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W. E. Garrett Sweet and Mild

 

AJL 10/02/06

 

While “sweet” it may be, it is certainly far from mild. As noted on the page of descriptions of American snuffs, such products are not actually intended to be taken nasally. It could be that this snuff is indeed mild when rubbed on one’s gums, but I doubt that I’ll find that out anytime soon, as I live in a locale where hickory twigs are very hard to find.

 

This is a very fine, very dry snuff, as are all of the American styles.  If the package traveled through a humid area on its way to the store you buy it from, you may encounter what seem to be gravel-sized pebbles throughout— never fear, though, they crumble easily into the original coffin-dust consistency. It’s exactly the color of Uncle Elmer’s brown funeral suit.

 

Caution is recommended for the use of this snuff. We all have our little tricks for taking ultra-fine snuffs; you’ll definitely want some tricks with this one. It’s not as nose-burning as some of the High Toast styles, but it’s not any kind of wimpy, either. You will notice quite a hit of nicotine from this product. In fact, a snort of this snuff has much the same physiological effect as smoking an unfiltered Lucky whilst chewing a mouthful of  Mail Pouch. Well, almost.*

 

The flavor is not without subtleties, despite the knock-you-down effects. The sweetness is immediately noticed, though the flavor thereof is hard to define— somewhat molasses-y, yet not overly sweet or cloying. The sweetness fades to a smoky flavor that a friend calls, accurately enough, “barbecue.” I can think of no better description of the smokiness than that, so I’ll cheerfully steal the simile. That’s “barbecue” as in potato chips— sounds dreadful, but is much better than it sounds.

 

I couldn’t use this all day, as it is a little hard on the nose due to its drying properties. As an occasional nicotine-fix, though, it’s perfect. One certainly wouldn’t need to carry much of it. And price-wise, it’s quite the value. A lifetime supply (one tin) can be had for around three dollars, which isn’t something you can say for most snuffs.

 

 

*It’s not actually as powerful as other American snuffs like Rooster or Levi Garrett, but still plenty powerful enough.

 

W.E.G. Sweet and Mild is available through Mars.