British American Tobacco Korea said Tuesday it plans to release its Lucky Strike cigarettes here in a bid to grab a larger slice of the local market.

Launched in 1871, Lucky Strike is one of the oldest brands in the world’s tobacco industry. It is currently available in more than 60 countries, including Japan, Germany, France, Spain and Argentina.

The Korean unit of the multinational group said Lucky Strike Original Red offers a rich flavor and smoother taste as it contains toasted tobacco leaves rather than leaves dried under the sun. A pack will be sold for 2,500 won ($2.10) and contains 6 milligrams of tar.

“Test market results prior to the official launch demonstrated exceptional popularity among Korean consumers,” Kashif Khwaja, executive marketing director of BAT Korea, said in a statement.

The company has been striving to prop up its teetering shares in the Korean market since a 200-won price hike in April. It revamped packaging for its flagship Dunhill line-up with inner-wrapping technology in August and unveiled a new premium product, Dunhill Switch, in June.

By Shin Hyon-hee (hheeshin@heraldcorp.com">eeshin@heraldcorp.com)