The story of how snus came to be isn’t linear. It’s full of twist and turns, winding like a path from the base of a mountain to its peak. It started nearly half a millennium ago in a “New World,” survived revolutions political, social and industrial — and went through countless transformations along the way.

But snus as we know it today truly came into being roughly 200 years ago in Sweden. Swedish farmers mixed finely ground tobacco with salt and water, which enhanced the overall flavor and made it easier to pack into a pris (a pinch). They discovered if they placed their tobacco mixture behind their upper lip, they didn’t have to spit. And soon, this new, more convenient Swedish-style snus became popular not only with farmers but with Swedes of all class and creed.

Not long after, in 1866, a Swedish craftsman by the name of Johan A. Boman unveiled a tobacco experience four years in the making: General Snus. While the events of those 4 years are largely unknown, the result was the most premium snus the world had ever seen, and it became the benchmark against which all other snus was judged. Over the last century and a half, many brands have tried but none have succeeded in matching the quality and craftsmanship of the Original Swedish Snus™.