Snuff Review: Abraxas Premium Batch

★★★★★
This, the first Abraxas snuff to be revealed to an unsuspecting public, remains my favourite though I doubt I would ever use it as an all day snuff. Apart from the cost (probably the most expensive snuff in history) the wonderful scent and flavour are just too rich for constant use. But as an after-dinner, evening indulgence it is both decadent and sublime. 


But I get ahead of myself. Abraxas Premium Batch is a coarse, rich dark brown, moist snuff, not so much scented or flavoured as suffused with rich and probably expensive spirits. For me the grind and moisture level are perfect, though the jar did need to be left open for a while first to let the ammonia fly free.The flavourings are complex indeed. The initial impression is of a good quality cognac with more than a hint of old port and I suspect some good quality coffee in the background. The sheer depth of flavour is amazing and it lingers and lingers. The base tobacco has something of the Cuban cigar in it, though whether it is made with Cuban tobacco or not I couldn't say. 

If one didn't know one might guess that this an old Fribourg and Treyer blend, such is the quality of the snuff. But no, this one only saw the light of day in mid-2011. Admittedly the maker has said that he has been refining the blend for 30 years. If it takes a man 30 years to produce such a snuff I can only say that it was 30 years well spent.

Five stars all the way!

Snuff Review: Abraxas Dragun

★★★★★
The fourth offering from Abraxas, Dragun is significantly different from the earlier three.  Rather than being dark and moist it is a pale yellow brown and it is relatively dry. The grind however is still medium coarse, thus rather proving my earlier point that dry snuffs aren't always fine in grind. The grind and colour remind me of the Dutch Mettaijer Snuif and also of the fabled Spanish Jewel but the flavouring is quite different to either. Mettaijer has a vinegary top note while the Jewel was cheesy and sweet and Dragun is spicy and sweet. A curious combination perhaps but it works well for me. 

The notes on the Mr Snuff site mention several spices as being in the flavouring for Dragun, chilli, cinnamon and nutmeg, and I'm not going to argue about any of those. All seem to be present, but the initial scent I get is of something much sweeter. A hint of apples and raisins with cinnamon perhaps, or something along those lines. I find the chilli tends to makes itself known as that initial sweetness fades. Finally the tobacco itself comes forward coupled with a heft nicotine kick. Very satisfying and very moreish, even if it does tend to make me sneeze, just like the Club and the Cerise Connoisseur! I suspect that, while the grind of Dragun is finer than that of Club and Cerise, it's the dryness that starts me sneezing (though high dry toast doesn't have that effect on me). For the latter reason alone I'll give it four stars rather than five, though 4.5 would be more accurate. Another must try snuff from Abraxas.

Dragun snuff in a papier-mâché box

Update: I have recently received a tub of Dragun from the second batch. Same great flavour but the grind is slightly finer, resulting in an even better product which is much less sneezy than before. Now it's a solid five stars for Dragun!

Snuff Review: Abraxas Cerise Connoisseur

★★★★ 
My take on the Abraxas Cerise Connoisseur. This review has also been posted on Snuff House.

Another excellent snuff from Abraxas, the Cerise Connoisseur was the third to be released. Like the Abraxas Club, it is dark, very coarse, moist and rich in flavour. Fresh from the 15g glass jar it needed some airing to reduce the expected ammonia but that is never a problem. One whiff of that smell tells me a snuff is as fresh as it gets so all is well. Like the other Abraxas snuffs this one is also described as a premium sort and the price reflects that. Even at that price this is a wonderful snuff, positively decadent in its depth of flavour.

The initial scent blast is of cherries of course, as the name proclaims. In fact leaving a jar open nicely scents the entire room! But the flavour is not just of cherries. It's more of a cherry brandy with the alcoholic liqueur adding an extra dimension to the overall experience. There is also something else lurking in the recesses of this blend, something somewhat bitter-sweet which I can't quite place. I'm sure as time goes on with this snuff I'll find more flavours just waiting to be discovered.

The only drawback for me, once again, as with the Club and Dragun snuffs from Abraxas, is that the coarse grind tends to make me sneeze a lot and once again, that's my only reason for only giving this excellent snuff four stars rather than five.

Snuff Review: Abraxas Club

★★★★
Abraxas Club was the second premium snuff to be released by Abraxas. Like the others it is very much a premium snuff both in terms of price and flavour. Luckily mine came as a sample in a 15g plastic pot, preserving my bank balance somewhat.

So far only available online from Mr Snuff, Abraxas Club is very coarse, moist and scented. In coarseness and moisture level it ranks with the rappees and it is nearly as dark. The premium nature of this snuff really lies in the flavouring or saucing. I decanted the contents of the 15g pot into a larger 25g tin (an old Samuel Gawith one still in good condition) to give the snuff a chance to breathe a bit, thus enhancing the flavour. And flavour seems to be just the right word here. This stuff is good enough to eat!

Along with a touch of the farmyard (proving freshness) the initial scent is of brandy (or is it a particularly rich rum?), closely followed by coffee, a touch of chocolate, an underlying nuttiness with hints of citrus and an almost plum-like fruitiness. Finally the base tobacco shines through with the occasional reprise of the other scents. Quite amazing snuff, though I must confess that it tends to make me sneeze. I put this down to the coarseness of the mill. Perhaps if I were to add a little extra water it would reduce that tendency.

The only thing that stops this from being a five star snuff for me is that sneeziness, so it gets four.