I had never dipped or chewed in my life. I don’t know why. The thought just never really occurred to me. Knowing that most chewing tobacco and dip is full of sugar was, I suppose, even more of an incentive not to be interested. Well, the other day I was at a smoke shop and spotted on the shelf actual twist tobacco. Cotton Boll. Made by the American Snuff Company (formerly known as Conwood). Only $3 for the thing, too. Knowing that this is pure tobacco – no molasses stew, I thought, why not? If I’m ever going to try this, now is the time. So I brought the stuff home, cut off a really small piece about the size of two snus portions, popped it between my cheek and gum. Went outside with the dogs. Nice taste. Very interesting, yes. Oh, I feel all rustic, spitting and not giving a damn if I do, thank you very much. And then … all of a sudden… Mein Gott! I thought I had a high tolerance for nicotine, but this made my head spin like I couldn’t believe. The manly tobacco gods were laughing at me. “How do you like THAT, you Fribourg & Treyer-sniffing dandy boy? You’re not in Old Paris anymore!” Even the dogs seemed amused at my predicament. Long ago I used to think I could handle anything because I smoked Gauloises. Shows you what I knew. I have no idea how long one is supposed to leave this in the mouth. I kept it in for around 20 minutes. I’m guessing that Cotton Boll is to twist tobacco as W.E. Garrett is to snuff: strong, rough hewn and possibly lethal to the inexperienced. Still, it did taste nice and was an interesting experience. Someday I home to somehow work up the nerve to try another piece.

Hahaha,that’s a good description, kjoerup! I would think the second try won’t be as intense.

I’d like to try twist someday. Michigan’s not a big chawin’ state, about the best I’ve found locally is Days Work plug, but I reckon I might order me a Cannon Ball or Cotton Boll from Lil’ Brown Smoke Shack…

Yeah, I really wanna try this American twist now. I’ve never had it. I have had the plug, which was OK, but it was not much different than pressed loose leaf, and I liked the loose leaf more.

Twist and Plug is the only way to go.

I love Cotton Boll. Now if you want some real fun, make some snuff out of it. I made some Cotton Boll snuff, it is the strongest snuff in my stash. Smokes good in a cob.

SG Brown Rope No. 4 makes a pretty awesome snuff too and that has a lick like a mule. Edit: which should of course read “kick”, but I’m not going to change it now

ermtony said: “and that has a lick like a mule.” that sounds wet! Eww!

Have you ever been kissed by a mule? I haven’t, but they are damn cute creatures.

now just WHERE did you have that mule lick you Tony? I heard some women do strange things with mules in mexico…but not the men, not that I know of anyway.

thank you for this description, I have a kendal twist on the way (was accidentally left out of an earlier order) as part of my pending order still (hopefully!) on its way, I got it for duel purpose to have my first try at this sort of thing, been hoping a small enough piece put in my upper lip like snus might not need spitting, and figuring more than likely most of it will be ground for snuff). Its good to see a good writeup on how it went for somebody else’s first time

I bought Cotton Boll twist from lil Browns but I haven’t given it a shot. It showed up dry like hardtack bread. So I put it in my pipe tobacco jar for some humidification. Its softer now. Happily I have a real tobacconist in my hood and she has Brown #4 and Black XX. Last time I asked she didn’t even know what snus was and said nobody snuffs around here. I haven’t yet tried snuffing the twists. But I did smoke the Brown #4 and its damn good. If you like american scotches you’ll probably like it. In the pipe its very rich and some of the strongest tobacco you can get, I’ve read and experienced. I chewed the Brown #4 and it tastes like a mesquite, hickory, piece of leather. Its nothing like Days 'o Work. Can you say ‘Nicoshit’ ?

Hmm, I’m thinking of planting 4 or 5 black mammoths this year; wonder if they’d make good twist? Mind you; I’ve the manual dexterity of a drunken tree sloth but it’d be interesting to try. Wondering if maybe being twisted very tightly would allow for fermentation over time, instead of building a kiln like the folks on the Coffinails or howtogrowtobaccco forums do…

@ Premium Parrots: I think you may be the most openly perverted snuffer on this site…and I’m lovin’ it. Good to have you around buddy.

Kendal Twist: I just got it a few minutes ago (and first thing have taken a very small piece and put it in my upper lip. My friend was here when I got it and opened it, he brought it up) and on opening to see it and show him he said “what it is, a tobacco-beef jerky”? I think he’s pretty close lol. (it actual smells like a beef jerky thing) I’ve only had this very small piece in my upper lip (like you would a snus) a very few minutes and I had to take out an old snus (mini ecalypus I’m trying to use up because getting them was a mistake) and I have a load of sweet american snuff in my nose (because I wasn’t expecting my friend to bring the mail up or this to be in it) so its hard to tell so soon but very very first impression is it is indeed like a tobacco beef jerky and isn’t too bad, if it stays like this and my first impression is right I could really learn to live with this, might really like it… will see after a few more minutes

uhhhhhh I may be mistaken but I am pretty sure that the American tobacco company is not “formerly” known as anything. Conwood company is still in buisiness. they are the guys that make Grizzly and Kodiak, W.E Garrett ect. I could be wrong but I doubt it.

Yes, Conwood was bought out by RJR, and the division was renamed American Snuff Company, LLC. The name change occurred in January 2010. [quote][b] In 1985, Conwood Corporation was restructured as a privately owned company pursuant to a merger which resulted in the formation of Conwood Company, L.P. In 2006, Conwood Company, L.P. was reorganized as Conwood Company, LLC. The diversification trend which extended the Company’s involvement in non-tobacco products was reversed in the eighties as Conwood altered its business strategy to focus again solely on the manufacture and distribution of smokeless tobacco products. To reflect this return to the Company’s smokeless tobacco origins, in 2010 Conwood Company, LLC was renamed American Snuff Company, LLC. [url]http://www.americansnuff.com/ourCompany.htm[/url][/b] [/quote]

I agree with cstokes4. Twists and plugs beat pouch chew hands down.

I don’t know. The plugs i have had all tasted like shit - cannonball, days works, etc etc. I’m dying to try some twist tobacco. So far I stay with my redman golden.

How well do those US plugs work as pipe tobacco? I regularly smoke Kendal Plug and Mick McQuaid Plug in a pipe, so I was just wondering.

@ ermtony: i couldn’t tell you. they taste like shit though. like mould and molasses.

Hmmm… Kendal Plug and Mick McQuaid Plug both smell great so maybe US plugs would be less than good in a pipe.

Cannonball is a great plug. Dark, deep tobacco taste with hints of coffee and chocolate. It’s a goodie.

US plugs are heavily cased with sugars, molasses, sorghum syrup etc because they are made for chewing. Unflavored twists, Cotton boll or Stokers air cured plain are a better choice for pipe smoking. Just make sure you are sitting down and have put down a good meal before you try or it will make your head spin.

Aha! Rather like GH Dark Plug. Thanks for the info.

@kjoerup: "Oh, I feel all rustic, spitting and not giving a damn if I do, thank you very much. And then … all of a sudden… Mein Gott! I thought I had a high tolerance for nicotine, but this made my head spin like I couldn’t believe. The manly tobacco gods were laughing at me. ‘How do you like THAT, you Fribourg & Treyer-sniffing dandy boy? You’re not in Old Paris anymore!’ " LMAO! Some funny, funny shit. Thanks!

I was getting ready to place a 12 pack order with lil browns but alas they cannot ship to oregon due to a 1865 treaty. So is there any other supplier that has the stonewalls and the cotton bolls anyone would suggest?

What american twists has anyone tried?

Stokers in Tennessee carries the following twists: Their own Natural and Sweet Twists, (both fire and air-cured) Air cured: Bee’s Wax -sweet Good Money-sweet King B-sweet King B (giant) Red Ox-natural Wild Duck-natural Cotton Boll-natural Cumberland-sweet Kentucky-natural Mammoth Cave-sweet Warren County-natural Stokers Fire and Air-cured #1 Grade leaf 1-2 yrs old–by the pound PLUGS Days Work Tinsley’s Bloodhound Taylor’s Pride Cannon Ball Rebel Plug Stonewall–Wintergreen, Natural, and Java Discreet Snus–Cool mint, emerald ice,full flavor,peach,strawberry Oliver Twist–tropical, wintergreen, sunberry,citrus,mint Hope this helps…

i just ordered some cotton boll twists from lil brown. what really sucks is you can’t order a single package you have to order a box and that’s everywhere online from what i’ve come across.

Hey Bart does Stokers have a web site? SOrry a bit out of sorts with a rocking head cold.

Nope.

Fax --1-731-364-3322 Phone 1-800–243-9377 You can call and ask for a catalog or fax your info. I’d call them first, Dred

You can order singles from Lil Brown.

Guess I get a washington co worker to order for me : )

For those looking to try this plug: BLOODHOUND (thick-cut ) “A Dog-Gone Good Chew” Wrapped in a dark, chocolate colored non-chewable wrap, picking this hefty chunk of plug off the shelf will get your mouth watering. Using your pocketknife ,that most dedicated chewers carry on their person, cut 1/3 to a 1/2 of this plug off. No crumbly scraps fall—this is a good sign. . The first taste that hit me was a black licorice/molasses sweetness that is lasting long into the chew.At times, I think I feel a bit of powdery -ness about the plug, possibly caused by the flavorings? But this is temporary, and I feel no harsh stems or bitterness late in the chew. This is made by Taylor Brothers who was acquired by American in 1952. The package still says ‘a division of Conwood’, so I’m guessing it was packaged pre-2010 before the name change. All in all I’d recommend it as a special treat. I prefer my chews with a more pronounced tobacco and flavorings taking back seat, but hell, we’re talking about plug here. Go sniff one of these dogs out!

Cotton Ball makes a very good, strong, pure tobacco snuff. Not for the faint hearted. Kendal Black Twist, available from mr Snuff, also makes one very nice snuff.

I saw a grinder at one of the head shops around here (actually they all have them). It has a screen in it thats very fine. I thought about asking the clerk what the screen was for just to see what he would say but I didn’t. I guess I wanted him to say, “Well, son, its for grinding your twist tobacco into snuff”. Anyway, I’m not sure why else there would be a screen. It was 34 bucks!! Now thats too damn much for a grinder when I could by pre-ground flavored tobacco from Willie Wonka over in the UK. But I wanna try it out on that Cotton Boll twist I have. Hmmm.

it certainly wouldn’t be to collect hash crystals/

I think Leman bought a grinder like that, and from what I remember, he was not impressed.

Well for the same price you can pick up a nut and spice blade grinder from a decent cookware shop.

I bought a grinder with a screen inside and it was totally useless. A coffee/spice grinder works very well. A burr grinder works best because it can be adjusted.

I did find an adjustable pretty wood and handle grinder. looked nice was a Olivier Roellinger Spice Mill… Not for 100 bucks when there are other buys to be made.

@Bob No certainly not. That would be tomfoolery. @ cstokes and Pieter Thanks for warning me. I would’ve been pissed. I have a coffee grinder and I just moved in with my gf who has her own. Can you tell what I’m thinking? I just received my Stokers catalog in the mail. Those twists and tobacco hands look mighty delicious. Imagine the possibilities.

I figured that my desire to ever chew tobacco again is nil, so I let the twist dry out for several days, and then pulverized it into snuff. Lesson: Cotton Boll makes for a nice, neutral snuff, and, at only $3 a pop, a very good snuff deal indeed! I think I’m going to buy another to grind up and mix with my Toque rustica leaves. These things are so cheap, I’m going to experiment with saucing and aging them in various liquors before grinding. This has distinct possibilities.

Hmmmm… wow, it’s really hittin’ now. I just now, am trying my 1st ever twist. I got Cumberland sweet twist. Gut off a bit from the end. It’s sweet, but not very sweet, seems mainly the coating. Not near as sweet as regular chew, or the plug I’ve had. I have some kind of cold going on too, so I feel out of it anyway. I have not snuffed at all in a couple of days. Well, this twist isn’t bad, it does give a nic hit, more than Copenhagen dip. I can barely type. This is the strongest nic hit I have had.

This funny story was actually meant here, I put it in another thread by mistake: Cumberland Twist

I just ground up some Gawith Hoggarth Happy Brown Bogie rope in a mortar & pestle I got yesterday as a gift. I’m very impressed… It smells a lot like any american scotch, but it’s got an even better kick, and fresher scent, with less burn. I only ground maybe a ‘coin’ worth, but I can already tell it’s surely a good backup source of snuff!

I’d rather restart an older discussion than start a new one.  

I just bought my first Cotton Boll twist.  They actually sell them at a local store that carries groceries, hardware, liquor, and tobacco.  It is the same store that sells W.E. Garrett’s Scotch and Sweet.  The clerk at the store joked that the first time someone came through her check-out line with the Cotton Boll she was afraid to touch it, because it looked like a dog-turd in a bag.  We had a good laugh.

Brought it home, sliced off a chunk to chew, and I’m really happy with it.  I like plug tobacco, but sometimes the molasses is a bit much.  The Cotton Boll has a nice tobacco flavor, softened up quickly with some chewing, and gives a nice nicotine hit.  Riding that hit right now actually.  I was surprises how little I’ve had to spit.  With a plug, I’m filling up glasses with spit.  I’m chewing this twist, and I’m getting plenty of flavor, but I’m not spitting every 10 seconds.

I only chew occasionally, but Cotton Boll might be my new thing when I do chew.

I completely see the potential for grinding some snuff from this dark tobacco.  I’ll have to try that in the next couple of days.

Mark

Cotton Boll gives me the nicups.This is a man’s chew, I used to get them from lil browns but they no longer ship to Pa. ~X(  haven’t seen any plug or twists locally and chews are getting rare also. 

I think this is about the only form of smokeless tobacco left for me to try.  I’ll have to throw one in on my next Mr. Snuff order.  Thanks for digging up the discussion Mark.  

No problem. I’ve always wanted to try it, and I’m glad I did. Mark

Chaw is terribly bad for health. I know more than one person with very few teeth left and others have gone to the great chawhouse in the sky. Snuff is a lot safer. I love tobacco and am very tempted to try it all. Then I remember my buddies and for me it’s not worth it. I smoke cigars when I have the money, pipes once in a while, and I snuff every day. I love tobacco. But better alive than dead! Be careful out there guys! Sorry for the dreadful formatting btw. This site doesn’t work very well for me at all, and it’s terribly slooooooow. Maybe the server just bit off a big ole piece of rope…

I’ve known people who ate too many fats, and died of heart disease.  And folks that had a bit too much of a sweet tooth, didn’t control their weight, and died of diabetes-related complications.  I’ve known people who couldn’t control their drinking and ruined their life.  I’ve also known people who lived their life as healthy as humanly possible, and died in their 40’s while jogging.

All things in moderation.  We’re all adults here.  :-)

Mark 

I’ve got a Gawith Hoggarth sweet apple twist on its way - hope it’s 1/2 as good as I’m imagining.

…and it wasn’t.  I’d rather smoke it.  I thought it was to be chewed like Redman, and if that’s the case it’s only enough for maybe 3 chews… for $6.  If you dip a little plug like Oliver Twist, then I guess it’s a different story.  At any rate, it was dry and would probably be much better in a pipe.   

How small was it?

Mark

like 2 inches

That would make Cotton Boll look huge sitting side by side!

Mark

edit: Yeah I thought it seemed pretty dinky… like a free sample size.