Snus News – New Snus Catch Pure Mint

UPDATED 23 AUG 2010

Swedish Match announced two new snus products today. The most intriuging of these is Catch Pure Mint Snus. The can is totally different as is the portion type used.

Catch Pure Mint White Mini Portion Snus: Return of the Metal Snus Can

Catch Pure Mint is a tobacco-peppermint flavored snus packaged in a new type of pouch. Effectively, the pouch is a white portion version of the longer/thinner 0102 Lab Series Original portion snuses. White portions do not go through the additional re-wetting process original portions undergo. This causes white portions to start running slower but last longer. The taste usually is also slightly subdued compared to an original portion version of the same snus.

This difference is neither better or worse; it’s a question of personal taste. I generally prefer Original Portions snuses but there are some brands where the White Portion version is more to my liking. Swedish Match calls these new White Portions “White Medium – Slim Fit”. The translation is the Pure Mint pouches look like the long, thin Lab Series 0102 pouches but unlike 0102, Pure Mint only contains 0.65 gr/pouch of snus. Also like mini portions; they come 20 portions to a can instead of 24 for regular portions.

Catch Pure Mint Snus contains approximately 7mg/portion of nicotine and the pH level is around 40%. Using the secret ancient Viking formula used to calculate free nicotine, Catch Pure Mint Snus would have approximately 5.83 mg/portion of bio-available free nicotine. How or if E500 affects this number I don’t know. For now, I’m sticking with 7mg/portion total nicotine; 5.83 mg/portion free nicotine.

Most intriguing is the new can. When Swedish Match took over product of 1847 by Philip Morris, they switched out the beautiful metal can for a standard plastic one. Since their assembly line was calibrated for the cardboard and plastic cans, this seemed a smart business move at the time. Enter Catch Pure Mint White Medium Portion….in a new metal can! The catch-lid is on the bottom (like the old 1847 cans). The pictures apparently do not do justice to this can as Markus Ersmark of Swedish Match received a can today and was very impressed. Markus is not easily impressed either.

When Swedish Match switched the metal 1847 snus cans to plastic, most fans of 1847 were very disappointed. So disappointed it seems that Swedish Match discontinued making 1847 by Philip Morris earlier this year due to low sales numbers. I wonder if they had kept or modified the metal can if sales would not have been higher. I was personally a very big fan of 1847 and have a White portion of it in my mouth as I write this.

The new Catch Pure Mint White Medium Slim Fit Snus (that’s a mouthful to say) is now in-stock at your favorite snus store, SnusCentral.com. Through September 30th, 2010, they have a great introductory offer: BUY a 10 can roll of Catch Pure Mint; only PAY for 8 cans! I’m looking forward to tasting it and seeing the can in person.

Catch Collection adds Catch Ginger Orange Snus.

The Catch Collection by Swedish Match is essentially of group of Mini Portion snuses which rotate in and out throughout the year. In the case of Catch EASE Ginger Orange, it is notable that it has appeared so quickly after the last Catch Collection snus; Catch GLOW Elder Lime, was introduced. I had not expected to see Elder Lime replaced until late September or October.

Why this is the case I have no idea. Catch GLOW Elder Lime was my personal favorite of all the Catch Collection snuses released to date. The Snus Store at SnusCentral.com has also found it to be a consistent seller; certainly a quick mover compared to one or two of the earlier Catch Collection snuses which shall remain nameless.

I haven’t tried Catch Ginger Orange yet so I can’t say if the taste justifies the earlier than usual launch date. SnusCentral.com does have both Elder Lime and Ginger Orange in stock. It will be interesting to compare the sales volume of the two.

More unexpected surprises from Swedish Match…who is known for some exceptional unexpected surprises. Still in the wings allegedly is a new General Snus product in the 1 gram version of the long, thin 0102 portion pouches. Will it be offered in Original and/or White versions? No one except Swedish Match knows at this point. And of course as we move closer to the 4th quarter, everyone is waiting expectantly for Kardus 2010. Kardus is the finest limited edition snus known to mankind. Kardus 2009 will be a tough act to follow, but I’m sure Conny Andersson will exceed my expectations in 2010 as well.

Let everyone know what you think of these snuses and others in our section: Member Reviews > Swedish Snus. As always, snus safely and often!

Enjoying my REAL snus from Sweden despite the US Government,

LARRY WATERS