ZYN - Menthol Ice

Swedish Match built the intense cooling segment of the ZYN range around eucalyptus and menthol as the primary compounds. The ZYN Icy Mint product established the formula: eucalyptus as the dominant cooling agent, menthol layered underneath, pure mint character above. When Swedish Match rolled out the ZYN 3.0 range refresh, this flavour became Menthol Ice, with the nicotine content stepped up from 12.5mg to 13.5mg and the can redesigned with the darker ZYN logo on a teal background.

The reformulation at 13.5mg reflects a broader trend in the nicotine pouch category: experienced users have progressively sought higher nicotine levels as the market has matured. ZYN Menthol Ice at 13.5mg places it in the XX Strong category and makes it the strongest non-specialist product in the ZYN standard range. For users who found the 9.5mg Icy Mint too light but wanted to stay within the ZYN brand, Menthol Ice provides the same flavour profile at a more demanding nicotine level.

Swedish Match also reformulated the flavour slightly as part of the transition. The eucalyptus and menthol compounds were re-proportioned to suit the stronger base, and the overall result is slightly smoother at 13.5mg than the XX-Strong Icy Mint was at 12.5mg despite the higher strength. This is characteristic of how Swedish Match has handled strength increases across the ZYN range: the formulation is adjusted so the flavour quality remains consistent rather than simply intensifying every sensory element alongside the nicotine.

The Menthol Ice name change also clarifies the product positioning: where Icy Mint had a somewhat abstract name, Menthol Ice makes the primary flavour compound explicit. The eucalyptus element is still present and still important, but menthol is the headline note and the reason users choose this product over the simpler cool mint options. ZYN Menthol Ice sits alongside ZYN Icy Mint in the VapeCity range for users who want the original strength; Menthol Ice at 13.5mg is the current 3.0 version for those who want the updated formulation.

Within the broader ZYN range, Menthol Ice represents the cooling intensity extreme. The mint-adjacent ZYN options span from ZYN Spearmint at the sweeter, lower-strength end, through ZYN Cool Mint X-Strong in the moderate-to-strong cooling zone, up to ZYN Icy Mint and ZYN Menthol Ice as the most intense options. Users who want the maximum cooling effect the ZYN range offers should be looking at this product.

The three-component flavour of ZYN Menthol Ice follows the same structure as ZYN Icy Mint: eucalyptus as the sharp, penetrating cooling lead; menthol as the cold-receptor activator that reinforces and sustains the chill; and pure mint as the clean, fresh top note that adds brightness without adding sweetness.

Eucalyptus is the character-defining ingredient. It is a distinctly different cooling agent from peppermint or spearmint: sharper, more piercing, with a slightly camphor-like quality that gives the product its icy quality. Users familiar with eucalyptus from cold remedies or topical products will recognise the compound immediately. In pouch form, it delivers the highest cooling intensity ZYN achieves: more pronounced than any of the mint-only variants.

Menthol amplifies the eucalyptus effect through a different mechanism. While eucalyptus delivers the initial piercing cooling, menthol activates the cold-sensing TRPM8 receptors in the gum mucosa, creating a sustained sensation of coldness that outlasts the initial eucalyptus impact. Together they produce cooling that is both immediate and lasting, which is what gives Menthol Ice its distinctive profile: an opening rush followed by a sustained icy sensation for most of the session.

The pure mint character sits cleanly above both, providing a recognisable and pleasant mint freshness that makes the overall experience accessible rather than purely functional. The mint note stops the flavour from becoming purely medicinal or antiseptic, which the eucalyptus alone could approach at high intensity. The result is a product that tastes specifically and deliberately of Menthol Ice rather than of a cold remedy.

In dry slim format, the flavour builds over the first two to three minutes as the pouch moistens from the gum line. The cooling sensation typically begins earlier than the full flavour, starting within 60 to 90 seconds. By the third minute, the full eucalyptus and menthol profile is established and holds for 35 to 50 minutes in most users, with some residual cooling persisting after the pouch is removed.

At 13.5mg per pouch, ZYN Menthol Ice is one of the highest-nicotine products in the standard ZYN range. This is not a starter product and it is not appropriate for users without an established nicotine tolerance. The XX Strong designation is a genuine indicator: this product is designed for experienced nicotine users at the heavy end of daily consumption.

Appropriate users include heavy smokers transitioning away from cigarettes (20 or more per day), users of very high-strength nicotine salt vapes (20mg+ frequently), experienced snus users moving to tobacco-free formats, or long-term pouch users who have stepped up progressively from lower strengths. At 13.5mg, Menthol Ice delivers a clear, rapid nicotine effect over a 35 to 50 minute session: more pronounced and faster-developing than the 6mg or 9.5mg ZYN variants.

The slim dry format means the nicotine absorbs through the gum mucosa rather than the lungs, which results in a slower onset than vaping but a more sustained and longer-lasting effect. Users transitioning from vaping may find the first few sessions feel slower to satisfy compared to a device, but the sustained effect over 40+ minutes tends to reduce the need for frequent dosing compared to vaping. Starting with one pouch and waiting the full session duration before reaching for a second is strongly recommended, particularly at 13.5mg.

There is also a 16.5mg variant of ZYN Menthol Ice available from some retailers for users at the very high end of the nicotine tolerance range. VapeCity stocks the 13.5mg version. If you are considering Menthol Ice for the first time and are uncertain about your tolerance, starting at 9.5mg via ZYN Icy Mint and assessing the effect before moving to 13.5mg is the more cautious approach.

In terms of cost per session, ZYN Menthol Ice at £20.00 per can represents good value for a high-strength premium product. A typical can provides 20 to 24 pouches; at 20 pouches per can and a 40-minute average session duration, that is approximately 13 hours of nicotine coverage per can at £1.00 per session. Compared to the equivalent cost of cigarettes or frequent vaping sessions, this is competitive particularly at the high-strength end of the pouch market.

The technique is the same as for any ZYN slim product. Given the high nicotine content, first-time users should place the pouch and allow the full session to elapse before evaluating the effect, rather than adding a second pouch prematurely.

The high-strength intense menthol category has several options. Here is how ZYN Menthol Ice at 13.5mg compares to the main alternatives.

Velo Freeze is probably the most widely used competitor product in the intense cooling category. The Velo product uses eucalyptus and menthol in a pre-moistened format, giving faster initial flavour onset than ZYN Menthol Ice. Velo Freeze tops out at around 10.9mg in the standard UK lineup, making ZYN Menthol Ice at 13.5mg a meaningfully stronger option for users who need the higher nicotine level. The dry ZYN format also provides longer session duration once up to speed.

Killa Cold X is a competition product at very high nicotine levels (16mg or higher depending on variant) from the high-strength segment. For users who specifically need extreme nicotine levels, Killa Cold X exists in that market. ZYN Menthol Ice at 13.5mg is positioned as a premium-branded, quality-assured option from a major manufacturer rather than a specialist ultra-high product, and the flavour balance is more refined than many extreme-strength alternatives.

Within the ZYN range itself, ZYN Icy Mint at 9.5mg or 12.5mg is the most direct comparison. The flavour profiles are essentially the same eucalyptus-menthol-mint combination; the difference is purely in strength. Users who have used Icy Mint and found 12.5mg XX-Strong satisfying but not excessive are the natural audience for ZYN Menthol Ice at 13.5mg. Users who found 12.5mg too strong should stay with the lower options.