[Waterluvian]

Despite having never smoked a single cigarette in my life, I have an intensely strong reaction to a very specific brand. Early in high school I met my first crush, and one summer learned that she liked me back. She was my first everything. And the scent of a lot of that teenage exploration was the awful but sweet smell of her parents’ basement, stained with that brand of cigarette.

I have no clue what brand it is. But if I ever smell it in public I am teleported back there and find myself aching terribly with youthful nostalgia.

[vlian2088]

I don't think I ever saw anyone identify a brand just by the smell. it's impossible. most brands from the same parent company are made at the same factory from the same batch of the same chemical-soaked tobacco pulp. it's just the filters and packages that are different. when I smoked, chesterfields, l&ms, pall malls, winstons, parliaments, etc, all tasted and smelled the same to me. only the cheapest godawful local brands smelled different than the rest.

[IAmBroom]

Maybe. But my grandpa exclusively smoked Camels, and on the rare occasions I like (don't dislike) cigarette smoke, it turns out to be Camel smoke.

Ooh, counter-evidence from counterpoint9986 in this thread:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48713334

[tanseydavid]

If you sniff an individual who is smokes Marlboro reds and compare to the scent of someone who smokes Marlboro lights (for example) there is a very noticeable difference.

[zabzonk]

> I have no clue what brand it is

You must have clue! If there is one thing tobacco companies are brilliant at it is branding. Why else would I have smoked Marlboro (and I am English) for all those sad, sad years.

[Waterluvian]

I’m sure I could just ask someone the next time I detect it. To be honest, I’m afraid to. I don’t want the power to portal myself there on demand.