Snuff Reviews

Perlesreuter is my second favorite schmalsler and the one I use all day. Nice light molasses scent. Easy on the nose. The only thing that keeps it from being perfect is the lack of nicotine, but that is true of all schmalslers. I solve that by following it with a pinch of American Scotch, that way I have the lovely scent of Perlesreuter in my nose and plenty of nicotine to keep me going.

This was my first Schmalsler and I had no idea what to expect. When I snuffed it I thought "The scent is so familiar." Then it struck me. MAPLE! just like maple syrup, not the fake stuff, but genuine maple syrup. One drawback of this snuff is that it is so good you can stuff the contents of that tiny 10 gram tap box up your nose in one day if you don't control yourself. Still my favorite schmalsler.

Alcoholic flavourings, whether brandy, whiskey, wine or port seem all to work well with snuffs. In the case of Rumba the flavouring is most distinctly rum, as one would guess from the name. While my preferences for an all day snuff generally lean towards the plainer end of the snuff spectrum, this is one that could well take its place in the daily line up on occasion. The rum flavouring, while strong enough, is not so strong as to overwhelm tobacco. Always a plus point with me. The tobacco base is good, of medium grind, moisture and colour and carried that flavouring very well, though the scent doesn't linger too long in the nose, rapidly requiring a top up. Such hardship!

While it is clear from the packaging and overall style of Tranter's snuffs that they are made for them by Wilson's of Sharrow, like many other snuffs in the Tranter's range Otto de Rose is not just Rose of Sharrow with a different label. Yes, in both instances the scent is rose and reasonably strong with it but there the similarities end. In Otto de Rose the scent is more subtle than in Rose of Sharrow, in colour it is darker and it is definitely moister (and possibly those two factors are linked of course). I find Otto de Rose to be less sneezy and to have less of a burn than Rose of Sharrow without it being in any way less satisfying and enjoyable. While I wouldn't want to use either as an all day snuff (I prefer something rather plainer in that role) I can well imagine than many would find Otto Rose ideal for constant use. A solid 4 stars from me.

Snuff Store lists the flavouring ingredients of this snuff as floral, rose, violet, lavender, camphorwood, cedarwood and more. Yes, there may be more and I struggle to isolate all those flavours in my nose though that would be a rather futile exercise as the aim of the game is to enjoy the overall effect. That isn't a problem with Golden Pinch as the overall effect really is very enjoyable, if somewhat decadent. Not a bad thing. Given the name it will be no surprise to hear that the scent of Golden Pinch has a similarity to Smith's Golden Cardinal and Samuel Gawith's Bouquet, though the grind is coarser than the latter and the moisture level is lower than the former and the flavouring of Golden Pinch is more subtle than either of them. Suffice to say that I thoroughly enjoy all three.

This is possibly one of the best rose scented snuffs on the market today. Like the other Snuff Store blends I have tried, the flavouring is subtle and the excellent base tobacco is allowed to shine through. My recent odyssey through the various rose scented snuffs would not have been complete without trying this one. It is darker than most and the grind is on the moist side of medium making a it breeze to take. Although subtle the flavour lingers nicely and just screams out for a repeat application.

Until Snuff Store recently started stocking this snuff I admit I had never heard of it. Definitely my loss!

From Snuff Store:

"Riley's B.M. Snuff is traditionally known as the 'loose snuff' in the McChrystal's range, originally sold over the counter from a jar, weighed out and then transferred into a paper packet that was marked Riley's B.M. Snuff."

I guess that accounts for my unfamiliarity.

It is very similar to Original & Genuine, being a medicated snuff with a significant camphor component, having the same medium grind, the same mid-brown colour and the same middling level of moisture. In terms of flavouring there is little to choose between them. I may or may not be imagining that I think there may be a touch more eucalyptus in the Riley's, and that is working from a side by side (nostril by nostril) sampling.

Whether Riley's and O&G are the same or merely very similar is actually not particularly important - it's a very tasty snuff and one which I will be happy to keep on hand.

I love this snuff when I'm in the mood for it, but it's only every so often that I am in the mood for it. It's simply too potent for me to take very often, as the clove scent to it is mindblowingly strong. But, for those times I crave it, this hits the spot perfectly. It has a very strong, long lasting clove scent to it. A touch on the dry side, and relatively finely ground, it's a solid snuff, but simply not one I want all the time.

A coarse, moist schmalzler, this one is fairly easy to take. Rarely hits the back of my throat. Smells very nice, it's fruity and sweet with no menthol. I dock one star just because it makes my nose run to the point that I simply must blow it sooner than I'd like. Other than that, it's one of my favourite schmalzlers.

As with many other Toque snuffs, I find the flavouring in Rose to be somewhat muted and subtle compared with other rose scented snuffs from other manufacturers. I have no doubt this is mostly due to Toque's insistence that only natural flavourings should be used and I believe this to be a good thing, even if it does result in some flavours being difficult to capture and fast to dissipate. This snuff appears to have the usual Toque base tobacco, medium-fine and medium-moist with mid brown colouring. Others have suggested that the scent in Toque Rose to be stronger than in Wilson's Rose of Sharrow, but I find the opposite to be the case. Maybe my nose is getting jaded - a worrying thought! I also find Toque Rose to be smoother than many other rose scented snuffs. Definitely very nice indeed and to be repeated.

Another excellent snuff, part of my exploration of rose scented snuffs. Rose of Sharrow is a lightish brown and is on the fine side of medium yet is moist enough to make for easy snuffing. The effect is smooth and satisfying, with a good depth of rose flavouring on an excellent tobacco base. As the rose fades in the nose the tobacco comes though very nicely and yet even long after taking a pinch I get delightful reprises of the rose scent. I feel Rose of Sharrow has a slight edge over Gawith Hoggarth's English Rose and Toque Rose but there really isn't a lot in it. Definitely a keeper.

The two stars for the packaging are for the less than airtight 5g tin, not the contents!

Of late I have been investigating as many of the rose scented snuffs I can lay my hands on, mainly because I have tended to neglect them in the past. It has been an interesting journey as rose scented snuffs come in many different styles, dry to moist and fine to coarse. Gawith Hoggarth's English Rose is one of the moister, coarser ones though the grind is nearer medium than coarse. The colour is a rich, medium-dark brown (though not as dark as Snuff Store's excellent Attar of Roses) and the scent is perfect. I do find this easier on the nose than some Gawith Hoggarth snuffs and I suspect even this one would prove tricky if allowed to dry out. Fortunately the snuff is tasty enough that it is unlikely to last long enough to dry out on me!

Another fine snuff I've got myself into! Just like Gawith Hoggarth's plain Kendal Brown, Scented Kendal Brown is moist, fairly coarse and a rich dark brown, not to mention very tasty indeed. I had expected it to have a much stronger or different flavour, possibly something floral, but no, it just has a somewhat stronger version of the usual orange/citrus flavouring on an excellent tobacco base. It's easy to take and a suitably satisfying in the nicotine department. This one should be in every snuffers "to try" list. In fact I am surprised it doesn't get more attention, given the clear quality of the snuff. A full five stars all the way.

I have only marked this one down due to the tap box I bought it in (they aren't much good for keeping snuff moist). The plastic tubs would warrant five stars for packaging.

The standard Toque grind and base tobacco are used here, it seems. Similar moistness to the other fruity Toques, so it's not quite medium moist, but almost. The raspberry smell is nice, but there's something about it that just doesn't seem quite right. I've noticed it before in Toque Pomegranate, and it's here again. It's not bad enough to ruin the snuff for me, but it is a quirk that disrupts my enjoying this one as much as I would like to.

This snuff smells almost exactly like Copenhagen moist snuff to me, which is a good thing. It also reminds me of American Scotches, at least flavourwise. Very moist and coarse, seems as dark as Dholakia Black to me. Delicious smell, and easy to take big bumps of it. Also probably has the most nicotine from an F&T snuff. On the downside, it makes my nose run like nothing else. Within 10-20 seconds I need to blow my nose.

Toque's take on Kendal Brown it seems, and a very good take it is. Mostly dark tobacco, although there are some spots of much lighter tobacco mixed in. Neither too dry, nor exactly moist, this one is ground more coarsely than the majority of Toque's offerings. Solid tobacco scent with citrus makes it a delicious snuff, and it's quite easy to take.

This one reminds me more of Pariser Nº 2 than anything else. Coarse grind, a bit dry, and it smells very herbal to me. Burns a fair bit, and clogs me up, however. Not a bad snuff, but I find I prefer Bernards schmalzlers to their other varieties.

Somewhat finely ground for a Toque snuff, this one is also a little on the dry side. The base tobacco shines through, along with fudge and honey scents that show up. The tobacco scent is the main attraction here, with any other scents riding along in the background. Nice smell, and works well just about all day long.

I love this stuff. It smells like you've got a cup of earl grey tea up your nose, and the nicotine in it is huge for a snuff. My biggest complaint is with the tin. I've only seen it sold in the smallest size tin McChrystal's makes, which is a shame. Taste great, medium grind, but a bit more dry then most SPs I've had.

Peanut Butter has a similar grind to most Toque snuffs, but seems a little more moist to me. Manages to have a potent peanut butter taste to it without being to overpowering. The scent also hangs around with you for a while after taking the pinch, which is always nice. Nicotine is also around normal for Toque snuffs, which will likely satisfy those who only snuff, but doesn't do very much for me. Still, I mostly take this one for the delicious flavour.