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I regularly read about requests by beginners who would like to get some proposals, which snuff they should start with. And I definitely can remember the time I began to snuff. The amount of offers by local stores was poor and the amount of offers online was absolutely confusing.
What do you guys think about setting up a guide for beginners. I thought about something similar to a wine guide. We could recommend snuffs according to some categories like mentholated, scented and pure.
Anyone willing to help me? -
Sure, sounds like fun to me. I'd start with the coarse, moist, unflavored, medium-nicotine type like Dingler Taxi Blue, Samuel Gawith Blue Crest or McCombie, something like that. One of the first "serious" snuffs I enjoyed was F&T's Morlaix, which has a nice texture and, though flavore, isn't nearly as strongly perfumed as some others from that brand. Of course, if someone is interested in snuff as a stop-smoking aid, my suggestions would be different.
One thing a lot of beginners do is to order a lot of different flavors from Wilson's, as they offer assortment packages and make an astounding array of flavors. I don't personally think that's a good idea, because Wilson's is mostly all the same stuff, just with different flavorings. One could be led into thinking that snuff is about the flavorings, rather than the tobacco, grind, and moisture content most suited to one's preferences. I was caught in that rut myself for a while and regret having wasted the time. Gawith's wide variety of styles was a great eye-opener for me-- there's every grind and moisture level imaginable.
These are just some initial thoughts.
Andy -
Good to see you like the idea. Lets try to work it out. I anybody else wants to join, feel free to do so.
Of course, if someone is interested in snuff as a stop-smoking aid, my suggestions would be different.
Well, I would not recommend taking snuff as a substitute for smoking. I am more into pleasure, than fighting addiction. I understand your point anyway.
Let me do a rough sketch:
1. Step: Get to know the basics
To get to know what snuff is about, we recommend slightly flavoured or unflavoured types. The basis of a snuff is the tobacco used.
Snuffs:
Blue Crest by Samual Gawith
High Dry Toast by Fribourg & Treyer
Irish "D" Light by Samuel Gawith
Irish "D" Original by Samuel Gawith
Kendal Brown by Gawith Hoggarth
Kendal Brown by Samuel Gawith
Latakia A0 1860 by De Kralingse
McCombie by Samual Gawith
Taxi Blue by Dingler
2. Step: Try some flavours
If you think your nose is ready for some experiments, you may enter the world of flavourings. They come in very different types, so that you need to find your favourite taste.
Snuffs:
A/P by De Kralingse
Dr. Verey's Medicated by Samuel Gawith
Morlaix by Fribourg & Treyer
Old Paris by Fribourg & Treyer
Original & Genuine by Mc Chrystal's
Princes by Fribourg & Treyer
3. Step: Extraordinary ones
This category includes snuffs from both ends: high quality snuffs and weird ones.
Snuffs:
Everybody: Please feel free to criticise, change or add as much as you want to. This is just a sketch and I am happy about any contributions. -
Does anybody wants to add his favourite snuff here? Or maybe a snuff on this list shouldn't be recommended?
I want to make this a PDF with some additional information. -
This is a Wonderful Idea. As I consider myself a neophite, in the snuff world. I don't think I could offer much but I'll comment where I can.
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Aloha folks,
Personally, I much prefer mentholated snuffs to the plain varieties. I also tend to prefer them to the flavored, but un-mentholated varieties. I think that, to me, I don't really feel like I am taking snuff unless it comes with the jet-fuel blast of menthol freshness. This isn't to say that I don't enjoy the other varieties, I just tend to carry the mentholated ones around with me, and use the others mostly at home, or occasionaly at work. Recently I have taken to using McChrystals Original and Genuine almost to the exclusion of all others. I'm sure that to a certain extent this is a phase that will fade a bit with time, but I don't think I will ever stop liking this snuff, it just has a certain "magic" quality. I also really enjoy the McChrystals HIghland Ice very, very much. This is also a mentholated snuff, but it has a different flavor than the OG. Unfortunately, it enjoys only limited availability here in the States. You can get the small 3g tins from Mars, and snuff.me.uk sells it in the 8g plastic boxes, so that is where I am obtaining my supply currently.
I would also echo Andy's comments about Wilson's. They all have a trait in common, and once you've tried about ten of their flavors, you begin to have a sense of "been there, done that". I've stopped buying them, as I don't really care too much for them overall, although I do enjoy their High Dry Toast no. 22. I haven't had the F&T HDT, so I can't comment on that one, but I'm sure it's high quality, as all the F&T snuffs seem to be.
For beginners, I think sampling a range of snuffs is valuable, but I know for my tastes, if all I had tried at first were unflavored snuffs, I would have quickly bored of the hobby. I would include a few mentholated varieties, and some strongly flavored ones, both the perfumy kind, and the more basic flavors. Also, for the list I would recommend that snuffs are listed that are widely available most places, or list alternates for certain flavors that may be easier to get in certain parts of the world.
A bit off-topic: I wish that De Kralingse would develop some new flavors. I love the idea of the company, and have nothing but the greatest respect for their dedication to traditional methods and recipes, but I think they have a lot of unfulfilled potential. For instance, I don't really care too much for the Latakia they use (I'm pretty sure) in all their tobacco snuffs. I think they should experiment with some other tobaccos, grinds and moisture contents, if they can. I know I would try everything they offer (I have, except for the A/P, since I can't seem to find it anywhere but directly from them, and I haven't gotten around to ordering any yet). As an aside, I really like their Mentholin, it's different and good at the same time.
Anyway, I like the idea, and I hope my ramblings have some valuable content hidden deep in them... somewhere.
Aloha,
Justin -
I agree about the menthols; they're so popular, and so varied, and so available (relatively!) that they're bound to be among the first any new snuffer will try--if not THE first. I think of snuffs in three main categories: plain, menthol, and scented. I know there's carryover between scented and menthol (and sure, menthol is a scent :) ), but it's really taken to such an extent that it's category all its own-- so many kinds, menthol levels, flavors mixed in, etc.
One must mention Gletscher Prise, as it's so popular and available. It was my first real nonAmerican snuff. I don't like it the way I used to, but it's still OK. Call it a medium menthol, medium grind and moisture. McC's O&G I'd also call a medium menthol, but with camphor and eucalyptus added, fine grind, medium moisture, a bit clumpy. Those two are menthols that everyone must try, in my opinion. Some mention of the other common Poschls would also be good, as well as some mention that Poschl has some of that Wilson's "most of their products are very similar in a quite lot of ways"* effect going on.
G&H CM is a strong menthol with camphor added, fine grind and pretty dry. Wilson SM 500 is a very strong menthol with added eucalyptus, fine grind and not-quite-dry--a bit more moist than most Wilson's, but still similar, but so much "medication" that the typical Wilson qualities seem absent (but the nicotine is there, certainly :D ). The nontobacco Mentholin is just barely menthol, mixed clumpy grind with lactose, coffee and orris root.
Maybe something sort of useful could be organized along the vague lines I vaguely outlined here. :)
*The one Wilson I've had so far that really bucks their general trend of fine, strong, cardboardy snuffs is their Kendal Brown, a floral scented, medium coarse, moist snuff of low nicotine content. One that I thought would be different from their norm--Irish Toast #21--turns out to be the same Wilson's base, but toasted. I understand now why #21 isn't all that popular-- the combination doesn't work terribly well. -
Great Idea Alex.
I think that the concept is great and that we should keep it simple as best we can. (If that is possible with all the variety) Not that variety is bad; as a matter of fact that is what I personally find so enjoyable about snuffing. To be able to go to your snuff case and pick a few different flavours each day is the best.
So, I like the idea of starting with the base aromas first, then start moving into the more exquisite aromas and flavours; to sort of help the beginner learn to distinguish in the subtly of the many different blends that are around.
Then within the different aroma classes we have cut and moisture level variances to chose from.
Oh the Choices we have......
Hope I can help :)
Mo -
I'm thinking that some mention of texture needs to be made somehow. People tend to gravitate towards a certain level of fineness and dryness that suits them. The list in step 1 should probably contain at least one fine-but-not-dusty snuff, like McChrystal SP or the like. (Speaking of which, I'm not sure that recommending the High Toast styles to a beginner is a kind thing to do.)
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I'd have to agree with andy on that. Suggesting a HDT or American style, to a beginner is bordering on Machiavellian to be sure.
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Thanks for all the comments! The McChrystal's O&G is on the list already. The others will be considered.
All right than. I think we should start with the categories and move to the snuffs after that. What about:
Unflavoured and slightly flavoured types
Fine and Dry
Fine and Moist
Coarse and Dry
Coarse and Moist
Flavoured types
Fine and Dry
Fine and Moist
Coarse and Dry
Coarse and Moist
Alternatively, we could start collecting the snuffs and try to categorise them afterwards. -
Textures, flavours, moisture levels and cuts..........and as a side note to each, How about nicotine level?
Mo -
I personally don't care about nicotine, but a lot of people do. So, we should add it, you're right. I would say we should collect the snuffs first and see which categories are needed.
A/P by De Kralingse
Blue Crest by Samual Gawith
Dr. Verey's Medicated by Samuel Gawith
Kendal Brown by Gawith Hoggarth
Kendal Brown by Samuel Gawith
Latakia Ao 1860 by De Kralingse
McCombie by Samual Gawith
Morlaix by Fribourg & Treyer
Old Paris by Fribourg & Treyer
Original & Genuine by Mc Chrystal's
Princes by Fribourg & Treyer
Taxi Blue by Dingler -
Perhaps once we come up with a good list of beginner's snuffs (an example of every major type), then one could set up a file of mini-reviews in something like a "sports card" format-- Name, manufacturer, perhaps a picture of the snuff and its tin, and "stats" about flavor, moisture, grind, burn, and nicotine strength, and then some descriptive notes about the snuff itself.
Andy's Snufftalk site has a "Snuffs of the World" section that incorporates some of this "stats" approach into handy charts. Combine some of that with the "capsule" review style from snuffboxthenasalsnuffclub, add pictures, and voila!
Perhaps it could be set up more for people to "browse" it-- then we wouldn't need to worry about rigid library-style organization and categorization. Just a few simple categories (maybe the three I mentioned before) with a list of links to the "snuff cards" in each category. -
In my opinion this would go one step further. What I thought about was a document to store it local or to it print out. A short overview of snuffs which a beginner might want to try. Your proposal is something I originally thought about. I guess it would end up in a database containing all these things. Interesting, but also quite a lot of work for which I don't got the time, at the moment. In the long run, I would love to integrate such snuff cards.
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A quick sample of this idea:
Menthol:
McChrystal's Original and Genuine
Poschl's Gletscher Prise
Gawith Hoggarth Camphor/Menthol
(each name would be a link to the 'card')
card:
(photo)
Brand: McChrystal's
Name: Original and Genuine
Style: Menthol, with camphor and eucalyptus
Color: Dark brown
Grind: Medium Fine
Moisture: Medium
Texture: Gritty velvet, clumpy
Nicotine: Medium
Burn: Medium
Notes: McChystal's O&G is a highly popular mentholated snuff with a devoted following whose precise blend of flavorings has been a closely guarded secret for over 70 years. As the menthol is mild-to-moderate in strength, the snuff gets some of its refreshing effect from the added camphor and eucalyptus. The combination of three traditional, medicinal flavorings on a base of quality tobacco give this snuff a bit of complexity not often found in medicated snuffs that rely more heavily on the menthol component. The mild menthol and the soft texture make McC's O&G easy on the nose, while the moisture level makes it a snuff that stays in there, even for the novice snuff-taker. -
Actually, we can do so in the category snuff types. This would be very similar to the reviews, right? Still, I also would like to give an overview.
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Here is a first sketch of what I thought of. Any comments (including correcting my English) are welcome!
Edit: The Snuff Beginners Guide can be found at the FAQs. -
Looking good. The Dingler Taxi Regular (Blue) has a double description posted.
I like how you have chosen med. fine to courser snuffs for first tries.
Maybe list the proprietors seperate-hopefully this will encourage browsing their site to see other descriptions and views about snuff and snuff blends.This might also bring out more proprietors (that we do not know of) to ask to be placed on the list.(just a thought)
Under how to take snuff...Alex I really found the description in an earlier post to be quite informing and I liked to wording also. It was the post which begins..
Some hints for beginners
*small portions.........
*Sniff Carefully.........
*Sneezing allowed......
* Different Types.......
Then the description about the several ways to take it... with the pictures also...very helpful.
Okay, hope that helps for now.
Mo -
Hi Mo,
thanks for the feedback. I removed the double description (not online yet). I will also move the shops to the end with some notes on which of the mentioned snuff they carry. I thought a description of the 'how to use snuff' might be too much. But I could include some pictures and the four points you mentioned.
So far,
Alex -
Alex, probably a good idea to mention that unlike smokes or chew, most snuff users generally use several-many different kinds of snuff.
Some mornings might start with a gentle French Carotte by Wilsons, to be followed with a second cup of coffe and a hearty blast from F&T's Princes. One of the pleasures of snuff for me is looking over my current favorite 5-6 kinds and deciding which one to use next. Sometimes I can't quite figure it out, but other times I seem to choose just the right one and just the right amount of it. -
True! I will also add this to the guide. Making a choice isn't always easy, you're right. :-) Thanks for the hint.
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Updated. (see this comment)
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Looks GOOD Alex. I work with a lady who has a son and husaband that dip and chew, and has become interested in snuff for them. So, I have helped her to make a selection of 'Firsts' for them to try and would like to include this guide for them to recieve with the snuff. Maybe to see from a beginners point of view as to how handy it is?
Oh, and which snuffs where chosen?
McChrystals-O&G and S.P.
Poschl-Gletscherprise and Gawith Apricot
Bespoke-Gin&Tonic
De Kralingse-Latakia Ao 1860 and Latakia Orange -
A real life test would be great. I uploaded the revised version (Setting up a Beginner's Guide? # 18). Thank you, Mo.
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Again a newer version with hints to prevent the snuff hitting the throat (Setting up a Beginner's Guide? # 18).
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Any further comments? If not, I would publish it here at Snuffhouse for downloading.
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Alex, the two gentlemen that I wrote of in comment #24 have recieved their snuff and are now official Snuff enthusiast! The Guide was a great success and both had a great time enjoying their new found passion. The only mention that was made about the guide was that an illustrative portion to go along with the instruction on taking it,would be most helpful. I know that there is a posted link there, but with no computer at hand, it was said that it could be useful.
Mo -
All right, I added some pictures (Setting up a Beginner's Guide? # 18). I am glad it helped.
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LOOKS GOOD TO ME! It would make me wanna take a pinch. ;)