The mild-to-medium profile Spirit of Cuba line incorporates Central American filler and binder tobaccos and a natural wrapper, which Rubin describes as "a tawny golden color." The mixed-filler cigar, also called a "Cuban Sandwich," combines the trimmed tobacco leaves from Alec Bradley's top premium cigars around a central leaf that runs the length of the cigar. This gives it greater stability, as well as a slower burn rate and longer ash than short-filler cigars.

The first introduction in the new line is Spirit of Cuba "Natural." Alec Bradley Cigars plans to follow it with other selections of filler and wrapper tobaccos. Presently, the cigar is offered in two shapes: Robusto (5 x 50) and Churchill (7 x 48). "Once again, Alec Bradley Cigars gives smokers another reason to return to three-a-day cigar enjoyment," says Rubin. Spirit of Cuba's suggested retail is $1.30 and $1.40 respectively, at keystone.

Presentation for the cigars is 25 to the box, with attention-getting traditional box art. Spirit of Cuba will be available nationally as of June 1st.

"Macanudo Vintage 1997 Demi-97 cigars fill a unique niche within the small cigar category by allowing consumers to experience an outstanding hand-crafted cigar that can be enjoyed in a fraction of the time it takes to smoke larger cigars," says Cooper Gardiner, director of marketing for Macanudo.

Each cigar is double-banded with a Vintage harvest band, and packaged in a handsome wooden box holding five cigars and bearing a suggested retail price of $20.

"The other two Puros Indios Piramides have always been our best sellers," reports Carlos Diez, director of marketing, "especially after scoring 92 and 94 in the Cigar Aficionado ratings. So, we are offering retailers something new and different to help generate sales for their stores."

The Piramide #3 shares the same filler blend of Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Brazilian tobaccos as the other two Piramides. The binder is Ecuadorian, and the Ecuadorian sun-grown Sumatran wrapper is available in colorado claro, colorado, maduro, and double maduro.

The Puros Indios Piramide #3 is packed 20 to a box, and retains the same box art and band as the rest of the Puros Indios line. Its suggested retail price is $80 per box, at keystone.

Measuring 4 5/16 x 32 ring and handsomely packaged in tins holding ten cigars each, Glorias Petit Maduro cigars are made with the finest short-filler cuttings from the same Nicaraguan and Dominican Piloto Cubano leaves used in making the largest La Gloria Cubana cigars.

"Glorias Petit Maduro cigars were painstakingly developed for more than two years by renowned cigar master Ernesto Perez-Carrillo," says Michael Giannini, brand manager of La Gloria Cubana. "To intensify the flavor of Petit Maduro cigars, the cuttings are slowly cured in cedar bins, bound in a full-bodied Nicaraguan binder and wrapped in a rich, flavorful Connecticut Broadleaf. The result is an exceptional small-size cigar that delivers the same robust flavor as the larger frontmarks in the line while complementing another recent release, Glorias Petit Natural cigars."

Glorias Petit Maduro cigars can be purchased at select tobacco stores for a suggested retail of price of $10.50 per tin and $105.00 for a boat of ten tins (100 cigars).

El Credito Cigars, maker of La Gloria Cubana Serie R and El Rico Habano, is a unit of General Cigar Co., Inc.

Packaging for Marlboro Blend No. 27 features the traditional Marboro pack design rendered in special metallic copper graphics.

The company said that 300 million sticks of Marlboro Blend No. 27 were ordered by wholesalers by the deadline at the end of March.

Cheyenne has a "fine blend of tobaccos that appeal to today's sophisticated consumer," states company president Bill Greiwe; "Cheyenne delivers a superior smoke at a good price." Cheyenne is featured exclusively in distinctive box packing.

Cheyenne is MSA compliant and pre-approved in states where required. All packings are readily available, along with sales support. Cheyenne provides attractive point-of-sale materials suitable to all retail venues, the company notes.