The company introduced a new packaging format for its Cuesta-Rey Centennial Vintage No. 5 cigars. J.C. Newman has created a convenient metal pocket case that holds three cigars. The new metal pocket cases come packaged in an attractive point-of-sale display. The Centennial Vintage No. 5 is a 51/2 x 43 Corona and is also available in boxes of 25.

"Never before has there been a great tasting premium cigar packaged so conveniently yet elegantly," said Newman. "We are proud to introduce our Cuesta-Rey Centennial No. 5 three-pack metal pocket case - a first for the premium cigar business."

In addition, a new size has been added to the Centennial Vintage line - the Pyramid No. 9 - Cuesta-Rey's first pyramid cigar. The Pyramid No. 9, introduced at this year's RTDA trade show, is 61/4 x 52 and comes packaged in boxes of 10. According to the company, like all of the cigars in the line, the Pyramid No. 9 is a spicier, heartier blend of Cuesta-Rey.

A new countertop display for the Cuesta-Rey Cabinet Selection cigars has also been created. The all-wood display, handcrafted by Reed & Barton, manufacturer of the company's Diamond Crown humidor line, holds four sizes of the Cabinet Selection cigars; No. 1 (81/2 x 52), No. 8-9-8 (7 x 49), No. 1884 (63/4 x 44), and No. 95 (61/4 x 42). The unit is adorned with the Cuesta Rey logo and is partitioned to display both the regular and maduro wrappers in each size. It accommodates 72 cigars in total; 18 of each size.

Cuesta-Rey cigars are manufactured in Santiago, Dominican Republic, by Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia and consist of aged Dominican long filler and a Dominican binder. All of the sizes are finished with a Connecticut shade wrapper, except for the Cabinet Selection No. 95, which uses a Cameroon wrapper. Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco is used for all the maduro wrappers. The company also debuted a new cigar line at the RTDA show - Alcazar. Named for a famed champion racehorse, Alcazar is a new brand of all-maduro cigars. This value-priced marque consists of cigars with a 50 ring gauge or better. The Alcazar line is handmade in Esteli, Nicaragua. It is a true Nicaraguan puro, made with the finest long filler tobacco. Alcazar is available in five sizes; No. 1 (8 x 52), No. 2 (7 x 50), No. 3 (6 x 50), No. 4 (5 x 52), and No. 5, a 61/2 x 52 torpedo; and comes packaged in value bundles of 20.

"We're not only selling a new Nicaraguan maduro cigar, we're introducing a whole new marketing program that's every bit as good as the cigar itself," says Newman. Distributors and retailers ordering Alcazar cigars will receive an attractive point-of-purchase display, as well as two bundles of complimentary samples to give to consumers.

"Avanti is one of our most popular cigars," said Anthony Suraci, Jr., director of sales and marketing for Avanti Cigar. "The new boxes of fifty will make it more convenient for smokers to obtain all the Avanti they need to satisfy their smoking requirements."

The new Avanti box has the same design and color scheme as the five-pack. The cigars are individually wrapped and placed in cardboard boats for additional protection. "We expect the new box to be a big-seller for all retailers who now sell our five-packs," said Suraci.

Avanti is an all-tobacco, dry-cured cigar with a medium-bodied flavor. They are machine-made in Scranton, Pennsylvania, from fire-cured tobaccos from at least three different crop years of farms in Kentucky and Tennessee and come in a 41/2 x 34 size.

Palais Royal maintains a close supervision of the manufacturing process, from the choice of tobacco blends to a strict inspection of the finished products before shipping. The cigar lines, all handmade in Santiago De Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, by Corporacion Manufacturera Marland, S.A., include Palais Royal, Palais Royal Chateaux Reserve, Just #2, and La Boca.

Palais Royal cigars, introduced in May 1997, consist of filler from olor Dominicano seeds, a Dominican binder, and an Ecuadorian wrapper. The company will soon be making these with a Connecticut wrapper. They are available in five sizes; Toro (5 x 50), Corona (51/2 x 44), Torpedo (6 x 54), Lonsdale (7 x 44), and Churchill (71/2 x 50). Palais Royal is a mild cigar with a light-bodied, smooth flavor.

Palais Royal Chateaux Reserve cigars consist of Dominican filler from piloto Cubano seed, a Dominican binder, and a Sumatran wrapper. They come in four sizes; Kensington (5 x 50), Alhambra (51/2 x 44), El Prado (7 x 44), and Versailles (71/2 x 50). The Palais Royal Chateaux Reserve, which made its debut in September 1997, is a full-bodied cigar for those who like a stronger smoke.

La Boca cigars are made with filler from a blend of Dominican-grown tobaccos from piloto Cubano seed and olor Dominicano seed, a Dominican binder, and a Sumatran wrapper. La Boca, introduced in the fall of 1996, is available in five sizes; Toro (5 x 50), Corona (51/2 x 44), Panatela (6 x 30), Lonsdale (7 x 44), and Churchill (71/2 x 50). This blend is for those who enjoy a mild to medium-bodied cigar.

Just #2 cigars, introduced in September of 1997, consist of Dominican filler from piloto Cubano seed, a Dominican binder, and a Sumatran wrapper. They come in five sizes; Toro (5 x 50), Corona (51/2 x 44), Panatela (6 x 30), Lonsdale (7 x 44), and Churchill (71/2 x 50). Just #2 are medium-to-full bodied and provide a smooth flavor with a spicy edge.

Macanudo Vintage Cabinet Selection cigars contain wrapper tobacco from vintage growing years. In a vintage year, the quality of the choicest tobacco leaves surpasses even those grades required for the finest premium cigars. However, a vintage year will yield relatively few bales of the superior Connecticut shade tobacco used for the wrapper and therefore production is limited.

The Tatou Gourmet Flavors cigars come packaged in individual foil humi-packs. These hermetically-sealed foil packs keep the cigars fresh without any humidification. The cigars can be kept on the counter or in any spot out of heat and sunlight to generate and encourage impulse sales.

The company's Tatou Liquor Flavors are now also available in the individual foil packs. They were originally packaged cellophane-wrapped in boxes of 24; they are still available in that format. The Tatou Liquor Flavors are naturally flavored with real Jamaican rum, Italian amaretto, cherry liqueur, and natural liquors of vanilla beans, and coconuts.

Club Imports offers the humi-packed Gourmet Flavors and Liquor Flavors in colorful display boxes of 50 cigars with an assortment of flavors. The Liquor Flavored cigar display comes with 15 vanilla, 10 rum, 10 amaretto, 10, cherry, and 5 coconut. The Gourmet Flavor cigar display comes with ten cigars of each flavor. All of the individually humi-packed Tatou Sweets are also available in single flavor boxes of 24, which can be used to restock the display box with the flavors that are selling best.

Tatou Sweets were originally introduced in mid-1997. They are handmade in Mexico City, Mexico, and consist of short filler from a blend of Dominican and Mexican tobaccos, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Mexican wrapper. Tatou Sweets are available in a single size, a 5 x 44 Corona.

Every assortment box contains five each of the Milord (41/2 x 30), Club (41/2 x 30), the individually-cellophaned Imperial (4 x 38), and the tubed High Class (5 x 38). A box of J. Cort�s matches is also included. The assortment provides a well-balanced sampling of these all-tobacco cigars.

In addition, the company has also introduced a new countertop display for bars, clubs, hotels, and smoke shops. The all-wood cabinet stands upright on its back shelve and features an easy-to-open glass window for convenient re-stocking. The unit contains a built-in humidification device to keep the cigars in perfect condition.

The cabinet display accommodates 27 packs and 15 tubes. It comes with a variety of J. Cortes cigars including four packs of the Mini (31/3 x 19), six packs of the Havane (33/4 x 23), five packs of the Milord, five packs of the Club, seven tins of the Grand Luxe (4 x 25), and 15 of the tubed High Class.

A European favorite since 1926, J. Cortes has continued to grow in popularity since its debut in the U.S. market in 1996. The dry-cured cigars are machine-made in Moene, Belgium, and consist of filler from a blend of Brazilian and Indonesian tobaccos, a Javan binder, and a Sumatran wrapper. J. Cortes machine-made cigars are available in 12 sizes. A handmade line, consisting of five sizes, was introduced in 1994.