yes indeed, look you see. i know this sort of post is irresponsible. it's not like i even get paid to do this sort of thing, or get any sort of thanks for doing so. i mean, it would have been nice if at some stage them that do Marlboro said thanks for the post i did on their (admittedly awful) premium black cigarettes, considering some 15,000 have had a gander at it since i posted it three or so years ago.
why do it, then? to try and help my fellow smoker out, i suppose. i mean, i'm not encouraging anyone to do it - if you don't then for goodness sake do not start. it's just that in present day England, or if you like Land of Eng, it's an expensive thing to be doing.
as for what i am doing, i would have thought that straightforward from the title, but if not, here's my encounter with the Sky Blue branded range of cigarettes off of Benson & Hedges.
indeed the price you see there is steep, but weirdly low for UK cigarettes and tres low for Benson & Hedges. a pack of B&H would normally set you back somewhat north of £9 a pack, or if you prefer just a few coins south of £10 a go. what's the catch? well, there's only 18 cigarettes in a pack.
traditionally cigarettes have always been sold in packs of 20. i have discovered that this is no longer the case, with many brands here now selling in packs of 19 or 18. why? no idea. i suspect it's something to do with tax, and that selling one or two less than twenty is what allows the makers to sell cheaper. very oddly cigarettes are something which have had a fall in price over the last 3 years, with a pack of 19 Chesterfield going down from £6.25 to £6.10. not all that much of a drop, granted, but any fall in price for the cigarettes is virtually unheard of.
yes, look you, see the warning and be wary of it. do not start smoking. i am kind of resigned to the fact that me and the habit are only likely to end one way; don't be so foolish as to think it's a smart way for it to do so.
what difference does the lower number in a packet make to the overall cost of smoking in the UK? well, i am sure you can do the math yourself, but if you can't be pestered :
Marlboro Red / B&H Gold - 20 at £9.24 = 46.2p per cigarette (ppc)
B&H Sky Blue - 18 at £5.99 = 33.2p ppc
Chesterfield Red - 19 at £6.10 = 32.1p ppc
Winston Red - 19 at £7.24 = 38.1p ppc
Salty Sea Dog Players or Carlton - 19 at £6.25 = 32.8p ppc
sadly, and most regrettably, my beloved Marlboro Red are way out of my budget. i tend to go for Winston Red, then, but looking at the above if i insist on doing this smoking business i should stick to Chesterfield or Salty Sea Dog brands.
are Sky Blue cigarettes off of Benson & Hedges, or if you like Hedges after Benson, any good? weirdly and actually yes they are. unlike Salty Sea Dog brands these are not unpleasant. they have a low to light nicotine and tar level, and they are very pleasant, not causing any burning or uncomfortable, bitter sense when consumed as intended.
what do i think of the name? a waste of space. "sky blue" is some sort of aspirational name, designed to conjure up all sorts of images, ideals, plans, designs and ambitions. smokers in the UK could not care less for such stuff, i would think - the bottom line is getting cigarettes for as cheaply as is possible.
it's quite amusing, in a novelty factor sense, to be able to smoke Bensons on the cheap, really. once upon a time they were seen as the "posh fag". smoking them was strictly limited to members of the clergy, high ranking police officers, the nobility and members of the Royal family who were not of such a high ranking stature that they weren't qualified for JPS. that a humble peasant such as i may access their luxuries is a sign that we may yet get to a state of living in a classless society.
anyway, if you are a fellow smoker struggling with the high level of tax we get knacked with, hope this has been of some use or interest to you!
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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