It is impossible these days to be oblivious to the fact that the practice of smoking is highly injurious to health. Smoking, even in the passive form, is known to wreathe havoc for our internal organs, especially the lungs. Over time, the habit can lead to cancer. Besides, smoking can become addictive over time and difficult to get rid of.
The history of smoking goes back deep down the pages of history. According to popular belief, tobacco discovery is credited to the Americans. When Christopher Columbus reached America on his quest to discover India, he was gifted dried tobacco leaves.
That’s how the trade and later growth of tobacco spread to Europe. Later, commercialization led to the birth of the cigarette as we know it today.
Today, cigarettes are not just part of popular culture, but also a major contributor to the Indian economy. After all, India is the second-largest exporter of tobacco in the world.
With several successful brands in business already, we bring to you the best 10 cigarette brands in India based on experience, price and popularity.
Here are the Best 10 Cigarette Brands in India:
Gold Flake -Cigarette Brand
Gold Flake continues to remain one of the most widely sold cigarette brands in our country. The company has its roots in India itself, under ITC Limited. Golden tobacco is used to manufacture the Gold Flake cigarettes,
which come in different varieties like Gold Flake Kings Lights, Gold Flake Kings, Gold Flake Lights and Gold Flakes. Gold Flake Kings remains the most popular choice among smokers out of these.
The best thing about Gold Flake Kings is that it does not leave a harsh taste back in the mouth. This is owed to the difference in levels of tar and nicotine content in the cigarette in comparison to other local cigarettes. However, compared to the Lights version of Gold Flake,
the Gold Flake Kings certainly has higher tar and nicotine content. Therefore, if one wants to opt for a less strong taste and therefore lesser proportions of nicotine and tar, Gold Flake Lights is the better choice.
Why go for the product?
- More pronounced taste compared to other cigarettes
- Doesn’t leave behind a bitter mouth
- Reasonably priced
- Widely available
- Trusted brand with premier quality
Four Square-Cigarette Brand
Another indigenous brand that is counted as one of the top best cigarette brands in India is Four Square, a product of Godfrey Philips India Limited. The cigarette brand has a base both in India and Scotland. The cigarette comes in two different varieties based on length, 70 mm and 85 mm being the two options. The pack sizes depending on the number of cigarettes in each pack, usually either 10 or 20.
The Four Square cigarette is available in three exclusive variations – Four Square Special, Four Square Premier and Four Square Crush Mint Flavour. The Four Square Special cigarettes have a rich taste and are known for their light smooth feeling. The Four Square Premier is popular as an economical range of cigarettes of the brand, although the lower price is because of tobacco content in it. It happens to be one of the most widely popular cigarettes in the Indian market nonetheless.
The latest addition of them all is the Four Square Crush Mint, which is a rage because of its “click and change to mint flavour” feature. The parent company, Godfrey Philips India Limited, is also known for other cigarette brands like Red & White and Cadavers, although Four Square continues to remain their most popular product.
Why go for the product?
- Easy flow filter
- Tastes good
- Low nicotine content
- Good built quality
Marlboro-Cigarette Brand
The Marlboro brand of cigarettes is an extremely popular choice not only in India but also the world. The brand’s parent company happens to be Philip Morris, a time trusted company when it comes to cigarettes. Marlboro cigarettes are particularly known for being super addictive because of their great refreshing taste and ingredients.
Marlboro offers its users the option of choosing cigarettes based on their preferred taste and heaviness preferences. One can choose the Marlboro Ice Blast, which has a dash of menthol and leaves behind a very cool and refreshing taste in the mouth. One could also pick Marlboro Black Menthol if one wants to try out a heavy cigarette. Again, there is a refreshing touch of menthol combined with the strong taste similar to Malboro Reds.
The Marlboro Reds, to be specific, is one of the most popular choices under the Malboro brand. People love these cigarettes for the faint note of barley, a dash of cherry and hints of wood and earth. Marlboro Red cigarettes are so addictive that people start finding other cigarettes and cigars bland and tasteless after their experience with the former. Besides, one cannot forget to mention the level of marketing and brand history has additionally contributed to making the brand a success among the masses.
Why go for the product?
- Excellent taste, makes you feel every other brand you have tried is bland
- Reasonably priced when considering quality and taste
- Special considerations for women sporting the cigarettes
- Excellent marketing skills
- Time-trusted brand history
Benson and Hedges-Cigarette Brand
The Britain-based cigarette brand sees different ownerships in terms of manufacturing and distribution in different countries – British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco. A more popular connotation of the brand would be B&H, as people like to call it. the brand uses special Virginia tobacco for its manufacture, which makes it one of the top 10 best cigarette brands.
Their origin dates back to 1873 London when Richard Benson and William Hedges founded the company, hence the name. The cigarettes are known especially for their dual flavour. The widely popular cigarettes come in some interesting varieties such as Gold, Silver, White, Gold Super-kings and Rolling Tobacco. Yet, one of the biggest downsides to the brand is its high nicotine and tar content, which renders smokers a lot of harm.
Why go for the brand?
- Premium experience, smooth and heavy
- Tastes good
- Attractive packaging
Parliament – Cigarette Brand
Parliament cigarettes happen to be the first cigarettes in the world to have come up with paper filters. Therefore, all that reaches the mouth of the smoker is nicotine, making it less injurious to health. Again, the Parliament too is a brand that is more suited for the richer class owing to its price. The USA based brand is marketed by Philip Morris Company.
The Parliament cigarettes come in a range of assorted varieties based on menthol flavour. Some of the popular options available in the market are Green Pack (menthol flavor), White Pack (menthol lights), and Kings and Silver Pack (menthol ultralights).
Why go for the brand?
- Beautiful aroma
- Tastes good
- A classy and popular choice for businessmen and entrepreneurs
Insignia – Cigarette Brand
A product of ITC Limited, Insignia is one of the most expensive Indian cigarette brands. Often, those involved in the corporate world are seen flaunting cigarettes of this brand, coupled with college-going students who find it suitable to their taste.
Why go for the brand?
- Attractive and classy packaging in matte black boxes
- Smoothness in tobacco smoke flow through the filter
- Tastes good
Navy Cut-Cigarette Brand
The Navy Cut cigarette brand happens to be one of the first filtered cigarette brands manufactured indigenously. Both the manufacturing and distribution of the Navy Cut brand is handled by ITC Limited. The brand, more popularly referred to as Wills by local users in India, is a cheap buy without compromising much on quality and design. The cigarette comes in two options with 20 and 10 cigarettes each. The low price is certainly one of the reasons if its wide usage in India, along with its quality.
Why go for the brand?
- Reasonable price
- Widely available
- Is a little harsh on the throat to give a particular kick and flavour to the user
Pall Mall-Cigarette Brand
One of the top contenders in the list of top best cigarette brands has to be US-based Pall Mall. The cigarettes come in a variety of options of design and colour and find much popularity among Indian users. Produced by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the cigarette is also known for its way of stuffing tobacco and filling up charcoal in the cigarette. The variety of cigarette colours such as blue, black, white, orange or green is another USP. The variety is obtained by varying the intensity of tobacco and the nature of menthol ingredients within.
Why go for the brand?
- The beautiful, unique design of the products
- Tastes good
- Available in diverse varieties of colour, design and taste
Dunhill
Dunhill cigarettes are a product of the British American Tobacco Company. Compared to other brands in the market, the price of Dunhill cigarettes is a little on the higher side. Nevertheless, the Dunhill brand produces quality cigarettes in several varieties, based on nicotine and tar proportions.
The USP of the Dunhill cigarette brand happens to be the blend of spiciness and sweetness in its taste. The special Dunhill switch has a little mint bubble in the cigarette filter itself. It leaves an unexpected yet likeable minty taste in the mouth.
Why go for the brand?
- Tastes good
- Slow-burning experience
- Available in multiple interesting flavours
Charminar
Charminar is an indigenous cigarette brand which finds huge popularity not only among locals but also tourists who pay a visit to India, especially the East Europeans. The Charminar cigarettes are filter-less, making them more harmful but less expensive. This brand of cigarettes can be said to be cheaper than most of its contemporaries without much difference in quality or experience.
The downside – the absence of filter – makes it avoided by corporates and other educated, upper-class consumers, who would prefer healthier options. however, the brand’s USP lies in its use of roasted tobacco. It is roasted tobacco which itself brings down the level of nicotine in the cigarette, along with the assurance of no tar and no harmful added chemicals. This is a fact many people tend to not be informed of.
Charminar is known for its strong taste and hence finds popularity among those who prefer harder tastes. One might compare it with Cuban cigars when it comes to taste and experience. Its parent company happens to be Vazir Sultan Tobacco.
Why go for the brand?
- Roasted tobacco used, which has much fewer negative implications on health
- Strong taste
- Affordable
- Widely available
So, these were some of the best cigarettes in India with price details for you to pick your next from. That being said, we cannot deny the fact that smoking poses enormous risks on an individual’s health. According to scientific reports, even passive smoking (staying close to someone who is smoking, and thus inhaling the cigarette smoke) causes health problems.
Conclusion
This is the reason every cigarette packet already warns users – Smoking is injurious to health. A smoker should make sure he doesn’t develop smoking as an addiction or habit. The next time you pick up a cigarette, you should just keep in mind that once it becomes an addiction, getting rid of it can become a difficult job for you.
