Skruf Stark Portion and White portion. Reviewing the original Stark portion snus brands!

Welcome back Snustopians!

You may be asking yourselves why I chose to do a review on both Skruf Stark Portion snus and Skruf Stark White portion snus this week. The reason why is pretty simple actually! Skruf Stark portion has always been on my list of snus to review and just when I was getting ready to introduce it to you, Skruf came out with Skruf Stark White! So I figured, instead of reviewing them separately, why not review them together and point out the differences!

“Snus Guy, we’ve heard that the only difference between Skruf Stark regular portion and White portion was the color of the portions!” It’s the main difference but not the only one. I have found a few more that you may be interested in! So, let’s get started reviewing them, beginning with Skruf Stark portion snus!

Skruf Stark portion snus and Skruf Stark White portion snus are the product of the folks at Skruf AB. Skruf Stark portion really has a pretty good story to tell due to the fact that it was the first strong portion snus to go over the 11 mgs of Nicotine per portion hurdle! “But Snus Guy, doesn’t General Maxi portion have 14 mgs of Nicotine per portion? Since it came out in 2004, wouldn’t that make it the first strong portion?” Great question! While General Maxi does have 14 mgs of Nicotine per portion, it is actually a Maxi portion meaning that it has almost double the amount of snus per portion than Skruf Stark portion. That’s why there is a high amount of Nicotine in General Maxi and what makes Skruf Stark portion’s story so good!

Skruf Stark portion was introduced into the snus world back in 2005 so, it’s really is the first of the high Nicotine, regular sized portion snus! Each portion has 1 gram of snus and there are 24 portions in each can. The portions in Skruf Stark portions are regular type portions which, as you all remember, go thru an additional wetting process towards the end of manufacturing but this is another hitch in the story of Skruf Stark portion!

Most regular type portions are wet. Not the kind of wet like they’re soaking in liquid but, have a moist look and feel in the lip from the start. Skruf Stark portions really don’t have that. They do have the trademark immediate flavor that other regular portions do but run less. Why, you ask? It’s because the snus inside the portion material is more moist that in other portions. This is what gives them the immediate flavor release while not being as prone to running as other regular portions! “Sounds pretty good Snus Guy but, how do they feel under your lip?”

Well, the portion material is pretty soft to the touch but has the same feel as most other regular portion snus. One would think that since the portion material isn’t as moist as a normal regular portion, Skruf Stark’s portions would be a little irritating but, that’s not the case! I’ve had a portion in for up to 3 hours with only a bit of wrinkling under the lip but, no discomfort to speak of. As I’ve said before, the Nicotine is pretty much gone after about 30 to 45 minutes but the flavor lasts much longer! Now, let’s talk about Skruf Stark White portion’s history and feel!

Skruf Stark White portion snus was released in February 2009 as a true “White” type portion snus. I feel that the reason for Skruf to release Skruf Stark in a White type was the fact that, at the time of its release, the majority of the Extra Stark/Extra Sterk/Extra Strong snus brands were produced as white types. So, in order to bring Skruf Stark into the race for the Strongest Snus around, Skruf released a White version of its strongest snus!

While most of the characteristics of Skruf Stark White are the same as Skruf Stark’s, the portion material seems to be a bit softer in White. It’s basically due to the portions not going thru the extra step. The other differences are when the flavor is released and how long it lasts.

With Skruf Stark White, the flavor takes a bit go get going unlike the regular. Let me explain a bit. Where the flavor in the regular Skruf Stark pretty much comes on within a minute or two, Skruf Stark White takes about 10 minutes to begin flowing but, that’s not a bad thing. The flavor in White lasts about 2 ½ hours where with the regular, the flavor lasts about 2 hours. A common thing in both is that when they hit their maximum time limits for flavor, the portions get bitter. It’s almost like a timer for me that says “Hey! Snus Guy! You’re not getting any more flavor out of us! It’s time to change us out!” Knowing this, I recommend a 2 hour max for both for full enjoyment!

“Ok Snus Guy, how about taste already?” Ok, let me say this about the can first and we’ll get to the flavor! The cans in all Skruf products are pretty much the same, no matter if its loose snus or portion snus, with exception of the lids. They all are made of white plastic and both Skruf Stark and Skruf Stark White have used portion compartments in the lid. The design of the labels is the same as well. The only difference is the color of the band and the marking on the top. The band for Skruf Stark is red and the band for White is black. Also, the top of White has a label where the top on Skruf Stark portion is embossed. I know you probably didn’t really need to know that but, I find it easier when I grab for them in the morning. I just look for the color of the band! Ok, enough about the can and my weird way of finding them, on to the taste!

One would think the flavors in Skruf Stark portion and Skruf Stark White portions would be pretty much identical but this is not the case. Skruf describes them to taste of Rose Oil and Bergamot. For those Snustopians that don’t know what a Bergamot tastes like, it tastes like a cross between an orange, a lemon and a grapefruit. Most Snustopians describe it as a citrus flavor but have a hard time pinpointing which one of the three. I liken it to a bitter orange taste but, in both Skruf Starks, it’s more of a red grapefruit taste. A little sour, a little sweet and just the right amount of the bitter grapefruit taste in the background. What I didn’t really taste in the regular type was the Rose Oil!

“Snus Guy! What does Rose Oil taste like?” Glad you asked. It’s really not a taste you can sense with your taste buds. It’s more of a flavor you pickup in the back of your mouth, almost like a scent. If you read the Skruf Stark Lös review, I can sense the Rose Oil in the loose version. In the regular portions, it’s pretty much nonexistent. It’s not a total loss though. The trade off is the slight peppery taste that enhances the Bergamot flavor. In the White version, the Rose Oil scent is pretty much the same as in the loose. It’s not a “Wow, I smell Roses when I have a White portion in” type of flavor, it’s more of a flowery taste much like tea has. In all honesty, imagine a cup of black tea with lemon and you’d be pretty close to Skruf Stark White’s flavor. Sadly though, as I said above, the flavor only lasts about 2 to 2 ½ hours and the portions get bitter so, for maximum enjoyment, I still stick to the 2 hour max! Now, let’s talk drinks!

My staples, Diet Coke and Monster Energy drinks, played well with both types but overall did really well with the regular portions. Black teas like Earl Grey did better with the regular portions too because of the predominant Bergamot flavor. Here’s where it gets a bit weird though. I tried Iced Earl Grey with the White version and it was a bit too strong for it. It seemed to overtake the Rose Oil flavor but, did enhance the tobacco flavor! The best thing I’ve found to go well with both was lemonade!

Yes, you heard me right, lemonade. I know, there’s only been one other snus I’ve said went well with it but, now there’s three. In the regular portion type, the lemonade enhanced the Bergamot flavor while bringing the tobacco taste to the front more. In the White portion type, the lemonade did something completely surprising! While it did the same thing as in the regular type, with the White type, it actually enhanced the Iced Tea flavor and created a flavor similar to an “Arnold Palmer”! For those Snustopians that don’t play golf, an Arnold Palmer is a drink made with half Iced Tea and half lemonade. It was really surprising!

My overall recommendations for Skruf Stark regular portion and White portion Snustopians, is this; Skruf Stark portion snus is the original strong portion snus. For those Snustopians who want to experience what it was like before the current Extra Strong/Extra Sterk/Extra Stark race at a time when 14 mgs of Nicotine was the king, then Skruf Stark portion is a definite “must try”! New Snustopians who want to start the race slowly will enjoy it as well. Current fans of Skruf Stark portions will find that Skruf Stark White portion has the same basic flavor as their favorite does, with a twist. Overall, I really do recommend that you give both a try!

Both Skruf Stark portion and Skruf Stark White portion can be found at Snustopia’s favorite snus shop, The Northerner, for around $3.72 USD each. If this is your first time placing an order with them, just click on the banner at the top of the page and get 10% off!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru Skruf Stark portion and Skruf Stark White portion by Skruf AB. Please feel free to leave your questions, comments and suggestions! I look forward to hearing and answering them.

Until our next review, as always,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

Nick & Johnny East and West portion snus. A review of a unique pair of Swedish snus!

Greetings Snustopians!

You all may be asking yourselves why I picked Nick & Johnny East and West portion snus to do a review on today. Well, there are a couple of reasons. First, Nick & Johnny East and West are truly very unique, from their Nicotine contents to their tastes to their cans! Second, I’ve been meaning to review them for a while now but the last reason is the most important one! I’ll explain later about the last one but let’s get right into the review of Nick & Johnny East and West portion snus!

I know what you’re thinking, “Snus Guy! Why are you doing a review on just two of the Nick & Johnny family when there are a total of three? ” True, there are three in the Nick & Johnny family but, like I said in the beginning, there is a big reason why I want to only focus on these two for now. I promise it’ll all become clear towards the end! So, on to the review!

Both Nick & Johnny flavors are made by the folks at Swedish Match and are white portion snus types. As you remember, white portion snus do not go thru the additional wetting step and the portion material is white. Both have portions that have about .84 grams of snus per portion and 24 portions in each can. The material is the same soft, tea bag type material that Swedish Match uses in all of its white portions and has a pretty comfortable feel under the lip, even after 3 hours but, I recommend about a 2 hour max!

The cans that Nick & Johnny come in is the first unique thing about them, the cans are often referred to as “Coffin” cans due to their shape. Take a look at the cans to the left. You can see that the cans do indeed resemble coffins but that’s not really what Swedish Match had in mind when they designed them.

You see, Swedish Match developed Nick & Johnny East and West to be a snus that would cater to Snustopians that were in their 20’s and 30’s or “The Hip Crowd” so, they started with the can. The can was actually made to resemble a cell phone! If you take another look at the cans, they succeeded in doing just that! The cans even have a used portion compartment under the trendy graphic on top. Speaking of the graphic, it too is unique in the fact that they differ not only between East and West but, differ within each brand! By the way, Nick & Johnny are, in fact, real guys according to Swedish Match! I know…..”Enough about the cans Snus Guy! What kind of Nicotine punch do Nick & Johnny East and West pack?” I’m glad you asked that actually.

Another unique, albeit disappointing, thing about Nick & Johnny East and West is their Nicotine contents. The Nick & Johnny family is pretty interesting in the fact that 2 of the 3 snus varieties are strong portions. East is the black sheep! West has a Nicotine content of 11 mg. per portion while East has 8 mg. per portion. The disappointing thing is that it can be confusing to new Snustopians. In the beginning, it was to me! So, remember Snustopians, N & J East has a lower amount of Nicotine that West does and you won’t be disappointed like I was at first! So, let’s go on to tastes.

East and West have two very different tastes. Although they look the same, they taste completely different from one another! Let’s start with Nick & Johnny West. West’s flavor is described by Swedish Match as ”A strong snus with a higher level of nicotine, classic and full tobacco taste” but, there’s more to it than just tobacco flavor! Tobacco does play the lead in West but, lemon and just a bit of a peppery note are there as well. I liken it to a dulled down Onyx taste with less pepper. There is a slight burn in the back of the throat from the higher Nicotine level but it’s pretty subtle.

Nick & Johnny West’s flavor lasts a pretty respectable amount of time as well! I’ve had a portion in for about 2 ½ hours before the flavor went a bit flat so, I recommend about a 2 hour max. Now that you know about Nick & Johnny West, let’s meet his little brother, Nick & Johnny East! The difference will surprise you!

Nick & Johnny East is a complete 180° from Nick & Johnny West, flavor wise. Swedish Match describes Nick & Johnny East as “A snus with full tobacco taste and an oriental influence with hints of cardamom and citrus”. Here, I believe, Swedish Match’s description is good but, some Snustopians may not really know what cardamom tastes like so, I’ll do my best to describe the taste. The taste of East is really close to same flavor of a fruit flavored gum called Juicy Fruit. “Snus Guy! Nick & Johnny tastes like Juicy Fruit?” Well, yes and no.

The juicy fruit flavor is a background flavor. East’s flavor is a mild tobacco in the front and a lightly sweet, fruity flavor in the background along with a bit of spices. Cardamom is a sweet, Far Eastern spice that’s used mostly in baking and exotic dishes. Swedish Match wanted East to have an exotic, Far East flavor but, I feel they created a snus with an exotic, tropical flavor when they added the citrus taste to it. To be honest, Nick & Johnny East could be a close replacement for Camel SNUS Spice, in the flavor department and the Nicotine department!

Nick & Johnny East’s flavor lasts just as long as West’s flavor does and, I recommend the same time of 2 hours max with East as well!

“Well Snus Guy, you’ve told us about most of the unique things about Nick & Johnny East and West but, you’re not forgetting the big reason why you wanted to review it, are you?” Nope! Let’s go into that now and I’ll give you my recommendations after.

Nick & Johnny East and West were among the first snus brands I purchased back when I started using Swedish snus. Both were launched early in 2008 which makes them relatively new snus varieties but, sometimes a snus variety will be discontinued by the manufacturer for many reasons but the most common reasons are popularity and sales. Unfortunately Snustopians, this will happen to Nick & Johnny East and West in May 2009.

As you all know Snustopians, I try my best to write unbiased reviews and basically stick to giving you an honest and accurate account of whatever snus we happen to be reviewing. So, in knowing this, I must say this one time, that I, my fellow Snustopians, will be saddened to see Nick & Johnny East and West go! So, now that I have that off my chest, let’s look at what to drink!

As you all probably know by now, my staple drinks are Diet Coke and Monster energy drinks so, let’s start with them! Diet coke did do well with Nick & Johnny West but, didn’t fare well with East. The Diet Coke made the flavors in the snus go a bit weird. Monster had the same effect with East. The best thing I have tried so far was iced tea, Green tea to be exact. The light flavor of the tea helped to bring out the tobacco flavor in both but not to the point of being overpowering. In Nick & Johnny East, it actually enhanced the cardamom flavor as well!

My overall recommendations for Nick & Johnny West and East Snustopians, is this; For Nick & Johnny West, this snus would be great for the new Snustopian that wants to begin to explore the world of strong snus. With 11 grams of Nicotine per portion, it’s basically the ground floor! Experienced Snustopians can’t go wrong with a can or two as a mid level Nicotine snus as well!

For Nick & Johnny East, Snustopians looking for a snus that has a bit of sweetness with a little spice flavor will really like Nick & Johnny East! On the other hand, Snustopians that are fans of higher Nicotine snus varieties or the Extra Sterk/Extra Strong/Extra Stark snus types, will find Nick & Johnny East a bit too weak.
In any event, if you have never tried Nick & Johnny East or West, I recommend you try, at least one can of each before it becomes discontinued! Prices for Both Nick & Johnny East and West average between $3.00 USD and $4.00 USD depending on which shop you buy it from but, if you click on The Northerner banner at the top of the page, and it’s your first order,  you’ll get 10% off the entire order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found this review of Nick & Johnny East and West helpful and informative! I look forward to reading, and answering, any questions or comments you may have. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment or, have a question you don’t want to leave in the comment section, just click “Ask That Snus Guy”! I’ll do my best to answer them all!

So, until our next review,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

Oden’s Kanel (cinnamon) portion snus by Gajane. A review of the current “King of the Extra Sterk snus”!

Welcome back fellow Snustopians!

Today we’ll be reviewing the latest leader in the Extra Strong/Ekstra Sterk/Extra Stark snus race, Oden’s Kanel (Cinnamon) Extra Stark portion snus by Gajane!

While I was going thru our last few reviews, I realized that the last review of an Extra Strong snus we did was General Ekstra Sterk! So I figured that since there have been two additions to the race since Ekstra Sterk was introduced, I’d better review Oden’s Kanel before Snustopians started revolting! I also wanted to get a review out for it while it was still new to most snus lovers! There is another reason why I wanted to review Oden’s Kanel that I’ll divulge at the end and it will surprise you!

Oden’s Kanel Extra Stark portion snus is produced by a new snus company in Sweden called Gajane. The word “Kanel” means “Cinnamon” in, no, not Swedish but, Norwegian! I know what you’re saying “Snus Guy! Is this snus made in Norway?” Nope, it’s made in Sweden. Let’s review the Extra Stark/Ekstra Sterk/Extra Strong race before we go forward and you’ll see why they chose the Norwegian word for Cinnamon!

The Extra Stark/Ekstra Sterk/Extra Strong race, as you may or may not know, started with General Ekstra Sterk portion snus. The reason why General developed a “High Nicotine” snus was based purely on the demand for one! Outside of Sweden, Norway is probably the largest market for Swedish snus in the world so, when that market called for a snus with a stronger Nicotine content, some snus manufacturers answered the call by creating high Nicotine snus and labeling them as “Norwegian Editions” or, using Norwegian words to describe the snus.

General Sterk and Ekstra Sterk are “Norwegian Editions” and Gajane named Oden’s Cinnamon using the Norwegian word for cinnamon, Kanel. To my knowledge, these are the only two snus manufacturers to use this classification to date. Yes, I know that Americans were clamoring for a high Nicotine snus as well but, America is still a virgin market for Swedish snus where Norway is established. I guess we have the Norwegians to thank for the Extra Strong/Ekstra Sterk/Extra Stark lines! So, now that we’re armed with that knowledge, let’s get on to the review!

Oden’s Kanel comes in two types, a regular portion type and a loose (lös) type. Today though, we’ll be reviewing the regular portion type. As I said, Oden’s Kanel Extra Stark portion snus is a regular type snus meaning that it has gone thru the additional wetting step. The portions weigh in at just under a gram per portion and there are approximately 24 portions per can with a whopping 17 mg of Nicotine per portion, which makes it the strongest snus on the market, to date! Unfortunately, the can’s lid does not feature a used portion compartment but does have the Oden’s logo etched on it!

The material used for the portions is the typical tea bag type and is very much like the material V2 uses in their portion snus. Since these are regular type portions, the material is pre-moistened which makes them pretty comfortable under the lip. Over an extended period of time though, they can be a little irritating though. By “extended” means that I’ve had a portion in for about 3 hours when the portion began to get a bit irritating. Although the flavor doesn’t last that long, I recommend leaving a portion in about 2 hours max. Now, let’s go on to the flavor!

As you all know, I usually begin each flavor review by saying how the manufacturer describes the taste of whatever particular snus we happen to be reviewing. Knowing that, Gajane describes Oden’s Kanel as a portion snus of high quality tobacco with an exciting taste of cinnamon. When I opened the can, I was pleasantly surprised to smell a very distinct scent of cinnamon which was surprising. Why is it surprising, you ask? Because, most snus I’ve smelled will usually have a very light hint of ammonia. The only other snus I’ve smelled that didn’t have it was Gotlands Green! Ok, I went a bit off topic so; let’s get back to the flavor.

Since the cinnamon smell was so distinct, I expected the cinnamon taste to be overwhelming. I was surprisingly wrong! Although Oden’s Kanel portion’s predominant flavor is indeed cinnamon, it’s not overwhelming. The downside to this is the fact that the only flavor I can detect is cinnamon. “Snus Guy! What kind of cinnamon flavor do you taste?” I’m glad you asked!

The cinnamon flavor I taste is much like that of those little heart shaped cinnamon candies one would get for Valentine’s Day, complete with the little bit of heat that’s associated with them but with less of the sweetness. Although, I attribute the burn in the back of the throat to the high Nicotine! Oden’s Kanel portion snus flavor really doesn’t have any tobacco taste even after 2 ½ hours. Actually, after about 2 hours the flavor goes kind of flat. Knowing that, I still recommend keeping the portion in for a 2 hour max.

Now, let’s talk drinks! “Hold on a minute Snus Guy! You forgot something! What about the Nicotine feeling and the surprise you had mentioned in the beginning!” Well, I didn’t forget! I wanted to save it for the end but, since you brought it up, let’s review it now.

Oden’s Kanel portion snus has 17 mg of snus per portion which really does make it the strongest snus on the market to date but, the surprise is the most important part! If you’ve read the General Ekstra Sterk review, you’ll know that I really didn’t feel the head spin or wooziness that other Snustopians did. With Oden’s Kanel on the other hand, I did! This snus can truly be crowned “King of the Extra Sterks” when it comes to strength!
To close this part of the review, I offer this warning. I really do not recommend using Oden’s Kanel as an “all day” snus or chain snussing it. I sacrificed myself for Snustopia and tried both. After the 6th hour of chain snussing Kanel, it felt like I was kicked in the gut so, unless you like that sort of feeling, I took the hit so you don’t have to!

Now, let’s discuss drinks! My staple Diet Coke did do well to enhance the cinnamon flavor. Monster Energy Drink or any energy drink for that matter, tasted good but I could feel my heart getting ready to beat out of my chest so, I really caution snus lovers on that combo! What really did go well were drinks that had fruity flavors like Sprite, 7 up and fruit flavored iced teas. I liked it best with peach flavored White tea! The mild peach flavor in the tea went extremely well with the cinnamon taste in the snus and the light tea flavor in the drink let me taste a hint of tobacco flavor. I really recommend this drink if it’s available near you!

My overall recommendation for Oden’s Kanel Extra Stark portion snus is this fellow Snustopians. Fans of the Extra Sterk/Ekstra Stark/Extra Strong race will love Gajane’s entry. Beware though, although the description states there is tobacco flavor in Kanel, I had a hard time finding it. The cinnamon is the main player! Experienced snus lovers looking to try a higher Nicotine snus can’t go wrong with Oden’s Kanel! New snus lovers on the other hand may want to start with the first in the line of strong snus, Skruf Stark, before trying Oden’s Kanel. Once you have an idea on how your body will react to that level of Nicotine, give it a try. Again, I really don’t recommend chain snussing Oden’s Kanel but, 4 to 6 portions a day should be fine! That’s my limit!

Oden’s Kanel Extra Stark portion snus is relatively priced for an average of $3.42 USD a can, as of the writing of this review. If you click on The Northerner banner at the top of the blog, and this is your first order, and get 10% off!

Well my fellow Snustopians, I hope you found our trip thru Oden’s Kanel Extra Sterk portion snus by Gajane fun and informative. I encourage you to leave your comments and questions and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can!

As always, until our next review,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

General Wintergreen portion snus. Review of a Swedish snus for American tastes!

Welcome back Snustopians!

This past weekend I decided to take a walk around my favorite part of Snustopia, Skruf Square, to relax and decide which snus we should review this week. As always, I stopped by my tobacconist to see what new snus came in and, lo and behold, I found a snus that Snustopians from America will really be interested in reading a review about, General Wintergreen white portion snus!

I know what you’re all thinking! “Snus Guy! Why would Americans be so interested in General Wintergreen? Is it made there?” No, it’s made in Sweden by Swedish Match. It’s the taste that Americans will really like and most will identify with. Identify how, you ask? Let’s get into the review of General Wintergreen white portion snus and you’ll see!

General Wintergreen white portion snus is another fine snus manufactured by the folks at Swedish Match, the same people who make General Mini Mint! You may be asking yourselves why I mentioned Mini Mint. I did this because General Wintergreen, like General Mini Mint, was created specifically for the American market meaning, to date, it’s only available in American tobacco shops or, from the Swedish Match snus store online. As I did in the General Mini Mint review, I’ll include a link to the Swedish Match store locator at the end of the review! “Ok, enough history already Snus Guy, get back to the review!” Sorry, got a bit wrapped up but it is important to know this! Now, back to the review!

General Wintergreen is a white type portion snus. As you all remember, white portions are white in color and get this way because they do not go thru the additional wetting step that regular portions do. They have 1 gram of snus per portion and there are 24 portions in each can with 8 mg of Nicotine per portion.

The portion material is the same soft tea bag type material that Swedish Match uses in all its white portion snus and sits really comfortably under the lip. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with hardly any discomfort from the material. My time recommendation is about 2 hours max. I also offer this observation about it though. Even after an hour, the snus will wrinkle the inside of your lip. I’ve found that most snus that contains any kind of mint will do this. Although not irritating, some Snustopians have questioned me about it. If this bothers you, try doing what I do. I alternate sides when using mint flavored snus after each portion and this seems to not wrinkle my inner lip as much! Just some food for thought.

The can that General Wintergreen comes in is the exact same one that General Sterk comes in, complete with the used portion compartment in the lid. The only difference is the label. You’re probably thinking that the can is really not that special and, you would be right. The taste is what makes General Wintergreen special. “Special how, Snus Guy?” I’m glad you asked that Snustopians!

General Wintergreen’s taste is pretty unique. When most people think Wintergreen, the first thing that jumps to mind is Wintergreen Life Savers. I asked a few Snustopians here to smell an open can of General Wintergreen just to get their opinion on what they smelled. 3 of the 4 did indeed smell Wintergreen Life Savers but the 4th Snustopian smelled the exact same thing I did, the American Smokeless brand, Skoal Wintergreen! But this is not a bad thing and next you’ll see why!

While the scent is very close to Skoal Wintergreen, the taste has its differences. The first thing you taste in General Wintergreen is, indeed Wintergreen Life Savers but the more you have a portion in, the more it develops the flavors reminiscent of Skoal Wintergreen. General Wintergreen has the same burn in the lip as Skoal does as well! Wintergreen though, is not the only flavor I taste in General Wintergreen. I can actually taste the tobacco and salt in it as well! In Skoal Wintergreen, all I could taste is Wintergreen. The hint of tobacco and the slight saltiness really plays well with the Wintergreen and helps to eliminate the bitterness you typically get with Skoal Wintergreen. I’ve had the flavor last about 2 hours when the taste is pretty much gone. I recommend an overall max of about 2 hours in regards to feel and flavor.

“Snus Guy! You’re making a lot of connections with Skoal Wintergreen here! What exactly are you driving at?” Well, here’s where I explain the whole “taste that most Americans will identify with” thing! Since the flavor of General Wintergreen is really close to the flavor of Skoal Wintergreen, it would be very easy for new Snustopians that were using a wintergreen flavored American smokeless tobacco product, to easily switch over to General Wintergreen. In addition to that, Snustopians that used to smoke menthol cigarettes seem to like the Wintergreen taste as well!

So, what drinks go well with General Wintergreen? “We know Snus Guy, Diet Coke and Monsters do well!” :) Actually, Diet Coke and General Wintergreen created a taste I never thought it would! The two together tastes very similar to a Diet Coke with lime! Monster Energy Drinks really didn’t do well actually. The Monster made the snus taste bitter and gave the drink an off taste. The best drink was a true Southern Style sweet tea! The sweetness in the tea enhanced the wintergreen flavor and helped to bring the tobacco flavor out. Sweet tea Snustopians, I really recommend!

Before I give you my overall recommendations for General Wintergreen white portion snus Snustopians, I have to admit something to you. I had my reservations about General Wintergreen when I first smelled the can. The reason I don’t really care for Skoal Wintergreen is the fact that Skoal Wintergreen was really over flavored to the point it made me sick. After I smelled General Wintergreen, all the memories of that incident came flooding back. Being the sacrificing soul for my fellow Snustopians, I gathered all my courage and tried it. It was then I learned that I had nothing to be concerned about!

My overall recommendation for General Wintergreen white portion snus Snustopians, is this; New Snustopians who currently use an American Smokeless tobacco product and want to transition to a safer, cleaner way to use smokeless tobacco but still want a familiar flavor, can’t go wrong with a couple of cans of General Wintergreen! Seasoned Snustopians that like wintergreen flavors can’t go wrong either! If you really don’t care for wintergreen flavors, you may not want to try General Wintergreen but, I leave this decision up to you!

As I said in the beginning, as of the writing of this review, General Wintergreen is only available at American tobacco shops and Swedish Match’s Snus Shop. Today, General Wintergreen is now available online and at Snustopia's favorite snus shop, The Northerner, for about $3.72 USD a can and, if your a first time customer, simply click on the banner to the right and get 10% off so, you really can't go wrong by trying a can or two!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru Swedish Match’s General Wintergreen white portion snus and found it useful and informative. As always, I welcome your questions and comments and will do my best to answer them all as soon as I can!

Until our next review,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

Elixyr Power Energy portion snus. A truly unbiased snus review!

Welcome Back Snustopians!

While I was doing research on the internet for another snus to review, I came across a snus brand that I had completely forgotten about. This snus was one of the first snus brands I had tried and one of the reasons I had decided to create Snustopia in the first place! That snus brand is Elixyr Power Energy portion snus by Rebel Tobacco.

Now, if you’re like me (Which you must be! You’re here because you searched for snus on the web!), you see hundreds of different brands of snus on the market and will usually buy based on what others have thought or, what you’ve read about the taste. Don’t feel bad Snustopians, that’s how I used to buy snus! In most forums though, Elixyr Power Energy rates at the top of the “Love it” or “Hate it” list. It even tops Phantom Blue with the consensus leaning more towards the “Hate it” side rather than the “Love it”. So, since I regularly color outside the lines, I made the decision and ordered a couple cans of Elixyr Power energy.

“Snus Guy! If you read that most people really didn’t like it, why try it?” Good question. As you all know, my two favorite drinks are Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks. Since Elixyr Power Energy has the same basic ingredients that a Monster does, I thought “what the heck, I’ll give it a go!” That and the fact of wanting to give Elixyr Power Energy a fair and unbiased review! So, if you’re ready to go, sit back, relax and let’s begin our review of Elixyr Power Energy snus by Rebel Tobacco!

Elixyr Power energy is a regular type portion snus. As you remember, regular type means that it has gone thru the additional step to add a bit more moisture to the material. Each portion has a little less than a gram of snus and there are 24 portions in each can. Each portion contains about 11 mg of Nicotine as well. The portion material is the typical tea bag type but a bit softer than most which makes them very comfortable under the lip. I classify Elixyr as a lower priced snus so, when I say that the portion material is softer than most, I mean lower priced brands. Elixyr’s feel under the lip is comparable to General regular portions or Gotlandssnus portions.

I’ve had a portion in for over 3 hours with very little discomfort but, after the 2 ½ hour mark the portion begins to get a bit weird feeling so, I recommend about 2 ½ hours max on feel only! When we get to the taste part, you’ll see why I make this distinction. Ok, now that you know the feel of Elixyr Power Energy, let’s get into the most talked about part, the taste!

The taste of Elixyr Power Energy is probably the most unique taste I’ve come across in a Swedish snus! Rebel describes Power Energy as a complement or substitute for energy drinks or coffee but doesn’t offer any explanation of the taste other than tobacco and lemon. Actually, when I was trying to find info on Elixyr Power Energy in the beginning, pretty much every online store offered the same description! This is another reason why I decided to review it.

Elixyr Power Energy has the same energizing ingredients in it as Monster Energy and Red Bull does meaning Caffeine, Taurine and Guarana. These 3 ingredients are what give energy drinks their kick! “So, what does that have to do with the flavor Snus Guy?” I’m getting to that! The way Elixyr is described; one would think it tastes like Red Bull or Monster. Well, it doesn’t. There are hints of lemon and some sweetness and, after a while a small bit of tobacco flavor comes thru but, that’s it.

Look again at how Rebel describes Elixyr Power Energy, specifically at the “complements” piece. The taste of Power Energy by its self is, well, pretty harsh. The Taurine and Caffeine gives the snus a bitter taste and really masks the lemon and tobacco flavors. But, combine it with an energy drink or drinks with strong flavors and, you have a great substitute for those power shot drinks!

In my experience, Elixyr Power Energy’s effectiveness lasts about 45 minutes. This snus is one of the only snus I suggest to change out after about 45 minutes. “Why Snus Guy? Is the taste really bad?” No. Elixyr Power Energy was created to be an energizing snus and, after 45 minutes, the Nicotine, Caffeine and other energizing ingredients are basically absorbed and the snus tends to get bitter. So, knowing that Elixyr Power Energy was made to accompany drinks, let’s discuss them now!

As I said before, Elixyr Power Energy is the perfect accompaniment to energy drinks. My staple Monster Energy drink went extremely well! With Monster, I could actually make out the lemon and a hint of tobacco flavor which was surprising. Red Bull did well also but in a different way. Red Bull tends to have a slight medicine taste. Elixyr Power Energy helped to mask that taste and added a bit of sweetness to the drink.
I know there are Snustopians that really don’t care for energy drinks due to the medicine taste so; I tried Elixyr Power Energy with a high caffeine drink, Mountain Dew!

It was as if Rebel created Power Energy for it! Mountain Dew, in my opinion, is too sweet so I was a bit leery when I first thought about trying it. I was really shocked when I did! The bitterness in the snus dulled down the sweetness and added another layer of taste. It also did really well in adding that extra kick. In essence, it recreated Monster without the medicine taste! I tried it with coffee and it was, well, a taste disaster! Strong teas like Earl Grey and other Black teas faired a bit better but, energy drinks and Mountain Dew were the best!

My overall recommendation for Elixyr Power energy portion snus by Rebel Tobacco Snustopians is this. Elixyr Power Energy is a very unique snus and not for everyone. I believe it caters to Snustopians that enjoy energy drinks or, want to add the energy jolt to their drinks without adding the medicine taste. So, if you’re a Snustopian, like me, that loves energy drinks or, Mountain Dew, you can’t go wrong with adding Elixyr Power Energy to your rotation. For those Snustopians that don’t like energy drinks or, like to use portions with little or no drinks, I really don’t recommend Elixyr Power Energy but, like I always say, tastes differ and the choice is yours!

Elixyr Power Energy really does offer a great value for those that like it. At an average of $2.67 USD per can you really can’t go wrong with it! You can save even more money by visiting Snustopia’s number one snus store, The Northerner, by clicking on the banner at the top of this page and, if this is your first time ordering from them, get 10% off at checkout!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found our trip thru Elixyr Power Energy portion snus by Rebel Tobacco informative. I also hope I revealed some of the mystery behind it as well! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have and I’ll do my best to answer them!
As always,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy