Trip, Klear, and Glass are available in both 1 1/2 and King Size and come in beautiful counter top retail displays. HBI is offering special introductory pricing.

“Troya Clasico captures the soul, spirit, and character of fine Cuban cigars in a luxurious Nicaraguan puro,” explains Tom Irwin, marketing manager for Lignum-2.

Handmade at Tabacalera Cubana in Esteli, Nicaragua, Troya Clasico cigars feature a blend of dark, rich Nicaraguan Corojo and Criollo fillers from the Jalapa region; an oily, coffee-hued Corojo Oscuro wrapper; and a Cuban-style triple cap.

The result, says Irwin, is a medium- to full-body smoke with earthy flavors and an intriguing spiciness enhanced by the naturally sweet wrapper. “The cigar is robust and well-balanced in the Troya tradition, yet not overpowering,” Irwin adds.

Three popular shapes are available: Troya Clasico XVIII (5 x 54 robusto); Troya Clasico LIV (6 x 52 toro); and Troya Clasico LXIII (7 x 50 Churchill).

“We are proud that the 601 is the first and only box pressed cigar, currently available, which is manufactured by Pepin Garcia,” said United’s Eddie Ortega. The all-Nicaraguan leaf puro is described as full-bodied, delivering an extremely rich taste and sweet aroma. Production will be limited.

The cigars are packaged in 20-count boxes and are offered in three sizes: Robusto (5 1/4 x 52), $9.15 retail; Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52) $9.78 retail; and Toro (6 1/4 x 54), $10.45 retail.

In addition, two new sizes have been added to the 601 Habano blend in response to retailer requests. The first, the large ring-gauge Trabuco (6 1/2 x 58), has a suggested retail price of $9.75, while the new La Punta (5 1/2 x 48 x 52 figurado) retails for $8.75.

The company has also started shipping the 601 Five Cigar Sampler to retailers nationwide, consisting of five-cigars: 601 Toro Habano; 601 Rabito Habano; 601 Toro Connecticut; 601 Rabito Connecticut; and 601 BP Maduro Robusto. “We will use the Five Cigar Sampler for special occasions throughout the year and for in-store promotions where the consumer will have an opportunity to sample the full range of the three 601 blends” said Ortega.

“We are re-introducing the original 1986 blend of La Unica in boxes to a fresh new market who have never experienced the savory flavor and richness of La Unica cigars,” states Eric Newman, president of the company.

La Unica was the #1 selling premium bundle cigar in the 1990’s. Now, all sizes will be available in a natural and a Maduro wrapper, and will be packed in attractive new cedar boxes for the same value price as the original bundles. La Unica is handmade in the Dominican Republic by Tabacalera A. Fuente.

The company is also adding the first new size in the line in 20 years, La Unica #600 (6 x 50), created to accommodate smokers who prefer a popular Toro-sized smoke.

Described by Newman as a “smooth and creamy, unintimidating smoke,” La Unica will roll out its new blend, new look, and latest shape in late May.

JOB Crystal booklets and display boxes feature upscale and attention-grabbing packaging with sky blue graphics and silver foil imprints. Sales literature and trade ads feature the tagline, “Your choice is clear with JOB Crystal.”

JOB Crystal 1 1/4 Size is packed 24 booklets per display box with both gravity feed and counter-top dispensing options. Master cases contain 40 display boxes. The King Size Slim Cut is packed 20 booklets per display box, with 24 boxes per master case. Both products are “competitively priced.”

The new 100 percent additive-free, natural tobacco offering comes from the Natural American Spirit brand made by Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co.

“Perique is among the world’s rarest and most sought after types of tobacco,” said Fielding Daniel, manager of leaf procurement and blending. “While it is too strong to smoke by itself, when blended with other tobacco varieties, Perique provides a dark, distinctively rich and spicy taste that cannot be imitated.”

To be called Perique, the tobacco must be force-fermented. “This process involves aging 100 percent additive-free tobacco under great pressure in oak whiskey barrels, which takes almost a year and creates the distinctive taste and strength found only in Perique tobacco,” he said. During the entire fermentation process, nothing is added to the tobacco. Perique was first cultivated by the Choctaw and Hickasaw Indians 400 years ago.

“This unique sequel to the famous Por Larrañaga cigar line is a smooth, delicate, and complex cigar experience,” stated Michael Argenti, president of Cuban Imports, noting that the blend is more reminiscent of the brand’s earlier incarnations. “Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade is our ‘retrospective version’ of this rare and venerable brand at the turn of the 19th century.”

Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade cigars are available in groups of twenty and in six different sizes: Corona (4 1/2 x 42); Corona Gorda (5 1/2 x 44); Robusto (5 x 48); Toro (6 x 50); Figurado (6 1/8 x 52) and Double Corona (7 x 54). Suggested retail prices range from $5.50 to $8.00 per cigar.

The cigarillos are available in three exotic flavors: Purple Haze, Wet Mango, and Kush. All three flavors are aromatic, mild, and accessibly-priced for the mass market.

The company is also reintroducing its Natural Leaf Tobacco Wraps, all-natural leaves with an HTL binder for easy rolling. The product contains six wraps per pack, and is available in four flavors: Cognac, Blueberry, Strawberry, and Sour Apple. Each variety is available in bright, resealable, metal-barrier packs.

Both products are manufactured in the company’s Dominican factory.

According to R.J. Reynolds senior marketing director Brian Stebbins, the brand’s name is an allusion to being “dressed to the nines.” Said Citigroup tobacco analyst Bonnie Herzog, “We see this as a step for Reynold’s to target a group of smokers that has typically been a weak point for the company.”

Casa Toraño Maduro line will be offered in four shapes; Robusto (4 3/4 x 52), Toro (6 1/4 x 50), Torpedo (6 1/2 x 54), and a rare Lancero (7 x 38) finished with a pigtail head. While the Lancero is not often featured in American shops it is very popular among Cuban brands. “We’re sensing a movement toward long, thin shapes like the Lancero over the next two-three years,” said Guenther, “and we’d like to be one of the first to explore this potential new market segment.”

Presentation for Casa Toraño Maduro cigars will be 25-cigar “dress-up” boxes in the traditional Cuban style: cedar, covered in high-quality gloss paper, with taped edges around and on the lid, and classic box art. Though not finalized, MSRP for the line will be in the $4.50 to $5.50 range.

A Bolivar three-pack contains one Bolivar Churchill (7 x 49); one Bolivar Lonsdale (6 1/2 x 45) and one Bolivar Toro (6 x 52), offered at a suggested retail price of $12.30. A Kahlùa three-pack contains one Kahlùa Robusto (5 1/2 x 48), one Corona (5 x 42), and one Torpedo (6 x 54) for a suggested retail price of $9.60.

A three-pack sampler of El Rico Habano favorites from Cigar Master Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is offered for $10.55 retail. It features the El Rico Habano Corona Suprema (6” x 50) for free with the purchase of La Gloria Cubana Corona Gorda (6” x 52) and the Maduro version of Serie R No. 5 (5 1/2 x 54).

In addition, a handsome, custom-made wooden box that holds four Hoyo Dark Sumatra cigars is now available at retail, containing top-selling Dark Sumatra frontmarks: Media Noche (5 3/4 x 54), Noche (6 1/2 x 52), Ebano (6 x 45) and Espresso (4 x 50), offered at a suggested retail price of $14.00.