Five Cans Getting Us Through August
It's August, it's hot, and heat changes which flavors hold up. Only one can from July's five made it onto this month's list.
Out are Iceberg Sour Berries, ZYN Cool Watermelon, VELO Polar Mint and Pablo Gold Frosted Ice. They didn't get worse. You just get tired of a flavor faster when it's hot, which is what the flavor fatigue post was about. Every can in the store is $9.99, so switching things up doesn't cost you anything extra.
The summer rules still apply. Don't leave cans in the car, the glovebox or anywhere in direct sun (the storage post explains why). The hot-weather rankings still hold too: cold-drink flavors work in the heat, dessert flavors don't. Keep your extra cans indoors somewhere cool and dark, and don't stock up too far ahead in August.
1. ZYN Peach, 6mg
ZYN Peach is the light pick this month. It's a mini that comes in 3 or 6mg. I'd go with the 6, and the 3 is there if you'll be using pouches all afternoon and want to pace yourself. It tastes like real peach, more fruit stand than candy, and it's sweet enough to notice without getting syrupy at 95 degrees, which is the problem with heavy sweet flavors in August.
Cool Watermelon had this spot in July and deserved it, but peaches are in season. If you're outside for hours, this is the one to bring.
2. VELO Freezing Peppermint, 10mg
July's post said August would be mint season, so here's the mint. Freezing Peppermint is clean peppermint with a real cold to it and no perfume taste, and the name sounds about right for August. It comes in 10, 14 and 17mg, and I'd buy the 10 right now. The same pouch feels colder and stronger when you're already sweating, so the lowest strength is plenty.
Polar Mint is out to make room for it. If you want every mint we carry compared properly, the mint roundup went up a few days ago, and I won't give away the results here.
3. White Fox Original, 12mg
White Fox Original is the only can that stayed on from July. It's pine and menthol with no sweetness at all, and it's a dry white pouch, which is what you want in humid weather. It stays crisp well into the afternoon, while wetter, sweeter pouches get soggy by noon. It's my default when I don't feel like choosing.
4. Iceberg Energy, about 12mg
This is the pick people will argue with. Iceberg Energy tastes like the first sip of a cold energy drink: citrus, a bit of fizz and that sweet energy-drink flavor. In this heat, cold-drink flavors beat dessert flavors, and our post on drink flavors made that case a few months ago. This one makes the most sense mid-afternoon when you're outside.
Iceberg only comes in one Standard strength, roughly 12mg. This is the same brand that makes a Gummy Bears pouch, and Energy is one of its more normal flavors. This month I'd take it over a lot of the more serious cans.
5. Pablo Exclusive Lemonade, 30mg
In July I said the 30mg cans could wait until October. I changed my mind on this one. Pablo Exclusive Lemonade tastes like lemonade first, with a real lemon-and-sugar bite, and behind that is our top strength. Lemonade just makes sense in August.
Only get it if you already use 24mg and up. Everyone else should skip it and read our ranking of the strongest pouches first. Even if you're used to strong pouches, save this one for the evening once it cools off, and have one at a time.
This month's five
- ZYN Peach, 6mg: light, real peach, not syrupy.
- VELO Freezing Peppermint, 10mg: the mint pick. Get the 10.
- White Fox Original, 12mg: the one holdover from July, dry and piney.
- Iceberg Energy, about 12mg: energy-drink flavor that works in the heat.
- Pablo Exclusive Lemonade, 30mg: evenings only, and only if you already use 24mg or more.
A new five goes up in September.
WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.
