Winston cigarettes take their name from the town where the brand was created. For a long time, this North Carolina location wasn’t particularly famous, but in 1875, the town took a giant step toward making world history. That year, Richard Reynolds, founder of the R.J.R. Tobaco Company, opened the town’s first tobacco factory. Initially, like all factories, the product range consisted only of chewing tobacco, which was beloved by Americans and bought wholesale, as it had a high nicotine content. Over time, the company expanded its product range, adding cigarettes and pipe tobacco. Reviews of the new products were overwhelmingly positive; the nicotine levels were lower, but still noticeable, and the strength became medium.
The History of the Winston Company
The company’s flagship brand was Camel cigarettes. But when consumers grew tired of strong tobacco products with similar ingredients but different names, Reynolds made a breakthrough—creating a lighter Winston.
According to tobacco empire legend, the new brand was created by E. Darroux, one of the company’s executives. He returned from a vacation in Switzerland and shared a new product that was gaining popularity in Europe. Darroux brought cigarettes with a filter, which had never been used before. The developers did everything possible to incorporate the filter and leave smokers with a strong, cigar-like flavor. In addition to the filter, a new tobacco blend was chosen as another innovation. The key feature was the inclusion of Barley tobacco. This tobacco was not simply dried; it was heat-treated. This processing technology imbued the blend with a caramel flavor. The new Winston cigarettes were named after the town where the first R.J.R. Tobaco Company factory was established. The first carton was released in 1954. Many people wanted to buy a carton to try the new product.
Advertising Campaigns
Winston’s first advertising slogan contained a grammatical error, which led to accusations of illiteracy against the brand. It’s unclear whether the error was intentional or inadvertent, but the next slogan was:
“What do you want? Literacy or good taste?”
The price of the original Winston cigarettes increased, and people began buying them in bulk. Following this, the popularity of tobacco products soared, and in 1956, Winston was recognized as the most successful brand.
Winston Cigarette Types
Winston has long ceased to be a purely American product. Production also operates in other countries. Although the company that created this product no longer exists, the brand remains one of the best-selling in the world.
King Size:
- Winston Classic cigarettes feature a yellow filter, a gold stripe around the diameter, the brand name, and the signature eagle symbol. The product is very strong, with a high nicotine content. The tobacco is cut into narrow strips, with large grains, and no sticks or dust. The blend of Virginia and Burley tobaccos is colorful, with light and dark yellows, as well as hints of burgundy. The Original smokes smoothly, despite its higher strength. It doesn’t scratch the throat or cause coughing. The smoke and tobacco flavors are subtle, with a slight spiciness. Those who appreciate strong tobacco will want to buy these Winston cigarettes.
- Winston Blue cigarettes are less strong; the tobacco is cut thinner than the Classic, and there are no burgundy grains. The flavor is subtle, with a slight spiciness, and the smoke is harsh, possibly hitting the throat.
- Winston Silver cigarettes are elegantly white with a silver stripe and eagle, and the brand name is written in blue. A perforated line runs down the center of the filter. Nicotine levels are below average. The tobacco blend and cut are exactly the same as the Classic, but the tobacco flavor is more intense.
- Winston White is the lightest cigarette in the Winston line. Externally, it’s identical to the Silver, but it has a double perforation line around the filter. It draws tightly, and the tobacco flavor is virtually absent.
Super Slims:
Winston Super Slims are medium-strength cigarettes. The blend is very contrasting due to the light and dark yellow fractions, with virtually no burgundy. The tobacco is cut randomly, with ribbons of varying sizes, flakes, and ground tobacco strands. Due to the small diameter of the cigarette, the smoke is perceived as bright and dense, but the tobacco flavor is unrefined. Reviews are average.
Winston Super Slim Silver is produced using less smoke smell technology. New LSS technology minimizes unpleasant odor on clothing, hands, and the smoking area without eliminating the original tobacco flavor. These light cigarettes have a pleasant, slightly bitter taste. The packaging is elegant.
Winston Super Slim White: These cigarettes have a below-average nicotine content and are characterized by a mild taste. The tobacco blend is produced using varieties from Mexico, America, and Brazil. The pack is compact. The charcoal filter leaves no unpleasant aftertaste on your hands or mouth.
Winston Super Slim Menthol: These cigarettes don’t burn your throat or cause coughing when smoking. The flavor is quite mild, with a hint of menthol that masks the tobacco.
Winston XStyle Blue — Winston’s pack has a stylish design. The cigarettes aren’t overly bitter and don’t leave an unpleasant aftertaste. They don’t leave a strong, pronounced cigarette odor on your clothes or hands while smoking.
Winston XStyle Silver — The organoleptic properties are light and subtle, with a low-intensity tobacco aroma due to the filter mouthpiece.
Winston XStyle Dual — These cigarettes have a slightly bitter, astringent taste. The filter contains capsules of different flavors. The mint flavor is barely noticeable, while the berry flavor is more intense, but it fades by the middle of the cigarette. The aroma and cooling sensation from both capsules are present, but the flavor is thin and fleeting.
Winston Compact Plus Blue — The tobacco blend is tightly packed, allowing it to burn slowly. The smoke is gentle and free of any additional notes. Good strength and nicotine, but no throat irritation. A light, pleasant aftertaste lingers after smoking.
Winston Compact Impulse is a tobacco without any additives, but it emits a light and delicate aroma. After pressing the capsule, a sweet grape flavor emerges. The cigarette smell of Winston is not noticeable on your hands or clothing.
Winston Compact Shiny Mix has a traditional, medium-strength smoke. The perforated line is located right at the rim of the filter, making the cigarette flavor virtually undetectable. After pressing the capsule, a surreal mix of melon, tropical, and duchesse pear bursts into your mouth, with hints of menthol also present.
Winston Compact Summer Mix is a very dense tobacco. The manufacturer added a capsule, but it doesn’t deliver the tropical aroma claimed. There’s a beer-like aftertaste. Subtle fruity notes emerge only towards the end.
These cigarettes feature a two-piece acetate filter, one half with charcoal flakes. The tobacco blend is slightly lighter and more contrasting than the standard version. The blend is rich in colors, ranging from light yellow and brownish to burgundy. These varieties have received positive reviews from consumers.
Winston XS Blue – a distinct, sharp flavor.
Winston XS Silver – a mild, smoky flavor, virtually no tobacco aroma, and no bitterness.
Winston XS Impulse – cigarettes with a purple button. The flavor is mild and berry-like.
