Chesterfield cigarettes in Switzerland: varieties, strength and origin
Brand guide · Cigarettes in Switzerland
Chesterfield sits on the shelf at almost every kiosk in Switzerland. The brand is well over a hundred years old, now belongs to Philip Morris International and has completely reshuffled its range in recent years. Ask for "Chesterfield Red" today and you'll get something different from ten years ago. This guide shows you which Chesterfield cigarettes are sold in Switzerland, how to read the pack properly and what sets a Chesterfield apart from a cigarette made with Swiss tobacco.
In short
- Manufacturer: Chesterfield has belonged to Philip Morris since 1999. Internationally, the brand is sold by Philip Morris International, the same group behind Marlboro and L&M.
- Varieties in Switzerland: Original, White, Orange, Unplugged and Remix. The old names Red and Blue have all but vanished from the shelf.
- Strength: Chesterfield is held to the same upper limit as every other brand: 10 mg tar, 1 mg nicotine and 10 mg carbon monoxide per cigarette. What your variety actually delivers is printed on the side of the box.
- Alternative: Instead of a global blend, a field you know: Heimat uses only Swiss tobacco, adds nothing to it and can trace every batch back to the field it grew in.
Chesterfield: from Virginia to the rest of the world
Chesterfield was born in the USA in the late 19th century. Its name comes from Chesterfield County in Virginia, a region where tobacco has been grown for generations. For many decades the brand belonged to the American manufacturer Liggett & Myers. In 1999 Philip Morris took it over. Today Philip Morris International sells Chesterfield across Europe and in many other countries.
That puts Chesterfield and Marlboro under the same roof, but in different roles. Marlboro is the premium flagship. Chesterfield is the familiar name for anyone who wants a classic American blend at a lower price. That division of labour explains why the two brands so often sit side by side on the shelf.
Chesterfield cigarettes: every variety in Switzerland
The range is adjusted regularly and differs from country to country. In Switzerland, these are the main varieties you'll find right now:
| Variety | What you should know |
|---|---|
| Chesterfield Original | The classic and the backbone of the range. Sold in a box and as a Big Pack. |
| Chesterfield White | A cigarette variety in its own right, sold in a box. The values are printed on the pack. |
| Chesterfield Orange | A cigarette variety in its own right, sold in a box. |
| Chesterfield Unplugged | Cigarettes in a box. There's also a rolling tobacco called "Unplugged Naked Leaf". |
| Chesterfield Remix | A cigarette line, for example Remix Wild. |
Our tip: when you compare, ignore the colour of the pack and look at the printed values. Colours are marketing. The numbers on the side of the pack are mandatory.
Chesterfield Original: the most searched variety
Chesterfield Original is the heart of the brand. It stands for the classic American blend: bright Virginia tobacco for a gentle sweetness, robust Burley for body and spicy Oriental tobacco for aroma. Ask for "a Chesterfield" at the kiosk and this is usually what you'll get. Besides the standard box, Original also comes in the larger Big Pack.
Whatever happened to Chesterfield Red and Blue?
Plenty of people still search for Chesterfield Red and Chesterfield Blue. In many countries, that's what the varieties used to be called. Because terms like "light" or "mild" are no longer allowed on packs, manufacturers have renamed their ranges. In Switzerland, Chesterfield now uses names like Original, White and Orange. If you used to smoke Red, you'll find the classic line under Original today.
Chesterfield tobacco: rolling and MYO
Chesterfield isn't only sold as ready-made cigarettes. If you roll or fill your own, the brand offers tobacco in two forms:
- Rolling tobacco (RYO, "roll your own"): in a pouch, for example Chesterfield Original or Unplugged Naked Leaf.
- Tube tobacco (MYO, "make your own"): in a tin, for cigarette tubes and filling machines.
Rolling and filling your own has one clear advantage: you decide on the amount, the filter and the paper. And you're free to choose which tobacco goes in. If origin matters to you, you'll find rolling and MYO tobacco grown in Switzerland further down.
How strong are Chesterfield cigarettes?
Whether it's a Chesterfield Original or a White, every variety is measured on the same three values. The law sets the same limit for every brand:
The numbers on a Chesterfield box come from a machine that puffs to a fixed pattern. You smoke differently: if you puff more often and more deeply, you take in more than the box says. So a variety with smaller numbers is no promise of less nicotine. You'll find the background in our article on the nicotine content of a cigarette.
What's inside a Chesterfield?
Chesterfield is an industrially made cigarette with an American blend. The tobacco comes from a range of growing regions and is blended, cut and machine-processed in huge volumes. With industrial cigarettes it's standard practice to add humectants such as glycerine, along with flavourings. They keep the tobacco supple and make sure every pack tastes the same, no matter which year or which country the tobacco came from.
It's a remarkable feat of engineering. But it has a consequence: you have no way of knowing where the tobacco in your pack comes from or who grew it. That's exactly where the Swiss craft cigarette comes in.
Chesterfield, Marlboro, Lucky Strike and Camel compared
All four brands are built on the American blend. The differences lie in the parent company, the blend and the positioning.
| Brand | International manufacturer | Typical varieties |
|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | Philip Morris International | Original, White, Orange, Unplugged |
| Lucky Strike | British American Tobacco | Original Red, Blue, Sky, Amber |
| Marlboro | Philip Morris International | Red, Gold, Touch |
| Camel | Japan Tobacco International | Filters (yellow), Blue, Essential, Crush |
| Davidoff | Imperial Brands | Gold, Classic, Gold Slims |
| Gauloises | Imperial Brands | Blondes Bleu, Blondes Rouges, Brunes |
You'll find more brand guides on Parisienne, Winston, Dunhill and American Spirit. Looking for tobacco without additives? Read our guide to Pueblo tobacco.
There's also a dedicated guide to Davidoff and Gauloises. Prefer your Chesterfield from a pouch? Then check out our overview of rolling tobacco brands and our explainer on the cigarette machine.
Buying Chesterfield in Switzerland: the rules
A Chesterfield from the supermarket and a cigarette from a Swiss manufacture are subject to exactly the same law. What counts is the Tobacco Products Act, in force since 1 October 2024:
- Anyone buying Chesterfield must be at least 18, anywhere in Switzerland.
- Every box carries picture warnings.
- Advertising and sponsorship for the brand are restricted.
- E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches fall under the same rules.
In shops you'll find Chesterfield at the kiosk, the petrol station and the big supermarkets. You can also buy it online, with an age check along the way. Our article Ordering tobacco on invoice walks you through the process.
The alternative: cigarettes made with Swiss tobacco
If you enjoy a Chesterfield, you like an honest, no-nonsense tobacco taste. Heimat gives you that too, with one difference you can taste and check for yourself: every leaf comes from a Swiss field, and nothing is added to the tobacco.
The journey of a Heimat cigarette
Where a Chesterfield blends tobacco from many countries, every leaf here comes from one of eight cantons. Virginia and Burley, sown GMO-free.
Picking is done by hand. Then the leaves hang in the farm's barn until they turn golden or brown.
Next stop is Payerne. Under controlled heat, the tobacco loses its harshness and develops its own aromas.
Only in our own manufacture is it cut, with Swiss mountain spring water. No glycerine or flavourings are added.
How the current harvest was grown and processed is shown on our page Field-fresh Swiss tobacco 2026.
With an industrial cigarette, you know which corporation made it. With Heimat, you know which farmer grew the tobacco.
American Blend from mass production
- Global blend of Virginia, Burley and Oriental
- Glycerine and flavourings keep the taste uniform
- Which farm supplied the tobacco remains unknown
- Made in large industrial plants
Heimat from field to pack
- Only leaves from Swiss fields
- The tobacco stays pure, nothing is mixed in
- Every batch leads back to the field, GMO-free
- Cut and filled in our own manufacture
Which Heimat variety suits you?
Heimat Original Hell. Like Chesterfield Original, Virginia takes the lead, but here it's grown only in Switzerland. Mild and slightly sweet, with nothing added.
Heimat Original Dunkel. Burley sets the tone here. The result tastes nutty and earthy, with more body.
Heimat RYO and MYO. Instead of Chesterfield in a pouch or tin: the same Swiss leaves for rolling and filling.
All Heimat cigarettes Rolling and MYO tobacco
Smoke-free on the go
Heimat Nicotine Pouches
You can't light up a Chesterfield everywhere. For meetings, long train journeys or flights, some adults reach for a pouch instead. Heimat pouches are tobacco-free and produce no smoke. The small pouch goes under your upper lip.
- Swiss Made, from development to testing
- No tobacco, every ingredient declared
- Every pouch contains 15 mg nicotine
- Tested three times in the lab
Important: nicotine is addictive, even without tobacco. At 15 mg per pouch, they're only meant for adults who are already used to nicotine.
Discover pouchesWhat's inside?FAQ about Chesterfield cigarettes
Who makes Chesterfield?
Chesterfield has belonged to Philip Morris since 1999. Internationally, the brand is sold by Philip Morris International, the same group that also makes Marlboro and L&M.
Where does the name Chesterfield come from?
The name goes back to Chesterfield County in the US state of Virginia, a traditional tobacco region. The brand was born in the USA in the late 19th century.
Which Chesterfield varieties are available in Switzerland?
In Swiss shops you'll mainly find Chesterfield Original, White, Orange, Unplugged and Remix. The brand also sells rolling tobacco and MYO tobacco.
Are Chesterfield Red and Blue still around?
In Switzerland the varieties are now mainly called Original, White and Orange. If you used to smoke Red, you'll find the classic line under Chesterfield Original.
How much nicotine is in a Chesterfield?
No Chesterfield may deliver more than 1 mg nicotine, plus a maximum of 10 mg tar and 10 mg carbon monoxide. Philip Morris prints the exact numbers for your variety on the box. How much you actually take in depends on how you puff.
Are there cigarettes made with Swiss tobacco?
Yes. Unlike with an American Blend, with Heimat you know where the tobacco comes from: farms in eight cantons, no additives, traceable to the field. There are cigarettes, rolling tobacco and MYO tobacco.
What can I use when I can't smoke?
Where you can't light up a Chesterfield, some adults turn to nicotine pouches. Heimat pouches contain no tobacco, produce no smoke and are made in Switzerland. The nicotine they contain is still addictive.
Health warning: Smoking kills. Whether cigarette, rolling tobacco or pouch: the nicotine in it is highly addictive. Sold only to adults aged 18 and over. The names Chesterfield, Marlboro, Lucky Strike, Camel and all other brands mentioned belong to their owners. We provide this information independently and do not work with any of these manufacturers. More in our risk information.