Did you ever buy fakes

[dicko]

I don't see the options for Rob...

1. Did you ever buy fake Habanos?

A. Yes

2. When did you become aware they were fake?

A. Knowingly bought fakes

3. What did you do with the remainder?

A. Sell them to Ken every week!

[IcedCanuck]

Yes, Montecristo #4 from the duty free shop in the Jamaican airport in Montego Bay. It was the first box of cigars I ever bought and didn't know what to look for. In fact it wasn't even until about six months after the fact that I figured it out (I was noob to cigars). Had I not bought another couple of boxes later on to compare them to I may have never noticed.

1. No factory code on the box.

2. The top and lower levels of cigars were not wrapped with a ribbon.

3. The wood divider was not notched in the upper right hand corner (or any other corner).

4. The colours and fonts used on the box do not match my other two boxes.

5. After smoking a crap ton more of Monte 4's I can say for sure the flavour profile is completely different.

It does taste like the fakes were made with Cuban tobacco and the construction was pretty good as well. Even though they were fakes and obviously I payed more than I should have I still smoked them and enjoyed them but not nearly as much as I do the real ones.

[CUBANO]

Never bought fakes, but I was gifted a box of Cohiba Esplendidos with a glass top lid from Nicaragua. Kept them as a souvenir. That was 5 years ago and I still have them.

[thechenman]

Thanks the Czar and FoH, I've never purchased a fake CC. Thank you Rob...

[sg1234]

I have never purchased a fake, but I have had — as far as I know — two encounters with fake Habanos.

I received a fake CoRo in a box pass on another cigar forum. I didn't pay too much attention (my mistake) and grabbed it because up until that point I had never tried a CoRo. Before smoking it, I examined it a little closer and a few aspects of the band didn't look right. I compared it to the bands on my legit Esplendidos and there were a few differences.

I took a chance and smoked it. Right off the bat it was disgusting. It smelled and tasted like glass cleaner with a strong ammonia flavor. We're not talking about a, "This genuine Habano is a bit young and could use some age" kind of ammonia. It was more like, "Some janitor in Costa Rica dropped his fake CoRo in the toilet bowl cleaner and it somehow made its way into my humidor." I tossed it after a few puffs.

I have also been handed a cigar my friend knew was fake. It was a fake Cohiba EL from some year in which there was no Cohiba EL. My friend split one open to make sure it was at least made with only tobacco. It was, so we each smoked one. It tasted like a medium quality Dominican cigar.

[cigarmonologues]

I've only ever bought from merchants who I either know for certain are legitimate operations, or from vendors who I have personal recommendations from BOTLs I trust; so, I'm pretty certain I've never purchased a fake...

I have been gifted a couple of suspicious Cohibas, though I've not smoked them. Being a mean spiritied bastard I usually give them to non-BOTL friends if we're having a smokey night out. One was enjoyed immensely (and who cares if it's real or fake if you're enjoying it), the other was tossed within minutes... (Mind you, that's a bit like the real Monte Regata I had... )

[rdb6]

I purchased imitations about ten years ago. They were Monte 2's which really looked good and actually smoked ok. I am sure I have not procured any since, the Czar is my only source. I have been offered fakes a few times, ironically each time they were Esplendidos.

[OZCUBAN]

Have never bought any or seen for that matter

Buyer Beware

I would imagine price would be a give away if it sounds to good to be true it probably is ,the closest I have come to fakes is some dodgy looking sites out there

Cheers OZ

[celsis]

Never bought any but got a "Cohiba Esplendidos" from a friend who had been to Cuba. I knew it was a fake as soon as I saw it! Instead of smoking it, I cut it lengthways and it was full of what looked like short weeds!

[kyee]

Unless you ONLY purchase cigars from a vendor that ONLY purchases their stock from Habanos SA, or one of their licensed distributors, then you don't truly know if you've ever purchased fake cigars or not.

There are just too many known instances where trusted vendors get caught selling fakes, knowingly or unknowingly. Do your research. Do a Google search. You'll find countless instances of this.

If you purchase cigars from individuals over the internet, trusted or not, "BOTL" or not, you have no idea if these are truly legitimate cigars. Just lately there have been cases where very trusted individuals on other cigar forums have been found to be selling fakes to their "BOTL's".

The longer you've been in this hobby, the chances are that you'll eventually end up with a fake cigar one way or another.

It's one of the reasons that I no longer purchase from other internet vendors. Czar is my only source these days.

[AlexOk]

I've got some Monte No. 2-Fakes from a good friend. What he told me about the origin, I was sure this were fakes. But they looks good and so I've had a couple for a try.

They were well constructed, rolled from a good cuban tobacco (tripa corta, no banana leaves) and smelled very good.

The others, I've smoked had a good draw and beautiful cuban flavors. A very good cuban pyramid, but no Monte No. 2..

[Rushman]

Never purchased fakes. Been handed fakes that friends though were legit too many times to count only to get flack in return for some basic cigar education. I see fakes every day in Mexico. Some real beauties. Some with weak color copied labels. Once saw a montecristo with a purple-ish label. Also see lots of five cigar "sets" in a wooden box under glass. I love showing people our Habanos SA book and watch their eyes open wide.

[tdlfoto]

back on early 2009 whilst just getting into cigars on a more than casual note. went on craigslist and found an Air Canada pilot who was importing cubans. bought a box of Cohiba LE Piramides 2009 after viewing the numerous Cohiba vitolas he had available. they actually smoked fairly well and i was enjoying them but one day i went online to find some reviews on them only to discover that there were no Cohiba LE Piramides from 2009. lol...live and learn. i finished the box, and have ordered from the Czar or purchased in Cuba myself ever since.

[capnshazam]

Never paid for a fake CC but was given a couple. A 3 pack of glass top Montecristos. (Didn't know anything about cc's at the time). Did buy a box of fake fuentes and a 3 pack of NC cohibas they were both decent cigars and never minded smoking them.

[77stoneblues]

I've had quite a few people I know come back from Cuba with a box of "esplendidos" bought on the beach. I've tried from two boxes that looked really good, and they were lovely smokes. The other boxes were more or less complete disasters, and I passed. Never purchased fakes myself though.

[sblevit]

Bought a couple fake Cohibas in a gift shop in Turks & Caicos once. I never even gave it a second thought that there would be fakes there. Then I got them back to the house we rented and looked closer and saw that the bands did not look genuine. I smoked them anyway as I was on vacation and that was all I had to smoke

[Squarehead]

I bought one box(yes a glasstop)here in Mississauga from a "friend".The other box knowingly in the D.R.and funny enough they were very good smokes.

[Rushman]

yes, once. funny thing is i knew it was fake. had been smoking cc's for a year or two, and was mostly buying stick to stick at that time. local b&m's in that area usually had a back locker stcked with legit stuff. another b&m had a much less expensive vr unico, so much less expensive that it was obvious, but the band was off a bit n color and clarity - we all knew they were fake, but they smked pretty darn good. bought one, smoked it, enjoyed it.

[Phillycyclocross]

Never bought but have been gifted many fakes. One box of Cohibas were such good knock offs I smoked them all anyway.

[bassman]

Bought the fabled "glass top Esplendidos" in St. Lucia. Box of 10 was $20-$25 dollars. I knew they were fakes, but I wanted a box. Never smoked any, but it's still part of my collection.

[kmagurk]

A friend picked me up some once on a trip to Canada , he didn't go to the shop I asked him to go to , he thought he was doing me a favor and saving me some money. I thanked him and never told him they were fakes . I gave most away at get together's and smoked some myself.

[Lastroll]

Yep. One of my golf buddies brought me back some Behike 52's- aka "Befakes" that he bought in the Bahamas last year. I told him before he went that I would only pay if he buys them at a LCDH… So he bought them at a hotel shop. I took his

word for it and it cost me 200 for a box split. As soon as he showed me my split of 12 cigars (I was planning on 5) I knew we were in trouble. That's how I found Trevors site and a few forums.

I read everything I could find online regarding counterfeit BHK's so I could convince my friend that he bought fakes. I even promised not to ask for a refund and he still didn't believe me. It was only until I found that story on CA and had him watch all 3 videos that he realized they were crap. He smokes them anyways and loves them… I dissected afew, pitched a few and smoked a few. They taste decent and the construction was very good.

One good thing came out of all of this… I now feel comfortable buying on line and it's a lot cheaper than buying from the TJ LCDH.