Reviews

Chainsaw Cold Dry White Review

August 1, 2018 By James

Recently released by the popular snus maker V2 Tobacco (now owned by Swedish Match), Chainsaw Cold Dry White is a form of chewing tobacco which bears many similarities to snus. With a whopping nicotine content of 40.5mg per portion, Chainsaw Cold Dry White packs an incredibly potent punch! Every can of Chainsaw Cold Dry White comes with 15 0.9 gram portions for a total of 13.5 grams of ‘super strong’ chewing tobacco per can.

Soon after opening my can of Chainsaw Cold Dry White, the first thing that I noticed was a strong peppermint aroma with slight hints of menthol in the background. Once I tried a portion, I was quickly greeted with a sharp peppermint taste along with a cooling sensation of menthol. I found the menthol to be quite refreshing on a hot summer afternoon, and the peppermint taste paired well with the menthol. Around the ten minute mark the menthol taste began to subside, and I was left with a peppermint flavor as well as hints of salt in the background. Due to the high nicotine strength of these portions, I was unable to keep any in for longer than twenty minutes and so I’m not sure how the flavor developed past this point. However, given the direction things were heading I imagine that the peppermint would remain in the foreground but would be complimented by a salty tobacco taste towards the half-hour mark.

The portions were dry and fit comfortably in my upper lip. Although they are marketed as chewing tobacco bags, the portions very closely resembled snus in terms of look and mouthfeel. Despite being dry, the strength of the portions meant that I began to feel a strong nicotine buzz rapidly set in within minutes of putting in a portion. As I normally use regular strength portions (and the occasional strong portion), I found myself needing to take out Chainsaw portions around the fifteen minute mark due to the incredibly strong nicotine buzz that they produced.

As a whole, I found that Chainsaw Cold Dry White was tasty, but a little bit too strong to enter my daily rotation. I recommend Chainsaw Cold Dry White to fans of extra strength snus who are looking for something with an even bigger kick and don’t have access to traditional snus brands (like those living in the EU).

Goteborg’s Rape Limited Edition 2018 Review

July 22, 2018 By James

Released early this Summer by snus giant Swedish Match, Goteborg’s Rape Limited Edition 2018 is a fresh take on a classic snus brand. According to Swedish Match, “Göteborgs Rapé Limited Edition 2018 has its foundation in Rapé’s classical character, but with a touch of Swedish berries and with a higher nicotine strength.” As a big fan of the original Goteborg’s Rape, I was excited to try Limited Edition 2018 to see how it compares! Gotteborg’s Rape Limited Edition 2018 comes with 24 portions, each with 0.9 grams of snus and 10.8mg of nicotine per portion for a total of 21.6 grams of snus per can.

Not long after opening my can of Limited Edition 2018, I soon began to notice a blueberry aroma with hints of classic Goteborg in the background. After putting in a portion, I initially tasted a blueberry flavor with light herbal notes in the background which I found to be highly enjoyable. The blueberry taste was slightly sweet, and it was complimented by the herbs which helped ease the transition between the blueberry and underlying tobacco. The blueberry flavor began to subside around the fifteen minute mark, and it was gradually replaced by a spicy tobacco taste which became increasingly salty as time passed. I generally kept portions in for nearly an hour due before removing them due to drip.

The portions come in Swedish Match’s signature star formation and have a slight wedge to them which makes fitting them in your mouth easy without any adjustments. The portion material is quite soft, and the portions are only a little bit moist to the touch which produces a slow and steady nicotine buzz. The buzz is long lasting and has a little more ‘oomph’ than regular strength Goteborg.

As a whole, I must say that I was really impressed with Goteborg’s Rape Limited Edition 2018, and I can definitely see myself adding it to my daily rotation for the next while. The berry taste really compliments the classic Goteborg’s Rape flavor, and the higher nicotine strength adds a nice kick which is relaxing during warm summer evenings. I highly recommend trying Limited Edition 2018, but make sure to place your order soon here on our store as it is only being produced during Summer 2018!

Skruf Super White #2 Review

July 13, 2018 By James

Recently released alongside Skruf Super White #3 (see my review of #3 here!) as part of of Skruf’s new Fresh line of products, Skruf Super White #2 is a tobacco free nicotine product with a mint taste. Plant fibers are used in place of tobacco, and are rendered white by using a similar process to what is done with snus. Every can of Super White #2 contains 24 regular strength portions, each with .72 grams of material for a total of 17.3 grams per can.

Soon after opening my can of Super White #2, I began to notice a peppermint aroma and not much else in the background. Not long after putting a portion in, I began to taste a natural taste of fresh peppermint as well as hints of sweetness in the background. There was also a slight cooling sensation which lasted for a few minutes before gradually subsiding. The peppermint flavor lasted surprisingly long, and I generally kept portions in for a little under an hour before removing them due to a drop off in flavor. As there is no real tobacco used in the portions, I didn’t notice any underlying tobacco tastes develop over time like I would with mint flavored snus.

The portions are very soft and fit comfortably in my upper lip without any issues. As a big fan of the trend towards white snus products, I appreciate the white portions used in the Fresh lineup. The nicotine buzz was satisfying, and a little weaker than Super White #3, but on par with average strength snus. The portions were slightly moist, and so the nicotine buzz comes on smoothly over the course of a few minutes.

Much like Super White #3, I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of Skruf Super White #2. The lack of actual tobacco in the portions makes me feel as if I’m missing out on one of the key elements I love in snus. The nicotine buzz was satisfying however, and I can see the Skruf Fresh lineup being good for those who don’t have access to traditional snus.

Skoal Spearmint Tobacco Blend Pouches Review

June 27, 2018 By James

Produced by the US Smokeless Tobacco Company, Skoal Spearmint Tobacco Blend Pouches are a relatively new addition to the Skoal lineup. Skoal Wintergreen was the first dip I ever tried, and as a fan of mint flavoured dips I was excited to give Spearmint Tobacco Blend a try! Every can of Skoal Spearmint Tobacco Blend comes with 0.82oz (23.25g) of dipping tobacco in pouch format.

After opening my can of Spearmint Tobacco Blend, the first thing I noticed was a spearmint aroma, with hints of smoky tobacco in the background which I found to be quite nice. Soon after putting in a pouch, I quickly began to notice a slightly sweet and refreshing spearmint taste. Unlike some brands of mint dip however, I noticed that the spearmint was not overpowering, and I was also able to taste hints of salty dipping tobacco with hints of smokiness in the background. The flavor was really tasty, and I found that the mix between mint and tobacco to work very well together. Over time, the spearmint flavor became increasingly mild but remained present during the entire time I had a pouch in.

I found the pouches to be very moist in comparison to snus portions, and the material was a bit rougher. Unlike snus portions (which I place in my upper lip), I put Peppermint Tobacco Blend pouches in the middle of my lower lip where I usually put loose dip. Due to the high moisture level of the pouches, I quickly began to notice a nicotine buzz not long after putting one in. The buzz was fairly mild (which I found to be nice to use midday when I need to focus), but I can definitely see it being a bit on the weak side for those who prefer strong dips. On average, I generally kept pouches in for half an hour before I removed them due to a decline in flavor.

As a whole, I was quite impressed by Skoal Spearmint Tobacco Blend. Although I’m not the biggest fan of pouched dipping tobacco, the spearmint and tobacco tastes worked well together and produced a highly enjoyable experience. Moreover, the mild strength of the portions made for a great experience while driving, and I can definitely see myself adding Spearmint Tobacco Blend to my dip rotation.

Skruf Super White Fresh #3 Review

June 19, 2018 By James

Recently released by Skruf Snus AB (now owned by Imperial Tobacco), Skruf Super White Fresh #3 is an all white nicotine product released alongside Super White #2 (which I will be reviewing soon!). I say nicotine product, because although Super White Fresh #3 looks and feels like snus, it is actually plant fibers with nicotine added to them. Every can of Super White Fresh #3 comes with 17.3 grams of fibers mixed with nicotine, for a total of 24 0.72 gram portions per can. I’m not entirely sure on the exact nicotine strength of Super White Fresh #3, but the can shows three out of four bars, ranking it as a strong product.

Soon after opening my can of Fresh Super White #3, I began to notice a sweet smell of spearmint emanate from my can. Not long after putting a portion in my mouth, I began to taste a spearmint flavor complimented by hints of sweetness. As there are a lot of mint flavored products on the market, I didn’t feel that Super White Fresh #3’s spearmint was very notable, but it certainly wasn’t bad tasting. On average, I generally kept portions in for about forty-five minutes before removing them due to a loss of flavor. As the portions didn’t contain any real snus, I didn’t notice any salty taste develop over time, nor did I detect any secondary flavors (which are usually a result of the tobacco).

In terms of mouthfeel, Super White #3 pouches are soft, and they fit comfortably in my mouth without any issues. Although the portions feel quite similar to snus, I felt that the fibres used inside were a bit softer and slightly different than what snus feels like. Super White Fresh #3 is dry on the outside but contains moist material on the inside, and as a result I began to notice a nicotine buzz set in within only a few minutes. The buzz was in line with a strong portion snus, but I didn’t get the same tingly feeling as I do with certain brands of strong snus.

As a whole, I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of Skruf Super White Fresh #3. The spearmint taste wasn’t anything to write home about, and the lack of actual snus inside made me feel like I was missing out on the characteristic taste of Skruf tobacco in the background. Despite this, I can see Fresh Super White #3 being an acceptable tobacco-free alternative to snus and nordic chew in places where they are banned yet you are looking for a nicotine experience which is close to (but not quite) actual tobacco.