NIC-S Nicotine Pouches: Fresh Mint - Review. 25 May 2021.

As the nicotine pouch category in the US continues to grow in popularity, more and more brands are bursting onto the scene.  The latest one is a line made in Sweden called NIC-S (pronounced "nix").  This new line has launched with five flavors:  Fresh Mint, Wintergreen, Mixed Berry, Spiced Cinnamon, and Sweet Orange.  Each of these flavors comes in 3 strengths:  3mg/portion, 6mg/portion, and 9mg/portion.

Their website provides a little background on who they are and what they do:  "In everything we do, we are guided by our belief in a smoke-free society. This challenges us to remain cutting edge as we develop the next generation of 100% tobacco-free nicotine products.  Based on science and backed by progressive Scandinavian innovation we are pushing the envelope to create a responsible product that is crafted with ingredients as clean as our Nordic air."  Another great thing about this brand is the pine resin packaging, meaning these cans are eco-friendly, and good for the planet.  You can't beat that.

Product Details

The flavor description for NIC-S Fresh Mint says, "A fresh and cooling mint sensation, inspired by the wide expansive Scandinavian Nature".  Each can weighs in at 9 grams and has 15 pouches, for 0.6g portions.  As previously mentioned, three strengths are available:  3mg/portion, 6mg/portion, and 9mg/portion.  Before we get into the review, the website has an extended description that kind of puts you into the mindset of the inspiration behind this product:  "As crisp as the air on top of Kebnekaise, Scandinavia’s tallest peak, our Fresh Mint pouch will ensure a lasting fresh sensation that will leave you feeling confident you can conquer any mountain ahead of you (and wondering if you’ve somehow already been transported 7000 ft up)".  

Now, with all that fun stuff out of the way, let's get into what you really came here for... the review!

The Review

This product comes in 3 strengths, so I'm going to cover the commonalities first: aroma, mouthfeel, flavor, and longevity.  Then, we'll discuss nicotine strength.  The aroma of this one is predominantly peppermint.  It's sharp in nature, and comes through with a light sweetness.  It has a pretty refreshing presence to the aroma.  The pouches are smaller in size, with a soft portion material and a slim fit in the lip.  The flavor of this one is pretty refreshing.  The peppermint is sharp in nature, but not overly in your face.  It's well balanced, and comes with a light amount of sweetness to it.  The flavor, on average, lasts about 40-50 minutes.  

Nicotine Strength

NIC-S comes in 3 strengths, 3mg, 6mg, and 9mg.  I've tried all three, so I'll briefly describe how they feel and who I think they're best suited for.

3mg/portion - This is the lowest strength that it comes in.  To compare to the "regular strength" mark, it's going to feel lighter than that.  This strength is for those who have lighter nicotine cravings.  To put it in smoking terms, this is for people who smoke 1/2 a pack a day.  

6mg/portion - This is the medium strength for this one.  Comparing to the "regular strength" mark, this one is slightly below.  This is for those who may have moderate to high nicotine cravings.  I was a pack a day smoker back in the day and I quit smoking with 4mg snus, so this would have been better for someone like me.

9mg/portion - This is their highest strength.  Comparing to "regular strength", this is just a little above that.  This is for people who have higher cravings.  In smoking terms, for people who smoke a pack a day or so and have more nicotine cravings.  

Ultimately, what strength you get depends on your cravings and how much nicotine you need to feel satisfied.

Now that we've done a review of this product, let's move on to my rating and final thoughts and see what I thought of this product, and who I think would enjoy it.

Rating and Final Thoughts

First, I'm not a big nicotine pouch consumer.  I use them from time to time, and obviously I review them.  When I do my ratings, I mention that because what I've found is that anything at a 3 or above is a good score.  For comparative purposes, I've only ever rated one product at a 4.  So, a 4 might as well be a 5 for me.  I know, confusing, but I had to mention that.

This one rated at a 3.17 out of 5 for me, putting it in that "good product" range.  It is on the lower end, but I don't use a lot of mint products, so keep that in mind.  I really liked the can designs of these, and I love that they're eco-friendly.  As a self proclaimed environmentalist, this is a bonus for me.  The portions are a little smaller than I prefer, but that weren't lacking or too small.  The portion material was soft and comfortable.  The nicotine delivery on all of these was steady, and didn't come with a giant spike to it, making the nicotine release pretty enjoyable.  The flavor longevity was about average for this sort of product.  As far as aroma and flavor goes, again, keep in mind I'm not a big mint person.  But it wasn't bad.  It's pretty refreshing and enjoyable.  But this is definitely one for people who like mint products.  

As far as recommendations go, I think people in the US who are looking for a tobacco-free / smoke-free alternative they can use while still enjoying nicotine are really going to enjoy this.  The entire NIC-S line is pretty good.  I particularly enjoyed the Berry, Orange, and Cinnamon flavors, personally.  

Where To Buy:

US Consumers - Nicokick.com

Other Markets - Northerner.com