I might be going to Denmark some time in the next year, with a stop in Iceland. Unfortunately, I will not have the opportunity to visit Sweden, and I understand the snus situation is pretty dire in Denmark. I suppose I could receive a small package, so I might try that to get my hands on the Skruf stuff you can’t get in the US any more, but more to the point, can you find snuff, or tobacco of any kind, in Denmark? And is there something in particular to look out for?
As for Iceland, I strongly hope to acquire some neftobak; can this be found in the duty free or should I convince Mrs. Herbam to take a day trip in Reykjavik including, of course, a visit to a tobacconist or two?
Denmark used to be a paradise for pipe smokers. I think that has changed quite dramatically but if you visit Copenhagen check out The Danish Pipe Shop https://www.danishpipeshop.com
Their front page says they sell “Smokeless”. I can’t view the actual products because I’m in the UK but I presume that includes snuff.
Enjoy your trip.
Oddly enough, there are no nasal tobacco / snuff products listed on the Danish list of registered tobacco products (not even a category; I would have expected to spot at least Gletscher Prise there, and Ozona President, Gawith Original - Pöschl’s bestsellers), but there are 22 products in Chewing Tobacco category - some Oden’s, Siberia, General and Göteborgs Rapė chewing bags, Oliver Twist chewing bits, Kentucky chewing tobacco (made by Wilsons of Sharrow) and (surprisingly!) - a Sakoon brand naswar. To see the full list, visit List of registered tobacco products | Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, select “Chewing Tobacco” from the drop-down bar and hit “Search”.
In Iceland you can find the iconic Neftobak in plastic horns (45 g), made by Icelandic Alcohol and Tobacco Monopoly (ATVR) - a coarse, moist, dark, strong snuff with rich, inky tobacco aroma, fermented in oaken barrels for 9 months:
Best place to buy it is Keflavik airport duty free shop. It’s much cheaper there. Look for the 45 g plastic horn (priced about $17 per horn), it will be fresh (it’s airtight container; neftobak in the 50 g plastic can is the same snuff, but container isn’t that airtight, so better steer clear of plastic can).
You can pre-oder it online, using Dutyfree Express service, “intended for departing passengers only. It is important to bring the order number when you pick up the products at the departure store. Products must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance. It is not recommended to order products more than a week in advance.”
Thank you for the very comprehensive answers, I will definitely stop by the Pipe Shop. I am aware that because of EU regulations, all sorts of dip, snus, makla, etc. are marketed as “chewing tobacco” including one of my favorites, Oliver Twist, which you can thankfully get in the US. I am sure the snus prices are ruinous, but short of making a trip to Sweden, I do not know how else I can get any Skruf. Probably best to just get a couple cans as there are limits on how much tobacco counts as “personal use” anyway.
An update: I was unable to find much in the way of oral tobacco, at least stuff I can’t get in the US. The Danish Pipe Shop only had Oliver Twist for smokeless, though I was very happy with their selection of pipe and cigarette rolling tobaccos that are hard or impossible to find in the US, even if the “plain” packaging laws are a drag for the cigarette stuff! The pipe tobacco has more aggressive warning labels (dip/snuff-style for Americans) than in the US, where we have very unobtrusive, cigarette-style labels. It is taxed to hell too, but non-EU citizens can get the VAT refunded at a kiosk at the airport.
I ended up not trying to order any snus, as the few remaining shops that ship snus to the US generally do not go in for the “manufacturer recommendations” or…other…issues…on selling certain brands to the US market, so there is not much in the way of snus that cannot be found in the States, at least not on the EU online vendors’ shelves.
As for Iceland, I preordered a large stack of néftobak horns and a couple bottles of brennivin, the famous herb-flavored aquavit of Iceland. Got a receipt, order number, and everything. Then, when I got to the duty free on my way home, it was cordoned off! I checked their website and to my shock, I found that it had been deactivated in the interim. Apparently the duty free “provider” company is out of business and the new company has not moved in yet. Kind of a drag, but I got a bunch of Amber Leaf at the US duty free and some hard-to-find tobaccos and liquor in Denmark, so I guess I can’t complain.
