ON! Nicotine Pouches (8mg) - Review. 22 June 2017.

Two years ago, I reviewed ON! Nicotine Pouches in the Level 1 and Level 3 strengths. Today, we are going to talk about some new releases in the ON! Nicotine Family, these coming in the 8mg nicotine level! The nicotine pouch category seems to be growing in popularity, as more people are wanting to enjoy nicotine but avoid tobacco. I recently reviewed Zyn NT by Swedish Match, and ALTid Nicotine Pouches, two other products in the nicotine pouch category. When it cones to ON! Nicotine Pouches, they describe it like this: “Instant Release. Absolute Discretion. ON! uses 100% food grade ingredients and naturally derived nicotine crystals in a clean pouch. Life is full of challenges and moments when concentration matters. When you can use mental clarity to help focus on the task at hand, achieve your goals, and get the job done.”

How to use it:

Using ON! Nicotine Pouches is much like using regular Swedish Snus.  It's very easy to use.  You take a pouch, put it in your upper lip, and enjoy!  It couldn't be easier to use.  The pouches are discrete, and involve no spitting! Their description says this: “Select a fresh pouch and place up under your lip, against your gum. Don’t worry, no one will be able to see it. Now, just wait for the gentle tingling sensation and enjoy. You can move it’s position, but no need to chew. Once you’ve finished enjoying, please use the disposal in the back of the pack or find your nearest bin.”

What's in it?

For those who are curious about what's inside ON! and how it's made, I wanted to cut open a pouch and show what's inside. ON! is a patented white, dry nicotine pouch.  These pouches are free from tobacco.  The nicotine is derived naturally from tobacco, though the pouches do not contain tobacco.  The nicotine is crystalized, which provides for a release faster than that of tobacco. You can see inside the pouch it looks like table salt. ON! comes with 20 pouches in a 5.3 gram can. The nicotine content is 8mg per pouch.  The nicotine content on these actually has a solid delivery to it and feels to be comparable to regular strength snus!  The pouches seem dry at first, but become more comfortable as they become more moist in the lip.

ON! Nicotine Pouches: Berry

The flavor description says, "Wild berry flavored pouches. Designed with Redbull lovers in mind, each pouch packs the perfect punch of delicious berry flavor. Each pack contains 20 pouches and each pouch delivers up to 20 minutes of concentration."

When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a mild, fruity aroma.  It’s similar to raspberry and cherry.  The taste is very much like the aroma - it is a light, fruity taste.  There’s a mild touch of sweetness to it, as well.  The taste seems to be a mix of raspberry and cherry, with the raspberry being more present in the flavor.

ON! Nicotine Pouches: Cinnamon

The flavor description says, "Bold cinnamon flavored pouches deliver a sweet and savory on! moment for the most daring of palettes. Each pack contains 20 pouches and each pouch delivers up to 20 minutes of concentration."

When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a mild, pleasant cinnamon aroma.  It reminds me of Big Red chewing gum.  The taste is a gentle, mild cinnamon flavor.  It’s not too sweet and not overbearing.  It’s quite nice!

ON! Nicotine Pouches: Citrus

The flavor description says, "Fresh citrus flavored pouches. Let citrus transport your taste buds to margaritas on the beach of Mexico for 20 minutes of refreshing citrus flavor. Each pack contains 20 pouches and each pouch delivers up to 20 minutes of concentration."

When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a clean lemon smell.  It reminds me of lemon cough drops.  I also notice a mild tingle in the lip when I put one of these portions in.  The taste is a pleasant, mild, lightly tart flavor of lemon.  It’s pretty tasty stuff!

ON! Nicotine Pouches: Coffee

The flavor description says, "Rich coffee pouches deliver the perfect, smooth, latte-like- blend making even the best barista a little jealous of our recipe. Each pack contains 20 pouches and each pouch delivers up to 20 minutes of concentration."

I’m not a coffee drinker, but I still enjoyed this one.  The aroma is a mild smell of coffee beans with a light sweetness - much like a frappuccino!  The taste is a mild and light taste of coffee with a gentle hint of sweetness.  It’s a mellow taste, but very enjoyable.

ON! Nicotine Pouches: Mint

The flavor description says, "Crisp mint flavored pouches leave your mouth feeling cool and refreshed. Each pack contains 20 pouches and each pouch delivers up to 20 minutes of concentration."

The aroma of this one is a sharp mint smell.  It seems close to peppermint, but with a light touch of menthol in the background.  Being a mint product, you’ll encounter a mild cooling presence in your lip.  The flavor profile is a light, airy taste of mint.  It’s pretty gentle, and comes with a light touch of menthol in the background.

ON! Nicotine Pouches: Original

The flavor description says, "Original flavored pouches are for the serious, perfect for those that want to enjoy the nicotine release but keep a neutral flavor. Each pack contains 20 pouches and each pouch delivers up to 20 minutes of concentration."

This one was pretty interesting.  When I opened the can, I didn't encounter any aroma other than the pouch material itself.  When I put one in the lip, I encountered no flavor, either!  I pick up a light sweetness when I lick the pouch, but I found no flavor at all.  I imagine this one is for someone who wants nicotine and nothing else!

As far as these products go, I personally wouldn't use them.  I'm a snus guy, and that's my preference when I consume nicotine.  However, I can say they're good products for what they are.  There are people out there who want to quit smoking and don't want to consume tobacco.  This is a great way for people to enjoy nicotine while avoiding tobacco at the same time.  If you're looking for an aid in quitting smoking, I definitely suggest giving these a try!

Lundgren's Skåne Vit Slim - Review. 20 June 2017.

I originally reviewed Lundgren's Skåne Vit back in November of 2015, and it's become of my personal favorites. I find the flavor to be unique and quite enjoyable! Now, Fiedler and Lundgren have released it in a slim portion version. This one, however, is not perforated like the regular size Lundgren's Skåne Vit. The flavor description for this snus says, "Fresh and full-bodied taste of tobacco, and with notes of wild berries."  This product comes in a 19.2 gram can with 24 portions, for 0.8 gram portions.  This is a regular strength, 8mg/g (0.8%) snus.  With 0.8 gram portions, that breaks the nicotine content down to  6.4mg/portion.  This snus also comes with the FlexLock/FlexLid, which is a neat addition!  It is a rubbery material that expands as you put more used portions into it.  To me, this is one of the greatest snus innovations in recent memory.

As far as this snus goes, it's virtually the same as the regular Lundgren's Skåne Vit, but in a slim portion with a milder taste. When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a light smell of pine, a mild berry presence, and a light herbal aroma. The portions are slim, and have a soft portion material that feels comfortable in the lip. These, however, are not perforated. What I've found is that the flavor comes out slower than the perforated, regular sized portions, and the taste is also milder than the regular sized version.  Don't get me wrong, it's still a great tasting snus!  The flavor profile is a mild berry taste which reminds me of a light cranberry flavor.  There is a nice salt balance, a taste of pine, and a light herbal flavor.  There is also a gentle earthy tobacco presence in the background.  The taste lasts a good amount of time with these; I've been able to enjoy this snus for up to an hour!  The nicotine strength feels to be about regular strength, as well.

It's rare that I will say the slim version is inferior to the regular size version.  However, with this one, I enjoy the regular size version more.  The flavor releases quicker and seems to be more present in the perforated version.  This isn't a bad snus by any means, it has a great taste!  But for me personally, I'll stick with the regular sized, perforated version.

Jakobsson's Hallon & Jordgubb (Limited Edition) - Review. 20 June 2017

In 2012, Gotlandssnus launched Gotland's Summer Snus, which was flavored with smultron, a wild strawberry that grows in Swedish forests during the summertime. In 2016, Gotland's Summer Snus had a change in the flavor. This time, the flavor was changed to have a "tobacco flavor with hints of raspberries and strawberries, and herbs". In March of this year, they announced their product line would be going through a redesign. The limited editions would no longer be under the Gotlandssnus label, but would now be Jakobsson's products. Summer Snus was renamed to Jakobsson's Hallon and Jordgubb, but would retain the same flavor. To explain the name, Hallon is Swedish for raspberry, and Jordgubb is Swedish for strawberry. The flavor description of this year's release says, "Jakobsson's Raspberry and Strawberry (sv. Hallon and Jordgubb) is one of the new arrivals in the Gotlandssnus family for the year 2017 and has a delicious, summer-like taste. The flavour is that of fresh raspberries accompanied by a refreshing taste of Swedish strawberries with just the right touch of sweetness."  This snus comes in a 20 gram can with 20 portions, for 1 gram portions.  The nicotine content is 10mg/g (1.0%), which easily breaks down to 10mg/portion.

When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a fruity, natural berry smell.  It isn't too sweet and comes through in a very pleasant way.  The aroma seems to blend the strawberry and raspberry equally.  As far as the portions go, they're fantastic.  I've always been a big fan of Gotlandssnus original portions because they're not too moist, so there's a great balance of the longevity of a white portion, but the quick flavor release of an original portion!  In the flavor department, I notice the raspberry to be slightly more present than the strawberry.  Both tastes are easily detectable, but I pick up a little bit more raspberry than strawberry.  The taste comes through in a natural way that isn't too sweet!  The nicotine feels to be about regular strength.  Though it is a 10mg/g nicotine strength, it doesn't feel too strong and delivers nicotine much like a regular 8mg/g snus would.  The flavor lasts a good amount of time, up to about the 45 minute mark.

All in all, this is a pretty tasty snus.  It's not something I could use full time, but I enjoy these limited edition releases to throw in every now and then.  This is a great summer flavor and, as pictured, is great to enjoy by the pool!

Nordic Storm Fresh (Large White & Slim White) - Reviews. 14 June 2017.

In case you missed my recent article, JTI Snus has been rebranded as Nordic Snus AB. When I talked to them, I was told this name change is done to better represent their snus production, it's tradition, and it's heritage. It is also to represent their business within the Nordic countries. The first products released after this name change are the new Nordic Storm products - an original flavor and two mint flavors. Because hey, we all know there aren't enough mint flavors in the world! With the popularity of mint, especially in Norway, it does make sense, though.  It's a smart move by a snus company - make a mint snus, make it strong, and it'll sell.  So, with the new Nordic Snus AB name, it only makes sense that they release a few mint products.

Nordic Storm Fresh: Large White

The product description for this one says, "Nordic Storm Large White Fresh has a flavor of spicy tobacco and refreshing menthol. This snus has a larger white pouch." This snus comes in a 21.6 gram can with 24 portions weighing 0.9 grams each. The nicotine content is 16mg/g (1.6%) which breaks down to 14.4mg/portion.

When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is predominantly menthol with a light touch of mint.  The portions are regular size, and quite comfortable in the lip.  As with most mint products, you'll encounter a nice, mild, cooling sensation in the lip.  It also spreads throughout the mouth and is quite refreshing!  The taste is predominantly menthol but there seems to be a light touch of mint in the background.  I also notice a very light taste of tobacco in the background after about 20 minutes of having a portion in.  The flavor is very long lasting; I've been able to enjoy these for up to an hour and a half.  This one has a pretty solid nicotine kick as well, it feels to be between a strong and an extra strong.

Nordic Storm Fresh: Slim White

The product description for this one says, "Nordic Storm Slim White Fresh has a flavor of spicy tobacco and refreshing menthol. This snus has a slim sized white pouch." This snus comes in a 19.2 gram can with 24 portions weighing 0.8 grams each. The nicotine content is 16mg/g (1.6%) which breaks down to 12.8mg/portion.

This product is pretty much identical in all ways to the large white version, except for two things.  First, it's a slim white portion.  I'm a big slim portion fan, so I obviously like these more.  Second, the nicotine is a little lower per portion.  The large version clocked in at 14.4mg/portion, whereas the slim white version clocks in at 12.8mg/portion.  This one does feel strong, but it doesn't quite feel extra strong.  But the aroma, taste and longevity of this snus is the same as the large white version.

If you're a mint fan, I'd suggest giving these a try.  There aren't a lot of snus products where the menthol taste is front and center.  They're solid releases from the new Nordic Snus AB!

Nordic Storm (Original) - Slim White. Review. 14 June 2017.

In case you missed my recent article, JTI Snus has been rebranded as Nordic Snus AB. When I talked to them, I was told this name change is done to better represent their snus production, it's tradition, and it's heritage. It is also to represent their business within the Nordic countries. The first products released after this name change are the new Nordic Storm products - an original flavor and two mint flavors. The flavor description for this product says, "Nordic Storm Slim White Original has a traditional flavor of tobacco with a hint of bergamot. This snus has a slim sized white pouch." This product comes in a 19.2 gram can with 24 portions weighing 0.8 grams each. It has a nicotine content of 16mg/g (1.6%), which breaks down to 12.8mg/portion.

If you've had Gustavus Slim Cut Strong, this product reminds me a lot of that one. When you open the can, a strong aroma of bergamot comes through with a mild hint of tobacco. The portions are slim and feel comfortable in the lip. The taste is very much the traditional Swedish Snus taste. The flavor of bergamot is quite present, along with some pepper, a light tobacco character, and a touch of salt. The bergamot is more present than the tobacco, but you can still taste the tobacco! The nicotine strength on this one looks light on paper, but I actually feel a pretty solid kick from this one! The flavor also lasts a good amount of time; I've been able to enjoy these up to an hour, sometimes up to an hour and fifteen minutes.  If you're into the traditional Swedish Snus flavor profile, I'd suggest giving this one a try, it's a pretty solid product!

ALTid - Reviews. 10 June 2017.

It seems like the nicotine pouch format is gaining popularity. We've seen more of these products coming onto the market for people who want to consume nicotine, but may not be fans of consuming tobacco. In the past I've reviewed Zyn NT, and ON! Nicotine Pouches, two products that allow the user to enjoy nicotine but without using tobacco. Today we're going to be talking about ALTid, a new product line which appears to be marketed for the vaping community. Their website describes them by saying "Intelligently Designed nicotine products for the future! The altid family of tobacco-less, spit-less nicotine pouches have been designed to be used as an alternate to other Nicotine products when discretion is key. altid is unique in the fact that you can control the speed in which the nicotine is released with a few, light chews on the pouch, anytime you feel the need for an added boost! altid can be used whenever and wherever you are!"

You may be asking yourself, "What is this ALTid Stuff?" ALTid uses nicotine extracted from tobacco. There is no tobacco in the product at all. The flavorings are a blend of natural and artificial flavors, and are combined with nicotine, a proprietary base, and a sugar free sweeter that is used commonly in gum. The nicotine in ALTid releases slow over a 60+ minute time frame. The pouches can be lightly bitten a few times to release the nicotine faster. You can do this ever 5 minutes for up to 65 minutes and you’ll feel the nicotine each time.  ALTid comes in three levels: Level 1 - 2mg/pouch (Snus equivalent, 6mg/g). Level 2 - 4mg/pouch (Snus equivalent, 12mg/g). Level 3 - 7mg/pouch (Snus equivalent, 21mg/g).  The material inside the pouch looks to be similar to a coarse salt.  The cans are small in size and fit quite well into your pocket.  The cans also have a small compartment on the back for discarding of your used pouches if you're somewhere without a trash can!

The can weighs 7.2 grams with 20 portions weighing 0.36 grams per portion. I found the portions to be small and discrete with a soft portion material. They’re softer in the lip than purified products I’ve had in the past. As the pouches get more moist, they get more soft in the lip! The level 2 nicotine feels to be comparable to regular strength Swedish Snus, whereas the level 3 feels to be stronger. I found these products to have a solid nicotine kick, but a steady delivery, which is quite enjoyable.

ALTid Citrus Mint

The flavor description says ALTid Citrus Mint "has the taste of sunshine and briskness in every pouch! sweet flavors of oranges, limes and lemons are mixed with a hint of refreshing, brisk mint! We're certain that once you try a pouch of altid® citrus mint it will become a permanent part of your daily rotation!"  I was nervous going into this one. In the past, anytime I’ve had a snus that blended citrus and mint I wasn’t too impressed with the results. However, I found the taste profile of this one to be much better than what I’d had in these past. When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a very fresh smell of orange. It reminds me of the smell when you cut into a fresh orange. In the mouth you get a mild cooling sensation which is quite pleasant. The flavor is a nice, fresh taste of orange with a very mild hint of mint in the background. I found the mint to not be too intrusive, and it actually complimented the orange taste. With this one I’ve found I can enjoy the flavor for up to the 45 minute mark.

ALTid Dragonfruit

The flavor description says ALTid Dragon Fruit is their "take on an exotic fruit popular in Asia! Watermelon, sweet red berries and a hint of Cotton Candy flavors mix to create a one-of-a-kind taste that is truely unique! We're confident that if you like sweet, fruity flavors, altid® dragonfruit will be your favorite!"  This one was my favorite of the four products. I absolutely loved this flavor. When you open the can, the aroma is a fruity, tropical smell. It reminded me of cherry Chapstick and Redbull. I know, that sounds weird, but trust me - it works. The taste is a nice, tropical, fruity taste. It reminds me of cherry and melon. It’s fruity, but not overly sweet. It’s a pleasant flavor! The taste lasts a good amount of time; I’ve found I can enjoy these for up to 45 minutes!

ALTid Ice Mint

The flavor description says ALTid Ice Mint "has an extreme, icy cool mint flavor. We've taken the clean, crisp flavor of pure mint to the extreme and added bit of sweetness to create a mint flavor that's brisk and refreshing! We're confident that altid® ice mint will become your go-to flavor for any occasion!"  When you open the can of ALTid Ice Mint the aroma that comes through is a mild, fresh mint aroma. It’s pleasant, and not too sweet. When you put a pouch in your lip you’ll encounter a nice, refreshing cooling sensation that lasts a good amount of time. The flavor is a light, airy taste of mint with a mild touch of sweetness. When it comes to the flavor, I’ve found I can enjoy these for up to 45 minutes!

ALTid Wintergreen

The flavor description says ALTid Wintergreen takes "the taste of traditional Wintergreen to a whole new level! The clean, refreshing taste is perfectly mixed with a light sweetness and slight tingle in the lip. This creates a unique, one of a kind flavor we're sure you'll enjoy!"  When you open a can of ALTid Wintergreen, the aroma is a mild, pleasant wintergreen aroma. I’m personally not a big fan of wintergreen, but I’ve found their approach to these flavor to be something that even I can enjoy. The flavor is a light, mild, gentle taste of wintergreen. It’s not “in your face” wintergreen like with American “dip”/moist snuff. The taste also lasts a good amount of time; I’ve found I can enjoy these for up to 45 minutes.

If you're a nicotine user but don't want to consume tobacco, I definitely suggest giving these a try!

Jakobsson's Chew (Original & Wild Mint) - Reviews. 9 June 2017.

Back in April of 2015 I reviewed Gotlandssnus' first chew bag products: Cruiser Chew. I'm not sure if these are still produced, however. Now, they are releasing two new chew bag products, this time under the Jakobsson's brand name: Jakobsson's Original Chew Bags (Ultra Strong) and Jakobsson's Wild Mint Chew Bags (Ultra Strong). After going through a can of each of these, I can say they are virtually the same thing as snus, only with a different name. If you're new to "chew bags", check out this video I made, which is a video on Nordic Chew, as it's called, versus Swedish Snus. Northerner describes these products by saying, "Jakobsson's Chew Bags are manufactured by Gotlandssnus. Jakobssons Chew Bags are very similar to Jakobssons Snus. The only major difference is that the tobacco is cut instead of grinded. The specially developed paper of the bags allows an optimal delivery of taste and nicotine. Use it like a regular snus, put it under your upper lip and enjoy. For a faster nicotine and taste development, chew the bag gently 1-2 times before."

Jakobsson's Chew Bag Wild Mint

The product description for Jakobsson's Wild Mint says, "Jakobsson's Wild Mint Chew Bags has a soft but distinct mint flavor and a hint of herbs. This product has a regular sized pouch." This product comes in a 20 gram can with 20 portions, for 1 gram each. The nicotine content is 21mg/g (2.1%), or 21mg/portion.

Going into this one, I was curious if it would taste like Jakobsson's Mint Strong, and I would say it's actually pretty close. When you open the can, a sharp smell of mine comes through. It smells like a mix of peppermint, spearmint, menthol, and a mild herbal presence. The portions are moist, and quickly release flavor and nicotine. Being a mint product, you get a nice cooling sensation in the lip and throughout the mouth, as well! The taste is a sweet taste of mint; it seems like a mix of spearmint and peppermint, but with a light presence of menthol in the background. There’s also a light herbal character, and a mild tobacco taste. The nicotine strength is also quite strong; I feel it kick in at about the 5 minute mark and it doesn’t let up. The flavor lasts up to about 45 minutes, which is normal for most original portions.

Jakobsson's Chew Bags Original 

The product description for Jakobsson's Original says, "Jakobsson's Original Chew Bags has a spicy tobacco character with notes of bergamot and citrus. This product has a regular sized pouch." This product comes in a 20 gram can with 20 portions, for 1 gram each. The nicotine content is 21mg/g (2.1%), or 21mg/portion. 

I was curious if this one would taste like Jakobsson's Dynamite or the discontinued Jakobsson's Classic Strong. Honestly, it reminds me of a mix of the two! When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a robust tobacco smell with a presence of citrus. The portions are quite moist and have a quick release of flavor and nicotine! The taste is a rich, spicy tobacco flavor, accompanied by a light and airy taste of citrus, and a mild touch of sweetness. The nicotine comes on very quickly and is very strong! The flavor lasts about 45 minutes, and the nicotine kicks around for quite some time, as well.  If you like traditional Swedish Snus taste, you'll probably dig this one.

If you're a snus fan who can't get access to snus, these are definitely worth trying.  They're basically snus, but called "chew bags" to make them legal.  Jakobsson's Snus has always had a great quality, as do these new products!