Uh Oh - Real or Fake?

[Tobacco Giant]

So after speaking with a few people and feeling confident in my source, I decide to make my first cuban purchase.

I make the order, nothing huge. 3 pack of PSD4, 3 pack of Epicure #2, and 5 pack of Monte #3.

I open the Montes and honestly, I'm skeptical right off the bat, see pictures below.

Pic 1 is the Monte by itself. Pic 2 and 3 is the Monte next to another Monte that was just given to me by Strife. And Pic 4 is the box they came in.

I should also say that the box of Montes, upon the sniff test, reminded me of a hamster cage.

The PSD4s and Ep 2s look pretty good, but now I'm skeptical of the entire purchase. What do you guys think? If they are fake, what can I do?

 

[orangedog]

On a 30 second review I'm not too worried. Monte changed their bands a bit around 2009. Trusting your source is key.

Edit: the tinfoil hat wearing side of me also thinks you should truncate the last four words of your first sentence. Probably not even approaching the grey area, but I say why risk it?

 

[SurpriseMVP]

Looks real. They changed the bands (not sure exactly when). The one in question is just older.

 

[Tobacco Giant]

Does that mean I can consider this already aged and ready to be smoked? If so I guess I just got some pretty good news.

 

[Tobacco Giant]

On a 30 second review I'm not too worried. Monte changed their bands a bit around 2009. Trusting your source is key.

Edit: the tinfoil hat wearing side of me also thinks you should truncate the last four words of your first sentence. Probably not even approaching the grey area, but I say why risk it?

Couldn't imagine it would even be close to a grey area, but it doesn't make any difference to me, lol. Truncated.

 

[orangedog]

Couldn't imagine it would even be close to a grey area, but it doesn't make any difference to me, lol. Truncated.

Yeah, you're right. I don't think you were... Definitely my paranoia.

 

[tubaman]

Are they from a trusted source? If so, no worries.

 

[keinreis]

I had what I thought was a similar issue with the PSD4's a while back. It took a while, but I was able to confirm that they had actually changed the bands sightly in recent years. I would say you are OK.

 

[Tobacco Giant]

Thanks for easing my nerves, gentlemen. The next step is smoking one and hoping it doesn't taste like dog crap.

 

[Jfire]

Some times smelling like farm animals is a good sign!

 

[jsnake]

Some times smelling like farm animals is a good sign!

Some of the best cigars I have ever smoked had the aroma of barnyard crap. :scratchhe

 

[ckay]

Some of the best cigars I have ever smoked had the aroma of barnyard crap. :scratchhe

Any time I open my CC humi, I gag slightly at the initial hit of the aroma.

 

[Herfin' Harg]

Some of the best cigars I have ever smoked had the aroma of barnyard crap. :scratchhe

+1

Also, I find the same to be true of really bold wines. So +1 to Barolo, as well!

 

[dpricenator]

It looks good to me, you can always smoke it and see....if it's fake, there is not much you can do.

 

[Alwayslit]

The hamster cage method of storage......hmmmm....I'd smoke one to be sure:wink:

 

[SmokesOutdoors]

Im sorry if this is a stupid question but Im a total noob to cigars and this forum and didn't want to start a new thread. If one were to see Montecristo cigars as pictured in the OP in a local B&M should one assume they are real? Im don't quite understand the laws on habanos.

 

[amsgpwarrior]

+1

Also, I find the same to be true of really bold wines. So +1 to Barolo, as well!

Yeah, my Cuban stash wreaks to high heavens. I go Burgundy for stinky wines- smells of hamburger and sheep's ass.

To the OP: Looks good to me. The band coloration looks different but that may be due to age or Habanos change in labels. The only way to fully tell is to smoke it. Habanos have a unique flavor that is easily distinguishable to seasoned smokers of both NC's and Cubans. There are very few NC's that replicate that cubanesque flavor.

 

[amsgpwarrior]

Im sorry if this is a stupid question but Im a total noob to cigars and this forum and didn't want to start a new thread. If one were to see Montecristo cigars as pictured in the OP in a local B&M should one assume they are real? Im don't quite understand the laws on habanos.

If your local B&M is somewhere in Europe then more than likely it will be real. If the Montecristo your looking at is being sold in America, then almost 100% fake. No Habanos can be purchased or sold in America or to Americans (unless you purchase overseas). :nono:

 

[SmokesOutdoors]

Wow, ok. So is it common for B&Ms to sell fakes? I tried one and really liked it but I'm not going to buy anymore if I don't know what I'm smoking.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Wow, ok. So is it common for B&Ms to sell fakes? I tried one and really liked it but I'm not going to buy anymore if I don't know what I'm smoking.

More common than would one think.

Just note, there is a non-Cuban version of Montecristo and the bands, while noticeably different side-by-side, are generally pretty similar, if not a bit more than "similar."
Cuban:

Non-Cuban:

There are quite a few different NC bands floating around of all sorts of colors, that's the closest to the Cuban one.