Send any questionable Cuban band(s), along with a brief description of how/where you obtained the cigar(s), to our office address below. If given the opportunity, take a cigar out of its box and put it to the test of your senses. So, clue. There are certain attributes about Cuban cigars that differentiate them from non-Cubans. How sad. The fleur-de-lis should be perfectly centered. Use common sense and buy in a legitimate store, than you have no problem at all. To ensure authenticity, all you need to do is check the bottom of the Habano Cuban cigar box. Copyright 2023 Holt's Cigar Company. Here are the elements of the newestCohiba band that you should look for to decide if its authentic or not: 1) Holographic Taino Indian Head If you can see through the lid, they're fake. Lets see how to distinguish genuine Cuban cigars from counterfeit ones. But these leaves are in short supply because they are present in only about 10 to 15 percent of Cuban tobacco plants. Naturally, when he began selling cigars under his own name, he had them made in Cuba. The Habanos Seal should always be present on the upper left-hand side of your cigar box, approximately 3 to 6 mm from the edge. You must be 18 years of age or older to view page. Free delivery on all orders above 5000 RS. Thats the easiest way to avoid fakes. Phillies Titan Cigar Review. A great example of how Cuba has dealt with preventing the counterfeiting of bands can be found on the Cohiba Behike cigars. Therefore, its always better to smoke at least one cigar before you buy. With the exception of figurados like Pyramids and Torpedoes, the caps are often more flat than round, and always tripled seamed. The fake logo looks like it has been made in a very rudimentary and not detailed way. If you find someone offering them to you for under that, walk away. J.A. In 2014 the holographic bands on Cohiba Behike cigars were updated to include even more detailed information to stop counterfeiters. Presuming the mark is an experienced cigar smoker, hell be even more livid that he allowed himself to be suckered. In counterfeit cigars, filling is usually very low. This seal should be accompanied by another seal if the cigar box is a special edition. If youre offered a barber-pole cigar a cigar with two wrappers of different colors its not real because there is no real Cuban cigar made this way. This guide will help you tell fake Cuban cigars from the real thing. Watch now and see. Forgers had something new to figure out. So, if any one of these things is off, your Behikes are off too. This is a Guide on How to Spot a Fake Cuban Cigar: Here is a video of the dissection of a better quality fake Cohiba: . The final difficulty with fake Cuban cigars is that some of the better counterfeits come in authentic boxes but are not actual Cuban cigars. Cuban cigars do not come wrapped in cellophane, at least not since 1992 when only machine-made Cubans got a cellophane sleeve. The Cuban boxes also have a date stamp on the bottom of the box. The Holographic Taino Indian Head-Within-a-Head: Look closely and youll see that the larger head contains a smaller head. Some fake Cohibas are presented this way, too. Sometimes unknown sellers can sell perfectly real, great Cuban cigars. ?More on that later. Cigar cut In 1999, the Cubans added a serial code to the seal. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. . This lends power to the cigar. Due to the high volume of mail we receive, a response isn't guaranteed. And the other number shows is the month and the year when the cigars were boxed (see below). Additionally, the box is very difficult to replicate. However, enjoy while it lasts, because anyone who thinks they are going to change the Communist Rule I am sorry for them. The first type of seal was used from 1994 to 2004. Even the box was wrong, which Ill get to shortly. So what can you do? It should also usually bend up to the front right over the center of the Cote dArms. If youre notbuying your cigars in Cuba, or from a reputable retailer, youre at risk. Despite the fact that the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras manufacturemostof the worlds bestcigarsthese days, cigar smokers still jump at the chance to buy Cubans. Ironically, even in Havana there are almost as many counterfeit Cuban cigars as the legit smokes. Nine rows of white squares in a checkerboard pattern run from the gilded holographic top edge to the solid gold line that spans the bottom third of the band. Don't get lured into anyone's apartment either. Find out if your Cuban Bolivaris real or fake. If we are facing some Cohiba, the head must have the triple cap finish. See our video answers to why cigars have bands, whether resting them outside the humidor is ideal before smoking, and whether infused cigars lose their flavors over time. Keep in mind that Edicin Limitada cigars are exceedingly rare. Currently, this cigar is sold for more than $ 30. Your email address will not be published. Well see you inside! I dont care if you bought them from Mother Teresa; youre probably sitting on imitations. Also the cigar foot can be checked and it can give us very important information as well. Are fake Havana made in.cuba of all ciban..tob? Cigar News: Scandinavian Tobacco Group To Acquire Alec Bradley Cigars for $72.5 Million, Fan Mail: Burning Cigar Questions Answered (Part 51), Cigar News: Southern Draw Adding Three New Cigars for IGNITE 2022 Program, The words Habanos s.a., and the words HECHO EN CUBA. The dots soon became squares, and the words La Habana, Cuba appeared under the logo. With the exception of figurados like Pyramids and Torpedoes, the caps are often more flat than round, and always tripled seamed. Although many fake Cuban cigar bands maylookauthentic and in some rare cases are its not unusual to find bands with spelling errors, poor alignment, the wrong color and/or typeface, missing embossing, and in the case offake Cohiba cigars, the wrong size or number of white squares on the band. Before this, namely between 1985 and 1994, the name was simply Cubatabaco. If theyre made by hand it will also say, Cuban cigars do not come packaged withcellos. How to Spot a Fake vs. A Real Cuban Montecristo, How to Spot a Fake vs. Real Cuban Romeo y Julieta Cigar. If someone is trying to sell this box in your country for $ 100-200, or you fnid people selling it for $ 50 in Cuba (sellers on the street), the situation is quite clear: in both cases, an alarm must sound in your mind. Cohiba has been using a security hologram band featuring the head of an Indian since 2010, but in 2014 they added additional data that allows consumers to identify the original brand from any country in the world, while also providing information on the distributor and bill number, among other details. Please verify your age to enter. As of 2010 all of these stamps include a hologram. First, the feel and look of the cigar. 2. Weve seen fakes packed 25 to the box. You have to be familiar with the exact shade of red on a Partagas, for example, not to mention other brands. No ornamental hinges. Starting from 1999, the warranty seal introduced new features. Box type. The thing you need to do to spot a fake is to become familiar with Cuban cigar packaging. If youre going to buy Cuban cigars, you need to learn how to tell the difference between real vs. fake. In fact, many boxes have Cuos with too many codes, or they do not have the Cuo at all. Five Cohiba cigars are offered in wood boxes with a glass top, and each cigar is sheathed in cellophane. Its easy to get a box or bundle of unbranded cigars from any cigar-producing country and pass it off as Cuban. Question. Check out Cigar Aficionado's newsletters, bringing you our latest ratings & reviews, cigar news and our guide to the good life. This guide will help you tell fake Cuban cigars from the real thing. . 5. For instance one customer has a Cohiba - my first note was that . Is it because theyre still considered forbidden fruit, or is it that many cigar smokers believe Cuban cigars are the best? And you need to do that BEFORE you start shopping. People are going to spoil everything about it, then when they get tired and leave it like everywhere else; or they get tired of them, doors will once again close. This is the familiar seal you see on all boxes of handmade cigars from Central America. That said, most leaves will still have to be long as the cigar length. 2 or Partags Serie D No. That said, I do believe that MANY PEOPLE based strictly on their reaction on how Earthy and DIRT flavored Cubans really taste like, would prbably not even enjoy them from facial and verbal transmittals. pecial edition can be either a Limited Edition, or a Regional Edition. To be clear, no Cuban cigar comes in a package with a glass or plastic top. . Cigar Aficionado c/o Counterfeit Cigars Now, about that box of fake Arturo Fuente cigars. Look for the Cuban seal of authenticity with a hologram and bar code to help you avoid fake Cuban cigars. Since youre more likely to purchase fake Cuban cigars in places such as the Caribbean, the hustle goes something like this: Some bad actor buys a bundle of cheapo cigars made in the Dominican Republic or elsewhere, sticks phony Cuban cigar bands on them, places them in a most likely counterfeited Cuban box, and sells them to a sucker for as much as he can bleed him. In these cases, the seal indicating the type of special edition is placed immediately under the HABANOS S.A. seal. A reader of mine once sent me a box of counterfeit Arturo Fuente cigars and it was obvious the bands had been cheaply printed, most likely on a laser printer. Reading Time: 3 minutes Let all things be done with charity, is Southern Draw Cigars motto for its annual IGNITE program that helps those in need. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is frustrated with Twitter. If the box looks flimsy or the cigars inside are different sizes or colors, you are probably dealing with a fake Cuban cigar. A true, genuine, official box of Cohiba Esplendidos can cost anywhere between US$600 and US$800, and a pack of just three cigars will cost around $90, even in Cuba. True, a lot of cigars made outside of Cuba many of these same attributes, but if your Cuban cigars are missing all or most of these attributes, theyre most likelynotof Cuban origin. The Cohiba brand was offered to the general market in 1982 in the form of a Panatela, 4.5 x 26. Furthermore, the seals are missing. Providing fresh Flavored Cigars loaded with the finest tobacco and best flavor-infused ingredients. The other is the month and year when they were boxed. The brand is known for its canary yellow coloring and famous white-and-black checkboard band. 2s cost 8.50 CUCs (about $9.68 when factoring in the 13 percent you lose trading U.S. dollars into CUCs). This makes the cigars feel very soft to the touch. Let us be the judge. This Fall, three cigars have been added to help organizations representing U.S. Special Forces and fallen Border Patrol officers. One of the questions Im often asked by other cigar smokers is,How do I know if I bought a box of fake Cuban cigars?Its a good question because, even though on October 14, 2016, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that they hadremoved the limitson bringing Cuban cigars and rum into the United States from Cuba and other countries, there are still plenty of counterfeit Cuban cigars to be had or to put it another way to beduped. For example, the head on the label should be a holograph. As can be seen from the picture above, it is made up of codes. Cuban claims he has been losing more than 500 followers a day despite being subscribed to Twitter Blue. In both of the aforementioned cases, the mark doesnt realize hes been ripped-off until he lights-up one of his prized purchases, or tries to share one with a cigar smoker who knows the difference. Squeeze the cigar to feel if it's firm all the way through. Edicin Limitadas are heavily faked. Well, it might have been good, but it was a fake. This check is performed simultaneously the touch analysis (next chapter). Of course, the name of the cigar company was stamped after this. 11. That requires a little work on your part. If youre in, say, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where fake Cohiba cigars are being offered every 10 meters on the seaside promenade, your antennae should be tingling. Inspect, feel and smell the cigars. 12/03/2021 at 5:15 PM. More on that to come. Phase 5 DHA, Karachi | 12 PM to 8 PM. Get this UV Light: https://amzn.to/2m9EX3d https://amzn.to/2mNs4M1Check out my Amazon Store:https://www.amazon.com/shop/i_post_alone How to tell a real Cuban. You should know what a real Cuban cigar looks like. The type of box gives us important information on whether cigars are fake or not. Even the box was wrong, which Ill get to shortly. Below you can find the real box and authentic cigars. These days, the best counterfeiters make facsimiles of Cuban cigar bands and put them in facsimile Cuban cigar boxes and sell them to an unsuspecting tourist outside the hotel. I can see clearly now the lid is glass they're fake. I believe its a combination of the two. If you want to get a real Cuban cigar it helps to buy from a genuine vendor, such as a Casa del Habano. They look a little like paper money and printed in different colors. When it comes to Cuban cigarsespecially Cohibasthere are no discounts. I dont understand why people even try to buy cigars on the street and have all that hassle to make sure to get the real thing or risk to get ripped off just to save a few bucks. Cuba's Counterfeit Cigars: Know your Fakes - Havana Times and BOTTOM LINE, besides taste, is HOW long the flavor LASTS. It is a good starting point to quickly understand how the counterfeit cigar boxes look like. 5000 | Same day delivery in Lahore & Karachi (selected areas) on selected items via Card Machine (POS) Payment. Of course, just about anything printed on paper can be reproduced, and with todays technology, it takes a really well-trained eye to tell the difference. People can easily get duped as, on the outside, many of these Cubans look quite convincing. If you think the price of Romeo y Julieta Cuban cigars is too good to be true, you are buying fakes. You may not be allowed in to the US, MRCU planes down as mosquito population rises, SteppingStones launches Professional Contract Solutions, Miss Universe Cayman Islands Chloe A. Powery-Doxey officially crowned, Childrens Parks and Playgrounds in Cayman, Subscribe to the Cayman Real Estate Newsletter. Price The streets are filled with hustlers looking for a mark to whom they can sell a box of Cubans for way below retail. Buying cigars on the streets of Havana is a near-certain way to buy a fake. Is my Cuban cigar real or fake? It is therefore difficult to find yourself in front of a box that doesnt feature it. If someone tries to sell you a box of Cubans with a glass top, that alone should be a red flag. The 'made in Cuba' stamp is on the left. How to Spot a Fake vs. Real Cuban Cigar | Holt's Cigar Company 2 going for way less or way more than you know they should go for dont buy. Border chief reveals they made 50,000 arrests in just one week This verification is one of the most accurate, and in many cases we will realize that the box is counterfeit precisely from this. Proper packaging doesnt guarantee a genuine Cuban cigar, but bad packaging is a quick and easy way to spot a fake. The streets are filled with hustlers looking for a mark to whom they can sell a box of Cubans for way below retail. The first concerns the analysis of the band, if it is present (very old cigars may not have a band). In this video I talk about some of the telltale signs of fake Cuban cigars and how to spot them!Cigar Aficionado guide: https://www.cigaraficionado.com/artic. This is not a holograph. If you are going to buy one of the highly priced and rare Edicin Limitada cigars, be careful! Site Map | Privacy Policy 2018 All Rights Reserved. I bought one supposedly cohiba no band and its not great. Unfortunately, you cant do the ash test while your Cuban is still in the box, but if you can light and try at least one cigar before buying you should pay careful attention to how the cigar ashes. This seal is applied to the top right of the box, and is affixed before the box leaves the factory. Although the cigar community realizes that Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic make cigars equal to if not superior to Cubans, they still have an air of mystery about them. The name cohba derives from the Tano word for "tobacco". For starters, if the price seems too good to be true, it is. - Cigar Advisor. If someone tries to sell you a $300 box of Cubans for $50 or even $100, odds are theyre not the genuine article. Starting in the 60s, another change was made to distinguish real Habano Cuban cigars from imitators. Find out if your Cuban Cohiba Behike BHK is real or fake. c/o Counterfeit Cigars On the right side of the seal, there is a small strip that has an hologram across its entire width. The bands have several minor marks that you can identify. More attention should be made on the CIGAR in this aticle How it feels, how the cap looks, the colors, etc. No, seriously. A lot of the so called 'fakes' are actually stolen and smuggled out of the factories. Lets say that it is the last step, the one left to be performed when you are almost certain that the cigars are fakes. Behikes cost even more, around 30 to 40 CUC eachwhen they are in stock. This is due to the minerals in the tobacco grown in Cuba. Think you may have purchased or smoked a fake Cuban cigar? The Cuban government only allows three of them to be made and issued every year. Thatll bring a tidy profit on cigars that might have cost as little as $20 for the bundle and pennies for the packaging. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban upset over decreasing follower count Even worse is if youre offered a Behike for $10 on the street outside your hotel in Havana. By the type of leaves present we mean if the filler (or tripa) of the cigar is made from tobacco leaves. And you really will not find an authentic Cohiba Behike for sale outside of a licensed Habanos (Cuban cigar entity) store. This dark n oily Connecticut Broadleaf Corona got Gary smiling what will it do for you? Thats not to say you cant buy a legitimate Cuban cigar in the U.S. or online, you simply need to be more careful. You should be able to detect the oily shimmer on the wrapper. Its one of the most common questions we receive here at Cigar Aficionado: Is this Cuban cigar fake or real? With a rich counterfeit market hawking fake Cubans throughout the Caribbean and other tourist destinations, its easy for any cigar enthusiast to get duped into buying a bogus Cuban. Cohiba's bands have changed considerably. Send any questionable Cuban band(s), along with a brief description of how/where you obtained the cigar(s), to our office address below. The plastic wrapper acts as a barrier that slows down moisture exchange and protects the cigar from potential damage or contamination. These cigars retail, on average, between $30-$50, higher than that for the really limited ones. However, note also that the months are Spanish abbreviations, not English. These, obviously fake, Cubans are hardly the main problem, as some fake Cubans come with counterfeit bands and even in counterfeit boxes. Usually the counterfeit cigars are copies of the most expensive Cuban cigars, and the real ones, are made with a higher level of control. It is because of this, casual smokers can often be tricked into buying what they think are real Cuban cigars. 10 Quick Ways To Spot A Fake Cuban Cigar | Cigar Aficionado New York, NY 10019, Save your money (and your palates) by following these eight key tips to avoid getting burned by a . One of the most important areas of the box to check is the bottom. The band is often the first place your eyes will go, so the more familiar you are with the genuine bands and their specific attributes, the sooner youll know how to spot fake Cuban cigars. What does the word Cohiba mean? - Short-Fact The phrase often repeated is, "No Cuban cigars come in a glass lid box.", so don't buy them. What about a cigar bought here in the states from an old local shop with no band at all?