is Habanos.com (serial checker) ALWAYS right?

[DarkSky]

A friend of mine brought back 2 boxes of Montecristo No.2's. Both boxes were puchased at an LCDH, and I have the official receipt that was filled out at the time of purchase. I entered the serial numbers of both boxes (below) at habanos.com, and it came back that they were "non registered code for Habanos S.A."

Serials

000007207219

000007207220

EVERYTHING about the box looks legit. Even the product inside (when compared to my other Monte 2's that I purchased down there in April).

Is there any chance that site just doesn't have the serials stored on it yet?

Factory/date code on both boxes is PLM ABRIL 11

Please help!! I'd hate to have spent $400 on fakes.

[Lotusguy]

When I got a result, it was always the correct one for me...

[Cigar Connoisseur]

When I got a result, it was always the correct one for me...

Same here..... I think people who claim the website dosent work but their cigars are real are in denial........

[DarkSky]

Same here..... I think people who claim the website dosent work but their cigars are real are in denial........

It has nothing to do with denial. I just want to be 100% sure they're fake. I have 2 boxes and want to sell/trade one, and just want to be responsible about it. I'm obviously not going to trade/sell these off if they're not legit. But EVERYTHING about the boxes look legit. Boxes, wrappers, stickers, product inside, bands on sticks, etc... it seems odd someone would go to all that trouble to make an exact replica of the product and packaging,and NOT be able to simply duplicate a 12 digit number of a legit box.

I'm sure they'll smoke great, and I'll even smoke a legit one then try one of these and compare. But I'm not going to trade/sell them if I'm sure they're not genuine. I just want to make sure first.

I figured if I posted here and someone reputable replied that they have seen legit numbers not show up on Habanos.com, then there was a chance a legit sticker wasn't registered on the Habanos site.

[tugboat]

Although this was sent over a year ago it may still pertain. I'm not sure.

I used Google translate for the English version.....

Waldshut, 15 Jul. 2010

Problems authenticity test www.habanos.com

Dear Habanos Specialist

the last time we received some inquiries about the authenticity of test cases on the website of Habanos www.habanos.com in several cases was not working properly.

As the official exclusive importer of Habanos in Germany, we must confirm this experience, unfortunately. Even in our tests with unequivocal original item from our extensive inventory of Habanos, this feature in about 30 to 50% of cases did not work correctly. Original commodity is specified by entering the number as a fake.

We have Habanos s.a. of course, immediately made ​​aware of the malfunction and pointed out that at these retailers and consumers will lead to uncertainty. In the book edited by us Habanos Cigar Journal No.. 41 (December 2009) we had made ​​the trade and consumers in Germany as a precautionary measure attention.

We hope that Habanos s.a. this dysfunction is correct and hereby apologize to you and your customers for the resulting irritation.

We assure you, however, that it is the act of us put into circulation by Habanos flawless original item.

Sincerely,

xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx

National Marketing / PR

Waldshut-Tiengen, den 15. Jul. 2010

Probleme beim Echtheitstest auf www.habanos.com

Sehr geehrter Habanos Specialist,

in der letzten Zeit erhielten wir einige Anfragen zum Echtheitstest von Habanos-Kisten auf der Internetseite www.habanos.com der in verschiedenen Fällen nicht richtig funktionierte.

Als Offizieller Alleinimporteur von Habanos in Deutschland müssen wir diese Erfahrungen leider bestätigen. Auch bei unseren Tests mit zweifelsfreier Originalware von Habanos aus unseren umfangreichen Lagerbeständen, hat diese Funktion in ca. 30 bis 50% der Fälle nicht korrekt funktioniert. Originalware wurde nach Eingabe der Nummer als Fälschung angegeben.

Wir haben Habanos s.a. selbstverständlich umgehend auf die Fehlfunktion aufmerksam gemacht und darauf hingewiesen, dass diese bei Fachhandel und Konsumenten zu Verunsicherung führen wird. In dem von uns herausgegebenen Habanos Cigar Journal No. 41 (Dezember 2009) hatten wir Handel und Konsumenten in Deutschland vorsorglich darauf aufmerksam gemacht.

Wir hoffen, dass Habanos s.a. diese Fehlfunktion beheben wird und entschuldigen uns hiermit bei Ihnen und bei Ihren Kunden für die entstandene Irritation.

Wir versichern Ihnen jedoch, dass es sich bei den von uns in Verkehr gebrachten Habanos um einwandfreie Originalware handelt.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx

Marketing National/PR

[DarkSky]

Thank you SOOO much Tugboat! I was basically looking for anything that might show that site isn't 100% flawless.

I've been told fake cigars have been sold even right inside LCDH's (seems very risky to do on a box of 25 which gives an official receipt - I could see on singles or boxes of 5 or 10 where there might be no record of the transaction). But why a clerk would want to risk a massive amount by selling a fake box inside an LCDH is beyond me. They know the receipt might even be checked by state security upon leaving Cuba. All the visitor has to do is say where they got it from.

I will admit that the best cigar I had in my life was a fake Cohiba given to me by a resort staff member while in Cuba. Had tons of that sweet grassyness flavor that's abundant in Cubans, tons of smoke, flawless burn. I didn't want it to end. But anything given to me I'd 99% expect to be fake in the first place. As soon as he said he was going to get me a cigar I knew he'd be coming back with a fake. He never asked for anything in return (great guy - Miguel at Hotel Tuxpan in Varadero) and I smoked it with total pleasure.

Anyway, I took a cigar from each of the 2 boxes I just got and put them up against a verified box I bought down there last April, and the cigars and bands are absolutely identical. Size, wrapper shade, right down to the finish on the cap.

I'm going to try to contact Habanos SA and see if they can look into these serial numbers to verify them, although actually finding someone to email might be a hard task. But at this point I'm leaning towards believing they're authentic, and the Habanos SA site just doesn't have the serials in the dbase.

[JoshMP]

I've found it can also be a bit hit and miss on the format. So your codes may appear as 000007207219 on the sticker but by selecting, say, option 3) X XXXXX XXXXXXX you can get a correct return. (Not saying I tried this and it worked, just something I've experienced in the past with other boxes of cigars.

[Smallclub]

I figured if I posted here and someone reputable replied that they have seen legit numbers not show up on Habanos.com, then there was a chance a legit sticker wasn't registered on the Habanos site.

– Are you sure that you choose the right "format"(5 digits, 6 digits, 7 digits, 12 digits) on the Authenticity check page?

– Is that tool supposed to work for boxes that don't go through the export process? I would ask Rob about this…

[Guest rob]

Same here..... I think people who claim the website dosent work but their cigars are real are in denial........

I know you're only stating your opinion... but for the sake of those who are relying on the opinions stated on this site for information, let me assure you you're that you're incorrect.

No one would question the authenticity of cigars from our esteemed hosts (and rightly so!) or PCC's direct stores here in Australia - Well I have purchased stock from both that have registered on the Habanos website as non-verifiable or illegitimate product.

I'd say that's proof enough that the online Habanos Authenticty Checker is far from flawless.

[BolivarSmoker]

I have a box of SLR Regios that are 100% legit (lets just say the source is well respected and one of the most reputable around). When I entered the code online the results indicated that the box was HDM Double Coronas. Needless to say I trust my source 100% and don't even bother checking the codes anymore.

[riazp]

one little note...the serial verfier thingny only works for me on explorer, not with firefox...dunno why but its true

[mnzoui]

When I buy a box I find it opened by the tobacconist to check the quality of the cigars. Even when the box is sealed I open it to check myself. If he want to cheat me he will give me an authentic box with fake cigars inside. For me there is no reason to check the code. I only buy from good sources.

[randomhero1090]

I've got 5 boxes with serials on them. Each time I first tried the serial, it came back invalid. EACH TIME I picked the wrong format

I would double check the format.

If you got the right format, and the result is still invalid, i'd double check with the friend.

[DarkSky]

I've found it can also be a bit hit and miss on the format. So your codes may appear as 000007207219 on the sticker but by selecting, say, option 3) X XXXXX XXXXXXX you can get a correct return. (Not saying I tried this and it worked, just something I've experienced in the past with other boxes of cigars.

AAAAhhh thanks! I never thought of trying a different serial format. Will do. I've emailed Habanos through their site (not really expecting a reply though) and gave them the 2 box codes, mentioned they were purchased right inside an LCDH, and basically just asked if they could verify them or not.

[DarkSky]

one little note...the serial verfier thingny only works for me on explorer, not with firefox...dunno why but its true

Hmm... another good suggestion - thank you. I use Firefox. BUT... my R&J box of 10 comes up on the Habanos checker (using Firefox). I'll try IE and try different formats.

On the sticker it's 12 straight digits, no spaces, but I'll try different formats anyway. And I still eagerly await a reply from Habanos.

If it's a problem on their end - valid codes on the boxes that just aren't registered in their web database - that' a *HUGE* issue. People will stop trusting LCDH's in Cuba, they'll find an 'invalid' code and stop trusting their tobacconist, etc.... It just gives every place selling cigars a bad rep.

[DarkSky]

When I buy a box I find it opened by the tobacconist to check the quality of the cigars. Even when the box is sealed I open it to check myself. If he want to cheat me he will give me an authentic box with fake cigars inside. For me there is no reason to check the code. I only buy from good sources.

Good advice, but if you can't trust an LCDH in Cuba, who CAN you trust. I'm not saying this LCDH was selling fakes out their front door, with receipt and all. I'm leaning towards believing the code just wasn't in their site's database. I'm just saying.. if you can't trust state-run LCDH stores...

One thing I noticed, the cigars I purchased (while in Cuba myself) in April were about a year old already. These ones have a stamp of Apr 2011. MAYBE they just haven't entered them into their online dbase yet. Maybe they just missed a whole batch of codes. But the deeper I dig the more I seem to hear about valid boxes coming up as invalid on their site.

Hopefully I'll get a reply from them...

[DarkSky]

Here's some quick photos I took of the boxes. Maybe someone with a more trained eye can find something that proves/disproves their authenticity... (please forgive the bad lighting... the ceiling light was directly above me which makes for some bad colours/shadows) :

[aes8]

Fakes

[DarkSky]

Fakes

... and your reasoning is??

[cigaraholic]

DarkSky

I've seen a lot of crazy packaging mistakes in my time, wrong bands, missing bands, stickers on the wrong side, missing codes..........

I've never seen ABRIL used for the April code, it should be ABR and the year.

Very fishy!

[riazp]

Yeah I agree with cigaroholic...the month is a 3 letter abbriviation, not he full month...ABR 11 would have been good..not Abril 11...

Then again it is Habanos...Maybe trevor knows more about this?

[DarkSky]

Yeah I agree with cigaroholic...the month is a 3 letter abbriviation, not he full month...ABR 11 would have been good..not Abril 11...

Then again it is Habanos...Maybe trevor knows more about this?

Has anyone else got a box from the same factory, same date? (PLM ABRIL 11 *or* of course, PLM APR11) That would be a good way to compare.

I'm not saying these are NOT fake - just want to make sure so I don't trade/sell them. I'm sure they'll smoke great regardless. Just want to be 100% about this.

[Colt45]

I'm another who's not seen the month spelled out, but I also do not have any boxes from such a recent vintage. Also, the stickers

on the box bottoms show these as coming from Casa del Tabaco - I've not been to Cuba so I've no idea if this differs from Casa

del Habanos.

[DarkSky]

I'm another who's not seen the month spelled out, but I also do not have any boxes from such a recent vintage. Also, the stickers

on the box bottoms show these as coming from Casa del Tabaco - I've not been to Cuba so I've no idea if this differs from Casa

del Habanos.

I've got 2 boxes (pictured below) - both verified on Habanos SA, but they have "Tabacos" stickers as well, so I'm not too concerned with the price stickers. It's the government seal sticker with the hologram-type one end and 12-digit code on the other, that I'm more interested in authenticating or proving false. Here's a box of Monte Petit Edmundos and Partagas D4. I think the price stickers vary according to location, date, etc... :

[El Presidente]

Out of interest wihich LCDH?