So... where the hell have you been?

I'm glad you asked... well, it's been more than a year since my last snus order... so I haven't had anything new to say about snus.  I've been quietly choking to death on General portions... because I refuse to order from Sweden for $3.50+ per can when I can buy domestically for $1 or less (even if I'm not a fan of the taste).  That said, the dreaded Speedway General Snus Sale of 2014 is finally over.  Today the price jumped from $1.99 (with a $1 off your next can coupon), to $4.49 (two cans had coupons, two didn't). So... I'm super excited to be pulling the trigger on some yummy loose snus again.  Just so happens that buysnus has got a special on brands I love (Ettan & Roda Lacket)... so that's where my money's going... and I may snag a can or two of something else, assuming I find something else interesting.  I'm mainly surfacing again for Kardus hype (yes, it's that season... and I haven't heard no yet... maybe this is the year it comes back?).   We shall see... (fingers crossed and stuff).

NEWS: Snus on Sale

So I disappeared off the face of the earth (again), and you can thank Speedway stores (and General) for that.  Now you know General isn't my favorite...  but sometimes my miserliness wins in the battle of taste... yeah, my gums may taste like Earl Grey tea, but I'm saving so much money!!! 

Anyway they've had General on sale for $2.00 off, and General's been throwing $1.50 off coupons in almost every can...  this equates to snus in the neighborhood of $0.79 per can.... less than a fucking dollar for a can of snus.  Speedway is the largest convenience store chain in my area (Cols, OH), pretty sure they're in Michigan too. Anyway, I thought the sale would be brief, I thought I'd be ordering from Sweden again soon... but I just realized today that this has been going on for months... and I better pass on the info (just in case you can take advantage of it too).  My advice, if you're going for General domestically, beware of the rectangle cans.  They contain sickeningly sweet American-style "snus"... now I'm sure they're better quality, but the taste is just as bad (in my book).  Luckily they also offer original and white portions (in the round cans) and this is the real deal... at one hell of a deal.  I'll probably continue to lay low for as long as this lasts, 'cause honestly, I don't have anything to say about General that I haven't already.  

'til next time.... happy snusing!

REVIEW: What's next?

So, with the announcement that no Kardus will appear this year... well it kinda leaves me at a loss for upcoming products to review.  There have been plenty of new flavors floating around, but none that strike my fancy... so it will likely mean a lull in reviews (pending the announcement of a predominately tobacco flavored tobacco).  That said, I did promise a "los-off" (of RL, GB Prima Fint, and Ettan), and I have ordered accordingly, and will be cutting as soon as they land.  If a surprise flavor lands in my order, I'll review it too (even if it's the mint/koolaid stuff).  I'll also work towards a few more "TASTE" pairings in the near future.

NEWS: Kardus Follow Up

*sigh* So, it's confirmed from an irrefutable source....  Direct from Swedish Match:

"Hi.
Thank you for contacting us.
Swedish Match will not bear any Kardus this year.
Sincerely
Consumer Contact / Sara"

BAD NEWS: Kardus Superior Blend 2013

Well guys, I have it from a very reliable source that Swedish Match will not be producing a Kardus Superior Blend for 2013.  That's right... no Kardus this year (hence the sad cat). It's honestly not that surprising as expensive as it's become--over $7/g gram BEFORE shipping cost... sadly much of that cost is in packaging (another reason I think it fails to take off)--note my comments on cost being the reason for this year's lack of yumminess is just speculation, but I'm willing to bet it's pretty accurate.

Anyway, if you've been following my blog, you know I'm a hopeless fanboy of the old Kardus Premium Blend (may it rest in peace)...  and always look forward to the annual release of the Superior blend...  if for no other reason than to have something that vaguely resembles my first snus-love... and for that, I'm willing to pay virtually any price (and pay through the teeth for a silly box) in order to treat myself once a year.  That said, I really wish Swedish Match would revisit the Kardus Premium Blend (an everyday top shelf snus in reasonable packaging)... which I think would do well at as much as 2x the cost of other "premium" brands like General, Skruf etc. But keep reading, as it doesn't sound like that's going to happen anytime soon...

My source did add a bit of sweet to offset this bitter news... and that's to expect something special/exciting from Swedish Match early 2014.  No idea what it will be, aside from knowing it won't be part of the Kardus lineup.

I feel a little special (and not the typical short-bus special), because to my knowledge, I'm the first to report any info on the topic.  Does this mean Snustastings is now a legitimate Snus News resource?  Um... I wouldn't count on it folks *grins*  EDIT, scratch that... I hear Chad over at Snubie beat me to this with a video last night (I missed it).  I'm more than happy to leave the "firsts" to the professionals *grins* Now I can just go back to being my usual short-bus special!

'Til next time...  Happy Snusing!!!

NEWS: Ermahgerd!!! The return of "free cans"

So I got an order in yesterday (almost 3 months to the date, damn I'm good at predicting these things, huh?) AND as the title implies, I got an awesome surprise....  2 free/sample/surprise/gift cans of Oden's Creamy Wintergreen Extreme.  Now, I re-gifted them (immediately)...  you know how I feel about mint/sweet snus--so don't expect me to review them (read: pick 'em apart).  That said... it's been YEARS since I've had a surprise variety show up in with my snus order and I couldn't be more happy about it (even if it's only to give them away).   For what it's worth, they did go to a good home...  I have a buddy in the office that does Grizzly Wintergreen (and has been flirting with switching to snus)... so I'm sure he'll find it a very nice change of pace.  In keeping with my "mission" (not being a tool for tobacco or tobacco distributors)... I'm not going to say which snus shop made my day... BUT if you read between the lines (hint: in my order was a a roll of General Licorice Classic that I only paid for 7 cans of) you'll know which I typically use *grins*

Well... just wanted to share some pleasant news (and keep some momentum going with my posts).

'Til next time....  HAPPY SNUSING!!!

REVIEW: NEW Thunder Ultra Brandy Alexander

As predicted, I've been woefully busy (with moving, busy season at work... uh... life).  So this is coming much later than intended...  BUT I'm making time for it because I know it's important to other members in the snus community.  So you know flavors aren't my thing when it comes to snus...  this one isn't going to have me eating my words... but, it's definitely one I can appreciate, and will even add to my ordering rotation from time to time.  So without further adieu, here comes the long-promised Brandy Alexander Review.

Appearance: 8/10 WOW, that's a loud can.  One thing the image won't show is the fact that the label is mirrored, and almost appears chrome.  That, and the smaller catch lid are the only points I'm docking here... because otherwise, it's pretty bad ass.  Black can, silver/shiny label (loud or not, it's well done)... and typical "THUNDER" in edgy fonts.  All in all, far from the worst looking snus can on the market.
Aroma: 9/10 OH so sweet, OH so potent!  It smells of brandy (alcohol), chocolate, tobacco... lots of non traditional snus smells here, and the fact that a purist like me isn't ripping it apart for such speaks volumes on how I feel about it (er... for the idiots out there, that means I like it).
Mouth Feel: 9/10 Hey, it's an original portion... meaning it's moist, and comfortable. Material is nice... just the right amount of slack.
Flavor: 10/10  Okay, a 10/10 on a flavored snus... setting my bias aside, this one is done very well.  Much like the smell...  chocolate and brandy-wine are right up front.  It's got a nice creamy note to it, and (I can't believe I'm saying this) a pleasant sweetness--and I HATE sweet snus.  That said... in this instance it works, in fact it needs it.  There are also wafts of vanilla happening, some caramel... you know, for all my gourmet-ing (and boozing), I've never had a Brandy Alexander... but from what I've read, this sounds like a fair (if not spot on) representation.
Nic Hit: 6.5/10 This is the only "needs improvement" category for this snus... not that it's lacking in nicotine (much the opposite)... OMFG is it strong!  So much so, that I find myself capped at 20-30 min with ONE portion.  This is a high octane snus that hits hard out of the gate, and honestly in my one can I wasn't able to keep one in long enough to see if/when the nicotine hit starts to fade.
Drip: 8/10 For as moist as this snus is (and it's way up there), I didn't have much issue with drip.  That might be due to the fact that I could only keep them in for a short time (when I'm often 1hr+ with other snuses).
Overall: 9/10 I'm rounding this one up to minimize the subjective factor. In all fairness, this is a well done flavored snus, that is very unique (i.e. not mint or fruit).  Honestly, I like it.  I would like it more as a candy (think Werther's Originals)... but it's a great way to change up the snus routine for me, and I could see it being a regular for many.

Since this flavor has come and gone in the past, I'd encourage you to order it, as I'm sure sales will be the deciding factor on whether or not it's here in the future--and honestly, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if this one stuck around.  So.... go buy some!

 'Til next time... happy snusing!!!