It's been almost 2 months since I wrote my first review of Swedish Snus. I've tasted A LOT of different snus's since then and am ready to present Part 2 of my Swedish Snus reviews.
First, the standard disclaimer: taste is subjective. If I speak poorly of a particular brand and you really want to try it, go ahead...it may turn out to be your favorite. Conversely, you might not like one of my favorites. This is just my opinion and my taste.
As to where to buy your Swedish Snus, my opinion remains unchanged: SnusCENTRAL.com If you're a first-time buyer, click on the banner above and get 10% off your first purchase: fresh snus, order processed within 24 hours, great customer service: They aim to please.
Now to the taste tests! I found some real surprises, some pleasant, some not, this go-around. I also re-affirmed my conclusion on the Offroad brand portion snus: it's horrible..... unless you've been using Camel, Marlboro, Skoal, Klondike, or any other American version of snus for any significant length of time. If you're upgrading to Swedish Snus, you may find some taste too strong (because the American snus's taste is watered down and too sweet).
Some people use Offroad as a bridge to the premium Swedish Snus brands.
The Offroad loose snus is supposed to taste much better, but I can't say from experience...for a future review.
If you're going directly from cigarettes to Swedish Snus, try a can of Offroad if you like but you can handle (and will love) Swedish Snus. With well over 100 different varieties to choose from, a little experimentation (with the help of the Snus Reviews Section at SnusCENTRAL.org and the Snus CENTRAL.org Member Forum), you'll quickly discover "your taste preference".
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7 comments:
Read your reviews and your FAQ. Nice to see an american snus user. I'm Swedish and I've also tried all kinds of snus.
I used to prefer Grov portion.. I see that your favorite is General. General is ok but I prefer the "cleaner" tobacco taste of Grovsnus.
A while ago I decided to switch to mini portion. Sadly there is no Grov mini.. The only mini snus I like is Catch. It comes in many flavors but I prefer licorice. It's supposed to taste like licorice, but it's an old recipe with quite a clean tobacco flavor. You should try it. ;)
You also like Göteborgs Rapé.. That's a very good old snus from Gothenburg. It's not really supposed to be "flavored" but perhaps it tastes a bit fruity.
Another snus you really should try is Röda Lacket. It's actually the oldest snus in Sweden (155 years) even older than Ettan and General.
It only came in portion a couple of years ago.
The taste of Röda Lacket is very hard to describe. A strong, somewhat fruity flavor but still a clean tobacco taste. It's one of my favorites but hard to find in shops where I live (Southern Sweden).
I also thought I should say something about loose snus. Many men in Sweden refuse to use portion. They say it's for women. ;) I won't even tell you what those hardcore snusers say about flavored snus.
But they claim you get screwed when you buy portion. That's because you get more snus in a can of loose snus.
I've tried loose snus some times. You said tools are needed to use it, but that's not necessarily true. There is a tool called "snus master" but the hardcore snusers use their fingers to make a ball.
But you are right that loose snus is very hard to use. You have to rinse your mouth with water after spitting it out. People who do it in public bathrooms often make a mess, and that's one of the reasons some people think that snus is disgusting.
You also said that Swedes place their used snus in the lid. Some people do it when they are inside, but almost everybody just spit it out when they're outside.
That's almost all I have to say. Great blog. :)
Oh, one more thing. I noticed the prices are cheaper on buysnus.com when I choose USD and "other countries". In SEK and "within the EU" it's a lot more expensive.
I don't know why that is.. Could be because it's illegal to sell snus in the EU (except Sweden). Also we have very high taxes on snus. The stupid Swedish government raised the taxes recently. Now snus is almost as expensive as cigarettes, and that's sick when you think of the health benifits people get from using snus instead.
snobdok@hotmail.com
Just tried some offroad today (first time using snus)...flavor is so so. It's a little hard to stomach at first but ok after about 10min (at which point I don't really notice much flavor). I ordered some other brands to compare (ettan, general, etc)
I've now tried both the rape and rape #2 and I think I'm partial to the #2. The slight hint of berry makes the snus all the better and I have a hard time noticing a difference in sweetness between the two.
I like them both. I gravitated to the Rape' first because at the time, I liked the taste a little better but also because it was a white portion while the #2 is regular portion.
But my taste buds are telling me I'm due for some brand rotation. The Rape' #2 will be on either my next order or the one after that. I generally buy rolls so I'm limited on how many brands I can have on hand at any given time. But Rape#2 is coming up!
I'm really curious to try the Gotlandssnus Green after Silk's comments. I never thought I'd like the Jakobson's Snus Ice Fruit because I'm not a mint fan and it's one of my current favorites.
That's the great thing about Swedish snus: there are so many options your tastebuds never get bored!
Sincerely,
Mr. UNZ
Weird as it may sound, Offroad is what got me hooked on snus - the lemon and bergamot undertones were excellent, and then I moved on. I'm currently completely in love with Claq Qui, which I tried on a whim from buysnus.com. It's absolutely delicious, and since Camel is about to roll out their snus here in Tennessee I've been giving my regular customers who buy Grizzly and especially the ones who buy Skoal Bandits a portion. Haven't seen them yet to get their reaction - initially it was just "Agh, this burns" but I tried to focus them on the taste instead, and I think I'll be able to hook my Copenhagen snuff regulars on the Grovsnus or even the Claq Qui. It's just a wonderful tobacco taste. The most humorous reaction I get is the "holy shit, this smells awful" one, but I don't see how it smells much different from Copenhagen snuff, and the benefits are self evident.
I recently received some Anis Mocca and Lucky Strike - anyone think they're any good? Haven't tried them yet - just working through the Claq Qui I bought on a whim and am enjoying immensely.
Hey there. I been reading this from time to time and thought I'd toss in my two cents.
I've been 'chewing' for the better part of 10 years. I started out with Berry Blend Skoal long cut and switched to pouches after a while. I was chatting with a Swedish buddy of mine about chew and he said to try Snus, I figured they were pretty much the same thing and though little of it.
Then I heard about Camel Snus and when it finally came to town I had to try it. I didn't really care for it. It tastes like Winterfresh Gum and that's about it. However it didn't give me a gut ache from swallowing like Skoal did(I know I'm supposed to spit). Being intrigued by this, I talked to my Swedish friend again and found buysnus.com. I took advantage of their 'free' can promotion and just got it a few days ago.
I got the General White portion to try something different. When I got the little padded manilla envelope I was sooo excited. Then I opened it the smell was awful. I thought they might have sent me a jar of trapping scent at first. Regardless, I opened the can, and it stunk worse, but I figured I had waited a week to get it so I better try it. I pushed a pouch into my upper lip(also where I keep my Skoal Bandits) and let it sit. It took a while before any flavor showed up and when it did, I was nearly confused. All I tasted was salt with a hit of something else... I can only describe it as salty tea. I don't love it, but I certainly don't hate it either. I like it better than the Camel kind and like that it doesn't hurt my gut like Skoal/Cope does. I'm still considering trying new flavors of Snus from that site and have several in mind. I really wish it was sold where I live but I am yet to find any. I still use my Skoal Bandits mainly.
Is the smell of General White supposed to be like that or did I get a bad can?
Hi Anonymous!
Thanks for stopping by and thank you for commenting!
The short answer is yes, it's supposed to smell that way. It's real snus. American snus and smokeless tobacco in general smells and tastes completely different.
It's a question of perspective. I came from cigarettes to a couple portions of Camel SNUS to General Portion all in the same day. I liked the smell and the taste of it compared to the non-menthol cigarettes I was addicted to.
The Camel SNUS sold me on the fact that there was an alternative nicotine source which was discreet, had no second-hand snus to bother people and while the taste didn't thrill me, I decided I could get used to it.
The General Snus showed me I didn't have to get used to the taste or smell..I was blown away be the taste, the nicotine, the price, and the amount of product in the can.
That was because cigarettes are made with the cheapest tobacco possible and do smell bad once you stop using them. It was the nicotine and sugar that addicts you and tells your taste-buds that you liked the taste and smell of cigarettes. And even when I did smoke, smelling a freshly opened pack of cigarettes was not exactly a treat. That's why smokers generally don't do that.
Coming from Skoal chew, you are used to a completely different taste and smell. Swedish snus is going to be completely different and you're not the first person to ask this question.
General White is going to a night and day difference to you especially if you're used to Berry Blend. All Swedish Snus has some salt in it: it's used as a preservative. General White in particular does have a very strong taste of salt. It's a great quality snus, but may not be the right one for you. The fact that you don't "hate" it is a good thing. It means there are over 130 other Swedish Snus's you can try.
If you like the berry or fruit flavored taste, you don't love the General White but don't hate it either, then I would stay with one gram portions...also called Regular or Original size. There is much more of a selection and a range of nicotine levels from none to 16mg/g which will really give you a nicotine buzz if you like that (I do).
Normally, nicotine in a Regular/Original Portion or White Portion is between 8-9mg/g. That's how much nicotine is in your General White - 8mg/g.
Here are some suggestions for your next order. The question you have to ask yourself first is: did the General White take too long to start running or was it fine?
Swedish Snus comes in two types of pouch's: Portion and White Portion.
Portion Snus comes in a moist teabag type pouch. It starts running pretty quick and the taste is more concentrated than a White Portion. The trade-off is the White Portions will last you longer.
The rule of thumb is that a Swedish Portion Snus will last you an average of 45 minutes. Some last over an hour, some a half hour or even less. Portion snus is also easier on your gums than White Portion because of the pouch and the moisture.
White Portion takes longer to get going...about 5 minutes or so. White Portion is made slightly differently and does not go through an additional wetting at the end of the manufacturing process. White Portions generally last over an hour; sometimes up to two hours in my experience.
If you're looking for a more intense flavor and don't mind the shorter time-span, buy some Portion Snus.
Personally, taste is my primary concern and there are many White Portions that suit me. I used to run about 60/40 White/Portion. The last 6 months or so, some new really good Portion Snus's have been introduced so my previous 60/40 is now probably 40/60. That is my personal taste right now.
The first thing you need to understand about Swedish Snus is everyone's tastes are different and experimenting or using different brands is the norm. If you like a particular snus or snus's then they are the right ones for you..at that time. You will find as time goes by your tastes change. My favorite Swedish snus's from when I wrote this article are totally different than what I use today.
That's normal too. More about that another time...don't want to bury you in snus!
General is made by Swedish Match, the largest snus manufacturer in Sweden. Some of the fruit flavor snus they make and you might like are:
Götebergs Rapé White Portion
Göteborgs Rapé #2 Portion
My current favorite is Jakobsson's Ice Fruit Portion. One's you may find interest are:
Catch White Eucalyptus
Probe Whiskey
Gotlandssnus Jules Snus Portion
Any of the Nordströmmen Portion Snus's.
What you may want to try, but I personally don't like:
Elixyr Power Energy: Tasteless, will wake you up, but with all the Extra Strong Snus's on the market now, not worth it. I've never tried their Peppermint and can't comment on it.
Any of the Offroad Snus's.
The Offroad's are great quality but their portion snus's are much too mild for me. I'm told their loose snus is more flavorful but I've never tried it.
Snus's that have more of a tobacco taste but not as salty as General White:
General Onyx (this is their top of the line White Portion Snus. It is also a Strong or Stark snus meaning it has higher nicotine..in the case of Onyx, 11mg/g. You should get one can just to say you tried it. It's one of my favorite White Portion Starks.
Taboca Portion: a little milder but also cheaper and my favorite in that price range.
Philip Morris 1847 White or Portion: Don't worry, it's not Marlboro snus! The White is one of my favorites and the Portion is in my freezer waiting to be tried. I have high hopes for it.
Any of the Gotlandssnus's
Nick & Johnny Portion or West (NOT Nick & Johnny EAST) The East is a love it or hate it snus. I hate it. The best description I ever read of the taste (and wish I had come up with) is it tastes like the inside of your Grandmother's purse. The Portion and the West are a little higher in nicotine, but taste good.
If you want to try the high nicotine Extra Strong/Ekstra Sterk/Extra Stark snus's, here are my favorite:
Thunder Snus Portion: The current king of the nicotine hill with 16mg/g's but it also tastes great! My review is on SnusCentral.org.
General Ekstra Sterk Portion: I have a portion in my mouth right now.
Skruf Portion or the new White Portion: The Portion tastes great, has 14mg/g of nicotine but doesn't last me longer than a half hour. It does taste great, though.
The White Portion just came out. It tastes the same as the Portion to me except a little milder and takes at least 5 minutes to get going. They are both favorites of mine.
Grov Svart. This has an interesting taste that initially threw me but just tastes too good to ignore. It's not in my top three but it will certainly be an occasional snus and may become a staple in the future.
Claq Qui: Also by Swedish Match. Not a personal favorite of mine because it has a licorice taste and I don't like licorice. If you do, you'll like this one.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Other:
1. Don't buy rolls on your first couple of orders (a roll is ten cans of the same snus). Buy one; maybe two cans of a few different types. Once you know what you like, then you can buy rolls. You don't want to buy a roll based on a review or a product description, not like it, and be stuck with ten cans. If you do, SnusCENTRAL.org has a free Classified section for Members where you can trade snus's.
2. Go to SnusCENTRAL.org, Join (it's free and discreet), and you have access to the Forum, all my reviews, Reviews by That Snus Guy, Member Reviews and a lot more. The Members in the Forum will be more than happy to suggest Snus's for you to try: many are former dip and chew users. You have to be a Member to post questions or comments but can read it as a visitor. The topic and my passion for snus outgrew The Unloading Zone so I created an all encompassing website devoted to Snus. If you haven't visited yet, you're in for a big and very pleasant surprise..it's just a "little" bigger than The Unloading Zone (I'm being clever..it's HUGE compared to The Unloading Zone and much more attractive. The Unloading Zone is past due for a make-over..)
I've moved all my Snus articles over there, am in the process of moving all of my readers comments (including yours), and all my snus articles and reviews since December 5th 2008 are over there (and not here).
3. In order to be your source for everything snus, I also needed to add a Snus Store. We share a warehouse with Buysnus.com but are not a part of them: we have an agreement with the people who own BuySnus.com.
We are a little cheaper than BuySnus, have the same selection, great service, quick delivey and fresh snus as they do. I'm a big fan of BuySnus which is why it's owners and I are doing business.
You can get to the SnusCENTRAL Snus Store either by clicking on Shop on the top menu snuscentral.org or by going direct to snuscentral.com.
Here's a discount code which will give you 10% off your first order! Enter it at Check-Out: LV28F8 .
Good luck and congratulations on discovering Swedish Snus! There's plenty more information at SnusCENTRAL.org (and once you're a Member, you'll see a sub-menu item under Members which says Badges. It's invisible to visitors (as is some other cool stuff). Be sure and grab a badge or badges! The Founding Member badge is a limited edition and is coming down in the near future. And don't worry..I paid two professionals to design them. :-) )
Hope the above helps and I look forward to seeing you on SnusCENTRAL.org!
Sincerely,
Mr. UNZ (as I'm now called when talking about Snus..still Mr. UnloadingZone here)
Activist Snus Guru
Now Reporting from SnusCENTRAL
PS...I got a new graphic too!
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