General Mint White portion snus, reviewing General Mini Mint’s big brother!

Welcome back Snustopians!

Today I thought we’d take a look at a snus that’s actually been anticipated by Snustopians for quite some time, General Mint White portion snus. I know what you’re all thinking, “What do you mean by anticipated Snus Guy?” Well, as you can tell by the title of this review, General Mint is actually the big brother of General Mini Mint and not just because it’s a General product or because it’s mint flavored but, because it’s really just General Mini Mint in a bigger size! Ok, before I get you all confused, let’s start our trip thru General Mint White portion by Swedish Match and you’ll see why.

1847 by Philip Morris snus, now by Swedish Match, reviewing a new manufacturer of a classic snus!

Welcome back my fellow Snustopians!

I know, I know, the title to this snus review is a bit confusing but it’s true! 1847 by Philip Morris is now made by Swedish Match, the folks that make General, Röda Lacket and Catch snus brands. I decided to review 1847 while I was on the plane back to Snustopia from the family vacation a few weeks ago. It was the snus I used primarily during the vacation but that wasn’t the true reason I wanted to do a review of it. No, the reason I wanted to review 1847 by Philip Morris is due to a mindset that most people have. The mindset is that when something they are used to having one company make, gets sold or changes hands, the product typically changes be it in taste, if it’s a foodstuff, or quality. I want us to dispel this theory when it comes to 1847 by Philip Morris! So, if you’re ready, let’s be seated and begin our review of 1847 by Philip Morris Original and White portion snus by Swedish Match.



Like I said before, there is a mindset in some people, particularly in the States, that thinks if a product they’ve used for some time changes hands, the new product is not as good, or is better, than the original. To prove a point, let’s take Oreo Cookies! “Snus Guy, I thought we were talking about 1847? You miss dinner tonight?” No, but in order for everyone, including our newer Snustopians, to get an idea of what happened between Philip Morris and Swedish Match, I want to use a well known product to use as an example! You see, Oreo’s began their life as a product made by the Nabisco Company. Around 1981, the Nabisco Company merged with a company called Standard Brands. Between 1985 and 2000, the Nabisco brand changed hands a few more times until settling under the Kraft family of brands between 2000 and today. Thru all these different mergers and owners of the Oreo brand name, never once did the taste change. Oreo’s were, and still are, the same great tasting cookie they started out as, even though the original company is no longer around. The same is true with the 1847 by Philip Morris brand!

1847 by Philip Morris was first introduced to the snus world in 2008 and was originally made by Philip Morris AB in Sweden. In early 2009, a merger between Philip Morris AB and Swedish Match was completed and 1847 by Philip Morris, both Original and White portion, began to be made by Swedish Match. The Original portion is made in the Gothenburg, Sweden factory and the White portion is made in the Kungälv, Sweden factory. Both snus types made by Swedish Match were released in the fall of 2009 and the first, and most frequently discussed, difference was named, the can!

When Philip Morris AB produced 1847, they released them in metal cans with embossed lids. The ornately designed lids had the 1847 logo, complete with floral swag under the “1847” name, embossed in the metal lids. Each can also had a used portion compartment concealed in the bottom and, looked quite stylish! When the Swedish Match version of the 1847 family debuted, they were released in plastic cans. 1847 Original has a black can with a black and orange label on the sides and a gray label with the 1847 logo on the top. The White type has a silver plastic can with a gray and orange label on the side and the same label on the top. Each has a used portion compartment on the lid and the cans resemble the 01 and 02 cans by construction. What the snus community was questioning was why Swedish Match would change the cans!

It seems that the majority of snus users really liked the metal cans and thought that if they changed the cans, they must have changed the flavor. Even I wondered why the can was changed so, I asked my friends at Swedish Match. I figured it had to be something to do with the cost to manufacture the cans and I was right! What Swedish Match said was that to produce the cans would be much too costly and would actually raise the price of the snus which is what they wanted to avoid. But they assured me, the recipe was to remain unaltered. They were right! Before exploring the flavors though, let’s take a look at the portions.

First, 1847 Original is classified as a Regular type portion which means that each one gets a bit of additional moisture prior to being packaged. This added spray of water helps the flavors in the snus marry and release that flavor faster once it’s in the lip. 1847 White does not get the added water and leaves the material its original white color and actually lets the flavor last a bit longer than its regular type sibling. Both types have 24, 1 gram portions in each can and both have 8 mg of Nicotine per portion. Swedish Match also gave 1847 White portion the signature “Star” pattern in the can that it gives to all of its high caliber White portion snus.

Mouth feel with both 1847 by Philip Morris snus was pretty comfortable in the lip with only a bit of wrinkling after about 2 hours. This is due to Swedish match using the same soft material in the 1847 brand that they use in all of their portion snus. I did a side by side comparison of the portions that were made by PMAB and Swedish Match and the material from Swedish Match is indeed a bit softer so, you Snustopians that are fans of the PMAB version may find that in the comfort arena, the Swedish Match version is a bit more comfortable. My recommendation for length of time from a comfort standpoint is about 2 hours max. So, now we know about the history of the brand, I didn’t obsess too much about the can and we know about the portions. Now let’s take a look at the flavors!

In the versions of 1847 made by PMAB, the flavor was intended to be very simple, just quality tobaccos from various places around the world, salt and a touch of citrus. The only difference between the original portion and the White portion was the intensity of the overall flavor. The original version was a bit more pronounced in flavor in the beginning and softened as time went on. The White version was softer in the beginning and intensified as you kept it in. What I experienced in the PMAB version was just that! In actuality, the combination of flavors created a slight chocolaty scent with an earthy, peaty tobacco flavor that pure tobacco flavored snus is known for.

In the Swedish Match versions I half expected to taste the flavors that Ettan is known for but, believe it or not, the flavors were almost dead on to the flavors of the PMAB versions, with only one difference, the citrus flavor. To me, it seems that the citrus flavor is a little more recognizable in the Swedish Match version but, it’s not like you can taste it right out of the can, it’s just a slight background flavor that you can barely recognize and actually gives Swedish Match’s 1847 a bit of a twist from the old version. The flavor really lasts as well! I’ve had a portion of both 1847 original and White last for over two hours before the flavor began to fade away. I recommend a maximum time limit for flavor at about 2 hours. So, what to drink?

Well, it’s beginning to get a bit brisk here in Snustopia and I started to switch from my staples of Diet Coke and Monsters to hot coffee and teas. So, we’ll be looking first at how coffee goes with 1847 Original and White portion snus. First, I tried some plain black coffee, Gevalia to be exact, and it actually went really well. Some coffees can be pretty bitter but Gevalia isn’t. This bitterness can affect how some snus brands taste and turn them a bit sour tasting. With the Gevalia, this didn’t happen and really added another dimension of flavor with both versions of 1847. Another great drink that went well with 1847 was Black tea. The Black tea was great since it has the same base flavors of earth and foliage that tobacco has and just enhanced the flavor of the snus! I really suggest trying both with 1847 but, I’ll leave the decision up to you!

My overall recommendation for 1847 by Philip Morris, made by Swedish Match, Snustopians is this; If you’re a new Snustopian, looking for a true Swedish snus with just tobacco as a flavor, you can’t go wrong with 1847. Seasoned Snustopians that enjoyed 1847 by Philip Morris and were saddened by Swedish Match’s changes to the can really should try the new version. Nothing’s been lost regarding to the flavors and the change to the material is really a positive! Like I said in the beginning, only the can has changed, not the flavors. 1847 by Philip Morris can be bought just about everywhere but, I recommend using Snustopia’s only place for Swedish snus, The Northerner. They have really great prices and with some Swedish snus brands, have quick shipping to the US since they have added quite a few of them to their US warehouse and add more and more each day! If you’re a new customer, you can get 10% off your first order by just clicking on the banner to the left; just tell them That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour thru 1847 by Philip Morris, made by Swedish Match, and found it fun and informative. I really look forward to you questions and comments and will try to answer them as soon as I can. So, until next time Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Göteborgs Rapé White portion snus, an American taste review on one of Sweden’s most popular brands!

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

0102 portion snus, a pre-review of a new snus family from Swedish Match!

Greetings fellow Snustopians!

It’s been a pretty exciting day here at the Ministry of Information and everyone here is filled with anticipation on the release of Swedish Match Lab’s newest brand creation, 0102 portion snus! Before I go on about this totally new brand of snus, actually, it’s a brand new way of looking at Swedish snus as a whole; let me tell you how I came to find out about it.

During my morning constitutional in the gardens at Skruf Square, I was approached by a man in a white lab coat and dark glasses. As he passed by me, he dropped a gray catalog envelope with the words “Top Secret, for your eyes only. 0102 Labs” and “2 TSG” typed above it. Well, “TSG” is my code name in Swedish snus circles so; I casually picked it up and raced back to my office to see what exactly it was. It was exactly what I hoped it was, pictures and a synopsis of a new family of portion snus by Swedish Match called 0102 with a note saying “Let everyone in Snustopia know about this innovative, new snus before its too late!” Since it didn’t have any samples of the snus its self, I felt it was imperative to at least let you Snustopians know what it is, when it will be available and, most importantly, why it came to be! So, without further delay, I give you a preview of 0102 Original and Strong portion snus!



Like I said, the mysterious Lab worker didn’t include any cans of 01 or 02 so, the taste review will come in due time but, he did include a bunch of pictures which, I have posted in the picture review in the upper left corner of the page. As you can see, this snus family will be pretty unique in a couple of different ways, first being that there are two different types in the family. While they are both regular type portions, there is a difference in the Nicotine levels in them. 01 will be an Original strength portion with 8 mg of Nicotine per portion and 02 will be a Strong portion with 13 mg of Nicotine per portion. The portions themselves are also unique because they will be longer in size. This will allow the portion to sit better in the lip and move less and each can will have 24, one gram portions.

The other unique thing will be that the portions are said to be “No-Drip” portions. “Snus Guy, No-Drip? Does that mean that they are dry? Well, according to the documents I’ve read, the lab guys at Swedish Match Labs have created a new formula that keeps the snus moist but, makes it drip less. Once I can get my hands on a can or two, we’ll look at this part more but for now, we’ll take them at their word! If you take a look at this picture, you can see that even the cans get a makeover with just plainly “01” or “02” on the top and a new set of icons on the side that explain exactly what you can expect the snus to be. There are used portion compartments on the lid in a configuration much like the General Ekstra Sterk cans.

I know what you all are thinking, “Snus Guy, why would they call them 01 and 02? Why not give it a more creative name?” Good question! The answer is pretty simple. 0102 was developed with a lot of input from Swedish Match customers and the snus using world in general. Researchers typically ask panels what they would like to see in new brands but Swedish Match Labs asked them something that’s rarely asked, what they didn’t like in the current brands and what needed to be changed in order to create the “Ultimate” snus brand. The results were pretty startling. The panelists basically said that they were tired of seeing logos and brands wherever they go and on everything they see from buildings to ……well…… people! They wanted something simple, effective and new. And they wanted it NOW! With this information in hand, they passed it on to their team of highly intelligent, super creative scientists, no, not these guys to the left, real scientists and asked them to create the ultimate snus based on this criteria.

They came up with the formula and the flavor but, what to call it? It needed to be really simple according to the panelists and something that would be really easy to remember. They looked at these two test cans and voile, 01 & 02 portion snus were born! Yea, I know it sounds too simple to be true but, that’s really how they came up with the name!

Swedish Match plans to release 0102 portion snus the first week of October 2009 and, when it’s released; you’ll be able to get it at Snustopia’s best shop for snus, The Northerner. If it’s your first time buying snus from them, just click on the banner to the left and get 10% off on your first order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our pre-review of 0102 portion snus by Swedish Match and found it fun and informative. Like I said in the beginning, once the Ministry of Information gets me some cans of it, I’ll do a full taste review of it! If you have any questions about 0102 or any other snus or, any suggestions on a snus you’d like to see reviewed, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can!

So, until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus, reviewing a snus that made the cut!

Welcome back Snustopians!

I was sitting in my office this week looking over all the reviews we’ve done so far when I realized that my 1 year anniversary with Swedish snus was last Sunday! Well, I actually didn’t remember it until the guys from my Ministry of Information presented me with an anniversary gift while they were singing the Snustopian National Anthem. It is a beautiful tune and sounds a bit like the theme song from Sanford and Son! At least that’s how the guys played it. Anyway, the gift they presented me with was a roll of a snus we’ve mentioned in a previous review but, never really did a proper review of. That snus is Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus.

If you remember back to the review of its siblings, Nick & Johnny East and West, we only mentioned Stark in passing but it’s the only one of the past Nick & Johnny family to avoid being discontinued. So, I figured if this flavor made it, we need to find out why it did and what makes it so special. Now, if you’re all ready, grab a comfortable seat, your favorite snus and a cold drink and get ready to discover Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus!



I know what you’re all saying, “Snus Guy, why would your Ministry of Information give you Nick & Johnny Stark as an anniversary present? We all know your favorite is Skruf!” Well, I think it’s because either they really like Nick & Johnny Stark or, I’ve been working them too hard lately and they were trying to make a point! Either way, I’ve been meaning to do a review on it for some time now. Nick & Johnny Stark was introduced to the snus world by Swedish Match in 2007 and, at that time, was the second strongest snus in the Swedish Match line behind General Onyx. It was also released as a totally new flavor with a focus on the younger crowd.

“Hey Snus Guy, why did they decide to call it Nick & Johnny?” That may surprise you! According to Swedish Match, Nick & Johnny were actually real guys and the snus was named after them. The sketch on the used portion compartment cap is of one of them! Whether or not this is the actual way Nick & Johnny was named, Nick & Johnny Stark is a unique snus in its flavor and Nicotine content so, let’s find out why! But first, let’s take a look at the basics of it then we’ll get to the flavors.

Nick & Johnny Stark is classified as a regular type portion since it goes thru the final step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more water to each portion which helps the flavors marry and release its flavor faster when it’s in your lip. The material that Swedish Match uses for Nick & Johnny Stark is the same soft, teabag type material that they use in all their portion snus and stays pretty comfortable in the lip. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with no discomfort to speak of just a bit of wrinkling. Each can of Nick & Johnny Stark has 24 portions that have 1 gram of snus in each one. The Nicotine level in them is 11 mg each which is why this version is named Stark or Strong.

The can that Nick & Johnny Stark comes in is pretty cool in the fact that it’s made of a white pearlescent plastic with a plasticized paper label. The lid is where the used portion compartment is and its cap has a sketch of one of the guys on its label. The can is round which is unique because the other two Nick & Johnny flavors, that have been discontinued, were square and part of the reason they were cut but, I’m letting my can obsession get the best of me so, before you all say anything, let’s go on to the flavor!

Like I said in the beginning, Nick & Johnny Stark’s flavor is pretty unique for a couple of reasons. The first being that it’s a pure tobacco flavored snus with very little added to it. The flavor of pure tobacco may not be something that all Snustopians have tasted, let alone understand when used in descriptions on Swedish snus flavors so, let’s explain it now so everyone understands! Tobacco has a very similar scent of Fall leaves. “Hey Snus Guy, why Fall leaves?” well, they are leaves and dried like leaves get in the Fall and, have the same scent as a pile of them when they are not processed. They do have their subtle differences in taste though. Tobaccos from Honduras and Cuba for example, have peppery notes in them while tobacco from America has a bit of a leathery flavor. There are even some tobaccos grown in Sweden that have a flowery, herbal taste and smell. In Nick & Johnny Stark, the tobacco flavor is of fall leaves and leather with a slight pepperyness. I hope this cleared up the pure tobacco flavor description a bit but remember, different people taste things that other people don’t so, what I taste in a snus may not be what you taste. Ok, let’s get back to the flavor review!

Along with the tobacco flavor, there are other elements in Nick & Johnny stark like licorice and a smoky flavor. While these elements are very subtle, they give the snus its unique character. The licorice flavor actually gives Nick & Johnny a bit of sweetness while the smokiness enhances the tobacco flavor while adding a bit of mellowness and depth. Tying everything together is the salty taste that, not only helps to raise the Ph level so the Nicotine comes out, brings the flavors together to make a well rounded snus flavor with the added Nicotine level that Swedish match was aiming for. The flavor also lasts for a pretty long time as well! I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours when the flavor began to die out. So, now that you know what Nick & Johnny Stark tastes like, let’s see what drinks go best with it!

As you seasoned Snustopians know, my staple drinks are Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks and I try both with every snus I review. The Diet Coke did pretty well in bringing the smokiness out a bit more, it also took some of the saltiness away so the tobacco flavor could shine thru. Monster on the other hand made the snus a bit bitter but did bring the smokiness out as well. The best drinks I think that went well with Nick & Johnny Stark were iced black tea and iced coffee! Both drinks really complimented the snus for different reasons. The iced black tea enhanced the tobacco’s flavor while adding another depth in the earthy flavor. It also brought out the smokiness to add an element of sweetness as well. The iced coffee brought out the tobacco flavor as well but dimmed out the smokiness. This was not a bad thing though. Coffee tends to have a bitterness that mixes well with tobacco and intensifies it making the flavor of Nick & Johnny Stark even more unique.

My overall recommendations for Nick & Johnny Stark, Snustopians, is this; new Snustopians looking to explore the higher Nicotine brands will like Nick & Johnny Stark because it is strong but, not the mind numbing strong of the Extra Starks. Seasoned Snustopians will like the pure tobacco flavor and the higher Nicotine content plus the fact that it will make a great morning coffee snus but, this is my take, I’ll let you decide. At around $3.30 a can at stores like The Northerner, You really can’t go wrong with adding a can or two to your next order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru Nick & Johnny Stark and found it fun and informative! I encourage you to leave any comments or questions you may have about it or any snus in general and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can.

So until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

http://www.snustest.com/

“That Snus Guy’s own” Vanilla Berry loose snus, reviewing the snus flavoring process!

Welcome back Snustopians!

I thought today we’d continue our tour of the fascinating way that snus is made by sharing with you another experience both Larry from SnusCENTRAL and I had while touring the Swedish Match factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. Not only did the wonderful folks at Swedish Match let us tour the factories, they also showed us the different processes that are involved in creating the flavors we all like and how new ones are developed. In this review, we’ll be looking at the flavoring process but not in a way that you would think. I think, by now, you know how they did it just by the title of the review! Yes Snustopians, Swedish Match actually let Larry and I create our own snus flavors and this review will be on a snus called “That Snus Guy’s Own” Vanilla Berry loose snus! “Snus Guy, they let YOU create a flavor? Really?” Now, be kind! Remember, I just review the flavors! But it was pretty cool to do and see so, without any further self promoting from me, let’s review the flavoring process and how my snus turned out!



If you asked me before the trip how snus was flavored, I would have said that artificial flavors were used and that the final product was developed by some scientists in white lab coats and poured into the flavoring drums. But now that I’ve personally experienced the process, I know that this way is not entirely true. While there are white lab coats and a scientist or two, Swedish Match gets a lot of input from their customers while researching new flavors. And as for artificial flavors, there are a lot of natural flavorings and extracts used in the making of Swedish snus! “So Snus Guy, are you saying that ALL Swedish Match snus is flavored with natural flavorings?” Not really and here’s why!

As we were being told about the flavoring process by Conny Andersson, probably the most passionate person I’ve ever met regarding flavors and how they intermingle and react with tobacco, I began to realize that some flavorings, in their natural state, may not be practical to use like mint leaves or raw ginger for example. Some are just not strong enough to taste without using massive amounts of it like Vanilla beans or just do not exist naturally like Tutti-Frutti. “Tutti-Frutti Snus Guy? We think you may have stayed too long near the Probe Whiskey vat!” Actually, it’s one of the flavorings I used in my snus but, I’m jumping ahead!

You see, sometimes artificial flavors and extracts are needed in order to create the flavor combination you want. It’s like baking a cake. Let’s say that you want to create a lemon flavored white cake with mint frosting. Some people use natural lemon juice and lemon zest to flavor the cake but, the high temperature can cause the lemon flavor to bake out. Some people really don’t like the texture of chunks of lemon zest in a cake and it can turn the color of the cake yellow. Here, lemon extract is used to get the flavor since the extract will withstand the heat and provide the lemon taste, without the chunks and coloring! With the frosting, mint leaves just plain don’t work and Mint extract would be the practical solution. “We get it now Snus Guy! So, how did you do it with your snus?” Let’s go into that now.

The first step in flavoring anything is getting a good base. With Swedish snus, the base is quality tobacco. Like we talked about in the last review of the manufacturing process, Swedish Match uses handpicked tobacco from many different places in all their snus. In my snus, we used Ettan loose as a base because its flavor is just pure tobacco and salt with no other flavorings. The next step is to decide what exactly you want your finished product to taste like. Here, we see the different types of flavorings we had to use. At first, I just added the things that I thought would make a good tasting snus. Boy was I wrong! I added Vanilla beans and rum extract, thinking this would really taste good! Well, I forgot that one of the things I like about loose snus is the smell. My first attempt at snus flavoring was horrendous but I did learn something. Never jump right in and I realized why it takes snus manufacturers so long to develop new flavors! My second attempt turned out much better because I took the time to think how I wanted the snus to taste and smell! It was here that I designed “That Snus Guy’s Own Vanilla Berry Loose snus”!

Yes, I know it sounds weird but, let’s see if I can do it some justice by reviewing the flavor for you! Since the base is Ettan, the dominant flavor is pure tobacco but it’s the only remaining element from Ettan that’s in Vanilla Berry. My goal for Vanilla Berry was to make a loose snus that would have the flavors I would like to see in a snus which is Vanilla and Red Berries. Kind of like a cross between Offroad Vanilla and Röda Lacket but a little sweeter. What I did was added real vanilla beans and the ingredient we talked about before, Tutti-Frutti flavor!

Tutti-Frutti is a flavor that has the scent of a mix of red berries with a light, almost non-existent, black licorice smell. The taste is really close to Juicy Fruit gum but when it’s added to tobacco, takes on a completely different flavor! The Ettan has a leafy, peaty almost leathery taste by its self. When you add the vanilla and Tutti-Frutti flavors, the vanilla gets mellowed while bringing out a bit more of the licorice flavor in the Tutti-Frutti! “So, you basically made a Vanilla and Black Licorice flavored snus, Snus Guy?” Not really. The licorice flavor is still barely noticeable like it is in Röda Lacket but with the vanilla and berry flavor mixed in; the entire combination is pretty complex! Imagine sitting in a just raked pile of fall leaves while eating a bowl of mixed berry sorbet with a portion of Grov Svart in your lip and you pretty much have Vanilla Berry! I know, long way around a simple explanation but this still goes to the tremendous amount of work that goes into creating snus flavors! I only had an hour to make Vanilla Berry so, just think what the guys at Swedish Match will go thru when it’s time to make a new flavor! So, let’s take a look at what drinks would go well with Vanilla Berry!

I’m telling you, Monster Energy Drink was phenomenal with Vanilla Berry! It actually added the one element I needed that wasn’t on the flavor table, bitterness! The Monster’s bitterness mellowed out the fruitiness a bit and allowed the vanilla to come thru. Diet Coke just drowned out the Tutti-Frutti flavor but did help the tobacco flavor a bit. The second best thing though was Sweet tea! The sweet tea brought the vanilla flavor out as well but helped it to mix in with the other flavors and added the sweet element that I was looking for.

I know that here, Snustopians, I usually tell you where you can buy the snus we reviewed and what my recommendations would be but, since I highly doubt that “That Snus Guy’s Own” Vanilla Berry loose snus will be in your favorite snus shop anytime soon, all I can tell you is this; those Snustopians that want to try your hand at flavoring your own snus, should use a snus that is just pure tobacco flavor, like Ettan. Remember that some natural flavors, like mint or ginger, have another set of challenges if you use them like weird texture issues and the possibility of going bad sooner that the expiration date on the snus can and that artificial flavors can be your best bet! Another thing is to use your imagination to make the flavor that you like because; you have to be able to describe it to people!

The final thing Snustopians is, have fun with it! Thanks to my friends at Swedish Match, I now have a snus flavor I can call my own and had a blast making it! I hope this inspires you to try your hand at it and that I reviewed the process and my snus well enough!

If you do give it a try, leave me a note in the comment section! Who knows, I may ask you if I can review it!

Until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Swedish snus! The first American review of the snus manufacturing process!

Welcome back Snustopians!

I’ve been sitting here in my office at the Ministry of Information all week, recalling all the beautiful things I saw in Gothenburg and the wonderful people I met, trying to figure out how I would communicate all of this to you. While it all seems like some wonderful dream, I was having a hard time believing it actually happened! As you all know, it’s been my ultimate dream to be able to go to Sweden and actually see, with my own eyes, how Swedish snus was made so I could tell everyone here in Snustopia and it finally came true via the great folks at Swedish Match. But how can I make it feel like you all have been there and put what I’ve learned in a format that everyone could understand? That’s when it hit me! Why not take everyone on a virtual tour!

“Hey Snus Guy, are you going to make us wear those goofy looking 3D glasses or have us buy some expensive helmet to do this?” Well…….while I wish I had the funding to do that, I think putting this article in my typical review format, and include pictures for each step in the process, we can forgo the expensive equipment and still get the point across! So, if everyone’s ready, grab a glass of your drink of choice, a comfy chair and a tin of snus and we’ll begin our tour of the way real Swedish snus is made!



Before we begin, I’d like to thank all the great people at Swedish Match AB’s Gothenburg and Kungälv factories as well as the guys from the Stockholm Headquarters for a fun and extremely informative tour! Without their willingness to share the Swedish Experience with me, this review would not have been possible. Tack så mycket! With that said, since the factories I toured were Swedish Match’s, we’ll be referencing their brands in this tour but, the basic manufacturing processes, save a few proprietary ones, can be said of most Swedish snus that follows the GothiaTek standard. Ok, let’s begin!

As with all Swedish snus the first, and most abundant, ingredient is tobacco, but not just any tobacco. Swedish Match uses a blend of tobaccos from around the world in their snus. Tobaccos from Nicaragua, South Africa, Spain and America are used just to name a few. Once these tobaccos are air-dried, blended and packed, they are shipped to the factory where they are taken to the grinder and ground to the specifications of the snus they happen to be making. The picture to the right shows the bales of tobacco being prepped prior to entering the grinder! “Hey, is that you Snus Guy smelling the tobacco? How does it really smell?” Yes, the one in the middle is me. The guy on the right is Larry Waters from SnusCENTRAL.org and the one on the left is Andreas Riksén, Master tobacco grinder and our guide thru the grinding process. Andreas is very passionate about what he does, as are all the great folks at Swedish Match, and allowed us to feel and smell the raw tobacco, something that outsiders rarely get to do! I know, you asked about the smell. That’s something that may surprise you!

Unless you’ve been to an actual tobacco ageing barn or have smelled tobacco prior to processing, it can be very hard to describe all the scents that raw tobacco has. As I stood there, holding the big chunk of tobacco, a myriad of scents began to come out. The first scent was of a pile of autumn leaves, like the kind you would rake up in a big pile and jump into when you were young. The next scent was of raw leather, like a new leather glove or shoe. The final scent was of peat. Peat has an earthy, mossy scent that, when combined with the others, creates a true fall foliage smell that reminded me of when I was growing up in Northern Illinois and playing in the leaf piles my Grandpop would rake up, without the “Hey you damn kids! Get outta there, I just raked those up!” we’d normally hear! This scent is pretty much prevalent throughout the entire factory but was the strongest at the grinder.

Once the tobacco bundles, which are about as big as a small deep freezer, are unboxed, they travel up a conveyor to the grinding mills. The grinding mills look just like a flour mill and pretty much work the same way. Since this step was proprietary, I couldn’t take any pictures with exception to the one on the left. The guy in the picture is Joakim, one of the team from the Stockholm office, and he takes this very seriously as you can see by the “Area 51” reference he’s pointing to, so a small flour mill is the best way to describe it! Once the tobacco is ground, it’s moved to a sifting box that shakes rapidly and separates the ground tobacco into sizes. If it’s not the right size, it goes back into the grinding mill until it is. Like I said, the tobacco grinding process is very similar to the flour milling process. From here, the tobacco goes to the steam pasteurizing area.

Here is where real Swedish snus begins! Up until now, tobacco was manipulated by human hands. From here on out, the process is hands free meaning, untouched by human hands until you Snustopians open a can of your favorite and use it! This is where we begin to see the GothiaTek process in action. “Hey Snus Guy, we’ve heard of the GothiaTek process! That’s where the snus has to conform to the same safety standards as food in Sweden, right?” Exactly! You guys have been paying attention! The GothiaTek process was created by Swedish Match and has pretty much become a standard in snus making throughout Sweden. Here, in the pasteurization room, a big rotating dryer actually uses heat and steam to cure the tobacco. American Smokeless tobacco, like Copenhagen and Skoal, uses fire curing to achieve its flavor where the steam does in Swedish snus. This is done at a lower temperature than fire curing and keeps the TSNA’s low.

The GothiaTek part is more of a health and safety process. In the factory there are 3 “zones” where you have to wear certain coverings like lab coats, shoe covers and hair nets. In the picture to the right, we’ve just come out of a “Yellow” zone. You may see someone in that picture you may not know. Although the four of us look like a screen shot from a Marx brother’s movie, the guy on the right, across from me, is Markus, another member of the team from Stockholm. “Yellow” zones mean lab coats and shoe coverings since we are near the machines but, they are sealed meaning you can’t touch the snus.

The area we just emerged from was the paper can manufacturing area for loose snus. This area was one of the most interesting for me since Swedish Match is the only snus manufacturer that still uses paper cans for their loose varieties of snus! Even though this part of the factory is proprietary, I can tell you that the cans start out as rolls of paper and come out cans. It was pretty interesting to see them made! The next part of the factory was the flavoring room!

The flavoring room is where, you guessed it, flavorings are added to the snus! Since this area of the factory holds the flavoring machines, it’s pretty quiet and plain. All there is in this part of the factory are large, insulated drums that mix the flavorings in to the snus. There are a few interesting things here though. The first thing is that the machines are actually made by the same company that manufactures Tanks for the Swedish military! This means, to me anyway, that these machines are built to a quality standard and will last a long time! But that’s not the most interesting thing. You see, the flavoring machines are actually on the 3rd floor of the factory! “Snus Guy, why would flavoring machines being on the 3rd floor of the factory be so interesting?” Remember when I said that after the grinder, the snus is never touched by human hands? Well, how do you think the snus gets from the flavoring machines to the packaging line? Probably the same way I thought it got there, by dumping it into a hopper. Well, I was wrong!

The way it gets to the line is when the snus is completely flavored, which can take a long time, it’s ejected thru the bottom of the flavoring machines, via a pipe system, down to the packaging line on the first floor. There are two dedicated packaging lines here at the Gothenburg factory as well as two at Kungälv, one for loose snus and another for portions. The only differences in the lines between the two factories are that at Kungälv, they package the portion snus with the “Star” pattern in the can like General Onyx and General White portion. This process is extremely protected and the only thing I can tell you is that it’s pretty cool. They also make all White portion snus there as well. Original portions, like Kronan, Ettan and General Original are made at Gothenburg. That brings us to the process that makes Original or Regular portion snus. I think you’ll be surprised!

Swedish snus is pretty much put into the portion material and packaged by machine. I know that was a no brainer but the speed and complexity in which they make a portion is mind boggling! It’s even more mind boggling when you consider that portions are made by the machine at a rate of about 2 per second and the error rate is around 2%! But understand that the errors also include under or over filled cans, misaligned labels and things that will not allow it to pass GothiaTek standards! “Snus Guy, if a can is not filled or a label is crooked, they consider it an error? Why not just add the missing portions or put a new label the can?” While it would be the easy way to reduce an already really low error rate, the GothiaTek standard is still in force here, any snus that doesn’t make the cut, gets destroyed, end of story. I know it sounds cruel but, if sacrificing a few cans is what it takes to be the best, I can live with that! “Snus guy, that’s pretty cool and all, but not that surprising. What are you leaving out?” Let’s discuss that now!

In all the reviews I’ve ever read since I began using Swedish snus, be it in a formal review, a forum thread or from people I’ve talked to that have used Swedish snus longer than I have, all agreed that the distinction between an original or regular portion and a White portion was the extra step of wetting the portion with a “snus juice” during the production process. I’ve even written many reviews on regular portions that have said just that. Well Snustopians, I’ve seen the regular portion production process and am here to tell you that the magical “snus juice” we’ve all been hearing about is………..water! “Snus Guy! It can’t be just water! The portions are just a brown as the snus and the juice tastes like snus, how can it be just water?” I was just as amazed as you are now but I’ve seen the process! But, at the end of the tour it all became clear.

The final process is the packaging and storing of the snus. This is done in a “Cool room”. Once the snus is packed in 10 can logs, it’s put in cases and moved into the cool room to rest for at least two days. The room is large but not as big as you may think. This picture is of Larry and I in the cool room at the Gothenburg factory. If I had to venture a guess, they wouldn’t give us the exact dimensions of the room, I’d say it’s about 20,000 Sq. Ft., and holds approximately 4 million cans of snus! “Whoa, Snus Guy, 4 million cans of snus in only 20,000 Sq. Ft. of space? Can’t be!” I thought the same thing until I began to do the math. If you figure there are 10 cans of snus in each roll, and 20 rolls in each box, that’s 200 cans per box! Depending on how many are on a pallet, perhaps 40, that’s 8,000 per pallet so, as you can see in this picture, there are 22 pallets just in this line. There are 176,000 cans just in this line alone so, you really don’t need a lot of space! “Snus Guy, you’re rambling again! What does this have to do with the portions and the wetting process?” You’re right. It was just really intriguing to see that much snus is such a small space! Let’s go on to the end process.

The end process is basically right where we were, in the “cool room”. The snus stays in the cool room for 2 to 4 days to rest. This is where, in the regular portions, the magic happens. During this time, the water melds with the snus to create a more flavorful snus and transforms the plain water into the “snus juice” we’re all accustomed to. This is also when the portion material turns brown from its original white color. From here, the completed snus gets shipped all over Sweden and other parts of the world, including the U.S.!

Well Snustopians, that’s pretty much how real Swedish snus is made. I know we kind of ran thru the process but in future reviews, I’ll be adding other things I’ve learned like the tobacco selection process, the way snus manufacturers select the flavors and the shapes of the cans and many other things!

I really hope you all found this virtual tour informative, fun and a little educational. All these pictures, and more of our trip to Sweden, can be found in the slideshow at the top left of this page! I really look forward to your questions and comments and will try to answer them all as soon as I can! So, until our next review,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Kronan snus. The first review of "lower priced" snus brand families!

Greetings fellow Snustopians!

While I was sitting in my study this past weekend watching SSNN (Snustopia Satellite News Network) to see how the economy was doing, (yes, my friends, Snustopia is in the same boat as the rest of the world when it comes to the economy) something hit me!

I’ve been reviewing a lot of very popular snus this year that can be a bit pricy if that’s all that you’re ordering! Grant it; even a can of Nick & Johnny West is still cheaper than a pack of cigarettes in most places! So I decided that I would do my next review on an entire brand of lower priced snus and the brand we’ll be reviewing today is Kronan.

I know what you’re saying, “Hey Snus Guy! You’ve reviewed value snus before! Remember the Phantom Blue and Offroad reviews? Why pick Kronan?” You’re right, we did do some reviews of lower priced snus but, I want all Snustopians to know that there are other low priced snus brands available out there besides Offroad and Phantom! Throughout the next few months, we’ll review other low priced snus brands but, Kronan is the one that most snus shops include as a free or “Mystery” can with larger orders and is in most sample boxes. So, with that information in hand, let’s begin our review of the Kronan family of snus!

First, I want to reiterate something before we begin. Like I said in the Offroad Cranberry review, low price does not mean low quality. All Swedish snus must pass a strict and controlled process that’s overseen by the Swedish equivalent of the U.S. FDA. Since snus is an oral product, it must pass the same quality and safety standards that food in Sweden does! In essence, a can of Kronan or any other lower priced snus will have passed the same quality and safety standards as a can of General Onyx. I only say this because in the beginning, there was some concern about it. Now that we have that out of the way, On to the review!

Kronan is another snus manufactured by the folks at Swedish Match and comes in 3 different types; loose (lös), regular portions and white portions. Kronan is actually a pretty unique snus in a couple of different ways! First, most snus brands that come in different types tend to have different tastes between them. Offroad Cranberry comes to mind as an example. There is a distinct taste difference between the loose and the portions. Kronan’s taste really doesn’t vary throughout the different types. The only variant would be the intensity of the flavor.

“Well, don’t keep us waiting Snus Guy! What’s Kronan taste like?” Swedish Match describes the taste as “A traditional tobacco taste with mild citrus and flowers”. I, on the other hand, taste something completely different. While there is a distinct, full tobacco flavor along with a slight lemony taste, flowers I don’t taste. This is not a bad thing though.

The flowery flavor I get from Kronan is of Dill! “Dill, Snus Guy? You mean like a Dill Pickle?” Well, yes and no. I mean fresh Dill. It’s not strong though, just a hint. Here’s the overall flavor I get, in laymen’s terms. Imagine a slice of roasted lemon sprinkled with salt and dill then add the earthy flavor of quality tobacco and you have the taste of Kronan! Where’s the Dill pickle reference come in, you ask? The scent from the can!

The scent I get from Kronan is not like the smell from a jar of dill pickles with the famous talking Stork on the label! More like the smell you get from a fresh kosher dill pickle from a true delicatessen. A distinct, earthy tobacco scent, with a bit of sourness and a hint of dill. Pretty unique I think! So, let’s go to mouth feel, beginning with the portions.

Since the portion material in both the regular and the white types are the same material as used in other Swedish Match portion snus I won’t go into the makeup of it and just focus on the flavor release and mouth feel.

Both portions have a really comfortable feel under the lip. I’ve had both portion types in, not at the same time, for over 2 hours with no irritation at all. The regular type will get your inner lip a bit wrinkly due to the added moisture but, no pain is associated with it. The white portion’s flavor lasts a bit longer than the regular portion does though. I’ve had a white portion’s flavor last for about 2 ½ hours while the regular will usually go flat at the 2 hour mark. The trade off though is that the regular portion will give you flavor in an instant where the white portion takes about 10 minutes to get going.

Kronan loose (lös) is a mid-coarse grain loose snus. Coarse refers to the cut of the tobacco. The really good part about Kronan loose is that it’s really easy to hand bake! As you all know, I’m hand bake challenged and for me to say that a loose snus is easy to hand bake, it really is! Coarse cut tobacco is usually the easiest to do this with but, the amount of moisture plays a role in it as well.

I know mid-coarse really doesn’t explain the cut so, let’s use a comparison snus. Skruf Stark loose is a fine grain snus. Phantom Blue loose is a coarse grain. Kronan lös’ grain falls in the middle. Coarse enough to hold a pris well but not as fine as to cause immediate mudslide!

Lip feel is really comfortable and the flavor lasts a good long time but the flavor is a bit more subdued than the portions! I’ve had a pris in for over 2 ½ hours with the flavor still going strong! Depending on which method you use to make the pris, mudslide times vary. With my 3 ml Icetool and medium compression, I’ve had a pris last over 2 ½ hours with very little mudslide. Hand baking a pris yielded only about 1 ½ hours before complete mudslide. Like I said, I really can’t hand bake so, those Snustopians that have that skill down pat, will more than likely get a pris to last much longer!

Now, on to the drinks! I really had a hard time trying to pair drinks with Kronan. The flavor is really unique and I wanted something that wouldn’t mask the flavor. Diet Coke did well but it just didn’t have what I wanted. The acidity in the Diet Coke kind of killed the slight sourness but, did bring out the tobacco a bit more. Coffee was a disaster! Coffee and the dill flavor just didn’t work. Iced Earl Grey did a bit better but the best thing I have had with it was lemonade!

No, I didn’t slip on a spent pris of Kronan loose and bang my head! Lemonade brings out the citrus flavor and enhances the dill a bit more. The sweet and sour of the lemonade along with the slight sourness of the snus helped to bring the tobacco to the front as well! If you haven’t thought to try lemonade with snus that has citrus and tobacco flavors, you really have to try it! Trust me, you won’t be sorry!

My recommendations for the overall Kronan brand, Snustopians, are this; Kronan is a uniquely flavored, family of snus at a great price. Snustopians that are new to the world of Swedish snus and want to add a can of a lower priced snus to their order won’t be disappointed with a can of Kronan white. If you’re new at using loose and want to try your hand baking while still getting a great mild flavor, Kronan loose is a good choice. For new Snustopians, I recommend sticking with the white portions at first and move to the regular portions simply because the flavor is a bit more subdued in the white. Experienced Snustopians looking for something less pricy but still has a great flavor should give each type a try!

Kronan’s prices range as follows; Kronan white portion snus averages around $3.70 USD a can, Kronan regular portion snus and Loose (lös) snus run about $3.30 USD each so, you really can’t go wrong by giving it a try! You can even save more by clicking The Northerner banner to the right. If this will be your first order, just enter the code on the banner and save 10%!

Well Snustopians, I hope you all have enjoyed our review of the Kronan family of snus. As always, I look forward to hearing your questions and comments and will try to answer them as soon as I can!

Until our next review,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy