This is my first snuff review, and only my third week sniffing snuff – I’ve been smoking pipe tobacco for two years, and have written a few reviews, but this is a whole new ball game for me. So, please, let me know if anything I’m saying is way off base.
First off, like anything I’ve tried from Old Mill, this stuff is awesome. Medium grind, with just a bit of moisture, its easy to take and very mild on the burn – for me, this is a great all day snuff.
He describes it on his website as: Pure Red Virginia aged in a toasted Colorado Blue Spruce crate with fresh peppermint and a solid dose of organic menthol crystals, very lightly sweetened with blue agave nectar and black currant eau de vie then milled to a medium grind with a touch of moisture for a refreshing summertime snuff.
I agree with this, that it is quite refreshing. However, I don’t get much menthol. What I get are really pleasant toasty, fruity, and minty characteristics that linger for about 5 minutes after sniffing. Not the typical nasal “cleanse” that a strong mentholated snuff provides, but rather a gentle freshness and clean scent. I’ve also found that it changes pretty dramatically if you sniff it in a warm environment, then walk into a cool environment – it becomes even more refreshing and cooling. Maybe that’s the menthol crystals.
I’m fairly new to Old Mill and have tried about 6 of Daniel’s blends so far. Correct me if you think I am mistaken, but I have found all of them to have a very characteristic “toasted” tobacco quality underneath the delicate scents and smells. What Daniel is doing is truly fantastic – he creates unbelievably complex snuffs, but still allows the tobacco itself to shine through. It smells pure and fresh, and all of his snuffs (that I have tried, at least) have multiple, complex layers built around a high quality tobacco base. If you have not tried his snuff, you owe it to yourself to reach out and order a few tins – trust me, it’s worth it.