Expert Review★★★★★ Click to read Tap to read
Medicated No. 99 opens like a cold splash to the face, heavy on the menthol and camphor with a sharp, herbal snap. The fine, dusty grind comes with minimal drip and a quick onset of cooling, but can be tricky to seat comfortably in the nose. This isn't a casual beginner's snuff; it takes a practiced hand and gentle sniff — the fine grind and dry nature make it a little more difficult to use.
This snuff finds itself right in the middle when it comes to strength. The moisture content is rather dry — my sample was in a tap tin, and I imagine a larger tin may hold more moisture. Finely milled with a slightly fluffy cut, and light brown in colour, the initial hit is bold and clean, but fades faster than expected, leaving behind a soft wisp of tobacco.
Hidden beneath the camphor, with some effort and repeat pinches, are faint traces of citrus — barely there, like a memory half-remembered. That subtle twist adds dimension, though it's easily lost in the menthol blitz. This may be a case of the tin having lost some freshness; the tap box format isn't known for airtight preservation.
As it stands, the experience doesn't linger long, and I found myself reaching for more often than usual just to recapture the effect. While the core profile is solid and refreshingly old-school, Medicated No. 99 struggles to compete with more balanced medicated offerings. It hits hard, fades fast, and leaves you chasing a complexity that never quite arrives.