The branded 555 cigarettes have been manufactured by British American Tobacco since 1895 and are still in production today. From the very beginning of its appearance on the market, these cigarettes have gained immense popularity. 555 cigarettes are one of the strongest cigarette brands on the market. 555 cigarettes are available in two grades: State Express 555 Classic: tar content – 12 mg; the nicotine content is 1.2 mg. State Express light 555 cigarettes: tar content – 8 mg; the nicotine content is 0.8 mg.

The idea for the State Express brand came from the United States in 1893. Sir Albert Levy (1864–1937), London tobacco dealer and businessman, was visiting the United States. While in Manhattan, Levy was a passenger on the Empire State Express train, which allegedly broke land speed records as locomotive #999, the “Speed ​​Queen” rushed from New York to London.

Old can of State Express 555. State Express was founded in London on March 10, 1896. The numbers (a series of triplets from 111 to 999) making up the other part of the trademark were registered under UK registration number 290529 on 18 February 1907. All of these numbers were used as different brands, each containing a different mixture or blend of tobacco: 444 were made with Macedonian leaf, while 777 was made, for example, from Turkish tobacco. The State Express cigarette numerical ranges were not the only options available on the market at the time. Other brand names included My Darling and Astorias available from export catalogues. In addition to the cigarette business, cigars and tobaccos were available in the State Express range. But by far the most successful of these was Virginia’s State Express 555 tobacco blend, introduced in 1896. It has become the flagship brand of Ardath.

The brand was originally owned by the Ardath Tobacco Company. The company was created in the late 19th century in London, England, and was originally called Albert Levy & Thomas. The Ardath Tobacco Company Limited was originally located at 62 Leadenhall Street in London and called La Casa de Habana (The House of Havana) until 1895 when it changed its name to the modern version. Sir Albert Levy is said to have taken the name Ardat from a book of the same name written by Marie Corelli.