Dunhill Superior Milds

You were most likely an American hipster mid-90s if you smoked Dunhill blues. Usually only available at cigar stores or snatched off of those who'd just returned from watching Cantona play at Old Trafford, Dunhills are now pretty commonly found at about any neighbor discount smoke shop.

Does this mean I, the eternal casual smoker, have turned my back on the ol' boy because they're now more commonplace? Not reall … I have half a pack in my backpack as I type. However, an epiphany came to me several months ago in the form of a gentle giant Russian coworker, who, observing me subtlely and smugly removing a pack of Dunhills from my coat pocket, grinned and said in his native Ivan Drago voice: "Dunhills are crap."

I knew I was about to be quietly schooled, so with an "Oh yeah?" and raised eyebrow, I was offered a Davidoff, and g'damn if that wasn't the smoothest cigarette e'er I smoked.

Better yet, I was told that the German Davidoffs paled in comparison to Russian Sobranies. Hold on a second, I'm not even a devoted smoker – I just do it to shake up "The Man," which barely succeeds in the first place, and to take frequent walks away from my cubicle.

Dunhill blues are a tad harsh compared with other smokes (even Parliaments), but the thick blue box is one of the greatest in the modern cigarette world. Aesthetically pleasing and sturdy looking … although it always seems I get a number of broken squares per pack. What's that all about, mate?

Still, not a bad smoke, and makes me look kinda sophisticated, 'cause "Smoking is very sophisticated," as the old ads used to go. Speak of the devil, VH1 should really do a "Where are They Now?" feature on the "Smoking is …" models.

Review by Joseph Camell