“Retailers want bargain priced cigars, but are especially concerned about quality,” says Bill Bock, Indianhead’s president. “Palma Real was a hit [at RTDA], because when retailers sampled them, they couldn’t believe cigars so inexpensive could be so flavorful and aromatic.”

Palma Real cigars are bundled in 25, and have a handsome, traditional ring, which enhances the image of the cigar in consumers’ eyes. The cigars’ high quality wrappers contribute greatly to their flavor profile. The Palma Real in natural has a true U.S.-grown Connecticut shade wrapper; the maduro has a Brazilian wrapper. Both cigars’ blends combine Dominican-grown Cuban-seed seco leaf with powerful ligero top leaves, which are more flavorful. The binder is Dominican olor, noted for its fragrant aroma.

Palma Real cigars come in five sizes. Most intriguing is the classic Perfecto (4 x 52/38), made famous in Prohibition Days, at $1.25 suggested retail. Both the Robusto (5 x 50) and the Corona (6 x 44) retail for $1.30. The 6 x 50 Toro is $1.40, and both the generous 7 x 54/36 Piramide and the substantial Presidente, at 71/2 x 50, are offered at $1.60 suggested retail.

The new Gurkha Expedition is an extension of the Gurkha Master Select line, which sold out at the 2002 RTDA tobacco trade show. “Sales were up 60% over last year’s show,” reports Kaizad Hansotia, president and c.e.o. of Beach Cigar. “We’re backordered three months on the new Master Select Cameroon maduro. It was designed to capture the essence of the 1957 Cuban Bolivar, a benchmark year for this pre-Castro Havana, notable for its power and opulent taste.

“Many compare the Master Select Cameroon maduro favorably with the new Partagas Black, with some saying the Master Select is stronger, with more taste.”

The Honduran-made Expedition comes in four classic shapes: Rothschild, Toro, Churchill, and Torpedo. Hansotia says the strength is “medium, with a subtlety to the flavor and aroma that requires meticulous blending of the three varieties of tobacco in the all-Dominican filler.” The binder is Indonesian, while the Connecticut shade wrapper is “a tawny natural, and is silky, with fine veins,” says Hansotia.

The Expedition can’t match the exquisite flavor and aroma of Gurkha’s ultra-elite His Majesty’s Reserve line, which is aroma-enhanced with $1,200- a-bottle Louis XIII cognac. But, it doesn’t share the $5,000 per box price tag, either. Suggested retail pricing for Expedition averages $90 per box of 24 cigars. This is half that of the other Master Select. The 100% long-filler, handmade Expedition is presented in a “safari packaging” design.

Bali Shag Turkish blends delicate Turkish Samsun and ripe Virginia tobaccos to provide an aromatic pleasing taste and smooth flavor for the discriminating smoker.

Bali Shag Turkish is offered in traditional pouches, and is being introduced with the consumer rewards promotion “Experience the Flavor of Turkey.” Stokkebye is offering Bali Shag Turkish in 10-pouch cartons which pop up into displays promoting the give-aways. Consumers can collect UPC codes from the pouches to redeem for prizes like fanny packs, coolers, and backpacks while supplies last.

Peter Stokkebye International, Ltd. markets cigarette and pipe tobacco products including BaliShag, McClintock, Skandinavik, and Long.

Six individually-blended frontmarks are offered, matched with a variety of different wrapper leaves. A Connecticut Shade wrapper finishes the Nectar (5 x 42) and Mother Earth (6 x 50) sizes. Suggested retail price is $2.35 and $3.07 per stick, respectively.

A Sumatran wrapper that has been hand soaked in wine and spiced rum and then aged on South Asian-spiced, fire-cured cedar poles finishes the Triple Corona (7 x 50) and Spice (6 x 54 torpedo) sizes. Suggested retail price is $3.32 and $3.31 per stick, respectively.

Vann Reef (5 x 50) features a rich African Cameroon wrapper ($2.38 retail), while Fish (4 x 44) features a deep black Maduro wrapper and a double Nicaraguan binder leaf. Box prices range from $118.80 to $166.80

“Heavy taxation on manufactured popular-brand cigarettes is creating a growing market for RYO products,” says Arango president Michael Gold. “Arango is a full-line national importer and distributor of premium tobacco products, and we want to fill that demand with a new premium RYO cigarette tobacco.”

Jason is a dual-usage tobacco, medium-fine cut with long tobacco lines. This cut enables consumers to roll cigarettes by hand or with a rolling machine. The cut provides greater consistency in machines, resulting in easier rolling than with traditional short-cut tobacco. Likewise, when hand rolled, it lights and smokes more easily. Jason’s blend combines Virginia, Burley, and a touch of Turkish tobacco, which gives the blend its rich taste, according to the manufacturer.

Jason comes in 1.4 ounce airtight pouches, packed six to a unit; or in a 5.29 ounce can. Both are competitively priced.

These little cigars, which are finished with brown tipping paper, deliver a smooth, well-balanced smoke, according to the manufacturer, with “more body and more true tobacco.” Zig-Zag Little Cigars are available in either Full Flavor or Sweet versions, and are packaged in 20-count soft packs, 10 packs per carton, and 30 cartons per case. The manufacturer is offering an introductory promotional program.