Felipe Gregorio president Philippe Wynn is working alongside Ermais Selassie, grandson of former Ethiopian president Haile Selassie and heir to the throne, on the cigars. Proceeds from its sales go towards impoverished children in Africa. The Ras Tafaris offer a glimpse at Ethiopian history; the unique box bears a 16th century map of Africa on it, along with a reproduction of Haile Selassie's autograph.

"The legend of the celebrity must be matched by a legendary product," commented Bill Lucchesi of Memphis Specialty Cigars.

"We have cigars that have been vacuum packed and left sitting in desks, glove compartments, and briefcases for over nine months," says Mark Marcus, president of Grand Caribbean Cigar. "When the vacuum bag is opened, the cigar is as fresh as the day it was rolled."

The company says its breakthrough packaging eliminates the need for humidified storage. Grand Caribbean offers four lines of cigars, all in the vacuum packaging: Hobo flavored cigars; Savannah Slims natural and flavored cigars; and Black Stallion and King Cobra natural cigars. All are handmade in the Dominican Republic, and each line features an eye-catching, richly colored space-saving display. Available direct or through wholesalers nationwide.

The Estavan Cruz Tobacco Company, Inc. was formed in 1996. The company debuted its premium cigars in April 1998 at Smoke Magazine's Cigar Noir event in New York City.

The new La Flor de Cano is handmade at the Partagas factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and consists of filler from a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos, a Mexican binder, and a Cameroon wrapper. Medium-bodied with a full-flavored taste, La Flor de Cano cigars come in nine sizes: Miniatures (33/4 x 24), Bouquets (41/2 x34-54), Robusto (41/2 x 49), Corona (51/2 x 43), Belicoso (6 x 52), Churchill (61/4 x 47), Diademas (61/4 x 49), Selectos (61/2 x 43), and a Culebra (6 x 31). All sizes are packaged in boxes of 25, except for the Miniatures, which come in units of 10.

The new cigars contain Dominican filler and binder. The binder leaf is from Chateau de la Fuente, the company's farm in Santiago where the Fuentes grow tobacco for their famed Fuente Fuente OpusX cigars. Three sizes are available in the Aged Sun Grown line: Chateau Fuente (41/2 x 50), Double Chateau Fuente (63/4 x 50), and Chateau Fuente Royal Salute (75/8 x 54).

The Ecuadorian tobacco used for the wrapper leaf is grown under direct sunlight and imparts a more full-bodied taste. It differs from Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco, also grown in direct sunlight, which is used mostly for maduro cigars. Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia also manufactures the Premium Dominicana brand for Holt's Cigar Co., which uses the Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper as well.

A new size has been added to the company's noted Hemingway line. The new size, called the Work of Art, is a 47/8 x 58 perfecto-shaped cigar with a look similar to the Short Story and Best Seller. The Work of Art is distinguished from the rest of the line by a unique shape that tapers from an almost bulbous foot to a sharply pointed head. "The Work of Art is a limited production cigar," said Wayne Suarez, president of the Fuente International Group. "We have about two rollers at our Dominican factory who can roll this difficult shape."

Fuente has also unveiled two exciting new belicoso-size cigars, the Montesino and the Fuente Fuente Opus Triple X. The Montesino Belicoso, a smooth, light-bodied Dominican, is perhaps the mildest offering available from the Fuentes. It's made with Dominican filler, Nicaraguan binder, and Connecticut Shade wrapper. Available in eight sizes, the Montesino is packaged in a cedar box and ranges in retail price from $2.85 to $6.50.

Described as even more full-bodied than Fuente's existing brands, the Dominican-made Fuente Fuente Opus Triple X is 45/8 inches long and has a retail price of $8.75. "This cigar is like taking the Fuente Fuente OpusX and boosting the flavor three times," said Carlos Fuente Jr., president of Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.