Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a carbon-on-tow filter comprising a fiber tow with flavored or unflavored carbon particles distributed throughout the tow. The carbon particles have high activity in the range of 90 to 115%, preferably 95%. As mainstream smoke is drawn through the filter, gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is released when the particles are flavored. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco being combusted during each puff and such ventilation is arranged at a location near the downstream end of the carbon-on-tow filter to lower mainstream smoke velocity through the filter. The filter achieves significant reductions in gas phase constituents of mainstream smoke, including 90% reductions or greater in at least one of 1, 3 butadiene, acrolein, isoprene, propionaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzene, toluene, and 80% reductions or greater in acetaldehyde over extended shelf life of the cigarettes.

Abstract: A cigarette having a multi-component filter wherein an upstream sorbent removes at least one constituent from mainstream tobacco smoke passing through the filter and a downstream flavor segment compensates for taste lost to the sorbent. The flavor component includes cellulosic flavor bearing granules which release volatile flavor constituents into the mainstream smoke under ambient conditions. The cellulosic granules include microcrystalline cellulose or other cellulosic material which can be formed into a paste with the flavor additive, extruded and spheronized to form the flavor granules.