Northerner Boost Review

 Northerner Boost, Purified Portion

I thought I’d write a little review on one of my favorite snuses, Northerner Boost, for those of you who haven’t tried it.

I use this snus all morning and then I mostly switch to something else in the afternoon, if I don’t want to be up all night. If I do want to stay awake, this is the perfect party snus!

This snus was named Energy snus some years ago, but then they changed it to Boost. Boos is a really suitable name since that is what I get out of this snus, a boost.

Frank at Northerner.com works a lot, both day and night so that might have been the reason for this snus innovation. Anyways, he went to Tillce (the manufacturer of purified snus) and said something like this “Hey, can’t we put some energizing ingredients in a snus portion?” Tillce experimented with this for a while and then came out with a whole new and innovative product on the market.

Thank you Frank and thank you Tillce, cause after a night with little sleep and baby crying, this is my savior!

First night out in a long time, needed my Boost!

The snus itself kind of tastes a little bit like honey and mint at the same time. It contains taurine, coffeine and guarana for that energizing effect.
It’s a dry small portion that turns invinseble under your lip. Each portion contains 6mg of nicotine and if you are used to stronger stuff you can easily fit 2 or 3 of these thin portions in your mouth at the same time.

I find the design of the snus can really ugly and I hope they can improve that in the future. However the size of the can is small and discrete. Perfect in my pocket or in a small purse.

Since this is a private label snus i think you can only buy it here

Oden's Licorice portion review

Oden's Licorice Portion Review

I have been searching for a rich, strong Licorice flavored snus for eons! Most of the snus I have tried that says it’s Anise has a slight taste but nothing as luxurious as this! Even my beloved Röda Lacket is said to have lakrit notes yet I’ve never tasted them, but this my friends, is the real deal!

I have always loved Salmiak. (Salted licorice) I remember a few years ago when Northerner offered a program where you could redeem your bonus points for small Scandinavian delicacies.
I was so excited to receive my box of salmiak pastilles and I devoured them all in one day. I thought I would never see or taste that flavor ever again (unless I went to Sweden), so you can imagine my joy to have this, my snus and candy in one!

The packaging is soo cute! The purple and gold coloring reminds me of a beautiful celebration and rightly so, a celebration for the mouth this is! I love Odens packaging, it’s so trendy and appealing and so different from the traditional brands.

The smell is the most intoxicating of any snus I have tried. The lakrits hits you hard and with a strong salty punch that is divine. I sat there for a good 10 minutes just breathing in the vapors.
The portions are a decent size, not huge and the material is slightly dry yet soft. I was quite surprised by the taste. I was expecting a huge licorice hit but its actually quite mellow. As I rub my tongue over the portion the salty anise flavor comes out and its very pleasant. I believe that people who traditionally do not like licorice would enjoy this too as it is very subtle and you can adjust the amount of flavor by compressing the portions in your mouth.
The nicotine hit is more than adequate. 8mg which is normal for medium sized portions. I can happily keep this in my mouth for an hour and not feel any discomfort or need for more nicotine, and once in a while tasting the salmiac with my tongue, so very satisfying.

I thoroughly enjoyed this product, what would be even more amazing is if Odens brought out a loose version of this, but then again, I am a loose girl at heart!

Sommar snus (summer snus)

I got this can of Sommar Snus (summer snus) shipped to me from Henrik at Gotlandssnus 3 weeks ago. Just seeing the can gave me a "summer-feeling" and I just wish the weather was a little bit warmer here in Sweden right now.

Once I opened the can I feelt this lovely smell of wild strawberries, (called "Smultron" in Sweden). I also feel it smells a little bit like freshly cut grass (which reminds me, to remind F, he has to mow the lawn!)
I agree with Sarah that the Jakobsson's from gotlandssnus portions are a bit to big. It works fine for me when I use it at home, put I don't want to use it in public since it really shows under my lip.
The taste is just as wonderful as the smell and I'm enjoying it right now with a glass of lemonade. This was a perfect "midsummer" snus for me and I got to share it with some friends when we met up around the maypole last friday. (weird, but fun Swedish tradition). My friend Anders who is a Göteborg's rapé loose snus user really loved this snus, even though it comes in what he calls "mini diapers" (pouches)

I still wish Gotlandssnus would make a white smaller portion, because all their flavoured snus is amazing, and I'm sure that would be my new favorite snus. If you like normal portions you can order a trail pack with all their flavours, Mint, Wintergreen, Melon and Classic. It's a good way to find out which flavours you like.

Back to the Sommar snus, this is a great snus to celebrate both midsummer and normal summer days with, but Henrik, PLEASE make me a white portion!

Offroad Mint, White mini snus review

Offroad White Mini Mint Review

Looking at my new can of Offroad White Mini Mint, I was once again skeptical that nothing could hold a candle to my old favorite, General (I may sound like a broken record about this, but I’m obsessed!). Theirs is the standard to which I compare all other mint snus. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Offroad’s take on mint minis.

The can itself is simple, with Offroad’s familiar grey and black coloring and a separate compartment in the lid for discarded portions. The white portions are tiny and contain only a small amount of tobacco inside, but still have a substantial amount of nicotine at 8g, according to Northerner. When opened the can, I was immediately presented with a very pleasant and crisp minty scent.
The flavor is some of the purest mint I have encountered in snus, and it has a great minty tingle throughout the duration of having it under my lip. There is little to no drip, and I often leave these portions in much longer than any other snus because they are so enjoyable. After about 20 minutes or so, the mint starts to mellow slightly and you pick up on the salt. It’s very mild and balances quite nicely with the other flavors in the tobacco.

I can honestly say that Offroad White Mini Mint is now a contender for my favorite snus. If you have been searching for a less expensive but quality replacement for General, look no further.
You can buy it at the best price here 

Snus News - The EU snus ban and Snusworldwide

I wrote about the webshop Snusworldwide being accused for selling snus to EU countries last year. Today the verdict finally came. I’m so happy to share, that Snusworldwide won in court! The defense argued that Snusworldwide didn’t really know that it was illegal to sell snus to EU countries and that they discussed the issue with both lawyers and Swedish Match (snus manufacturer).  The verdict says that snusworldwide did not have any knowledge of how the ban of exporting Swedish snus worked.
However this might not be good news to customers used to buying snus online, since all the companies selling snus online now have knowledge of it being illegal.

There are still some sites that offer snus to EU, including Northerner.com, but then it’s not shipped from Sweden.

Göteborg's Rapé Lime Review

Göteborg's Rapé Lime review 

Years ago, somebody told me I would enjoy the so called fruity-floral qualities of Goteborgs rape and I stupidly believed them. I brought 5 cans and waited eagerly to try them.  Needless to say I hated it and its been the only snus I have ever tossed in the trash.
Lucky for me my tastes have changed over the years and I can now enjoy rape on an occasional basis and use it as a break from my usual monthly line up.


I was happy to receive this can as I have learned that things I would turn my nose up at in the past, I can now enjoy. That was definitely the case for General. I used to loathe it and now I order 5 cans of it every month for something different (los of course).


The packaging of Rape lime was surprising to me. I didn’t read the can and just figured it was regular rape and opened it up to notice the pretty star portion formation I’ve usually only seen in the special, expensive additions such as General Onyx and certain white portion varieties. Im not sure how much extra effort the factory takes to do this, but its highly appreciated.  The uniformity of these white portion wedges appeal to my meticulous/compulsive nature. I like everything to be neat and organized and have its own position rather than the traditional ‘dog pile’ style.


It does take an extra step to figure out how to position the wedge in your mouth. Some people just place it as is on their gums; others mush or fluff it up so its uniform and some try to reshape it. I personally take it as is with the larger size towards the front of my mouth.
The portion material is typical of most Swedish match white products, which I find comfortable and tolerable. Softness and less drip is what im all about.


The smell is very familiar and I cannot distinguish between this lime flavor and the regular rape.  I was so clueless in fact that I had 4 portions before I even noticed that this wasn’t rape regular but rape lime! hah I don’t know if this is accountable to me not having rape for a while or the lime flavor being overpowered by the usual floral taste of rape regular.
Once I knew that this was a different beast to what I previously had, I can now search out the flavor and appreciate the slight citrus notes in this enhanced snus.

I definitely find Rape to be the most refreshing of all non-mint based snus. It only takes but one lick of the tongue and you whole mouth if filled with a flowery medicinal clean taste that only this variety can provide.

As I swish air in my mouth I can taste the subtle citrus flavor but nothing stands out to me as a definite lime quality. I once tried the Catch Glow Elder Lime flavor a few years back. I only brought one can and I still regret it to this day since I cant get it in the states anymore. It was the most amazing flavored snus I have ever tasted and to me that is what I think of when I want a citrus hit that is distinguishable as lime.

Perhaps if Swedish match added lime essence to another brand that is not already heavily flavored/scented, the taste would be more realistic and pungent, but I just find this snus to be a hodgepodge of competing flavors with none of them coming out on top and all of them fighting for dominancy. Others might enjoy that, particularly if you are already a big fan of Rape, but its just not for me.

Northerner Wintergreen Review

Northerner Wintergreen

My picture here says it all, I was just soo excited to get this one in the mail! Ive wanted to try the Northerner brand small dry portions for years but have always opted not to incase I didn’t like it (I know, I was in a non-creative buying funk for a while), but now its here in my hot little hands! I have always been impressed by the packaging, Small discreet and easy to carry on person or in a bag.

The smell as you open the can is intoxicating. Think of the most refreshing thing in the whole world and times it by 100! It cleans out the nasal passages and provides a total calming effect to both mind and body….ahhhhh I was a little worried about the portion material. It’s as dry as I’ve ever seen a snus (excluding the nasty American ones) and I was worried that it was going to absorb all the saliva in my mouth and rub my gums to the point of irritation. I was so wrong. The portions couldn’t be more comfortable! So comfortable in fact that I had a portion in for 2 hours and forgot about it! I can honestly say that has NEVER happened before.

Those who have read my previous reviews know I hate post drip and this had none. A perfect blend of small, discreet and dry makes for an enjoyable snusing experience for those who love snus but hate all the side effects associated with some of the other heavier brands. What I found unusual was the fact that this variety discourages refrigeration. I was under the impression that all snus had to be kept cold in order to preserve freshness, but not this one. Dry is the main priority which makes it perfect for work or travel when refrigeration is not an option. I have never tasted any of the other northerner products in this range but I enjoyed the taste of this one.

The smell of it is far more fierce then the taste. Its rather a mellow fresh mint taste then a wintergreen and it takes some licking with the tongue to get the flavor out. Not a problem for me as sometimes I feel like a strong snus and other times I just want to dip without all the overpowering pretentiousness. The nicotine hit (6mg) is pretty decent considering I had this in my mouth for 2 hours and didn’t even think about putting in another portion. It might have been the time of day also as I tend to not need as much nicotine earlier in the day as I do late at night.

 After my initial portion I put in 2 portions. I wanted to see that if that is all I have in my purse and im desperate for a bigger hit, then I can do that without any problems. I even put 2 in the same position with no ill effects (was not obvious from the outside and not irritating from the inside).

I have now found my prefect “in my purse 24/7 snus” and I am so very glad I did. I will definitely buy this and keep it on hand at all times for those emergency situations when a discreet nic hit is in order. I will also be sure to check out the other flavors in this product line.

Nice snuscan design

Speaking about can design... well these cans are also pretty nice. It's Art snus from Tillce, one of my new favorite brands.

 

Art Wine & Dine, Art Mint and Art Citrus/menthol

(Wow... You can even see the dust on the black can.. Might need to clean the house...)

General Strong White, Mini Portions Review

General Strong White, Mini Portions
    As I am sure I have mentioned before, I am a big fan of General Mini Mint, so imagine my pleasure when I had the opportunity to try another one of their products for this review! General Strong White Mini Portion comes in a small, attractive white and silver can, boasting 6mg of nicotine per portion.
    Upon opening the can, I was met with General’s trademark attractive pattern and was pleasantly surprised to see how dainty the portions are.  The snus had a pretty strong sweet and sort of citrusy smell which carries into the taste without becoming overwhelming. Once under my lip, I was met with that pleasant burn that I’ve become so fond of. The taste is immediately sort of peppery, with a good tobacco and salt taste throughout.  The nicotine hit is substantial, which is surprising given the tiny size of the portions. Lately I have been left wanting more from my mini portions, and this more than satisfies.

    I kept the portion in for almost an hour without noticing any unpleasant drip. The flavor matures into a savory salty taste after a while. As with other mini portions I’ve tried from General, the bump under my lip was not noticeable, and a small, discreet portion size is very important to me when I am out in public.
    Overall, I would say that I’m very pleased with General Strong White, and will be ordering more in the future. If you’re wanting a strong, flavorful snus in a diminutive package, look no further.

The V2 Tobacco Factory

As I told you the other day, I've been to Silkeborg where I met the V2 Tobacco brothers Marc and Patrick. Marc showed me around the factory. I've never been in a snus factory except Tillce’s (manufacturer of purified snus as Art, Northerner and Al Capone) which is not at all the same.
Marc gave me a guided tour of the factory and it was very fascinating. I also love how his whole face lights up when he talks about the factory. There is a deep passion behind V2's products.

A 2400 square meter factory including the most modern machines and furnishings. From raw tobacco that comes in as a big tobacco blocks to finely ground tobacco that is then used in snus production.

The grounded tobacco is then blended with water, salt and flavor essences and then it's time for the pasteurization process. The pasteurization process is special for Swedish snus. It takes away namely the smallest harmful microorganisms and is the reason for the Swedish snus containing so little TSNA’s (tobacco specific nitrosamines, known as carcinogenics in tobacco) compared to other tobacco products. The V2 factory meets all the strict requirements when it comes to hygiene and food. All employees are certified for food production. They therefore satisfy all the stringent requirements necessary for the product to be called Swedish snus.

The machine used for manufacturing the portion snus can produce up to 2000 portions per hour. Incredible!

V2 tobacco has really come a long way since the start in 2006. You can find snus reviews for some of their products here.
More coming up soon!

Snus can for a partygirl

Mocca Black Maple midi portion, Mocca Mint mini portion

I used to be a party girl. Nowadays, I'm mostly a mum. But anyway, in my party days I could nag and nag about how much I wanted to have nicer looking cans. A nice snus can to keep in my party purse, put on the bar counter or on the table when dining.  The snus can is just like an accessory and for me it was very important to have a good looking can. Now it is finally here! The snus can that I want to have with me when I go out partying!

Too bad my party days are over ....

Thunder Cool Orange Review

Thunder Cool Orange, Extra strong portion review

I was visiting V2 tobacco in Denmark last week. If I were to describe the trip in one word, it's probably AMAZING. I’ll tell you more about my visit to the factory later.

I really admire the V2 tobacco brothers. They feel so very creative, imaginative and forward.

It is difficult to understand how they have been able to build their businesses as quickly as they have done and how they have been able to come up with all these great snus brands in so little time. That is really admirable.

The first night we had dinner at a restaurant in Silkeborg. Mark invited me to try his snus, a thunder mint portion. I politely said no thanks, because I still haven’t got used to such strong nicotine products yet, and I was determined not to get dizzy in front of them.

I however frequently try Thunder and other strong snus products when I am by myself.

Something I've wanted to try for quite some time is Thunder Cool Orange. The can has really appealed to me. It looks so refreshing!

Northerner Boost and Thunder Cool Orange.

On the road to Stockholm, I finally got a chance to try it.

I sat and listened to the audiobook about Steve Jobs while I put in my first portion of Cool Orange. The fruity taste sensation was quickly released in my mouth and I yet again found myself thinking about how inventive and full of ideas the V2 brothers are. I would just love to read their minds. At this point I actually came up with a pretty good idea myself (for a private project, so not sharing here yet) so it might be that their snus rub off with their ingenuity.
So when I have run out of ideas and need inspiration, I will continue to take a Thunder snus.

The taste of the Cool Orange portion is very fruity and has this little tingling fresh feeling that orange has. A perfect summer snus!
When it comes to nicotine, it is still a bit too strong for me, so I get a little dizzy and cannot keep it in for that long yet, which is very unfortunate because the flavor seems to last much longer than that!

I love the freshness of the can design.  The snus can is really attractive but as fierce as all the Thunders cans are. The portions are normal sized and moist so not like my regular dry white portions. For some reason Thunder products as well as Oden’s makes it burn a little in my throat. Perhaps that is because I’m used to the purified tobacco portions.

This is not an all-day-snus for me but definitely something that I can see myself using occasionally. I can really recommend everyone to try this snus, but if you just lite me, do not speak the high-nicotine-language… Take it easy! :)

Jakobsson's Wintergreen, Strong Portion Review

Jakobsson's Wintergreen, Strong Portion Review

I always wondered what Wintergreen was. I was under the impression that it was a combination of all flavors they typically use in oral hygiene products (peppermint, spearmint, menthol, cinnamon and camphor etc.), as it has flavor characteristics of all these ingredients.

Turns out it’s the oil extract of a berry found on North American evergreen trees. I never thought that one single plant could have all these taste and flavor variables, no wonder it has been prized for centuries for its medicinal and disinfecting qualities.There is no doubt that jakobssons make superior quality Snus, I have never heard a bad word spoken about any of their flavors. And the ones that I have tried (Icefruit and Mint) were delicious so I knew that Wintergreen would be just as tasty.

This odor is quite pungent. I could smell it through the packaging. It is everything I described above and more with a sweet, thick herbal aroma; I couldn’t wait to take off the lid and bury my nose and inhale the medicinal vapors.Now I am ready to try! I always put my portioned snus on the left side of my mouth and my los on the right side. I guess I do this as I am left handed and its easier to put in without having to ultimate hands. For a 14 mg portion I felt no burn or initial discomfort, im guessing because of the camphor has a slight numbing effect.

The nicotine kick is mild but certainly adequate enough for you to not want for it, but not enough to cause the body to surge or have any discomfort that other strong portions can do. Despite the overpowering odor the taste is quite mild and pleasant, a perfect mix between tobacco and flavorings without one upstaging the other. After a few minutes I find myself running my tongue over it to get some flavor and remind myself that I have a portion in. As I do this I get a slightly sweet tasting juice that is both pleasant and comforting.As far as taste and quality is concerned this is superior and the low drip factor would make it appealing to many people.

My problem with Jakobsson’s is portion size, and its not just this flavor, it’s ALL of their Snus.Its simply far too large for my mouth and causes me much irritation and discomfort despite the smoothness of the pouch material I tried an experiment with this can in a desperate attempt to have my snus and eat it to. I opened up 5 portions and put the loose contents into a clean can. I then sprinkled it lightly with cold water and tried to pack it into my ice tool. Each time I did this I was met with dismal failure. The grind is far too large to form a pris and each time I tried it crumbled in my hand. After 6 attempts I gave up and resided to the fact that I will never be able to enjoy Jakobsson’s until they bring out a mini or at the very least a medium sized portion Snus.

I recommend everybody try Jakobssons Wintergreen at least once, the taste is well worth it if you can tolerate the size of the portions. I have a small mouth so it might be just me.

Also Wintergreen had been known to agitate allergies and cause asthma attacks, although im not sure this small amount will cause any harm but practice caution if you are known to have severe cases of these conditions.

Enjoy your Snus!