Greetings Snustopians!You’re probably wondering why I haven’t been posting as many reviews lately as I have in the past. The answer is that there have been a lot of things going on here in Snustopia and we’ve been pretty busy getting Skruf Square ready for the unveiling of Imperial Tobacco’s newest addition to the Skruf line, Skruf Xtra Stark and we’ve been chosen to be privy to an advanced “sneak peek” of both the portion version and the loose! So, if you’re ready, grab your favorite drink, a can of your favorite snus and let’s begin our tour thru Skruf Xtra Stark!
I know what you guys are thinking, “Snus Guy, how did you get chosen to get a “Sneak Peek”? Well, as you know, Snustopia is known by some of the biggest snus manufacturers in the world but, these didn’t come from them. A Snustopian traveling thru Norway brought them to me and asked that I share my unbiased thoughts with the world about the new “King of the Extra Starks” and I felt that everyone in Snustopia should know about this new contender!
Up until the introduction of Skruf Xtra Stark, the titleholder for the “King of the Extra Starks” went to Gajane and its Oden’s line. Having 17 mg of Nicotine per gram, the Oden’s line was the strongest snus in the world but now, Skruf Xtra Stark and it’s estimated 18 to 19 mgs of Nicotine per gram is undisputedly the king! While specifics in Nicotine content haven’t been released, the rush I get from them really feels like 19 mg.
Skruf Xtra Stark was released as both original portion and loose and uses select types of tobacco in order to create such a high Nicotine content. The portions are “original” type portions and as you all know, “original” type portions go thru an added process at the end of manufacturing to give the snus a bit more added moisture. This added moisture helps the flavors in the snus to marry and gives the portion material its “brownish” color. But in Skruf’s snus varieties, the moisture is added to the snus it’s self which is why they often are less runny that other snus brands. The material is made from a soft, teabag type material that’s comfortable under the lip for about 2 hours. Now that you know the portion type, let’s get to know the loose!
Skruf Xtra Stark loose is a medium to coarse grind snus which means that its pieces of tobacco are a bit larger but, still finer than most American dip’s consistency. This is both good and bad. “Good and bad, Snus Guy? How can it be bad?” Well, medium ground snus is good in the fact that it’s pretty comfortable in the lip because the pris will be a bit softer than a coarse ground snus. The bad thing is that if you’re a Snustopian that makes your pris’ by hand, it can be really challenging to mold the perfect one and keep it from falling apart in your lip! I personally recommend using a tool like a Prismaster or and Icetool to make them but, it’s a personal preference. At any rate, the tool made pris I tested stayed comfortable and flavorful for over 2 hours. My recommendation for the length of time would be around 1 ½ hours with the portions and about 2 ½ hours with the loose. Like I said in the beginning, the Nicotine content is around 19 mg per gram for both versions of Skruf Xtra Stark but the Nicotine kick you would expect from the “King of the Extra Starks” really isn’t there. “What do you mean Snus Guy? It’s not really a strong snus?” Now hold on, let me explain a bit.
Most people who use extra strong snus really can’t tell the difference between a snus with 17 mg of Nicotine and 19 mg of Nicotine. Like I said, most can’t tell. There are some Snustopians who can feel the difference but with me, it’s hard to tell, except with Skruf Xtra Stark! It’s not the head spin that most people would associate with a high Nicotine snus, just a bit more energizing, for lack of a better term. Snustopians that are just beginning to embark on the Extra Starks will definitely feel a difference between Skruf Stark and Skruf Xtra Stark! So, my suggestion to you Snustopians who’s strongest snus is below 11 mg, beware! “Ok Snus Guy, we get it! Don’t jump into the deep end of the pool without a life jacket! How does the snus taste?” Well, this is the surprising part.
As most seasoned Snustopians know, most of the extra strong snus brands are described as being stronger versions of the same snus brands. For example, General Ekstra Sterk is supposed to be just a stronger version of General Sterk and General right? That may have been the plan but, General Ekstra Sterk actually has a slightly different flavor that it’s weaker brethren. Same holds true with Offroad Cranberry and Offroad Cranberry Strong, albeit not as different as General but, there are subtle nuances in flavor that were different. In Skruf Xtra Stark, this is the case as well! The same earthy flavor from the hand selected tobaccos that Skruf Stark has, Xtra Stark has as well as the lemon/grapefruit flavor that bergamot gives is there as well. The surprising thing was that a light smoky flavor and peppery taste that was missing in Skruf Xtra Stark is in Xtra Stark along with the hint of herbal, flowery taste that made the snus just a touch sweet! Another difference is that there is a slight burn in the lip that’s not present in Skruf Stark. This is due to the higher Nicotine.
While the main flavors in Skruf Xtra Stark are relatively the same as Skruf Stark, there is another thing that’s a bit different, which I attribute it to the high amount of Nicotine, and that’s the fact that, with the portion type, dry mouth seems to happen. What I mean by dry mouth is that when using Xtra Stark during a workout or any strenuous activity, your mouth tends to go dry faster than with another snus type. It wasn’t a problem though, just drink more water or liquid but, it is different from when I was using other extra strong snus brands during my morning and evening walks thru the gardens here in Snustopia.
My overall recommendations for Skruf Xtra Stark portion and loose, Snustopians is this; even
though Xtra Stark is only a week or so old and only available in Norway right now, it stands to be the most powerful snus in the world at this time! Snustopians that are seasoned extra strong snus users will really enjoy Xtra Stark, especially if they are fans of Skruf! Those new to the extra strong snus race, may want to choose Xtra Stark after they have acclimated to the higher Nicotine snus brands, if you do choose to jump in with both feet, be careful! We don’t want any Snustopians getting hurt! Even though I have used a can of loose and portion, I do feel that Skruf Xtra Stark will need another review when and if it becomes available worldwide and when it does, be sure to get it at Snustopia’s favorite place for Swedish snus, The Northerner. They also have everything the snuser wants and great prices as well. If you’re a first time customer, just click on the banner to the right and get 10% off your first order!Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed this “Sneak Peek” review of Skruf Xtra Stark loose and portion and like I said, keep an eye out for a more in depth review of this “King of the Extra Starks” soon after it’s hopeful international release! If you have any questions or comments on this or other reviews, please leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can!
So, until next time Snustopians, as always,
Happy Snusing!
That Snus Guy
5 comments:
Sounds good. When will it be available to the public?
I just got some today...I have to say the flavor is very pleasant and smooth like the Skruf Sterk, and the Nic level is nice, although I really didn't find it that 'dramatic', perhaps I am just immune to nicotine since I'm a heavy Ekstra user! All-around great snus, this is my new must-have! Thanks for the great review!
I recently tried 5 cans of the Skruf Xtra Stark. I was hoping for a much better nic-hit. I tried to post two comments about this product on The Northerner, but they never posted the comments... I guess they only like to use positive feedback.
One of my issues with Skruf is their reluctance to use nic values like the others. They choose a textual reference instead of a numerical reference, e.g., "High Level" instead of "17mg."
So thank you Snustopia for including some numbers (even though they are not from the manufacturer).
So far, not impressed, I'm gonna stick with Oden's Extra Stark for the time being.
And two one hour old wet nasty pris goobers to The Northerner for not posting commenst that don't shine a positive light.
I love the skruf xtra lös way more than the portions. the lös has way more flavour and the rose oil and bergamot shines through a bit more.
I am VERY disappointed with this snus. I have tried other extra stark snus and get a very quick nicotine hit. However, I can easy put three pouches in and barely feel anything??? I though maybe it was a bad pack so tried some from another can: no difference. I would however highly recommend Thunder extra stark frosted snus. The hit is quick hard and fast and has that nice minty taste to it. There is no contest between these two.
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