What Are Capsule Cigarettes? Crush-Ball Flavour Capsules and ‘Blast’ / ‘Double’ Names, Explained

Capsule cigarettes have a small flavour capsule inside the filter that you crush to release its flavour. How crush-ball capsules work and how to read 'Blast' and 'Double' names in the Virqalo catalogue — for Australian adults 18+.

By Virqalo Search Repair Manual 6 min read Search Recovery Notes
Small round flavour capsule bead in a glass dish with a plain filter tube on a light grey surface

For Australian adults aged 18 and over.

Quick answer

A capsule cigarette — also called a crush-ball cigarette — is a cigarette whose filter contains a small sealed flavour capsule. Squeezing the filter breaks the capsule and releases its flavouring into the filter. In the Virqalo catalogue, capsule-style records usually carry flavour words such as Ice Blast, Double or Drive inside the exact product name, and every record is identified by its full title and SKU. This article is factual catalogue information for Australian adults aged 18 and over only; it is not health advice.

What is a capsule cigarette?

Capsule cigarettes are a category of manufactured cigarettes sold in many markets, especially in Asia and Europe. The distinguishing feature is a small bead — the flavour capsule — embedded inside the filter. The bead holds a flavouring liquid, often menthol, mint, fruit, or a combination of flavours. Because the flavour is held in the bead rather than mixed into the tobacco, the same record can be used with the capsule intact or with the capsule crushed, depending on the user’s choice. For catalogue purposes, the key point is that the capsule is part of the product variant, and the record name usually preserves the variant terms from the product’s home market.

How does the crush-ball capsule work?

A flavour capsule is a sealed sphere of flavouring liquid placed inside the filter section. When the filter is squeezed at the position of the capsule, the bead breaks and the liquid soaks into the filter material; from that point the flavour is drawn through the filter with the smoke. Products with two capsules — often marked with the word Double in the name — contain two beads, so one, both, or neither can be crushed. The mechanism is the same in each case: crushing releases flavour, leaving the capsule intact keeps the base flavour. The Virqalo catalogue records the identity and sale unit of each product; it does not give use instructions.

How can you tell a capsule-style record in the Virqalo catalogue?

The catalogue does not use a separate “capsule” badge. The signal is in the exact product name: words that come from capsule-style product lines in their home markets.

Terms that often signal a capsule-style variant

What the terms do not tell you

These words are part of the recorded variant name. They show which market line a record belongs to, but they do not, by themselves, identify a unique record. Two records can share most of a name — for example the two ESSE Change Double Applemint records — and still be distinct products with different SKUs. The reliable way to match a record is to keep the full title, confirm the SKU, and open the current product page. See how to read a cigarette product listing before you search.

Capsule-style records in the live Virqalo catalogue (checked 8 August 2026)

The following records carry capsule-style flavour terms in their exact names. Each is sold as one carton containing 10 packs. Prices and stock were read from the live catalogue on 8 August 2026 and can change.

“Double” names: two capsules, one record

In capsule-style product lines, the word Double generally marks a version with two flavour capsules. In the Virqalo catalogue, “Double” is part of the exact name of three records: ESSE Change Double Applemint Orange (SS-259), ESSE Change Double Applemint Wine (SS-277), and Manchester Double Drive Blueberry Mint (SS-1779). The two ESSE Change Double Applemint records are distinct products, and neither is a substitute for the other. The pairwise record checks explain the differences in detail: ESSE Change Double Applemint Orange vs Wine and Manchester Double Drive Blueberry Mint exact SKU record check.

Capsule-style names and plain menthol names are different records

The catalogue also contains menthol records without capsule-style terms, such as ESSE Menthol (Mechanical Green) Super Slim (SKU SS-325). A menthol word alone does not make two records the same: ESSE Menthol (Mechanical Green) Super Slim and ESSE Change Mint Ice Blast 4mg are different records with different SKUs, even though both names contain a menthol-type word. For how flavour words are used across the catalogue, see how to read cigarette flavour descriptors.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to crush the capsule?

The capsule is designed to be crushed to release its flavour; the flavour stays in the bead until the filter is squeezed. Whether or when to crush it is a matter of personal choice. The catalogue records the product identity and does not give use instructions.

Does the capsule change the mg figure on the record?

No. The mg figure is part of the recorded name — for example ESSE Change Mint Ice Blast 4mg — and it identifies the variant. Crushing the capsule releases flavour; it does not change the record’s name or SKU. For what the number means, see what the mg number means in cigarette product names.

Is a capsule-style record the same product as the plain version?

No. A capsule-style name and a plain name are different catalogue records even when they share a brand. Each record has its own SKU, title, and product page, and the catalogue never presents one record as an equivalent of another.

How do I find the exact record for a capsule-style name?

Copy the full product title as it appears in the catalogue, confirm the SKU, and open the product page. If the search returns several similar names, use the SKU to match the exact record — see how to fix an SKU search error one character at a time.

Can I crush the capsule at any time?

The bead sits inside the filter, so it can be crushed whenever the filter is squeezed at that point. This is general product-category information; the Virqalo catalogue records the product identity and does not give use instructions.

Is this article health advice?

No. This is factual catalogue information for Australian adults aged 18 and over. It does not provide health advice, encourage smoking, or suggest that any product is safer than another.

Where to check the exact record

For each record above, the product page is the final source: it shows the current title, SKU, price, stock state, and sale unit (one carton containing 10 packs). You can also browse by brand category — ESSE, Marlboro, Manchester, or MEVIUS — or contact the Virqalo editorial desk if you cannot match a record.

Tobacco products are for Australian adults aged 18 and over. This article contains no health claims and does not present any product as a substitute or equivalent of another.

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