
Du Maurier has been Canada’s best-selling cigarette for decades. It’s still widely available — the question most people arrive with isn’t where to find it, it’s why a carton costs $135 to $165.
We don’t carry Du Maurier. We sell native cigarettes at $42 a carton. Here’s how the two compare and what comes closest.
What Du Maurier is
A Canadian brand introduced in 1930 and named after Sir Gerald du Maurier, the British actor. It was positioned from the start as the sophisticated choice — elegant packaging, glamorous advertising, and a blend built around smoothness rather than strength.
It’s manufactured by Imperial Tobacco Canada, a subsidiary of British American Tobacco.
Current variants:
| Variant | Character |
|---|---|
| Signature (red) | The flagship full flavour |
| Distinct (blue) | Lighter draw |
| Distinct Silver | Lighter again |
| Mellow (beige) | The mildest |
What it costs, and why
A carton of Du Maurier runs $135 to $165 depending on province.
Most of that is tax. Federal excise duty is $38.92 per carton nationwide. Provincial tobacco tax adds $36.95 in Ontario, $65 in British Columbia, $80 in Nunavut. Then sales tax is applied on top of the taxed price.
Between $76 and $119 of a Du Maurier carton is tax before anyone has paid for tobacco, packaging or a retailer’s margin.
The closest native equivalents
Du Maurier’s appeal is a smooth, balanced full flavour rather than a heavy one. Two of ours sit in the same place:
| Brand | Character | Carton |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Classics Original | Balanced full flavour — the manufacturer calls it strength without weight | $42.00 |
| Canadian Full | Consistent full flavour, the benchmark native brand | $42.00 |
| Canadian Classics Silver | The lighter option, closer to Distinct | $42.00 |
| Canadian Lights | Light, 0.6mg nicotine | $42.00 |
If you smoke Du Maurier Signature, start with Canadian Classics Original or Canadian Full. If you smoke Distinct or Mellow, Canadian Classics Silver or Canadian Lights.
Price comparison
| Carton of 200 | |
|---|---|
| Du Maurier in Canadian retail | $135 – $165 |
| Native carton from MohawkSmoke | $42.00 |
| Native rollies, bag of 200 | $27.00 |
| At 40+ carton volume pricing | $31.50 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Du Maurier still sold in Canada?
Yes. It remains one of the best-selling brands in the country, manufactured by Imperial Tobacco Canada and sold in plain packaging under Canadian regulations.
Who makes Du Maurier cigarettes?
Imperial Tobacco Canada, a subsidiary of British American Tobacco.
Why is Du Maurier so expensive?
Tax. Federal excise duty plus provincial tobacco tax accounts for $76 to $119 per carton before sales tax, and both rise most years.
What’s the closest alternative to Du Maurier?
Canadian Classics Original or Canadian Full — both balanced full-flavour native blends at $42 a carton.
Do you sell Du Maurier?
No. We carry native cigarettes manufactured at licensed First Nations facilities, which is why a carton is $42 rather than $150.
More brands: see our guide to international cigarette brands in Canada.
Health warning: Smoking is addictive and harmful to health. These products contain nicotine and are for adult smokers of legal smoking age only.
