Hi, I made this OT as it’s not about nasal use. Anyone else here ever dip the scotch snuffs? I know we have some moist dip and chew users, as well as snusers. Anyway, I recently picked up a few scotch snuffs from MrSnuff as I was curious how they’d be in the mouth. I have used some like this before in the past. Bruton, WE Garrett(and Sweet), and Honey Bee, maybe some more. Bruton is very good, and so is Honey Bee, these 2 stood out as a “chew”, I thought. Of these new ones I got, the Dixie was really good. The Wild Cherry was a bit disappointing, in that it’s flavor was weak, but it did have some, and the sweetness was a bit weak. Buttercup was OK. But maybe the best one so far was Checkerberry. It had a slight saltiness, and a hint of sweet, and I guess a flavor related to wintergreen, but it was not a strong wintergreen, also had some lip burn, which I never had in a scotch before. Next I did some Maccoboy, well, this seemed good when I 1st put it in, but it quickly became a no, not really. Wasn’t terrible, but this one did have a high salty taste, and something, but I don’t know if I tasted any rose in it. I still have a Strawberry to try, Red Seal, Rooster, and Honest. I never dipped before in the past, and never liked it, even now in recent times, when I tried a can of moist dip, it always ended up in the trash. But for whatever reason it might be, I do like the scotch snuffs as a dip/chew. I also found an easy way to take it. I have a little spoon, I think it’s a baby spoon, but any would work, I think, and I maybe spoon up about half of it with snuff, and just drop it behind my lip, using the back of the spoon to guide it. Been using 2 spoons worth at a time. Comments welcome.

How does dipping them as oppoesed to dipping them compare as far as nicotine? I know dipping produces a slow stream of nicotine as opposed to the shorter rush does this hold true with the scotches? Thanks Vince

You mean snuffing them in the nose compared with in the mouth? I don’t know, but my experience is I found a nic feel more with oral tobacco than nasal. But I’ve been snussin’ and snuffin’ for a little while, and I really don’t feel a nic hit, it seems with anything.

The only thing I use orally is snus but your post got me curious, so I tried a few American snuffs in the mouth today. I tried, “Cherry, Strawberry, Devoe’s sweet, Ralph’s scotch, Maccoboy and Dixie.” The only one of those that I liked was Dixie. It was quite sweet and flavorful! I had to spit out the Maccoboy within minutes. I love the scent but it didn’t taste anything like it smelled, it was just gross! I used about 1/8 of a teaspoon and after testing all of these, I had to take a break because a headache & nausea came on, both are symptoms for me of too much nic. I’m determined now to try the other 10 or so American snuffs tomorrow!

I was taking a walk one night a few months ago and decided to lip some Garrett sweet. It was delicious; it went with a night walk in early autumn very well…

I got curious a couple of weeks ago a tried a lipper of Rooster. I wasn’t impressed. It held it’s place well though as I feared it would flood my mouth with grains of tobacco. Not the case. It was a little spread out for my liking but it wasn’t like I was eating hot cocoa powder. I think the main reason I didn’t like it was that it wasn’t sweet enough. I’d surmise that adding a pinch of salt and a drop of two of honey would do the trick but I haven’t a clue as to how to do that without making a total mess. Any suggestions would be welcome. I have a tin of Navy Sweet that I might try though. I don’t like the sweet snuffs in my nose so maybe that one will be of some use this way.

I have trouble with the feel of the dry snuff in there- keep wanting to move it and it’s not meant to be moved! I’m sure I could overcome that if I found a few varieties that were good orally.I’ve only tried Tops Sweet and W.E. Sweet that way and I agree James, it can be nice! (Oh, yeah, and Conwood Peach, too)

Bart, do try some Ntsu, it’s very nice.

I’m dippin’ some Swisher Strawberry now. I think the problem with many of these, is they are rather weak on the flavor they claim to be. It’s not bad, but I don’t think I am tasting any strawberry.

Red Seal now, it is not “The Best Sweet Snuff”, it’s OK though.

Dipping Scotches seems go back a long ways and I keep hearing tales of how the old folks used it orally. In fact, most people here in the Dallas, Texas region are under the impression that all powdered snuffs are an archaic form of oral ingestion that still has a few die hard users. A lot of the American Scotches carry warnings on the can about tooth loss and gum disease so I can only assume that even the manufacturers are under this impression. As an ex-dipper, I didn’t care for my experiments with stuffing the powder in my mouth. But if it works and you find it enjoyable then go for it. I know it was touted as a tooth rub in India and the guy that developed Dental Mild was a prominent US Army dentist who intended it for oral use in the late 1800s. Meanwhile, I continue to be intrigued by the history and tradition surrounding this practice and hope to someday find an old-time Scotch dipper and question them first hand about it. There have to be some nearby me since these Garrett cans have been on store shelves here for many decades and nasal snuffing is virtually unheard of. My question is whether this is a peculiar American tradition in which nasal snuff became perverted to oral use or if other countries have similar histories. Aside from the Indian tooth powder scenario I’m unaware of the practice.

Snus is Sweden also started as a nasal snuff.

@Tom…it must have been a bitch shoving portions up their noses. sorry, the devil made me post that. carry on

I’ve tried all of my American snuffs as dip. I like them, even Maccoboy. I think this gives me a better understanding of the history of their various flavorings and why and how they evolved into what they are today. I was out of snus for a few weeks and mixing some Bruton’s and water made a good loose snus. Yes, I really managed to get that dry powder to stay put in my upper lip. I did find my outer lips cracking and chapping a lot though. I found the best way to enjoy these is not to use them as you would moist snuff. Just shoving a lump in the lower lip is really a shortcut for handsfree use as opposed to old school true “dipping” The idea is to cover as much of the gums and inside surface of the cheeks as possible. Getting a full mouth of snuff saturated saliva gives a nice buzz. Tom, the use of a spoon is not unheard of for scooping it into the lip. I do this too. This was done by many folks before either you or I thought of it. One trick is to pour a spoonful under your tounge and then fill the spoon again and kind of suck on it (under the tounge) without swallowing. You will generate a lot of snuff-saturated saliva that way. This research has helped me to consume my sweet scotches which probably would have lingered forever if they waited for me to sniff them up.

Gross…

Sounds like you are getting a massive nicotine dose there Xander. I can see where oral use could catch on once you get accustomed to having it in your mouth. It could also explain some of the giant cone shaped tubs of Garrett I’ve seen on the local shelves.

Hi, I’ve been curious to try some other snuffs in dipping fashion. I got a little sachet of Sparrow green, and it says “The Snuff with the Strongest Taste”, so it made me think that people in India probably use this like most Americans do with Scotch snuff as a dip, so I thought I’d try it. It was OK, kinda bland actually. Then a little later, I thought I’d try some NTSU as a dip. Well, as you know it’s pretty coarse, and I don’t think mine is as moist as when it was fresh, actually I dried it out, thinking it’d be better as a nasal snuff, then later I added a bit of water and stirred it up. It still wasn’t very moist, but I spooned some up and dipped it. Well, taste wise, it’s rather bland, but it did give me a nic hit for a few seconds or minute or so before it subsided. Now I wonder what one of the menthols might be like like this, like Sparrow Cool, or NTSU Menthol? But my NTSU was so weak in the menthol, I added a little O&G, which didn’t do much really, but then I guess some people dip the menthols snuffs too. So, I might try these next.

@Tc2642, same here. Been reading this thread and wondering. I just tried the Honey Bee. Melt in your mouth tasty (-: @tom, so this has been interesting. Almost has me looking at my old toothbrush in a new light!

Never tried dipping snuff before, but got curious so I tried some honest in my mouth. I don’t see what the attraction is. It is sooo much better in the nose.

Tried honey bee and checkerberry some time ago , it was quite good .

@Nachman - The attraction is the huge jolt of nicotine you get. I think a sweeter, milder snuff than Honest would be better for a first time experience. Honey Bee is good or Dental Sweet or Garretts Sweet. Take your pick. It takes a little adjustment at first like every other kind of tobacco use. Go ahead and drop a quarter teaspoon into the crease of your lower lip and let your lip close around it. Saliva seeps in and tobacco juice trickles out. Swish it around your mouth and spit it out since you are new to this. Then take a sip of water, just enough to cleanse the palate. Just leave the “chew” in place and don’t poke it with your tongue. Once the flavor is gone, spit the whole thing out and rinse. You will feel a lot of nicotine after your first real “chew”. BTW almost all US snuffs are largely used orally. Us snuffers represent a tiny fraction of market.

Fortunately haven’t tried any American dry snuffs yet, trying to correct that soon, but have tried some English dry snuffs as dip: Samuel Gawith’s Black Rappee and Scotch Black work well as dip being coarse and moist. Little harsh on gums though so some salt, water and calium bicarbonate added and we have snus like in the 18th Century.

Just tried some Tops, Garrett and Honeybee, all sweet. They were all pretty damn good but honeybee was the best out of those three. Some of the sweets seem to turn bitter rather quickly but not honeybee, it was sweet as honey for quite a while! Next up…I’m going to force myself to try a few non-sweet scotches.

I just can’t understand why anybody would want to put snuff in their mouth. Why spoil something that is clearly meant for nasal use? Stefan

Go ahead and try it Walrus. (-; Tom502 got me curious and the American Sweets do taste very good!

I just spot checked a few of my scotches, the warning label on several says " This product may cause gum disease and tooth loss." Hard to imagine that happening from nasal use! : )

The American Scotch snuffs have a history and intended use as oral snuff. Now, way back when, when snuff 1st came to the US, it may have been nasally used. Like Swedish snus used to be nasal snuff too. I don’t know it’s exact history, but it evolved into moist snus. Bruton Scotch Snuff as an oral tobacco, is what led to Copenhagen Moist Snuff. But while it has a dual ability, as it’s dry and powdered, American Scotch snuffs have been used as an oral snuff more than not, and continues like this today.

Occasionally I’ll put a pinch in the lip, then snuff a pinch. It fills my world with snuffness. I can feel a nice nico-buzz that way too. But I only do this once in a while.

Under “Tooth Powder”: While dental hygiene has improved immensely over the ages, tooth powder has actually been around for quite a long time. The Egyptians used it, for example, as the did ancient Asian cultures. Europeans tended to use plain toothbrushes with no water until around the 1800s, when tooth powders became popular. Many people made their own tooth powder, and some commercial preparations were actually quite dangerous, due to the use of toxic filler ingredients. Toothpaste began to be marketed in the late 1800s, although it did not catch on immediately. For a very basic form of tooth powder, you can take advantage of the reaction between baking soda and peroxide, which will help to whiten your teeth while cleaning them. Tap a small amount of baking soda into your hand or a small dish, and pour peroxide over it. Dip your toothbrush in the foaming mixture and brush as you would normally. You can also use plain baking soda and water, if you prefer a tamer brushing experience. I’m thinking, ‘Dental Sweet’ here as an alternate?

I doubt that Bruton led to Copenhagen. Copenhagen was founded in 1822.

Bruton did lead to Copenhagen, the UST book says this: http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ple21b00 Copy and paste.

Nice publication, Tom! Love that old stuff

@ tom502 And an excellent resource, thanks for sharing that site.

Yes, that’s a nice read, and very interesting. But I must confess, I may have been, or be, technically wrong, with my assertion that Bruton led to Copenhagen snuff. I could not find this explicitly stated, but the publication does give the impression that dry scotch snuff predates the moist snuff, of which Copenhagen is one of the oldest. I would be curious to see a date that Bruton scotch 1st became a product, though we do know WE Garrett scotch has a very old copyright. But from this publication, snuffs started nasally, from European tradition, then became more enjoyed orally in America, then somewhere down the line, Copenhagen snuff was invented. It would be interesting to see a “family tree” like graph that shows the connections and evolving history.

Weyman and Bruton were not the same company until 1901… Copenhagen was first made in 1822. Quote from the brochure: “It was made and sold by Weyman & Brothers as early as 1827, over a century ago (USST now dates it at 1822). And legend tells us that the recipe originated in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark. from which it takes its name”

that would explain why snus reminds me of copenhagen then wouldn’t it.

Yes, before trademarks. I did find Bruton listed at 1898, and WE Garrett at 1870, but like Copenhagen, I wonder when these items 1st started, as they would have been before trademarks possibly, or when the 1st marketed scotch snuff came about, and what it’s name was?

Levi Garrett dates back to the late 1700’s.

I think the best way to take scotch snuff by mouth is to drop it in carelessly if that makes sense. You don’t want to pack it in a tight wad in the front of your mouth because it’s just too dry, you miss most of the flavor and nic that way; you want it to coat your mouth. I just take a big pinch and drop it all over the side of my mouth and then swish it around, then drop another pinch in. Great taste (though it still doesn’t last forever) and powerful nic hit. I get a lot of flavor for five minutes, then it dies down and I’ll leave the snuff just sitting there for another 10-20 minutes or whenever I get sick of it and then spit it out. Not sure if this is the “right way” to do it. Historically southerners, especially women, would “dip and rub”, using it like a toothpowder just like they do today in India. You’d take a pinch and, apparently, rub it vigorously on the gums with your finger or a twig or something like that for a couple of minutes. I have trouble imagining exactly how this worked but it’s what I’ve read. I’m dipping some Bruton right now, giving my nose a break today.