Taboka vs. Taboca

[Craig de Tering]

I finished a post where I mentioned Taboka and suddenly remembered someone else mentioned Taboca. At first I thought the other just misspelled the name but imagine my surprise to suddenly find -yes indeed- a snus called Taboca with a 'C'

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on this:

This is Taboka:

(made by Philip Morris)

... and this is Taboca:

(made by ?????)

[lxskllr]

That bottom product is made by the same people that make Romeo Y Julieta, and Montecristo. It's available from Buysnus, and I think it's quite good(ugly graphics though imo). I recently got the Montecristo lös, and It tastes similar to the Taboca.

[Subtilo]

I really enjoyed the one can of Taboca I've had and the reference to Montecristo is spot on IMO. Rich and spicy and good with coffee

[PrisMaster]

Where can you get the Taboka made by Phillip Morris. Is it available in the states and where? Is it available online? Anyone ever tested it and can say what its like? I like the design of the tin.

[jojones88]

Taboca tastes great, but i packed about 3 pouches in my mouth to get what i needed. its not something i would pick up again. Taboka I've never tried.

awfully weird how similar those names are.

[Craig de Tering]

Where can you get the Taboka made by Phillip Morris. Is it available in the states and where? Is it available online? Anyone ever tested it and can say what its like? I like the design of the tin.

I got a freebie pack of each sent to me by user 'Nicotine Dream'. He lives in Indianapolis and apparently that was one test market for the stuff.
He even got an invitation to go taste test it and get an info speech from a company rep.

[RPatrick]

I read somewhere that Phillip Morris used the product "Taboka" as a way to test market their version of snus before attaching the Marlboro name to it. I've had the Marlboro snus and the package looks exactly like the Taboka box. The portions look exactly the same too. If you look closely you can tell they are stiff as a board, completely dry.

Marlboro Snus is basically dehydrated tobacco with an extremely sweet flavor strip enclosed within the pouch. Calling this product "Snus" is a marketing gimmick. It is nothing at all like Swedish Snus and certainly the processing is not regulated in any way. It is formulated to appeal to american smokers, which means it is sweet and not too heavy in the nicotine department. The Camel Snus is much better and more genuine than the Marlboro version. I would not lose any sleep over not being able to try it.

[TropicalBob]

In any list of American snus, Marlboro would place dead last for desirability. Camel snus is, indeed, much better than this. The worst feature of this is not the insane sweetness, but the lack of nicotine. Might as well suck chewing gum.

An article posted elsewhere on the forum says Philip Morris might be intentionally trying to have this fail, to keep cigarette sales up. Certainly, this product won't be greeted with enthusiasm by Marlboro smokers trying to kick the habit. The hope is that snus will get tarnished as a lousy product and further experimentation won't be done by inveterate smokers.

The article is also correct in saying this shouldn't be called a snus product. Note that when Skoal brought out SkoalDry flavors, they were called "tobacco packs." That's what this Marlboro candy is.

[aj01]

Taboka

I read that Taboka was delisted in favor of the Marlboro product.

Taboca is made in the old Gotlandssnus Factory, which is now owned by the Norwegian Taboca AS. And they have the license for the Cuban brands as well, which are made on the same lines.

I do not think PMUSA would spend so much time and money to prove that a product will not sell, especially as they have branded the snus Marlboro.

PM International was expected to launch a snus in Scandinavia last year, and they actually own the old Rocker factory. Maybe the spin-off of International will allow the launch of a proper snus, and not the US highly-sweetened crap.

[skruf_mcgruff]

I doubt I would like any of these big american tobacco companies products but I have to admit that robot case looks pretty interesting.

How does it open? I imagine those flaps in the middle flip out when you touch a button and shoots snus into your mouth

[aj01]

Marlboro box

The Marlboro snus box is surprisingly cheap-feeling, and is meant to be merchandised with cigarettes. It has a little plastic door which opens onto a sealed packet, which one opens to reveal the overly redolent pouches.

PMUSA has a great metal round tin in Georgia for their Marlboro US-style moist snuff.

I know many people in the tobacco industry (including myself) who are appalled at the abysmal snus product PM has released in the States. Marlboro Red and Marlboro Lights are terrific cigarettes, and why they think smokers of those products would go to Marlboro snus is beyond me. As a cigarette, Marlboro is about strength and satisfaction, neither of which is offered here.

As far as avoiding snus from big-tobacco companies, you are then limited to Gotlandssnus, Offroad/Phantom, Taboca, Snusab, Elyxir and the Gellivare/Landstroms factory, which has been described kindly as a "garage" in Northern Sweden.

Taboca's US subsidiary, Nordic American Smokeless, will be launching some true Swedish-style product in portion and loose across the US by summer. Probably worth a try. The guys there are ex-UST and Skruf.

Skruf is soon to be wholly owned by UK-based Imperial Tobacco
Swedish Match is huge, and is always rumored as Philip Morris's next buy
Gustavus/LD/Level are Japan Tobacco
Lucky Strike, Granit, Retro, Mocca, Metropol are BAT.

Tough to ignore the big companies!

[eli]

Well I hope PM never gets thier mitts on Swedish Match. They may be the big player for snus, but I like a lot of their products. General Onyx, General and Ettan lossnus... i can't complain about any of these.

[TropicalBob]

Aj01: Here's the link to the medical article on PM possibly sabotaging snus with their lousy Marlboro product. Not saying it's provably true, but the authors make a plausible case.

http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/5/1/9

[eli]

Interesting read, glad to see there's some medical folk who seem to be taking harm reduction seriously and trying to influence the marketplace in a positive manner.

[Subtilo]

Re: Marlboro box

... and the Gellivare/Landstroms factory, which has been described kindly as a "garage" in Northern Sweden.

Hahaha! That's awesome! Gives me even more reason to love Gellivare ...