Anyone else find that if a tin smells of amonia, even just a little, the taste is muted to a great degree?

I’ve only experienced this with Taxi Red, but I’ve never put the snuff in my mouth so can’t say if it affects the taste or not. I find the ammonia pleasant in a fresh can of Taxi Red. It’s a sign of freshness! What snuff are you talking about in particular @nosemboss ?

By taste of course I ment when its taken. I’ve noticed this with those subtly perfumed snuffs, Recently opened FoJ–that one especially…but I’m unsure with others like O&G and Wlsons #20

I personally don’t notice Ammonia but the guy at work smell it every time I let him sample new snuff. The only one I had was the taxi that was strong enough for me.I was a long time smoker so that may have something to do with it.

My dad thinks that nearly every snuff I have smells like nothing but “cat-piss”. I definitely get strong ammonia on some snuffs but a bit of airing always fixes it up. This Dholakia White I’ve been working on has actually started to smell more of ammonia as I’ve gotten deeper into it, I guess there was some ammonia “trapped in” under the snuff on top. Good thing about D White is I can leave it to air for a few hours without worrying about anything being lost in the process - I don’t think it’s possible for it to become drier than it is.

It happens, I’ve noticed it most with Toque and WoS, I will usually leave the tin open to air out for like an hour, usually does the trick. Also leaving it for a few days or a week with the tin closed after its been aired out, the flavour will come out and ammonia will fade. I seem to find the nicotine is most noticed when the snuff is very fresh, but maybe that’s just all in my head.

You will know if your tin has some ammonia if you try to take a sniff and instead of the flavor, you get a warm numbing sensation. Flours that are tightly packed are particularly susceptible. I always loosen the flour, air it out for a bit, and give it a couple days before using.

I get that out of a new tin of my F&T Santo Domingo. I put it (and several others) into a mason jar and after a day it sorts itself out.

I haven’t noticed ammonia on most, but fresh fresh snuff will have an ammonia smell. Toque in particular reeks of cat piss when new, so I air the stuff out for a couple of hours and that gets rid of the stink.

In my experience ammonia is caused by really fresh tobacco, which is good. Just air it out for a bit. I’ve only experienced this in ntsu and sg kb.

I kind of like the ammonia to a certain degree. Too much can be off putting, but a hint of it adds a little tang or bite to a pinch.

I always thought of ammonia as one of the things that make the South African snuffs stand out!

I personally like the amonia freshness and would not air it away and am a little sad even when it has gradually naturally dissapeared but I never got any in my tins of FOJ so pehaps it’s the juniper you are mistaking for amonia? FOJ is still amongst my very favourite snuffs. Dholakia White I like to mix with other toasts to add strength to those and add flavour to the Dholakia White. Works wonderfully.

I lurve the ammonia smell of fresh, or well-stored, snuff. It’s to snuff what turkey smell is to the holidays.

I always notice the smell of ammonia coming from a lot of newly opened fresh snuff tins. Especially Toque snuffs. So when I get a new order of snuff, I’ll basically open up every tin, set them out on my table, and let them all air out for a couple of hours. Some might people might claim it would dry the snuff out or such, but it hasn’t been a problem for me, and it usually works to let all the ammonia out. It really can ruin a snuff experience to be expecting a beautiful sent and instead have your nose filled with the overbearing stench of ammonia.

ammonia=fresh

Does that mean the new Dell laptops that reek of cat pee are just ‘fresh’? lol

Hey, may I sneak in a newbie question here? Why is there ammonia in snuff in the first place?

It’s produced by fermentation. Fermentation makes the tobacco milder, traditionally you’d stack huge piles of leaves up and let them ferment off their own warmth.

Oh! Well, that explains that!

I noticed this with some brands. Some of the Toques that I have purchased in the past have had a slight ammonia scent to it, if you let it air out over night it tends to eliminate it.

I noticed this with some brands. Some of the Toques that I have purchased in the past have had a slight ammonia scent to it, if you let it air out over night it tends to eliminate it.

Same here with Toque in economy bags. I just put enough for the day in my container and leave the lid off for a bit. Matter of fact two bags I just opened and the 25g tin had hints but not enough to be a bother.

I recently re opened a tin of toque cheery originally opened over a year ago and im getting quite a strong paraffin smell to it is this normal for a tin of this age. It was just stored in original tin in a drawer.

I recently re opened a tin of toque cheery originally opened over a year ago and im getting quite a strong paraffin smell to it is this normal for a tin of this age. It was just stored in original tin in a drawer.

Hmm, toque cheery? sounds like something i could enjoy! whats in it, other than happiness, joy and paraffin?

@Firestarter0‌ very good

I may just have to dissent on this particular issue. I see no way in which the natural fermentation of powdered tobacco would produce ammonia gas in your snuff tin. Methane, maybe. Ammonia - no. I contend that what we are smelling is in all probability the common tobacco additive ammonium carbonate (“smelling salts”). It is easy to mistake the smelling salts “hit” for a supposed “nicotine hit” - which probably does not exist at all. The ammonium carbonate eventually decomposes into ammonium bicarbonate and ammonia gas - an unopened snuff-tin stored for a long duration would thus have more ammonia gas present than a fresh tin. But this ammonia is not of natural origin. The idea of adding ammonium carbonate to tobacco is to raise the pH, thereby increasing the total amount of freebase nicotine delivered to the addict. Without this ammonium carbonate additive, snuffs would apparently deliver zero nicotine, any freebase nicotine naturally present having been destroyed in the curing and manufacturing processes. Ammonia and other chemical base tobacco additives and cigarette nicotine delivery: Issues and research needs Nicotine Tob Res (2004) 6 (2): 199-205.

@Hapax I gotta disagree with you on every point here; tobacco fermentation in basic conditions produces lots of ammonia: http://aem.asm.org/content/73/3/825.full Often in snuff-making tobacco which has already undergone this fermentation is then salted with sodium bicarb and sodium carbonate (perhaps rarely ammonium carbonate, not sure if they still do these days) and undergoes a second fermentation for sometimes months or years. Also snuff definitely provides a nicotine hit, though new users often don’t absorb much if any nicotine from it. This was established in a British study. Novice and occasional snuffers don’t absorb much nicotine but a regular user absorbs as much as a smoker. Hard to say why, maybe the nose adjusts, maybe regular users use much larger pinches too. Multi-dose snuffing caused nicotine levels to rise higher than had been seen in even chain-smokers, at least according to the researchers. If you don’t think snuff gives nicotine try doing two big piles of Dholakia White off the back of your hand first thing in the morning!

Some manufacturers - SG for example - use an ammonia and potash liquor after the flour is milled to inhibit mould growth. This will certainly add to the ammonia levels of the finished snuff. I don’t use ammonia in Abraxas snuffs but the moist snuffs, such as Cerise and PBS Coarse, will develop some in the jar from a slight ongoing fermentation, which is natural. I don’t have access to any commercial recipes other than my own but I would imagine the ammonia smell commonly found in snuffs with any degree of moisture arises from a combination of these factors. My methodology is afungal rather than anti-fungal which is why I recommend keeping the jars tightly closed and only decanting using a clean implement.

At first, when I started opening the tins, I disliked that smell intensely. But I started snuffing and now it’s part of the charm. In fact, I’ve grown to love it over the past month. But now I’m taking larger pinches, the underlying tobacco taste comes through, and I love that as well. Warming burn first, then taste for the next however long.

I noticed light paraffin from my Toque Apricot. Nothing bad and something I expected from a review I saw, but its there. This is a new supply and I have not aired it much so I don’t know if it will dissipate. No worries if it doesn’t though.

I love the ammonia in snuff, Ntsu black with the yellow lid is famous for its ammonia and it kicks harder than a horse on steroids, if I don’t get the ammonia smell in my snuff I’m not happy, but I’ll try any snuff that gives me a mind numbing buzzzzzzz.

I hated it at first and now have come to love it and miss it when it dissipates.

When I add snuff to my snuffbox, if I smell ammonia I air my snuffbox. Some people don’t mind the smell or even like it, but I don’t like it at all. Ammonia does interfere with the scent of the snuff.

I was getting ready to sample my newly acquired WoS Jasmine and boy o’ boy does it have an uber strong ammonia smell! Its so strong it overpowers it to the point of masking any flavoring/scent of the tobacco base or jasmine. Definitely going to air this one out for a while.

why do they have ammonia for the same reason your pee does. Because it is the byproduct of certain organic components being broken down. Fermentation is controlled spoilage. Yes I hate the ammonia smell and it does prevent the enjoyment of the tobacco and essential oil smells.

bob has it right ammonia is a byproduct of decomposition as anyone with a fish tank knows, just like alcohol is a byproduct of plant decomposition ( if I’m not mistaken the bacteria that eat sugars create alcohol). Fermentation is merely just controlled decomposition.

I deifinatly smell the ammonia smell in some snuffs more than others. If I’m not mistaking I find it to be more true in a the few round tins of English snuffs that I had. I also think that it disappears with time but its very confusing because many snuffs have a few different aromas to begin with. So it hard to pin point what is which. I’m also wondering my self if this is a good sign actually? I’ve heard many times with hand rolled cigars that if it has an ammonia smell it is most likely a cigar that hasn’t had time to age yet. So maybe its a sign that the snuff is fresh? Any one know? And would you uncover a 20g tin for an gour to air out or would you take off a snuff box full etc. And let that sit in open air for a while? How would you air out the ammonia smell? I’m asking because I just opened a fresh tin. Its great but the I do feel an ammonia aroma on the top of all. I personally don’t like it.

@Friendlyman It is indeed a sign that the snuff is fresh and that is a good thing with snuff. How you get rid of that with a fresh tin is really up to you and how quickly you are likely to go through a 20g tin but personally I would take what I need and put it in my snuff box and leave that to air as long as is needed. The remainder of the tin I would empty into a glass jar and seal it tightly to maintain the freshness.

I am very sensitive to the ammonia smell, it makes me kind of sick. I like to leave a tin by an open window with the top off and air it out. Just be sure it’s not windy out

I usually decanter my snuff when a open a new tin into small glass jelly jars. To do this I pour the tin out on to wax paper, let stand for a few hours and then pour into the glass jar. Help lessen the smell.

OK now will all these comments I have a question. I have a tin with moist fresh snuff and I am not getting the fragrances as much as I would when the snuff is drier… So now, for storage, do I air this tin? Or do I seal it with tape and put it in an airtight container for maximum storage time.

Option B. Even sealed it will have access to tiny amounts of air. No need to hasten staling by airing first.

Got it boss. Command confirmed. I will seal all those fresh tins right away.

Almost every tin of new, fresh snuff I open has the ammonia thing going on. As already mentioned it’s only natural & due to the fermentation process.

It’s easily gotten rid of however by leaving the lid off & airing it for a few hours…I normally leave it overnight with the lid removed which does the trick perhaps giving it a wee stir up half way through

Come morning the ammonia smell has all but gone leaving the natural aroma of the snuff to develop, often getting better as times goes by

Thanks, Andy. Now relieved. I thought the snuff which was moist, dark and didn’t yield any scent was actually bad. But now I can hope this to age well

I’m a new snuffer.  Just opened a fresh tin of S&G Celtic Talisman and am getting overpowering Ammonia.  It’s making my sinus’s throb and giving me a headache when snuffing it.  The only other snuff I’ve tried is F&T’s Princes Special which I didn’t have this problem with.  I’m airing the tin out a bit trying to dissipate the ammonia, would you say this is the right thing to do?

@KillerKlown1978 Absolutely! Let the ammonia dissipate then close it back up to keep it fresh

i think the ntsu black has its ammonia from pile fermentation were the leaves are stacked in a huge pile which makes it heat up inside and ferment.
every thought what makes the dholakia white or the malka ifrikia of bright color ? could be ammonium carbonate which is white and was used as stimulant the smelling salts in the old days.

Could well be calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) and calcium carbonate (chalk). Sifaco uses these for their oral Makla brand products (chema). Indian snuff manufactures use these two ingredients, too. You can even smell them in some Indian products, as well as feel the taste of it. Ingredients of Super Chetak snuff by 6 Photo, as listed on the 45 g tin: tobacco, lime (I guess slaked lime is meant, though I might be wrong, there’s a very strong burn), water, paraffin oil, colors, mixed spices, menthol, natural and artificial flavours. The off-puting taste of calcium hydroxide is very pronounced in Super Chetak and Cheeta, too. The problem with slaked lime is, once you know it, you notice it. I feel some in LA Natural, too (well, maybe a bit less).

Last February @Snufferdemedicis posted a link to French LNE site, where Poschl’s Neffa Bledi nasal snuff composition can be found. It might be interesting for you as well, Sunny: https://www.lne.fr/bdd-composition-tabac?id=355 (you can search for specific products here)
and for Neffa Bledi go: https://composition-tabac.lne.fr/extras/bd/detail\\_produit.php?id=355

There’s another German oral tobacco product (chema-type) sold in France - Poschl’s La Prise: https://composition-tabac.lne.fr/extras/bd/detail\\_produit.php?id=354
I had tried it, it’s very mild (almost no burn), no nicotine wonders there. Makla fans would be dissapointed. It is cheaper than Makla. Its texture, moisture and colour is typical of chema. Composition is very simple, mostly water, some tobacco, very small amount of ammonium chloride and carbon. No alkalizers there, hence no free nicotine and total absence of pleasure.

I love it when I get an ammonia-smelling tin. Dont get me wrong, I hate the smell of ammonia, but its how I know I have a superfresh tin of nice, maximum moist snuff.

Hell yeah ammonia is sick bro, it gets you ripped