Exalt is a Swedish snus product, which is smokeless tobacco in an easy-to-use pouch. It is discrete and spitless because it is placed between the upper lip and gum.

Swedish Match manufactures the Exalt tobacco packets in the U.S. in Owensboro, Kentucky, using its proprietary GothiaTek process, which the company says greatly reduces the levels of controversial compounds while producing a tobacco product of the highest quality.

"We've experienced positive response to Exalt from cigarette smokers in North Carolina," said J. Mark Whitfield, director of new business development for Swedish Match North America.

Many global scientific studies conducted over the past few years have shown that Swedish snus products, such as Exalt, present less health risk to cigarette smokers than smoking, says Swedish Match.

In addition to Charlotte, Exalt tobacco packets in Peppermint and Original flavor are currently available in North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, New York City, and Washington, D.C. with further distribution planned.

"Experienced smokers know the larger the ring gauge, the more complex and satisfying the smoke," explains Carlos Diez, director of marketing and grandson of company founder "Don" Rolando Reyes, Sr. "Our Puros Indios line offers a four-nation blend, and the extra leaves in El Gordo make it even more luxurious."

The filler is a blend of Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Brazilian tobaccos; the binder is Ecuadorian. The cigars are available in all four of the company's Ecuadorian sun-grown Sumatran wrapper shades: colorado claro, colorado, maduro, and double maduro. The flavor profile ranges from medium to medium-full bodied. El Gordo is presented in Spanish cedar boxes of 20, with the familiar green Puros Indios band. Suggested retail is $120 per box, or $6.00 per cigar.

All five products in the Wave 100s line - Wave Full 100s, Wave Lights 100s, Wave Ultra Lights 100s, Wave Menthol 100s, and Wave Light Menthol 100s - will be available in the new packaging. The products' taste will be unchanged, but will they sport a different look in their packaging. The launch of the Wave 100s crush proof box complements the Wave family of offerings, which debuted in 1991.

JTI USA is the U.S. marketer of tobacco brands Wave, Export ‘A' and Mild Seven.

"Originally, we introduced our cigar as part of the American Stogies line," reports Bill Bock, Indianhead's president, "but, when they took off in sales, we decided to give them full independent line status." In addition to the original Natural non-flavored cheroot, the company has added three new flavors: Double Shot Whiskey, Mud Slide Rum, and Gold Dust Amaretto.

Hearkening back to America's frontier days with their coarse appearance, complete with loose tobacco ends projecting from the foot, the cigars' heads are clean-cut, so smokers don't have loose tobacco in their mouths. The 4 1/2" long cigars taper from 38 ring gauge at their feet, to 28 at the heads. The cigars come in cedar boxes of 50, with sliding, clear Plexiglas lids.

San Cristóbal de la Habana was the original name of Havana, Cuba's capital city, when it was founded in 1519; it was named San Cristóbal (St Christopher) in honor of Columbus, and La Habana after an Indian name for the site. The cigar line bearing the same name is mild to medium-bodied, using tobaccos from the Vuelta Abajo region. Two sizes, El Morro and La Fuerza, are not found in any other Habano brand.

The anniversary case contains 100 cigars, including 25 of the El Morro (180mm x 49) plus the following trio of new vitolas, all named after an ancient street of Havana: 25 Muralla (180mm x 54, factory name Rodolfos); 25 Mercaderes (167mm x 48, factory name Hermoso No 1); and 25 Oficios (135mm x 43, factory name Dalias Cortas).

"The Tribute concept honors my grandfather Carlos, and his indelible imprint on the premium cigar world, spanning his 40 years in the industry," states vice president Charlie Toraño. "The Toraño family keeps his memory alive with each year's Tribute cigar."

Sharing the same Dominican/ Nicaraguan filler as last year's cigar, Tribute 2004 has an ultra-select Costa Rican maduro wrapper, renowned for its dark, oily sheen. "It is an incredible match of wrapper and filler," according to Toraño. The medium-to-full bodied cigar comes in Robusto, Churchill, and Torpedo, 22 to the box, and retails from $10 to $12.

"The Tribute series is very limited in availability," reports Toraño. "Last year's release of 3,000 boxes sold out quickly, and there are only 3,600 boxes of Tribute 2004. The Toraño reputation for quality, evidenced by some of the industry's highest ratings, assure the Tribute 2004 will be equally successful." The new Tribute will be available for shipment in August.

Taking center stage are the two new Capas lines, with their bold wrapper treatment. Dos Capas ("two wrappers") features Sumatran and Connecticut Shade leaves, double-wrapped to resemble a barber pole. Tres Capas adds a third Candela (green) leaf. The two cigars share a Piloto Cubano binder and a five-year-aged San Victor filler blend.

Capas are presented in cedar boxes of ten, in Corona Gorda (6 x 46) and Churchill (7 x 50). Suggested retail pricing is $5.00 and $5.50, respectively; the Tres Capas SRP is $6.00 and $6.50.

Excellence, the next offering, is Felipe Gregorio's first Cameroon-wrapped cigar. It is also the first limited-edition cigar from their Dominican factory, with an initial production offering of only 50,000 cigars. Presented in 40-count boxes, each individually numbered, Excellence is available in 6 x 42 only. "This size is my personal favorite," says Philip Wynne, Felipe Gregorio's president. "The Piloto Cubano and Dominican blend is aged no less than seven years. The extraordinary aging gives it subtlety... it's an equally extraordinary smoke." Suggested retail price of the Excellence is $8.00.

Felipe Gregorio Centenario, the third product, is a line extension of Wynne's Obsidian cigar, introduced in 2001. This full-bodied cigar, for the mature smoker, is named the Classic D (6 x 44), and has a naturally-fermented oscuro wrapper of Nicaraguan Condega tobacco. It comes in traditional tray boxes of 20, at a suggested retail price of $7.00.

The tobacco used in the cigar was harvested in 1996, with seals on the bales as proof. The cigars are a four-nation blend of long-filler Ecuadorian Colorado wrapper, Honduran binder, and a Dominican and Nicaraguan filler blend. These cigars are offered in four frontmarks: 6 x 44 Corona, 5 x 50 Robusto, 7 x 50 Churchill, and 6 1/2 x 54 Torpedo.

"The cone style of rolling blunt cigars has become very popular due to its unique burning characteristics," explains Gillis. Cyclone's pre-rolled funnel shape allows users to easily place their tobacco within the wrap with little spillage. A built-in paper filter tip adds to the convenience of Cyclones.

Each Cyclone is individually packed in unique, reusable plastic tubes that trap the wrap's powerful flavors and freshness. Cyclones come in three flavors: Peach, Sour Apple, and Fruit Punch.