Authenticity Check

[kk405]

I received these three boxes a couple of weeks ago and would like to get your opinion on authenticity of the cigars. If more pictures are needed to make the evaluation, please let me know. 

 

First one is a Romeo Wide Churchill:

 

 

Second one is a Montecristo Eagle

 

 

 

Third one is Hoyo No. 2

[encephalization]

Do you have any reasons for why they would not be real? Also, here is the official verification website:

http://verificacion.habanos.com/

You'll need to remove the price tag/vendor tag to find the code.

[Guest Nekhyludov]

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that those boxes appear to be authentic. The bad news is that one of those boxes is a Monte Open.

The Open Eagles are real. Real turds that is! 

BOOM! 

[Derboesekoenig]

Just now, Nekhyludov said:

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that those boxes appear to be authentic. The bad news is that one of those boxes is a Monte Open.

The Open Eagles are real. Real turds that is! 

BOOM! 

Now now. There are at least TWO people on this forum that enjoy them....haha no i'm not one of them. 

[kk405]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have been member of other forums and enjoy other hobbies as well, and every time a new poster shows up, he/she gets the 'royal' treatment. I get it. It's a due everyone has to pay. So, go ahead and attack away and say what you like. In due time I hope to become a more 'productive' poster on the site, but we all have to start somewhere. Also, the Monte Eagles aren't mine. I ordered them for someone else who wanted them. Lastly, I bought these cigars form a particular source that I never buy from, just to test their cigars. It's an expensive test, but one that I wanted/needed to do for our group

P.S. I know this is a global site, but how many members of the Grand Havana Room in NY are here?

 

[JGD]

Was it just the new source that has you concerned? Or was there something in particular about the cigars?

[kk405]

3 minutes ago, JGD said:

Was it just the new source that has you concerned? Or was there something in particular about the cigars?

 

The new source which I wasn't familiar with and had never purchased from, but, even though all boxes came in vacuum-sealed, All labels are 'cut', as if the boxes had been opened and inspected. This is something I did not expect from this seller, unless that is how he BUYS them. 

[Derboesekoenig]

4 minutes ago, kk405 said:

 

The new source which I wasn't familiar with and had never purchased from, but, even though all boxes came in vacuum-sealed, All labels are 'cut', as if the boxes had been opened and inspected. This is something I did not expect from this seller, unless that is how he BUYS them. 

?

Why would you not want that?

 

[Guest Nekhyludov]

3 minutes ago, kk405 said:

The new source which I wasn't familiar with and had never purchased from, but, even though all boxes came in vacuum-sealed, All labels are 'cut', as if the boxes had been opened and inspected. This is something I did not expect from this seller, unless that is how he BUYS them. 

Just buy here and you'll never have to worry about authenticity or quality again. 

[kk405]

4 minutes ago, Derboesekoenig said:

?

Why would you not want that?

 

If the boxes were from FOH and Rob had opened the boxes to inspect, rate and sell based on quality, I would completely understand the cut labels/seals and would have no problem. Even if you had a retail operation, it could make sense. However, if you have a 'wholesale' type operation run out of Switzerland where cigars supposed come and go through the free port, I feel less confident when I see broken seals.

[kk405]

7 minutes ago, Nekhyludov said:

Just buy here and you'll never have to worry about authenticity or quality again. 

 

I bought some singles and was more than happy with the cigars and all my future box purchases will come from here as well. However, there have been times when I needed some cigars to arrive a little faster (FOH shipments usually take 3-4 weeks for me) and need a secondary source.

[Derboesekoenig]

1 minute ago, kk405 said:

 

I bought some singles and was more than happy with the cigars and all my future box purchases will come from here as well. However, there have been times when I needed some cigars to arrive a little faster (FOH shipments usually take 3-4 weeks for me) and need a secondary source.

No offense man, but you sound like a flipper.

If you specifically want sealed boxes, you really need to mention it to the retailer before you order.

[kk405]

1 hour ago, Derboesekoenig said:

No offense man, but you sound like a flipper.

If you specifically want sealed boxes, you really need to mention it to the retailer before you order.

None taken. Couldn't be further from the truth. We have a twice weekly poker game and smoke cigars on a social basis quiet frequently. 

[prodigy]

Hopefully a mod will put this into the "suspect cigar" sub forum before the abuse gets to severe haha. Welcome to the forum, you are in good hands now.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[kk405]

Just now, prodigy said:

Hopefully a mod will put this into the "suspect cigar" sub forum before the abuse gets to severe haha. Welcome to the forum, you are in good hands now.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[El Presidente]

You will find that bar codes are cut where someone who purchases from a distributor outside of his/her territory needs to protect the selling distributor from HSA prying eyes. 

I am amazed that any decent retailer doesn't open all boxes given the amount of rubbish put out.   If a member wanted a sealed box from myself, I would have no problem with it, but the quality of goods guarantee would be removed.  If they turn up no bands, one short, covered in mold, broken.....your problemo 

 

 

 

[kk405]

9 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

You will find that bar codes are cut where someone who purchases from a distributor outside of his/her territory needs to protect the selling distributor from HSA prying eyes. 

I am amazed that any decent retailer doesn't open all boxes given the amount of rubbish put out.   If a member wanted a sealed box from myself, I would have no problem with it, but the quality of goods guarantee would be removed.  If they turn up no bands, one short, covered in mold, broken.....your problemo 

 

 

 

Makes sense. ?

[JGD]

2 hours ago, kk405 said:

 

The new source which I wasn't familiar with and had never purchased from, but, even though all boxes came in vacuum-sealed, All labels are 'cut', as if the boxes had been opened and inspected. This is something I did not expect from this seller, unless that is how he BUYS them. 

Many places (even the wholesale “grey market” shops) open and inspect prior to shipment. One of the major reasons that this is done is to ensure that none of the cigars are visibly damaged prior to shimpment in order to avoid the hasstke have having to deal with returns from unhappy customers. As Rob said, many people, myself included, prefer it this way. 

[nKostyan]

I've received boxes with removed authentication codes several times. The seller said that this is a gray market and he does not want the distributor was under sanctions if cigars are sent to the United States. It was not fake. The only one thing that can be done except to smoke one from each box - UV lamp for lighting to the authenticity sticker

 

 

[Lotusguy]

The microcode is present in all those seals - run authenticity check on the HSA website with these and presto - you have your proof.

[kk405]

10 hours ago, nKostyan said:

I've received boxes with removed authentication codes several times. The seller said that this is a gray market and he does not want the distributor was under sanctions if cigars are sent to the United States. It was not fake. The only one thing that can be done except to smoke one from each box - UV lamp for lighting to the authenticity sticker

 

 

 

Thanks. Very interesting. Now I have to track down a UV lamp/light source and add it to my arsenal ?

[kk405]

20 hours ago, encephalization said:

Do you have any reasons for why they would not be real? Also, here is the official verification website:

http://verificacion.habanos.com/

You'll need to remove the price tag/vendor tag to find the code.

 

20 hours ago, crking3 said:

See if you can peel back the stickers on top of the HSA barcode to see the real barcode and check it on the Habanos site ....also the same code is hidden in micro text in the image of the seal .....just get on the website to verify ....that’s ur only real option ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

8 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

The microcode is present in all those seals - run authenticity check on the HSA website with these and presto - you have your proof.

 

Thank you guys. I used to have sporadic issues with the site in the past, but did run the check today and all boxes came back as authentic.

[Whisky91]

On 12/18/2018 at 4:40 PM, kk405 said:

If the boxes were from FOH and Rob had opened the boxes to inspect, rate and sell based on quality, I would completely understand the cut labels/seals and would have no problem. Even if you had a retail operation, it could make sense. However, if you have a 'wholesale' type operation run out of Switzerland where cigars supposed come and go through the free port, I feel less confident when I see broken seals.

It’s common practice when you order from vendors to have the boxes opened up and inspected. If they aren’t inspected for quality and you receive them and find issues a lot of places MAY tell you that you are SOL. However, if they inspect them and then they arrive damaged places will usually work with you.

[NSXCIGAR]

On 12/18/2018 at 3:40 PM, JGD said:

Many places (even the wholesale “grey market” shops) open and inspect prior to shipment.

I don't know about many--I wish more did. Most trusted gray market vendors ship sealed to reduce labor and time. The money they save is enough to deal with the occasional cracked stick or two. 

[MD Puffer]

On 12/19/2018 at 11:31 AM, kk405 said:

 

Thanks. Very interesting. Now I have to track down a UV lamp/light source and add it to my arsenal ?

I have one of these.  Very good quality housing (aluminum).  A magnifier will let you clearly see the microprinting.   

You'll hear people repeatedly make comments to the effect of, "trust your seller, " etc.  That's the single most important thing in ensuring you don't get burned.

The UV light and magnifier are neat little toys but I never use them from anything I buy from FOH.

 

Edit-  On second thought...there is a slight problem with boxes from FOH that were inspected.  Since I mostly get PSP, it becomes overly tempting to not try one before you intend.  I wanted to lay down a box of PSP Diplo #2's I got a couple of months ago- at least for a year.  But they looked so damn perfect that day after day I would think about them until I finally broke down and smoked one.  It was totally worth it.  

On the flip side, I picked up a a fiver of Monte A's last year (non-FOH).  They weren't bad, they just look kind of 'meh',  They're in the cabinet now.  No temptation to smoke one early at all.  So- that's the down side to having your boxes inspected (and in the case of FOH- sorted/graded).