How To Roll A Cigarette

Let’s be honest, nobody rolls a pretty first cigarette! However, with time and practice, rolling always becomes easier, almost second nature. In this guide, we explore the intricacies of cigarette roll-ups, the best equipment for the job, and choosing your favourite smoking tobacco. Naturally, each smoker has different tastes and preferences, so we’ve kept this article quite general to cover all bases.

Rolling – step by step guide

1. Choose your rolling paper. If you’re new to the rolling game, we advise you avoid a paper product that’s either too thick or too thin, as these can be slightly harder to manipulate and require a more experienced hand. Our suggestion would be the Bull Brand Green Cut Corner papers; medium weight, they’re easier to handle for beginners and are well loved by seasoned hand rollers. 
2. Decide on your filter tip. This determines the thickness of your smoke, so take time to consider. If you’re unsure, we recommend using an extra slim filter, such as our Bull Brand extra slim pop-out tips. These tips are unwrapped (meaning there’s no paper around the filter), this provides additional grip as you roll, nicely sized, and pre-cut, these are a popular choice. 
3. Lay your paper out on a flat surface with the sticky side facing upwards and away from you.
4. Insert your filter onto your prepared paper. If you’re right handed, you’ll likely feel most comfortable inserting from the right. The opposite is true if you’re left handed. 
5. Fill your paper with your tobacco of choice. From Ashford to Manitou Additive Free, we offer an array of rolling tobacco products, so make sure you find one you love. For a smooth smoke and light sweetness, we’d suggest one of our best sellers, Amsterdamer. To fill with the correct amount, simply sprinkle your tobacco evenly from the filter tip to the end of your rolling paper. 
6. Pick up the open cigarette from the filter end, and allow the paper to make a cradling ‘U’ shape around the tobacco. While gently gripping the filter end, carefully compress the tobacco into a cylindrical form with your fingers.
7. Now you can begin your roll! Tuck the edge of the paper at the filter end (on the non-sticky side) over your tobacco crease. Apply pressure with your thumbs to ensure a tight nip, and roll your fingers over the rest of the paper. You should feel movement, and keep going until just before you reach the sticky edge.
8. Before you get to the gummy edge, lick the adhesive. This creates a sticky texture that makes rolling easier and keeps everything together!
9. When the adhesive is wet, roll the rest of the paper tightly until no edge remains. 
10. Congratulations. You can now light and enjoy your smoke!

Now you’ve grasped the theory behind rolling a superb cigarette, it’s time to decide on the ingredients. The paper, filter, and tobacco you pick will have an impact on the flavour profile, so it’s important to make informed choices. 

We’ve answered the most common questions asked by rolling beginners:

Which are the best cigarettes papers for rolling a cigarette?

We’ve already alluded to the different kinds of rolling papers available, in terms of thickness and weight, but it’s just as important to recognise the other forms paper can take. We’ve focussed on cut corner and flavoured papers, and offered a little insight into each to help with your decision process.

Cut corner cigarette papers

Cut corner papers, such as Bull Brand Green, Mascotte Greens or Gizeh Fines, are the ideal choice for anyone new to rolling tobacco. Designed with a single corner cut away, the initial ‘tuck’ (step 7) is made much easier, and your paper naturally glides into an effortless roll.

Flavoured cigarette papers

Designed to enhance the taste of your cigarette, flavoured papers give your smoke a slight edge. Once you’ve mastered the roll, have fun exploring our selection of flavoured papers, including our very popular Liquorice. 

Which filters are the best for rolling cigarettes?

As with cigarette papers, picking the right filter for your smoke is crucial. Clearly, take time to choose your size, but there are also many more options in play. To get you started, we’ve highlighted the benefits of flavoured and charcoal filters:

Flavoured cigarette filters

Styled with a flavoured ‘crush ball’ in the tip, effortlessly release flavour by squeezing the filter prior to smoking. Designed to enhance your cigarette experience, we’ve an array of flavours for you to choose, ranging from Bull Brand Berry and Menthol to Frutta Apple and Mint.

Charcoal cigarette filters

Activated charcoal is used in cigarette filters to reduce chemical and toxicant absorption without disrupting the smooth tobacco flavour you love. According to research, it’s estimated that nicotine consumption can be reduced by roughly 25% in smokers using charcoal filters, such as Gizeh's popular slim tips. 

Should I use a rolling machine?

If you’re struggling to roll cigarettes by hand, there is, of course, the option of using a cigarette rolling machine. With various designs available across our range of accessories, from practical automatic cigarette rollers to sleek dual wheel rolling machines, there’s the size and style to make rolling any cigarette hassle-free.

Which tobacco is the best for making a roll up?

As tobacco enthusiasts, we love bringing you the very best brands to enjoy as much as we do. Because we hand pick each of our tobacco products, you can be sure you’re getting nothing short of an outstanding smoke with every roll. 

Now you know the quality of product on offer, it’s time to explore the varying strengths and flavours we’ve stocked specially for you. Depending on your taste, we’ve everything from bold and powerful Old Holborn to mild and smooth Amber Leaf. So, the choice is entirely yours – take the time to discover a tobacco that perfectly satisfies your palate. If you’ve any questions, get in touch - we’re always on hand to offer expert advice and recommendations.

We’ve touched on the papers, tips, and tobacco you should look for to roll the perfect cigarette, but there’s much more to discover by heading to our blog, which offers even more insight around the available products at Bull Brand and finding cheap tobacco.