Help with a Montecristo No. 2

[Trent0341]

I could argue for or against based on the pictures...

As has been said several times the source is your answer. I would ask your friend where he acquired them from and trace them back to the original source.

I don't know your friends experience with cigars in general but it seems like a lot of times people smoke one or two of a certain marca/vitola and start to question it based off of that limited experience. He may have smoked 500 or 2... I really don't know his level of experience. Remember that these are a handmade item that can vary regardless of the attempts at consistency.

 

[AlohaStyle]

I again will say based on the pictures I see (hard to tell color/shade from pics), the bands look too light of a shade of brown like they were pre 2007. The bands are a darker brown now. I don't usually scrutinize bands but Monte 2's and Cohiba are some of the most faked ones out there.

PM me your source if you want I will gladly give you my opinion of them.

 

[SurpriseMVP]

My guess is real.
Only way to know for sure is smoke one.
If you enjoy it then smoke them all


Mike

 

[cubancigarshopper]

It's difficult to gauge whether they're real or fake on color of the wrapper alone - there are plenty of darker Monte 2s and lighter ones. It all depends on the factory, the box, etc. The fact that they're a mixed handful of singles is going to make it really difficult to use that as any kind of litmus test. The bands do look real. The shape looks real, too. I would give it a shot, as they don't look egregiously fake to me. I definitely wouldn't cut one up as a test because I only do that when my suspicion level is at like a 6 of 10 or better. These look like a 2 or 3 to me.

 

[CuritibaRex]

I live in Brazil, where Cubans are legal and plentiful (albeit expensive!), for this reason have smoked many Monte #2s. They are the most consistently perfectly wrapped cigars I have experienced. Also consistent in color. Their maker's attention to finish details is legendary. In your pics, the slightly dark shade of the wrapper (Monte #2 are very blond), the veins/surface texture and the rather thick overlap of the spiraling edge would make me wary, should I get a few Montes like you show. Not saying they are not the real deal, but I have NEVER seen any with a finish so rough. The band looks right. Could be seconds? But I do not think Montes have bands on their seconds.

 

[StogieNinja]

Could be seconds? But I do not think Montes have bands on their seconds.

Montecristo sells seconds?

 

[AlohaStyle]

Could be seconds? But I do not think Montes have bands on their seconds.

Montecristo sells seconds?

Yes, they're called fakes.

So Ethan, what conclusion did you come to?

 

[ccd1977]

I know it may be againt forum rules but reviews on online source reliability would be awesome but I do understand. I got bit a few years ago on fakes. I budgeted for them too. I was pretty upset. I contacted the source and I had to ship back my purchase. He sent me a bunch of cracked dominicans.