Review Updated: 8 February 2021
It's been a few years since I've reviewed this one, so I figured I'd give the Ettan line a revisit! In the snus world, it seems there are some die hard fans out there of
the Ettan brand. I personally have always been a Grov guy. Not that Ettan isn't a good snus, because it is, it's just not something I can personally use all the time; I tend to tire on the flavor if I use it too much. This is also one of very few instances where I prefer the
white portion version over the original portion version. The flavor description from
SnusCENTRAL.com of this snus says, "
a robust tobacco flavor and hints of tar, dried grass, malt and a slight touch of dark chocolate". Ettan Original comes in a 24 gram can with 24 portions for plump, 1 gram portions! The nicotine strength is 8.5mg/g (0.85%), which is also 8.5mg/portion.
Since Ettan is an important part of snus history, I figured we would take a quick look at its origins. Jacob Fredrik Ljunglöf (pictured here) began working at a tobacco factory in 1811 at age 14. 10 years later, he took over the same factory. In 1822 he launched "Ljunglöf's No. 1". We can also thank Jacob Fredrik Ljunglöf for the pasteurization process of snus. While snus originally took months to ferment, Ljunglöf believed that fresh tobacco would taste better. With his chemist friend Jacob Berzelius they developed a new way to produce tobacco where snus could be produced in a week. Ettan is still produced by his original recipe and is the oldest brand of snus still on then market. The original portion version launched in 1990, and Ettan White came in 2006.
Okay, it's time to taste some traditional snus. Let's review Ettan Original Portion! When you open a can of Ettan, the smell that greets you is an earthy, natural tobacco presence with a light grassy hint and a presence of chocolate. The portions are plump, moist, and quickly release flavor! The taste is a lot like the aroma, but with more chocolate presence. The flavor is a very natural, rich, earthy tobacco character with a touch of salt and a very present taste of dark chocolate. For me, once the chocolate flavor comes on, it seems to almost overpower the tobacco character. The nicotine strength on this one feels to be right at that regular strength level, and I find the flavor on average lasts up to about 45 minutes.
Rating and Final Thoughts
This is one of very few cases where I prefer the white portion over the original portion. The original portion version is kinda meh for me, which is why I gave it a 3.75/5. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good snus. And it has a lot of fans. But for me, the white portion version is much better, and has a much more well balanced flavor. I personally suggest trying that one if you want to try out Ettan. I think it's much better.
Beechnut flavor? but not as sweet.
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