History of Sobranie cigarette

The Sobranie cigarette brands (Собрание) are produced in various places in Europe by the Gallaher Group. Sobranie of London was established in 1879, when cigarettes had just become fashionable in Europe. The original cigarettes were handmade in the Russian tradition, and are still produced at Old Bond Street in London. Sobranie is one of the oldest tobacco brands in the world. Sobranie was the supplier of royal courts of Great Britain, Spain, Romania, and Greece.Premium varieties include the evening-out styles Sobranie Cocktail and Sobranie Black Russian, which are produced in Ukraine and as of 2005 in Russia itself. Sobranie produces several styles geared specifically for ladies, some slimmer than standard cigarettes and others brightly colored.Cocktails are five separate bright pastel shades with a gold foil filter, and are the same ring gauge as standard cigarettes, unlike Nat Sherman's Fantasias, which are slimmer and use deeper, primary colors. Black Russians are black with a gold foil filter. While both Cocktail and Black Russian variants are emblazoned with the Russian imperial eagle and use blends suited to Russian tastes, this is a different blend than Cocktails. Sobranie is one of the most expensive cigarette brands in Russia, and is considered to be a brand comparable to Dunhill cigarettes.