Handcrafted in the Dominican Republic, Macanudo Café Large Ring Gauge cigars are available in Tudor (6 x 52) and Duke of York (5 x 54). The Tudor is offered at suggested retail price of $5.60 per cigar; the Duke of York at $5.90 each.

"Among the latest trends sweeping the cigar industry is the consumer demand for larger ring gauge cigars," said Macanudo's director of marketing, Cooper Gardiner. "Fueled in part by the success of the recently introduced Macanudo Gold Tudor and Duke of York frontmarks, cigar master Daniel Nu-ez developed these large ring offerings for the Macanudo Café line."

Made with a flavorful blend of Dominican and Mexican filler tobaccos, a select binder grown in the rich San Andrés Tuxtla Valley of Mexico, and a fine Connecticut Shade wrapper, Macanudo Large Ring Gauge cigars use only the most thoroughly aged tobaccos, ensuring smoothness in every cigar.

The brand is being launched in two versions. Bob Marley 1 1/4 comes in booklets of 50 leaves, 25 booklets per box, 24 boxes per carton.

The King Size entry is packed 33 leaves to a booklet, 50 booklets to the box, 50 boxes to the carton. Bob Marley KS measures 110x53 mm, or a standard king size format.

Both versions come in a range of 15 different booklet images of Marley, tapping his cult figure appeal to support the product's market strength, while further positioning it in the collectibles circuit. Most of the Marley images featured are cheerful, with a couple of more intense performance photos for variety. In keeping with the Bob Marley tradition, the RYO papers are prominently designated as 100% pure hemp. They also feature natural gum from Africa.

The brand is manufactured by Miquel y Costas & Miquel of Spain, a leading producer of high-quality cigarette papers. U.S. distribution is handled by Kretek International.

La Diferencia Cubana by Dominican Cigars, Ltd., is a "new classic" in premium cigars. Made under the watchful eye of legendary master cigar maker Hendrik Kelner, La Diferencia Cubana is meticulously crafted from fine, aged tobaccos - a blend of San Vicente Seco, San Vicente Ligero, Piloto Dominicano Seco, and broadleaf filler tobaccos; an Olor Dominicano binder; and a Nicaraguan sun-grown wrapper.

La Diferencia Cubana comes in four classic sizes: Robusto, Toro, Churchill, and Torpedo, suggest retail, $4.50 a stick.

"Escape to a world a hundred years ago," says the company, "when life could be enjoyed one cigar at a time. Then you will know the difference...La Diferencia Cubana."

Responding to major RYO and MYO category growth along with the need for improved merchandising and education, the five-shelf floor racks include "Make-Your-Own Cigarette Center" signage, communicating TOP quality and savings. The pre-assembled racks are provided free with the purchase of a customized product pre-pack, which can be shipped independently or in conjunction with the rack. The floor racks simply unfold to set up and load, and may be drop- shipped directly to retailers. Attractive channel strips are already applied, and shelf liners as well as schematic instructions are provided.

The TOP rack pre-pack includes both pouch and canister sizes of TOP Regular, Light, and Menthol cigarette tobaccos, as well as a complete line of TOP accessories including Filter Tubes in both regular and light varieties, Filter Tips, Filter Cigarette Injector Machines, MYO Kits, and Rollers, as well as DRUM premium Halfzware Shag.

The bar codes are also color coded for individual brands, making identification easier. "Retailers no longer have to take time putting numbered stickers on individual cigars, or have customers fumble at the counter trying to remember prices," notes Jeff Aronson, national sales manager for Cusano Cigars.

Inventories will be more accurate as the retailer can track what they sell. "Once again Cusano is far ahead of the industry," says Aronson, "as this move not only helps our current retailers but also opens up the possibility of selling their high quality handmade cigars in additional retail channels."

USSTC chose to introduce Skoal Berry Blend Pouches because of the proven popularity of Skoal Berry Blend long cut, which was launched a year ago and has exceeded the company's sales expectations.

"Our research shows that adult consumers are opting for Pouches at times when using traditional moist snuff is not convenient, such as at work," said Jill K. Galowitz, USSTC vice president, brand management.

Skoal Berry Blend Pouches have a bold taste, rich appearance, and are packed full with moist, premium-quality tobacco. The large, moist pouches are three times the size of traditional pouch products, allowing consumers to fully enjoy the satisfying flavor of Skoal Berry Blend in a way that is neat, convenient, and easy to use.

The launch is being supported by a print advertising campaign, direct mail and point-of-sale, delivering millions of adult impressions, while eye-catching retail displays will encourage both awareness and trial.

Carlos Toraño 1916 commemorates the Toraño family's entry into the tobacco business. "My great-grandfather Santiago emigrated to Cuba that year, and began growing tobacco in the Vuelta Abajo region," says Charlie Toraño, company vice president. "He later had some of the largest tobacco plantations in Cuba, and was a major supplier to its legendary cigar manufacturers." This new cigar has a Cameroon wrapper and a "fantastic blend," says Toraño. "We waited years to introduce a superlative Cameroon wrapper, and believe we have achieved our goal." The sizes are: 5 1/2 x 42, 5 1/2 x 52, 7 x 48, and a 6 1/2 x 56 Torpedo. Retail pricing ranges from $4.50 to $5.50.

The second brand, the Carlos Toraño Tribute, is the first in the Toraño family's releases of limited edition cigars; only 65,000 cigars will be rolled. "The Tribute honors my grandfather Carlos and his contributions to the cigar industry," says Toraño. "In 1962, after the dictator's nationalization of all private property, he introduced the first Piloto Cubano seed to the Dominican Republic, and was a major force in building the Dominican tobacco business. The Tribute series will offer a special limited blend only when we find a tobacco that is extraordinary." This release, Tribute 2003, has an extra-select Ecuadorian wrapper with an "interesting blend," according to Toraño. The box holds 22 cigars, and three sizes are offered: 5 x 50, 7 x 50, and a 6 1/4 x 52 Torpedo. Suggested retail pricing is $10 to $12 per cigar.

The Sweet Nostalgia is a high quality cigar offered at a very competitive price. It is made at Toraño's Nicaraguan factory in Esteli, with a Sumatra seed Brazilian-grown wrapper and some sweetness added to the tip. It retails for $2.50 - $2.97, and the sizes are 4 x 40, 5 x 42, 6 x 46, and 5 x 50.

The company is also introducing a line extension to their runaway Exodus 1959 brand, a Perfecto, which retails for $5.25.

"The Cienfuegos follows in [our award-winning] tradition, by being a full-bodied cigar, with balance and complexity," say Carlos Diez, the company's director of marketing. Diez attributes the full flavor and body of the Cienfuegos ("One Hundred Fires") to its combination of Dominican filler and Nicaraguan binder, balanced by the Habana 2000 wrapper. Cuban-born master blender and industry legend, Rolando Reyes, Sr., set the select wrapper leaf aside for aging after the 1999 harvest, to maximize its rich, mellow character. Cienfuegos is available in Toro, Presidente, Robusto, and Piramides #3 (5 x 40), and #4 (5 1/2 x 45). The cigars are made at the Puros Indios factory in Danl', Honduras.

The unique box presentation consists of an outer burlap wrap, with the Cienfuegos logo burned into it. This rustic look is sure to catch the eye on retailers' shelves, and enhances the line's perceived value. All cigars are individually cedar sheathed and cellophaned. Each box contains 25 cigars.

Suggested retail pricing ranges from $9 To $15. Cienfuegos will be offered to selected Puros Indios retailers only.