The Marlboro lineup has been expanded with a couple of new varieties, and, as I was told at the tobacco shop, this isn’t just a run-of-the-mill update, but… But what these cigarettes are, what makes them special, and whether they’re worth your attention is what I’ll tell you.

The first Marlboro Aroma cigarettes hit the market less than a year ago, and now a new update is available. Incidentally, it’s also available in a couple of varieties, only this time in a compact format. The pack design is a bit simpler than the king-size format, but I wouldn’t say it’s any less attractive or even recognizable. After all, the brand logo is easily identifiable in any color, not necessarily the classic red. The price tag for the new product is slightly more reasonable compared to the king-size options, and it’s in line with most well-known brands like ESSE, L&M, and some Winston. The tobacco shop assistant encouraged me to buy it with a discreet message on the pack. They say it’s a limited edition, and once they’re gone, you won’t find any more. But… The king-size Marlboro Aroma also says it’s a limited edition, which hasn’t stopped them from being sold for almost a year now, widely and everywhere. As the saying goes, nothing is more permanent than something temporary.

So, now I’ll show you and tell you about the new varieties in more detail. At first glance, Marlboro Aroma Red differs from KS only in its format and the lack of a “mirror.” The line’s name clearly hints at the flavoring, and the color, instead of the traditional white, hints at the future taste. Although there are variations, of course.

The promised rich aroma is indeed quite dense and sweet, but not tobacco-like. The KS Aroma Red had a berry flavor, but the compact version, in my opinion, has a richer and more varied bouquet. There is indeed a berry note, but it’s also intertwined with notes of vanilla, chocolate, and something reminiscent of cappuccino. It’s certainly chemical, but the aroma doesn’t seem to be entirely poisonous.

The manufacturer apparently decided not to bother with the design of the new product, and the Aroma Red livery is exactly the same as its slightly larger sibling. But the key features of all Russian aromatics are present here: dyed cigarette paper and the obligatory beige filter.

The filter design itself is more different, although it’s nothing unusual for this format. Two sections of acetate fiber of different densities and a stiff but short mouthpiece.

The blend of the compact format however is different, definitely not like the KS. The color range is certainly varied from white-yellow fragments to almost black but the quality of the blend… A good third of the composition, although it seems more, is made up of veins and ersatz leaf.

It’s logical that the strength of the smoke from such a blend is also poor. It’s not quite the zero, but it certainly doesn’t measure up to the advertised “six.” The taste of smoke… What kind of taste can there be? Just aromatization. Unlike the “fresh berries” Aroma Red KS, the compact version has a richer bouquet, and in addition to the berry note, there are also hints of chocolate or coffee. There’s a chemical taste, of course, but without the soapiness, and it somehow more effectively covers up the garbage-like acridity of the filling. Fans of Aroma Red KS might want to give it a try, but connoisseurs of pure tobacco smoke can safely pass it by.

Marlboro Aroma Fresh. The color scheme of the variety hints at the presence of menthol, which is reflected in the technical name of the variety.

The multifaceted aroma of the variety is expressed by a rather powerful bouquet, slightly less sweet than the Red version and rich with notes that are commonly referred to in modern aromatics as coffee.

The green capsule is also mentioned in the pack design, and is clearly visible on the tubes themselves, combined with the beige paper. The only difference in the tube design is the presence of a capsule sewn into the filter.

The blend is exactly the same as the compact Aroma Red. There are no differences in the range, quality, or abundance of veins and substitutes. The tar characteristics are also stated to be similar (6 mg tar, 0.5 mg nicotine), which I seriously doubt.

It’s certainly a bold claim to blend two such flavors as menthol and coffee. The cigarettes themselves emit an aroma vaguely reminiscent of the drink’s notes, and fortunately, the menthol is securely encapsulated. However, all this “coffee” remains only in the aroma, and if you smoke the cigarettes without an activated capsule, the smoke tastes rather mediocre, hardly resembling tobacco and with a somewhat chemically sour taste. But the capsule in the filter solves the flavoring issue. Just crush the capsule in the filter and the flavor fills the entire space… It’s a real parody of menthol. A bright chill with a hint of berry and anise. It barely resembles menthol, but it leaves a wonderful freshness in your mouth. Almost like toothpaste 🙂