Fakes - the return

[Stevieboy]

More fakes!!!LOL

I can see four things wrong with this one

[pedro_han]

too many fake esplens out there..i've only smoked one stick real
and I won't be interested in buying a box from ANYONE, including La Casa

[Stevieboy]

too many fake esplens out there..i've only smoked one stick real
and I won't be interested in buying a box from ANYONE, including La Casa

Hi Han - not heard from you in while. Where you been hiding?

[cj121]

More fakes!!!LOL

I can see four things wrong with this one

Saw the same approach hawked around the resort in Cuba this year: the "put your own labels on as they're out the back door" script. Oh go on then
Right, right, right little droogy!

[Stevieboy]

Right, right, right little droogy!

So you like my new Avatar then Dim? Real horrorshow

[cj121]

The insert sheet looks like pine to me also.
There was something around the 'net about the corner cut being both straight and curved somewhere, but I can't find it now.

[Stevieboy]

The insert sheet looks like pine to me also.
There was something around the 'net about the corner cut being both straight and curved somewhere, but I can't find it now.

I hadn't noticed the colour of the insert sheet...you may be right!
The corner should be curved...I say should as you never can tell with HabanosSA

[cj121]

Check it out


Cohbyspottyfakybox

[Ramon]

Some useful advice from a trusted friend.

1. You ALWAYS want to see a photo of the whole of the bottom of the box. For starters, most fakes will not have the box codes, but there could be other issues with the stamps/markings.

2. Get pictures of all sides, and the inside/cigars. Once you know the things to look for, you will consider number of dovetails, positioning and font of logos etc, length/type of hinges, warranty seals, cedar sheets (btw in my experience it is very common for the thumb cut out on these to be straight not curved, even for real stuff), spacers (wood or card) etc etc

3. If they say they were bought in Cuba, be very, very wary....they really are more likely to be fakes. Anything with the hologram seal has been bought in Cuba.....the seal is not applied to boxes that are officially exported.

4. If they were bought from an official outlet in Cuba, they should have an official receipt. If they say they never got one, walk away.

5. Even if everything looks OK, you can never be 100% positive unless you smoke them, and, even then, it is unlikely they have been kept properly. They may have been kept too warm....allowing the nasty tobacco beetle to hatch.

6. Always buy on the basis that you can afford to risk the money you are paying for them.

It's not an exact science (especially when you consider that a lot of real boxes will have anomalies), you sort of get an instinct on whether they are right.

[Stevieboy]

Top advice as always Ramon

HEED RAMON!!

[kingcohiba]

just been reading old threads today...i am going to a convention in chicago next week. while im there i am going to go to a shop that has some hidden boxes in their humidor. cohiba esplendidos. i will take some pictures while in there. i think they are fake. but i am going to buy them anyway. was there a few months ago and bought some thinking they were real and when i got homw i discovered the box was a terrible fake. but, they were some of the best cigars i have ever smoked in my life. isnt that a bit strange? in fact i might try to get it out of him where he orders them! he had 2 different style boxes and i took from the box that looked real. and he let me have the other box to keep them in. they were very good and i think they were to better than the real esplendido. i know how stupid that sounds btw...

[Big J]

WHAT?

[kingcohiba]

i knew it!

i knew i should have never said anything. i am going to be sending one to a fella on here to sample. you can take his word for it! lol

[Big J]

I will be traveling to Mexico in January. If you like, I could bring some FAKES back for you. They are all over the place in Mexico! lol

[kingcohiba]

no thanks! ive had my share of fakes and do not like any of them except this one. im not kidding man these are some good damn cigars. among the best i have had. see the thing was he had 2 boxes. one i knew was fake. the other looked legit. the box i knew was fake only had 1 left in it and i told him i wanted more than one so he opened the other box (the legit looking box) so i took the single out of the old box, he let me keep the fake looking box and i put that single in with the freshly opened box. i never bought the one from the fake looking box. so i guess its very possible i could have bought the real deal. but if i did buy the real deal, then the ones i have now i dont believe to be authentic. because the ones i got in chicago are far superior to the ones i have now. if he still has them i am planning on buying the whole box. i will be sure to keep this site posted on my buy!