Canada’s west coast has always had a very limited supply of tobacco products with the exception of cigarettes, and in recent years, cigars; neither are of much use to me since I’ve never smoked. I was introduced to the delights of snuff a few years ago by an ex-boyfriend (LOL). Oh what that man could do with his hands, but that’s another story and not for a snuff users forum. “But seriously folks”…………. Snuff has always been in very limited supply and more recently completely unobtainable at a retail level. Thank heavens for online sales! The last couple of nights I’ve spent considerable time on SnuffReviews, MR Snuff and this website, comparing the many different types of snuff and reading their numerous reviews. By comparison with the Snuff Wasteland of western Canada I was convinced I’d passed on to my reward – Snuff Heaven! I’ve never seen so many types and brands. I don’t like Menthol snuffs preferring pure tobacco or lightly flavoured. One snuff that was obtainable here was Imperial Tobacco’s “Top Mill Number 1”. Although I was not able to find it online I did find J & H Wilson’s Top Mills. I’m not sure if the product is the same as Imperial’s or not? Anyway after lots of interesting reading and comparison I ordered the following from MR Snuff’s last night and I think this represents a cross section of snuffs of interest me. Abraxas Dragun Abraxas FireDrac Abraxas Premium Batch Fin J & H Wilsons Top Mills Dholakia Black Swisher Three Thistle Strong Fribourg & Treyer Macouba Toque Ginger Wilsons Irish HD Toast Viking Brown Fribourg & Treyer Seville I’ll add to this message in a few weeks after my order has arrived and I’ve been able to try a few.
And so your TAD begins. Enjoy there are many more to try.
And so your TAD begins. Enjoy there are many more to try.
Thanks distaind, I’m really looking forward to their arrival and have already prepared myself to the possibility that Customs may likely double the price with import and sin taxes. At least this way I won’t ruin the moment ranting about import duties.
Suggestions for future: Samuel Gawith’s Black Coffee (arguably the finest-quality coffee snuff ever made) Fribourg & Treyer’s Santo Domingo (Dark, rich, heavy; complex mix of aromas on a good dark base) Fribourg & Treyer’s Princes (powerful, dark snuff with musk and citrus hints among the aromas) If you like Irish, personal favourites are: Samuel Gawith’s Irish D Light and possibly the slightly “smokier” Irish D Original Fribourg & Treyer’s HDT If you want to try a good SP: Wilsons (of Sharrow) Best SP is a “must”. For a stronger SP (slightly higher bergamot flavouring, higher nicotine yield) try Wilsons Queens or Tom Buck (one of the very rare cases of the same snuff being sold under two different names - historical reasons) If you develop a taste for the darker, moister varieties, you may also like Wilsons Best Dark. As an after-dinner delight, either on its own, or mixed with Gawith’s Black Coffee, try Freibourg & Treyer’s Old Paris - a good, rich snuff flavoured with a deep, rich Date Liqueur. Finally, a couple of dark ones with “Christmassy” flavours: Wilsons Burgundy Fribourg & Treyer Bordeaux
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BTW J&H Wilson split from Wilsons of Sharrow in 1895, and were subsequently bought-out by Imperial Tobacco in 1953, when the elderly proprietors had no-one to hand the company on to. Today only three sorts remain in production: SP No1, Top Mill and No99 (Medicated). The only really distinguishing feature is that they are, in varying degrees, among the very few snuffs to be found in regular cigarette shops. None of them is especially inspiring to my nose. Wilsons of Sharrow (the original Wilson family company founded in 1737 and still in family ownership) Best SP, and Fribourg & Treyer HDT (made by Wilsons of Sharrow) are, to my nose, vastly preferable to SP No1 and Top Mill. I very, very seldom use anything medicated these days. WoS also make their own “exact alternatives” to SPNo1 and No99 - branded as SP100 and SM500 respectively.
Abraxas Dragun Abraxas FireDrac Abraxas Premium Batch Fin J & H Wilsons Top Mills Dholakia Black Swisher Three Thistle Strong Fribourg & Treyer Macouba Toque Ginger Wilsons Irish HD Toast Viking Brown Fribourg & Treyer Seville I’ll add to this message in a few weeks after my order has arrived and I’ve been able to try a few.
That sounds like a great delivery on the way. Haven’t tried them all but I can say that I have really become addicted to the Irish HD Toast but I also love the F&T HDT and will need to order a large can. I’d probably love all toast. Its only after a while that I am now getting the hay field scent and even a sort of caramel afterscent with the HDT. Am also picking up the salt a lot more also and I am undecided if this is good. I made a mix of base No.22, and a little of all these F&T HDT, Sandalwood. No.20 HD Toast and Lemon HD Toast (all Wos) and really am enjoying that but the no.22 alone is fantastic. It really is preventing me from trying a lot more snuffs. Look forward to your impressions.
Don’t forget to protect your investment with proper storage Air tight glass jars. Most important when starting a snuff library. Baby food jars work well if you recycle them for free. Small 2 ounce jars work best. especially if you plan on bulk. Or buy new Jars from a mass commercial,industrial supply company by or buy the case. 300 jars is a good starting point. Air and moisture control is the enemy ,cross contamination is common when storing medicated with non medicated snuff, hence the air tight jars. Also buy as much snuff in the largest quantity of your favorites as you can afford. They may stop making it or change the recipe or other things may happen- company folds ,owner dies, et cetera. And not to mention inflation.
Don’t forget to protect your investment with proper storage Air tight glass jars. Most important when starting a snuff library. Baby food jars work well if you recycle them for free. Small 2 ounce jars work best. especially if you plan on bulk. Or buy new Jars from a mass commercial,industrial supply company by or buy the case. 300 jars is a good starting point. Air and moisture control is the enemy ,cross contamination is common when storing medicated with non medicated snuff, hence the air tight jars. Also buy as much snuff in the largest quantity of your favorites as you can afford. They may stop making it or change the recipe or other things may happen- company folds ,owner dies, et cetera. And not to mention inflation.
@basement_shaman…THATS PROBABLY THE BEST ADVICE TO US NEWBIES I HAVE SEEN IN ONE PARAGRAPH SO FAR ON SH.org (insightful) hence wish I bought more SWS CDF and AA when it was available. Even using here and there and as a nightcap ( most nights ) running low…I check MS constantly to see if it is relisted. At least pics where put back up with on order. This is the route I went for storage…it’s a blast working with snuff transferring into glass jars ( for now. may upgrade ) in regards to storage. Thanks to @Johnny_Dingo in The Cheap B@$+@rd’s Guide to Snuff Containment http://snuffhouse.org/discussion/comment/248353/#Comment\_248353 @basement_shaman also posted in a previous thread to heat tins a bit with a lighter and the labels will peel easier of the tins and than I apply the labels to the glass bottles. @snuffeupagus… Only one I don’t like on your list is Seville… Will put up soon in marketplace… Not a fan of florals or soapy for that matter… One more thing, @basement_shaman… Do you have or tried TAXI GOLD or TAXI ROCK IF SO WHAT ARE THEY LIKE?.. Can they be purchased somewhere…I’m also interested in purchasing Taxi Blue in bulk… That will be a futile attempt, I’m sure.
BTW J&H Wilson split from Wilsons of Sharrow in 1895, and were subsequently bought-out by Imperial Tobacco in 1953, when the elderly proprietors had no-one to hand the company on to. Today only three sorts remain in production: SP No1, Top Mill and No99 (Medicated). The only really distinguishing feature is that they are, in varying degrees, among the very few snuffs to be found in regular cigarette shops. None of them is especially inspiring to my nose. Wilsons of Sharrow (the original Wilson family company founded in 1737 and still in family ownership) Best SP, and Fribourg & Treyer HDT (made by Wilsons of Sharrow) are, to my nose, vastly preferable to SP No1 and Top Mill. I very, very seldom use anything medicated these days. WoS also make their own “exact alternatives” to SPNo1 and No99 - branded as SP100 and SM500 respectively.
Your history lesson on J&H Wilson, Wilsons of Sharrow and the subsequent buyout by Imperial Tobacco is very much appreciated. You mentioned Top Mill being available in “regular cigarette shops”. Until it became completely unavailable in Western Canada the situation was the same. In fact it was about the only snuff I was able to buy which accounted for my continued use of it and also my limited experience with other snuffs. In 2008 I did visit Smith’s on Charring Cross road and was introduced to Fribourg & Treyer’s High Dry Toast. An excellent snuff compared to Top Mill No1. I’m looking forward to the arrival of my order from MR Snuff and sampling the many different snuffs I purchased.
Suggestions for future: Samuel Gawith’s Black Coffee (arguably the finest-quality coffee snuff ever made) Fribourg & Treyer’s Santo Domingo (Dark, rich, heavy; complex mix of aromas on a good dark base) Fribourg & Treyer’s Princes (powerful, dark snuff with musk and citrus hints among the aromas) If you like Irish, personal favourites are: Samuel Gawith’s Irish D Light and possibly the slightly “smokier” Irish D Original Fribourg & Treyer’s HDT…
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I’ve noted your suggestions for my future orders and really appreciate you taking the time to make them. Thank you………….Lisa.
Don’t forget to protect your investment with proper storage Air tight glass jars. Most important when starting a snuff library. Baby food jars work well if you recycle them for free. Small 2 ounce jars work best. especially if you plan on bulk. Or buy new Jars from a mass commercial,industrial supply company by or buy the case. 300 jars is a good starting point. Air and moisture control is the enemy ,cross contamination is common when storing medicated with non medicated snuff, hence the air tight jars. Also buy as much snuff in the largest quantity of your favorites as you can afford. They may stop making it or change the recipe or other things may happen- company folds ,owner dies, et cetera. And not to mention inflation.
Excellent advice thank you so much for sharing it. As a newbie trying to start a respectable snuff collection for my own pleasure and when friends drop in, I really appreciate your suggestions. I’m quickly realising that snuff, by the time all shipping and duty is paid, can quickly run into some considerable expense and well worth looking after.
@snuffeupagus… Only one I don’t like on your list is Seville… Will put up soon in marketplace… Not a fan of florals or soapy for that matter…
I’m not a fan of them either. I was trying to test a good cross section of snuffs I think I’ll enjoy, but if that one is a floral then it will be passed around to friends LOL
…I’ll add to this message in a few weeks after my order has arrived and I’ve been able to try a few.
My order from MR Snuff arrived several days. My first pleasant surprise was the low duty assessed by Canada Customs - only $16 on a $100 order. So far I’ve tried two of the snuffs: Toque Ginger - a beautiful snuff and one that awakened my senses to the gentle blast of ginger. I was quite surprised how I enjoyed this snuff, considering I don’t usually appreciate flavoured snuff. Abraxas FireDrac - my goodness what can I say - perhaps the finest snuff I’ve ever used and definitely worthy of a review in Snuff Reviews in the next couple of days.
That sounds good about the FireDrac. I have been going through new snuffs also and still to open that one and Dragun Menthol. At the moment I’m having blend trouble. Might have to pack that in as I just seem to be ruining snuff. Ah well, live and learn. Sometimes the blends seem work great and then I mess them up again instead of leaving them alone and even if I leave them the different ingredients seem to change at different rates over time. Snuff never stands still.
…At the moment I’m having blend trouble. Might have to pack that in as I just seem to be ruining snuff. Ah well, live and learn. Sometimes the blends seem work great and then I mess them up again instead of leaving them alone and even if I leave them the different ingredients seem to change at different rates over time. Snuff never stands still.
Other than some experimenting I’m doing with coffee flavoured snuff I leave the blending to the experts. Tried it some years ago and ruined the snuff.
Abraxas Dragun Abraxas FireDrac Abraxas Premium Batch Fin J & H Wilsons Top Mills Dholakia Black Swisher Three Thistle Strong Fribourg & Treyer Macouba Toque Ginger Wilsons Irish HD Toast Viking Brown Fribourg & Treyer Seville I’ll add to this message in a few weeks after my order has arrived and I’ve been able to try a few.
I’ve now tried all three of the Abraxas snuffs I ordered. They are a cut above any snuff I’ve ever tried before. Of the three, Abraxas FireDrac is by far my favourite and the finest snuff I’ve ever used, but Abraxas Dragun and Abraxas Premium Batch Fin are both a very close second. I particularly enjoy the way the heat of FireDrac can be enjoyed for over ten minutes before it finally fades away. Swisher Three Thistle Strong - The first pinch almost knocked me over. There was no mistaking the reason for its very existence; the need for a powerful instant hit of nicotine and that’s what I got; along with a buzz like I’ve never felt from any other snuff. I actually had to sit down for a couple of minutes. My first reaction was to throw it in the garbage, but instead resorted to a smaller pinch and yes, I could get to like it. They were not kidding when they said strong! Dholakia Black - This one I’m still not sure of. The first pinch gave me in instant headache. The only time I’ve ever smoked I was about ten. My friend, another bad girl, stole a couple of her mother’s cigarettes; we smoked them behind the house - very grown up. It also gave me an instant headache and made me quite dizzy. Dholakia Black made me feel the same way. Perhaps in time I’ll become used to it. Still reeling from nicotine hits………………Lisa
@snuffeupagus - Three Thistles Strong is indeed a knockout! But it is a good value for a 30g tin, and will certainly provide a good hit every time! Go with the Macouba next, would like to hear your thoughts on that one. It is one of my personal favorites.
@snuffeupagus - Three Thistles Strong is indeed a knockout! But it is a good value for a 30g tin, and will certainly provide a good hit every time! Go with the Macouba next, would like to hear your thoughts on that one. It is one of my personal favorites.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’m building an inventory of snuffs and will be placing another order in a few days. I’ll defiantly give Macouba a try and will let you know what I think of it.