Made a mistake

[Dunno]

I do like Jager but not a fan of black liquorice. I'm pleased with that line up. I just sent my order through Northerner.com so I'll have to do an update when they get here.

Thanks again everyone

[PassedPawn]

As mentioned, you might want to give Ettan Original Portion or Grov Orginal/White Portions a try. They're both very straight up tobacco flavors with Grov leaning ever so slightly towards chocolate and Ettan being more on the smokey side. Don't give up on snus yet. Once you get used to it, you'll be grateful every day that snus is around to keep you away from those nasty, expensive cigarettes. I know I am.

[Dunno]

Oh I'm definitely not giving up on snus. I think I may just like the sweeter kinds, at least for the time being. This is what I ordered:

# Jakobssons Icefruit, Portion - 1 pcs.
# Mocca Pomegranate, Mini - 1 pcs.
# Offroad Coffee / Vanilla, Portion - 1 pcs.
# Offroad Cranberry, Portion - 1 pcs.
# Oomph Citrus & Menthol, (6mg) - 1 pcs.
# Probe Whisky, Portion - 1 pcs.

[PassedPawn]

The only one of those I tried was Offroad Cranberry (and Apple) which I like but the Offroad flavors don't last very long and the pouch material is rougher than the material used by Swedish Match snus. Also they tend to develop a slight cardboard flavor as it winds down. The fun thing with snus is trying out all these different flavors they have out there. At some point you'll find the one or two or three or ten :lol: that you'll like using regularly.

[Xobeloot]

Going based on what we've talked about in this thread thus far, I trhing that is a great order.

When it comes in, don't be afraid to open all the cans and cycle through them. They will not go bad on you.

I remember at one point when I was still in the "trial & error" stage, there were times where I had 15-20 different cans open at once.

I look forward to your thoughts on what you've ordered

[Ainkor]

Nice order there. One thing though, make sure you don't throw your other snus away. Once you have been snusing for a while your flavor preferences WILL change. I went from Camel to Triumph to Wise to Ettan, Grov, Goteborgs, Pall Mall, Lucky Strike and on and on.

You will adjust to the flavors over time and many that I outright didn't like the first time I tried them where much better later on.

It's almost like your first portion primes your taste buds and later on when you are past the "shock" of the different flavors you can pull out the subtle highlights of the various snus'es.

The first time I tried General portions I got nothing but an overwhelming taste of salt.

Now, I can pull out the citrus tones and the pepper highlights.

Snus isn't like smoking where you are just fulfilling a craving, it's more like pipe or cigar smoking. Go for the flavor and the experience.

-Ainkor

[Dunno]

Oh I'm extremely impatient by nature ( the quick responses here are great) so I'm sure I'll have one in for a minute or so before chucking it out and trying another, regardless if I like them or not.

I'll definitely be doing a follow up.

[Dunno]

Nice order there. One thing though, make sure you don't throw your other snus away. Once you have been snusing for a while your flavor preferences WILL change.

That's good to know. I guess I'm still in the "smoker" mindset - meaning sticking to one brand. Although, I did flip-flop depending on what was on sale at the time.

[Xobeloot]

I'd be a bit more patient with them than a few mins and switch.

1: Even though it may not seem like it, you are absorbing a good bit of nicotine well before the flavor even kicks in. Switching that quick could easily lead to headache, sweating, shaking and potentially vomiting before you even get a chance to taste anything fully.

2: With most varieties (even the heavy flavored ones), the flavor is still going to be more subtle than that of it's American counterpart (Camel). It usually takes 5-10 mins before you get a bit of steady juice and flavor.

3: If you are just starting, you want to avoid over-wetting your portions. Doing so will cause a fast release of juice which often, to the new snus user, relates to an upset stomach or gag-reflex. That sudden shot of juice may taste like an overly salty , throat-burning, sweat-inducing mess. Just place it under your lip and roll with it.

4: At first, you will notice that it may burn your gums a bit. If it gets sore or painful in that spot, switch to a different spot to prevent over-irritation. Good oral hygiene and regular use of mouthwash helps "resurface" your gums. Soon you will lose the burn and it'll be something that you actually miss!

Those are Xobeloot's tips for the new snuser. They may be helpful, they may be worthless. Just things that I found in my initial venture some time ago. Nowadays, I use almost all loose snus (and lots of it).

Maybe some of the other members can fill in any tips that I have missed :?:

[Dunno]

That's great advice. I wasn't completely serious - I found my limits years ago while trying to make myself like dip.

It's weird that I hadn't heard of snus before. I know it's not really that popular here in the states, which is surprising considering how many people (myself included) would've loved to have known about it to help quit smoking.

What I don't like is the stigma that dip carries with it. People generally will steer clear of snus because they immediately think of hill billies and having to spit brown s*&$ out of their mouths. I know snus isn't completely safe but it's almost like a miracle product for people with nicotine addiction.

[Xobeloot]

You live in Texas. It should be no different there than it is here. If I sit at a bar and pull out my snus can, the bartender instinctively sets a cup full of napkins in front of me. I just smile and push it away.

[Dunno]

When it comes to loose snus - how do you handle drinking? Is there an issue with swallowing it (upset stomach) or does it all stay together so it's not an issue?

Also, although they say that you don't need to spit - does that mean it's ok to swallow the juice or that generally it doesn't create enough juice to worry about.

I ask because when I'm at work or around people I'd rather not know I'm doing it I put it toward the back of my mouth under my bottom lip where I get a lot of juice. I've been swallowing it because it tastes good and haven't had any issues. It tingles a bit, but that doesn't bother me.

[Xobeloot]

Loose is a whole different monster. People like myself love it, other people just never get the hang of it (or dont feel like putting in the work involved).

It takes some practice, it will make you look like you've brushed your teeth with chocolate on more than one occasion.

Myself, I got the hang of it quite fast and never looked back. I compare portion vs loose to sex with/without a rubber. Sure it is still good, but that bag just detracts from the overall feel.

Now Sagedil (and many others), on the other hand, just don't like using loose/use portions 100% of the time.

Many others will use portions while at work/out in public then switch to loose in the privacy of their homes.

It really comes down to personal preference. Once you get inbto the whole portion thing, toss a can of los into an order. start slowly.. WHo knows whether you will like it or not?

[sagedil]

Loose is a whole different monster. People like myself love it, other people just never get the hang of it (or dont feel like putting in the work involved).

Or don't think it tastes as much as portions, or doesn't like the feel of a wad of tobacco in his mouth, or just really loves the convenience of reaching out in the middle of the night, finding a portion, without ever opening his eyes.

Face it my friend, some of us DID do the work, got the hang of it, and just decided we liked portions more. :wink:

[ShaulWolf]

When I started snusing I used flavored portions. I fell in love with Mocca's Anise portions, but I also happened to really like black licorice. Ended up overusing that single flavor and burned out on it, but found I enjoyed Catch Eucalyptus. Then I tried traditional snus like Ettan and Grov. Totally different from flavored snuses. Saltier earthier flavors, but still surprisingly mellow. At sagedil's advice I tried other traditional snuses like Lucky Strike and Retro. Saltier still, and a little spicey, like black pepper.

Where am I going with this? Well, I started with something familiar that I enjoyed and slowly branched out. Along the way I found some particular ones that at first I wasn't sure if I liked or not, but after a bit got used to and started to really enjoy. Ettan in particular, because it's mellow and strait up tobacco flavor is so easy to enjoy for me. And now Retro White Portions are starting to become very enjoyable for something late morning and throughout the day. At first it was saltier than I'd normally like, but that's more an afterthought now and the subtleties are coming through. And Lucky Strike was really spicy AND salty, but I've found it's a really nice kick for when I've got a strong drink to pair it with.

Like everyone's said before:
-Try different snuses out to get a feel for the flavors you like.
-Keep the portion or pris in for a bit since you won't get the full character for at least 15-20 min.
-Don't over moisten the portion to avoid too much juice building up
-Switch sides of your mouth every portion to avoid soreness
-If you don't like one particular one come back to it later and try again. You may end up liking it after all.
-When you find what you like use it in moderation so you don't burn out on it.
-Enjoy yourself. This is supposed to be relaxing and pleasant. No need to force yourself with something you really don't like after trying it again.

Cheers, mate.