Kazbek (cigarettes)

Kazbek (Russian: Казбек) was a brand of papirosas in the Soviet Union named after Mount Kazbek, Caucasus.

The author of the design of the case, Robert Grabbe, allegedly intended to please Joseph Stalin: the image of a Caucasian horse rider on the background of Mount Kazbek was supposed to remind Stalin his motherland of Georgia.[1] Kazbek was a higher tier of papirosas and its smoking was indicative of belonging to the Soviet elite, nomenklatura.[2]

Kazbek belongs to papirosy of top grade No. 3, made from a blend of Samsun tobacco (Transcaucasian or Central Asian), Dubek (Southern Coast or Central Asian), and Ostrokonets. Within this blend, 30% consists of second commercial grade tobacco, 20% of third grade “A,” and 50% of skeletal tobaccos of any type except Voronezh (including 40% second grade and 10% third grade “A”). The cigarettes are noted for their pleasant aroma and increased strength. The creator of the recipe was tobacco master Vasily Ioanidi.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ Веденеев Василий, 100 великих тайн России XX века, section Отец «Казбека»
  2. ^ Богданов И. А. Дым отечества, или, Краткая история табакокурения. — М.: Новое литературное обозрение, 2007., p. 212
  3. ^ "Главный табачный мастер СССР". www.greek.ru. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  4. ^ Пугачёв И.А., ed. (1959). Папиросы. Товарный словарь. Том 6. Москва: Госторгиздат. pp. 681–682.