlandssnus uses for Jakobsson’s Classic portion is the same soft teabag type material that they use in all of their snus and is pretty comfortable under the lip for about 2 hours. The Nicotine content in Jakobsson’s Classic is at the same level as all Gotlandssnus brands which are 9 mg per portion. Now, I know you all really get antsy when I describe the different cans that snus come in but Jakobsson’s Classic had a pretty unique one! If you’ve read the Jakobsson’s Ice Fruit review, you pretty much know what the can looks like but, since we may have some new visitors to Snustopia, I have to give the can its due!

Jakobsson’s Classic’s can is, quite possibly, one of the most unique cans I’ve come across. While its makeup is basic black plastic with a plasticized paper label, it’s the designs in and on it that make it unique. Gotlandssnus wanted the cans for the Jakobsson’s line to reflect where the snus came from so, since Gotland is a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea, they decided to give the cans a nautical look. If you take a look at the top of the can, you’ll notice that there are notches on the lid that mimic the directional points on an antique compass! There are even degree hash marks between each directional waypoint. If you lift the center of the compass, you’ll find the used portion compartment underneath it and Gotlandssnus even embellished the bottom of the compartment with an old mapmaker’s directional key. The inside bottom of the can has the same mark. “It’s a pretty cool can Snus Guy! But, does the snus taste as good as the can looks?” Well, let’s take a look!

Gotlandssnus describes Jakobsson’s Classic as having a classic, memorable taste of snus, with an undertone of citrus. I know what you’re saying “Snus Guy, what does classic and memorable taste like?” I agree that using “Classic” and “Memorable” as taste descriptions really don’t make sense to Snustopians that have never tried snus or, seasoned Snustopians that haven’t tried Jakobsson’s before so, let’s try to describe it in a language that everyone can understand! The main taste in Jakobsson’s Classic is, obviously, tobacco but Gotlandssnus uses Alida tobacco along with other hand selected tobaccos from around the world so, what you taste is the earthy, leather flavor from the other tobaccos and a light herbal, grassy flavor that Alida tobacco is known for. Alida also imparts a slight sweetness that kind of offsets the light peppery flavor the other tobaccos also have.

The citrus flavor is another unique thing in Jakobsson’s Classic because it’s more of an orange, lemon flavor rather than the typical bergamot taste that is used in most snus when referring to “citrus”. When you combine all the flavor elements in Jakobsson’s Classic, you get a portion snus that is balanced in flavor and definitely Gotlands! The downside to Jakobsson’s Classic is that it has the same characteristic that all of Gotlandssnus’ snus brands do regarding the length of time the flavor lasts. I’ve had a portion in for about 2 hours and suddenly, the flavor gets bitter. I look at it this way, The Swedish use a portion for anywhere between 15 minutes and 45 minutes and swap it out for a new one. Gotlandssnus was created for use in Sweden so; anything over 45 minutes with the flavor is a definite bonus! Now, what to drink with Jakobsson’s Classic!

My staple drinks of Diet Coke and Monster Energy drink were the first I tried and I have to tell you that Diet Coke and Jakobsson’s Classic went really well together. This was due to the lemony notes in the snus that actually made a taste close to a Diet Coke with Lemon. The acidity in the Diet Coke also helped to bring out the tobacco flavor as well. The Monster didn’t do that well since its flavor was a bit too strong for the snus but the one thing that did go well with Jakobsson’s Classic was an Arnold Palmer! “Hey Snus Guy, how could a golf pro go well with a snus?” No, no, not that Arnold Palmer, the drink! For those of you that don’t know what an Arnold Palmer is, it’s made with half sweet iced tea and half lemonade. It’s named after its creator, Arnold Palmer, and really goes well with Jakobsson’s Classic. The iced tea flavor helped to enhance the tobaccos and the lemonade brought out the citrus. It’s really the best combination!

My overall recommendation for Jakobsson’s Classic portion snus, Snustopians, is this; Jakobsson’s Classic is truly an historic snus that’s unique to Sweden due to the Alida tobacco. Snustopians that want to experience a snus that has the classic flavors of tobacco and citrus but, like a portion that’s a bit lighter in flavor, Jakobsson’s Classic is the snus for you. Seasoned Snustopians will find Jakobsson’s Classic’s orange and lemon mix a refreshing change from the normal bergamot as well but, I’ll let you decide! At approximately $3.19 USD a can at Snustopia’s favorite snus shop, Northerner.com, you really can’t go wrong by adding a can or two to your next order! Just be sure to tell them That Snus Guy sent you and get 10% off if you're a first time customer!
Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour of Jakobsson’s Classic portion snus and found it informative and fun and encourage you to leave any questions, comments or suggestions you may have about Jakobsson’s Classic or any snus! I look forward to reading and answering them as soon as I can.

So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

http://www.snustest.com/

Montecristo Portion snus, our first “Cuban” snus review!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:27:00 +0000

Greetings Snustopians!

This week, I was sitting here in my office at the Ministry of Information trying to brief my colleagues on the wonderful things that I saw and learned during my trip to Sweden. While we were talking, I decided to grab a can of snus out of my mini fridge and I saw a snus that I had completely forgot about, Montecristo portion snus! You see, when Larry, from SnusCENTRAL, and I first arrived at our hotel in Gothenburg, we decided to find a snus store in the train station below our hotel. We found a small gift shop that had a snus cooler (almost every shop in Gothenburg has a snus cooler of some sort) and decided to take a look. What we saw was all different brands of snus but the Cuban snus is what caught my eye! So, I decided to buy a couple of cans of each brand and try them all! I thought I used all the Montecristo I bought in Sweden but I had inadvertently put one in my checked bag. I pulled it out of the fridge and remembered a quote I had read in an ad that described Montecristo portions snus as the “Champagne of snus”. That’s when I adjourned the briefing and decided we were going to find out why Montecristo portion snus is known as the “Champagne of snus”! So, if you’re ready, let’s begin our review Montecristo portion snus by Taboca AS.

“Hey Snus Guy, isn’t Montecristo a cigar company?” Well, no actually. Montecristo, in the cigar world, is a very famous brand name. The cigars are produced by a manufacturer for the Montecristo brand. The same is true of Montecristo snus. The manufacturer of the Montecristo brand is Taboca AS and the snus is manufactured in Sweden. “But Snus Guy, you said that Montecristo is a Cuban snus! How can a snus be Cuban but, made in Sweden?” Hold on, you’re getting ahead of me! Let me explain a bit. Montecristo snus actually has 3 countries to thank for its taste! The first country is, obviously, Cuba because the tobacco used for the snus is 100% hand selected tobacco from all over the island. The second country is Norway. Taboca AS uses only pure mountain water from Norway to manufacture Montecristo and the last country we have to thank for Montecristo is Sweden! Taboca takes both of these elements and manufacturers Montecristo to the same high standards that all Swedish snus is made so, now you know how a Cuban snus can be a Swedish snus as well and we’ve uncovered one of the reasons that Montecristo portion snus is called the “Champagne of snus”. Now, let’s take a look at the portions themselves!

The material that Taboca uses for Montecristo is the same kind that they use in all of their portion snus and is pretty comfortable under the lip for over two hours. They are also classified as regular portions meaning that they go thru the extra step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more moisture to each portion but, not just any moisture! This is where more of the pure Norwegian mountain water is used that also adds another flavor element to the snus, how quick the flavor is released in the lip! It only takes a minute or two to taste the flavors and once you do, the flavor lasts for over two hours! Each can of Montecristo has 24, one gram portions as well! “Ok Snus Guy, but what about the Nicotine?” The Nicotine level in Montecristo is another reason to call it the “Champagne of snus” in the fact that there is 11 mg of Nicotine per portion but there isn’t the kick you would expect with a snus that has that higher Nicotine content. While some new Snustopians that are used to 8 mg of Nicotine in snus may feel it more, most Snustopians don’t.

The can that Montecristo comes in is unique as well. It has a metal can that’s painted in the famous Montecristo color scheme that is on their cigar boxes, with the Montecristo logo on the lid and the gold and black chasing around the outside of the lid but, that’s not the only thing making it unique. The paint that Taboca uses almost has a rubberized feel to it that allows you to keep a firm grip on the can even if it were to get wet! Montecristo’s lid also makes a great seal with the bottom of the can that really keeps the moisture in. The only down side to the can is the absence of a used portion compartment. “Snus Guy, you’re obsessing about the can again! We want to know how it tastes already!” Sorry, the can is pretty cool though! Ok, enough about the can, let’s go to the taste.

In the past, whenever I’ve heard the words Montecristo and tobacco together, I would automatically think great cigars. Actually, this is pretty much the norm in the states since Montecristo snus is relatively new in the tobacco world. While the Montecristo brand has been on fine Cuban cigars since the 1930’s and on Dominican cigars since the 50’s, Montecristo snus was launched in 2008. Just like the cigars that share its name, the taste is unmistakably unique! Taboca describes Montecristo as having a rich tobacco taste and flavors of lemon and bergamot. The rich tobacco taste comes from the Cuban tobacco. If you have ever experienced smoking a Montecristo Cuban cigar, you’ll be able to tell the distinct flavor of Cuban tobacco. For those Snustopians that have never smoked a Cuban cigar or, are living in America, Cuban tobacco has a unique flavor that distinguishes it from its cousin Dominican tobacco. Cuban tobaccos tend to have a peppery flavor with earthy, leathery undertones and a touch of flowers that almost give it a black tea flavor while Dominican tobaccos have just the opposite.

The other flavor element in Montecristo is the citrus. While the description states that there are Lemon/bergamot flavors, I can only taste lemon. But that’s not a bad thing. Since there is a smaller amount of salt in Montecristo than other Swedish snus, you can really taste the tobacco and lemon. These flavors combined with the hint of salt and slight flowery elements give Montecristo the taste of a fine Black tea and another reason to be called the “Champagne of snus”. Now what to drink with Montecristo portion snus? This may surprise you.

“Couldn’t we just drink the same things we would with a fine Cuban cigar Snus Guy?” Well, yes and no actually. While the flavor of Montecristo portion snus is unmistakably Cuban, it’s not as strong as it is in the cigars. That and the fact of being able to taste not only the tobacco from the end of the cigar but the flavor of the smoke as well so, drinks that have strong flavors like dark beers, strong liquors and energy drinks will drown out the delicate flavors in the snus. What I did try was my staple Diet Coke first. The Diet Coke’s flavor went well but the artificial sweetener made the snus bitter. Iced Black teas like Earl Grey did extremely well in bringing out the tea flavor in Montecristo. The bergamot in Earl Grey helped to enhance the lemon flavor and the tea complements the tobacco taste and brings the peppery taste to the front more. “But what about drinks like brandy and other aperitifs Snus Guy? Are they too strong?” Not really. I had to enlist my typical band of Guinea Pigs for this part of the review!

I had them try a few different after dinner drinks; one would have with a fine cigar, with Montecristo portion snus and asked them what they thought. The first one we tried was Hennessy Cognac and they all felt that the cognac was much too strong a flavor for Montecristo snus. The next one was rum. While we really wanted to try it with a Cuban rum, we couldn’t get our hands on some so we picked a close match which was a fine Puerto Rican rum, Bacardi Superior. Some sipped it straight while the others chose to drink a Mojito. Both were good but, the Bacardi Superior straight fared better. The last, and best according to my Guinea Pigs, was Grand Marnier! The light orange flavor mixed with the lemon flavor in the snus and the Cuban tobacco to create a taste that is a perfect match. The sweetness in the Grand Marnier also created another depth and helped to round everything out. So, for non-alcoholic drinks, Iced Earl Grey tea is the favorite and for after dinner drinks, Grand Marnier wins out!

My overall recommendation for Montecristo portion snus by Taboca AS Snustopians is this; Montecristo is definitely the “Champagne of snus” in design and taste. For Snustopians that are looking to try a snus that’s truly unique, Montecristo is the one to try. New Snustopians that want to experience a higher Nicotine snus with a smoother flavor than most will do well with Montecristo as well. The downside is that Montecristo is not available to U.S. residents at this time but, if you find yourself traveling to Sweden or other countries in Europe, I really recommend you give Montecristo a try.

For you Snustopians that live outside the U.S., the best place to get Montecristo portion snus is at Northerner.com. They have Montecristo portion snus at a great price and deliver almost anywhere!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour thru Montecristo portion snus and found in fun and informative. I invite you to ask any questions or leave comments about our tour by clicking the comments link at the bottom of this article. I look forward to reading them and will answer them all as soon as I can.

So Snustopians, until our next review, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

“That Snus Guy’s own” Vanilla Berry loose snus, reviewing the snus flavoring process!

noreply@blogger.com (That Snus Guy a.k.a. Rob Jarzombek) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:55:00 +0000

Welcome back Snustopians!

I thought today we’d continue our tour of the fascinating way that snus is made by sharing with you another experience both Larry from SnusCENTRAL and I had while touring the Swedish Match factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. Not only did the wonderful folks at Swedish Match let us tour the factories, they also showed us the different processes that are involved in creating the flavors we all like and how new ones are developed. In this review, we’ll be looking at the flavoring process but not in a way that you would think. I think, by now, you know how they did it just by the title of the review! Yes Snustopians, Swedish Match actually let Larry and I create our own snus flavors and this review will be on a snus called “That Snus Guy’s Own” Vanilla Berry loose snus! “Snus Guy, they let YOU create a flavor? Really?” Now, be kind! Remember, I just review the flavors! But it was pretty cool to do and see so, without any further self promoting from me, let’s review the flavoring process and how my snus turned out!

If you asked me before the trip how snus was flavored, I would have said that artificial flavors were used and that the final product was developed by some scientists in white lab coats and poured into the flavoring drums. But now that I’ve personally experienced the process, I know that this way is not entirely true. While there are white lab coats and a scientist or two, Swedish Match gets a lot of input from their customers while researching new flavors. And as for artificial flavors, there are a lot of natural flavorings and extracts used in the making of Swedish snus! “So Snus Guy, are you saying that ALL Swedish Match snus is flavored with natural flavorings?” Not really and here’s why!

As we were being told about the flavoring process by Conny Andersson, probably the most passionate person I’ve ever met regarding flavors and how they intermingle and react with tobacco, I began to realize that some flavorings, in their natural state, may not be practical to use like mint leaves or raw ginger for example. Some are just not strong enough to taste without using massive amounts of it like Vanilla beans or just do not exist naturally like Tutti-Frutti. “Tutti-Frutti Snus Guy? We think you may have stayed too long near the Probe Whiskey vat!” Actually, it’s one of the flavorings I used in my snus but, I’m jumping ahead!

You see, sometimes artificial flavors and extracts are needed in order to create the flavor combination you want. It’s like baking a cake. Let’s say that you want to create a lemon flavored white cake with mint frosting. Some people use natural lemon juice and lemon zest to flavor the cake but, the high temperature can cause the lemon flavor to bake out. Some people really don’t like the texture of chunks of lemon zest in a cake and it can turn the color of the cake yellow. Here, lemon extract is used to get the flavor since the extract will withstand the heat and provide the lemon taste, without the chunks and coloring! With the frosting, mint leaves just plain don’t work and Mint extract would be the practical solution. “We get it now Snus Guy! So, how did you do it with your snus?” Let’s go into that now.

The first step in flavoring anything is getting a good base. With Swedish snus, the base is quality tobacco. Like we talked about in the last review of the manufacturing process, Swedish Match uses handpicked tobacco from many different places in all their snus. In my snus, we used Ettan loose as a base because its flavor is just pure tobacco and salt with no other flavorings. The next step is to decide what exactly you want your finished product to taste like. Here, we see the different types of flavorings we had to use. At first, I just added the things that I thought would make a good tasting snus. Boy was I wrong! I added Vanilla beans and rum extract, thinking this would really taste good! Well, I forgot that one of the things I like about loose snus is the smell. My first attempt at snus flavoring was horrendous but I did learn something. Never jump right in and I realized why it takes snus manufacturers so long to develop new flavors! My second attempt turned out much better because I took the time to think how I wanted the snus to taste and smell! It was here that I designed “That Snus Guy’s Own Vanilla Berry Loose snus”!

Yes, I know it sounds weird but, let’s see if I can do it some justice by reviewing the flavor for you! Since the base is Ettan, the dominant flavor is pure tobacco but it’s the only remaining element from Ettan that’s in Vanilla Berry. My goal for Vanilla Berry was to make a loose snus that would have the flavors I would like to see in a snus which is Vanilla and Red Berries. Kind of like a cross between Offroad Vanilla and Röda Lacket but a little sweeter. What I did was added real vanilla beans and the ingredient we talked about before, Tutti-Frutti flavor!

Tutti-Frutti is a flavor that has the scent of a mix of red berries with a light, almost non-existent, black licorice smell. The taste is really close to Juicy Fruit gum but when it’s added to tobacco, takes on a completely different flavor! The Ettan has a leafy, peaty almost leathery taste by its self. When you add the vanilla and Tutti-Frutti flavors, the vanilla gets mellowed while bringing out a bit more of the licorice flavor in the Tutti-Frutti! “So, you basically made a Vanilla and Black Licorice flavored snus, Snus Guy?” Not really. The licorice flavor is still barely noticeable like it is in Röda Lacket but with the vanilla and berry flavor mixed in; the entire combination is pretty complex! Imagine sitting in a just raked pile of fall leaves while eating a bowl of mixed berry sorbet with a portion of Grov Svart in your lip and you pretty much have Vanilla Berry! I know, long way around a simple explanation but this still goes to the tremendous amount of work that goes into creating snus flavors! I only had an hour to make Vanilla Berry so, just think what the guys at Swedish Match will go thru when it’s time to make a new flavor! So, let’s take a look at what drinks would go well with Vanilla Berry!

I’m telling you, Monster Energy Drink was phenomenal with Vanilla Berry! It actually added the one element I needed that wasn’t on the flavor table, bitterness! The Monster’s bitterness mellowed out the fruitiness a bit and allowed the vanilla to come thru. Diet Coke just drowned out the Tutti-Frutti flavor but did help the tobacco flavor a bit. The second best thing though was Sweet tea! The sweet tea brought the vanilla flavor out as well but helped it to mix in with the other flavors and added the sweet element that I was looking for.

I know that here, Snustopians, I usually tell you where you can buy the snus we reviewed and what my recommendations would be but, since I highly doubt that “That Snus Guy’s Own” Vanilla Berry loose snus will be in your favorite snus shop anytime soon, all I can tell you is this; those Snustopians that want to try your hand at flavoring your own snus, should use a snus that is just pure tobacco flavor, like Ettan. Remember that some natural flavors, like mint or ginger, have another set of challenges if you use them like weird texture issues and the possibility of going bad sooner that the expiration date on the snus can and that artificial flavors can be your best bet! Another thing is to use your imagination to make the flavor that you like because; you have to be able to describe it to people!

The final thing Snustopians is, have fun with it! Thanks to my friends at Swedish Match, I now have a snus flavor I can call my own and had a blast making it! I hope this inspires you to try your hand at it and that I reviewed the process and my snus well enough!

If you do give it a try, leave me a note in the comment section! Who knows, I may ask you if I can review it!

Until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy