Fake Cubans Sold By Popular Retailer

[Worknman]

I never got big into cubans but I almost bought some from this retailer. If it affected them I'm sure its probably more widespread to other retailers.

Montefortuna Confirmed To Have Sold Counterfeit Cuban Cigars

cigarpublic.com

 

[sablebrush52]

Faking Cubans, mostly Cohibas, has been a going concern for decades. I never thought much of Cohibas anyway. If I wanted something that bland, I'd smoke a Macanudo and pocket the change.

 

[pantsBoots]

Faking Cubans, mostly Cohibas, has been a going concern for decades. I never thought much of Cohibas anyway. If I wanted something that bland, I'd smoke a Macanudo and pocket the change.

Sounds like you got a fake Cohiba or one that had been stored in poor, dry conditions. If I could generalize what makes Cohiba blend unique, it would involve notes of honey, cream, citrus-bordering-on-lemongrass, and sometimes coffee, exotic woods, and a floral character.

Macanudo, now there's a bland smoke.

 

[sablebrush52]

Sounds like you got a fake Cohiba or one that had been stored in poor, dry conditions. If I could generalize what makes Cohiba blend unique, it would involve notes of honey, cream, citrus-bordering-on-lemongrass, and sometimes coffee, exotic woods, and a floral character.

Macanudo, now there's a bland smoke.

Mine were shipped to me via British diplomatic pouch and properly stored. My father-in-law had a climate controlled walk in humidor, where I stored my few boxes with his dozens of boxes. Fake they weren't, and poorly cared for they weren't.

Taste is different. Flor de Cano Rochschilds, a kaleidoscope of flavors, were one of the most memorable Cubans I smoked when I was still smoking cigars. Practically nobody has heard of them. So were the Hoyo De Monterrey double coronas, as well as Romeo Y Jullieta churchills, and Partagas 2, 4, and the Lusitania.

It was the 1990's and things have changed since then.

 

[That Guy]

I remember hearing an interview with one of the head guys at the factory themselves that if the cigars were not bought directly from them that there's a 99.8% chance they are fake. Even the local shops right down the street from the factory were selling fakes. the scammers have gotten really good at duplicating the look of the box and the stickers on the box and label on cigar. This was a couple of years ago but I'm sure not much has changed.

 

[brian64]

There's always somebody trying to sell Dominicans in a Cuban wrapper.

 

[mso489]

Not a big cigar guy, but my last Cohiba was quite tasty, from Iwan Ries so probably authentic. Part of a sampler pack I'm smoking, one at the first of each month.

 

[mikethompson]

I wonder how much easier (if it is actually) to fake cigars than pipe tobacco.

 

[jguss]

I wonder how much easier (if it is actually) to fake cigars than pipe tobacco.

Wanna buy some Balkin Sobranee?

 

[mikethompson]

No, but I can trade you some McClerand Chrismist Shear

 

[woodsroad]

Not a big cigar guy, but my last Cohiba was quite tasty, from Iwan Ries so probably authentic. Part of a sampler pack I'm smoking, one at the first of each month.

Those were definitely authentic fake Cohibas!

 

[sablebrush52]

Not a big cigar guy, but my last Cohiba was quite tasty, from Iwan Ries so probably authentic. Part of a sampler pack I'm smoking, one at the first of each month.

Those are Dominican, not Cuban. A lot of famous names are manufactured in either Nicaragua or the Dominican Republic by the families who created these cigars and fled Cuba when Castro came to power.

 

[captainsousie]

Those virgins rolling them on their thighs have aged just a bit...

 

[captpat]

When I was in the Navy we made a port call at a place where one could buy Cuban cigars, I purchased a few authentic Cohibas, there were pretty good. Smoked the few I purchased on the way back to homeport to avoid any issues with customs.

 

[pantsBoots]

Mine were shipped to me via British diplomatic pouch and properly stored. My father-in-law had a climate controlled walk in humidor, where I stored my few boxes with his dozens of boxes. Fake they weren't, and poorly cared for they weren't.

Taste is different. Flor de Cano Rochschilds, a kaleidoscope of flavors, were one of the most memorable Cubans I smoked when I was still smoking cigars. Practically nobody has heard of them. So were the Hoyo De Monterrey double coronas, as well as Romeo Y Jullieta churchills, and Partagas 2, 4, and the Lusitania.

It was the 1990's and things have changed since then.

Having only started with Cohiba in 2007, it sounds like you may have gotten a bum batch - the cigar boom was a detriment to quality control, especially in Cuba

 

[sablebrush52]

Having only started with Cohiba in 2007, it sounds like you may have gotten a bum batch - the cigar boom was a detriment to quality control, especially in Cuba

Possibly. For sure, quality went to hell by the latter '90's with the frenzy that the cigar press worked up. Cigar nights became a thing in LA, where a high end restaurant would close for a special cigar event and some celebrity blender would host a presentation of his range of cigars, accompanied by a multi course meal prepared by one of LA premier chefs.

I attended a few of them and they were kinda fun. People would enjoy free cigars and also show off their cellars, by bringing something from home, usually accompanied by a bit of bragging. Of course, the 900 lb gorilla at that time was the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona that had scored a 100% rating with Cigar Aficionado. So I brought one of mine.

Very few smoked Cohibas back then because it was widely accepted that they were fakes. Sucking on a Lancero could cause your head to implode.

After the dinner and the presentation, when everyone was pulling out their cigars, I pulled out the Hoyo and the table literally fell silent, all eyes on the cigar. I kid you not. They were all staring at the fucking cigar. I was lighting up, unaware of the effect it was having and when I looked up the entire table was staring at the cigar. It was not a little unsettling, so after a few puffs I decided "what the hell" and handed it off. Everyone shared the fucking cigar. It was amazing and not a little bit nasty, and by the time that the soggy remains were returned to me, I just put it out.

I haven't smoked cigars much since the early 2000's and the last Cubans I bought were in Canada when I was working on a film in Vancouver, and they were all pretty bad smokes, not stored properly, over humidified. I tried at a couple of different tobacconists and found the same problem.

 

[woodsroad]

The Cohibas that I bought at the Smoke N' Vape were great! I got Grape, Apricot and Golden Sunrise.

 

[condorlover1]

Cohiba - much better than Philly Blunts for rolling weed!

 

[woodsroad]

Some people whine that Cohibas taste like dog shit. Obviously, those people have never smoked dog shit.

 

[condorlover1]

@woodsroad ; Would that be dog shit rolled between the thighs of nubile Cuban women?