Welcome back Snustopians!Today I thought we’d take a closer look at what could possibly be one of Sweden’s most popular snus brands, Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus. I came to this decision last week when I was sitting in my office at the Ministry of Information, looking at the pictures I took of my trip to Gothenburg and remembering everything I learned and saw there. One of the things I remembered was that almost 75% of the time I was there, I was using Göteborgs Rapé White and, so were some of the people I met at the factory! The other reason was the fact that Swedish Match recently changed the design of the labels in the entire Göteborgs Rapé line and I’ve read at quite a few sites describing the labels but, not too many actually reviewed the snus its self so, I decided that I would do a proper review of this popular snus. Now, if you’re ready, let’s give Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus the review it deserves and yes, we’ll take a look at the can too!
One of the most intriguing things about Swedish snus, from an American’s point of view, is the fact that there are so many different brands and flavors. Think about it, there are over 160 different flavors, if you include the different variations in the total number, and we as new snus
users, are committed to trying every one! 90% of these 160 are made in Sweden but, when you actually go to Sweden, you’ll only see about half of the entire line in the shops. As we learned in the 01 & 02 reviews, the Swedish snus user is pretty particular in which snus they use and what they want it to be. Göteborgs Rapé White is one of the snus brands you’ll find in almost every shop in Sweden and a brand that a lot of snus users love. “Snus Guy, what makes Göteborgs Rapé White so special?” Well, let’s take a look at what’s in it and find out!First off, Göteborgs Rapé White portion is a snus brand made by the folks a Swedish Match and was first released 1992. In the past 17 years, it has grown to be the fourth largest selling snus brand in Sweden and the only thing that’s changed in its 17 year history was the recent change to the can’s label. Göteborgs Rapé White portion is classified as a White type snus which means that the portions do not go thru the final step in the process that adds moisture to them. Omitting the additional moisture leaves the material its original white color and, you would think, a bit rough on the gums. With Göteborgs Rapé, this is not the case! Swedish Match uses the same soft, teabag like material that they use in all of their snus brands and is actually pretty
comfortable in the lip. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with no discomfort whatsoever. The only thing that did happen was my lip did get a bit wrinkly but I attribute that to keeping it in too long. Each can of Göteborgs Rape White portion has 24, one gram portions with each having a respectable 8 mg of Nicotine. My recommendation for keeping a portion in is about 2 hours max for full enjoyment! Now, let’s take a look at the change to the label and take a closer look at the can!“Hey Snus Guy, please don’t let your can obsession get the better of you this time! Some of us have to work in the morning you know!” I know, I know, I can get a bit windy when it comes to the cans and I’ll try to keep it brief! First off, the cans that Göteborgs Rapé White portion come in are made of gold plastic with a used portion compartment concealed in the lid but the unique thing is the label! Both the old label and the new label are made of blue plasticized paper with a foil look to it. The differences between the old label and the new are the bigger blue background and the omission of the gold bands on the new label. The other change is that Swedish Match gave Göteborgs Rapé a logo of sorts. On the sides and the lid, you’ll see the letters “G” and “R” in gold and that they are connected. This makes sense since most people refer to the snus as GR when typing. Ok, I hope you’re all still awake because I’m done with the can and we can now move on to the flavor!
Swedish Match describes Göteborgs Rapé White’s flavor as being a distinctly aromatic snus with some sweetness and hints of fresh herbs. “Snus Guy, ALL Swedish snus has a distinctly aromatic smell!” Now, now! Take it easy! I said that was what Swedish Match describes the snus as. We’ll break it down like we always do but I want to take a side trip and explain something I think needs to be explained, especially to you new Snustopians! There’s been a lot of talk at other snus sites and forums about whether or not to smell the snus. Most say that smelling the snus is the worst thing you can do and will ruin the experience for you. I disagree. Yes, there is a distinct ammonia smell to some of the brands but, this is a regular occurrence and a natural byproduct of the snus making process. As you get more accustom to using snus, you’ll soon forget the ammonia smell and begin to get the hints of earthy tobacco and the other flavorings. So, let’s leave this topic with this thought; if you don’t care for the ammonia scent, don’t smell the snus in the beginning. As you gain more experience, slowly begin to lightly smell the can and you’ll begin to get the other subtle nuances. Remember, if the vintners in California let the vinegar smell, in the early stages of some varietals, get to them, we wouldn’t have so many great wines here in the states! Ok, back to the flavors.
What I get in Göteborg’s Rapé White is an earthy, leathery flavor, which comes from the
tobacco, with a bit of salt and some peppery notes. The background flavor is sweet but this comes from the other flavoring, Juniper. For those Snustopians that don’t know what Juniper is or tastes like, it’s a berry that comes from certain Evergreen trees that grow in Sweden and the Northwestern American states. Its taste is bit sweet and bitter at the same time. It’s the primary flavoring in Gin but, the snus does not taste like Gin. When it’s mixed in with tobacco, it gets an almost tea like flavor and adds a touch of forest smell in the can. Kind of reminds me of walking thru an Evergreen forest in the fall with the mossy hints and Evergreen scents! All the flavors combine to give Göteborgs Rapé White portion a flavor that lasts quite a long time as well. I’ve had the flavor of Göteborgs Rapé White last for well over two hours before the flavor began to go a bit off so, I recommend about two hours max for the flavor. These elements combine to create, what I think, is a snus that is uniquely Swedish and explains why Göteborgs Rapé White portion is so popular in Sweden. So, what drinks would go well with it? Let’s take a look!My Staple Diet Coke actually went well with Göteborgs Rapé White surprisingly enough! The Diet Coke did do well to bring out the peppery flavor in the snus and cut a bit of the saltiness but, it really didn’t do anything to enhance the flavor of the tobacco or the Juniper flavor. Monster Energy Drink basically overpowered the flavor completely but iced black tea was the overall winner in the Non Alcoholic drink category! The Black tea’s flavor did well to bring out the tobacco flavor as well as giving the Juniper a helping hand. Göteborgs Rapé White’s flavor actually gave the iced tea another dimension in flavor as well. From an Alcoholic drinks point of view, the obvious choice would be a Gin and Tonic but, since I don’t drink anymore, I’ll leave this part of the review to those Snustopians that do! Now, let’s go to the overall recommendation!
My overall recommendations for Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus, Snustopians, are this; it’s easy to see why Göteborgs Rapé White is one of Sweden’s most popular snus brands. From its comfortable portion material to its unique tobacco and Juniper flavor, it is definitely one of a kind. New Snustopians will like Göteborgs Rapé White’s lighter and long lasting flavor and seasoned Snustopians will like it as an all day snus with its 8 mg of Nicotine and comfortable
portion material but, I’ll let you make the final decision!Each can of Göteborgs Rapé White portion averages around $3.80 USD at Snustopia’s only place to buy Swedish snus, The Northerner.com! If this is your first time purchasing from them, just click on the banner to the left and get 10% off your first order at check out! There are no codes to enter just click and save! Just remember to tell em’ That Snus Guy sent you!
Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour of Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus by Swedish Match and found it fun and informative. I look forward to reading and answering any questions or comments you may have and will answer them as soon as I can!
So Snustopians, as always,
Happy Snusing!
That Snus Guy
No comments:
Post a Comment