Cuba (Mod Edit: a concerning tale of fake cigars)

[Tomathy]

I recently spent 1 month in Cuba, specifically on the remote Isla de la Juventud island to the South assisting with marine conservation.
I managed to smoke a Cohiba by the pool one night with some friends I'd made and safe to say it was a great first experience.
Thankfully I was able to buy a box of the Cohiba Esplendidos before leaving the country and have been selling them to friends, I will have some left over that I am looking to sell at a certain point.
Amazing how in Cuba they are such a valuable commodity to their economy, while in other countries you would be hard pressed to find them anywhere!

[cj121]

Sounds like a great trip. Not wanting to dampen your cigar experience, but unless you bought your cigars from a recognised, official, outlet I suspect that they would be fake. The esplendidos are very common in that department unfortunately. A box would go for around 575 CUC, what did you pay for them Tom? Any pictures you can post?

[Seegarnub]

Cuba

What a fantastic experience! Cuba and the Esplendidos are still on my bucket list. Looking to get them ticked off (hopefully together[emoji2]) at some point in the near future.


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[Tomathy]

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Images of the box

[Tomathy]

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And the cigars!

[Tomathy]

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If they are indeed fake they are a very very convincing fake, I have checked online at the typical fake v real differences and they would appear to be the real deal, obviously I am new to this so am fully aware of the lack of experience.
Let me know what you think.

[Deano]

Would love to do a month in Cuba! Welcome. Yes unfortunately the Esplendido must be the most faked cigar out there. And the fakes can sometimes look very very very good. Ultimately it comes down to where you bought them and how much for. If it wasn't a shop and it was the brother of someone who worked in the factory, and you're paying half as much - then they're 100% fake.

[cj121]

Have a read through this

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/showthread.php?14543-10-assumptions-for-avoiding-fake-cigars-beginners-guide

Where did you get them Tom?

It is usual for the green seal to be placed so that it is folded through the coat of Arms, as your is, but on the top edge for starters. As for that code on the bottom, I'm no expert, but it looks funky.

[dvickery]

Uhhh ... I don't have a current box of esplendidos to look at ... From memory tho ... Tax seal should be on the bottom RIGHT and chevron should be top LEFT .

derrek

[Stevieboy]

Is there a date code in the bottom? Isn't the seal applied to the cardboard box? I've not owned a box of Espis for years and years but I recall the seal being on the cardboard

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[Simon Bolivar]

THe box code certainly looks dodgy & shouldn't there be a holographic seal on them now?

[Simon Bolivar]

PS: Either way you won't be able to sell them here for some time (see rules).

[Stevieboy]

I couldn't see the box code earlier when I was using my phone. I can see it now and it definitely looks suspect to me......

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[pootana]

Very hard from a picture however the band looks okay. .The embossing looks raised. That could go for nothing. Probably best to smoke them yourself. Instead of selling them. Jmho

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[Tomathy]

Thanks guys, I did double check on the verification website and the code associated with the sticker claims the sticker is associated with a box of Romeo y julieta Churchills, so clearly something is wrong here.

I smoked one yesterday and while it was smokeable to me, who knows what a regular cigar smoker would think.

And yes I am aware that it takes a certain amount of time to be able to sell anything on here, with your advice do you think anyone would even wish to buy these cigars off me if i got to that amount of posts?