At next week’s Total Product Expo (TPE), Frontier Brands, which is better known for its value-oriented mass market cigars, will be introducing a new line of value-oriented handmade premium cigars called VS Platinum Cigars by Frontier.

The line will be offered in three wrapper variations, an Ecuadorian Connecticut, an Ecuadorian habano and a Mexican San Andrés maduro. The company is not disclosing specifics about the binders and fillers in the cigars, other than to say that the filler uses a mix of aged tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, as well as small amounts of Pennsylvania broadleaf.

As the name might suggest to astute cigar consumers, the VS Platinum line has been developed in collaboration with the Dominican manufacturer Victor Sinclair, which is producing the cigars at its factory in Santiago. The company makes a number of cigars under both the Victor Sinclair name and other brands, including a number of private labels that are sold through large catalog cigar retailers.

Each of the three blends is debuting in a single, 6 x 50 toro vitola, and will be sold in six-count boxes with each cigar individually packaged in sealed stay-fresh pouches to ensure freshness and shelf-life. Pricing is set at $4 per cigar and $24 per box, with the line offered through traditional tobacconists as well convenience stores, liquor, and grocery stores.

“We don’t believe you should have to sacrifice quality for price,” said Ryan Frailing, coo of Frontier Brands, via a press release. “Given the current economic climate, many traditional premium cigar smokers are looking for more economical options. The VS Platinum answers that call by giving the consumer both quality and value in every pouch! The VS Platinum also provides brick and mortar retailers the ability to compete against aggressively priced online retailers by offering consumers a premium cigar for under $5 bucks.”

Frailing told halfwheel that the cigars are currently scheduled to begin shipping around the end of April.

Image courtesy of Frontier Brands.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.