Serous question from a new user

[Stephan300]

I thought i'd point out that I am new to chewing tobacco, and have no knowledge about it at all...

I've had to mention that as some people didn't take my question seriously on other forums.

My question was related to the flavours of chewing tobacco, I have seen adverts for various flavors, Cherry, Aniseed and what not, but is there actually a brand of chewing tobacco that actually tastes like tobacco?

It's a pretty simple question and I don;t see why anyone would have difficulties in answering it?

PS sorry about the spelling in the title- I can't edit it now..

[codyg140]

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure just about all of them have sweetener of some design added to it. I've only tried a handful of brands and they all had a sweet flavour.

[lxskllr]

Most have varying levels of sweetness. Licorice is a common flavoring, but not particularly noticeable in most brands. The old American brands are closest to natural tobacco, but I don't have broad experience. I get leaf chew once in a blue moon, and usually Levi Garrett.

[Skell18]

There is a difference between American chewing tobacco and different European chewing tobaccos. Most, if not all American ones have some form of sweetness either added flavours or molasses as that's just how they are traditionally prepared (Levi Garrett is the least sweet of them all and is closer in taste to a scotch snuff). They are almost all loose leaf too but I have seen twist tobacco.

English chewing tobacco is the closest you will get to pure tobacco taste, they are sold as twist tobacco and they are designed to be cut up and chewed or smoked in a pipe. There are unflavoured ones and flavoured ones, they are all very bitter in taste, much like chewing on a cured tobacco leaf and depending on which one you get, can be smoky, buttery, naturally slightly sweet etc. The added flavours are not really noticeable and are very subtle.

You then have the continental European brands like Oliver Twist, Grimm & Treppel etc these all have a base licorice sweetness but you can taste the smoky tobacco flavour. It are also twist tobacco, usually small bits than one long twist like how the English brands come. They are better to introduce yourself to chewing tobacco than jumping right in with an English twist tobacco if you're not used to how bitter they can be. Also the nic hit when you chew a small bit of twist can be an eye opener!

Sam Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth are the English producers that make most of the twist, if you look for an English pigtail twist, black boule or rope that is unflavoured (they both do unflavoured ones) that would fit the bill for what you're after. Start off with small bits and lightly chew it to get more flavour and vitamin n when you need it. They last quite a long time too, you can swallow the juice too.

[squeezyjohn]

I would advise serious caution against using the Kendal twist tobacco from both makers for chewing (the families are related and the products almost the same!) ... They use a large percentage of heavily fire-cured leaf which is pretty carcinogenic when used as chew. Historically they were a dual use product for smoking in a pipe or used by miners to chew when they couldn't smoke underground ... but from a health point of view you can buy plenty of better tasting and less harmful oral tobacco from almost any country!

The syrup used in Grimm & Tripel products contains sugars so that could be damaging to your teeth with long term use ... as is the case with all American chewing products available to us over here.

Oliver Twists and piccannell are made with air-cured tobacco and don't contain sugar which is a plus ... but unfortunately are sold in minute pellets which are not very satisfying nicotine-wise! Most of the flavours are liquorice based.

Thunder chewing bags are essentially a form of snus which have been re-formulated in order to get around the EU snus ban and are almost exactly the same as snus when used.

Technically you can chew any tobacco leaf and get some nicotine from it ... but you quickly realise that the flavour of plain tobacco or tobacco processed for smoking is not a pleasant thing in your mouth ... and even specially made chewing tobacco is an acquired taste!

[Stephan300]

That's a pretty robust answer!
I think the best approach would be to buy a small selection of each type to get me started.
I think almost all brands have some small sugar content, depending on the product, because I think the sugar holds the twists together, but of course I don't have any idea until I've actually seen it for myself.

I had originally opted for the small pellets, as they seem would be the most easiest to use and most discreet, but I will look into the twists and rope now that you've mentioned it.

It sounds like Sam Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth are probably my best bet...

As it was pointed out, non-flavoured chewing tobacco probably doesn't taste too good at first, but I can't stand the vaping liquids filled with sweeteners.
If I want to taste something sweet I'll eat raw sugar, if I want to taste tobacco then I'll buy cigarettes,- or in this case, non-flavoured chewing tobacco.

I can understand why the non flavoured stuff is non popular, but adding sugar to the E cigs is an instant no-no for me..
I read it as one of their sales pitches "a sweet tasting smoke" - personally, I don;t know where they got this idea from, ciggerettes are entirely opposite!

I'd just like to thank everyone for answering my question, I had a lot of trouble with other forums that thought I was just there to ask stupid questions.

But as your answers have pointed out, they're only stupid questions if you already know the answer.

Thanks everyone!

[squeezyjohn]

I'm glad you've had some help here ... but as you're trying out things ... why not get a few cans of the type of smokeless tobacco which is definitely the safest kind, contains no sugars and is available in a whole range of different flavours ... SNUS!