Comparing high dry toast type snuffs with most regular untoasted snuffs, I find it odd that the toasted snuffs are lighter in color, a very golden brown. Why would this be? Wouldn’t toasting the tobacco make it darker if anything? Is it because there is a lot of stalk in toasts? Is it because the toasting process vaporizes components that are responsible for the darker brown color of untoasted snuff or something along those lines?

For a guess as to why toasting doesn’t make it darker, I’d have to think the temperatures used plays a big role. From what I’ve read, you’re generally only going around 140°F to toast it, so you probably would have to really forget about it for a long time for the leaves to scorch and darken.

Colour is controlled by types of leaf and stalk, curing method and manufacturing process. With regard to the latter, moisture greatly affects snuff colour. As a general rule lighter coloured snuffs are drier and darker snuffs are moister. Black snuffs are fermented in brine and are very moist and very dark. If dehydrated they change to a much lighter colour. Irish toast is usually referred to as biscuit coloured (as in tea biscuit). The lightest in colour available today is Irish D Light by Sam Gawith. Not all toasts, however, have been coloured so. Grant’s High Toast, available from tobacconists all over Ireland until the 1980s, was a slightly coarser grind and somewhat darker in colour owing solely to blend of leaf and stalk and not to manufacturing process.

Should add that Irish D Light is not a proprietary manufacturers name. Snuff was made under that name by varied manufacturers but Sam Gawiths is the sole surviving example. The D stands for Dry and because it is very dry it is also the lightest in colour of any European snuff.

Ah, that makes sense, since the crap I blow out of my nose afterwards is indeed normal snuff color. It was actually Irish D Light I was referring to. Love this stuff.

I am always amazed at the ultra fine snuff smoke that emanates from a just opened can of Irish D, the snuff is so fine and dry it seems weaponized!

sounds dangerous like cheeta.

I just got my first taste of HDT on Saturday, and that stuff is amazing. The aroma is complex and wonderful, and it’s surprisingly easy (at least for me) to take. I still have problems with my Toques firing themselves straight into my lungs, but the HDT is shockingly friendly to me. It’s also one of the few snuffs I can take with a spoon and not have any problems.

I also find it particularly easy to take, but I don’t really understand why. I often sniff too hard and get snuff where I don’t want it, so you would have thought that HDT would be the worst. Maybe it just doesn’t burn as bad so I don’t notice so much when it ends up in my throat.