The day is here, and today we have Alp Nicotine Pouches to check out! I previewed these back in September, so they came to market pretty quick. Alp is a product brought to market in a collaboration between Tucker Carlson, a popular conservative personality, and Turning Point Brands. This was said to be a "50/50 joint venture between the Tucker Carlson Network and Turning Point Brands". One quick note, the bottom of the can notes the following: "Designed in the USA. Assembled in India". I mentioned this in my preview, but these are made by the same folks who make the popular Frē nicotine pouches. I won't be getting into the politics of these, because I generally try to be politically neutral on this site, but the gist of it is that Tucker had some issues with the parent company of Zyn, as well as the experience in using the products, which led to the creation of Alp. Alp is said to deliver "a better time", which is their catch phrase.
The Comparison: Zyn vs Alp
The Comparison: Zyn vs Alp
I did want to do a quick comparison with Alp and Zyn. Not because I have any issues with Zyn. But, Alp was launched in response to Tucker's experiences using Zyn, so I figured this would be an apt comparison to make. Alp comes in a 10 gram can with 20 pouches, at 0.5 grams each. Compared to Zyn, which has 15 pouches, at 0.4 grams each. Alp comes in nicotine strengths of 3mg, 6mg, and 9mg. Zyn (in the US), has 3mg and 6mg. In terms of size, Alp is about as long as Zyn, but is more slim. It is also a more full pouch, with a higher moisture level. Meaning, it feels better under the lip, and has more flavor presence.
Now, we've done all the fun background stuff, let's try out the products!
Flavor Description: "ALP’s Mountain Wintergreen isn’t just a nicotine pouch, it’s like a slap of fresh mountain air for your senses. Crisp, cool, and refreshingly bold, each pouch lets you channel your inner outdoorsman (even if the closest you get to the wild is your backyard). Go ahead, take a pouch and brave the wild".
Alp Mountain Wintergreen
The Review: Opening up the can, the aroma that comes through is a clearly aroma of wintergreen. It is almost slightly minty, with a subtle sweetness to it. Flavor-wise, it's pretty solid. It's a wintergreen taste, but mild, and almost balanced out with a subtle minty-ness. It's not overly minty, and you can clearly taste the wintergreen, but it has a certain freshness to it. It's on the sweeter side, but not as sweet as some others I've tried in the past.
Alp Tropical Fruit
Flavor Description: "So, you want a taste of the tropics without the overpriced plane ticket and questionable tourist traps? ALP’s Tropical Fruit delivers. No gimmicks, just a clean, crisp burst of island flavor that says, “here’s your tropical escape,” minus the sunburn".
Alp Tropical Fruit
The Review: Some were curious how close this would be to Frē Lush. I haven't had it in a while, so I had to compare against my old review. Opening the can, it definitely has a tropical aroma to it. It's on the sweeter side, with a slight tang to it. I pick up elements of mango, perhaps passionfruit, maybe guava. It's not super citrusy. Flavor-wise, it hits the tropical note. Like the aroma, it is on the sweeter side. It has a little tang to it, as well. I pick up mango, and perhaps guava. It almost seems to have a hint of passionfruit to it. Whereas Lush was more melon and citrus, this one seems to be more tropical to me. But that's just what I pick up, and I also haven't had that one in 4 years, so my memory may be hazy.
Alp Chilled Mint
Flavor Description: "ALP's Chilled Mint gets back to basics. No nonsense, just a pure, crisp chill that does the job without pretending to be anything else. It's mint like it's supposed to be - clean, bold, and refreshingly straightforward. You want fresh? Here it is".
Alp Chilled Mint
The Review: Now, let's check out the first of their two mint products, Chilled Mint. In the aroma, this one has a sharp, icy, biting aroma of peppermint. It also has a subtle sweetness to it, as well. Being a mint product, I encounter a familiar cooling sensation in my lip from the mint flavor. In the flavor, it certainly is a present taste of peppermint. The mint taste is sharp, and bold. It is icy, and refreshing. And, in terms of the sweetness, it is on the sweeter side. It's not overly sweet, but you will notice it to have a sweet taste.
Alp Refreshing Chill
Flavor Description: "Need a break that’s as cool as the other side of the pillow? ALP’s Refreshing Chill is here to take you there. It’s like an arctic vacation in a pouch. Smooth, crisp and refreshing, each pouch will have you feeling like you just took a dip in the world’s freshest lake".
Alp Refreshing Chill
The Review: Now, on to the second of the two mint flavors: Refreshing Chill. These both have "chill" in the name, in some form, so you're probably wondering what the differences are between the two of them. In the aroma, this one is more smooth. To me, it's more peppermint than anything, but not as sharp as the last one. I notice it to be more gentle, and refreshing. It's also sweet, like the last one. In the flavor, I pick up a smooth, gentle, sweet taste of peppermint. I know some have asked, but I don't taste any spearmint in this one. It's a mellow taste, and not too in your face. It's refreshing, but not as sharp or bold as the last one.
Some Final Notes (Nicotine and Flavor Longevity)
This product line comes in 3 strengths, 3, 6, and 9mg. I find 3mg to be too weak, so I just tried 6 and 9mg. The 6mg had a decent kick, almost delivering at the regular strength level. The 9mg had more kick to it, and felt to definitely be stronger than the 6mg. In the flavor presence and longevity, these do have a much more present taste than Zyn. The flavors also last much longer. Usually, an Alp pouch lasts me between 30 to 40 minutes.
Rating and Final Thoughts
In the end, the ratings are all over the place, really according to strength and flavor. I found the line to be solid, and comparable to Frē. Tropical Fruit came out on top as my favorite flavor. In terms of strength, I enjoyed the 9mg on the whole over the 6mg. Of the two mints, I thought Refreshing Chill tasted better. Wintergreen was pretty solid, and I think people who like minty tastes will enjoy that one. So, all in all, a solid release. I think people who enjoy nicotine pouches are going to be pleased! I did prefer these to Zyn. Nothing wrong with Zyn, but the pouches are too dry for me and the flavor presence is very light. I like a more moist, comfortable pouch with a more bold flavor, which I found with these.
Get yours here: AlpPouch.com
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