Camel SNUS vs. Swedish Snus. A snus review solely on taste!

Greetings Snustopians!

Today, I thought we’d do something a little different in the way of snus reviews. Instead of just reviewing one kind of Swedish snus, I thought we would do a review that compared American snus against Swedish snus.

The Snustopian Ministry of Information has been flooded with questions about the differences between the two lately that, I feel this is necessary to further your journey into the wonderful world of Swedish snus and Snustopia! One warning though, this review will not contain scientific data regarding TSNA levels, amounts of nicotine and guest speakers from the medical factions or anything like that.

We are going to review both types as we always do and compare the tastes, portion materials, mouth feel and their differences. My great friend and colleague Mr. UNZ, Snus Guru at SnusCENTRAL.org has articles that will give you all the data above. We’re just concerned with taste! So, with that out of the way, let’s begin our journey!

It seems like just yesterday when I began my journey into snus. As you all remember from the first blogs, I began with Camel SNUS and within a few weeks, became a huge fan and supporter of true Swedish snus.


Between then and now, I’ve reviewed a lot of different Swedish snus varieties but, never did compare them to American versions. Why you may ask? Simple, Camel SNUS was the only one I could find locally back then!

Another thing that’s happened since the beginning is that Camel SNUS has gained more popularity in the US recently. Because of this, people need to know what the differences in tastes are before deciding which is best.

When I began with Camel SNUS, the first thing that hit me was the taste. Camel SNUS Spice had the taste of sweet pumpkin spices, which I like, but it was sweet! The other flavors in the Camel family (Frost and Original) were sweet as well.

Swedish snus on the other hand is not sweet. It’s just the opposite, salty. Not heavy salt taste like liking a salt block just, salty. “But Snus Guy, wouldn’t sweet taste better than salty?” It depends actually. You have to understand the difference each makes in the way things taste before you can answer that question. I’ll try to explain a bit.

In my opinion, adding a bit of salt to any food will bring the flavors of the food out. Consequentially, adding sugar to foods will tend to mask the flavor of them. The same theory works when applied to snus. Sweet snus, like Camel SNUS, tastes good initially but, all you really taste is the sweetness. Once it’s gone, so is the flavor. Salty snus, like Swedish snus, tastes a little salty initially but, after a few minutes you begin to taste the underlying flavors that the snus was intended to be. For example let’s take Röda Lacket portions.

Initially, Röda Lacket has a salty flavor but after a few minutes, you get the taste of berries, Anise and tobacco which lasts quite a long time! (Can you guess what the next review will be? ;>) ) Camel Frost on the other hand, starts off sweet and Wintergreen tasting but, after 30 minutes, becomes tasteless.

So, to recap taste, Camel SNUS is sweet and flavorful but, the flavor only lasts for about 30 minutes at the most and can taste a little synthetic. Swedish snus is mildly salty for the first 10 minutes or so. After that, the intended flavors come out and can last for over an hour! Swedish flavors are natural tasting because natural food grade flavorings are used.

Another major difference between the two is this. Swedish snus production is overseen by the Swedish version of the FDA. Since it is used orally, Swedish snus must comply with the same food safety standards as a cheeseburger would in Sweden. Unfortunately Camel SNUS, as far as we know, is not.

The portion materials are very different as well. Actually, there are many differences in the portions themselves. Let’s look at the material first. Since Camel SNUS’ portions are small and white, we’ll compare them to Swedish White portions. The two are somewhat similar in appearance. The similarities being the color of the portions and both types use a tea bag like material but, that’s where the similarities end!

Camel SNUS pouches tend to be tube shaped (long and round) while Swedish snus portions are pillow shaped, meaning they are more rectangular and shorter. You may think that shape doesn’t really make a difference but, when it’s in your upper lip, it really does! And that brings us to mouth feel.

Mouth feel is important because you can’t enjoy the flavors if you’re not comfortable with the portion in your lip! I said before that both Swedish snus and Camel SNUS both use a tea bag like material but, in my opinion, the materials feel different.

Camel SNUS uses a material that tends to be a little hard on the gums. This is for two reasons. One, the material feels rougher in and out of the lip, wet or dry. Two, is the shape of the pouch. Since it’s longer, it sits farther back than Swedish snus pouches and will rub when it moves.

Swedish snus, particularly White portions, are easier on the gums. In part because the material just has a softer feel in and out of the mouth and, wet or dry as well. Even though the portions are pillow shaped, meaning they are shorter and wider, they sit more comfortably in the lip in my opinion.

Well Snustopians, I hope this sheds a little light on the taste differences between true Swedish snus and Camel SNUS. As a homework assignment, I encourage you all to visit Mr. UNZ at SnusCentral.org and read his articles on Camel SNUS and other American snus. Who knows, I may even see you there!
As always, I welcome your questions and comments and, will answer them as soon as I can!

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

General Ekstra Sterk Portion snus, a suprisingly strong snus review!

Welcome back Snustopians!
I must first admit that, I’ve been a bit nervous about reviewing General Ekstra Sterk snus! As you all know, I do quite a bit of research before and during a review and, before actually tasting this snus, I went to a few forums, just to see what was being said about it.

Overall, the consensus was that General Ekstra Sterk was really, really strong! Since we began our journey thru snus and Snustopia, I’ve felt my tolerance to nicotine actually fall a little so, I worried what the “Strongest snus in the world” would do to me and, would I be able to give the same unbiased reviews you all have come accustomed to reading from me!

The answer……..you’ll have to read on to find out!

General Ekstra Sterk portion snus is another fine offering from the folks at Swedish Match. Ekstra Sterk was first launched in Norway at the end of October 2008 and is advertised as “The strongest snus in the world” for a good reason! Each original portion contains 15 mg. of Nicotine!

I know what you’re thinking; “now that’s ALOT of Nicotine, Snus Guy!” It is but, it’s not what you think. There are some snus manufacturers out there whose only goal was purely to see how high they can get the Nicotine level to in their snus, no matter what it did to the taste. That’s not the case with Ekstra Sterk. Swedish Match not only raised the Nicotine level but, enhanced the flavor as well!

“Snus Guy…..You’re starting to sound like an advertisement for General! Less praise, more review!” Sorry, I got off track so, on to the taste!

I’ve heard that some snus lovers liken the taste to a mix of General Sterk and Onyx. I, on the other hand, get a completely different one! While Ekstra Sterk does maintain the salt and peppery citrus taste that we’ve all come to associate with most of the General portion brands, this snus has something different. “What could it be?” you may ask. A smoky component that really brings out the tobacco flavor! This is from a “Smoke food flavoring” that has been added to the recipe.

“Smoky flavor? Do you mean like actual smoke?” No. I guess the best way to explain it would be like this; if you remember back to my review on General Onyx, I had compared the taste of it to, a grilled Lemon with salt and pepper. Take that same analogy and, add hickory smoke and, a light, pure tobacco flavor to it and, you have the taste of Ekstra Sterk! It’s quite good actually.

The portions are a bit unique as well. While most General portions are 1 gram of snus each, Ekstra Sterk’s portions are a little more than 1 gram. This means instead of the usual 24 portions in a can, there are 22 in a can of Ekstra Sterk. As I said in the beginning, General Ekstra Sterk Portions are “Large, original” type portions. The material used is the same material that is used in General Original portions and, pretty easy on the gums.

I said in the Claq Qui review, higher Nicotine snus tend to leave a slight burn in the back of the throat and, can be bitter so, you would think Ekstra Sterk would have more than a slight burn since it has 15 mg. of Nicotine and, be quite bitter. Not so with Ekstra Sterk. Actually, there’s very little burn and, only gets bitter after about two hours of being in.

You’re probably sitting there saying “great taste review Snus Guy but, how about the Nicotine?” Well, it’s surprising really! One would think that there would be an immediate kick that would send your head spinning but, in my experience, not so! While you can definitely feel there is more Nicotine in Ekstra Sterk, it’s not what you would expect. Since the Nicotine in snus is released over time, the immediate kick one would expect is not there. What you get is a bigger release over time which, if you’re a new snus lover here in Snustopia, can feel like the first cigarette in the morning but, lasting about 30 minutes.

As for the length of time for a portion, I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with very little flavor loss but, can get a little bitter at the two and a half hours mark. For the new snus lover, I’d recommend General Ekstra Sterk portions as the first thing in the morning snus but, would take care until you get used to the higher Nicotine amount!

What to drink, you may ask? Look at pairings this way. Since Ekstra Sterk has a smoky flavor, drinks that go with smoky foods, go well with Ekstra Sterk. As you all know, Diet Coke is the first thing I try with ANY snus! It’s ok but, Southern Style Sweet Tea really goes well! Ekstra Sterk’s taste reminds me of barbeques we used to have when we lived down south. Sweet tea was always at every one. Lemonade is another great drink that pairs well.

If I could still drink beer, Guinness or another dark beer would go great! The smokiness and tobacco flavor would really come out with them. A nice Weiss bier would bring the citrus out as well!

Overall, General Ekstra Sterk Portion snus is a definite “must try” snus for all Snustopians! I really do recommend you try a can and experience the World’s Strongest Snus for yourselves. The average cost for a can is $3.75 USD at most online shops and, worth the purchase!

As always, I welcome your questions and comments and, will do my best to reply to them all!

Happy Snussing,

That Snus Guy!

Phantom Classic Blue, a much needed snus review!

Greetings my fellow Snustopians!

I’ve been pacing around my office here in The Ministry of Information, trying to figure out which snus I should review for the first post of 2009. I knew this review had to be memorable and, the snus needed to be one that has very little in the way of true taste descriptions. Then it hit me! In the various forums I’ve read, V2’s Phantom Classic Blue has become almost controversial amongst snus lovers. From what I’ve read, this snus is on the top of the list of “I love it!” or “I can’t stand it!” posts. There really is no detailed, unbiased taste reviews, just biased. That’s the reason for Phantom Classic Blue being the first review. Snustopians, old and new, need an unbiased review of this snus so, without further ramblings from me, I give you, V2’s Phantom Classic Blue!

Phantom Classic Blue is a snus made by V2 Tobacco, the same company that makes Offroad Cranberry and Nordströmmen Julesnus. Phantom Classic Blue comes in two versions, Portion snus and lössnus. Although they share the same name and, same core flavor, the intensity of this flavor is different between the two! Because of this, I will separate the two versions and do a review on both! So, let’s start with the portion version!

Phantom Classic Blue Portion is a large, original portion snus. Portions come in three sizes; Mini, Large and Maxi. This refers to the physical size of the portion. Minis hold approximately 0.3 g of tobacco, large portions hold 1.0 g of tobacco and Maxi’s hold around 1.7 g of tobacco. Within the sizes there are subcategories that refer to finishing and, sometimes, amount of Nicotine.

Original portions generally have one last step added to the process. This step rinses the portion in a “snus juice” that adds more moisture to the snus. Original portions, in my opinion, have the most flavors right off the bat! This is due to the extra step. White portions get their name because they do not go thru the extra step. Some Snustopians refer to them as dry portions. This can get confusing when a portion made of black material is called a “White” portion. Grovsnus Svart would be a perfect example. The final portion is a strong portion. These portions can be in original or white form but, are always high in Nicotine! So, you can see it can get quite confusing but, just remember, I’ll do my best to let you know what kind we’re talking about.

Now, since Phantom Blue is a large, original portion snus, its flavor comes out immediately. When you open the can, you’re immediately hit with a very recognizable smell first off. Let me tell you what the flavors are before we get to that though! The flavors I get are very strong, bright citrus and Juniper with some flowery notes and salt. What’s common with most of V2’s flavored portion snus is, the tobacco flavor doesn’t come out for almost 45 minutes. I believe this has to do with the flavoring added to the additional step. Again, this is my theory. The lös version has the same flavoring base and smell to it as the portions do but, in a different way. I’ll get to that in a bit. Some will say that the Juniper takes center stage but, I believe the citrus does! It almost tastes like Bergamot. As I said before, the intense flavor lasts about 30 minutes then the salt and tobacco flavors mix in, this is when a whole other flavor experience comes in! Overall, I’ve had a portion in for about 1½ hours when the portion began to get bitter. I recommend about 1 hour as a max. The material that the portion is made of is very soft in the lip and easy on the gums.

The lös version is a medium cut snus which is good for hand baking of pris’ but, in my experience, it’s better to use a Prismaster or Icetool. The moisture content in Blue lös is pretty high. I’m not saying its dripping wet but, if you hand bake, have a way to wipe your hands. Like I said earlier, the flavor is pretty much the same but, the release is reversed. The lös version is lightly flavored in the beginning and, takes about 15 to 20 minutes to really get going! I’ve had a pris in for up to 2 hours with little flavor loss. Keep this in mind with Phantom Blue; both versions have 8 mg of Nicotine. The Nicotine is pretty much released after 30 to 45 minutes so, if you’re feeling like “hey, I’ve had this in for 1½ hours and I’m having a nic fit!” this is why! The lip feel for the lös version is very comfortable provided you don’t compress it too much with the tools. The pris its self, will start to degrade after an hour hence, the 1 hour use recommendation.

So, now you know the taste of Phantom Classic Blue snus! “Aren’t you forgetting something Snus Guy? You mentioned something about the smell in the beginning of the review. You’re not holding out on us….are you?” Not at all! When you open the can of either Phantom Blue, there is a very familiar smell that comes out. After using both for a week straight, I figured out that it’s the mix of Bergamot and Juniper but, in the beginning, the smell reminded me of a famous blue window cleaner! Don’t be alarmed! V2 isn’t trying to sell a W****X flavored snus; it’s just the mix of Bergamot, Juniper and, the tobacco that is giving it the smell!

I usually like to pair drinks with different snus and, since I can’t drink Alcohol, I first try every snus with Diet Coke. Phantom Blue is great with it. Basically, you get a Diet Coke with Lemon! The best thing I’ve had with it though is, Iced Tea, especially Earl Grey. You’ll notice the Bergamot more in the Earl Grey with Phantom Blue!

I recommend all snustopians should experience at least one can of each type of Phantom Classic Blue snus and form your own opinion. With the average price of $1.84 USD for either version, you really have nothing to lose! You never know, it may become a new addition to your rotation or, like me, another addition to a long list of “likes”. As always, I welcome your thoughts, comments and questions and, will do my best to answer them all!

Happy Snussing!
That Snus Guy

Happy New Year Snustopia

Happy 2009 my fellow Snustopians! It's hard to believe we've been here for 3 months but, we've just begun to get things started. Although we have accomplished quite a few reviews, there are a lot more things in the planning for 2009 and beyond!

Today's review will not be about snus but, a review on Snustopia its self. What we've done so far and, a new alliance, our first one, with a great land across the pond, SnusCENTRAL.org! Some of you may have noticed that we are now www.snustopia.com instead of thatsnusguy.blogspot.com. I made the decision to get the domain so I can expand Snustopia's functionality in the future. Soon, all Snustopians will be able to leave ThatSnusGuy messages via a form that will come directly to me! You can still leave comments at the end of each review but, I feel there may be questions you have that don't really have to do with the actual snus review so, the comment form will let you ask questions at anytime!

The other change we'll make is to the land its self! My idea for Snustopia is to transform it into a true website that will have easy to access tabs for all the different reviews! We're also looking into designing a logo for our country as well! But, the biggest news is, the alliance we've formed with our friends across the pond, SnusCENTRAL.org!

After careful and, sometimes intense, deliberations between our Ministry of Reviews of New Snus (M.o.R.o.N.S.) and the Ambassador of SnusCENTRAL (Mr. UNZ, Snus Guru), an agreement was made to grant That Snus Guy a work visa to do snus reviews at SnusCNETRAL.org! What this means is that Snustopian reviews will be seen in a bigger forum as well as here in Snustopia!

I know what you're thinking "SnusGuy! Does this mean no more reviews on Snustopia?" No. I'll still be posting reviews here on the same schedule but, will be posting reviews there as well. The only difference is, if I review say, Phantom Blue lös here this week, I'll review Phantom Blue portions there. The biggest thing you'll have to remember is, there will never be the same snus reviewed in both places in the same week! I believe this new alliance will not only benefit both countries but, will have a better impact on the world of snus in general. Well, that's what we've got in store for the future of Snustopia but, what have we accomplished in the short amount of time we've been here!

Think about it. What we have planned for Snustopia in the near future, wouldn't have even been thought of without the happenings of the past! In the short time we've been Snustopia, we've reviewed some pretty good snus! Our friends at Swedish Match released not one special edition snus but, two of them. The first being the issue of Onyx Carbon and, the second being the presentation of Kardus 2008! We've also identified the differences in the different types of portion snus, the difference between portion snus and lös (loose) snus and, the different amounts of Nicotine in them. You have also learned that SnusGuy's favorite snus is Skruf Stark lös!

In short, we've done some really good things in the past year but, 2009 will be a great year for Snustopia! I'd like to invite you all to visit SnusCENTRAL.org and, take part in what the world of snus looks like outside of Snustopia!

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy