Missing serial number

[westg]

1 hour ago, Frozen North said:

There is no serial number under any part of the label. The retailer has just purchased them back from me. Thank you all for your comments. Thankfully that is the ONLY box I have without the proper pedigree.

Glad it worked out for you in the end . 👍🏻

[Frozen North]

Thank you. 

[Cigar Salute]

The official distributor responsible for Western Canada is Primero Cigar Imports, while Havana House handles the rest.  

[NSXCIGAR]

5 hours ago, Fugu said:

The only odd thing remaining is the font of the stamp, which isn’t in line with the usual one

If the code font is off it's a deal breaker. That's something that should never vary. I'd rule that box fake. 

Not to mention MSE was not a code in use in 2011. In fact, I may have missed it but I don't believe MSE has ever been used. 

MES was El Laguito in 2011. RUA--the box posted above--was Consolacion del Sur in Pinar which would have been correct for Trinidad along with MSL, the main Pinar factory.

[Fugu]

6 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Not to mention MSE was not a code in use in 2011. In fact, I may have missed it but I don't believe MSE has ever been used.

MSE has been a Trini code in 2011 (through 2012). To be found e.g. on Fundies, Robustos Extra, Coloniales and Reyes. A Fundi box (MSE MAY 11) had even been auctioned through BR (original purchase made in Oz).

As per my understanding that had been Francisco Donatien factory but I could be wrong.

6 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

RUA--the box posted above--was Consolacion del Sur in Pinar which would have been correct for Trinidad along with MSL, the main Pinar factory.

Both boxes above are coded ROA. The MSL you are mentioning for Pinar, could that also be a legibility thing, and in fact be MSE?

 

8 hours ago, Cigar Salute said:

The official distributor responsible for Western Canada is Primero Cigar Imports, while Havana House handles the rest.  

They are subcontracting to Havana House. Havana House (to my knowledge, still) is the sole importer of Cubans into Canada.

[NSXCIGAR]

29 minutes ago, Fugu said:

The MSL you are mentioning for Pinar, could that also be a legibility thing, and in fact be MSE?

Yep, looked like MSL. Must be MSE then. Main Pinar which is Donatien I believe.

29 minutes ago, Fugu said:

Both boxes above are coded ROA.

I only scrolled up to the lower image which looks like RUA. But I can't find ROA for 10-12. Maybe my eyes are going...

[Bigkahuna]

This is 100% a fugazi box. Too many red flags and a quick resolution by OP. 

[gormag38]

I have to say, the font on the factory/date looks like a hundred other fakes I've seen before. Regardless, glad the OP was able to return them and get his money back (and then some!)

[Cigar Surgeon]

8 hours ago, Fugu said:

They are subcontracting to Havana House. Havana House (to my knowledge, still) is the sole importer of Cubans into Canada.

Correct. Havana House is the sole importer / distributor of Cubans into Canada.

[Frozen North]

5 hours ago, Bigkahuna said:

This is 100% a fugazi box. Too many red flags and a quick resolution by OP. 

You're 100% wrong Mr. Kahuna. The cigar store I bought these from has been in business in a very upscale area in Vancouver (Gas Town) for 28 years. He explained to me that the supplier at the time did in fact remove the serial number and placed their own label on the box as authentication. He told me flat out, that he would buy them back from me for a substantial premium I might add. If they were fugazi (your statement). Why in the world would he offer to do that? So, yes there was a quick resolution to this. I brought this to FOH to get some answers. I supplied numerous pictures of the cigars for reference. 

[Cigar Salute]

8 hours ago, Fugu said:

They are subcontracting to Havana House. Havana House (to my knowledge, still) is the sole importer of Cubans into Canada.

That's what i mean...They distribute, but not import.  Thank you for elaborating.🙏

My goal was to point out that this Casa Cubana isn't a licensed distributor.  

[Cigar Surgeon]

There is only one official importer for Cuban cigars in Canada and it's Havana House.

Casa Cubana was/is importing their cigars through grey market channels and are/were paying the Canadian Government duties so it was on the up and up. From what I remember when I was in the industry, Habanos S.A. threatened several international distributors who were supplying Casa Cubana that they would be cut off if they continued.

So while it is most likely the Trinidads in question are grey market, the chain of custody would be very hard to prove at this point.

 

[NSXCIGAR]

20 hours ago, gormag38 said:

I have to say, the font on the factory/date looks like a hundred other fakes I've seen before. Regardless, glad the OP was able to return them and get his money back (and then some!)

No doubt, incorrect font is the kiss of death. Whether the code is correct is academic to me. 

Glad the OP was able to offload it back to the source. Now the question is whether we'll see this box pop up on the FoH recent purchases thread soon...

 

17 hours ago, Frozen North said:

If they were fugazi (your statement). Why in the world would he offer to do that?

I'm afraid that box is indeed fake. As noted above, the code font is incorrect. Code font has been uniform since 2000. I've never seen a legit box with different font and every box I've seen with incorrect font is fake. 

As far as accepting the box back that's exactly what I would do if it was fake. I would want to get this silenced as quickly as possible aside from also being the right thing to do. Not accusing the store of any prior knowledge and I'm giving them credit for doing the right thing. 

[Bigkahuna]

1 hour ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I'm afraid that box is indeed fake. As noted above, the code font is incorrect. Code font has been uniform since 2000. I've never seen a legit box with different font and every box I've seen with incorrect font is fake. 

As far as accepting the box back that's exactly what I would do if it was fake. I would want to get this silenced as quickly as possible aside from also being the right thing to do. Not accusing the store of any prior knowledge and I'm giving them credit for doing the right thing. 

Thanks for the back up. The explanations given are not valid. The box is fugazi period. Regardless of said provenance. Let’s hope it won’t pop back up somewhere else 

[gormag38]

10 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I would want to get this silenced as quickly as possible

Yes my thoughts exactly. The store did what any good vendor would do. The box was definitely a fake, the OP got his money (and then some) back. So long as these don't make it into someone else unknowing hands, sounds like a win for both the OP and vendor. 

[garbandz]

" The box is fugazi period. Regardless of said provenance. Let’s hope it won’t pop back up somewhere else "

probably will show up again in China.

(at a much inflated price ) .......

[Vuelta-Perilla]

On 3/6/2023 at 2:36 PM, gormag38 said:

I have to say, the font on the factory/date looks like a hundred other fakes I've seen before. Regardless, glad the OP was able to return them and get his money back (and then some!)

I too agree. Never ever see a font like this before, and it's a big red-flag, among all others.