The Smokeless Pleasure of Her Majesty’s Pirates

Originally published in Cigar Magazine (No. 4, 2009).

As ever-tighter tobacco bans push smokers to the sidelines of public life, snuff—the smokeless way to enjoy tobacco—is becoming increasingly popular. Its menthol variety is especially in vogue. Naturally, a gentleman chooses the English original: the real snuff!

By Jörg Pannier

Not all snuff is created equal. Connoisseurs distinguish not only strains and brands—they divide the snuff world into two distinct flavor universes: on one side, the classic, full-aroma Schmalzler; on the other, the modern, most often mentholated snuff. Between them yawns a confessional chasm. And indeed, it traces a centuries-old denominational demarcation line.

From lord to errand boy—everyone had a pipe

It all began with an act of state-subsidized piracy—at least from the Spanish point of view. In 1702, Admiral Sir George Rooke seized a galleon off the Spanish coastal city of Vigo. The British sailors were initially disappointed with the prize: instead of the expected gold doubloons, they captured only 50 tons of Spanish snuff.

After the Vigo fiasco, Rooke had little choice but to distribute part of the 50-ton haul as a reward to his men. “Take a pinch,” he likely called out magnanimously—instead of cash. The Admiralty sold the larger share of the cargo through a newly founded exchange, and London’s port authority marked the goods with the letters “SP” for “Spain.” The captured snuff spread across England and, to everyone’s surprise, sold like hotcakes.

The secret of this success lay first and foremost in the snuff itself—worlds apart from the ground tobacco powder the English of the time knew as “nasal tobacco,” used mostly for medicinal purposes. In Spain, production had already been greatly refined through special fermentation techniques. Robust tobaccos from their South and Central American colonies were used, above all from Cuba. At the end, depending on need, a touch of rose oil or violet root was added as a flavoring.

In England of that era, though, taking snuff was not in favor. For more than a century—ever since Sir Walter Raleigh—people smoked pipes, from lord to errand boy. True, in Catholic countries snuff played a significant role, especially at the courts of France and Spain, but for John Bull that was merely one more reason to stubbornly keep to his pipe.

And so, what made its way into English noses by means of a privateering raid proved so delightful that the 50 tons of “SP” snuff were snapped up in record time. The market wanted more, but fresh supplies were out of the question—you couldn’t exactly ask the Spanish for another shipment. Attention turned to Britain’s own colonies, and attempts were made to recreate the tasty powder from North American tobaccos. But Virginian and Kentuckian leaf couldn’t hold a candle to Havana or Brazilian.

Moreover, the English had yet to learn how to tame the intense “animalic” note—redolent of cowshed and leather—in their snuffs, since Spanish production methods were closely guarded state secrets.

Bottom line

A chance seizure in 1702 introduced England to a refined Spanish-style snuff that quickly captivated the nation and reshaped tobacco habits. The scramble to reproduce its character spurred innovation, helped define distinct snuff traditions, and left an enduring mark on how aficionados enjoy smokeless tobacco today.

For adult tobacco consumers only. This article is for historical and informational purposes and does not target minors.