Gotland Sommarsnus

[lxskllr]

This is a limited release that will hopefully come back next summer...

The tin is fantastic looking. Great label. I've been a big fan of Gotlandssnus' graphic design across their whole line. Whatever they're paying their graphics team, it's money well spent :^)

The scent of the snus is recognizable as the strawberry an American would be familiar with. There's nothing really different about it, it smells like berry. The very first taste is typical of American strawberry also, but it changes lightening quick. The berry flavor is constantly there, but it has an undercurrent of something else I haven't been able to put my finger on. It's kind of herbal, and reminds me of raspberry leaves, or what I'd expect raspberry leaves to taste like anyway. The sweetness was added with a feather touch, so it shouldn't be off putting to a traditional snuser, of which I generally consider myself a part of. The trademark Gotlandssnus bitterness is always there. Some snusers, especially new ones may not like that at first, but it gives a nice edge to the snus, and gets addictive after awhile. Like adding hops to beer, it may not be as immediately approachable as a dessert wine, but imo it adds character, and allows for longer term enjoyment. The flavor is long lasting, but never too cloying where I got tired of it.

This is a first rate snus that should appeal to Americans without catering to them. The sweetness and flavor aren't overdone, and the flavor balances nicely with the tobacco. It's a great snus for the summer time, and a good flavor for adults that want something fruity, but don't want to feel as though they're eating candy. It's complicated enough to hold lasting interest, but not so foreign that it would put off those that are new to Swedish snus. So, final word is this is a must try snus, and another masterpiece by Gotlandssnus, and Jimmy :^)

[Premium Parrots]

Great description. I agree with all of it.

Funny thing is I was packing up some orders and I figured I probably should try this myself. So I opened a tin. I was pleasantly surprized. You know how I am about my coffee snus.......well If I ever ran out of coffee snus I would probably use the summer snus instead.


...........I'm thinking my 50 1/2 rolls of coffee snus I have stashed should last me till I die.

[spirit72]

Got a couple cans of this on the way, as well as Jakobsson's Melon. Can't wait to try both. Never met a Gotlands I didn't like.



(P.S.---Jimmy, when do we stop being tortured and get Gul back??? )

[the88]

I love this snus. It has such a great strawberry flavor.

[sharesnusinfo!]

Im very glad you enjoy it

[squeezyjohn]

I got sent a single can of this by a generous member here who knew I loved the Gotlandssnus original range of yellow, green and grey.

What can I say?


Presentation
This is presented beautifully in a white Jakobsson's can with the compass motif ashtray lid; the labels depict a summer blue sky background with a sun and the foliage and fruits of one of the most delicious and elusive morsel, the wild strawberry ... what could be more evocative of the summer season in the Swedish countryside and all that is good, wholesome and natural?

Well - on smelling and tasting it ... NOT THIS SNUS!!

Aroma

The smell of the portions in the can are a generic artificial fruity flavour - if there weren't pictures of strawberries on the can then I would equally guess grape or banana as the flavouring. If I bought one of those little bottles of "strawberry" artificial flavouring for cake icing from a £1 shop then I would expect it to smell exactly like this ... (in fact I have bought such an item in the past and in fact I know it smells exactly the same.)

Taste

But snus is not about the smell is it? ... so what about when you pop one in your upper lip? Well it tastes pretty much like it smells - a generic synthetic fruity flavour - but more muted because (surprise surprise) the nose is better at smelling than the upper lip - it's still unpleasant but less so - there is no underlying tobacco flavour I can make out.

Then when my tongue strayed to the portion to get it in the right place I got the shock of my life!

AAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHH - THE SWEETNESS.

I don't think that the Swedish regulations would allow a snus to be produced with the amount of sugar these portions taste like they contain. And if it is an artificial sweetener then it is in sufficient quantity to make me wince. I take artificial sucralose sweetener in my coffee - and this snus has the kind of unpleasant sweetness that anyone who has handled a sweetener and then licked their fingers can appreciate. I don't know what the sweetener is - but given the suggestions of health risks among the biggest culprits in the artificial sweetener market I don't want to add to that through completely un-necessary use in snus.

The ingredients are listed as: Water, Tobacco, Salt, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Carbonate, Flavourings - so we don't get any more information there at all.

The Conclusion

Gotlandssnus have abandoned their roots so much so that they do not even sell a product which contains their name at present. The snus they are capable of making has so much integrity, so much class, and so much tradition behind it that many cannot understand why they do not even produce one of these great snuses any more.

This Sommarsnus was supposed to complement their other seasonal offering Gotlandssnus Julesnus (available every year until now in loose and portions - and an absolute example of how to innovate within the traditional boundaries of Swedish snus) ... it is very revealing that they don't even use the words "Gotlandssnus" on the can of this sommar snus once, instead opting for the more geographical Gotländskt ... (simply meaning coming from the island of Gotland)
It's almost as if they're embarrassed of their heritage.

Recently we have seen an interview posted here on SnusOn with Jimmy Karlsson, a newcomer to the Gotlandssnus company who has turned the comapny round - where he is made out to be a connoisseur of snus, expounding the benefits of using top quality ingredients with a background as a chef with an exquisite nose and palate to improve the company's output....

Well - no. If Jimmy has any kind of nose or tongue on him then he will know full well that in Gotlänskt Sommar Snus, they have created a disappointing, overly-sweet crudely flavoured abomination that only goes to show that Gotlandssnus have sold their soul to the devil and are reaping the rewards.

Start making snus again PLEASE!

[the88]

I wholeheartedly disagree with the above post. Every time I open a can of this, I go through it in a hurry. Whenever I open a can of another fruit/sweet flavored snus, I get sick of it long before I finish it. I actually was in awe at how they could make a snus with so much strawberry flavor without being overly sweet. Either way, it is a strawberry flavored snus and it tastes like strawberry. There would be no way for this not to be somewhat sweet. While I can agree with squeezyjohn as far as many of the Jakobssons Strong Portions being too sweet, he is definitely in the minority on this particular variety.

[squeezyjohn]

Sorry the88 - if you have ever tasted a wild strawberry you would surely not disagree that this snus is massively more sweet than one of them. If you do then I'll have to concede that your local strawberries over there are way sweeter than ours.

But the main thing is that Swedish snus is NOT sweet. That way madness lies. AND this snus is more openly artificially sweet than most types of dip and chew I have ordered from the states too. If you're happy to have child-friendly flavours in your tobacco products then fine - but it only gives fuel to the anti-tobacco lobby to ban everything we want to consume.

Tobacco products in my opinion should appeal to adult tastes. And it constantly surprises me that a huge percentage of full-blooded USAian males want to have a chewing tobacco flavour that tastes of apple, cherry, peach and banoffee pie to go with their guns and 50" pants.

Takes all sorts I suppose - but it seems as if Gotlandssnus has been influenced by the will of the american populist tastes and I find them ignorant and bemusing.

[Skell18]

Try Toque Strawberry snuff John, it is amazing! Smells like a strawberry that has just been cut in half, simply divine, natural strawberry scent, I am loving it!

[squeezyjohn]

It's not something I'd imagine myself liking in my nose - but I'll try it because I still have faith in Toque and what they stand for. I have yet to smell a nasal snuff more beautifully natural than Molens A/P - just like a walk in a genuine pine forest - absolutely beautiful.

[squeezyjohn]

While I can agree with squeezyjohn as far as many of the Jakobssons Strong Portions being too sweet, he is definitely in the minority on this particular variety.

If this is the case I will go so far as saying that the majority have no taste buds and know nothing about what snus should taste like then! And that is a massive shame.

[Premium Parrots]

I got sent a single can of this by a generous member here who knew I loved the Gotlandssnus original range of yellow, green and grey.

What can I say?


Presentation
This is presented beautifully in a white Jakobsson's can with the compass motif ashtray lid; the labels depict a summer blue sky background with a sun and the foliage and fruits of one of the most delicious and elusive morsel, the wild strawberry ... what could be more evocative of the summer season in the Swedish countryside and all that is good, wholesome and natural?

Well - on smelling and tasting it ... NOT THIS SNUS!!

Aroma

The smell of the portions in the can are a generic artificial fruity flavour - if there weren't pictures of strawberries on the can then I would equally guess grape or banana as the flavouring. If I bought one of those little bottles of "strawberry" artificial flavouring for cake icing from a £1 shop then I would expect it to smell exactly like this ... (in fact I have bought such an item in the past and in fact I know it smells exactly the same.)

Taste

But snus is not about the smell is it? ... so what about when you pop one in your upper lip? Well it tastes pretty much like it smells - a generic synthetic fruity flavour - but more muted because (surprise surprise) the nose is better at smelling than the upper lip - it's still unpleasant but less so - there is no underlying tobacco flavour I can make out.

Then when my tongue strayed to the portion to get it in the right place I got the shock of my life!

AAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHH - THE SWEETNESS.

I don't think that the Swedish regulations would allow a snus to be produced with the amount of sugar these portions taste like they contain. And if it is an artificial sweetener then it is in sufficient quantity to make me wince. I take artificial sucralose sweetener in my coffee - and this snus has the kind of unpleasant sweetness that anyone who has handled a sweetener and then licked their fingers can appreciate. I don't know what the sweetener is - but given the suggestions of health risks among the biggest culprits in the artificial sweetener market I don't want to add to that through completely un-necessary use in snus.

The ingredients are listed as: Water, Tobacco, Salt, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Carbonate, Flavourings - so we don't get any more information there at all.

The Conclusion

Gotlandssnus have abandoned their roots so much so that they do not even sell a product which contains their name at present. The snus they are capable of making has so much integrity, so much class, and so much tradition behind it that many cannot understand why they do not even produce one of these great snuses any more.

This Sommarsnus was supposed to complement their other seasonal offering Gotlandssnus Julesnus (available every year until now in loose and portions - and an absolute example of how to innovate within the traditional boundaries of Swedish snus) ... it is very revealing that they don't even use the words "Gotlandssnus" on the can of this sommar snus once, instead opting for the more geographical Gotländskt ... (simply meaning coming from the island of Gotland)
It's almost as if they're embarrassed of their heritage.

Recently we have seen an interview posted here on SnusOn with Jimmy Karlsson, a newcomer to the Gotlandssnus company who has turned the comapny round - where he is made out to be a connoisseur of snus, expounding the benefits of using top quality ingredients with a background as a chef with an exquisite nose and palate to improve the company's output....

Well - no. If Jimmy has any kind of nose or tongue on him then he will know full well that in Gotlänskt Sommar Snus, they have created a disappointing, overly-sweet crudely flavoured abomination that only goes to show that Gotlandssnus have sold their soul to the devil and are reaping the rewards.

Start making snus again PLEASE!

John
in the words of The Talking Heads.........stop making sense.



I think that Jaks snus is probably aimed at the US market with all the flavors and sweetness. Thats all fine and dandy but Gotlands shouldn't abandon its roots and loyal customers that prefer more natural flavors with simple hints of flavorings. With that said.........I wonder when will Jaks be introducing a coffee or coffee/vanilla or coffee/chocolate snus? hint hint

[Snusdog]

Couple of things here:

First, I thought SqueezyJ’s review was thorough and very well written. SJ I am really enjoying your contributions here of late and feel they have been well thought out and well-articulated.

Second, I think PP is dead on. Jaks snus is definitely targeting a segment of the market that is flavor and portion heavy. In fact, they will tell you as much

However, I want to step up here and defend Jimmy a bit because I think there may be some misconception.

Remember, Jimmy is hired to make the type of snus that his bosses want. We may not like that particular genre of snus. But we do not sign Jimmy’s checks.

However, that said, many of us here at snuson have tasted firsthand what Jimmy can do with traditional snus blends when left alone to play in the lab. The Plain los, Green Los, and the Burnt Cinnamon were all masterworks that Jimmy sent free of charge to many members here just so we could try them.

Also, I think you will find Jimmy very sympathetic to those of us who want to see the traditional side of Gotlands. I know firsthand that he has tried very hard on several occasions to get the traditional snus back on the market in some way or another. Unfortunately for us, powers higher up the ladder have thought it best to take the company exclusively in its current direction.

Regardless, I have hopes that one day we may all be able to enjoy those traditional masterpieces again. When and if we do……..I guarantee you………it will be because guys like Jimmy and Frank were listening to their customers and worked to make it happen for us.

Until then…. by all means………. keep bitching about the berries and mints (I am right there with you)……………..just keep in mind that Jimmy is a true friend to snuson and pretty darn good at what he does…….In fact when I take over the world……..(right now I’m aiming for next Tuesday around noon)…………Jimmy and GN will be the first ones summoned to the palace………..well…….…ok……...Halle Berry will be first……….but Jimmy and GN will defiantly be next

Cheers

[Premium Parrots]

I'm glad you explained that to the natives SD. In short......Jimmy is the chef, he doesn't own the resturant.




I'll be done with Halle sometime tueday. I'll send her to you ..........if theres anything left.

[jagmanss]

Couple of things here:

First, I thought SqueezyJ’s review was thorough and very well written. SJ I am really enjoying your contributions here of late and feel they have been well thought out and well-articulated.

Second, I think PP is dead on. Jaks snus is definitely targeting a segment of the market that is flavor and portion heavy. In fact, they will tell you as much

However, I want to step up here and defend Jimmy a bit because I think there may be some misconception.

Remember, Jimmy is hired to make the type of snus that his bosses want. We may not like that particular genre of snus. But we do not sign Jimmy’s checks.

However, that said, many of us here at snuson have tasted firsthand what Jimmy can do with traditional snus blends when left alone to play in the lab. The Plain los, Green Los, and the Burnt Cinnamon were all masterworks that Jimmy sent free of charge to many members here just so we could try them.

Also, I think you will find Jimmy very sympathetic to those of us who want to see the traditional side of Gotlands. I know firsthand that he has tried very hard on several occasions to get the traditional snus back on the market in some way or another. Unfortunately for us, powers higher up the ladder have thought it best to take the company exclusively in its current direction.

Regardless, I have hopes that one day we may all be able to enjoy those traditional masterpieces again. When and if we do……..I guarantee you………it will be because guys like Jimmy and Frank were listening to their customers and worked to make it happen for us.

Until then…. by all means………. keep bitching about the berries and mints (I am right there with you)……………..just keep in mind that Jimmy is a true friend to snuson and pretty darn good at what he does…….In fact when I take over the world……..(right now I’m aiming for next Tuesday around noon)…………Jimmy and GN will be the first ones summoned to the palace………..well…….…ok……...Halle Berry will be first……….but Jimmy and GN will defiantly be next

Cheers

I need to disagree...




















Halle Berry will not be available as she is busy with me Sorry for the confusion.... I felt that this needed to be cleared up asap... Carry on.