Comparison Review of Viking Scotch Dark, Viking Dark Rappee, WoS Brunswick Black Rapee

I will keep this as brief as possible. I have had the two Viking snuffs (henceforth VSD and VDR) in my indoors rotation for a few weeks now, whereas the WoS (BBR) only came yesterday (ordered directly from WoS). VSD and VDR are very similar in grind, both are mid-coarse, along with some larger bits and pieces. Ditto in terms of moisture, which is high for both. I don’t get much scent right away from VSD, I suspect because I have difficulty detecting earthy scents. That’s why certain earthy Cuban cigars (e.g. Bolivar Gold Medal and Partagas Serie D Especial, as a reference for those who are familiar) don’t register prominently on my palate. VDR has an extra, dank and vegetal, quality that I very much appreciate. Both snuffs have a solid whack of nicotine and provoke a front drip like Niagara Falls. BBR is very similar in grind and moisture level. However, the scent is much more prominent, with a distinctive and delightful roasted quality, akin to that of coffee beans. The nicotine level is much milder, to the point I can stack a few bumps in each nostril. As a consequence I don’t find myself quite as awash in nose juice. Any thoughts or comments would be most welcome. Apologies if this is a ramble, or a tedious wall of text.   

I haven’t tried WoS BBR in a long time so I forget what it’s like. The other two are really good snuffs, the scotch dark being my favorite of the two.

Viking Dark (the old recipe) was a good snuff also. I think it’s Samuel Gawiths Silky Dark now.

Thor’s Hammer and Viking Brown are both amazing also. 

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Thank you, Hyperion, for reviewing these wonderful snuffs. They are really great. 

My all time feavourite is the  Sam Gawith Silky Dark because it smells so wonderfully burnt, but I enjoy the Brunswick Black Rappee also. 

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I’ve tried them all. They’re all very similar to my nose. The only Black Rappee I have ever liked was the old SG version, which was in a class of its own. This was because it was brined in salt water and stored in an oak barrel for a year. No other maker goes to the trouble of aging for that long.

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SG’s London Brown was my GOAT Rappee; which since it was discontinued has lead me on a merry dance around the above offerings - Viking Dark isn’t quite the same to my palate, but it isn’t that far off either, WoS BBR is likewise very respectable for a dark Rappee I reckon. The Artisan Snuff range rappee’s are all suprisingly good too

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I’ve recently started rehab on my giant tubs of Viking Brown, Santo Domingo, and London Brown. I added salted distilled water, stirred in well, let sit in the large plastic tubs for a few days. The results were pretty damn good! Almost as good as Black Rappee from SG. I wonder if they will ever re-introduce it.

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