I've been wanting to do a review of some of the tobacco/nicotine free products for a while, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. So today, I'm going to do reviews of two different salmiak (black licorice) flavored snus products that contain no tobacco or nicotine. Today, we'll be talking about Qvitt Salmiak, which is made by Gotlandssnus, and KickUp Salmiak, which is made by Winnington AB (the same folks who make Epok). As you can see from the picture to the left, when the portions are cut open, the material inside looks a lot like tobacco, but it isn't tobacco. We'll get more into what is in each one of these products in the individual reviews. The next question you may be asking is, "Why use a tobacco/nicotine free product?" For one thing, some people choose to quit snus, and this product helps them get away from the habit of having a pouch in their lip. Like some people who quit smoking chew on straws and pencils, this is a way to help them, if they choose, quit snus. For me, I use it at night. At the end of the day I stop using snus closer to bedtime and switch to nicotine free snus so I can still feel the pouch in my lip, but without the nicotine so I can fade off to sleep easier.
KickUp Salmiak
First, let's talk about KickUp Salmiak. This product is made from pasteurized tea and cocoa fiber. It is flavored with food grade additives and packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, ginseng, caffeine, and their "own unique pollen extract". The
product description says, "
A taste of salmiak licorice. This product contains the natural substanse 'Bio X20' that gives you an extra power kick! Kickup has improved the contents in their products with a considerable increase of certain vitamins and minerals."
Upon opening a can of KickUp Salmiak, you'll notice just how moist the portions are. They are very, very juicy. The aroma is a straightforward black licorice smell, but there's almost a hint of something else in the background that reminds me of menthol for some reason. The portions are extremely comfortable and the flavor comes on immediately. There is a mild taste of licorice and a small cooling sensation that comes on once you put the portion in your lip. There's a very tiny hint of salt and a small amount of spice flavor, as well. The cooling sensation is pretty interesting and lasts quite a while. The ginseng and caffeine give a little kick, reminding me of the strength a mini snus portion would have - 4mg/g, but it doesn't feel like as much of a kick as a 8mg/g regular snus portion. So I imagine if you're quitting snus but still want something to give you a little kick - this would be something to consider. The taste isn't that bad, and the cooling sensation is pretty interesting.
Gotlandssnus Qvitt Salmiak
Next, let's discuss Qvitt Salmiak from Gotlandssnus. Gotlandssnus says, "
Qvitt is a tobacco- and nicotine-free snuff substitutes that are classified as food. Since Qvitt contains Panax Ginseng, Green Tea and fluoride means it can be exhilarating, raising the concentration and improve oral hygiene." The
product description says, "
Tobacco and nicotine free product with a distinct salmiak flavor and notes of aniseed. Qvitt has a very snus-like feel." The can is very distinctly Gotlandssnus, so it is quite familiar to many snusers.
When you open the can, the aroma that jumps out is a mild and slightly sweet black licorice smell. The pouches feel much like the Jakobsson's pouches and are very comfortable in the lip. When it comes to the flavor, this one is actually a pretty tasty product. It has a very present and mildly sweet salmiak taste with a hint of salt in the background. There's also a pepper/spice flavor that blends pretty well with the licorice taste. Honestly, if I didn't know this was a tobacco/nicotine free product, I wouldn't be able to tell a different in this one, minus the obvious lack of a nicotine kick.
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