14. A Smoker's Conundrum - What Brand ?

Remembering my trip to NZ and finding my brand of cigarettes weren't sold there, and then having to find another brand which I liked, I posed the question, "Is Longbeach available in Malaysia?" to which the reply was no, only the common international US and UK brands and a bunch of local Asian ones. Definitely no popular Aussie brands like Alpine or Longbeach, not even Peter Jacksons. Oh great! That means that I now have to find yet another brand of smokes. Which led me to ask about menthol - can you get menthol over there? A mate sent me two links showing the availability and range, which I made into a collage as shown below.

Oh, and before anyone gets on their soapbox with "smoking is bad for your health" - I don't drink whisky and I don't chase wild men.


Cigarettes in Malaysia

The Alibaba one - 222, is menthol - clove scented. Now way Josè! So let's look at some of the others on offer. Reading from the link provided -

Dunhill is very popular, available in Menthol, Menthol Lights and Lights. Daughter used to smoke these, so perhpas they'll fit the bill.

Then there's Salem. I remember many years ago the ad on television "You can take Salem out of the country, buuuuuuut you can't take the country out of Saaaaaalem"

Salem 1970's Ad


Next up is Marlborough - I remember trying these yonks ago, rough as guts, so they're definitely out!

Mild Seven doesn't appear to come in menthol, but I quite liked the description - "They have this habit of opening up the soft pack, taking one cigarette out, and putting it back in upside down. That cigarette is known as "shu yuen yen" or "wishing cigarette" and it would be the very last one from the pack to be smoked. It is said that making a wish while lighting up that one would fulfill that wish. Smoker's etiquette dictates that you should NEVER smoke the last cigarette in someone else's pack. This applies more strongly for those who keep a "shu yuen yen", you shouldn't ever smoke it. I once accidentally took that one from a half full pack (it's upside down, so it should be clearly visible) and smoked it and was reprimanded for my transgression. That upside down cigarette is meant for the owner of the pack."

Hmm..I must remember that one and try it out.☺

So now we move onto Kent - no menthol.

Pall Mall - Comes in menthol, but only one kind. No lights, extra lights etc.

Perilly's - "To be honest, this tastes disgusting to me. It doesn't sound all that good either. You can't spell "Perilly's" without "Peril". Heh."
Hmmm - enough to put anyone off that would.

Lucky Strike I always think of this as belonging to a time way back before I was born and being smoked by soldiers in England for some reason. Guess I must have been watching too many movies!

Winston Like Pall Mall, only one type of menthol AFAIK.

L.A. Menthol Lights This sounded like it might be just the thing - until I read the description. "It's an ultra slim cigarette, called "geh boh hong ki" (prostitute's cigarettes) over here. The etymology of this word apparently stems from the popularity of this brand amongst working ladies in Miri."
Somehow, I don't think I'll try these.

Gudang Garam and Djarum Clove cigarettes - no, no, and no.

Rave Popular among blue collar workers - it's cheap.


Someone did suggest the "herbal" kind - clove scented cigarettes - no thanks, they're on the "yuk" list. However from what people have said, Air Asia X sells duty free cigarettes and alcohol on board at the same price as in the KLIA LCCT. A carton of duty free smokes 10 packs of 20s cost RM64 duty free - about AUD$22. That's certainly much, much cheaper than over here.

So, from the list provided, it looks like I'll be going for the Dunhill.