Chainsaw (Cold Dry White) Snus - Review. 8 August 2018.

First of all, to start off this review, this is a review of the new Chainsaw (Cold Dry White) Snus from V2 Tobacco. Not too long ago, I reviewed Chainsaw (Cold Dry White) Chew Bags. They look virtually identical when you look at the cans, but I want to preface this review by saying this is the snus version of Chainsaw, not the chew bag version. I also did a group review with Nash and Vogi at Snus Con 2018 of that chew bag product, if you want to check out that video. When it comes to this new snus version, the flavor description says, "Chainsaw Cold White dry Portion is a mint snus with a well-rounded minty flavor and a high nicotine level of 22 mg/g." This product comes in a 10.4 gram can with 13 portions for 0.8 gram portions. The nicotine content is 22mg/g (2.2%), which breaks down to 17.6mg/portion.  Also, a special shout out to my friend John who grabbed this for my from SnusCENTRAL.  I'm not due an order just yet but wanted to review it, so thanks for grabbing a can for me.

When you open the can, the aroma that greets you is a sharp, present, focused smell of peppermint. The portions are white dry, but still soft to the touch and feel comfortable in the lip. When you put one in the lip, you’ll notice a burn, which dies out after a while, and a nice cooling present as well. The taste is a sharp, focused peppermint taste and a mild menthol presence. The taste isn’t overly sweet, which I like. The nicotine kick is strong, and it hits quick. It feels firmly at that ultra strong level; I can’t keep this stuff in too long! I’ve been able to push a few portions past the 1 hour mark, but generally I have to take them out within 30 minutes because the nicotine is more strong than I’m used to.

If you like mint flavored products and want something really strong, this is something you should check out.  It doesn't have a lot of portions, but the price point is under $3.00 USD per can, so it about equals out, I suppose.

Call To Action: Tobacco Control Bill (South Africa) - 1 August 2018.

In South Africa, there is currently discussion of a new Tobacco Control Bill. This bill makes no distinction between conventional tobacco products such as cigarettes and other reduced risk tobacco products. Harm reduction advocates in South Africa are wanting an allowance for an exemption for new technology/products, and a provision of information to consumers about harm reduced alternatives. They are wanting legislation that separates traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes from harm reduced alternatives. They also want a bill that acknowledges consumers have the right to choose.

There is currently a comment period open for submissions via consumers, which is open until August 9th, 2018. It is open to anyone, in any country.  No matter what country you are in, we are all in this together.  In the US, many from others countries submitted comments concerning snus here in the past.  No matter where you are, please submit comments about tobacco harm reduction, particularly if these safer alternatives helped you quit smoking and have improved your health!  

Interested parties are invited to submit comments to Chief Director: Health Promotion, Nutrition, Oral Health and Food Control Ms Lynn Moen-Mahalngu via e-mail - lynn.moeng@health.gov.za.

Nordic Spirit (Mint and Bergamot Wildberry) True White - Reviews. 30 July 2018.

The tobacco-free nicotine pouch category seems to be growing more and more. Both in the dry format (such as Swedish Match's Zyn NT), and the moist format, such as the other Zyn and Skruf's new SuperWhite. Now, Nordic Snus AB, makers of LD Snus, are entering this category with the new Nordic Spirit line! They described the new line by saying "Nordic Spirit tastes longer and provides a fast kick followed by a long-lasting, stable nicotine delivery. The soft and white portion bags also run less and do not color the saliva like traditional snus. Nordic Spirit comes in décor with a sense of Nordic wood design and Nordic design language."

As usual, I had to cut open a portion and look at what was inside. Here's a shot of Nordic Spirit (right) compared to another Nordic Snus product, LD Stark (left). When it comes to this product, Nordic Snus AB says Nordic Spirit is “a brand new all-white alternative with naturally extracted nicotine and refreshing flavors, completely tobacco-free. The clean white slim portions are less runny yet feel soft due to the natural plant fiber and gum-base composition giving fullness to the pouches.”  You can see what's inside looks a lot like snus, but it's white and more finely ground.

Nordic Spirit (True White) Bergamot Wildberry

The flavor description for this one says, "The citrus from the bergamot is complemented by notes of sweet and tangy wildberry for a truly refreshing experience." This product come with a 13 gram can containing 20 slim portions, at 0.65 grams each. There is a nicotine content of 9mg/portion, which means the total nicotine content is probably around 13-14mg/g.

When you open the can, the aroma that greets you is bergamot, but with a little orange smell as well. The berry aroma isn’t too sweet, and has a little tartness to it. It reminds me of cranberry, and a little of raspberry. The portions are slightly dry to the touch but have a soft portion material. They are quite comfortable in the lip, as well! In the taste, I notice the berry more than the citrus. It’s lightly sweet in character, and a little tart. There’s also a gentle citrus taste in the background that reminds me of bergamot, but a little orange, too. The nicotine strength feels to be at the regular level and reminds me of an 8mg/g Swedish Snus. The flavor also lasts a good amount of time; I’ve found I can keep these in for 45 to 55 minutes.

Nordic Spirit (True White) Mint

The flavor description for this one says, "The right amount of crisp menthol, together with sweeter peppermint and a bit of salt from licorice gives a perfect balanced mint taste." This product come with a 13 gram can containing 20 slim portions, at 0.65 grams each. There is a nicotine content of 9mg/portion, which means the total nicotine content is probably around 13-14mg/g.

When you open the can, the aroma that greets you is a light menthol character and a mildly sweet smell of peppermint. The portions are slightly dry, but are still soft the touch. In the lip, I notice a mild cooling presence and a freshness throughout my mouth. The taste is a gentle, lightly sweet taste of peppermint and a hint of menthol. I also notice a mild taste of licorice in the background, as well.  Usually, I'm not a fan of mixing licorice with mint, but I notice it in a really small amount in this and it's actually a nice compliment to the fresh mint flavor.  The nicotine, like the other one, feels to be at the normal strength level and is comparable to an 8mg/g Swedish Snus. The flavor also lasts around 45-55 minutes.

As I always say when I review products like this, these aren't something that I would personally use because I love tobacco.  But there are a lot of people who want to quit smoking or quit tobacco, but not quit nicotine.  I'm glad products like this exist for that demographic, because they can continue to enjoy nicotine, have a variety of flavors, and quit tobacco if they so choose.  If you're in that group, these are definitely worth a try!

R42 Green Mint (Super Strong) White - Review. 16 July 2018.

About a year ago, I reviewed R42 Peppermint (Xtra Strong White) and R42 Green Mint (Xtra Strong White). I recently saw these products have been replaced with Super Strong versions, so I felt I should go back and do new reviews. I believe these originally had a nicotine content of 18mg/g, which has now been pushed to 26mg/g (2.6%). The flavor description for this product says, "Light and spicy tobacco character with clear elements of spearmint, melon and guava, and some green herbs." This product comes in an 11.2 gram can with 16 portions for 0.7 gram portions. The nicotine content, as mentioned earlier, is 26mg/g (2.6%) which breaks down to 18.2mg/portion. Formerly, the nicotine content was 18mg/g and 12.6mg/portion, so these new versions are much stronger!

When you open the can, the aroma that greets you is a lightly sweet mix of melon and spearmint. The portions are light in weight, only weighing 0.7 grams, so they don't get too plump in the lip, but they don't feel lacking. The portion material itself is also pretty soft to the touch, and feel great in the lip! The flavor of this snus is very unique - the taste of melon is pretty present, and is accompanied by a light taste of spearmint in the background. It's pretty gentle, and isn't overly sweet. It's a very interesting flavor. This snus packs a solid kick in the nicotine department; it feels to be just a touch above the extra strong level. The flavor itself lasts a pretty good amount of time; on average I've found I can enjoy this snus for up to an hour.

As far as flavor goes, it's very unique.  There's nothing out there that tastes like this.  It's a great taste for the summer, and people who love mint and fruit flavored snuses will probably dig this one!

R42 Peppermint (Super Strong) White - Review. 16 July 2018.

About a year ago, I reviewed R42 Peppermint (Xtra Strong White) and R42 Green Mint (Xtra Strong White). I recently saw these products have been replaced with Super Strong versions, so I felt I should go back and do new reviews. I believe these originally had a nicotine content of 18mg/g, which has now been pushed to 26mg/g (2.6%). The flavor description for this product says, "Light and spicy tobacco character with distinctive elements of spearmint and peppermint, as well as some cedar, herbs and green apple." This product comes in an 11.2 gram can with 16 portions for 0.7 gram portions. The nicotine content, as mentioned earlier, is 26mg/g (2.6%) which breaks down to 18.2mg/portion. Formerly, the nicotine content was 18mg/g and 12.6mg/portion, so these new versions are much stronger!

Other than the nicotine strength, it seems not much else has changed. When you open the can, the aroma that greets you is a mild, lightly sweet smell of peppermint with a light hint of spearmint. It isn't as sharp as other peppermint products I've reviewed before and it seems more gentle. The portions are light in weight, so they don't plump up too much. The portion material is quite soft, so these feel rather comfortable in the lip. The taste is much like the aroma, a mellow, gentle, lightly sweet flavor of peppermint with a little spearmint in the background. I don't really notice any green apple in the flavor. The nicotine kick is pretty strong; within about 5 to 10 minutes I'm feeling it, and it feels to be just a little above the extra strong level in delivery. The flavor also lasts a good amount of time; usually I can keep these in for up to an hour!

If you're a mint lover and want something strong, this is worth a go.  I like the mix of peppermint and spearmint, and I like how it isn't too sweet or too in your face.  It's definitely worth a try!

Snubie: Blood Orange & Goji Berry (Lös) - Preview.

Today, I am excited to announce the release of a new Snubie branded product - Snubie: Blood Orange and Goji Berry, a product produced by Snus.biz. Not only that, but this is a lös only product! After the recent release of Snubie Brandy Alexander, a Snubie product produced by V2 Tobacco, a lot of people asked me for a lös Snubie product. The folks at Snus.biz produce products only in the lös format, so it seemed like a fitting match to work with them on this new release!

This snus contains a mixture of three tobaccos: Latakia, Virginia, and Burley. Latakia contributes a strong aroma/taste that is leathery, smoky, peppery, and has a hint of peat. Virginia contributes a light, sweet taste of tobacco. The Burley tobacco contributes a mild, soft, almost nutty taste.  The nicotine level is around 20mg/g and feels to be at the extra strong level.

The tobaccos are aged in old oak barrels from Massandra, which is a winery in Crimea. These barrels once stored wine that has been awarded high international awards.

This snus contains a flavor of Blood Orange & Goji Berry. For the Blood Orange taste, the premium Sanguinello was used, which is native to Spain and contributes a tangy and sweet citrus taste. Dried goji berries from China were used, which are grown on an organic farm. The goji berry contributes a slightly tart, slightly sweet fruit taste which is reminiscent of cranberry.

This snus uses a grind which is best described as “combo grinding”. Combo grinding is a mix of coarse grinding and fine grinding. This grind is very unique, and helps release flavors in a way different from traditional lös snus!  This product also comes with a full 50 grams of lös snus!

For this product, I wanted a simple, clean look to the can.  The real star of this snus is the tobacco inside the can, so after numerous rounds of designs, this was the design that was settled on for the final look.  It's a clean look, and it has a white label; as you know, I love white labels!  

This snus will be available to purchase soon from Snus.biz. To order, email hello@snus.biz.  You can pre-order now, or wait until it's on sale to order for delivery worldwide. Make sure and keep an eye on your spam box, as sometimes replies go to your spam box. The cost is 7.00 Euro, or $8.17 US per can.  They accept payment via PayPal, so you'll need a PayPal account to purchase.  This isn’t a cheap snus due to the quality of ingredients used; it is truly for the snus connoisseur who wants a premium tasting product!  This product has begun production, and I will announce the release date soon!

Lund Edition (White Portion) - Review. 11 July 2018.

Lund Edition (White Portion) is a limited edition product released by Swedish Match for their new Lund Store which opened on June 5th, 2018. Swedish Match has been steadily opening stores since their first one in 2012, and the Lund Swedish Match store is their latest. This product isn't sold online, or to the US, so you can only get it at the Lund store. Thanks to my friend Michael who grabbed some of this for me to review.  This snus has a taste of champagne, which makes this the second champagne flavored snus released by Swedish Match this year. Small Batch #1, a snus with a taste of champagne, was the first snus released in their Small Batch series this year.

When it comes to this product, the side of the can says:  "With a taste of champagne.  This can contains a white portion snus.  It has a taste inspired by champagne made of classic grapes."  This product comes in a 24 gram can with 24 portions for 1 gram each.  I'm not sure what the nicotine content is, but it's either regular strength, or between regular strength and strong.

This product reminds me a lot of Small Batch #1, but with some differences. For Small Batch #1, Swedish Match "added some tropical fruit for a final finish", which I don't really pick up with this one.  When I open the can, the aroma is a tart smell of citrus, some pepper, and a light floral sweetness.  It's hard to explain, but the aroma has a light bread-like quality to it, as well.  The portions come in the star formation, so I suggest fluffing them to loosen up the tobacco and make them more even/comfortable in the lip. The flavor is very much like the aroma. The citrus is quite predominant, and comes through in a tart, bitter way. There’s a touch of pepper in the background, as well. I also notice some light floral notes which contribute a little sweetness to the flavor profile. There’s also a very light tobacco character in the background. The nicotine strength feels to be about the regular level to me. The flavor, on average, lasts about an hour.

If you like champagne, or citrus flavored snus, this one is worth a try.  If you stop by the Lund store, definitely grab a can to check it out.