Marlboro Rich

[PipenSnus]

OK, so sue me, I like the flavor of Marlboro Rich. Tastes like butter pecan ice cream to me, and the flavor lasts a good 2 hours. There is a little bit of tobacco flavor under the heavy topping, but it's so mild one could easily miss it.

The nic kick is mild, milder even than a General Mint Mini, but it's there. I have a feeling there will be more than a few genuine Swedish snuses I will end up liking a lot more, but certainly if my supply of the real thing were running low, I'd check my local retailers for Marlboro Rich to hold me over until my next order arrives.

Oh, BTW I discovered a trick that will prevent you from getting punched in the face with a flavoring OD. Break the seal on the blister pack and let it sit for a day or so before using. It definitely mellows the flavoring. A lot of pipe tobaccos need a good airing too, that's where I got the idea.

[danielan]

Yea, that's kind of where I am at... Not great, but, with coupons it can be pretty cheap, and it will make my stash go farther.

I haven't tried rich. Mild has a tasty butterscotch thing going on. I also like the Spearmint _because_ it has a strong flavor.

To slow the flavor - do _not_ lick or wet the pouch at all. Just stick it in your lip and pretend you are having a dental x-ray.

[PipenSnus]

The same flavoring is used in Rich and Mild, only with the Mild, you don't get a tobacco taste at all. You taste butterscotch, I taste butter pecan -- I've heard other people describe the flavor as being like Kahlua, and I'm sure there are others comparisons. Everyone's taste buds are different.

The Peppermint has a strong flavor, too, but General Mint is vastly superior. Marlboro Peppermint has too much sweetener.

[wa3zrm]

I have not tried the Marlboro products... but they sound interesting.

I use Camel Frost from time to time... mainly as a desert snus I only like the Camel Frost... can't stand their mild.

[olderthandirt]

I personally was so disgusted with the flavor of the Rich I took a torch to the remaining portions.

Should have taken a vid or pics. It was a redeeming act.

I strive to not indulge in snus snobbery but that was some really foul stuff. I did actually enjoy the Camel SNUS for flavor but the Marlboro SNUS makes me wonder if the manufacturer was ever presented with the concept of consumer focus groups.

Kudos on finding a way to make them palatable PnS!

[danielan]

I personally was so disgusted with the flavor of the Rich I took a torch to the remaining portions.

I never thought of smoking them...

[danielan]

Everyone's taste buds are different.

Yea, but mine are right.

I like General mints too, and I generally like that none of the snuses I've snused give me any particular snus breathe, the Marlboro spearmint does give you nice sweet minty breathe for a few minutes.

[olderthandirt]

I never thought of smoking them...

I swear before all those assembled, I did not inhale! (-;

[Experimental Monkey]

I've got to admit on my second try of the things (Rich) they weren't as bad as the first time. They don't drip that much if you just leave them alone but the overly sweet flavor could be a little much if this is one's only snus they did all day. But the taste IS good. Just too sweet.

If Marlboro and Camel would go to 20 pouches at around $2.00-$2.50 per tin, cut down on the sugar a tad, add a little more nicotine, and A LOT more moisture... I would possibly say goodbye to Swedish snus. Atleast until General makes it to national mainstream distribution.

[olderthandirt]

Well if they did all of that EM it would no longer be SNUS, it would start to approximate snus! (-;

[Darwin]

Neither Camel nor Marlboro (insert secret hand sign to ward off evil) has a nic hit worth spit so that clearly means that both companies are uninterested in supplanting smoking with their product. Makes sense, they hardly want to shoot their cigs sales in the foot, and that's their privilege but it's equally our privilege to call BS on that approach which manages to be paradoxically venal and timid at the same time. The flavors are an entirely personal matter but the low nic levels are very problematic regarding helping quit the sticks unless one's sensitivity is extremely high.

[Experimental Monkey]

Neither Camel nor Marlboro (insert secret hand sign to ward off evil) has a nic hit worth spit so that clearly means that both companies are uninterested in supplanting smoking with their product. Makes sense, they hardly want to shoot their cigs sales in the foot, and that's their privilege but it's equally our privilege to call BS on that approach which manages to be paradoxically venal and timid at the same time. The flavors are an entirely personal matter but the low nic levels are very problematic regarding helping quit the sticks unless one's sensitivity is extremely high.

I sincerely believe Camel is slowly inching towards a better product. I think they are beginning to see that people are quitting cigarettes left and right now and it isn't going to stop. Add to that the fact that smoking is not as cool to kids these days as it used to be = less new users. They know that if people want to stop smoking they will, and if they have to get their fix from another company be it Swedish Match or Copenhagen, they will.

The new "large" Camel SNUS portions are a lot bigger in size and more moist so it should be a product that you could at least survive on if you had to. I expect them to have an enjoyable product on the market in the next 4 to 5 years if not sooner if they can learn that not every American wants a snus that will put them in a diabetic coma.

[PipenSnus]

Add to that the fact that smoking is not as cool to kids these days as it used to be = less new users...

...The new "large" Camel SNUS portions are a lot bigger in size and more moist so it should be a product that you could at least survive on if you had to.

I'm sure there's some truth to the saying that smoking isn't as cool to kids as it once was, but I think the media finagles the numbers on the polls to make it look like fewer kids are smoking than is actually true. There's a high school about half a block from my office, and quite a few kids come down on their lunch break and sneak a ciggy in the same alley we adult smokers have to use as our "smoking lounge". From what I've heard, they've been chased off everywhere else, but I can't fault them for doing the same thing I did when I was their age.

If Camel's new portions are more like the real thing, and their sales start going up dramatically, I'm sure Marlboro will see the light and follow suit. Corporations are all about the bottom line -- they'll revise the product very quickly if they think they can make more money.

[Darwin]

When they come out with Camel Sterk (11mg minimum) I'll sit up and take notice. I'm not holding my breath. It's pretty plain to me that RJR has the not-invented-here disease. They fancied they could "reinvent" the product and distinguish it from the old standard Swedish stuff as well as regular American smokeless. Well they succeeded alright but mostly in negative ways that have served to bring down the wrath of anti-tobacco zealots which is the last thing we need. An 8mg regular portion in a round can with a far less candy-like taste wouldn't have been too "sexy" in terms of modern corporate marketing but it would have significantly deflected the zealot army which is convinced RJR is targeting "the children". The closer Camel gets to the real deal, in packaging, taste, and nic level the more successful it's likely to be and the less hassle from the zealots.

Swedish Manufacturers have little trouble distinguishing their products within reasonably common standards. Few would mistake General for V2 or Gotlunds. RJR had the arrogance to think they could reinvent what is already an extremely mature product although it's true that evolution of that product continues apace. RJR wouldn't think of coming out with a cigarette that's a foot long, or an inch wide and square, but with snus they felt free to abrogate tradition in taste, packaging and strength. That's not something to admire even if the product is easier to obtain than Swedish snus. Let's hope Camel improves from here. Should be pretty darn easy.

[WickedKitchen]

I'd like to see them put out a tobacco flavored one.

something tells me that the tobacco base used for these products wouldn't hold up to the Swedish standard level. I can only say that about the Camel ones. I haven't tried the Marlboro ones yet but I plan on opening them and hydrating them to get as close to what I know to be snus and then have a go at it.