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The Kralingse Latakias

Ben 04/12/07

 

 

The romance of trying something that's produced in a time-honored, traditional manner is undeniable. Such is the case with the line of De Kralingse snuffs. These high-quality treats are made in windmills by Jaap Bes and company in the Netherlands.

I grew up smelling Latakia. It was a staple in my grandfather's pipe tobacco. When I took up pipe smoking, I started with Latakia blends. So to find a premium Latakia snuff was special. Latakia Orange from De Kralingse would reintroduce me to this fine induglence.

Latakia Orange is delightful. I'd say it's somewhere between coarse and medium in grind and comes fairly moist, which I find I prefer to bone-dry flour. It's easy to take, though the texture and moisture will have you reaching for the hanky sooner than later. No problem.

The snuff coats the nostrils with a warm, toasty, slightly sweet flavor that tastes like true orange essence, not some odd chemical citrus (the producer's Website mentions the exclusive use of essential oils). The more prominent smoky element you'd detect in Latakia pipe tobacco carries in the snuff, but not enough to dominate the experience. Here, it's more a rich note that almost reminds me of dark chocolate. The flavor lasts, which is a big plus. There's nothing worse than finding a great snuff scent only to lose it shortly after taking a pinch.

Nicotine content is certainly above average. I can feel the effects shortly after taking a pinch. Very nice. It's tough to immediately pull this snuff through the sinuses and into the throat, but if you do, prepare for a burn.

Overall, Latakia Orange is a superb snuff.

 

 

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Alex at Snuffhouse 11/26/06

 

A/P

The A/P Snuff produced by De Kralingse in the Netherlands is one of my favourites. It is based on Latakia tobacco, which is smoke-cured. Therefore it has a basic smoky scent. The special thing about the A/P is the additional scent of pine, which is just lovely. The snuffs produced by De Kralingse have a coarse grain and are medium moist. Just the way I like it.

 

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Oranje

The Oranje Snuif, or Orange Snuff, is produced by De Kralingse in the Netherlands. It is a scented version of the Latakia. It has a slight smoky basis, a coarse grain and is medium moist. Make sure to keep it in an air-tight container to preserve the scent.

 

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1860AO

Based on an old recipe, this is the first snuff produced and sold by De Kralingse. It is a pure, not-scented and roughly ground nasal snuff. It is smoke-cured, thus has a smoky taste with medium moisture. Absolutely recommendable!

 

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AJL 11/22/06

 

These snuffs are all ground in windmills in the Netherlands. Information on the mills and their operation may be found here.

 

The Latakia 1860AO is made according to an historical recipe. It should come as no surprise that the base tobacco is Latakia, long beloved by pipe-smokers, and an essential ingredient of all “English” blends. Latakia tobacco is named after a Syrian city, though most Latakia is nowadays produced in Cyprus. The tobacco is wood-smoked, which produces its trademark smoky flavor and aroma.

 

De Kralingse’s Latakia snuffs are all of very high quality. The grind is medium, as are the moisture and nicotine content.

 

The Latakia base of these snuffs has a richness and depth which is unparalleled. The smoky nature of the tobacco is quite pleasing, and contains a slight natural sweetness. As the flavor comes from the tobacco itself, rather than flavoring agents added after the grinding, there is no cloying effect and each pinch is as fresh and invigorating as the first.

 

The Orange version of the Latakia is astoundingly authentic. Most citrus-flavored snuffs have an artificiality to them, but the citrus in this snuff is just exactly like peeling an orange under one’s nose. It’s shocking how good this is. Though the juxtaposition of orange and smoky tobacco may sound odd, the flavors are perfectly compatible. This snuff allowed me my very first experience with perceiving two different scents at the same time— usually, aromas tend to mingle together for me— and I find the sensation quite agreeable.

 

The Peppermint, again, seems on the face of it like an odd combination— but it’s a perfect mix. The mint is very authentic, but not nose-chillingly overwhelming. This is a very refreshing snuff, and one I frequently use as my “wake-up” pinch in the morning. My brain keeps telling me that there’s a hint of chocolate in the background, but I’m sure this is an artifact of my perception rather than something actually there.

 

Any of these snuffs are perfectly suitable for all-day use, as they are easy on the nose. Due to the inherent resinous nature of Latakia, there are some gummy effects, so some saline spray may prove useful during protracted use— a very small price to pay for such great enjoyment!

 

The Kralingse snuffs (aka “Two Windmills”) are available from Mars and Rajek, as well as directly from the maker.

 

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