Swisher International to Enter Premium Cigar Market

America’s leading manufacturer of machine-made cigars is introducing a new line of premium handmade cigars, as reported by Cigar Aficionado.

Swisher International has launched a new sub-division dubbed Royal Gold Cigars, spearheaded by industry vet Alex Goldman. The new line will feature handmade cigars ranging from affordable mixed-filler blends to actual long-filler premiums. The brand’s initial offering, Gold Strike is a mixed-filler, “Cuban Sandwich” blend featuring tobaccos grown by the Oliva Tobacco Co., and is expected to hit shelves in April or May of this year.

Goldman has expressed plans to release Royal Gold’s first three long-filler premium lines at IPCPR 2013, each showcasing tobaccos from a different nation- Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua, stating  “The plan is to have a variety of strengths and flavor profiles across the different brands and a suggested retail between $4.50 and $8.50. One of the brands will be a rejuvenated version of Casino Gold, which is a premium cigar brand that the old Swisher premium cigar division marketed for many years. The other two brands are completely new names and concepts.”

While Royal Gold has no current plans to open its own cigar factory, it will utilize various factories and cigar personalities in Central America that Goldman has worked with   in his years as a wholesaler, retailer, brand owner and distributor.