What is ZYN Ultra? Strengths, flavors & nicotine explained
ZYN Ultra is a line of moist nicotine pouches from Philip Morris International (PMI), on sale in the US since June 2026 in 9 mg and 11 mg strengths. An 11 mg Ultra pouch contains 83% more nicotine than a 6 mg ZYN, more than any other ZYN sold in the US. Ultra comes in 8 flavors and 20-pouch cans.
What is ZYN Ultra?
ZYN Ultra is a separate line within the ZYN brand, made by Swedish Match, the PMI company behind regular ZYN. Like regular ZYN, it contains no tobacco leaf. The nicotine comes mixed with plant fibers, flavorings and other fillers in a white pouch you keep under your lip.
ZYN's product page and PMI's announcements point to three differences from the classic can:
- The pouch is moist. PMI describes Ultra as a pouch "with higher moisture content", while classic US ZYN is a dry pouch.
- The strengths are higher. Ultra comes only in 9 mg and 11 mg. Regular ZYN tops out at 8 mg.
- The can is different. It holds 20 pouches and has a compartment in the lid for used ones.
How strong is ZYN Ultra?
ZYN Ultra comes in 9 mg and 11 mg of nicotine per pouch. The 11 mg version contains 83% more nicotine per pouch than a 6 mg ZYN, and 9 mg contains 50% more.
| Product | Nicotine per pouch | vs 6 mg ZYN |
|---|---|---|
| ZYN 1.5 mg | 1.5 mg | −75% |
| ZYN 3 mg | 3 mg | −50% |
| ZYN 6 mg | 6 mg | baseline |
| ZYN 8 mg | 8 mg | +33% |
| ZYN Ultra 9 mg | 9 mg | +50% |
| ZYN Ultra 11 mg | 11 mg | +83% |
PMI added 1.5 mg and 8 mg to regular dry ZYN in the second half of 2026. For most of ZYN's US history, the options were 3 mg and 6 mg.
By nicotine content, ZYN Ultra 11 mg is the strongest ZYN in the US. The new 8 mg dry ZYN sits just below Ultra 9 mg.
An Ultra pouch is already moist when it goes in, while a dry pouch has to soak up saliva first. PMI hasn't published data on how fast Ultra releases nicotine, and I couldn't find an independent study of it, so any difference in how quickly it kicks in is anecdotal.
How much nicotine is in a can of ZYN Ultra?
A can of Ultra holds 20 pouches. Multiplying by the strength gives the nicotine in the whole can.
| Can | Pouches | Nicotine per can |
|---|---|---|
| ZYN 6 mg (older can) | 15 | 90 mg |
| ZYN 6 mg (newer can) | 20 | 120 mg |
| ZYN Ultra 9 mg | 20 | 180 mg |
| ZYN Ultra 11 mg | 20 | 220 mg |
PMI is moving 3 mg and 6 mg ZYN cans from 15 to 20 pouches in late 2026, so you may see both counts on shelves.
A can of 11 mg Ultra contains almost two and a half times the nicotine of the 15-pouch 6 mg can, the standard US format until late 2026. At the same 10 pouches a day, that's 60 mg of nicotine on the label with 6 mg ZYN and 110 mg with 11 mg Ultra. To work out your own number, see how much nicotine is in your ZYN pouches per day.
Nicotine content vs nicotine absorbed
The number on the can is how much nicotine is in the pouch, not how much reaches your blood. Some of it stays in the pouch, and how much comes out depends on how long you keep it in.
The published data I found are for regular ZYN. In a study funded by Swedish Match, people kept a pouch in for an hour, and about 1.5 mg of nicotine came out of a 3 mg pouch and about 3.5 mg out of a 6 mg pouch. Ultra wasn't part of that study, so there's no reliable figure for how much an Ultra pouch releases. For how time in your lip changes the dose, see how long does a ZYN last.
A 9 or 11 mg pouch contains more nicotine than the 3 mg and 6 mg strengths that dominated the US ZYN lineup for years. Without high tolerance, that makes nausea, dizziness or a racing heart more likely, all of which Poison Control lists among the effects of too much nicotine.
Higher strengths raise the labeled dose, so they work against cutting down on nicotine.
ZYN Ultra flavors
ZYN Ultra comes in 8 flavors, and every flavor is sold in both 9 mg and 11 mg. Five are mint or wintergreen, one is citrus, and two are unflavored.
| Flavor | What it tastes like |
|---|---|
| Wintergreen Blast | Wintergreen with a hint of sweetness, only lightly minty |
| Arctic Mint | Cool, slightly sweet mint |
| Peppermint Frost | Bold, crisp peppermint with an icy edge |
| Fresh Spearmint | Spearmint with a smooth, slightly sweet finish |
| Menthol Ice | Menthol with an icy, minty finish |
| Citrus Zest | Lemon and lime, a little tart and a little sweet |
| Chill Mist | No flavor, but a light cooling tingle |
| Signature Smooth | No flavor and no cooling |
Descriptions are based on ZYN's own product copy, retailer listings and launch-week reviews. Taste is personal, so treat them as a starting point.
The two unflavored options are easy to mix up. Early reviews describe the two as nearly identical, except that Chill Mist adds a faint cooling feel in the lip. If you want no taste and no cooling at all, Signature Smooth is the plain one.
There's also a 9 mg mixpack with five cans: Wintergreen Blast, Arctic Mint, Peppermint Frost, Fresh Spearmint and Citrus Zest.
The FDA's August 2026 order covers ten 9 mg Ultra products under internal names, and two of them, Deep Freeze and Wintergreen Chill, don't match anything on shelves yet (FDA), so the lineup may grow.
ZYN Ultra Citrus Zest (9mg and 11mg)
Citrus Zest is the only Ultra flavor that isn't mint, wintergreen or unflavored. Retailers describe it as "zesty, slightly sweet lemon and lime".
Regular ZYN sells a Citrus flavor too, but as a dry pouch. Citrus Zest comes in Ultra's moist pouch, and a 9 mg pouch contains 50% more nicotine than a 6 mg Citrus. The 9 mg is FDA authorized, listed in the order as "ZYN ULTRA Citrus 9 mg", while the 11 mg is still under review.
How is ZYN Ultra different from regular ZYN?
| Regular ZYN | ZYN Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | 1.5, 3, 6, 8 mg | 9, 11 mg |
| Pouch | Dry | Moist |
| Pouches per can | 15 (3 and 6 mg moving to 20) | 20 |
| Flavors | 13 | 8 |
| Lid | Standard | Compartment for used pouches |
| FDA authorization | 20 products, 3 mg and 6 mg (January 2025) | 11 products (August 2026) |
You use Ultra the same way as regular ZYN, with one pouch under your upper lip until you take it out.
When did ZYN Ultra come out?
PMI shipped the first ZYN Ultra cans in the US in June 2026, both 9 mg and 11 mg, according to its second-quarter results.
Ultra went on sale before it had FDA authorization. On August 21, 2026, the FDA authorized 11 ZYN Ultra products, ten at 9 mg and one at 11 mg. The 11 mg one is listed as "Smooth", which is Signature Smooth on the shelf. PMI says the other 11 mg flavors are still under review and remain on sale in the meantime.
Authorization means the FDA allows the products to be sold. It isn't an approval, and it doesn't mean the FDA considers them safe. Ultra also can't be marketed as lower-risk, because the modified risk orders PMI got in June 2026 cover regular ZYN only.
How much does ZYN Ultra cost?
When I checked two large US online pouch stores in October 2026, a can of ZYN Ultra cost $4.69 in both 9 mg and 11 mg, a little less per can on bulk orders. A 15-pouch can of 6 mg regular ZYN cost $4.49 at the same stores. Store prices vary by state and tax.
Per pouch, that puts Ultra at about 23 cents against about 30 cents for a 15-pouch can of regular ZYN. PMI says it priced Ultra at a lower price per pouch than regular ZYN.
Regular 3 mg and 6 mg cans are moving to 20 pouches, so the gap may shrink. I couldn't find a US price for the new can yet. If it stays close to today's $4.49, regular ZYN will cost about the same per pouch as Ultra.
Frequently asked questions
Is ZYN Ultra the strongest ZYN?
Yes. ZYN Ultra 11 mg has the most nicotine per pouch of any ZYN sold in the US. Next come Ultra 9 mg and the new 8 mg regular ZYN, the strongest dry option.
Does ZYN Ultra contain tobacco?
No. Like regular ZYN, it contains no tobacco leaf. It does contain nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco, at 9 mg or 11 mg per pouch.
How many pouches are in a ZYN Ultra can?
A ZYN Ultra can holds 20 pouches. Classic ZYN cans have held 15, though PMI is moving its 3 mg and 6 mg cans to 20 pouches in late 2026.
Do ZYN Ultra cans have ZYN Rewards codes?
Retailers say Ultra cans carry a ZYN Rewards code like regular cans. ZYN's US site doesn't list eligible products, so check the bottom of your can for a code.
Is ZYN Ultra FDA approved?
No. In August 2026 the FDA authorized 11 ZYN Ultra products for sale, which means they can be legally marketed. The FDA says this kind of authorization doesn't mean a tobacco product is safe or "FDA approved".
Who makes ZYN Ultra?
Swedish Match, which is owned by Philip Morris International (PMI). It's the same company that makes regular ZYN.
Sources
- Lunell E, et al. Pharmacokinetic comparison of a novel non-tobacco-based nicotine pouch (ZYN) with conventional, tobacco-based Swedish snus and American moist snuff. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2020.
- Philip Morris International. 2026 second-quarter results. July 2026.
- Philip Morris International. FDA authorizes ZYN ULTRA nicotine pouches following scientific review. August 2026.
- Philip Morris International. PMI U.S. expands ZYN portfolio to offer adults more smoke-free choices. September 2026.
- Poison Control. Nicotine pouches: smoke-free but not risk-free.
- ZYN (US). ZYN Ultra nicotine pouches.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA authorizes 11 new nicotine pouches. August 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA authorizes marketing of 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products after extensive scientific review. January 2025.