A lesson learnt...

[Simon G]

Just thought I'd share some photos with fellow members...

When I started out buying cigars for the first time late last year,
I came across an eBay advert of someone trying to sell a box of 25 cigars.
The box didn't sell, so I pm'd the seller to sell me a few sticks singly.
He did so. I paid ?50 for 5 Montecristo No.2's.

Upon arrival I was a bit suspicious of their authenticity...
So I purchased a single stick from an authentic (well known) online UK seller.

Here are the photo comparisons.
I think it's safe to say they were counterfeits?



Band: the bands were not embossed.
Foot: the foot of each cigar was not neatly cut

Since then, I've smoked all 5.
Never smoked a 'real' Monty No.2 (my authentic is still resting) so can't comment if they tasted like the real thing...

I emailed the seller - but he didn't want to help (RE: Refund) and assured me they were bought from Cuba...

...you live and learn!

[mrcigar]

I bought a couple of Monty 2s recently from a well known London cigar merchant and noticed distinct differences in the bands. After researching the possibility of been sold a fake, or two, I learned that Montecristo have changed their labels a few times, with some older styles remaining in circulation. Additionally, not every recent Monty label is embossed, adding to the confusion.
You would think that such a popular cigar manufacturer would make much more difficult to copy their labels - they are perhaps the blandest and most basic band on the market.

[Nightwingvyse]

I would put a lot of money on saying they were fakes.

Having said that. I have once bought the same cigar from two separate reputable UK dealers, and I couldn't remember which was which, but one looked fake compared to the other. Might it be a weird coincidence that they actually happened to be Monte 2's?

[Simon G]

From my photos though - maybe these were rejects, that were smuggled out and sold on?
There's even gauge inconsistencies.

[Sligub]

From my photos though - maybe these were rejects, that were smuggled out and sold on?
There's even gauge inconsistencies.

sorry mate they are fakes, habanos dosen't have seconds. The bands are wrong, poor cut on the feet, looks like they could have different RG. Ebay is the Last place to buy cigars from

[Simon G]

Innocent noob mistake... for sure...

[Deano]

He could've bought from Cuba, but he could've bought off of the street! The feet look pretty awful, I suspect they're fakes.

[Deano]

Innocent noob mistake... for sure...

Yep, nearly all of us have done it!

[butternutsquashpie]

Yep, nearly all of us have done it!

Bollocks, YOU!?

[cigarmo]

Fakes on ebay really

[TJCoro]

Myth Buster!

Yep, nearly all of us have done it!

Bollocks, YOU!?

Awww, did that bust your wee bubble, chico!


Ray Jay

[tippexx]

The feet look pretty awful, I suspect they're fakes.

Cut with the bluntest knife in Havana by the look.

Monte bands can't be relied on for spotting fakes, the genuine ones are supposed to be one definitive colour depending on type, but all sorts of variation in shade seem to get through. It's all down to QC, someone didn't mix the colour correctly or the print operator runs the ink too light or too heavy and nobody says "this won't do, bin them"! In saying that, you've 5 under-inked Standard 'B' bands there in the colour for Standard 'C'. Like Deano I would suspect they're fakes, but how bad a fake who knows. Only way to find out is to smoke one, not everything rolled in Cuban kitchens is awful!

[Simon G]

Thanks for the feedback.

I've smoked all 5 since and can say 3 smoked pretty well.

I've a 'real' Monte No.2 in the humidor (stored in my humi for nearly a year) and yet to see what a real ones tastes like...