While I only had about 5 different snuffs, I appreciated each and everyone of them. Then, when I discovered this forum, I started ordering snuff from online shops. Eventually I had about 40 different snuffs to chose from and it was like a nice adventure to decide what I will use today. Now, with 176 different snuffs, it’s as if I’ve lost my respect for snuff. I forget about favourites until I see someone mention it and then I have to rummage through 8 different containers to find it. This can’t go on. I would like to put the pleasure back and I’m in the process of determining which snuffs are my TOP favourites. I’m going to cut down my stock severly even if I have to discard some snuff in the process. How do you, ladies and gentlemen, members of the jury, feel about this topic?

I’ve got to say I agree. I’ve tried darned near everything I can get my hands on, from swaps, online, etc., and I find myself coming back again and again to Garrett Scotch, home-ground twist, and maybe a bit of maccoboy. Too many options can cause one to lose sight of why one started snuffing in the first place. That first good and enjoyable snuff is an old friend; we can make other friends, true, but must never abandon those old tried and true.

I think this is normal when you have too much of something, it loses some of it’s charm. Like I love movies and DVD collecting, and when I had maybe 30 or fave titles, it was a great cherished collection, but now I have so many I don’t even know what I have anymore, and have so many I haven’t even gotten to watch. I have stripped down a lot of my snuff collection, but I still have a lot. Focusing now on ones I like best, and some for collectiblity.

I’m different on this issue. I love having so much snuff. I’m at or close to 300 and yet I still want more. I love sitting next to the shelf at the end of the night and choosing what I will take with me the next day. Maybe I love having so much is because my taste is changing, almost weekly. I go on kicks with Schmalzler, Dry, Moist, Scotch, Toast, SP, Fruit, Menthol. And with each of those flavors, I like to have a large selection. Some days I may bring 10 or 12 snuffs with me to work, but maybe only use 1 or 2. Other days I use everything I bring. Pieter, I would hate for you to get rid of a good chunk on your collection and then look back and say “I wish I had some -insert snuff name here-”

Pieter, Before you throw anything away, if it’s good, I’d rather pass it on to someone else, or sell/trade it.

I’m still taking “the more the merrier” approach, but being a newb, that may change in the future. Part of it is trying to exchange a smoking habit for something more enjoyable. Cigarettes only come in about three or four flavours. Having several different Snuffs in rotation is really pleasant.

Pieter - I did the same thing as you are talking about. I had a shelf full of snuffs, most of which I tried once or twice and if I didnt like it I didnt go back. I used to stick with a snuff and some that I didnt like to begin with grew on my later, thats when I had less to choose from. Now I only have three tins on my shelf and thats enough for me. The rest went in the bin unfortunately.

“The rest went in the bin unfortunately” Ouch, my pinch fingers are crying!

I think I’m early enough in this game not to get into your predicament Pieter. Sorry for you. Other threads did a top 3 or something right? SM500, Red Seal, Toque Rose = My three.

I haven’t tried tons and tons of snuff…I am purposely trying to use up much of what I have and then try some news ones with my next order…and eventually only order the ones that I really like. Pieter, do what it takes to maximize your enjoyment of snuff, be it tons of different kinds or just a few cherished ones.

@ cstokes4, I’ve decided to try your way of doing it. In stead of having 1,2013,297 tins lying around on my desk, I will take out about 10 tins every night “to take with me tomorrow”. I have a nice little pottery bowl in which I can keep it on my desk. I will change that every night. I’ve also cleaned up all the bits and pieces and chucked everything into my “mixed grill” bottles. I must have at least 2.5kg of snuff which is about 90 ounces or 5.5 lbs. Fourteen months ago, I only had 5 different snuffs. And, I’ve still got 6 big cigars, a twist of chew plus some tobacco leaves, fermenting in a jar underneath my desk, which must be turned into snuff. I’m OK for at least 2 years. I also have 3 tins of snus in the fridge. I will be very careful with this one. I can’t have a fridge filled with snus because my wife will start complaining. I’m not telling you this to brag, I’m actually looking for some sympathy. I grew up very poor and today I can’t help myself, I hoard food, tobacco, clothing etc, always afraid that I might run out. For the moment I’m save as far as snuff is concerned.

“‘The rest went in the bin unfortunately’ Ouch, my pinch fingers are crying!” I’m crying too! At least I am after I picked my jaw off the floor. I’m more like cstokes. I’m in the mid 200s too, and I still want more. I discipline myself enough to finish the ones that are not favorites and I probably won’t get those again. I think eventually I will maintain a permanent collection of about 50, after I’ve tried everything that exists. I can’t see having any less than that as I am always discovering new favorites. Those favorites I DO appreciate. Each and every one. With respect, Guanxi, if W.E. Garrett (good though it is) was all I could get, I’d probably just smoke all the time and snuff occasionally instead of vice versa. The reason I started snuffing was curiosity. The reason I stayed was the enormous variety. Pieter, please do not discard anything! There are plenty of people here that will take your cast offs!

_I’m not telling you this to brag, I’m actually looking for some sympathy. I grew up very poor and today I can’t help myself, I hoard food, tobacco, clothing etc, always afraid that I might run out._Pieter, I certainly don’t think you were bragging! Your initial post sounded indeed like a man in despair. Picking a few and sticking to them everyday helps, especially picking them out the night before, it may help you rediscover some favorites.

funny having too few snuffs puts me in that state. Like if I’ve had too much of one I won’t really take in all it’s naunces.

yeah i agree with cstokes, i choose only 4 or 5 dif snuffs and use only them through the day. Snus is easier to control for me i order about 20 or 25 cans at once and when i have 3 or 4 left, i make another order. But i can see your point Pieter i dont like to see snuffs that i like being untouched for more than a couple of months.

I have only tried about 45 or so snuffs, most of those were sample sized ones. I have about 10 or so that I never want to be without, the rest I use occasionally, a few pinches a week. I use so little that having more than I can use is easy to do. Right now I have 20 different ones in the stash, at a certain point I get bored with what I have a crave something new. I guess if I had 200 types it would save time when I want to branch out, I wouldn’t have to wait on a new order. I don’t see me ever getting to point of taking snuff for granted, but I do see how one could be overwhelmed by the variety.

@Pieter I completely understand that. At the moment, thanks to the worsening economy, I’m poorer now than at any other time in my life. Snuff is less a luxury to me than a necessity. A 30 year old + Nicotine addiction is very hard to break. I’ve been spending what little I have on buying canned food whenever it’s on a discount and choosing freecycle or salvage when possible. Thank goodness for trades and Roderick charging less for Snuff than it would cost to buy a pack of cigarettes at the corner market. That helps incredibly. I also get the odd tin of McChrystals for free, from a friend that owns a smoke shop and doesn’t sell a lot of it.

My take on this subject is that there is no such thing as too much snuff. Look at it like this: snuff (or any other tobacco product) will never be cheaper than it is now. That being the case, it only make sense to buy as much snuff, and as many varieties as you can afford, and stockpile for the future. Personally, I have at least 100 snuff varieties on hand at the moment. Most of these are sealed up in air-tight glass jars, and insure that I will have snuff available to me far into the future, no matter what happens to the economy at large or to my own economic situation. If you find yourself overwhelmed by variety, my advice would be to seal up the majority of your snuffs for later and just keep out those that you want to focus on for the moment. The other snuffs will still be there waiting on you when you are ready for them. I would never discard a snuff unless you are absolutely sure that you will never, under any circumstances, enjoy it.

“I would never discard a snuff unless you are absolutely sure that you will never, under any circumstances, enjoy it.” If I may add: and if you are also sure that no other human on earth will never, under any circumstances, enjoy it. The only time I threw away snuff was when it was moldy.

I think having different “types” of snuff is important to enjoyment due to the fact that the sensory receptors can become accustomed (tired) of smells very easily. Having a few different styles and or flavors rotated throughout the day is the way to go in my opinion. I too grow tired of “choosing” but this is definitely not the same as being tired of or not appreciating a good insufflation. Sadly, choose we must. The variety of snuff available now and the rate of new snuff being introduced should overwhelm anyone who has already found a favorite among them. I personally have made a point NOT to try every snuff I possibly can but, to enjoy vicariously through the Internet, the multitudes of snuffs in the world. Many thanks for all that post here. In all honesty however, I don’t think I have reached a culmination of snuff choice. I think to average at one hundred is fairly reasonable.

I keepa cigar box loaded with about 20 that I love. I then have a coffee can with some that I play with (though most of them went into my Meritage Jar by now) and the rest I will trade away. Even w/ 20 I ponder which to take along for the days ride. Sometimes I cannot decided and I say to myself (sometimes even aloud) “Just pick…you’re going to enjoy it anyhow.” I’ve only tried about 50 so far but I’ll certainly try more. I just keep going back to that main box. Interestingly, Sam Gawith has made it to the regular box. I keep Yellow Crest and SP Top Mill in there now. I didn’t like those at first but they’ve grown on me. @ Pieter - You turned me on to the cluster-f jar. I’m very glad I did that. Thank you.

Mostly I tend to stick with what i know and like which is around 10 to 15 different snuffs, with such a small rotation i get to appreciate them all.

I rarely use more than 3 snuffs simultaneously, this week I just use 2 Toque’s and Taxi Rock, the other varieties have to wait… thats how my nose likes it.

I have pushing 200 snuffs now and I do understand what you mean, Pieter. I should switch my rotation snuffs around a lot more and I intend to do so. I’ve been leaning heavily on the Toque snuffs recently and should broaden my palette a bit more. EDIT: In fact, I’ve just switched them up now: today & maybe tomorrow I will be carrying NTSU Menthol, McC’s Mild Lemon, Blender’s Bundle, Toque C&B & SG Black Coffee, and try and switch at least two of them daily.

I haven’t got a massive variety and am a bit of a noob, but I have a developed habit you might find useful in taking snuffs. It’s a little ritual I developed to try and learn to appreciate each snuff individually. I always have three snuffs on the go in two snuffboxes. One box is a little wooden dual compartment box I got from nicotinerush. In this I’ll fill each compartment with a new snuff each time it runs out. I’ll _always_ imbibe each compartment till it’s done. When I refill I’ll wipe out and sniff the compartment to see if it’s got a note of it’s own, then go through my snuffs sniffing for something to try next. So I always have two pure snuffs to choose from, but each has a full snuffbox compartment before I’m “allowed” to switch to something new. This ensures I give each one enough time to get to know it more intimately before moving on. The second snuffbox is a vintage silver box - this is my day snuff and always mixed. When that one gets about half empty or so I’ll sniff about and figure what qualities it has and how I’d like to improve it to my current tastes. I then go sniffing through my tins to find the snuff with the qualities I most wish to impart and top it up with that - smoosh it around, shake it up, and go to bed so the aromas mix overnight. This box is more neutral of course, but I refine/reinforce my knowledge of my collection in mixing it. The third thing I do to get to know my snuffs is somewhat embarrasing. I keep a little database (in bento for mac) with any information I gather on the snuffs. There’s the name, brand, container size and description (which I usually copy from the site i order from or research.) I have my own personal notes and star ratings for; how much I like it, how friendly it is to the nose, how satisfying it is nicotine wise. (I also have an order status with; sample - if i got it as a free sample, order - if i want to get more, waiting - if it’s been ordered and in transit, and recieved.) Anyway this all ensures that I waste far too much mental energy and intimacy on my snuffs, and feel much better for it

@ pavig: You are not the only one to keep a log. I have something similar.

As do I. Now turned into that web site…

I suspect most of us are doing that now, perhaps without consciously realising it, whenever we post to “What’s In Your Nose”.

I say, find a handful (say, 5 or so) that are your reliable, go-to snuffs, and just keep rotating through them. It is true that one can lose an appreciation for an over-used snuff (in my case, Garrett scotch got to be old-hat, and it wasn’t until I tried Maccoboy that I had an appreciation for the range of American snuffs), even as one can re-gain an appreciation for a snuff that has not been in the nostrils constantly. Maybe I’m a bit of fogey, but I think simplicity is the key - in the early days, try anything and everything (as I have, and continue to do) in search of new candidates for reliable staple snuffs - but, having built up a dugout full of winners, try to stick with them. Pieter - you say you hoard snuff? Good man, a wise man, indeed. As others have pointed out, tobacco will never be cheaper than it is now; you’ve invested and saved for your future, same as if you’d laid in a good supply of beans or such. Don’t chuck out any of it - just make sure it’s stored properly (as I’m sure you have already) and none of it will ever go to waste. I recall earlier fora where we discussed the Chinese practice of warehousing and aging snuff for decades. Get some good glass or ceramic containers, and you can do the same thing yourself. My family also experienced poverty, and so did I, for that matter; the instinct to save and accumulate is natural to us; if it were more generally practiced, the world might be a better place. (I wash off tin-foil, as did my mother, and her mother before her, even as I save coffee cans, in imitation of my grandfather’s thrift. Always can find a use for a good jar, bottle, or coffee can.)

I have enough snuff to last through the Apocalypse. I like having a stockpile. I will admit to forgetting about some great ones for a while when the flavor of the month arrives in my mailbox. I do love rummaging in my collection (I am afraid to count just how much) in the morning and finding a gem for the day.

@ Chris, using your method of selecting a couple of snuffs in the evening for the following day, works very well. I’ve re-discovered a couple of old favourites by doing that. I select 10 or 12 snuffs and put it in my ceramic bowl. I can carry it with me wherever I move in the house. I also don’t upset my wife with snuff tins all over the place. I’m rotating every day, so I won’t forget any of “my friends”. I’m also in the process of making a list of my “favourite favourites” and will eventually only keep them in stock. I like to have order in my life and I’m busy creating order in my “snuff life” now. Makes me happy.

Pieter i am a hoarder for the same reason as you but my appreciation of snuff has not diminshed as my collection has grown quite the opposite in fact. The way i do it is by having most of my collection sealed away and having only ten tins on the go at a time If i completely use up a tin i allow myself to replace it with another one from the collection but only one tin. snuffing is a very personal thing but i find this method works for me adding an element of foreplay and more importantly preventing my greed from allowing dozens of tins of great snuff from drying out. There is always lots of great snuff waiting just outside my current ten that i am desperate to get at but i always maintain discipline and when i do open that new tin its a real treat.

Warning: this is a “party-pooper” post. It is ^- addicting. I just remembered, I have a holiday pile (only to be opened…) The toque trio: Peppermint, Champagne, Pudding, a bunch of Schmalzlers, a Zuka free sample, along with what I have two-of or fairly similar.