Advice for Newby?

[Louie]

Hi all,
I've only recently started smoking cigars and so have a lot to learn! I recently went to Havana and thought I was getting a fantastic bargain when I bought three boxes of Cohiba Esplendidos fora very good price. I'm now aware that these are most likely fakes, but a good friend who smokes Cuban cigars almost exclusively tells me that they are in fact very good. He reckons that they may be "seconds" as the quality is so good. From a box of 25 he has found 2 that were not up to scratch. One would not stay lit until it was one third burnt, and the other was difficult to draw through.
Is there any way a beginner like myself can tell whether these are out and out fakes or something closer to the real thing? Cutting one open and examining the contents perhaps?
Many Thanks,
Louie

[monkey66]

They are almost certainly fakes. I have yet to hear a sentence like yours (which is all too common) that didn't turn out to be fakes.

If you want to know for sure post some detailed pics here of the bands (the labels on the cigars), the packaging, box, seals, marking and stamps. We won't need to cut them open to confirm. There is no such thing as Cohiba 'seconds'.

There is plenty of info on how to spot a fake on the internet, have a little search.

Don't feel too bad, many, many people have bought fake 'Cohibas'.

[EugeneSax]

The word "fake" is used a lot to describe Cuban cigars purchased from non-official outlets (& some not so "non-official") - but just how fake is "fake"?

Obviously the suposed Espendidos sold in glass-topped boxes & which have been no nearer to Cuba than the DR are out & out forgeries - as are sticks like those shown elsewhere on here recently - filled with all sorts of rubbish - but what about a cigar rolled to the correct Corona Gorda size specifications, by an experienced roller in the El Laguito factory & using the the Cohiba blend of tobaccos? Technically if it left the factory in the rollers pocket & subsequently had a fake Cohiba band applied it is of course a fake but once the band is off & it's in the mouth is there a difference?

I've had 2 boxes of Cubans that have come via the back door: Esplendidos & Monty 4's. I bought the E's many years ago before I knew much about cigars, from a friend of a friend & they came with the usual old story, the M's were given to me by a friend who in turn was given them by a friend who had holidayed in Cuba. I asked if they had come from an official shop & was told we were tallking about South Londoners - so obviously not!

Considering both boxes had been kept out of humidifiers for over a year (the E's I carefully nursed back to health over the course of a couple of months - the Monty's were just bunged straight into my humidor) - they smoked pretty well with brand characteristics definitely noticeable at least in the better smokes. This leads me to believe there's some truth in the story that factory rollers are the source for at least some of these smokes. They were certainly less "fake" than officially bought ones (from Madrid) photo'ed elsewhere.

... and the other was difficult to draw through....

IMO - more likely to prove they were actually made in Cuba rather than say the DR ;-)

Louie - yours were undoubtedly "fakes" in the tue technical sense but it sounds that, like mine, yours were made up from a variety of sources eg: official rejects for wrapper or roller defects, official sticks smuggled out, cigars rolled with tobacco smuggled out, et al. I would just enjoy them as bargain smokes - more fun than cutting them open (although I would do that out of interest to any that weren't enjoyable)

[Paulie]

One way to look at it is, take the bands off and have them as cheap cigars. If you enjoy them then you enjoy them. They probably are not genuine so as long as you don't try to pass them off as real then no worries.

[snooky]

Hi Louie welcome to the site , if i were you i'd by a single cigar of the same from a reputable uk dealer, C.Gars or someone and make your own comparisons , you might be lucky ?

[daverave999]

If you enjoy them, does it matter?

[PoohBore]

MY step dad bought back some fake Cohiba Maduro magico's from Cuba. The label gave them away as a fake. But they were all the same dark oily colour, the same size shape and a consistent quality. The best bit they bloody nice.

So as long as they smoke ok and you didn't pay the earth then IMHO it doesn't really matter.

[Paul Smith]

Most of them are not fake !!

It's true. They are not fake, but sometime sold by workers outside the factory. Sort of black market. Some of them even have the box and seal right: they are taken out before quality control. Be very carefull !! Cuban authorities have heard about this practice and will be tuff on smugglers whatever the quantity.

[cbob]

Cuban authorities have heard about this practice and will be tuff on smugglers whatever the quantity.

They have? Really?

The truth is, the government has had a war on counterfeiters for many years and continue to add to the security features on cigar packages to keep "non-commercial" cigars out of the hands of potential customers.

I can't claim that "smuggling" cigars out of factories cannot happen, but if you have visited any of the large Havana factories you will have seen the video cameras and armed guards. Would a REAL employee risk a great job, where he/she makes several times the average wage to get caught with a box of Cohibas? Probably not. If you are buying a few singles from a roller who gets a daily allotment of personal smokes, you can often score some tasty treats but if someone is selling you a box of "Romeo y Julieta, best price, finest quality" or (one of my favorites) telling you "I bought these from a guy who works in the factory. I know cigars. These are legit" you are getting ripped off.
There is also the concept of buying what you actually believe to be stolen property but that's for another forum.

On the other hand, wrapper tobacco is relatively easy to steal with low risk. There is a thriving "secondary" manufacturing industry in Cuba making or re-wrapping and packaging counterfeits of the more desired brands for sale to tourists. I've seen, smoked and "autopsied" many great-looking examples that are filled with scraps, cigarette tobacco or worse.
Many people get nabbed trying to get boxes of these cigars through Cuban Customs but sadly, Customs Officers make less money than cigar rollers and have little incentive to be vigilant. I've watched with a certain amount of glee while folks get caught but at the same time, I'll admit that while Customs in Havana is tighter, I have taken many boxes of smokes through Varadero over the past 2-3 years without anyone bothering to inspect them or look at my receipts.

As a "newbie" it would be worth your effort to smoke as many authentic, brand-name cigars as possible, buying a lot of singles until you find styles and brands and sizes that you like and in doing so, you will develop a palate for good cigars so that you will be better able to decide if those $30 Cohiba Robustos are a great classic smoke or merely "worth what you paid".
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