Göteborgs Rapé (Los) - Review. 25 October 2014.

Review Updated:  16 December 2020

I've recently added a rating system to my reviews, so I've been going back and revisiting a lot of products to give them ratings.  For many years now, Göteborgs Rapé has been a personal favorite of mine. The lös version is fantastic, but it seems like I never see anyone talking about it or using it.  Göteborgs Rapé originated in Göteborg, Sweden. The "Rapé" part of the name is actually a French word for "ripping", because the tobacco was originally hand-ripped. This comes from the 1700s practice from French high society when people would rip or grate their tobacco by hand to achieve the consistency they desired. The blue labeling on this product identifies the snus's link to the sea. In 2010, I visited Sweden and Swedish Match and went to the factory in Göteborg. The factory also had a beautiful view of the harbor! I mention that, because it's a big part of this snus's history.

As early as the 1850's, there would be various snus mixtures in the ports. Sailors would collect ingredients from their journeys and use them in their various blends. Swedish sailors had a phrase, "The mood of a sailor is as good as the quality of his snus". Göteborgs Rapé originated from one of these blends. In 1915, the Swedish Tobacco Monopoly took over all snus production in Sweden. At that time, there were 103 brands of snus and 25 of them were from Göteborg. A "snus jury" would taste all these brands and narrowed it down to 5 brands. In 1919, Göteborgs Rapé was one of these registered brands, and it launched as Göteborgs Rapé No. 923. When the snus became a factory produced snus it became ground, instead of ripped.

The flavor description for this product says, "Bright tobacco character with clear elements of lavender and juniper, as well as some wood and citrus." It comes in a 42 gram can with a 7.5mg/g nicotine strength.

The aroma is a present smell of juniper, a light herbal hint, and a gentle floral presence. What makes this one different from the portion version is that there is a more present smell of tobacco! The lös bakes pretty well and is quite easy to work with, which is common of most Swedish Match lös snus. The flavor is a present taste of juniper with an earthy tobacco character behind it. There's also a mild herbal taste in the background and a light floral hint. The floral hint contributes a very gentle sweetness to the flavor. The nicotine strength feels to be right at the regular strength level, but that really depends on how big you bake your prilla. I usually stick to one gram. Usually I can get 45 minutes out of a prilla. The los stays together really well in the lip, and the flavor lasts a long amount of time!

Rating and Final Thoughts

This is a truly awesome snus.  It's no surprise that I rated it at 4.75/5.  I don't hand out ratings this high unless they're earned, and this one certainly earned it.  It's unique, traditional, and delicious.  In terms of loose snus, this one is a must try.  Especially if you like unique flavors.  My two favorite snuses are General and GR, and they're ones I use daily.  If you're looking for a daily driver, this certainly has the potential to be that!

This product available for purchase at SnusMe.com!

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