Quarter 3, 2017
After 152 Years, the Plasencia Family is Stepping Out of the Shadows and Onto Store Shelves Globally
PLUS:
PLUS:
• InterTabac 2017 Was Biggest Ever
• InterTabac 2017 Was Biggest Ever
• Cuban Tobacco Crop Yields Best in Years
• Cuban Tobacco Crop Yields Best in Years
Roll4You, s.r.o. is a leading private label rolling paper supplier to the global market. The company combines 150 years of cigarette paper making with the latest production processes, top technology, and co-operation with international tobacco companies.
The company’s factory in the Czech Republic is situated in the beautiful foothills of the Jeseníky Mountains in North Moravia. This mill with three paper machines was founded in 1861. The mill is fully upgraded and continually invests in the latest R&D facilities to improve its expertise. Environmental compliance is of prime importance and quality systems are certified with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Additionally, the raw materials responsibly sourced and certified by PEFC and FSC – Chain of Custody.
Roll4You has been a rolling paper specialist since 1910, producing customized products. Customers can choose
from regular to slow burning cigarette paper grades, made from a choice of fibres - wood, textile, mixed cigarette paperin various weights, ranging from 12 g/m2 up to 23 g/m2. All in all, over 30 paper grades are at your disposal to choose from. And a rolling paper is not complete without an excellent gumAcacia or other Natural gums.
Finally, your brand in rolling papers can be produced in a complete line of sizes, such as:
● Shorts
● Shorts Cut Corner
● Shorts Double Window Booklets
● 1 1⁄4, 1 1⁄2
● King Size Slim
● King Size Regular
● Rolls
{TRADESHOW REPORT}
6 InterTabac 2017 introduced a number of changes to its floorplan, occupying more exhibit halls than ever as it continues to grow in size and international attendance.
STAFF REPORT
{CIGARMAKER Q&A}
10 Leaders in farming and cigar making, the Plasencias for the first time builds its own premium brands. FRANK SELTZER
Even while vaping products and exhibitors continue to post gains in terms of participation and representation at InterTabac, the traditional tobacco sectors also continue to grow as the show expands each year. Long known as a show emphasizing the building of relationships among supply channel partners, InterTabac has increasingly evolved into a showcase for new merchandise and order-writing opportunity for exhibitors, and buying opportunity for attendees. Mark Hofmann, Managing Director at Agio Cigars, describes the experience succinctly: “InterTabac is an important platform for making national and international contacts and presenting new products. We can gather customers and business partners from all countries in Dortmund at the same time.”
» Ted Hoyt, Editor
E. EDWARD “TED” HOYT III Editor
ROBERT M. LOCKWOOD Publisher & President
{ ART & PRODUCTION }
LILY LEE Art Director
MELINDA AYALA Production Coordinator
ROXANNE CORDOVA MELENDEZ Accountant
{ ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES }
all regions
Robert M. Lockwood
tel: + 1-212-391-2060, x109
fax: + 1-212-827-0945
email: robert@lockwoodpublications.com
special sales representative
George E. Lockwood
tel: + 1-413-775-0005
fax: + 1-413-775-9010
email: lockwood.george@gmail.com
Tobacco Products International Lockwood Trade Journal Co. Inc., 3743 Crescent Street, Second Floor Long Island City, New York 11101 U.S.A.
Tel: +1 (212) 391-2060
Fax: +1 (212) 827-0945
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: info@lockwoodpublications.com
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS/INQUIRIES: editor@tobaccoproductsmag.com
stockholm In light of the fact that Sweden has a clearly lower tobacco-related mortality rate than other countries, and that the only geographic difference with respect to tobacco is that Sweden permits the use of snus, the Snus Commission in its third report released June 2017 called for the EU to consider a review of its ban on snus. Lifting the ban would, according to the calculations the commission presents in its report, eventually save hundreds of thousands of lives per year within the EU.
The report concludes that arguments against the release of new tobacco products have collapsed. During Sweden’s original negotiations for EU membership, the EU wanted to maintain its general ban on snus and offer Sweden an exemption from that rule, instead of removing the general ban. “This was due to the fact that the EU did not want to establish new tobacco products in EU countries,” states the report. “This argument has now collapsed as the EU recently permitted e-cigarettes to enter the market, and the issue of permitting snus within the EU has thereby been reawakened.”
Also in June, 18 nicotine and tobacco experts sent a letter to EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans, stating that the prohibition of snus is “unprinci pled” and lacks “any credible scientific basis.” Rather than a ban, the experts urged the EU to regulate snus no differently than other forms of smokeless tobacco that are already permitted under the EU tobacco directive.
havana Despite coping with the effects of a severe drought, Cuba’s cigar industry has reported that the 2016-2017 tobacco harvest has been extremely productive, with high yields totaling 24,000 tons Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, and Cienfuegos as of early September, according the Chinese news agency Xinhua. Cuban authorities say it has been the best cigar tobacco harvest in a decade, and could ultimately come close to the government’s target goal of 29,000 tons of tobacco leaf for the season.
Pinar del Rio, Cuba’s western-most province which accounts for 70 percent of the island’s tobacco output, has alone yielded over 19,000 tons of tobacco this season to date, its highest amount in 11 years.
Cuban Vice President Jose Ramon Machado has called for tobacco producers to aim even higher for next year’s crop, and local Cuban media reports that tobacco farmers are planning to plant 18,700 hectares of tobacco for the 2017-2018 crop, 700 hectares more than last season, utilizing five higher-yield varieties of tobacco that are considered to be more disease-resistant.
Villiger Söhne AG announced that Manuel Garcia has joined the company’s international handmade cigar division as it continues to bolster its rapidly growing presence in the premium handmade cigar marketplace. Garcia gained global recognition as the Commercial Vice President of Habanos S.A. where, as the head of sales and marketing for 15 years, he earned critical acclaim helping to shape the image of Cuban cigars worldwide. In visiting over 100 countries, he also developed invaluable relationships.
Longtime friend and colleague
Heinrich Villiger, Chairman of the Board of Villiger Söhne, said Garcia is expected to make an immediate impact at the company. Garcia worked alongside Villiger from 1991–1995 as the General Manager of 5th Avenue Products Trading, the exclusive Habanos distributor for Germany.
Garcia is headquartered in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic at the ABAM Cigar Factory, where all Dominican Villiger products are produced, including the newly released Villiger La Flor De Ynclan.
Villiger Söhne AG was established in 1888 by Jean Villiger in Pfeffikon, Switzerland, where the company remains headquartered to this day. Together with its US division, Villiger manufactures and sells more than 1.5 billion cigars annually, world-wide.
The following is a listing of supplies and services and the companies that provide them. To contact any of these companies, please refer to Section 2. Those companies listed in bold are advertisers. Please refer to the Advertisers Index for ad placement.
InterTabac 2017 posted noticeable growth in both emerging categories, as well as traditional tobacco, as international participation continued to rise.
The InterTabac trade show continued to increase its international participation this year, with 12,500 trade visitors from all over the world visiting the expo and the co-located InterSupply trade fair from 22 to 25 September, 2017.
“Dortmund was the venue of the industry’s international flagship trade fair for three days,” said Sabine Loos, CEO of Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH. Occupying Halls 2 through 8 of the exhibit complex, the twin trade fairs occupied the largest space yet in their history, with 560 exhibitors represented.
The foreign percentage of trade visitors again increased by about ten percentage points: 41 percent came from
abroad this year, including significant representation from Benelux countries, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, China, Australia, and the USA. In all, attendees from 64 countries were participated in Dortmund, while about 65 percent of the InterTabac exhibitors came from abroad.
The largest visitor groups in 2017 again came from the retail sector, followed by the wholesale and industrial sectors. The largest professional groups were entrepreneurs, managing directors, and departmental managers. More than 90 percent are involved in purchase decisions at their companies in an advisory, co-deciding, or decision-making
capacity, according to exhibit organizers.
About 62 percent of the trade visitors only visit InterTabac and no other trade fair with comparable topic range. In addition to the traditionally strong product groups of cigars, cigarillos, cigarettes, smoking accessories, and cigarette paper, there was a significant increase in visitor interest in e-cigarettes and shishas, which scored top marks for visitor popularity according to attendee surveys.
The increasing market importance of the e-cigarette category was reflected
» STAFF REPORT
by the focus given to this segment at the trade this year, with vaping exhibitors grouped together in halls 2, 2N, and 3A for their own platform.
“The e-cigarette sector is growing,” said Dac Sprengel, Chairman of the e-cigarette trade association Verband des eZigarettenhandels (VdeH). “There was again a strong increase by about 50 percent in the German market in 2017 compared to the previous year. This growth was also reflected at the InterTabac trade fair. Numerous established and new traders exhibited their products tailored to the tobacconist trade.”
In fact, VdeH and the Dortmund Exhibition Center signed a cooperation agreement at the trade fair to strengthen the e-cigarette trade in future. According to Sprengel, association members will get an incentive to participate in future trade fairs.
Another merchandise segment at this year’s trade fair that had a high profile was water pipes and hookahs, which where featured exclusively in Hall 8.
The changed layout allowed trade visitors to easily find their way around
and to find major topic segments grouped together in one place.
Willy Fischel, Managing Director of the German Association of Tobacco Products Retail, said, “InterTabac 2017 was an indispensable business and communication platform for national and international retailers of tobacco products. Product innovations in all product lines, new merchandise display systems and the successful further development of existing business models are of
The 17th annual Cigar Trophy Awards were announced on the evening of Friday, September 22 during the InterTabac trade show. Awards were granted in a total of 19 categories, including four awards whose recipients were determined by the Cigar Journal jury: Charity & Community, Outstanding Art, Ambassador, and Lifetime Achievement.
The Cigar Trophy are the only awards in the cigar industry that are decided on by public vote, honoring the great knowledge, enthusiasm, commitment, and hard work of those within the cigar industry. Winners are determined through a two-step process. During the nomination round, readers submit their top candidates for each category. During the voting round, winners are chosen from these finalists.
This year, more cigar enthusiasts than ever voted for their top cigars, cigar lounges, and accessories as part of the 2017 Cigar Trophy Awards.
major importance to tobacconists. The cooperative dialogue with industry partners is indispensable for that.”
In 2018, InterTabac/InterSupply will take place from 21 to 23 September. TPI
Best Brand Costa Rica: Vegas de Santiago
Best Brand Cuba: Partagás
Best Brand Dom. Rep.: Davidoff Yamasá
Best Brand Honduras: Oscar Valladares The Oscar
Best Brand Mexico: Casa Turrent
Best Brand Nicaragua: Drew Estate Liga Privada T52
Best Cigar Cuba: Montecristo No. 2
Best Cigar Dom. Rep.: Fuente Don Carlos No. 3
Best Cigar Honduras: Alec Bradley Fine & Rare 2016
Best Cigar Nicaragua: Padrón 1964 Anniversary Hermoso Maduro
Best Value Dom. Rep.: Aging Room Solera Dominican Sun Grown
Best Value Honduras: Rocky Patel Sun Grown
Best Value Nicaragua: Flor de las Antillas
Best Cigar Lounge: Blend Bar with Davidoff Cigars, Indianapolis
Best Cigar Accessory: Boveda 2-Way Humidity Control
Charity & Community: General Cigar Company Inc.
Outstanding Art: Cigar Rings, SRL
Cigar Ambassador: Cigar Sense, Inc.
Lifetime Achievement: Ernesto Perez-Carillo
cigar, and then shaking their hands. That relationship with the final consumer is something we want and now are getting because we love this industry so much that we want to experience every single facet of it and now we are achieving it.
FRANK SELTZER
The Plasencia family is well known throughout the cigar industry, but it is only beginning to gain recognition among consumers. While the family is one of the largest tobacco growers and cigar manufacturers in Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, most of its work has been for other companies. The Plasencias make Regius for Akhil Kapacee, and dozens of brands for the American market. The family has preferred staying in the background until now, but at InterTabac 2017, the family for the first time displayed
cigars with their own name on the bands. Nestor Andres Plasencia spoke with TPI about the family’s newest venture.
TPI: After being in the background for many years, growing tobacco and making cigars, why are you now entering into the retail market?
PLASENCIA: We realized a lot of people in the industry know who we are but consumers did not. So we said, we are missing the best part of this industry, which is seeing people’s faces when they try your
We are proud and honored that people still believe in us to make their products for them but we think this will help everything that we do because we have good ratings and reports on our cigars… people saying, “this cigar is made by Plasencia… Plasencia makes my cigars.” Now, with social media, people want to know where the cigars are made, where the tobacco is grown, which tobacco is used, and how many years of age are on it. We continue working with Rocky Patel, Alan Rubin and Alec Bradley, Nat Sherman, Manuel Quesada for the Casa Magna, which was the number one [Cigar Aficionado magazine] cigar of the year 2008. We’re so proud that we have learned from these icons in the industry and honored and humbled that they have chosen us to make their brands, and the other guys are buying our tobaccos to make their blends. Of course we will continue doing that.
TPI: This is not your first foray into the consumer market, though, because about 15 years ago you launched the Plasencia Organica.
The Plasencia family has grown tobacco since 1865, and more recently made cigars for others. Now it’s spreading its wings with its own brand of cigars.
»
BY
PLASENCIA: Yes. In 2002 we came out with the Organica for the first time and it was also the first time we launched a cigar under our family name. But in reality, we really were not ready for it. We used distributors to just put the brand out there. The Organica has continued to be in the market but it has been limited. Initially, the yield was not great, as we were growing all the tobaccos organically. But over the years we have learned how to increase the yield in the organic way. I am an agronomist by trade and I learned how to grow organically in school. The organic material we added to the soil caused the tobacco roots to go deeper and to absorb all the nutrients and the minerals that the soil already has but they had not been accessible to the plants. But now you can feel it in the taste of the cigar. All of the things we learn from the organic side is being used in our regular production. We are not growing everything organically, but we are using organic techniques for regular production.
The process is terrific. Growing tobacco is hard; growing it organically is harder. We learned that when the tobacco gets more nutrients it becomes stronger. It has the nutrients it needs, it is less susceptible to disease. It is a lot like us. As we have a healthier lifestyle, we get sick less and live better.
With the organic process… the plant is stronger, [and] it resists disease by itself so it doesn’t need insecticide and fungicide. We rotate the crops in the fields to make certain the soil is good. In the off-season, we grow legumes, beans, which absorb the nitrogen from the aquifer. In doing so, you change the cycles for blue mold and black shank because there is no tobacco in the field. We use garlic to keep insects out, because they don’t like the smell. The process is amazing and we keep learning how to grow great tobacco and you can’t have great cigars without great tobacco.
TPI: In 2016 you launched your first cigar since the Organica, the Alma Fuerte.
PLASENCIA: Yes, the Alma Fuerte came out in October of 2016. This is the first time we have ever had a stand, and to see our family name is humbling. The Alma Fuerte is €22 at retail. We wanted to do that because there was a lack of product in that market [segment]. We put a lot of time into developing this cigar: the wrapper is five years old, but the binder and fillers are about 10 years old.
The tobaccos come from all the major areas of Nicaragua—Jalapa, Estelí, Condega, and Ometepe—and we control all the tobaccos. We know the soil,
the fertilizers, and all the details. We grow 5 million pounds of tobacco annually, so out of those 5 million pounds we have been saving the best and every year we keep putting the tobaccos aside. We are so proud of the results, the comments we are getting and the reception for it. I see our name—my dad’s name— on the product in people’s hands, that is a great feeling.
TPI: You released Alma Fuerte last year. Are you adding to the lines this year?
PLASENCIA: In 2017, we have added Alma de Campo as another line of the Plasencia brand. We are going to have five Almas
overall, starting with the Alma Fuerte, and the Alma de Campo. Alma means “soul” and we put our heart and soul into these cigars and everything we do. Alma Fuerte means a strong soul and we want to light up the soul of our consumers. Alma de Campo is the soil of our countryside. We also have the Cosecha 146. Cosecha means “harvest.” We just finished our 151st crop. The Plasencia family has been in this industry since 1865 growing tobacco. So the Cosecha 146 is tobacco we put
aside from that crop from Honduras and Nicaragua and it is made in our Honduran factory and it is a blend of the two countries. It comes in five different sizes and ranges at retail from €10 to €15. The Alma de Campo will run €15 to €20 and the Alma Fuerte is €20 to €22. All the other Almas will be in the €15 to €20 range. This gives us a good range of price points.
TPI: You have changed the name of the Organica line. Why?
PLASENCIA: Plasencia Reserva Original is the new name for the Organica. It had been selling very well in Europe under that name and we wanted to have the same name here. The name “Original” comes from the idea that when the Europeans first fell in love with tobacco there were no chemicals in the soil and we wanted to give consumers an idea of what the tobacco was like before modern chemicals and fertilizers.
We have tremendous acceptance in Europe and we are in Malaysia. We just finished the InterTabac trade show in Dortmund and added many new markets. In all, we are now in 40 different countries. The Reserva Original is between an 8 to 10 euro price point. It is still limited because of the organic methods. We can make about 7,000 cigars annually, which is better than we were doing when we first came out. We’ve been learning. Organic agriculture is growing three times faster than regular agriculture worldwide, so there are a lot of new products, processes, and better techniques. When we started we had about a 50 percent yield and now today we are at 80 percent. And we have added more land. Originally, we only had about 80 acres, but we are the only ones certified organic because it is not easy. But the results are certainly worth the effort. TPI
Habanos, S.A launched the Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Belicosos (52 ring gauge x125 mm length), an exclusive product for the Duty Free and Travel Retail channels, at the 31st edition of the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) World Exhibition & Conference at Cannes in October.
The format—favored by those who enjoy the heavy ring gauge format in a short smoking time—has previously only been used for a handful of limited or regional editions, but up until now has never appeared in the regular Habanos portfolio. The product is presented in a special travel humidor with an exclusive production, ensuring a high value and exclusive premium product. The 15-count Spanish cedar boxes are finished in high-gloss white lacquer, quadrant hinges, and feature a hygrometer and built-in humidification element.
The Hoyo de Monterrey brand is sourced from the fertile riverbanks of the tobacco-growing district of San Juan y Martínez, Cuba. The soft flavor of its blend deliver a more appealing option for those who prefer a more delicate and aromatic Habano with an elegant and complex character. Habanos, S.A.., La Habana, Cuba, Web: habanos.com.
Altadis S.A.’s Tabacalera Flor de Copán S.A. of Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras, has produced a very limited production of 1,500 boxes of the Flor de Copan Special Edition 2017 Gran Toro. The cigar measures 6 inches by 56 ring gauge, an exclusive format not included in the brand’s standard portfolio, slightly larger than the regular production 6 x48 toro vitola. These special cigars are individually wrapped with cedar sleeves with both a secondary band and foot band. The are presented in 10-count high-gloss white lacquered boxes.
Only premium tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua are used in the filler, with Connecticut Broadleaf binder and Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, delivering a medium-plus strength cigar with notes of cedar, spice, and cocoa.
Tabacalera SLU, Madrid, Spain, Tel: +34 91 360 9000.
Agio Cigars has introduced a new 14-count “shell and slide” pack for its Panter Filter Red (vanilla flavor) and Panter Filter Desert (coffee flavor) aromatic small cigars.
The new pack format joins existing packaging options of 6, 10, or 20 cigars, offering greater sales flexibility for different markets and consumer needs and a more competitive “out of pocket retail price” when compared to the 20-count tins.
Produced at the company’s Westerlo in Belgium, both Panter Desert Filter and Panter Red Filter have Ecuador wrappers and a mild, balanced filler blend, while the dual filter provides an extremely smooth smoke.
Royal Agio Cigars, Duizel, Eersel The Netherlands, Tel: +31 497 58 25 00, Email: info@agiocigars.com, Web: agiocigars.com.
British American Tobacco is poised to begin selling its innovative tobacco heating product glo in Russia. The single-button device heats tobacco at 240°C, forming a vapor that has about 90-95 percent less toxicants than the smoke of conventional cigarettes, according to the manufacturer. A single charge of the portable device lasts up to 30 sessions.
“We believe glo has the potential to transform the way Russian smokers consume tobacco,” said Attila Kundrak, BAT Russia’s general manager. “Our ambition is to achieve critical mass with this offer in the short term and become the leader in the Russian market for heated tobacco.”
glo technology was designed at British American Tobacco’s research and development center in the U.K. and its development involved more than 100 scientists, engineers, designers, and tobacco experts. glo is currently sold in Japan, Switzerland, Canada, and South Korea, with Russia becoming the fifth market in which it is available. In Russia, glo will be available in five colors—silver, graphite, blue, champagne, and pink. Kent Neostiks, developed specially for glo, are available in three flavors: Classic Tobacco, Citrus Mix, and Refreshing Mix.
glo will be priced at 3,500 rubles, while a pack of Neostiks will be available for 130 rubles. The glo device as well as Kent Neostiks will be available in monobrand shops and retail chains following initial release online. The sales universe will be gradually expanded, says BAT.
Kent Neostiks contain tobacco uniquely processed for heating, and are manufactured at B.A.T.’s Saint Petersburg, Russia factory for export to several countries, including Japan, Switzerland, and Canada. The factory was the first in the world to produce Neostiks, where BAT Russia has so far invested around one billion rubles in the production of heated tobacco sticks, Kundrak said.
To celebrate his 70th birthday, veteran blender Manuel Quesada created a special cigar for his own personal enjoyment. Using his vast knowledge of tobacco accrued over a lifetime, Quesada created the Manuel Quesada 70th combining old school balance and nuance with new world intensity of flavor. Made at Quesada’s factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, from Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, a Sumatra binder, and a Dominican wrapper, this special liga comes in Manuel’s two favorite sizes: Belicoso (6 x 52) and Toro (6 x 50), presented in 10-count black lacquered boxes. Tabadex Quesada Cigars, Santiago, Dom. Rep., Email:raquelquesada21@me.com.
Royal Agio Cigars has added a new 102mm by 58 ring gauge Gordito size to its Balmoral Añejo XO line, bringing the total number of sizes to seven.
The medium- to full-bodied line was introduced in 2014 as the successor to the limited edition Balmoral Añejo 18 blend. It features Brazilian, Nicaraguan, and Dominican Republic fillers; a Dominican binder; and a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper, all thoroughly aged to create a “sophisticated and complex aroma with notes of cedar wood, spices, cacao, and an underlying sweetness,” according to the manufacturer. The cigars are hand made at Royal Agio’s own factory in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.
Royal Agio Cigars, Barcelona, Spain, Web: www.smokingpaper.com
Premium cigars in a new and unique look featuring a luxurious design, reflective of the product’s high quality standards and taste. The precious red and black “soft-touch” packs with metallic effect are an eye-catcher on the shelf, offered at CHF 11.00 without filter and with filter for CHF 11.80.
The Colibri Explorer, a premium leather travel case/humidor, it the first of its kind with an innovative protective tight-seal zipper. Transporting enough cigars to handout to friends or to bring with you on vacation can now be done elegantly and fitting of fine premium cigars. The Colibri Explorer is designed to carry up to a dozen Churchill-size cigars (7” x 54)—six in each pocket. The pockets are built of a fabric mesh to allow some air and moisture flow within the case. The leather case is sturdy and re-enforced to keep its shape and keep the cigars safe. The tight-seal zipper forms a protective barrier between the cigars and the environment by restricting airflow in and out of the case and minimizing fluctuations in humidity. Integrated into the front exterior of the Explorer is a pocket with an internal divider for conveniently carrying a lighter and a cigar cutter. Explorer is available in black Saffiano leather.
Colibri Group, New York, N.Y., U.S.A., Email: jmiudo@colibri.com, Web: colibri.com.
Xikar, Inc.’s HP4 quad flame pocket style lighter is part of the U.S. company’s High Performance Collection and the culmination of automotive-inspired design, styling, finish and extensive engineering. It comes loaded with stylish and user-friendly features to make each lighting experience a joy ride. The large thumbpad pull down ignition sparks four synergistic diamond jet flames. The angled jets create an apex of precision engineered flames to concentrate heat and efficiently light any cigar with confidence. An in-line fuel adjustment wheel alters flame height on demand, while oversized double EZView red fuel windows reveal remaining butane levels. Available in Black, G2, Blue, Chopper Orange, and Daytona Red. Xikar, Inc., Kansas City, Mo., U.S.A., Email: info@xikar.com, Web: xikar.com.
S.T. Dupont celebrates the spirit of the legendary American pioneer through the motif of detailed Renaissance engravings in its new Conquest of the Wild West Collection. The soft flame Ligne 2 Lighter features a stylized bullet hole, clean as a sharpshooter’s aim, that cuts clear through its body, a unique design to S.T. Dupont. It’s tethered with a stainless steel chain and is joined by a Ligne 2 Premium Fountain Pen and Ligne 2 Premium Ball Point Pen. Each piece is adorned by brass engraved with a palladium finish and misty black lacquer accents, with production limited to 1,500 pieces each. Also featured in the Premium Collection are the Smoking Kit with bullet punch cutter, as well as bullet-themed brass cuff links also engraved with a palladium finish. S.T. Dupont, Paris, France, Web: stdupont.com.
The Mini Portable Collection from Fumo is designed to provide the experience of a full sized hookah in a compact and portable form. Reusable packaging comes either in a sturdy but light handling paperboard box or air and water-resistant steel box, both equipped with a protective foam interior to provide safe transport for the hookah and accessories. Choose from glass or stainless steel mouthpiece and insert. Includes WG2 Winguard 2.o Heat Management System and Aluminum WG2 Tool. Fumo Design, Boco Raton, Florida, U.S.A., Email: sales@fumodesign.com, Web: fumodesign.com.
