Onico Pure White Mint (Slim) - Review. 24 June 2019.

This product is really interesting to me. In the past, I've reviewed Onico, which is a tobacco and nicotine free product. Those products are similar to snus, even containing a darker material that is similar looking to tobacco. This new Onico product from Swedish Match is all white, but still tobacco and nicotine free. I think regular Onico is designed to help people quit snus, or cut down on snus usage, and this product is designed to help people quit all white snus or nicotine pouches, or just cut down on their usage. I'm not sure if that's the case or not, but that's my guess. The flavor description for Onico Pure White Mint Slim says, "Light and spicy character with clear elements of peppermint, and slightly eucalyptus and vanilla".  Each can weighs 20.8g and has 26 portions at 0.8g each.  The nicotine content is 0, because this is a tobacco and nicotine free product.

When you open the can, the aroma is a present smell of peppermint with a light hint of menthol and a touch of vanilla. The portions are slim, soft, and quite comfortable in the lip. Being a mint product, you'll also encounter the familiar cooling presence which is common of most mint product. The flavor of this one is pretty interesting. It's a present, lightly sweet peppermint flavor with a hint of menthol, but there also appears to be a tea-like quality to it. Not sure what that is, perhaps the plant fiber used to make Onico. The vanilla is very mild, and in the background, but I do pick it up.  The flavor lasts a pretty good amount of time, I find I can keep these in for up to 45 minutes on average.  Obviously, it's nicotine free, so I can't speak to a nicotine kick on this one.

This product isn't for me, I don't really use this kinda stuff.  But, if you use all white products or nicotine pouch products and want to step down your usage, you may like it.

G4 TACT Spearmint (All White) Super Slim - Review. 21 June 2019.

Swedish Match is a company that likes to break new ground, and with this product they appear to be doing it again. Back in May of 2016, Swedish Match released the super slim format with General G3 Mint Super Slim. Now, they appear to be doing another first, releasing G4 Tact which is the world's first super slim all white product. If you're new to the G4 line, this is how Swedish Match describes it: "Thanks to new technology, G.4 has been able to produce all white portions, with the same type of texture and feel as traditional snus, but completely without tobacco flavors. We call this format All White. Through a combination of plant fibers and a small amount of white tobacco, G.4 is a white snus before, during and after use. The portion has a soft fit, low drip and delivers a similar nicotine experience as traditional snus from Swedish Match."

So, how slim is super slim?  Looking at this photo comparing a regular slim white portion to a super slim all white portion, you can see it's a much slimmer portion format.  Snus is already discrete, but you could say this format is super discrete.  I used to joke around and call them nicotine toothpicks, but now that I've reviewed Nicotine Toothpicks, I don't really make that comparison anymore.

When it comes to G4 Tact, this is how Swedish Match describes it: "With G.4 TACT, we are the first in the world to launch a Super Slim product in the All White segment. TACT is our most discreet slim product so far and is designed to take as little space as possible, both in the mouth and in the pocket, but without sacrificing taste. This snus has a bright and spicy character with clear elements of spearmint."  G4 Tact comes in a 10.6g can with 20 portions, weighing 0.53g each. The nicotine content is 19mg/g (1.9%), which breaks down to 10.07mg/portion.  The can is also slightly smaller than a regular snus can in width and height, but not much - maybe a few mm.

When you open the can, the aroma is a fresh, smooth, lightly sweet smell of spearmint. The super slim portions are, of course, super slim. They feel lighter than a regular snus portion in the lip, but they don't feel as small as mini portions. Being a mint product, you'll encounter the familiar cooling sensation when you put a portion in the lip.  The flavor is pretty nice if you like spearmint.  It's a gentle, lightly sweet taste of spearmint.  I really like how smooth the flavor of this one is.  The nicotine strength on this one feels to be around the regular strength level.  As it is only 10.07mg/portion, I didn't expect it to be too strong.  The flavor, on average, lasts up to about 45 minutes.

In terms of the G4 line, I think this one might be my favorite.  I really dig the smooth spearmint flavor, the slimmer can, and the super slim portions!

Blå Lös (Norway) - Review. 19 June 2019.

This will actually be the third time I've reviewed this! I first tried Fiedler and Lundgren's Blå Lös back in 2010, when it was briefly available to the US via online sales. It was discontinued, and then relaunched in 2015 exclusively for the Norway market.  It's still exclusively available on the Norwegian market, but I wanted to revisit it since it now comes in the plain can design.  I've always enjoyed this product; it's a shame that it isn't available online for consumers in the US!  When it comes to Blå Lös, the flavor description says, "A snus with a carefully selected blend of tobacco." It comes in a 42g can, and has a nicotine content of 9mg/g.

A friend of mine got this can for me from Snuslageret.no, that's why the cans look like this. In Norway, snus cans come in this color, also known as Pantone 448 C, or 'opaque couché'. According to a survey, it is "the world's ugliest color". Also, cans in Norway have no graphics on them, they only have the name of the product. I personally like the cans and the color. I find the design simple, and minimalist. So their effort to make snus less attractive did not work on me.

Now, to get this out of the way - it tastes the same as the last few times I've had it. But, if you've never heard of Blå Lös before, I'll still review it anyway. The aroma is an earthy tobacco smell with a little smoky hint and a touch of chocolate. The los itself is pretty easy to work with; I find it's not too fine, but not too course. It handbakes quite well! The tobacco flavor is present, earthy, and robust. There is a hint of chocolate in the background, but it's not as in your face as with Ettan Lös, for example. There's also a very light smokey quality to this, but it doesn't overtake the tobacco flavor. The nicotine strength, with my usual 1-1.5 gram prillas, feels to be right at the regular strength level. I find the snus stays well baked in the lip, and I can usually keep it in for up to about 45 minutes on average!

I've always been a fan of this snus, and I'm glad I got to try it again.  If you're in Norway and like tobacco centric products, this is a must try!

G3 Strong (Slim White Dry) - Review. 17 June 2019.

I saw this product on Northerner.com and found it interesting that that was the first store I saw it. Usually Swedish Match puts their products up on their webstore before anyone else, but it didn't appear to happen this time.  This is an interesting release, because it's a white dry version of their G3 Strong Slim White portion.  The flavor description of this one says "G.3 Strong Slim Dry White has a mellow and spicy tobacco taste with distinct notes of citrus and bergamot, along with hints of leather and tea". The can weighs 16.6g and contains 24 portions at 0.69g each. The nicotine strength is 20mg/g (2.0%), or 13.8mg/portion.

The packages these come in when you get 5 cans says “NEW FORMULA - White Dry. This extra strong snus in a slim white dry format comes with a new formula making it 20% less runny.”  I talked to Swedish Match yesterday, because I was curious why this product was on their webstore but G3 Strong Slim White was no longer listed.  Also, this product on their store now says "New Design", even though this is a brand new product.  Swedish Match informed me that this product would actually be replacing the white portion version.  So the G3 line now has a white dry strong version, but not a white strong version.

When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a peppery tobacco smell with a hint of citrus. I notice the citrus to be more mild in this one than regular General. The portions are, of course, dryer than your average white portion. They're slim, and have a good fit in the lip. Even though they're a little dryer, they're not uncomfortable or anything.  The flavor is pretty mild.  It still has a presence of General, but it's a little different.  Like the aroma, I do notice the citrus, but it's much more subdued.  I notice a lot more of the tobacco taste with this one, and it seems the pepper is more present as well.  It's a pretty interesting taste!  The nicotine on this one feels to be firmly at the strong level, and has a nice kick to it.  The flavor lasts a really long time, which is a benefit of the white dry format.  I find, on average, I can keep one of these in for up to 1.5 hours!

If you like General, and want something with a dry format and a long lasting flavor, this one may be right up your alley!

Lyft Freeze (X-Strong) Nicotine Pouches - Review. 15 June 2019.

Fiedler and Lundgren have launched a few new Lyft products, and today we're talking about one of them: Lyft Berry Frost. This is a nicotine pouch product, meaning it contains nicotine, but no tobacco!  While these products aren't for me, they are good for those who may want to quit tobacco, but not nicotine.  This product is similar to the Epok Freeze (X-Strong) Snus product I reviewed a few months ago. The flavor description for this one says the flavor is a "peppermint and menthol blend". This product comes in a 16.8 gram can with 24 portions for 0.7 gram portions. The nicotine content is 16mg/g (1.6%), which breaks down to 11.2mg/portion.

I won't go too in depth on the differences between Epok and Lyft, but if you want to know more, I wrote an article about it, and I also did a video about it. But here's a photo just so you can see it real quick. You'll notice the cans look similar except the name, the portions look similar, and even the material inside the pouch looks similar. The way the pouches feel in the lip, the way the nicotine releases, and even the flavors are all very similar as well. So if you like Epok, you'll probably also really like Lyft.

If you've had the Epok Freeze X-Strong before, this one is virtually identical. This one has a sharp, present smell of peppermint with just a hint of menthol. The portions are slim, soft, and pretty comfortable in the lip! There's also a cooling presence you'll feel in the lip when you put a portion in, and a mild burn! The flavor is a predominant peppermint flavor with a hint of menthol in the background. It isn't overly sweet, either. There is a light sweetness to it, but it's not overdone. The nicotine on this one kicks in pretty quickly, and has a really strong kick at that! It feels firmly at the extra strong level. The flavor, on average, lasts about 45 minutes to an hour.

If you're into nicotine pouches, especially those with a mint flavor, and want some with a really, really strong kick, you may really enjoy these.

Summer 2019 Snus News! 15 June 2019

There's a lot of news going on in the world of snus this summer, so let's dive into it!

G3 News

I wrote a preview a few days back about the new G3 White Dry Strong and G3 Blue Mint White Dry Extra Strong products.  But, I recently noticed on the Swedish Match website these products said "New Design".  After a little digging, I noticed I couldn't find the old G3 Strong White Portion and G3 Blue Mint Extra Strong White Portion.  I reached out to Swedish Match about this, and was told these new white dry products would be replacing those white portion products.

Gotlandssnus Discontinues Two Products

I was speaking with Gotlandssnus yesterday, and was informed of some sad news.  Jakobsson's Dynamite and Jakobsson's Flader are being discontinued due to low sales volume.  I didn't really use Dynamite much, but Flader was a sad one for me.  Back when I first started using snus in 2009, Flader was a personal favorite and has been ever since.  If you like these products, make sure and buy them from your favorite store or webstore - once they're gone, they're gone forever.

Gotlandssnus Releases Wisby Line

Gotlandssnus is releasing a new product line called Wisby.  I see on Snusbolaget.se they're priced at 31kr-33kr, so it looks like they're designed to compete in that value priced segment. This is how they describe the new line: "At Gotlandssnus, we love our origin. Getting to Visby is an experience, here you will find old and genuinely well preserved, narrow alleys inside the ring wall. Many people have a relationship with the city and memories from here, regardless of the season. The snus saw Wisby is our tribute to the Visby gate to Gotland and also to our hearts."  Wisby Norderport is described as having a "clear tobacco character with a hint of rosehip." Wisby Söderport is described as having a "clear tobacco character with a hint of fläder".  It appears as though the flavor of Jakobsson's Fläder will live on!  Both of these products come in a white portion, which is a first for Gotlandssnus as they mostly release original portions.  According to the Gotlandssnus website, each can weighs 18g with 0.9g portions, and a nicotine strength of 14mg/g.

New Small Batch!

Swedish Match has announced the next release in their Small Batch series, No10 is called Rosé! Last summer, Swedish Match released a limited edition Rosé snus that I never got to try, so I'm excited to check this one out. It was originally made for Almedal Week, and is a big political festival in Sweden. With a rose smell, they were trying to catch the politicians' attention and lobby to remove the "unfair export ban for snus to the EU”, according to Patrik Strömer, Secretary General of the Swedish Snus Manufacturer. Swedish Match describes this product as "inspired by flavors and aromas that can almost be likened to the classic pink rosé wine from Provence. The main character consists of a crisp, light bitter and refreshing citrus with tones of peach, red apples and a finely tuned floral presence, complemented by a light aromatic tobacco."  This one looks to come in the white portion format, and will come in a 24g can with 24 portions.

Zyn Releases Super Slim Product

A few days ago, I wrote about the new G4 Tact SuperSlim, and all white/white tobacco product.  It appears as though Swedish Match is continuing the SuperSlim all white trend and releasing a version of Zyn called X-Slim, which comes in the SuperSlim format.  This is a product for the Swedish market, so it doesn't look like it will be available to the US.  This one is said to have an "intense but soft peppermint and biting, cooling aftertaste".  It has a nicotine strength of 14mg/g.

Jakobsson's Summer Snus 2019

Gotlandssnus has releases their Summer 2019 Snus, Jakobsson's Hallon and Jordgubb!  This has a flavor of "wild strawberry and raspberry". If you've never had it before, I did a text review of it back in 2017 and a video review of it as well.  This one is a great summer release, and one I enjoy every year whenever the weather starts warming up.  Usually it's only available for a few months, so if this is a favorite of yours make sure and stock up on it!

Lyft Releases Summer Snus 

I saw this one on Snusbolaget.se and was really intrigued.  Lyft has released their first limited edition, summer flavored product!  This one looks like it comes in a regular can, as well, not the usual Lyft can.  Unfortunately, from what I've heard, it's only available in Sweden, so I'm not sure if I'll get to review this one or not.  Snusbolaget says this one has a "sweet taste of strawberry".  The nicotine strength is listed there as 8mg/g, and it is, as other Lyft products are, a nicotine pouch product.  Meaning, it has nicotine but no tobacco.  If you're in Sweden, this one sounds like a good taste for the summer!

Lyft Berry Frost (Mellow) Nicotine Pouches - Review. 11 June 2019.

Fiedler and Lundgren have launched a few new Lyft products, and today we're talking about one of them: Lyft Berry Frost.  This is a nicotine pouch product, meaning it contains nicotine, but no tobacco!  While these products aren't for me, they are good for those who may want to quit tobacco, but not nicotine.  This product is similar to the Epok Berry Frost (Chew Bags) product I reviewed a few months ago except out of Denmark. The flavor description for this one says, "Lyft Berry Frost is an exciting mix of sweet and fresh.  It has a mild mint and berry flavored all white tobacco-free portion with lower than average nicotine content".  This product comes in a 16.8g can with 24 portions for 0.7g portions.  The nicotine content is a 1/4, which means it's going to be a little less strong than regular strength.

I won't go too in depth on the differences between Epok and Lyft, but if you want to know more, I wrote an article about it, and I also did a video about it. But here's a photo just so you can see it real quick. You'll notice the cans look similar except the name, the portions look similar, and even the material inside the pouch looks similar. The way the pouches feel in the lip, the way the nicotine releases, and even the flavors are all very similar as well. So if you like Epok, you'll probably also really like Lyft.

When you open the can, the aroma is a fresh smell which seems like a minty, tropical fruit smell with light hints of blueberry mixed in. The portions are slim, soft, and comfortable in the lip. I don't notice a cooling presence in this one in the lip, which I was curious if it was going to have. This flavor is really interesting. It's a little minty, and definitely fruity, and seems to have some blueberry presence to it, but also something tropical in the background. It also has a very light sweetness to it, as well.  It's certainly a unique flavor!  The nicotine strength doesn't feel too much lower than regular strength, either.  I find the flavor, on average, lasts around 45 minutes to an hour!

If you like nicotine pouches and want something with a unique flavor, you may dig this one.  It's certainly unique tasting when compared to everything else on the market!