Which ‘Chinese’ name-brand cigarettes should I try?

I’m a smoker and I love it. Few other things give me as much pleasure as a coffee and smoke in the morning. It is also the perfect partner with a good beer. The other smokers out there know exactly what I am talking about.

So, to the other smokers, I have a simple question. Of all the brands we can choose from here in Taiwan, which other ones would you recommend? I guess I’m really talking about the other ‘Chinese’ named brands that I am not familiar with. Which are the best and worst?

Yours & happy smoking!

Black (lunged) Adder

Dear Mod – Not sure which forum this should be placed in, but know it’s not the health and fitness for sure. Move as you see fit!

I’m a smoker and I bloody hate it. Hate myself for it, too. I get no pleasure out of it. Simply avoiding displeasure…(Unless I quit, this last statement could turn out to be quite ironic… If it’s not too late already.)

I hate all Taiwanese brands. Haven’t tried that many, but every brand I have tried were crap. Sorry I can’t help. :idunno:

I forget the name. It’s the white pack. Pai So (Pai Sang/Cang So?) or something. They also have a yellow pack one, but they are way too harsh. People say they are smelly, but those are what I smoked. They were only 35 NT a pack two years ago.

Anway, Taiwanese cigs are much better than Korean. I’m smokin’ Mild Seven Lights now. Was smokin’ a not near-decen Korean one, but they discontinued it. I was probably the only person in Korean who bought them.

bobepine wrote [quote]I’m a smoker and I bloody hate it.[/quote]

Oh well, at least it’s cheap here so you don’t need to feel too guilty about the cost.

Not being able to find local cigs that you like could be a good thing; helping you keep the number you smoke at a reasonable level. I’m a non-smoker but I know that when I’m swilling a vile local grog it means a lower alcohol intake.

I’m finished with those filthy things, I quit Dec 29th–ain’t going back this time.

Cravings are gone, lungs are strong doing a lot of cardio training that I wouldn’t have done on those smouldering grave worms,

put on a whole lot of weight, losing that now slowly. Better than the physical part, I feel better about myself.

Anyway:

Nat Shermans are a good choice, always liked them but a bit pricey.

Oh well, at least it’s cheap here so you don’t need to feel too guilty about the cost.[/quote]That works both ways. If I was paying 300NT for a pack, it would be that much more incentive to quit. Hopefully… Back home, if you smoke a pack daily, it amounts to enough money to drive a new car. A nice one at that. Two smokers in one house will pay for the mortgage if they both quit.

[quote]Not being able to find local cigs that you like could be a good thing; helping you keep the number you smoke at a reasonable level.[/quote]It does help but one gets pretty used to what is available. I’ve been smoking Marlboro lights since I came here. I used to hate them and I craved Export"A" 's, and yes, I did smoke less at first. Now I’m used to them.

[quote]I’m a non-smoker but I know that when I’m swilling a vile local grog it means a lower alcohol intake.[/quote]There’s still hope for you. :wink:

I quit and it was easy. I put on a lot of weight which isn’t that easy to shift, but the smoking part was a doddle. I used that Alen Carr book ‘The Easy Way To Quit’ and I can’t recommend it highly enough. You read it while smoking, then after if you wanna quit you do, and if not no worries carry on. The book is not like you think it will be it doesn’t list all the bad stuff, after all like it says you don’t smoke for the reasons you should quit. Bobpine, if you hate smoking give it a go, what have you got to loose? I dare ya!! :raspberry:

[quote=“j99l88e77”]I forget the name. It’s the white pack. Pai So (Pai Sang/Cang So?) or something. They also have a yellow pack one, but they are way too harsh. People say they are smelly, but those are what I smoked. They were only 35 NT a pack two years ago.

Anway, Taiwanese cigs are much better than Korean. I’m smokin’ Mild Seven Lights now. Was smokin’ a not near-decen Korean one, but they discontinued it. I was probably the only person in Korean who bought them.[/quote]

I think the white/yellow packs are LONG LIFE cigs. All the LONG LIFE brands are harsh…they are all cheap, but don’t believe the name…they should be called SHORT LIFE!

Taiwan (Asia) is a hard place to quit smoking. All cigs are pretty cheap (compared to N.America). Although I think a lot of places are becoming more ‘smoke free’, which is a good thing.

I’m curious about this…what’s special about it? I’m trying to get into the right frame of mind to give up, but 2 packs a day is not an easy habit to break. I’ll take any and all suggestions!

By the way, “New Paradise” is an acceptable Taiwanese brand. Still harsh, but not as bad as Long Life.

I was smoking more than a pack a day when I quit, I just went cold turkey (enforced) for 24 hours and then stayed off. I understand the OP though, as I love(d) smoking. Mmmm the warmth of a freshly lit ciggy at the bus stop on a cold winter morning…cough cough cough.

[quote=“cdnmagic”][quote=“j99l88e77”]I forget the name. It’s the white pack. Pai So (Pai Sang/Cang So?) or something. They also have a yellow pack one, but they are way too harsh. People say they are smelly, but those are what I smoked. They were only 35 NT a pack two years ago.

Anway, Taiwanese cigs are much better than Korean. I’m smokin’ Mild Seven Lights now. Was smokin’ a not near-decen Korean one, but they discontinued it. I was probably the only person in Korean who bought them.[/quote]

I think the white/yellow packs are LONG LIFE cigs. All the LONG LIFE brands are harsh…they are all cheap, but don’t believe the name…they should be called SHORT LIFE!

Taiwan (Asia) is a hard place to quit smoking. All cigs are pretty cheap (compared to N.America). Although I think a lot of places are becoming more ‘smoke free’, which is a good thing.[/quote]

That’s it.

The white ones aren’t too bad. The yellow ones are just brutal. Anyway, I’ll bet Taiwanese smokes aren’t as bad for you as North American ones. Probably less or no chemicals in them.

I think that pure tobacco is more apt to make you cough than the mixed kind. At least when it’s dry. Dry tabaccy makes you cough. And whose telling how old some of the smokes they got at these betlenut shacks or mom and pop stores.

When I first got to Taiwan, I smoked Davidoff’s. I think they’re a Swiss make. I used to think they were German until a German told me they were Swiss. They weren’t too bad, but cost more. My friend called them Hasslehoff’s. Classic. Do you get it? David Hasslehoff? Germany? Ha!

Thanks all. Looks like I have a few alternatives try :slight_smile: Further to suggestions, I’ve decided to be adventurous and sample a few more brands. Damn it, they’re so cheap it doesn’t really matter if I go wrong.

My tobacco of choice is Old Holborn; especially when rolled in liquorice paper. You just can’t beat it. It’s very much a ‘home’ smoke - as standing is a busy bar and juggling your pint, tobacco pouch and papers isn’t always too easy. When it comes to ready made cigarettes, I’m open to ideas, hence my original question.

Also, thanks go out to the the non-smokers who resisted lambasting this thread about the evils of passive smoking, etc.

[quote=“BlackAdder”]I’m a smoker and I love it. Few other things give me as much pleasure as a coffee and smoke in the morning. It is also the perfect partner with a good beer. The other smokers out there know exactly what I am talking about.

So, to the other smokers, I have a simple question. Of all the brands we can choose from here in Taiwan, which other ones would you recommend? I guess I’m really talking about the other ‘Chinese’ named brands that I am not familiar with. Which are the best and worst?

Yours & happy smoking!

Black (lunged) Adder

Dear Mod – Not sure which forum this should be placed in, but know it’s not the health and fitness for sure. Move as you see fit![/quote]

Well keep yourself and your addiction on THAT side of the world. :laughing: Being a smoker in the US sucks. Big time. I have to smoke outside in -5 weather. can’t smoke in a cafe or a bar or a resturant. It all sucks. But what really gets me is how lazy smokers have been about defending their right to smoke. We’ve been too passive and are losing our rights. I do believe that in 10 years smoking will be outlawed here in the US.

And before the bashers, with nothing to do with their hands (I suggest smoking) have something to say, I am all for non-smokers having the right to eat, drink and socialize in clean air. All for it. But if you get to have a choice, then I should to.

Warm Regards
Smokin’hottie :smiley:

I was a fairly content smoker of long life until I switched to the pipe some 18 months ago.

I found long life to be a rather agreeble cigarette.

Pipe smoking here is a bit of an adventure, I have been asked if I smoked potin my pipe a few times - also getting the tobacco can be an issue and it’s expensive.

Pipes are also a pain, they are expensive, in my hands they tend to break, andyou have to ream and clean them all the time.

However, the taste is so much better than the cigs, so that’s an alternative for the adventurous.