Göteborgs Rapé & Göteborgs Rapé No2 - Reviews. 25 August 2011.

In the process of catching up reviews, I was very surprised that I've never reviewed either of the Göteborgs Rapé varieties. Göteborgs Rapé, or Goteborg's Rape, or sometimes GoteRape as they're often called, are produced by Swedish Match. Göteborgs Rapé is the 2nd most popular brand on the Swedish market, last time I checked. There are two varieties, Göteborgs Rapé, and Göteborgs Rapé No2 Lingon. The main reason I wanted to write about these is because they're both great alternatives if you need something to throw in the mix to break the monotony of your snus rotation. Most people tire of mint quickly and want something unique to use on top of their regulars. I use Jakobsson's Flader (formerly Gotland's Green) as my alternative flavor, but have been known to occasionally use either one of these. Personally, I prefer the No2, but both are good and very unique in their own right. I usually try to keep my reviews simple, but as these are both flavored with Lingonberry or Juniper - and most people don't sit around eating either of these varieties of berry, I feel I should explain a little about what each one tastes like. Juniper is best known for flavoring gin. If you've ever had gin, you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, juniper berries have a slightly bitter fruit taste, an almost bittersweet flavor profile. Lingonberry are very popular in Scandinavia, I've heard it said that lingonberry is to Scandinavia as blackberries are to America. I've had it in crepes & syrup at IHOP - so if you're curious that's the easiest way to get it, it's also very common in jams here in America. Lingonberry is rather tart, and at times reminds me of a cranberry but a little sweeter. One thing I want to note about both these snuses is that they can seem to turn on you if you use them too much. They're great to keep around as an occasional, or something to mix it up a bit, but I always suggest not to overuse them.

Göteborgs Rapé is a very unique and complex snus. When you open the can - you'll notice the star formation - which Swedish Match now uses in all their white portion snus. The portions come out in a wedge shape, so a little fluffing is needed to get it ready for your lip. The aroma is juniper, very present, with a lemony undertone and a herbal/floral like quality to it. The taste is very interesting. Juniper is in the front, with a slightly citrusy taste and herbal/floral qualities. There is a neat little pepper bite in the background and a mellow salt balance to tie the flavors together. The fruit taste can be a bit bitter/sour - but that's part of the juniper berry. It's not a bad thing! I know a lot of Americans coming over from American "snus" to Swedish Snus read my blog and are going to be turned off because it's not sweet - but in time as you adjust to Swedish Snus you'll come to appreciate more flavorful snuses, which is definitely what this is. It's a very complex flavor that mellows out into a bittersweet taste. To be honest, this snus was on one of my first orders and I enjoyed the taste then, so even if you're into sweet snus you can still enjoy this one. It has a very unique taste and is a great alternative if you need a wild card to throw into your rotation.

GR No2 is my favorite of the two. I find the taste to be more pleasant out of the two Göteborgs Rapés. Göteborgs Rapé No2 Lingon is a Swedish Match white portion - which means it comes in the star formation common to all SM white portions. The portions are in a wedge shape, so after taking it out of the can a little fluffing is needed to get it ready to put into your lip. The aroma is more fruity than standard GR, with a little hint of lemon coming through and a slight floral scent. This stuff smells so good, it's hard to take your nose away from it. The taste is, like GR1, very unique. The lingonberry is very present, slightly tart and mildly fruity with an earthy/herbal quality to it. There is a slight floral taste in the background and little hints of lemon all brought together with a nice salt balance. I pick up hints of juniper, as well however it is in the background. This snus is sweeter than GR1. There is a little peppery taste in the background, but it's not strong at all and it pairs quite well with the other flavors in this snus. GR No2 is, like GR1, a very complex snus, but a great one to throw into the mix if you want to have an alternative to your regular rotation.

Both of these snuses are very unique, and a great way to mix up your rotation. As I said in the beginning, I've found that when overused you can tire of them quickly - so keep them around as a little diversion to your regular snus usage, or something to end the day with. Each is very unique, both under the Göteborgs Rapé name, but each having their own unique flavor.