Newbie from Belfast - Cohiba Esplendidos.

[Stevieboy]

Cheers!
I've only ever bought one box and it was years ago so I wasn't sure.

[TJCoro]

Red Flags

Not looking too good, lad.

There should be a date and factory stamp directly under the Habanos S A stamp on the bottom of the box

When enlarged, the stamp on the front of the box looks suspecious

The sticks look a bit raggedy, IMO

and finally....

NO GLASS-TOP BOX!





Jay, Ray Jay

[JOAO LA PEZ]

Looks like the same box i was offered in the Canaries last year, shop keeper said he could let me have them for 80 Euro's

[monkey66]

100% fake, no need for further pictures.

I have to say your story of the athletes sounded very suspicious as there is no way an average Cuban (even an athlete) would have such a genuine box (think several months wages). Full makes for the contemporary story though . Very strange that they would knowing bring in fakes and then reward a volunteer with them. Perhaps sold them at an 'irresistible' price?

I am calling this out as BS i am afraid. We see someone trying to sell these type of cigars about once a week in the summer .....but your story was the best so far. (NB - My apologies if I am if I am wrong but I hope you can understand).

[Deano]

Utterly fake. So many reasons why. Read above.

Pretty similar to the box someone was trying to sell a few days ago....

[Zigatoh]

Why can they never be bothered to put the stickers on?!

[Deano]

It's so people can see the contents, I imagine

[Byron Warwick]

100% fake, no need for further pictures.

I have to say your story of the athletes sounded very suspicious as there is no way an average Cuban (even an athlete) would have such a genuine box (think several months wages). Full makes for the contemporary story though . Very strange that they would knowing bring in fakes and then reward a volunteer with them. Perhaps sold them at an 'irresistible' price?

I am calling this out as BS i am afraid. We see someone trying to sell these type of cigars about once a week in the summer .....but your story was the best so far. (NB - My apologies if I am if I am wrong but I hope you can understand).

Ha ha - thanks for the impassioned responses chaps. I am going to take them to Smokers Paradise at the Royal Exchange to check them out properly in a few days as I am too a little cynical. However my understanding is that such gifts are essentially a bit of diplomat PR from each nations teams; whereby they often give something their country is famous for to leave a good impression and so forth.

Appreciate the criticisms and knowledge of which points I should more closely critique however as it is a bit of a surprise to hear that counterfeits are so common.

B.

[smokin_e2011]

Ha ha - thanks for the impassioned responses chaps. I am going to take them to Smokers Paradise at the Royal Exchange to check them out properly in a few days as I am too a little cynical. However my understanding is that such gifts are essentially a bit of diplomat PR from each nations teams; whereby they often give something their country is famous for to leave a good impression and so forth.

Appreciate the criticisms and knowledge of which points I should more closely critique however as it is a bit of a surprise to hear that counterfeits are so common.

B.

Don't bother, your just going to get laughed at

[monkey66]

They are not diplomatic gifts, they are fakes. You have come to the biggest collective source of cigar knowledge in the UK. We would not call fake (a serious accusation) unless we were 100% sure.

Do let us know how you get on.

Sent from happy, clappy, tappy.

[Vortigan]

My brother has just been given a box of Cohiba Esplendidos from some of the Cuban Olympic Team as a thank you for assisting them whilst they stayed within the Olympic village.

Brilliant!

[Simon Bolivar]

Why always Esplendidos? Why not a box of Siglo IV? They must be more expensive these days? Anything for a change, nice story th ough, at least no money changed hands so nothing lost.

[Ethem]

All the wrappers are a different shade and are not going in the right order (lighter to the left moving to the right as they get darker). also another giveaway of counterfeits

[crusse]

Why always Esplendidos? Why not a box of Siglo IV? They must be more expensive these days? Anything for a change, nice story th ough, at least no money changed hands so nothing lost.

If I was in the counterfeiting business I'd make fake Behikes and Siglo VI Gran Reservas. There's bound to be some wealthy but uninformed Americans that would go for them. The fakers are showing a lack of creativity IMO

[Bigboned]

If I was in the counterfeiting business I'd make fake Behikes and Siglo VI Gran Reservas. There's bound to be some wealthy but uninformed Americans that would go for them. The fakers are showing a lack of creativity IMO

Or they just have a load of stock left they havnt shifted!!