Habanos Verification Website Reliability (your experience)

[El Presidente]

I had a member raise an issue as to a box of cigars that came up with a different type of box on the Habanos Verification Website.

Now, I have no need to use the verification website but for those who do use it regularly, have you ever experienced any amomalies? If so, let us know what they were.

Gracias

[Duffer]

I've purchased all my cigars from you. So I've never needed to use it. Wouldn't know how anyway.

[HavanaSunday]

Had one box turn in from another marca at authentication. Re-issued the same code came back right. Thought it was odd but tried a few more times and the right box verified each time. I chalked it up to I made an error initially.

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[LGC]

If Cuba QC can't make sure that a box gets filled completely, the correct bands are applied, the blends are relatively consistent...

I only go by smell and visual cues (construction, bands, box). Even that isn't dependable. Smoking is the only true test.

Just sayin...

[oliverdst]

Sometimes the database, I guess, is down so you have a no answer. Later it may show it's OK. Well, it was like that years ago.

Anyway, the seal can be faked. The matrix is a real number and thousands others with the same number were counterfeited.

[MrGTO]

The ones that I have check always come thru true, so I've never had an issue.

[Bartolomeo]

When the Cohiba Supremos LE came out last year, the bar codes were not on the HSA website for a while but eventually showed up

Other than the site being down occasioningly it has worked 100% for me when I use it, which is about 5-10 a year

[Mattygukas]

Two things I noticed is the really young codes take an extra month to show. Also, I have gotten errors when using an iPhone or ipad from time to time.

I have not had anything show incorrect as far as the box type, box code, cigar contents, or month, etc...

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[Shrody234]

Since I started purchasing from you Rob, I have not used the site and see no need to.

In the past I have used it several times with general success, but there was one fail.

I purchased a box RA Regionals (Paises Bajos) and the barcode came back to a box of Cohiba Sigs. It didn't bother me much as I have read the site can be unreliable at times. The box is smoking great. I smoked one this weekend in fact and it was wonderful. I don't doubt its authenticity.

[Easttide]

The only time I've felt the need to try it was when someone offered to trade me a box of Monte 2's (not from this forum, bourbon related). They didn't look right and with help from members here none of the dots connected, including the Habanos site.

Haven't ever bothered to check anything else.

[maxcjs0101]

Honestly, after i started buying from Rob (our host) years ago, i didn't have the need to check box codes anymore.

[Smoker]

I used it once, a few months back, and I found that it worked ok. One of the few areas of their idiotic website that did!

On a side note, I wondered if it is actually that useful? Wouldn't a counterfeiter just need one valid code from each type of box he is going to manufacture? A valid code is easy to come by obviously. He can sell 50 boxes, all with the same code, that will always come back as genuine. I suppose an issue might be if someone buys two boxes from him.

That's it, I'm doubling all my orders from now on.

[Fshaw]

Use it occasionally, I had the same problem as Bartolomeo mentioned. Other than that has always been 100% accurate when it was working right.

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[luv2fly]

Don't use it. Buying from Rob has made it obsolete IMHO.

[Smoker]

Don't use it. Buying from Rob has made it obsolete IMHO.

hmmmm, you never know. You don't believe all those fishing trips do you? He's probably just busy hand-rolling the next box of PSP Churchills.

[Smallclub]

If you use it regularly, you have a problem. Use an other vendor …

[David88]

I have checked boxes on there before and never had an issue with the wrong box coming up or any other anomaly. I have found the website is very temperamental though and more often than not the authentication has been 'unavailable' with a suggestion to contact Habanos S.A....I wonder what response they would give if I did?

[El Presidente]

I have found the website is very temperamental though and more often than not the authentication has been 'unavailable' with a suggestion to contact Habanos S.A....I wonder what response they would give if I did?

In Habanos s.a, unkown customer contact triggers Defcon 2.

The following sound is heard throughout the building.

The alarm is switched off once your e-mail address has been added to the spam list, the e-mail deleted and the tech guy who permitted the inquiry to actually come through to a live e-mail account....shot.

[mrsgucia]

No , not reliable at all.

It took up to 6 months to verify some fresh boxes I got in Cuba.. till Habanos updated database with new bar codes or so.

I got few boxes of LEs at duty free zone Varadero last year.. boxes looked perfectly fine on the outside, bar codes verifies on the HSA website but the cigs inside total fakes!

Verified!

[RijkdeGooier]

I had an interesting exp with some ER boxes that I got through the importer.

They didn't show up on the website but the importer provided assurance.

[Puros Y Vino]

Nothing odd in what the queries returned, but the site is horribly slow and you can't do more than five verifications. It would be days before I could do another one. I haven't used it in months so I don't know if it's any better these days.

[jackupster]

I tried a couple times with my boxes and got the correct answer...haven't bothered since. The only box I have bought myself not from the Prez, had the code scratched out..the smokes were legit though.

[Jager223]

I've never had a problem with it, other than waiting for the damn thing to decide to work.

[Scroats]

I haven't seen the need to use it, I get most of my sticks here, and any other orders are through vendors I trust already.

The fakes I bought a number of years back showed as real, but wrong brand/marca.

[Eric E]

I've never had an issue with it. However, the novelty wore off, and I don't run my boxes through it anymore. Every box I ran checked out, from both my vendors.

Besides, these old eyes can't read the small print. Getting out a magnifying glass just reminds me that I am no spring chicken.