ZYN - Blackcurrant Forest

Swedish Match introduced ZYN Icy Blackcurrant as part of the high-strength segment of the ZYN range, positioning it alongside Icy Mint as one of the most intensely cooling and most nicotine-dense options in the lineup. Blackcurrant was chosen as the fruit base because its dark, tart character pairs naturally with menthol: both occupy a cool, non-sweet register that feels coherent rather than contrived.

During the ZYN 3.0 range update, Icy Blackcurrant at 12.5mg became Blackcurrant Frost at 13.5mg, with the can design refreshed to the new darker ZYN 3.0 typography. Some retailers continue to carry the product under the Icy Blackcurrant name at 12.5mg, while others have transitioned to the Blackcurrant Frost name at 13.5mg. VapeCity lists this product as Blackcurrant Forest, which represents the same blackcurrant and menthol combination available from the ZYN range at the high-strength XX-Strong level.

Philip Morris International, which acquired Swedish Match in 2022, has maintained the blackcurrant and menthol product as part of the global ZYN lineup. The combination of blackcurrant and menthol is particularly well-established in the UK market, where blackcurrant flavoured beverages and sweets have a long tradition and the menthol cooling dimension is a natural complement to the fruit.

Within the VapeCity ZYN range, Blackcurrant Forest is the only dark-berry option and one of the few berry-menthol combinations. It sits alongside ZYN Icy Mint and ZYN Menthol Ice as the high-strength cooling options. Where Icy Mint and Menthol Ice are pure menthol-mint products, Blackcurrant Forest adds a fruit dimension: the dark berry base gives the cooling a food-adjacent quality rather than a purely functional one.

The blackcurrant base of ZYN Blackcurrant Forest is the defining characteristic and the element that distinguishes it from simpler berry options. Blackcurrant is one of the more complex berries in flavour terms: it has a deep, dark sweetness alongside a distinct tartness and a slightly astringent quality that comes from the tannin-like compounds in the fruit. Unlike strawberry or raspberry, which read as straightforwardly sweet and fruity, blackcurrant has a depth that makes it a more interesting base for a nicotine pouch flavour.

This complexity also makes blackcurrant an ideal partner for menthol. The tart, slightly wine-like quality of blackcurrant responds well to cooling: the menthol intensifies the freshness and draws out the fruit note while suppressing the sweeter aspects of the berry. The result is a flavour that is simultaneously fruity and fresh, dark and cooling, and distinctly adult in character. It does not read as a fruit sweet or a dessert; it is more like a sophisticated cold drink.

The menthol element in ZYN Blackcurrant Forest is a genuine cooling agent rather than just a flavour note. It activates the cold receptors in the gum mucosa, creating a sustained chill that develops alongside the blackcurrant flavour over the session. The menthol here is moderate rather than extreme: less intense than ZYN Menthol Ice or ZYN Icy Mint, but present enough to give the product its characteristically fresh quality and to make the blackcurrant note feel brighter and more vibrant than it would in a menthol-free format.

In dry slim format, the flavour develops gradually over the first two to three minutes as the pouch moistens. The blackcurrant note tends to arrive first; the menthol cooling builds from the second or third minute. By the fourth minute, the full profile is established: dark, tart blackcurrant with menthol freshness layered over it. Duration runs to 35 to 45 minutes for the slim format, with the menthol often persisting slightly longer than the fruit note.

Whether you are using ZYN Icy Blackcurrant at 12.5mg or ZYN Blackcurrant Frost at 13.5mg, both represent the XX-Strong tier of the ZYN range and are appropriate only for experienced nicotine users with an established high tolerance. This is not a product for beginners or occasional nicotine users.

At 12.5mg (Icy Blackcurrant), the product is one of the strongest standard options in the original ZYN lineup. At 13.5mg (Blackcurrant Frost), it is fractionally stronger, aligned with the ZYN 3.0 reformulation that increased nicotine levels across the high-strength tier. The difference between 12.5mg and 13.5mg is subtle in practice: both will feel like the same high-strength product to most experienced users, with the increased level providing a slightly more pronounced initial effect.

Appropriate users for this strength include heavy daily smokers who are switching to a tobacco-free alternative, experienced vapers using 20mg+ salt strength regularly throughout the day, or long-term snus users transitioning to a tobacco-free format. The 35 to 45 minute session duration at this strength level is genuinely long-lasting and should be respected: reaching for a second pouch before completing a full session with a 12.5mg or 13.5mg product is not recommended.

At £20.00 per can with approximately 20 pouches, the per-session cost of ZYN Blackcurrant Forest is around £1.00. Given the extended 35 to 45 minute session duration, a single pouch provides substantial coverage compared to shorter-session products. For heavy users going through three to four pouches per day, a can provides five to six days of usage.

The usage method is the same as for any ZYN slim product. Given the high nicotine content, allow the full session duration before considering a second pouch.

Blackcurrant is a well-established nicotine pouch flavour with several notable options. Here is how ZYN Blackcurrant Forest compares.

Velo Black Currant is one of the most widely distributed blackcurrant pouches in the UK. Velo uses a pre-moistened slim format that delivers faster initial flavour than ZYN's dry format. Velo Black Currant tends to be available at lower nicotine levels (6mg to 10mg) than ZYN Blackcurrant Forest, making it more accessible to moderate users. The Velo version has a slightly sweeter blackcurrant note; ZYN Blackcurrant Forest is darker and more complex. Choose Velo for a more immediate, lighter experience; choose ZYN Blackcurrant Forest for the high-strength, dry-format, complex berry-menthol combination.

Nordic Spirit Blackcurrant is another well-established option at moderate nicotine levels with a darker, less sweet blackcurrant profile than Velo. Nordic Spirit uses a dry slim format similar to ZYN, making the session experience comparable in structure. The key difference is nicotine level: Nordic Spirit Blackcurrant sits at 6mg to 9mg, while ZYN Blackcurrant Forest is 12.5mg to 13.5mg. For the same blackcurrant character at half the nicotine level, Nordic Spirit Blackcurrant is the relevant comparison.

Killa Blackcurrant is a very high-strength option at 16mg or higher for the most high-tolerance users. ZYN Blackcurrant Forest at 12.5mg to 13.5mg is the premium-branded, quality-assured option from a major manufacturer; Killa positions itself at the extreme end where maximum nicotine delivery is the primary goal. Users who have found 13.5mg insufficient may be looking at Killa products, but most experienced users will find ZYN Blackcurrant Forest more than sufficient.