Azka Muharam
It’s a rare sighting to see someone smokes filter-less cigarette these days. Most of the smokers around the world smokes filtered cigarette since there are many research that filtered cigarette is much healthier than the filter-less one.
But there are still some smoke enthusiast that enjoys filter-less cigarette unlike any other cigar. Big brands such as Marlboro, Camel, Lucky Strike and Dunhill all started with their filter-less cigarette.
But here is one product that came from the British American Tobacco Indonesia that is interesting, Ardath Specials.
Ardath Specials is categorized as white cigarette. In Indonesia, types of cigarettes that are most popular for smokers to consume:
- Clove Cigarettes
- Mild Cigarettes
- White Cigarettes
But unlike any other white cigarettes in the market, Ardath Specials introduced a filter-less one. The release of this brand new line started a year ago in 2018 when Bentoel Group were trying to find the missing link between kretek cigarettes and white cigarettes.
Filter-less white cigarette is very uncommon in Indonesian cigarette market. This is because the White Cigarettes in general have been made by machine. And only in Indonesia are cigarette rollers still found using human hands.
The relevance of the two categories is very much related to the empowerment of Bentoel Group’s hand rolling, which at present is only 3 hand rolled cigarette manufacturing.
To maximize this plant, Bentoel Group finally launched Ardath Specials SPT as a solution to the problems commonly encountered by the hand rolled cigarette factory.
Ardath Packaging
Image:reviewrokok.blogspot.com
The visuals of the packaging is considered as classy. With dominant color of red, white and gold mixed with the ARDATH font and logo.
This packaging somehow reminds us the likes of Marlboro Red, a famous white cigarette in Indonesia. The price of a pack of Ardath is $0.86, very cheap right? and with 20 cigarettes.
These cigarettes have King Size length, with a rod length of 84mm, and a diameter of 8mm or more.
There is something unique about these cigarettes, where the burnt and suction parts have a diameter not much different.
To limit the burnt from this cigarette there is a red line, followed by the writing Specials and ARDATH.
Taste Review
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This cigarette has a very strong tobacco sensation and tends to have a slightly natural sweet sensation from Tobacco.
But when burned, these cigarettes tend to have a very strong tobacco taste sensation, with a slightly aromatic character and tend to be soft.
There is a natural sweet sensation that seems to be getting stronger, with a taste that tends to be at a good level of disguise.
There is a slight sensation of inverted sugar that is felt, with a thin cocoa element that tends to increase the pleasure of this cigarette. But when compared with the SPM version, then this cigarette tends to be more delicious.
The sensation of natural spicy is also felt starting from the beginning of the burn, so as to create a warm sensation that is felt in the mouth and throat.
There is a smoky sensation that is felt, possibly from curing one of the cigarettes making tobacco.
This faint sweet sensation tends to leave a good impression and is supported by the smoky effect of this cigarette.
Blend of the cigarette is very dominated by Virginia Tobacco and a little element of Dark Cured Tobacco.
Virginia tobacco tends to have a natural sweet sensation and has a hint of pepperish but soft. Dark Cured Tobacco in a little intensity is able to create an element of character that is counted strong and support the sense of tobacco that is dominant in Virginia from this cigarette.
Tends to be very earthy, where these cigarettes use tobacco grown in nutrient-rich soils. Quite a balanced balance, where this cigarette has a tobacco intensity that tends to be balanced.
When issued through the nose, then this cigarette tends to have a very strong spicy aroma, with a strong warm sensation, and a little pepperish element that is felt in the nasal cavity. The pull of this cigarette is fairly smooth and light, but tends to be very steady when pulled.
The harshness of these cigarettes tends to be quite strong, with a tickling sensation and a strong pepperish impression.
The throat hit from the cigarette is somewhat felt, but for some suction it is hardly felt at all. Although I feel a little uncomfortable in my throat, this is not due to the throat hit on this cigarette.
The duration of burning from cigarettes is about 7-9 minutes depending on how you smoke it. The duration of this cigarette is around 8-9 minutes.
The aftertaste of this cigarette is that it tends to leave a sweet impression that feels good in the throat, the taste of tobacco which tends to be intense, and a little uncomfortable that is quite felt in the throat.
The weakness of this cigarette is that it tends to heat when approaching the burnt range, especially this heat is felt in the fingers and mouth.
And also, the duration of the burn from cigarettes is fairly fast for the count of machine rolled cigarettes, when compared to hand rolled cigarettes which have a burn duration of 13-15 minutes.
As for some people will feel uncomfortable in the throat, this is very common in my opinion because this cigarette is deliberately made stronger with no filter.
