So I think that I received a box of fakes

[MyFathersKeeper]

Still a helluva thoughtful, generous gift...

I can't believe someone already got their hands on those bands though. They look totally legit. They had to come from someone at the factory.

 

[Master Shake]

You might want to cut one of those cigars open and see what you're dealing with. If its all decent looking long filler and you want to smoke em then go for it. But it might be floor sweepings mixed with hair and guano covered newspaper. You seriously don't know until you see whats on the inside.

The labels on those look amazing and I'd agree that they might've come from the factory I can't see how you could nail the label that well and then screw the pooch on the label inside the box.

 

[ChefBoyRG54]

You might want to cut one of those cigars open and see what you're dealing with. If its all decent looking long filler and you want to smoke em then go for it. But it might be floor sweepings mixed with hair and guano covered newspaper. You seriously don't know until you see whats on the inside.

The labels on those look amazing and I'd agree that they might've come from the factory I can't see how you could nail the label that well and then screw the pooch on the label inside the box.

They ran a good race but tripped right before the finish line...

 

[Cigarth Vader]

It looks like the bands on the cigars as well are missing the small extra head hologram inside the big head. That was the only other thing I noticed that wasn't pointed out.

 

[Mr. Guy]

More of a question to the experts since I have no experience with this, on the bands it looks like the gold head is placed in the white background slightly different in all 3. Some of the discrepancy might be due to angles and whatnot, but if you look right where the ponytail looking thing connects to the rest of the head it's somewhat clear they are all centered off from each other. Would this be an indication of a fake, or acceptable for the real deals?

 

[Nacho Daddy]

pics of seal,backs of bands and box would be nice

 

[Cigarth Vader]

More of a question to the experts since I have no experience with this, on the bands it looks like the gold head is placed in the white background slightly different in all 3. Some of the discrepancy might be due to angles and whatnot, but if you look right where the ponytail looking thing connects to the rest of the head it's somewhat clear they are all centered off from each other. Would this be an indication of a fake, or acceptable for the real deals?

indicative of fakes.

 

[Nacho Daddy]

Still a helluva thoughtful, generous gift...

I can't believe someone already got their hands on those bands though. They look totally legit. They had to come from someone at the factory.

Let's see your Cohiba bands.........

 

[MyFathersKeeper]

Let's see your Cohiba bands.........

You mean like how you can't know what tigers, or Ferraris, or Picassos look like unless you own one...?

*smh*

How about these Siglo VIs? Is that what you're looking for? Why you gotta be like that?

 

[Torcedor4U]

I think the top cap looks sloppy IMO. Here http://verificacion.habanos.com/

 

[Nacho Daddy]

yes thank you......

 

[SmokinNukie]

I finally got some more pics of the initial red flags that I noticed.

. Slight misalignment of the box top to bottom.

. Cheap nails and cheap looking clasp.

No code stamped on bottom.

. Seal looked funny to me and didn't have an end with hologram sticker.

Overall they smoke well and are enjoyable. I hate to cut one up. I've done that before on a "good" fake and the construction wasn't bad and it did not include debris or floor sweepings.

Thanks again guys for having a safe place for guys and gals to ask questions and share collective knowledge. Another reason why BOTL rocks.

 

[D Quintero]

There exists website(s) that deal in selling good quality fake bands in bulk . it's always best to practice buying from a reputable source . Even brothers here have in the past and recentenly unknowingly passed / gifted fakes .

 

[ticitme]

So I ended up with another box of Siglo VI and there are slight differences. There is a year in between production dates, the thing that scares me is there is no bar code on the new box.

 

[atbat82]

Some vendors remove bar codes to keep the box from being tracked back to them (when they sell in markets they are not supposed to). If you know the vendor, I wouldn't worry about the bar code. Feel free to PM me with the vendor and I'll let you know anything I know about them.

 

[Pharmpro]

Good looking box of unfortunately counterfeits IMHO. Outer box seal style gives it away for me. Seal style is completely wrong for the new style bands shown on the sticks. Seal style matches pre-2010 boxes while bands are the newer bands rolled out by Habanos SA 2014. Just for kicks you can shine a black light on the seal to see if the UV watermark is visible.

 

[ticitme]

There is no UV mark on either, which I thought 2011 was the last year for that

 

[Pharmpro]

There is no UV mark on either, which I thought 2011 was the last year for that

That label, a pre-2010 should have UV seal visible. Yes after 2011, the seal changed again to its current view. Current seal also has smaller UV watermarks as well. My Point is seal is circa 2010 yet the bands on cigars are latest generation bands released 2014. The box was made in 2010 yet filled with cigars from 2014

 

[teamrandr]

I would tell your friend..... Those are expensive sticks to get ripped off on..

 

[Bruce T.]

I have enjoyed a few "real" Cohibas and I have had lots of the fake Esplendidos. I would never trust a fake purchased anywhere other than Cuba but the ones I've had that I know were made in Cuba have all been very nice. Cuban tobacco, well made, good burn and draw, overall a very good smoke. Enjoy them.