XRANGE General Strong (Slim White) - Review. 2 April 2015.

Review Updated:  13 February 2021

The XRANGE snus line from Swedish Match launched in 2015 as a "modern premium" line.  Meaning, it's the same quality you get with Swedish Match's premium products, but at a cheaper price.  The products came in slim portions, had a lighter weight, and only had 21 portions per can.  Now, Swedish Match has updated the XRANGE line, so it's time to revisit it!  The new cans are smaller, slimmer, utilize less plastic, and are completely recyclable.  It's part of a push Swedish Match is doing to do their part for the environment.  In this review, we're talking about General XRANGE Strong White!  The product description for this snus says, "Light and spicy tobacco character with clear hints of citrus and bergamot, as well as a hint of tea."  Each can weighs 16.8g and has 21 portions for 0.8g portions.  The nicotine content is 14mg/g (1.4%), or 11.2mg/portion.

The New Cans

For this comparison photo, we're going to use the new Göteborgs Rapé XRANGE cans.  All the white portion cans are basically the same other than the design, so this was easier than taking a bunch of individual photos.  In the top left, you'll see the diameter of the new can is a little smaller than the old design.  On the top right, you can see that the new cans are definitely slimmer than the old cans.  Another big change is that the big "XR" on the side label is gone from the new cans.  In the bottom right, you'll see that the new cans are semi-translucent, so from the bottom and the top catch lid you can see a little through the can.  On the bottom left you'll see the biggest change - the new can design now comes in the Star Formation!  So, while XR is a cheaper priced product, you get the Star Formation, which Swedish Match usually does with their premium product lines.

Can Comparison

Here's a look at the graphics for the old can versus the new can.  The new can doesn't have "General" in white on the top label, it's now in black above the XR.  The three stars and Swedish Match logo have gone from white/silver to black as well.  But, the design as a whole is pretty similar to the old design.

As far as what's inside the can, it's the exact same as the last time I reviewed it.  When you open a can of the new XRANGE General Strong White Slim Large, the aroma that comes through is a very present smell of citrus and a little pepper spice in the background along with a mild tobacco character.  The portions are soft to the touch and feel quite comfortable in the lip.  The taste is very much the same as most General White Portion type products.  The flavor of citrus and bergamot is in the front, with a mild tobacco flavor in the back.  The flavor lasts a pretty good amount of time; I've found I can keep this one in for a little over an hour.  The nicotine strength feels to be very slightly over regular strength, but it's not too strong by any means.

Rating and Final Thoughts

The XRANGE line is a solid line.  It's a budget alternative for people who want to save money, but not lose quality.  I rated this one at 3.5/5.  The new cans are hit and miss for me.  The translucent design does seem a little "cheap"; I'm not sure why they couldn't do silver in the can.  The slim size adds to a much better form factor for the pocket, though.  But as far as everything else goes, it's a great product.  A little stronger than I personally prefer, but it's still a great snus!




Comments