“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

Mr. Snus Guy goes to Sweden! Reviewing the “Land of snus” and the way snus is made!

Greetings Snustopians!

Yes, it’s true! I’m leaving for Sweden, the “Land of snus”, on June 10th 2009! Why you ask? Well, as you all know, I’ve been scouting a spot for our next field trip ever since we ventured into Snuffland last year. I finally settled on Sweden for a couple of reasons. One, since I began reviewing snus back in October of 2008, I’ve always wanted to take the review process to the next level and actually see how Swedish snus was made. Not from You Tube videos but really be on a snus factory floor and physically experience the entire process from start to finish. I also wanted to see how the Swedish actually used snus and what the shops really look like. So, after a lot of negotiations, my good friend and colleague, Larry Waters from SnusCENTRAL.org, and myself will be touring the city of Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden and visiting some of the snus manufacturers!

“Hey Snus Guy, are you taking ALL of us with you?” Well, in a way, yes! While I wish I could afford to take all of you there, I will however, be posting pictures and videos of the trip here on Snustopia for all of you to see! In the upper left column, I’ll be posting pictures each day and below that will be a video of the day’s activities! We’ve also set up a Twitter feed as both Larry and I will be tweeting live from the factory floors, reporting what we see and information about the people we meet! I know it’s not the same as being there but, it’s close!

This is a pretty historic event since it’s not very often that Americans get to see just what makes Swedish snus so special! Both Larry and I will do our best to represent SnusCENTRAL and Snustopia in the best possible light and we both encourage you all to become members of SnusCENTRAL.org (if you’re not already) for a more in depth accounting of our trip. Larry will be interviewing some very important people and the videos will only be available at SnusCENTRAL.org!

We also ask you to follow us on Twitter so you can tweet questions to us and we can get you answers! I think it will be pretty cool since I know both new Snustopians and seasoned ones have a lot of questions and what better way to get the answers than to get them from the experts, in real time!

I hope you’ll join us for this wonderful event and like I said, check back each day (or more) for updated pictures and answers to any questions you post in the comments section below! Also, be sure to become a member of SnusCENTRAL.org so you can see the exclusive interviews!

As always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy!

Ettan snus, a review on one of the oldest snus family names in Sweden!

Welcome back Snustopians!

This weekend, I took advantage of the beautiful weather here in Snustopia and decided to take a walk in the gardens here at the Ministry of Information and figure out which snus we should discuss next. While I was taking my constitutional, a colleague of mine had asked why I hadn’t reviewed a loose snus lately. As I reflected on the question, I realized not only haven’t we discussed a loose snus brand in a couple of months, we also haven’t discussed a brand family in a while either! If memory serves me correctly, the last true family we reviewed was Kronan back in February!

So I asked myself, which family should I review? Since it had been quite some time since we’ve done a family review, I wanted a snus that not only had all three varieties, loose (lös), white and original portion, I wanted it to be a snus that not a lot of Snustopians had heard of or tried and one that had a bit of history behind it. That’s when I thought of the Ettan family of snus.

Now I know what you’re thinking, “Snus Guy! All Swedish snus has some history behind it! After all, snus was invented in Sweden over 200 years ago. What makes Ettan so special?” I’m glad you asked. Let’s get into the review and you’ll see what makes the Ettan family of snus so special!



Ettan snus is another snus brand made by the fine folks at Swedish Match and comes in 3 varieties, Loose (lös), Original portion and White portion. The first thing that makes Ettan so special is the fact that the Ettan brand is one of the oldest brand names in Sweden! Ettan loose has been around since 1822 so it’s also one of the oldest snus brands as well. Ettan Original portion was introduced to the snus world in 1990 and the White portion variety was launched in 2006.

The Loose portion variety has about 8 mg of Nicotine per gram and there is 45 grams of snus in each can. The loose version’s can is the typical laminated paper type with a plastic lid that’s embossed with the brand’s coat of arms. In the portion varieties, both versions also have approximately 8 mg of Nicotine per portion and each have 24 portions per can. These cans are made of plastic with the label covering the seam between the top and bottom of the can. The lids also have the used portion compartment that’s embossed with the brand’s coat of arms. “Snus Guy, your can obsession is showing again! Get on with the review already!” I know I do go on when it comes to the cans so; let’s go to mouth feel and on to the other reason why Ettan is so special, the taste!

Ettan loose is a coarse grind snus that is similar in grind and texture to most of Swedish Match’s loose snus. This means that the texture and moisture level in Ettan loose makes it a great beginner’s loose snus. I’ve actually used Ettan to better hone my Hand Baking skills since the moisture level is perfect to be able to mold a pris and it holds up pretty well once it’s in the lip. Although I did get better in making a handmade pris, I still recommend a tool for maximum durability of it. I’ve had a “tool made” pris last for well over 2 hours with little mudslide. A hand baked pris only lasted about 1 hour but, like I said, I still have some work to do in this department! The texture of the grind was also pretty comfortable for the 2 hours but I recommend using a lighter compression in a tool. If it’s compressed too much, the pris can be a bit hard and uncomfortable so, just use a bit less pressure and you’ll be fine!

The portion varieties both use the standard material that Swedish Match uses in all their portion snus which is pretty soft to the touch and really comfortable in the lip. The original portions go thru the extra step of adding moisture which lets the flavors come out pretty quickly but adds no discomfort to the portion. I had an original portion in for over 2 hours with no discomfort but your lip can get a bit wrinkly. No discomfort but it can be a bit weird feeling for new Snustopians. The White portions have the same feel and comfort level but last a bit longer. Since they do not go thru the additional wetting step, the flavor seems to last a bit longer but can take a little longer for it to start coming out. For comfort, I recommend a 2 hour max! “Ok Snus Guy, we want to hear about the other thing that makes Ettan so special!” Alright then, let’s discuss the flavor! That’s the other special thing about Ettan.

“But why does the flavor of Ettan make it so special Snus Guy? Isn’t all Swedish snus special when it comes to flavor?” Well, you’re right in the sense that all Swedish snus flavors are special, especially to Americans and others that cannot get Swedish snus in their local store. But Ettan’s flavor is special within Swedish snus flavors because of its ingredients. The ingredients in Ettan are simple: Tobacco, water and salt. They have been this way since 1822 which means that Ettan’s flavor has remained the same since then! There are not too many other snus brands that can say this and this is why Ettan is so special. But, how does it taste?

One would think that simple flavors and simple ingredients would normally taste…. well…..simple! But that’s not the case with Ettan. There is a difference in taste between the loose and portion varieties but the difference is minimal. In the loose variety, pure tobacco and salt are pretty much predominant. There is a smoky element in the loose but it seems to play in the background and is barely noticeable. In the portions, there really is no smoky taste but the portions do have a saltier taste. In the Original portions, the saltiness is much more predominant and in the White portions it not as strong but both do have the same pure tobacco taste.

Here I would like to explain a bit on what a “pure tobacco flavor” means when it comes to Swedish snus. When American tobacco companies describe a tobacco product as having a “Pure tobacco flavor”, as in say Copenhagen or Red Man smokeless tobacco and Camel SNUS Mellow, we taste a generally earthy, herbal and sweet flavor. In some cases, like Camel SNUS Mellow’s overly sweet taste, this is due to the sweetener that is used in the processing of most American smokeless tobacco and SNUS. In Swedish snus, the sweetener is omitted from the process leaving just the earthy, herbal tobacco flavor. I say this for two reasons. One, when I was just beginning to use Swedish snus, I would get confused and sometimes disappointed when a snus that was said to have a “pure tobacco flavor” didn’t have the sweetness I was accustomed to with the American tobacco and two, I felt that new Snustopians shouldn’t have to go thru the same thing I did in the beginning. So to recap, Swedish snus that’s described as having a “pure tobacco flavor” means just that. No sweetener, since Swedish snus manufacturers do not use sweeteners in their recipes, just true tobacco flavor! Ok, back to the snus.

Ettan’s flavors also last a good bit of time as well. They do, however, vary between the types. Ettan loose lasted the longest with a maximum time of about 2 ½ hours and this was due to the pris beginning to fall apart. Ettan Original portions seemed to last the shortest amount of time with about a 1 ½ hour max. Ettan White gave me about 2 ½ hours when the portion’s flavor just seemed to die out. The max time recommendations I give Ettan is as follows; for the loose type, I recommend a 2 hour max when the portion is made with a Prismaster or an Icetool. With a hand baked pris, I recommend the same amount of time if you’re good at making them. If not, I’d recommend a 1 ½ hour max. With the portions, I’d recommend a 1 to 1 ½ hour max and with the White I’d go with about 2 hours. Now, what to drink!

I was thinking that since Ettan has a very simplistic flavor, I would forgo my usual drinks of Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks. “Snus Guy! Are you sick? You’ve never reviewed Swedish snus without trying Diet Coke and Monster with it! What’s the deal?” Calm down, I’m not sick or anything. Since I’ve reviewed so many different snus brands, I’ve learned that with tobacco flavored snus Diet Coke and Monster energy drinks are way too powerful in flavor. They tend to drown out the snus’ flavor leaving just a salty flavored drink. So this time I started out with iced Earl Grey tea.

Since Earl Grey tea has a light citrus flavor, bergamot actually, and Ettan does not, the two were made for each other! Bergamot has an uncanny way of bringing out more of the tobacco flavor while mixing really well with the saltiness of Ettan. I really recommend trying iced Earl Grey with Ettan. Another great pair was Lemonade! Again, the citrus did bring out more of the tobacco flavor while mixing well with the higher salt content.

For those Snustopians that like an Alcoholic drink with their snus, I found a relatively new Vodka flavor out there I thought would go great with Ettan. Sweet Tea flavored Vodka called Sweet Carolina mixed with lemonade to make an alcoholic version of an “Arnold Palmer”. I had a member of the Ministry of Information try Ettan with it and she commented that it’s the best of both worlds! The Vodka naturally brings out the flavor of tobacco but with the Sweet tea flavoring, it mellowed it out and actually made it less salty. Since I can’t drink, I’d love to hear from other Snustopians on this combination! Now, let’s go to the overall recommendations.

My overall recommendations for the Ettan family of snus, Snustopians, are this: Ettan’s flavor is a very unique one since it has been relatively unchanged since 1822. Even though the portion version didn’t make its debut until 1990, Swedish Match left Ettan’s flavor unchanged. Snustopians that are looking for a true “Original” flavored snus can’t go wrong with Ettan. Snustopians that want to experience what snus was like back in the 1800’s will like Ettan loose as well. New Snustopians that want to try out hand baking will do well with Ettan because it’s pretty easy to mold and has a relatively mild taste. They will also do well with either portion version for the same reason. Snustopians that are fans of the strong snus brands will find that Ettan’s 8 mg of Nicotine per portion, or gram in the loose version, a bit too weak but what Ettan lacks in Nicotine, it makes up for in flavor. I recommend that all Snustopians give Ettan a try but, I’ll leave the decision up to you. At around $3.35 USD for the loose, $3.44 USD for the Original portions and the White portions at Snustopia’s favorite place for Swedish snus, The Northerner, you really can’t go wrong! If you’re a new customer, you can save 10% on your first order by clicking on the banner to the left and entering the code on the banner at checkout!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru the Ettan family of snus, by Swedish Match, and found it fun and informative. Remember, I love hearing and answering any questions or comments you may have and will try to answer them as soon as I can!

So, until our next review, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Tre Ankare White and Mini White portion snus. Review of another value priced Swedish snus duo!

Welcome back Snustopians!

I thought this week we would continue our journey into “Value Priced” snus by reviewing the other low priced brand in the Swedish Match family, Tre Ankare. I know you’re all saying “Snus Guy, what’s up with the low priced snus reviews?” Basically, I wanted to review lower priced snus brands for two reasons. The first one you all may remember from our review of Kronan. Long story short, I want to make sure that Tre Ankare, as well as other value priced snus, doesn’t get the branding that value priced foods and merchandise get which is, that they are typically subpar in taste and quality.

The second reason is that Tre Ankare is a relatively unknown snus brand. I don’t mean that nobody knows that Tre Ankare is a snus brand, just that it’s not as popular as its well known siblings in the Swedish Match family like General and Röda Lacket! So, with that information in hand, let’s begin our journey into Tre Ankare White and Mini White portion snus.

Tre Ankare is, as I said above, another snus brand made by the fine folks at Swedish Match AB. Tre Ankare also comes in both a mini and a regular sized portion. Both types are white portions which, as you all remember, do not go thru the additional wetting step.

The portion material for both regular and mini is the same type that Swedish Match uses in all its white portions and, pretty soft and comfortable under the lip. Each regular White portion has 1 gram of snus and there are 24 portions per can. The Nicotine content is 8 mg per portion. With the Mini White portions, there is about .5 grams of snus per portions and 20 portions per can. Nicotine content in the Mini White portions is 4 mg per portion.

Here, I want to bring up a concern that has been brought up by some Snustopians regarding White portions. The concern is that some White portions can be a bit irritating in the beginning. While I haven’t run into this with Tre Ankare, I have come across it in a few others and the question remains why. The answer is not necessarily in the material its self, but the moisture level in the snus as well! “Ok Snus Guy, you’re going to have to explain this one!” Alright, let’s get to it, it’s pretty simple!

While the quality of the portion material is pretty important, since there is no additional wetting process with White portions, the moisture level in the snus plays a big role in the comfort of the portion too. “We get it Snus Guy but, why does the moisture level in the snus play a big role?” Good question! When the snus has a lower moisture content, it can be a bit grainy and allow the portion to slide a bit under the lip. This can cause some discomfort if the material is of a lower quality. When it has higher moisture content, the snus will stay together better and help the portion to stay put. See, pretty easy explanation! Now, back to the task at hand, Tre Ankare!

The cans with both types of Tre Ankare are made of plastic and have the compartment for used portions on the lid. Another thing about the lids is the cool engraving of a coat of arms! I know, enough about the lids!
As I said, both the regular sized portions and the minis are pretty comfortable under the lip. I had both in for about 2 ½ hours with virtually no discomfort to speak of. What does happen after the 2 ½ mark is that the portion tends to get a bit weird feeling and, can slip down a bit. No discomfort but can get a bit aggravating so, I recommend a 2 hour max with both for full enjoyment! So, what about the taste? Let’s take a look, starting with the Full sized portions!

To be honest, I couldn’t really tell any flavor difference between the full sized portions and the mini portions, only a difference between how long each lasted. I’ll divulge that bit of information later so; let’s get back to the taste.

Tre Ankare’s flavor is pretty mild compared to most of the other snus brands that Swedish Match has. Most of Swedish Match’s snus brands have a strong, predominant flavor of some kind. In General Onyx, you can really make out the citrus and salt within the first few minutes! With Kronan, the dill and tobacco are right up front as well. Tre Ankare, on the other hand, doesn’t have that “in your face” flavor up front. Rather, a very light tobacco flavor with a touch of salt.

Swedish Match describes the flavor of Tre Ankare as “A snus with full bodied and distinct flavor of dark tobacco and dried herbs”. While the taste of the tobacco is the predominant flavor with the background flavor being salt, it’s not very strong. Another very subtle background flavor is there as well but, it took me a while to figure it out. It’s pretty close to parsley or a peppery greens type flavor but like I said, it’s really faint but does go well with the overall flavor! It seems though; the longer a portion is in, the more the flavor seems to come out but the flavor still remains pretty mild. I’ve had a portion of regular white’s flavor last about 2 hours which I recommend as a max and a portion of Mini’s flavor last about an hour which I also recommend as a max. So, what to drink!

I thought that with Tre Ankare I’d skip the Diet Coke and Monster test. “Snus Guy! Are you feeling ok? You review all snus with Diet Coke and Monster energy drinks!” I know, but with the light flavor of Tre Ankare I knew that both of these would really overpower it. So, I decided to try lighter flavored drinks. I tried iced coffee with Tre Ankare and it did go well, much better than hot coffee. The coffee helped to bring the tobacco flavor out but, since coffee varies in strength depending on where you get it, stronger varieties, like Starbucks, completely overpowered the flavor. Green tea, either hot or cold, was the definite winner with Tre Ankare! The light tea flavor brought out the light tobacco flavor while combating the subtle saltiness. In actuality, the Green tea helped me to define the parsley flavor as well so; it’s my recommended drink of choice!

My overall recommendation for Tre Ankare White portion and Mini White portion snus Snustopians is this; Snustopians new to the world of Swedish snus would really like Tre Ankare. Its light salty taste and mild flavor will allow you to get used to the Nicotine and the taste of true Swedish snus. Snustopians looking for a Mini portion snus that has a basic tobacco flavor without the mint or fruitiness of other minis will find that Tre Ankare fills that need! Seasoned Snustopians that like the boldness in flavors that Swedish snus is known for, may not like Tre Ankare. You will find that Tre Ankare’s flavor may be too light but, I’ll leave that decision up to you!

Prices for Tre Ankare White portion snus average about $3.45 USD depending on the shop and the Minis average about $3.20. But, if you visit Snustopia’s number one shop for Swedish snus, The Northerner, and it’s your first time buying from them, you can save 10% at checkout on your order by clicking on the banner near the top right of this page! Just tell em’ That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found our tour of Tre Ankare White portion and Mini White portion snus helpful and informative. I encourage you to leave comments and any questions you may have at the bottom of this page and, I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can!

Until our next review, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

General Ekstra Sterk Loose snus, a review of General’s newest “available in America” snus!

Greetings my fellow Snustopians!

Today, I thought we would journey into the world of General Ekstra Sterk loose snus. Why, you may ask? Simple really, I know I’ve already done a review on General Ekstra Sterk portion snus so, you would think that the loose version couldn’t be much different. In all actuality, they are pretty close in the taste department with a few subtle differences. We’ll get into those in a bit but the main reason I wanted to get a review out for it is the fact that Ekstra Sterk loose will be released for sale in snus shops on the web soon! I’ll explain towards the end but, without further ado, let’s get into the review of General’s newest loose offering, General Ekstra Stark loose snus!

You’re probably asking yourselves, “Snus Guy, what’s with all these recent snus varieties being released for Americans?” Well, it looks like Swedish snus is becoming more and more popular in the states. Swedish Match, the makers of the General brand, is seeing this and, bringing Swedish snus to American snus lovers! I’m sure there is more to it than that but, SSNN (Snustopian Satellite News Network) really has been out of the loop on this one! Guess I’ll have to have a talk with them! Anyhow, I do have a Field Trip planned for us soon that will get these answers. More about that in another review but, let’s get back to Ekstra Sterk loose!

As I said before, General Ekstra Sterk loose is another offering by the folks at Swedish Match. Ekstra Sterk loose is a medium grind snus meaning that it packs pretty well and the pris holds its shape longer than a finer ground snus like Skruf Stark loose. Hand baking is relatively easy with Ekstra Stark loose provided you know how to do it. As you all know, I am hand bake challenged so, for this review, I used an Icetool to give you how the pris feels. Knowing this, making a pris by hand will yield a completely different type of feel as well as a different length of time the pris lasts before mudslide. Ok, enough about methods. Let’s get back to the snus!

The pris can get a bit hard if compressed too tightly with the tools so, I recommend a medium pressure on the plunger prior to putting the pris under the lip. Ekstra Sterk loose also has higher moisture content which, among other things, makes the pris last as well as making it comfortable. I got a pris to last about 3 hours before mudslide but, like I said before, hand baking will yield about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours before this happens. I recommend a 2 hour max with the tool and about 1 ½ hours with a hand baked pris. “Hey Snus Guy! Are you holding out on the Nicotine content? Is it the same level as the portions?” I’m glad you brought that up actually! The answer will surprise you.

When I got my can of General Ekstra Stark loose, I automatically assumed it would be just like the portion version in every way. I was really wrong. Like I said in the beginning, there are subtle differences in taste but, the Nicotine level is different as well. Where General Ekstra Sterk portions have 15 mgs of Nicotine per portion, Ekstra Sterk loose has 13 mgs of Nicotine per gram. Now don’t assume the worst like I did, let me explain a few things first. If you go off total weight, there are 22 portions in a can of Ekstra Sterk portions and there is 45 grams of snus in a can of loose. Each portion has a little over 1 gram of snus in them but, when you make a pris of loose, you typically use about 1.3 to 1.5 grams of snus. I know I do! So, when you look at it that way, you’re getting the same Nicotine content with the loose as you would with the portions but there’s another difference, the release!

Loose snus, as we have discussed before, does release Nicotine faster than portions do. Why, you ask? Really simple, the tobacco makes direct contact with your gums in the loose type. With portions, the material acts as a bit of a barrier so; it takes a little longer for the Nicotine to hit the gums. That’s also the reason why there is a saltier taste in portions over loose. The salt interacts with the tobacco to allow the Nicotine to release. That’s the way I look at it anyway so, don’t fret Snustopians, just remember that you can control the amount of Nicotine you get with any loose snus just by adjusting the size of the pris! So, on to the taste!

One would think that Ekstra Stark loose and portion would taste exactly the same. If you think that, like I did at first, you would be wrong but not entirely wrong. While other snus flavors, like V2’s Phantom blue for example, do have a distinct difference in taste between the portion variety and the loose, this is not the case with Ekstra Sterk. An overview of Ekstra Sterk portion’s flavor would be pure tobacco with a lemony, not citrusy, background and slightly salty with peppery notes and a bit of smoky flavor, the only thing that would be different in the loose variety would be the absence of the salty taste, less smoke flavoring and a more defined tobacco flavor! “Snus Guy, this is not your normal rambling on flavors! What gives?” Well, I forgot that some Snustopians may not have read the original Ekstra Stark portion review so, if you click on this link "General Ekstra Sterk Portion snus review", it will take you to the review and you can get a better understanding.

Another thing about the flavor difference is the length of time it lasts between the two. I said in the portion review that I got about 2 ½ hours from a portion before it began to get bitter. With the loose, I got 3 hours before mudslide began to take over but, there was still flavor and, no bitterness. I still recommend a 2 hour max with Ekstra Stark loose for full enjoyment! Now, what to drink with Ekstra Stark loose?

Loose snus always proves to be a challenge to drink with for new Snustopians! It takes a bit of practice to be able to take a drink without either completely destroying the pris or, swallowing half of it but, there are a few tricks you can use! The first one is pretty obvious, using a straw! The biggest complaint I hear, and have experienced in the beginning, is drinking from a glass.

Be it a cup of coffee, A glass of iced tea or a pint of Guinness, it can be a challenge to learn how to drink from a glass with a pris of loose under your lip! The only method I can offer is this; when going to take a drink, don’t suck the drink from the glass or cup, just raise the vessel and tip out the drink in your mouth. Doing this will allow the upper lip to relax and thus keeping it from crushing the pris! As you use loose more, you’ll find better ways but, this is the method I use and I use loose almost 40% of the time! “Hey! Professor Snus Guy! We appreciate the how-to-use-a-glass sermon but, you’re going off topic again!” Oops, sorry! I just wanted to hit this topic a little so I don’t get angry emails from new Snustopians. Ok, back to actual drinks!

I’m not going to bore you with the Diet Coke test because I think it goes well with General Ekstra Sterk Loose. Monster on the other hand, overpowered the taste of the snus. I prefer iced tea with Ekstra Sterk. Southern Style Sweet tea pairs well with it but, I did have iced Earl Gray as well and it tended to be a bit too strong. As I said in the taste review, Ekstra Sterk looses’ flavor isn’t quite as strong as it’s portioned brother so, stronger flavored drinks tended to bury the snus’ flavor. Stick with lighter flavored drinks and you’ll be able to enjoy both!

My overall recommendation for General Ekstra Sterk loose snus my fellow Snustopians is this; Those Snustopians that like the portion version of Ekstra Sterk, will find the loose version just as likeable. Snustopians that are fans of strong snus and loose snus will really enjoy it as well. New Snustopians that are currently using Copenhagen or, a tobacco flavored Smokeless will immediately fall for Ekstra Sterk loose as well. Since both versions are getting ready to be released in the states, I do recommend Cope users give it a shot!

Like I said, General Ekstra Sterk loose, or lös, will be available soon at snus shops like The Northerner with other new General brands. The average cost for General Ekstra Stark loose runs about $3.49 a can depending on where you buy it but remember Snustopians, if you click on The Northerner banner at the top of the page and it's your first order, you can get 10% off!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour of General Ekstra Sterk loose snus by Swedish Match and found it helpful. Please leave any questions, comments or suggestions in the comments area. I look forward to reading and answering them as soon as I can.

As always,

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

Snus Accessories 101. Icetools and Prismasters and snus boxes, oh my!

Greetings Snustopians!

Today I thought we would do something a little different. Rather than do a review on a particular snus, I thought we would go over some of the things you can use to enhance your enjoyment of snus. Some of them are essential to that enjoyment and some are just plain cool to have! So, with that information in hand, let’s begin our lesson in Snus Accessories.

You may be asking why I would do a review on snus accessories. One of the reasons is the amount of questions I’ve been getting about the differences between the Prismaster and the Icetool! While I was doing research on these two portioning tools, I came across a few other accessories that looked really cool! I figured that if I’m going to do a review on tools, let’s do a review on all the things available!

Let’s start with the portioning tools. There are basically two types of portioning tools, the Prismaster and the Icetool. Although they do the same basic thing, portion out lös (loose) snus, there are a lot of differences between them. One thing is the look!

We’ll begin with the Prismaster. Why the Prismaster, you ask? Easy, it’s the least expensive first off. Almost every Snustopian that’s new to lös (loose) snus and has tried to hand bake a pris, to no success, has bought a Prismaster. Even I have one because, as you all know, I’m hand bake challenged! The Prismaster is great for beginners because it’s easy to use as well. All you have to do is push the open part of the Prismaster into the snus a few times, pack it lightly on the lid of the can, put the Prismaster under your top lip and slide the lever. You’ll get a perfect sized and shaped pris each time. It’s that easy!

It’s also a great tool for beginners to decide if you like the lössnus variety. Since its cost is under $2, you really haven’t lost anything if you decide that loose snus is not for you! I recommend the Prismaster for new Snustopians that want to try lössnus. You really can’t go wrong with the price! If you do decide that loose snus is for you, you’ll find that there are drawbacks to the Prismaster.

For one, they’re made of plastic and can be broken easily with a lot of use. That’s not the biggest drawback though. The biggest drawback to the Prismaster is that there is no way to control the size of the pris without doing a modification to it. Each pris will come out the same size but, the pris the Prismaster makes can be a bit wide and long for some Snustopians. “So Snus Guy, what options do we have outside the Prismaster?” Well, you can learn how to hand bake a pris or, get an Icetool!

The Icetool is a portion tool that is more flexible than the Prismaster in the fact that you can control the size of the pris. To the right is a picture of an Icetool. As you can see, it’s much different than the Prismaster in a couple of ways.

The first difference is that the Icetool is made of metal instead of plastic which means that the Icetool will last virtually a lifetime! The Icetool is made in either Aluminum or Stainless Steel and comes in 5 ml or 3 ml sizes. The Aluminum Icetools come in an array of different colors while the Stainless Steel ones come in a high buffed finish or black. “What? Snus Guy, what do you mean 5 ml and 3 ml! We don’t get it!” In the beginning, I didn’t either but what I found out is that 3 ml and 5 ml basically tell you the diameter of the Icetool’s barrel.

Take a look at the picture again. The Icetool looks like a syringe without the needle, right? In actuality, the diameter of the barrels is an exact replica of one, only in metal. The 3 ml Icetool will yield a thinner diameter pris while the 5 ml will give you a wider one. The other difference between the Icetool and the Prismaster is the fact that you can control the length of the pris.

Unlike the Prismaster, the Icetool has an adjustable plunger that will let you choose how long you want the pris! Only have time for a small pris? Move the plunger to the first notch and load the Icetool the same way you load a Prismaster! Feel daring? Move the barrel out to its last notch! Once you’re ready, put the end of the tool in your upper lip, push the plunger in and you’re done! It’s as simple as that! The Icetool also allows you to control the feel of the pris by letting you control the compaction in the tool.

The only drawback to the Icetool is the price. Prices range from around $42 USD for the 3 ml, in either metal, $ 47 for the Aluminum 5 ml and $ 51 for the Stainless Steel 5 ml. I personally prefer the 3 ml over the 5 ml but, if you like a fatter pris, go with the 5 ml. I recommend that all Snustopians, that have lössnus in their regular rotation, should have an Icetool. They are easy to use, last a lifetime and are pretty cool as well!

The last snus accessory we will review is the ultimate in snus “Bling”, Stainless Steel snus boxes! These snus boxes are made of high grade Stainless Steel and come in two variations, one for loose snus and one for portion snus. The portion snus model comes with a hinged compartment on the lid for used portions and a lift off lid to place the snus in. The loose snus model has a lift off lid for placing your favorite lössnus in!

Two companies make snus boxes and, depending on which snus shop you buy them from, are made by either Icetool, the same company that makes the portion tools we just reviewed, or Slimcase.se, which are pictured to the left. I purchased my snus boxes from swedishsnus.com for one reason. They offer free Diamond engraving on the bottom of the can so; to see what the quality of the engraving would be, I had one engraved with my name. The quality of the engraving is excellent and matched the font on the top. The top of the boxes have the swedishsnus.com logo Diamond engraved on them as well.

Other online stores (like The Northerner) carry the Icetool brand of snus boxes. These are pretty much identical to the Slimcase brand of snus boxes with both being made of Stainless Steel and both portion boxes have the hinged lid. They don’t, however, offer the free engraving. The thing that makes the Icetool boxes special is that their boxes are Laser engraved with the unique Icetool logo on the lids!

Prices for the snus boxes range quite a bit! The ones at The Northerner are are Icetool boxes and are priced at $36 USD for the loose snus version and $40 USD for the portion version.

I know your saying “Snus Guy! Why would we pay that for a box when the snus comes is a pretty sturdy can already?” Good question! A good reason for getting the loose box is that most lössnus comes in a cardboard can with a plastic lid. If you’re a Snustopian that uses loose snus while you’re out and about, the snus box will keep the can from getting destroyed in your pocket!

While the snus boxes don’t really do anything to enhance the actual snus, they do add a certain kind of elegance when you use them! I keep my boxes in the fridge at night and, keep them on my desk throughout the day. When I take out a portion or, offer one to tourists visiting Snustopia, it becomes a conversation piece, giving me another opportunity to talk about the land I love, Snustopia!

My recommendation for the snus boxes is this; if you enjoy snus enough to tell everyone at the pub or the office, these snus boxes will create that opportunity. Even though they are a bit pricy, they would be a great thing to suggest to people if you’re the kind of person that’s hard to buy for!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found this lesson in snus accessories helpful and informative. I also hope I cleared up some of the mysteries regarding the Prismaster and the Icetools as well! As always, I welcome your questions and comments and look forward to answering them!

Until our next review,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

V2's Offroad Icemint lössnus. A "Very cool" snus review!

Greetings fellow Snustopians!

This week we will be reviewing Offroad Icemint lössnus. I’ve wanted to do a review on Icemint for a long time and for a lot of reasons but mainly because of all the questions Snustopians have been asking about it. I’ve also seen the taste compared to Jakobsson’s Ice Fruit portion as well and that’s when I said to myself “Snus Guy, you know the tastes are completely different! Maybe you should let the people know and do the review already!” So with that being said, let’s go and review V2’s Offroad Icemint Lös!

Offroad Icemint Lös is another loose snus varietV2's y made by V2 Tobacco, the same company that makes Phantom Classic Blue, Nordströmmen snus and the new Thunder Snus. Even though V2 manufactures their snus in Denmark, they adhere to the same vigorous Swedish standards as the manufacturers in Sweden do! Offroad Icemint comes in both lös and portions but today, we will focus on the lös variety.

Each can of Icemint Lös has 45 grams of quality snus with a Nicotine content of 8 mg per gram and 56% water content. The can is made entirely out of plastic which makes it durable enough to keep in your pocket!

Icemint lös’ texture is a medium grind just like Phantom Blue lös and the same moisture content which makes it pretty easy to hand bake but, I do recommend using a tool like a Prismaster or Icetool simply due to it being so moist. “Hey Snus Guy, why do you always recommend tools to make pris’?” Well, to be honest, this Snustopian is Hand Bake challenged (otherwise referred to as Baketarded) and in order to give you proper reviews on mouth feel I use the tools for consistency. There, I said it! Now you know my little secret. ;>)

Sorry for getting off topic a little there. Let’s get back to the snus! The texture of Icemint lös makes for a pretty comfortable pris. Due to its cut and moisture content, the pris stays together for a pretty long time. I’ve had a pris in for over an hour with very little movement or the pris coming apart! You may ask if there’s any mud slide with Icemint and the answer would be no. Since Offroad Icemint is a medium grind, the pieces are not as fine as a fine grind snus like Skruf or Röda Lacket.

You may find after an hour that small bits of tobacco begin to flake away from the pris but, the mudslide associated with finer grind snus is nonexistent. Overall, the mouth feel with Icemint is easy on the gums and, the pris is very manageable. Now that you know about the mouth feel, on to the taste!

Like I said earlier, Offroad Icemint’s taste has been compared to Jakobsson’s Ice Fruit. While the icy component is very similar, Icemint does not have a fruity undertone which makes Offroad Icemint very unique in my opinion.

Some say that Icemint is a Peppermint type flavor but, while I do taste some of the Peppermint notes, there are hints of wintergreen in it as well. There is a flavor, not snus related, called Wintermint out there and that’s the flavor of Icemint. If you haven’t heard of Wintermint or, haven’t tasted it, think of Dentyne Ice Arctic Blast gum in the black package. It’s that flavor minus the sweet component.

Another unique thing with Offroad Icemint is the fact that after about 45 minutes, a hint of the tobacco flavor will begin to mix in. I say it’s unique because out of all of Offroad’s flavored snus, Icemint is the only one I’ve been able to taste the tobacco in no matter how long I’ve had it in my lip!

I must say that for a value priced snus, V2’s Offroad Icemint lössnus really surprised me in a lot of aspects. From the quality of the tobacco used to the manufacturing process and the unique taste, Offroad Icemint lös is just as good as it’s higher priced cousins.

As I always do, I like to recommend drinks with snus and Offroad Icemint really posed a challenge for me! The icy, Wintermint flavor works really well with a strong Iced Tea but, my beloved Diet Coke on the other hand, didn’t fare so well. The Diet Coke skews the flavor and gives off a bitter taste. Energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull and another dimension of flavor to both.

As I’m writing this review, I’m drinking a Monster and have a pris of Icemint in. The Monster brings the wintergreen flavor out of the snus while the Icemint brings the sweetness of the Monster out. Pretty surprising!

To sum it all up, I highly recommend trying a can or two of V2’s Offroad Icemint Lös. Even if this is your first time using a lössnus, at $3.07 USD a can at The Northerner, you really can’t go wrong! If this is your first order with them, click on the banner to the right of this review and get 10% off. That’s an even better reason to give it a try!

Well my fellow snus lovers, I hope you found this review of Offroad Icemint lössnus informative and remember; I welcome your questions and comments and will do my best to answer them all!

Until my next review,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

Phantom Classic Blue, a much needed snus review!

Greetings my fellow Snustopians!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Snussing!
That Snus Guy