Yes, I know it isn't the summer of 2021 anymore. But it's taken me a while to get this one. Technically, it was released in November 2021, so I'm not
that far behind, but due to COVID-related shipping delays, it took a while for my source to get this one across the ocean to me. Thanks, Michael, for all your help with Snubie.com. Also, it's hard for me to get these because Fiedler and Lundgren doesn't release these outside of Sweden (Cheap plug: a mistake we won't be making with limited edition
Artisan Snus products). But, I finally have my hands on the
Lundgren's Valsjön Summer 2021 Edition, and I'm excited to talk about it. It's a really neat release.
The release comes with a little booklet that tells you a little bit about this release: "
This snus has taken its inspiration from Valsjöbyn in Jämtland, a place I always return to. I have chosen to highlight some unusual flavors, inspired by a dessert with donuts in caramel sauce and strawberries that I usually cook cast iron pot over an open fire. Welcome to experience my picture of Valsjön." In fact, on another page of the booklet it has his recipe for the donut/caramel creation, if you want to try to replicate it and see some of his inspiration for this snus!
To walk through unboxing this one, we'll start with the exterior. A white box, with some information about the product on it. The side says this release is focused on memories, and an experience: "
Memories from cooking over an open birch wood fire, Valsjöbyn, Jämtland". It also provides a little about the flavor notes to look for: "
Cast iron / Sweetness / Birch / Wood / Smoke".
Once you open the box, you'll find a little booklet inside, which I shared above. The snus box is wrapped in orange wrapping, with a neat little white bow on top.
Once you remove the box, you'll find another box. This is the box that contains the snus can. I'm not sure what the wood itself is, but with all the mentions of birch, I wouldn't be surprised if it was, actually, birch.
The top is held on by four little magnetic points, and upon removing the lid you'll find the black metal can inside. And from there, you can begin to experience the snus itself.
You'll notice the portions are the usual perforated white portions. The can weighs 16 grams and contains 20 portions at 0.8g each. The nicotine content is 10mg/g, or 8mg/portion. The aroma of this one is quite nice. There are heavy notes of smoke, and wood, along with a hint of caramel. Upon putting a portion in you'll notice it is slightly dry, but fills out the lip pretty well. As it gets more moist the flavor begins to release, and the pouch begins to soften. The flavor is really good; you can experience what Niklas wants you to experience - cooking over an open fire. The taste is quite smoky, and has a good presence of wood to it. I do detect minor notes of caramel, and a slight sweetness to it. As it mellows, the smokiness dies a bit, and you're left with a nice mixture of caramel and wood. In terms of strength, it feels to be at the regular strength level. The flavor lasts about an hour, sometimes a little more.
Rating and Final Thoughts
All in all, a pretty solid release. The flavor is pretty unique, and I think folks who like a smoky snus would enjoy this one. Obviously, it isn't for sale anymore and sold out quickly, but I paid like $21 USD for one can of snus so I'm still going to review it. Also, Lundgrens has a habit of bringing back limited edition flavors full time, so I figured it would still be fun to review. I gave it a 4.17/5. For me, it's not one I could use full time, but it's still a solid snus, with an impressive presentation and a great story. I like when companies approach snus from the viewpoint of creating an experience and extracting a memory, and letting consumers share that memory. I think Lundgrens did a tremendous job with this snus.
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