NIIN Nicotine Pouches: Citrus Chill (3mg and 6mg) - Reviews. 3 May 2021.

The once small world of nicotine pouches seems to be growing exponentially by the day as this new category continues to grow in popularity.  Nicotine pouches provide a way for people to transition from traditional forms of tobacco to completely tobacco free alternatives.  NIIN Primed Nicotine Pouches is a new line launched in the US with 5 flavors, 2 strengths, and moist pouches.  Yes, these are not the small, dry pouches like most of what's in the US.  Today, we're going to be talking about their Citrus Chill flavor!  The product description for this one says, "Enjoy the perfect balance of flavor and pure nicotine satisfaction with NIIN Zero Tobacco™ Citrus Chill Nicotine Pouches."  Each can weighs in at 10 grams, and contains 20 nicotine pouches, for 0.5 gram pouches.  The 3mg strength is 3mg per pouch, or 6mg/g in total.  The 6mg one is 6mg/pouch, or 12mg/g in total.

The description from their website provides a little more background on the product line:  "The New Era of Nicotine Is Here:  100% Tobacco-Free Nicotine Pouches.  Zero Tobacco, Pure Nicotine Satisfaction.  Unlike the majority of other nicotine pouch products, which contain some form of generic tobacco-derived nicotine, our Zero Tobacco Primed Pouches™  are made with Certified Tobacco Free Nicotine (TFN®).  As a synthetic nicotine product that is not derived from tobacco, our pouches are completely free of the residuals and contaminants that are commonly found in tobacco-derived nicotine.  Our pouches are made with the highest-quality ingredients and carefully formulated flavors, then infused into a finely ground eucalyptus-derived cellulose base and pre-moistened to ensure even adherence."

Now that we've got all the fun background stuff out of the way, let's get into the review!  Since the products are basically the same other than the strength, I'm going to review them together.

Review:

When you open the can, a fresh, lightly tart aroma of lemon greets you.  It has a freshness to the aroma and flavor, and also a cooling presence under the lip.  However, I don't detect any discernible aroma or flavor of menthol or mint, thank goodness.  It's mostly a sensation.  The pouches, at 0.5g each, are slim fit, smaller in length, and soft under the lip.  The aroma comes through pretty well in the flavor, with a mild taste of lemon.  It has a tart presence to it, but also a mild sweetness.  In terms of strength, I find the 3mg one to feel a little below regular strength, and the 6mg one to feel right around regular strength.  The flavor longevity, on average, is around 40-45 minutes.

Beer Pairability:

As a beer guy, over the past several years I've looked at beer pairing when it comes to snus and nicotine pouches.  For me, this is another dimension to a review, especially citrus flavors.  I find citrus flavors provide the best pairing experience when it comes to nicotine pouches and snus.  I usually experiment with two types:  an IPA and a pale ale.  In terms of this one, the freshness in the aroma and flavor of the nicotine pouch helps bring out the cool/crisp nature of the beer.  The citrus flavor of the nicotine pouches works quite well with both IPA and pale ale.  I had no complaints in terms of pairing this one, and found it to be a good companion with a good brew.

Rating and Final Thoughts

When I review nicotine pouches, I always mention that I'm a snus user full time, and a casual nicotine pouch consumer.  I use them, but not all the time.  In my ratings, however, I've found that anything at or above a 3/5 is what I'd consider to be a good, or quality product.  I've only ever ranked two products at a 4/5, and nothing about a 4/5.  So, a 4 might as well be a 5 when I'm reviewing nicotine pouches.  

When it comes to NIIN Citrus Chill, I rated the 6mg one at 3.5/5, and the 3mg one at a 3.42/5.  In terms of my rankings / ratings of nicotine pouches, that's a pretty decent score.  The NIIN line is pretty solid.  It has nice can designs, comfortable portions, a steady nicotine delivery, nice flavors, and a good amount of flavor longevity.  As far as citrus flavored nicotine pouches go, particularly on the US market, this one was quite enjoyable.  A good flavor, and paired well with a beer.

If you're interested in trying these out, or if you want more information, you can check out their website, NIINPouches.com.  It's pretty exciting watching the US nicotine pouch market grow, because it's providing more options for people looking for this sort of thing!