General Dry Mint Mini white portion snus. A review of a Swedish snus made for America!

Well Snustopians, the snus we’ll be reviewing today is one that most of you may not have ever heard of, General Dry Mint mini portion snus. I say this because not only is it a new snus, it’s a snus that’s only available in America! How did I find it? Well, while I was out and about last week, I stopped in at a local Pipe and Tobacco shop here in Snustopia and saw something new.

My tobacconist has always carried General brand Snus but this time, there was a snus called General Dry Mint mini. I asked him about the new snus and he really couldn't tell me more than “it’s from Sweden” and “it is Mint flavored”! In reality, that’s the most common response I get from a lot of tobacconists in the states!

Since I wanted to know more about General Mint Mini than what he told me, I decided to get a couple of cans and do the research myself. What I found was pretty exciting! So now that I have your interest, let’s get started with the review of General Dry Mint Mini portion snus!

General Dry Mint Mini is a Dry, white mini portion snus manufactured in Sweden by the fine folks at Swedish Match. “Hold it, Snus Guy! Back up. Dry, white, mini snus? We need a bit of explanation on this!” You’re right! Since this is the first time we have reviewed a mini portion snus, let alone a White mini portion snus, let’s run through the basics first.

A mini portion snus is just like it sounds. A miniature version of a regular sized snus! Mini portions average between .3 and .5 grams of snus per portion and between 3.5 and 6 mg of Nicotine depending on the brand. Since mini portions are smaller, they are more discreet meaning, no bulge in the lip and you really can’t see them when talking or smiling so they can be used anywhere without worry! There is a trade off though with discreetness and that’s the low amount of Nicotine in each portion.


The White classification in mini portions has the same meaning as in the regular portions but the Dry classification, really needs to be defined! In Swedish snus, Dry doesn’t mean that there is dried tobacco, like cigarette tobacco, in the portion. Don’t laugh; some Snustopians really thought this was the case but it’s not.

Dry simply means there is less moisture in the snus than in regular snus. Look at it this way. Cigarette tobacco has almost zero moisture in it. Regular portion snus has an average of 50% water. Dry on the other hand, has an average of 25% water making it dryer than regular portion snus! Now you have a basic idea of what a dry, mini white portion is. Ok then, on to the review.

General Dry Mint Mini comes in 6 gram cans with 20 portions per can. That makes the portions about 0.33 grams each. The portion material in Mini Mint is very soft from beginning to end. One would think that a snus with a moisture content of 25% would be really rough on the gums but with General Mint Mini, that’s not the case at all. I’ve had a portion under my lip for about an hour with no gum irritation at all! Each portion of General Mint Mini also has 4 mg of Nicotine. “Ok Snus Guy, we want to know about the taste already!” Alright then, let’s go on to the taste.

The taste of General Dry Mint Mini is pretty interesting. The flavor in my opinion is an Icy Peppermint-Wintergreen combination with the Wintergreen flavor being very subtle. Kind of like "I know that flavor but, I can't make it out!" I liken the flavor to a Starlight Mint minus some of the sugary taste or, Dentyne Artic Blast gum. The kind that comes in the black pack. It’s sweeter than what we Swedish snus lovers are used to but not over sweet like Camel SNUS. As a matter of opinion, the base flavor of General Dry Mint Mini is very similar to Camel Frosts. The difference is that Mint Mini is not as sweet and, has a subtle hint of tobacco flavor as time goes on where Camel Frost doesn’t.

Another thing to point out is that General Mint Mini does have a slight burn in the gums. Not the Nicotine burn like in the higher Nicotine snus but a minty burn, like Camel Frost. To be completely honest, General Mint Mini is, in my opinion, a perfect taste replacement for Camel Frost. And a safer one at that!

General Dry Mint Mini’s flavor also lasts a lot longer than Camel Frost as well! Camel SNUS’ flavor, in general, only lasts 30 minutes max while I’ve had a portion of General Mint Mini last for about an hour before losing its flavor! I personally recommend a 45 minute max.

There is one more unique thing about General Mint Mini. It is only available in the US. Yes Snustopians, General Dry Mint Mini white portion snus was developed for the US market and only available in the US through tobacco shops that sell other General Snus products or, at the Swedish Match Snus Store online. At the end, I’ll include a link to the Swedish Match store locator so you can find a store near you!

Now, what to drink? Diet Coke is a great drink to go with General Dry Mint Mini! Unlike other mint flavored snus, Mint Mini’s flavor doesn’t get bitter with it. Sprite and 7 up go really well! Some Snustopians liken the combination to a non-alcoholic Mojito! Ice tea though, in my opinion, is probably the best. The minty flavor plays well with it and you get a Mint Julep type flavor, especially if you add a little lemon to it.

Well Snustopians, here is where I usually give my recommendations for the snus we just reviewed. I wish I could say that all Snustopians should try a can but, since General Dry Mint Mini is only available in the US, to US residents, Snustopians from Europe won’t be able to order it. So, with that in mind, I recommend that Snustopians that live in the US really should give General Dry Mint Mini a try.

To sum it all up, if you’re looking for a true Swedish snus with a flavor that’s close to Camel Frost but, longer lasting, safer and less expensive, General Dry Mint Mini portion snus is the one!

I hope you found this review of General Mint Mini white portion snus informative and I really recommend you all get a can and form you own opinions. Depending on where in the US you live, prices will vary based on your location. If you click on this link:

Edit: General Mini Mint is now available at all online shops, including Snustopia's favorite place for snus, The Northerner. If this is your first time ordering with them, just click on the banner in the upper right and get 10% at checkout!


As always, I look forward to your questions and comments and will do my best to answer them!


Until our next review,


Happy Snussing!


That Snus GuySwedish Match Store Locator you’ll be able to find a store near you that carries it.

Catch Chill Mint Vanilla Mini, a review of the first snus in a collecton of four!

Welcome back Snustopians!

Today I thought we’d review a brand new snus to Snustopia, Catch Chill Collection, Mint Vanilla mini portion. I must admit though, I was a little leery about this snus because it is the first mini portion snus I’ve ever tried but then I thought “Snustopia is a place where we review snus together” so, I made the decision and we’ll review this new snus, together!

The unique thing about the Catch Chill Collection of mini snus is that it is one in a total collection of four to be released in 2009! I know what your thinking, "Snus Guy! What do you mean by a Collection?" Good question! Catch plans to release four different flavors of this snus thruout the year. As another is released, the prior will dissapear, making each flavor a Limited Edition within the collection!

For example, Mint Vanilla is the first flavor in the collection. The next will be Peppermint. Once Peppermint is released, Mint Vanilla will no longer be available and so on. I know it's a pretty short answer but, I hope it answers the Collection question a bit. We'll be trying each flavor as it's released so, as I get more information about the entire collection, you'll have a clearer idea. Just remeber this, Mint Vanilla will be available for a limited time and you'll be fine!

Before we begin the actual review, let’s review what a mini portion is. Mini portions are just what the name implies, a mini version of a regular sized portion. Mini portions tend to be about half the physical size of a regular portion. This also means there is less tobacco and nicotine in the portion as well. Mini portions tend to have between .3 grams and .5 grams of snus in each portion and, on average, 20 portions per can. The Nicotine levels vary between 3 mg and 6 mg per portion. There are even some that are classified as White Mini portions.

Since mini portion snus is smaller, they are also more discreet. They don’t leave the tell tale lump under the lip like larger portions do so they’re great for work or for Snustopians that want to conceal their love of snus! You can also smile without worrying if portion material is showing. Now that everybody has a basic idea of what a mini portion is, let’s go on to the review!

Catch Chill Mint Vanilla mini portion snus is, in fact, a “White” mini portion snus. “Hey Snus Guy, good thing you explained this in the beginning. It sounds confusing!” I know! When I first saw Mint Vanilla and the way it was described I got confused as well. So I figured I’d better simplify it so no one gets confused like I did!

First, let’s take a look at the portion. Catch Chill has 20, .5 gram, portions per can. Each portion has 4 mg of Nicotine and the portions are of the White type. White type, as you remember from the first posts, meaning it hasn’t gone thru the additional wetting process.

The portion material is pretty soft for a White portion and really easy on the gums. Since this snus has 50% moisture content, the flavor begins to flow pretty quickly and the portion actually stays put. Like I said, the portion material is pretty soft and comfortable. I’ve had a portion in for up to an hour with no irritation to speak of.

That takes us to flavor! Catch Chill Mint Vanilla is marketed as “A fresh Mint breeze and Vanilla dreams.” Catch Chill definitely has a Vanilla/Mint taste but, I compare it to a Mint M&M or a Mint flavored chocolate candy that’s commonly found on pillows in fancy hotels! Andes Mints I think they’re called. There is also a subtle hint of tobacco flavor but, it plays in the background and is just barely noticeable.

The flavor lasts quite a long time for a mini as well! I’ve had a portion in for about an hour before the flavor begins to die out. After that, the portion can become a bit weird tasting so, I recommend a 45 minute maximum time limit.

I put a picture of the can on the left so you can get a better idea of what I’m about to explain next. Even though Swedish Match doesn’t say that they created Catch Chill Mint Vanilla with women in mind. (This would make sense though since a large percentage of snus users in Sweden are women!) The design of the can and, subtle flavors make this a snus that more female Snustopians may like than male Snustopians. On a personal note, I like the flavor and I’m a guy!

Now, what to drink? With Diet Coke, you get a bit of Vanilla Coke flavor but, the Diet Coke tends to be a bit overpowering. Iced tea is pretty good but, coffee is the best! A portion of Catch Chill Mint Vanilla with your morning coffee and, you don’t need the flavored creamer! Hot tea would be good but I really recommend coffee.

Overall, Catch Chill Mint Vanilla mini portion snus is a great tasting snus. Like I said before, more female Snustopians will like Catch Chill than male Snustopians. My recommendation for Catch Chill is this. Snustopians that are looking for a replacement for Vertigo or ones that would like a refreshing new taste with a lower Nicotine content should definitely get a few cans. Snustopians that are into new flavors but are used to Nicotine contents above 8mg, may want to try a can as well.

If you’re a Snustopian that likes the Sterks, this snus may not be for you but, feel free to give it a try! Cans run around $3.75 and, if this is your first order, you can save 10% at SnusCENTRAL.com by clicking on the 10% banner to the right of this post!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found our trip thru Catch Chill Mint Vanilla mini portion informative. As always, I welcome your questions and comments and will try to answer them as soon as I can!

Happy Snussing,

That Snus Guy