A drum elevator and method of elevating cigarettes (11), the apparatus comprising a series of rotatable cigarette tranferring drums (102) comprising a first plurality of horizontally disposed drums (106) at a first elevation and a second plurality of vertically disposed drums (103) extending to a second elevation, the second plurality of vertically disposed drums (103) receiving output from the first plurality of drums (106), the series of drums (102) adapted to receive a procession of cigarettes (11) at the first elevation and to elevate the cigarettes (11) along a transfer path to the second elevation while maintaining the cigarettes (11) arranged substantially in the procession; a rejection station (146) at a location along the transfer path; a controller (110) operative to selectively actuate the rejection station (146); and a stack former (104) at the second elevation, the stack former (104) receiving output of the second plurality of vertically disposed drums (103).