EXHIBIT 99.1


          AMERICAN VANTAGE COMPANIES ENTERS INTO A LAND SALE AGREEMENT

LAS  VEGAS,   NEVADA,   SEPTEMBER  8,  2003  ---  American   Vantage   Companies
(NASDAQ:AVCS)  today  announced  that it has entered  into an  agreement to sell
approximately 40 acres of undeveloped land, located in North Las Vegas,  Nevada,
to a national home building  company.  The  contemplated  sale would satisfy the
Company's prior decision to sell all land parcels previously held by AVCS.

The  agreement  provides  for a $7.0  million  purchase  price  with  the  buyer
responsible for the real estate broker  commission fees. The buyer may terminate
the transaction at any time prior to December 4, 2003 for any reason,  and on or
prior to  December  31,  2003 if the buyer is unable to obtain  approval  of the
buyer's  "tentative  map" by the  applicable  zoning  authorities.  The  sale is
anticipated to close on or before January 15, 2004.

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of Section 27A of the  Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934.  Such  forward-looking  statements  may  be
identified  by  words  such as  "anticipates,"  "believes,"  "can,"  "continue,"
"could,"   "estimates,"   "expects,"  "intends,"  "may,"  "plans,"  "potential,"
"predicts,"  "should,"  or  "will"  or the  negative  of  these  terms  or other
comparable  terminology.  Such  statements  and all phases of  American  Vantage
Companies' operations are subject to known and unknown risks,  uncertainties and
other  factors,  including  overall  economic  conditions  and other factors and
uncertainties as are identified in American  Vantage  Companies' Form 10-KSB for
the year ended July 31,  2002,  Forms  10-QSB for the  quarters  ended April 30,
2003, January 31, 2003 and October 31, 2002 and Form 8-K (Date of Report:  April
16,  2003).  Readers  are  cautioned  not  to  place  undue  reliance  on  these
forward-looking  statements,  which speak only as of the date  hereof.  American
Vantage   Companies'  actual  results,   levels  of  activity,   performance  or
achievements  may be materially  different  from any future  results,  levels of
activity,   performance   or   achievements   expressed   or  implied  by  these
forward-looking  statements.  The Company undertakes no obligation to update the
forward-looking statements in this press release.