Mentholin is another creation of Jaap Bes (De Kralingse). It is a tobacco-free snuff aka snuff powder. It contains rice flour, boric acid and milksugar. It has a mixed, coarse grain and a decent taste. As far as I can judge, the smell and taste is different to the typical snuff powder, without being able to describe it. Sorry for that vague characterisation, but I do not know how to specify the taste here. Since preferring snuff made of tobacco during the day, I use it in the morning or before going to bed where I do not need a nicotine rush. It is also very helpful if you need to get a good breath or need to get your nostrils clean.
Hello Alex, Mentholin is not my creation but that of the Hioolen brothers, owners of the snuff mills around 1850. Besides the ingredients you mentioned it contains coffee and orris root, which make up the scent besides the menthol. Jaap Bes.
Hello Jaap, that is interesting to know. Coffee! That is the ingredient I could not figure out. I did not think about coffee, but it tastes great. Best regards, Alex
Picked up some of this mentholin snuff. Very nice. Indeed like @Alex said back in 2006 it opens the nostrils and gives a good breath. First I was thinking someone was making coffee but it was the snuff in front of me. And the menthol reminded me of some kind of licorice I had as a child. Can’t really detect the orris root, don’t know how that smells either. But orris root has the property of carrying moistness, so this fresh, medium moist snuff will stay that moist for a long time. I think that is why Hioolen added this. It is really a funny idea to have rice flour in your nose. I was rather thirsty at a moment I took it, had nothing to drink around since I was at the ferry. But I did not dry out thanks to this snuff. It keeps the body fluids running. The need to drink something dissappeared. I think this snuff was taken - and is good for - a lot in the time of autumn and winter to protect against cold. But I must say it is pleasant too at this hot weather. I will sure be adding to my stock when the flue season starts! To conclude: this Mentholin, a historic Rotterdam’s recipe, is added to my daily rotation. And the most important for some of use: There is no nicotine in this snuff, you will miss that. But then you can mix it with other tobacco snuff. There is no real buzz or hit. But: the coffee smell is pleasant and I’m sure this adds to our daily caffeine intake.