I got a "Cuban" Snus...

[aj01]

Romeo y Julieta

The tobacco for Romeo y Julieta has always been primarily Filipino with a steady and noticeable proportion of Cuban cigar tobacco.

The Cuban component is a USP of the product, and there would be no reason to reduce it. Snus tobacco is essentially stem, and is the lowest cost component of the can that you buy. Labor/factory and packaging are the bulk of the cost.

Swedish Match buys loads of tobacco from China. It's a major export of the country.

[toekuttr]

aj101 claims:

Snus tobacco is essentially stem, and is the lowest cost component of the can that you buy. Labor/factory and packaging are the bulk of the cost.

I think someone else posted this same tidbit a while back but didn't care to expound.

How does snus get such levels of nicotine if it's made of stem tobacco, which I understand contains very little nicotine in comparison to the leaf?

I'm not doubting you, just curious here and this is the second time I've read this about the stems.

[aj01]

nic

Toekuttr:

The simple answer is that the stem comes from a high-nicotine grade of tobacco. The legend is that Swedish immigrants discovered it when they were harvesting tobacco in the USA as a by-product of the harvest.

Stem is used as an add-back in cigarette production to reduce blend cost. However, the types for snus are quite specific

Also, what is interesting is that if you snus, your lip only makes contact with approximately 30% of the nic available in the pouch.

[bakerbarber]

Re: nic

Also, what is interesting is that if you snus, your lip only makes contact with approximately 30% of the nic available in the pouch.

Depends on "how' you use it. I suspect a lot of people mix the snus around with their teeth every now and then in a portion like I do when the flavor tails off.

[truthwolf1]

ALARM SIREN
Swedish Match imports Chinese tobacco???
Does Gotlands?

[toekuttr]

Interesting aj101, and thanks for the response. I was under the impression that snus was made with the highest quality tobaccos but am not surprised either. I guess when the manufacturer says "highest quality snus tobacco" that's what they mean is the finest tobacco stems. :P Hey, if it works, it works.

I haven't tried making any homemade snus yet and now I wonder if using high quality cigarette tobaccos, like D&R's, would give good results or if the texture wouldn't be right using all leaf?

[aj01]

Chinese tobacco

China is one of the largest exporters of tobacco in the world. Others are India, and various countries in Latin America. US tobacco is primarily used in the US.

I can't say where Gotland gets its tobacco. Producers buy from brokers (Universal being the largest) who handle the sourcing. Gotland may very well use the same tobacco as Taboca (Cuban excluded), who manufacture their products.