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I've been Bamboozled!

Daviso27

Daviso27

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A buddy of mine calls me to tell me a "long-time" buddy of his has 2 boxes of Cohiba Expendidos straight from Castro's backyard. Since I have purchased a box of Cohiba's before, I assumed that as long as the box and the seals looked the sh!t or at least resemble my old box, that I should have no problem...I mean they were purchased in Cuba...why should I worry.

As soon as I open the box, I saw the litte piece of parchment paper that acts as a "certificate of authenticity, the wafer thin piece of cedar with the COHIBA logo burnt on it. So Im thinking everything is good...until I see the smokes. They looked veiny, the labels looked erroneous.(I'll post pics) I talked to the guy, to talk to the guy. and he said "well smoke one and if you still unconvinced, I refund your dough." I smoked one, not a bad smoke, but definitly not a Habano. Burnt very uneven and very, very mild. Now i want my money back...but the dude asked me, "what the hell am I gonna do with an open box with 1 smoke missing?!" I have swallowed my loss and informed the gentleman that Im still cool with the middle man, but if I ever see him around the way...Im gonna shove one of these counterfeit churchills up his ARSE sideways...

This is my testament...buy from a repudable source...dont try to be cheap. If you want the best, you need to pay up. And last, just because they were purchased in Cuba, doesn't mean its a Habano!

Legit Label


Fake Label (look at the defects of the embossing)


The way it burned
 
Broadway Joe

Broadway Joe

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That does suck...Sorry to hear that. Thanks for posting the pics! I don't know if I'd be able to tell the difference by just looking at the bands, they look soo close!
 
dpricenator

dpricenator

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Bummer, from what I've heard most premium Cuban sticks are never sold in Cuba, they are for export only. I have a buddy here in the office sitting on a box of Cohiba Esplenfakos as well as a box of Punch Fubos, that he got from his brother in Mex. They actually smoke pretty good but a few are just so poorly constructed that it was an obvious box of fakes. Bummer.
 
Daviso27

Daviso27

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I truly do not think the guy knew they were fakes...I mean he doesn't smoke cigars, he went to Cuba, bought a couple boxes thinkin he would make some money. I cant blame him...however where's the integrity? He told me I was buying a box of AUTHENTIC COHIBAs HABANOS...not some Fakes.

I just found out that this guy does a lot of promotional work for night clubs and concerts in the area...and he is notorious for using CUBAN Cigars as "deal makers!"

Hopefully the word will...I mean won't get out that they may have been all fakes!!!!
 
tedski

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Daviso27 said:
This is my testament ... buy from a reputable source ... don't try to be cheap. If you want the best, you need to pay up.
Click to expand...
A statement that everyone should follow. I've noticed over the years ...that 99% of the time, buying cigars from a friend of a friend who went to Cuba, turns out this exact same way.
 
TBone

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I've noticed a trend in fake cc's and it usually goes like this, " I got these Cubans from a guy........"
 
TBone

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I've smoked a few that actually weren't that bad. Well.... they werent dog bombs anyways.
 
Jimmy2

Jimmy2

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99% of CC in the US are fake its big business here in the hundereds of millions.

Also its bad all over the world too.

Dont trust anyone but your vendor as far as Cuba they sell all brands but you must go to a state run store to get the real stuff.

I looked at over 200+ boxes of so called CC at the lounge and all were fake in the 2007.

Some were trying to sell them and some bought and wanted me to look at them and some did not like the answer i gave them.

A couple even wanted to fight me because they said i was wrong LOL.
 
tedski

tedski

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Jimmy2 said:
99% of CC in the US are fake its big business here in the hundereds of millions.
Click to expand...
Personally, I'd like to know where these statistics come from and on what data they are based.
I know fakes are a big business ... I just don't buy the 99%.
 
dpricenator

dpricenator

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the nub said:
Not true.
Click to expand...
Can you expound on this? I know a state run store will sell Cubans in Cuba, but otherwise I hear you are looking at fakes. The majority of Cuban Cigars are made for export, and the rest are sold in state run stores. right?
 
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