Snus Reviews

[snull]

Intro: I started off with nicotine gum. My first piece was 4mg, and after about ten minutes I was sick, so spit it out. Then I slept (in the middle of the day) for an hour or so, and felt better.

I used gum for a few months, moved, lost the boxes of gum, and stopped.

A year or two later (beginning of this year), I ordered some 14mg patches. No sickness, because I started off with 1/4 of a patch, and worked my way to half. Half still gives a nice effect, similar to caffeine, without the jitters. A full patch feels only a little stronger.

A few weeks ago, I saw a Norwegian classmate taking, what I thought, was dip. I wondered what he was going to do about the spit, since this was during class. I saw SNUS on the tin, and thought it was a brand. So, that night, I searched and found this place. I saw the Discreet thread, and requested a sample. Then I got the $1.00 General mixed sampler from getsnus.com. Promptly after receiving and trying the Discreet, I placed an order for the top 10 from northerner.com. Then, when they posted their 10th anniversary promotion, I placed another order--before receiving the first--this time for all los, except for a can of Northerner energy, some Christmas portions, and some Torque vanilla snuff.

My impressions are below. I may or may not update this. But it would be neat to have sort of a log of the flavors.

211009
Discreet Emerald Ice
-Initial impression
Good. Not much flavor: like holding a piece of gum in my lip, but with more burn. What flavor there is, is good. Kick seems to be the same as the other Discreets.
-Lasting impression
Light, in flavor and kick. But good. Take two for kick on par with other normal portions.

Discreet Mint
-Initial impression
Too sweet. Made me vaguely nauseous, but probably because it was only my second snus.
-Lasting impression
Very similar to Emerald Ice, but not quite as good.

Discreet Peach
-Initial impression
Very good flavor. Small kick, but better than the General mini.
-Lasting impression
Too sweet. While the smell is amazing, the combination of tobacco and peach isn't for me.

Discreet Strawberry
-Initial impression
Same as peach. Same flavor as a strawberry Pop Tart (not as tasty, but what is?).
-Lasting impression
Good flavor. Tobacco taste less noticeable than it is in the peach.

General White
-Initial impression
Wow, salt. Heavy kick. Oh yeah, and a hint of salt.
-Lasting impression
Not bad. Not my favorite though.

General Mini Mint
-Initial impression
Sickeningly sweet. Not much kick. But small and soft.
-Lasting impression
Sweetness seems to have disappeared. But still don't really care for it.

General Wintergreen
-Initial impression
It's a stick of Winterfresh gum, run under water, then dipped in a bowl of salt. Very strong flavor, burns a lot. I like the flavor--best mint yet.
-Lasting impression
...tbd

Oomph Citrus/Menthol
-Initial impression
Portion felt rough in my fingers, but fine in my mouth. A lot of burn at first. Flavor, well, it tastes like burning. The kick came on hard and fast. Way stronger than any other mini. In fact, the most intense buzz I've felt yet--it doesn't last very long though. I read Chad got no buzz from it, which amazes me. Although I agree with him that there isn't really any taste after that initial burn.
-Lasting impression
...tbd

Röda Lacket
-Initial impression
Very fruity\perfumey flavor. I found it too much, and too sweet. Leaks more than other white portions I've tried.
-Lasting impression
...tbd


Stock:

• Skruf Stark Portion
  General Portion
  Lucky Strike Original Portion
  Nick (and Johnny) Strong Portion
  Grovsnus Portion
  Göteborgs Rapé White Large Portion
  Catch Eucalyptus White Portion
  Ettan Portion

On order:

• Roda Lacket, Loose
  Skruf Stark, Loose
  Grovsnus, Loose
  Ettan, Loose
  General Ekstra Sterk, Loose
  Gotland Yellow, Loose
  Northerner Energy Snus
  Merry Christmas, White Mini
  Gotländskt Julesnus, Portion
  Claq Qui, Strong Portion
  Vanilla Snuff, Toque
  Mystery Can, Strong
  Mystery Can, Strong

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Welcome to SnusOn!

Looks like some exciting orders coming!

Are you an ex-smoker/dipper?

[tom502]

Snull, you are feeling sick, because this is new to you, and your body isn't used to it. When I did my 1st snus, Camel Frost, I felt sick, sweaty, naseaus, needed to take a shower and lay down for a while. All snus was too salty, and made me ill. I quit snus, and took to nasal snuff. Then after awhile, I started getting clogged up alot(I suspect from overuse of menthols) so I decided to try snus again. This time it did not make me sick at all, but it did take a week or so to get used to the salt and taste, and now I love it and use all day everyday.

[daruckis]

sounds like youre coming from no nicotine products? did you start with nicotine gum? i started out with camel snus, and had some of the nicotine sickness for a while. most people here will warn you against further nicotine usage as you will become addicted, and that sickness you get from too much of it, will basically become the feeling when you go without it. i didnt listen and im not saying you should either, so long as you have the financial means to keep up the habit, as snus is (theoretically) one of the safest way to indulge in vitamin N. i enjoy snus thoroughly and dont think id ever want to part with it. still, addictions a bitch.

[JPono]

Good reviews, snull. Welcome!

[snull]

No, never smoked or dipped. I've never used any tobacco products before this snus. Nicotine gum was my first time with nicotine.

I've already noticed getting sick less, and with the minis I don't get sick anymore. The salt doesn't bother me, through I've read that once I get used to it, I will be able to really taste the snus.

I don't doubt I'll become physically addicted, but I don't have a problem quitting things (I'm a professional quitter), if necessary. Through, physical withdrawal sucks.

The cost of snus will remain largely irrelevant, so long as I don't start using more than two tins a day--and so long as the price doesn't get jacked.

Thanks for the welcomes, everybody. ;'>

[badlands]

Cannot really understand why you would go from being a non tobacco user to chewing nicotine gum. You may be the first person I have ever heard say that.

If I didn't already have a nicotine addiction or currently use tobacco I doubt I would go fishing for an addiction. Why indulge in something that is making you feel ill? If you do not enjoy tobacco don't force yourself to use it. When all is said and done its best to be addiction free. If you have gone your whole life free of tobacco and do not sincerely enjoy it now then leave it alone.

If you use to tins a day you will most certainly become addicted.

Good luck.

[chainsnuser]

Nicotine gum was my first time with nicotine.

No, snus is! The gums contain some kind of chemically altered nicotine, which is told to be more effective than natural nicotine, but in reality is almost ineffective. The only good thing about nicotine gums is that they're certainly not addictive. :lol:

Welcome to the forum!

[chadizzy1]

Welcome to SnusOn.

[snull]

Yeah, I started using gum as a "nootropic" (i.e., not really) as an alternative to / potentiate of caffeine. As for not enjoying snus--I do, but if I leave in a normal portion for too long, I get sick as I've not a sufficient tolerance yet.

I must have worded the part about using two tins badly. I meant to say that so long as I stay under two tins I'll be fine. However, I currently only use 1-2 portions a day.

Nicotine gum has Nicotine Polacrilex, which is just the delivery system. It is less effective than tobacco because tobacco contains other chemicals, including one particular metabolite of nicotine, which I can't remember the name of. You're right about the gum not being addictive because of the slowness which the nicotine crosses the blood brain barrier (no "hit"), however, I know some people who became addicted to it by developing an oral fixation. So, basically, it can make you addicted to chewing gum.


Thanks again. This is a very useful forum.

[MojoQuestor]

I was certainly "addicted" to nicotine gum. As in, had to have it. I used it exclusively for a couple of periods, one of almost 4 months and one of almost 3, ultimately failed in quitting smoking with it, but continued to use the gum as an adjunct.

Once I started with Swedish snus, my gum usage dropped like a stone. I still have a card of 10 pieces in the box, and a couple of loose pieces floating around. I barely even think about it anymore.

Just for completeness' sake: the cigarettes smoking tapered off very quickly after snus, from the equivalent of a 2-pack-a-day habit to basically 0-3 a day. IIRC I've had one half of a cigarette this month.

[snull]

I double-barreled two Discreet peach. Then I had some Mt. Dew.

Conclusions?

Mt. Dew and double-barreled peach: awesome.

Aftertaste of aforementioned: wretched. Even after ten minutes, the flavor leaking from the pouches is bitter and harsh. Perhaps an acid-base reaction? It is a little more salty, but no foam, so... don't know. I do not recommend it, though.

[snull]

After resigning myself to the fact that I wouldn't receive my Northerner order today, it came (shipped on the 21st). The box was unopened when I received it.

It is the top ten box, but the contents differ slightly than what is listed on their website. That's Nick and Johnny Strong, there.

All the expiration dates are in Jan/Feb of 2010, except for the oomph, which has one in April.




What should I try first?

p.s., the oomph seems to have leaked:

[MojoQuestor]

What should I try first?

Why not just work your way up the stack? Ettan, then Grov...

I tend to think Ettan then General then Grov, but just picking one at random might be fun. Give them all a number and generate a random number, roll a 1d10 or whatever... I'm leaving the Oomph out of all this. Save that one for last.


edit: of course I can't count. 10 would include the Oomph. O well.

double edit: to give some reasons why, Ettan's been around the longest, and is very basic. General is kind of the gold standard, the Coca-Cola or Marlboro of snus (and it's very good imho). The Grov is also basic, kind of like Ettan but not identical. I actually prefer it a little to Ettan. I love Röda Lacket... but now we're just talking my personal taste.

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

That Oomph dust is "normal". Oomph is really dusty.

Nice order, go for the Lucky Strike!