Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) has unveiled a limited-edition W.Ø. Larsen Hand Pressed pipe tobacco, priced at approximately €900 per kilo.
Setting a new standard of luxury in the pipe tobacco category, W.Ø. Larsen Hand Pressed is claimed to be one of the most expensive pipe tobacco products on the market.
The new blend was unveiled by STG at the InterTabac International Trade Fair in Dortmund from 16-18 September and will be presented to duty free and travel retailers at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes from 18-23 October (Stand: Blue Village D10).
Master Blender Lasse Berg fused 21 tobaccos with the aromas of sweetgale leaves handpicked from the moors of Denmark to create W.Ø. Larsen Hand PressedSTG Director of Group Communications Kaspar Bach Habersaat said customers, particularly those from Asia and USA, had expressed “significant interest” in the pipe tobacco, adding that the new product should be on-shelf in travel retail by the spring of 2016.
W.Ø. Larsen Hand Pressed is said to be the first tobacco of its kind to be produced using traditional techniques which were widely abandoned a century ago. By recreating the hand press, Master Blender Lasse Berg fused 21 quality tobaccos with the aromas of sweetgale leaves handpicked from the moors of Denmark. The resulting notes of Danish terroir were preserved to create a product that “allows enthusiasts to indulge their refined palates while enjoying an elegant smoking experience”, STG said.
The pipe tobacco will be sold in hand-crafted humidors – only 200 of which are available to the public – at a retail price of approximately €900 per kg.
STG Group Executive Vice President Christian Hother Sørensen said: “W.Ø. Larsen is well known among pipe tobacco aficionados as a unique brand with a long history. Given that W.Ø. Larsen Hand Pressed is one of the most expensive pipe tobaccos on the market, it is setting a new standard with a luxury product that sophisticated pipe connoisseurs can appreciate. This one-of-a-kind blend showcases W.Ø. Larsen’s passion and expertise by incorporating timeless craftsmanship and the essences of the Danish landscape in an exclusive product.
