Why Fix What Ain't Broke? Is the New Winston XS Compact Costa Really Worth the Hype?

I'm not exactly a seasoned smoker when it comes to trying out new cigarette brands. My local tobacco shop owners know me by name, and they always give me a sneak peek at the latest releases and tell me what's coming up soon.

Winston's been churning out a lot of new products lately, but none of them have really impressed me. That was until I tried the Winston XS Compact Costa. I was told exactly what to expect in terms of flavor and how it would compare to their other slim cigarettes. It was like buying a known quantity.

Now that I've had a chance to try them out, I'm excited to share my thoughts.

Here's the lowdown on the new Winston XS Compact Costa.

MAIN INFO:

Number of cigarettes in a pack: 20 pieces;

Country of origin: Russia;

Price and where to buy: This one's a new release, but it's already available in specialty tobacco shops and some regular supermarkets. I reckon it'll be widely available soon. It costs 197 rubles, which isn't cheap, but it's par for the course for Winston.

PACKAGING:

I'm a fan of the understated, autumnal design on the pack. Finally, a break from the garish colors and a welcome return to more muted tones like chocolate and orange.

The compact pack format is nothing new, but it's still a nice touch.

The pack has some useful info on the sides.

At the bottom, you'll find the quids and the price per pack.

Under the lid, there's a pretty standard gold trim.

EXTERIOR:

I'm a sucker for dark cigarettes, just like Chapman's, and there's nothing I can do about it. They look way more sleek.

The filling is pretty subpar, and there are a lot of air pockets and empty spaces inside the cigarette. The tobacco itself is unevenly mixed, with different-sized particles and colors.

The filter has the brand's logo and a nice orange circle with the capsule placement indicator.

The filter is trendy, hollow inside. Apparently, these types of filters make the smoking experience slightly less hazardous, but I'm not buying it.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF WINSTON XS COMPACT COSTA:

I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that Winston Costa is infused with the actual tobacco flavor, as well as a capsule with a different taste.

There's no strong chemical smell coming from the pack, which is a plus. But if you take a sniff, you'll catch a pleasant tobacco-chocolate aroma, and it's clear what flavor you're in for.

I also noticed a barely perceptible sweetness from the filter. It's very subtle and only noticeable in the first couple of puffs. Unfortunately, there's no lingering sweetness on the lips after smoking.

The cigarettes burn relatively quickly, but even a seasoned smoker will get their fix in the process.

It's great that there's no signature bitterness, which is present in almost all Winston cigarettes.

As for the tobacco quality, I don't think I need to say much – you get what you pay for. The cigarette burns well and stays lit even when not being smoked. And it does so relatively quickly.

What's the flavor of Winston Costa?

If you smoke without bursting the capsule, the cigarette has a light chocolate flavor that doesn't overpower the tobacco taste but rather enhances it.

I always do the first couple of puffs without bursting the capsule, and even without it, smoking is enjoyable.

The capsule with the strong orange flavor is a great addition, filling the mouth with a pleasant chocolate-orange smoke.

This isn't new to me, as my husband and I have been buying Winston with the same flavor for over a year now, but in a slim cigarette format.

What Winston cigarettes have the exact same taste?

I've said it before, my husband and I prefer thin Winston Kiss Mirage cigarettes over all the ones that are widely available. And these have the same taste as the tobacco and the capsule.

I'm really not sure why they'd release the same cigarettes with a different format, just to call them new.

My top picks for cigarettes today:

1. Winston Kiss Mirage - these thin cigarettes are the best in terms of value for money and build quality that I've found so far;

2. Thin pink Chapman Pepl - I'm absolutely in love with them. Chapman really messed up the quality of their popular strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate cigarettes, but the pink and green ones are still holding up. You can only find them in some tobacco shops, but they're worth it.

3. My latest discovery - Bogem Aqua Blue. They're not widely available, but they have good tobacco quality and a really interesting, not-at-all-overused flavor.

THE VERDICT:

I'm curious, why do established international brands like Chapman release the same flavor under one name but in different formats, while we're trying to pass it off as a new product?

In reality, apart from the Winston Kiss Mirage and Winston Costa, the only difference is the format: the former are slim, have been on the market for over a year, and have won over the hearts of smokers, while the latter just launched with a new name and format, but the same filling.

I personally prefer the slim ones because I've been a fan of this format for years, but I'm sure Winston Costa will find its loyal customers.

I'd give it 4 stars and definitely recommend it!

Thanks for reading, and see you next time!