ACE Slim – X Cool Mint 8mg

Same mint, more nicotine: ACE X Cool Mint 8mg moves the brand’s cold peppermint onto its stronger X recipe in a slim white pouch. The flavour is punchier than the 6mg version as well, with peppermint pushed to the front. It is the mint to choose once the standard dose stops doing enough. Its 8mg is a third more nicotine than the Superwhite Cool Mint, a manageable jump rather than a leap.

Where ACE X Cool Mint 8mg sits on the mint ladder

ACE sells cool mint at three strengths. The Superwhite slim holds 6mg, this X slim holds 8mg, and the large-format X Cosmic tops out at 11.5mg per pouch. Between the first two steps nothing about the pouch changes in size; the filling simply carries 16mg of nicotine per gram where the lighter can carries 12mg. Cosmic gets its extra strength a different way, by using a bigger portion.

Who the stronger peppermint suits

Regular users who find a 6mg pouch fades too fast are the natural audience. The peppermint is bold and icy, so the taste has enough presence to match the higher dose rather than being drowned out by it. Anyone new to pouches is better off starting at the lower rung and moving up when ready. Because the cut is slim, the step up in strength does not come with a bulkier feel in the lip.

• Nicotine per pouch: 8mg
• Nicotine per gram: 16mg
• Level on our site: Strong
• Format: slim white pouch
• Pouches: 20 (10 g can)

Step down to ACE Cool Mint 6mg or up to ACE X Cosmic Cool Mint 11.5mg to stay with the same flavour. For a cross-brand strong mint, NEAFS Mint Fusion Strong 12mg is worth a look. Every can is listed under ACE nicotine pouches.