"We made three cigars a day affordable for cigar lovers," states Alan Rubin, Alec Bradley's president, "when we introduced the Spirit of Cuba Natural at RTDA 2003. Its overwhelming acceptance was significant in the doubling of our retailer base since then. Smokers and our retailers kept asking for a maduro, and the Habano is our answer."

The mixed-filler cigar, also called a "Cuban Sandwich," combines 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.

"Our Nicaraguan-grown Habano wrapper," says Rubin, "isn't bitter, like many maduros, because we don't scald the leaf, but ferment it naturally. The Central American filler blend is somewhat richer and fuller-bodied than in the mild- to medium-bodied Spirit of Cuba Natural." Like the Natural, the two most popular shapes with American smokers are offered: a 7 x 48 Churchill ($1.40 suggested retail) and a 5 x 50 Robusto ($1.30). Both lines are currently available.

The assortment is slated for debut at RTDA 2004. The eye-catching box art features a photograph of Heather L. Phillips, president and c.e.o., flanked by four other Heavenly Angels, standing in a reality-fantasy sunset-drenched sea.

With this new gift box, Heavenly has also extended the product lineup by adding a Cognac flavored cigar. "This limited-edition cigar blends the finest cognac with choice Dominican filler tobaccos and a Sumatran wrapper. The result is an exquisitely balanced premium cigar."

American Stogies Petite Coronas (4 1/4 x 40) are now available in European-style clamshell tins of 8, and the Ten Little Braves (4 1/4 x 30) comes 10 to the tin. The Nicaraguan-made cigars feature a Connecticut shade wrapper and choice Nicaraguan long filler. The original boxed American Stogies line includes six traditional box-pressed shapes, in Connecticut (natural), Havana 2000 (colorado), or maduro wrappers. The most expensive cigar, a 6 1/4 x 54 Torpedo, retails for only $1.10.

Suggested per-tin retail for both is $9.95. Indianhead offers the cigars in a pre-packed wooden countertop or shelf display, holding eight tins of the 8-count Petite Corona for $46.00 wholesale, or ten 10-count tins of Little Braves for $57.50. Retailers can replenish them with 5-packs of the tins. A new full-color sales aid for the two tinned shapes is available from Indianhead.

The limited-edition tins are colorful replicas of the brand's popular hinge-lid hard packs and are available in all 10 styles of Natural American Spirit cigarettes. Free point-of-sale promotional items offered to retailers include window decals, price-callout tags, and countertop merchandisers, all shipped with the first orders of pack tins. Special metal display units will also be available on request. Orders for Natural American Spirit pack tins will be accepted beginning June 28; supplies are limited, and orders will be shipped on a first-come, first serve basis.

"Cheroot smokers are found buying them in all distribution chains: traditional tobacconists, mass-market retailers, restaurants, and bars," says Felipe Gregorio's founder and president Philip Wynne, who reasoned, "Why not capitalize on Felipe Gregorio's existing penetration of these markets?"

Unlike some mass-market cheroot brands, Tumbleweed is an all-natural cigar, made without homogenized binder. Hand made of 100% Dominican long filler, it comes natural (unflavored) as well as in five flavors, including two of the most popular - Vanilla and Honey.

Introductory Tumbleweed smokers will receive a bonus: 10 cigars, for about the $4.00 suggested retail price of competitors' 8-packs. The cigars are packaged in foil-lined pouches, to preserve freshness. Retailers' cost for the cigars is only $2.50. Retailers can buy 6 packs of 10 cigars to a display.

Like all Sampoerna clove cigarettes, Classics offers a blend of mild premium Java, American, and other high-quality imported tobaccos, combined with natural Indonesian cloves sought for their unique flavor, aroma, and crackle.

Blended for smokers seeking a mellower flavor, Dark Classics offer a smooth, aromatic smoke with a delicately spicy clove scent, while the Menthol Classics offer the same clove blend with a refreshingly cool menthol flavor. Both clove cigarettes are "slims," measuring 85mm in length, and are wrapped in silky, dark brown paper and feature the familiar, sweet tasting filter tip. Dark Classics is packaged in a luxurious dark brown foil box of 20, with gold trim and the House of Sampoerna emblem on the front, while the Menthol Classics is distinguished by a green box of the same design.

Lignum-2, Inc. will support the new product lines with advertising and eye-catching point-of-sale merchandising.

Available initially only at Davidoff retail stores, the new addition to the large-sized line has a Dominican/Peruvian filler blend, Dominican binder, and a Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian wrapper. The cigar retails for around $30 individually, and for $92 in the Crown Series' trademark three-count "oversized metal matchbook" cases.