28 Feb
Exploring Flavor Profiles: A Guide to the Best Snus Flavors

Exploring Flavor Profiles: A Guide to the Best Snus Flavors

World of Flavors

If you’re new to Swedish Snus, you may notice a pretty decent amount of flavors. Granted, there aren't as many products or flavors as they’re used to be due to the growth of nicotine pouches, but you can still find a pretty wide array of tastes if you like variety. Today, we’re going to venture into the world of snus, the world of flavors, and talk about some different tastes, as well as some key products I’d like to suggest or mention in each flavor category. If you’re like me and quite open minded and adventurous, you could even craft a first order off of this list and really dive into the world of Swedish Snus! Whether you like the taste of mint, or the all natural taste of tobacco, today we’re going to discuss all of the main or major groupings of flavors that exist in the snus world!

For me personally, I tend to use mostly tobacco and traditional flavors, and I mix in juniper flavors and outdoorsy flavors. I’ll use a mint snus occasionally after brushing my teeth, but these are the general flavor categories I like to stick with. One thing that is fun when coming into the world of snus is trying out all the flavors available and forming your own rotation, or mix, of products that you’ll use throughout the day. This is something that comes in time if you’re new, as you explore new tastes, and develop a sense of what you like and enjoy most. So, grab a chair, open a can, and let’s check out some of these flavor categories and profiles!

 

 

I didn’t feel like there were enough products for these to warrant their own, individual categories, so I grouped the “drinkable” flavors into one category. But essentially you could say this is “Cola and Whisky” flavors because those are really the only beverage type flavors that are out there. Well, there is one coffee snus on the market, but that seems to be really the only major difference. Let me tell you some of my suggestions to try out!

Islay Whisky Snus - This is my favorite of the whisky snus flavors, but mainly because of the tobacco taste. It does have a nice whisky taste to it, but it has a beautiful, rich, earthy tobacco base that is quite enjoyable.

Mackmyra Whisky Snus - I think this one has more whisky taste than Islay, so it’s the one I recommend for those who are looking for more whisky in the flavor profile. The tobacco base is dark, has some tar to it, and tastes quite nice.

Jakobsson’s Cola Snus - The cola flavor is one that has been around for a bit now, and this is one that I personally use in my rotation. I prefer the slim white portion version, personally. It is a bit on the sweeter side, so be prepared for that if you want to try this one out!

Olde Ving 99 Coffee Snus - I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I know a lot of people are. This is really the only authentic coffee snus on the market. There are some mini/dry ones in the Al Capone series, but this is really the only one I’d recommend if you like tobacco and coffee.

These are some that I would suggest checking out if you’re new to snus, but of the four I’d say Islay Whisky Snus would be my top suggestion from this category.

 

 

The fruity and berry flavor is certainly one that has grown a lot since I started snus back in the day. When I first started, Göteborgs Rapé Lingon was really the only one on the market that had a fruity flavor. Now, there are so many more flavors of fruit and berry out there. Of the ones out there, I definitely have a few favorites that I’d recommend!

Lingonberry Flavor - Göteborgs Rapé Lingon

If you like a more muted, simple berry taste, you definitely want to check out Göteborgs Rapé Lingon. It’s one I remember being on my earliest orders back in the day, and is one I still use from time to time now. It has a nice, simple berry taste with a simple tobacco base.

Melon Flavor - Kapten Melon

Melon is a more common flavor, with Jakobsson’s, Kapten, and Oden’s having this taste in their catalog. But for me, the most enjoyable variety of this flavor category is Kapten Melon. It’s a simple honeydew/canteloupe flavor, and isn’t too sweet, which I find to be nice and refreshing.

Red Berry Flavor - Vårgårda Bär Stark

The Red Berry flavor category has grown a lot the past several years, with flavors in the Knox, One, Lundgren’s, and Vårgårda series. But to me, the best one is Vårgårda Bär. It has a beautiful tobacco base, but also a simple, not super sweet berry flavor as well. This is one you can use all the time if you like a nice, well balanced flavor!

If I had to suggest just one, however, it would be GR Lingon. That is truly one of the tastiest snus products out there.

 

 

The juniper flavor category is one that goes back over a hundred years, and is still one of the most popular flavor categories on the market. To me, it’s surprising that not many companies make this. You’ll really only find it in a major way by Swedish Match, but it’s also around in Skruf’s Knox series. I’m not a fan of that one, but I do like the new take on it in the Vårgårda series. Göteborgs Rapé by Swedish Match is really the industry standard for juniper. You can get in a variety of formats, but I like the white portion format more because I think it’s more balanced that way. The new Vårgårda Skog is no slouch, however, and has a nice mix of juniper and outdoorsy flavors. I have been mixing it more into my rotation over the past few months.

 

 

The licorice flavor is an interesting one. As an American, the black licorice flavor isn’t one that is super popular here. It’s more of a niche flavor, I’ve noticed. However, in Scandinavia it’s super popular. I honestly didn’t get into this taste until I started using Swedish Snus. Now, I find it to be a nice flavor I mix into my rotation from time to time. I also enjoying eating black licorice now, so I can thank snus for that. I do have a few favorite products with this flavor.

Catch Licorice White Snus - This is one that I first tried back when I got into snus, and is one I still use from time to time today. It has a nice, mild black licorice taste, and a simple, earthy tobacco base. It’s a really well balanced flavor.

Kapten Salmiak White Snus - I’m a big fan of Kapten because I like how plump and soft the portion are. This one has the taste of salmiak, which is a saltier licorice flavor. It’s very well balanced, however, and a nice all day snus.

LD Salmiak Original Snus - LD Salmiak is one that I’ve used for many years. I’ve always enjoyed the salty black licorice flavor this one has, and the nice tobacco base that LD has in their snus.

Of the three, if I had to choose one to recommend though, it would be Catch Licorice. That one is perfection!

 

 

Now, we get into the mint flavor. This is, without a doubt, the most popular flavor of snus on the market. When I first started snus in 2009, there weren't a lot of these. Now, there are more mint snus products that anything else. It is the most popular category, and one that only grows year after year. In the mint category, there are a few main flavor categories within it. I’ll break these down, and tell you some flavors I like in each category.

Peppermint Flavors

Peppermint is a more mild mint, and usually not a super sweet one, at that. It is the most popular mint category.

General Mint Snus - This is without a doubt the most popular mint product on the market. It is on the sweeter side, but is one that people really seem to stick with when they start with snus.

Kapten Mint Snus - I prefer this one myself, because it’s not as sweet. I like the pouch size more, and how well balanced this snus is.

Spearmint Flavors

I’m more of a spearmint fan myself, because I like the mild, fresh, sweet taste you get with it. There aren't a lot of spearmint products on the market, but there are a few I enjoy. Oden’s Cold Extra Stark Snus - The Oden’s Cold series is super popular, but I don’t use a lot of the crazy strong stuff so I suggest this one more, the extra stark version. It has a nice, sweet taste of spearmint, but an enjoyable tobacco base, as well.

Offroad Frosted Snus - I like the original portion and white portion version of this one. This is a snus I’ve enjoyed since it first launched way back in the day, and I find it to be a perfectly balanced flavor of spearmint and tobacco.

Mint Blend Flavors

This is the more minor category, but I bring it up because some mint taste don’t fit the other holes. Mint Blend is a category that usually mixes a few flavors, such as mint and menthol.

Jakobsson’s Mint Snus - This one has always been a popular one. It is on the sweeter side, but the mix of peppermint and menthol in this one along with a slight herbal touch makes it very unique.

There are a lot more mint flavors than this out there, but these are the main ones that I personally enjoy. Of this list, if I had to suggest only one product, it would be Offroad Frosted. I’ve used that one since my earliest days of snus and find it to be a perfectly balanced flavor.

 

 

I’m a big fan of the outdoors. I like to fish, canoe, camp, and generally spend time outdoors any chance I can get. There are a lot of great flavors that really capture those outdoor elements that I enjoy when I’m outdoors. Mostly you’ll find these in the Lundgren’s series, but there are some more outdoorsy type flavors made by others. Here’s some of my favorites:

Lundgren's Norrland White Portion Snus - Of this category, this one is probably my favorite. If you spend a lot of time in the woods, you’ll definitely pick up the essence of spruce and pine in this one. It’s a really great tasting one.

Lundgren's Skane White Portion Snus - This one could have gone in the berry category because it has a forest berry taste to it, but I put it in this one because it has a really natural, outdoorsy taste along with that berry flavor. It’s quite tasty, and very popular.

Lundgren's Vastkusten White Portion Snus - If you like spending time on the water, you’ll quickly recognize the salty sea air presence with this one, along with the herbal notes that remind me of the coast. Anytime I’m on the water in the summer, I always take this one with me.

The Lab 02 or The Lab 06 Original Portion Snus - This one is more tobacco centric, but it has a lot of notes that make me think of the outdoors such as wood, nuts, and green herbs. I’ve used Lab 06 ever since it first launched, but I will use the 02 Strong version when I want something less strong.

Jakobsson's Wintergreen White Slim Snus - Honestly, this one could go in the mint category because a lot of people find wintergreen to be kinda minty. But, when I think of wintergreen, I think of being in the woods. When I’m outdoors, I always have a can of this one with me. It’s on the sweeter side, but not too sweet!

If you are like me and love the outdoors, honestly all of these are ones you’ll want to check out and have with you when you’re enjoying the fresh air!

 

 

It’s interesting that I mention this as a category. While all snus products contain tobacco, there are a handful that really focus in on that natural essence of the tobacco flavor. Surprisingly, there aren’t a lot of them, and honestly they’re all good. But I have a few favorites that I always keep in my personal rotation.

Artisan Signature Blend Original Portion Snus - Even though I developed this flavor, I’d still love it if it wasn’t one of my own. This is the only snus on the market today that has no added flavor. If you want to get close to tobacco, this is one you’ll want to enjoy,.

Grov Stark Portion Snus - This one has a rich, dark tobacco taste along with a subtle hint of geranium. It’s a really well balanced snus, and one you can use day in and day out and not get tired of.

You really can’t go wrong with either of these.

 

 

The traditional flavor is, in essence, the classic flavor of snus. Going back to General Snus which introduced the bergamot to tobacco, this is one that most companies seem to have in their flavor category. There are a lot of them out there, but to me there are four traditional snus products that I enjoy. Ranking them from top to bottom, General, LD, Skruf, and Kapten. Kapten is bad, so it’s not “bottom”, but it’s the bottom of this ranking.

General Snus - The original Swedish Snus when you look at the bergamot flavor. This one is, in a sense, perfect. There are many formats you can enjoy this in, but I like the white portion versions the most. I think they’re more balanced.

LD Snus - This is a more budget snus, but I’ve always found it to be incredibly tasty. I like the mix of bergamot to tobacco in their recipe. Their LD Stark Original Portion is my favorite of this one.

Skruf Snus - Skruf makes a traditional snus that is slightly different from others on the market, because they add a little rose oil to their recipe. It’s something that makes Skruf stand out from others, as it has a slight floral sweetness to it. I like their Xtra Stark Original Portion most, and think it’s the best representation of their flavor.

Kapten Snus - This is another one that is a ‘budget’ snus. But, it has a nice, rich flavor to it. The bergamot flavor of this one is accentuated by herbs, a slight floral note, and a tasty tobacco base.

Of all of these though, General is the standard bearer. I’d suggest starting with General White, because it’s truly the most well balanced presentation of this flavor profile.

The Bottom Line

And there you have it, a deep dive into the flavor categories of Swedish Snus! If I had to go through these all, and make out a list of one product from each flavor category I’d suggest you adding to your next order, it would be this

 


8 products there, but it’s a great way to try out a mix of the different flavors on the snus market!  From there, you can branch out and try out other products, other flavors, other strengths, and other portion formats. In time, you’ll develop a rotation that you love and keep with you on a daily basis!