The tobaccos the company sourced for the cigar include a fermented maduro Connecticut shade wrapper aged a full seven years, complemented by top-grade Dominican filler and a Nicaraguan binder. The Signature Collection is available in 7 x 48 Churchill only. The presentation features a collectible solid red mahogany canister, accented with brass inlays. It holds seventeen cigars, and the suggested retail price per box is $380. Beach Cigar Group is introducing the cigars in their booth at RTDA 2004, and shipping immediately thereafter.

The latest addition to the growing "PREP" (potentially reduced exposure product) tobacco category, Advance Lights uses a special three-part Trionic filter and an innovative tobacco curing process that inhibits the formation of carcinogens.

Phoenix was selected as the new brand's test market due to its diverse population, strong economy, and a higher adoption of new products and technologies than the national average. The test launch includes two brand styles: Advance Premium Lights Kings Box and Advance Premium Lights 100s Box.

"Our message is that this brand is for adult smokers who want a cigarette with great taste but less toxins," says James Figlar, the company's director of applied research. "Advance has shown promising results in early market testing... we expect this to be the next hot trend in the industry."

"This is an absolutely gorgeous 5 x 42 cigar with a 1996 vintage wrapper that produces a full, powerful yet smooth smoke," says company president Mike Chiusano. "As with all Cusano cigars the draw and burn are perfect.

"Pre-embargo Cuban smokers will be taken back in time when they smoke this cigar. They will remember cigars that were incredibly relaxing, able to place smokers in trance-like states with their power yet were gentle on the palate. The discerning smoker will recognize the high quality of this cigar and will treasure it. Any serious cigar smoker who wants to have the experience that legends are made of needs to smoke the Cusano Tenth Anniversary."

"In comparison to the Chubby, the Bullet appears fuller-bodied due to the smaller diameter," the company says. "The rather strong taste at the beginning of this little powerhouse, however, quickly develops into an aromatic and well-balanced short smoke."

Bullet delivers balanced stimulation when smoked, with a prolonged aftertaste, and a spicy and pronounced aroma, the company says.

While the short, curved format of the Bullet makes it difficult to produce, the OK Cigar Corp. of Santiago, Dominican Republic - under the direction of Hendrik Kelner - has maintained the excellent draw and combustion characteristics found in the full Scepter Series line.

The Zino Platinum Bullet is packaged in 14-count cans, suggested retail $7.50 per stick, or $105 per can.

Also new in the Zino Platinum Scepter Series is the XS, a short-filler tobacco small cigar packaged in 10-count European-style hinge-lid tins. The XS leaves a prolonged and creamy aftertaste, with sensations of toasted coffee. "Due to the small size, this cigar has a rather full-bodied character," says the company, but "without dominating in strength." The cigars are described as having a spicy and peppery aroma, with notes of cocoa and roasted nuts.

"Customers have been asking for a maduro ever since Occidental Reserve's 2000 introduction," says Alec Bradley president Alan Rubin, "and we've worked to develop one since 2002." The cigar's wrapper and filler tobaccos have an "extra-rich maduro flavor" that results from longer fermenting, Bradley notes. Completed naturally, without steaming, the traditional maduro fermentation avoids bitterness, and gives the leaves a sweet, creamy flavor, he says.

The Occidental Reserve Double Maduro comes in the same five most-popular shapes as their Natural line: Robusto, Corona, Toro, Churchill, and Torpedo. Suggested retail pricing ranges from $2.50 to $3.00.

Pryme uses wrapper leaf from the corona, or flowering top part of the tobacco plant. More popularly known as ligero, it is generally used in the filler's central core, to boost its power. The wrapper displays a lustrous sheen, due to the extra oils that protect this top leaf from the sun. Pryme's production is limited and costly, because there is less than a 10% yield from an entire year's crop. The medium-to-full bodied cigar gains its depth of flavor by balancing the ligero's full aromatic flavor with a rich-tasting Mexican binder and four-nation filler blend from Nicaragua, Honduras, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

Pryme is available in four shapes: #100R (5 1/4 x 52), #200X (6 1/8 x 50), #300C (7 x 48), and #400T (6 3/8 x 52 Torpedo). Their suggested retail pricing is in the $10 to $12 range. It comes in quantities of 20, in a humidor box made from Nogal wood, which is indigenous to Central America.

The tray shows Heavenly's classic lithograph label inside the lid, and features a luxurious black exterior, with brass hinges and clasp. The Spanish cedar box has five separate compartments, each holding a 5 x 5 array. Two Trays for each shape cover the entire 10 flavors. One holds Vanilla, Amaretto, Cinnamon, Orange Dreamsicle, and Honey Nut; the other is stocked with Rum, Chocolate, Cherry Cream, Grape, and Cognac. The Trays measure approximately 13 3/4 by 6 by 3 inches (Petite) and 20 1/2 by 6 1/2 by 4 1/4 inches (Corona).

Heavenly has also expanded their 10-Pack box of Heaven flavored cigars, in their popular Corona and Petite shapes, adding three more of the company's most popular flavors: Cupid's Cherry Cream, Heather's Honey Nut, and Raging Rum. Both products will start shipping in September.

"The Make Your Own Market is continuing to grow in the United States," says Kevin Dunn, RBA director of marketing. "Significant increases in cigarette taxes throughout the country are motivating consumers to make their own cigarettes and save up to 50 percent over factory- made cigarettes. As a bonus, consumers can customize their own tobacco blend."

In contrast to all other cigarette tubes, the new Rizla cigarette size tube produces true king-sized cigarettes, measuring 7.8 mm in circumference with a 22mm filter. The Rizla cigarette size tube filter is 7 mm longer than all other tubes currently available, and delivers a smoke comparable to factory-made cigarettes. Rizla cigarette size tubes uses 20 percent less tobacco than other tubes, providing further savings for consumers.