Gitanes Cigarettes
Gitanes, meaning Gypsy women in French, is a very popular French cigarette brand. They were produced by SEITA, the same company that introduced Gauloises. Both lines were released in 1910. At one time, over 40 percent of cigarettes smoked in France were either Gitanes or Gauloises. Gitanes were generally viewed as a more refined smoke than Gauloises. The brand is currently owned by Altadis. Altadis was formed when the French SEITA and Spanish Tabacalera companies merged.
In 1918, Gitanes released Gitanes Mais, unique because the cigarette paper is made from corn. Gitanes Mais were popular with rural communities. The rest of the Gitanes line uses rice paper. This ensure a clean, chemical-free, even burn.
Gitanes are famous for their iconic packaging. The cover was designed by famous artists and depicts a woman with a tambourine enveloped in smoke. This is inspired by the name and is intended to evoke a romantic Spanish-dancer feel. In France, due to a new law, they have now been changed to neutral packaging. This means that all cigarettes, regardless of brand, are in the same packaging.
Gitanes are renowned for their use of darker tobacco, referred to as brunes in French. Dark tobaccos were traditionally used in France, while most other countries used blonde tobaccos. Brunes cigarettes are richer and heartier than their blonde counterparts. The original Gitanes were unfiltered and used Caporal tobacco, a famous French variety. Due to increased demand, the company did eventually introduce blonde and filtered cigarette options. Today, they continue the traditional brunes line and the newer blonde line. The filtered and unfiltered brunes cigarettes are both 70 mm in length.
Gitanes have always had a cult following. Serge Gainsbourg, a famous French composer and singer, was an avid smoker of Gitanes. John Lennon was known to smoke them as well. He was seen smoking Gitanes cigarettes on the morning of his assassination. David Bowie was also known to smoke Gitanes in some of his personas.
Gitanes Brunes Filter
Gitanes Brunes have shorter filters than is commonly found on filtered cigarettes. This ensures that the cigarette tastes richer, heartier and more like a classic unfiltered cigarette. The aroma is creamy and strong with the classic dark tobacco bite. They contain 10 mg and .8 mg of tar and are ideal for those looking for an iconic French cigarette.
Gitanes Brunes Non Filter
Gitanes non-filter have a strong and slightly sweet tobacco aroma. The smoke is a little harsh and slightly bitter but in a clean, refreshing way. The unique brunes tobacco taste shines through with every inhale. With only 10 mg of tar and .7 mg nicotine, these could be mistaken for a light cigarette. However, because they use hearty brunes tobaccos the result is a full-bodied smoke. This timeless brand is perfect for those wanting a genuine cigarette experience.
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