|
Imitation
is an indication of quality, or even excellence. We are
not surprised that Havanas have been frequently
imitated. In those last ten years, falsification has improved
greatly, and sometimes, it approaches perfections.
Some
irregular aspects noticed in the genuine boxes are not
even noticed in some fake boxes.
First
of all, let us mention that there is many levels and
kinds of fakes.
In
this article, we will not talk in details about the
" easy recognizable " fakes. In this range of
fakes, there is many flaws and imperfections... However,
let us say a couple of words for beginers and tourists.
Don't buy your cigars everywhere, but try to buy them
from a tobacconist you trust. Even some authorized
tobacconists deal with fakes, so the fact that some
merchants have a Habanos sticker doesn't mean that all
the cigars in his store are genuine. Do not buy cigars
in Havana streets from particular persons. A real box of
Esplendidos will never be at 50 or 60 U.S.Doll, even if
the person try to proof that it's a real box stolen from
the factory or whatever...In this case, the customer may
check the box apparence or the official stamps, codes
and stickers, sometimes, there such a big difference
giving the ultimate proof that the cigars are fake.
When
the fake cigars are well packed, because sometimes, the
fake cigars are arranged in an original empty box, and
in this case, checking the stickers, stamps codes or
color of the box is not important...
Also,
same " fake makers " are producing cigar boxes
which are more perfect than the real cuban boxes.
At
this step, it's important to be a real smoker and it's
important to be carefull.
While
discussing the matter of " very well made fake
", we will list the main varieties of this kind and
we will explain about each of them:
The fake cigars made in Cuba, with stolen cuban tobacco
leafs -(real tobacco)-, usually, those are cigars rolled
in the house of a torcedor. In this case, there is many
problems : no real blend, no real filler, the cigars are
often less filled, not controlled, not aged, etc... In
general, these cigars are packed in NON official boxes
easy to recognize, but sometimes, they use official
empty boxes, and in this case, the person who rely only
on apparence will take the bad decision. Official green
sticker and bands with exact dimensions are not
sufficient to proof that the cigars are genuine. You
must know that there is some employees in the factories
selling in the black market, real boxes, real bands and
real stickers -(for example, the new cuban green sticker
is sold 2 Dollars)-. So, please, don't trust only some
ignorant reporters who are writing pages and pages to
give you the dimensions of a Cohiba ring, or the exact
color of a box of Montecristo No 2... When you are in
front of a box, it's interesting to check the official
marks, but it's not sufficient... Touch the cigars, smell
them, it's more interesting than the dimensions of the
rings, or the dimensions of the cuban cedar paper put in
the middle of the box.
 The fake cigars made in Cuba with bad cuban
tobacco, mixed with some dried palm leaf or dried banana
leaf. In general, these cigars are easily
recognizable...Connoisseurs and professionnals don't
have to waste their time inspecting the ring or the
logo...The smell is characteristic, and the touch also.
While smelling, smokers of cuban cigars will immediately
affirm that these cigars are fake, they don't have the
chareteristic cuban sens. Another info, note that these
cigars are usually very "hard on touch", and
if you try them, the draw is impossible.
(Important:
please, do not confuse with the genuine cigars
containing nodes or bowes).
The fake cuban cigars made in other countries: they are
easily recognizable by the smell. Sometimes, the boxes
are not well imitated, and this will help the customer
who relies on reporters articles to recognize these fake
boxes. There is also some of these fakes in very well
done boxes, because you must understand that it's not so
hard to produce the Cohiba ring or the wooden box. Even
sometimes, the " well made " fake boxes are
much more regular than the genuine one. (we will discuss
also this affair, because, many reporters are giving so
much details, and some customers obsessed by these
details are confusing real and false, which means that
some real genuine boxes are declared fake by some
customers or reporters obsessed by apparent details).
So,
when you are in front of a box, try to remember that all
these infos are important, but, remember also that the
most important thing is smell and taste.
Dear
connoisseurs, you know the we are smoking the cigars and
not the bands, we are tasting the Puros and not the
green logo or the cedar paper -(separating the middle
box)-. I remember the article of a french reporter
writing about fakes, he has affirmed that the cedar
paper separating the lower row from the upper row must
have a round perfect cut on the edge, otherwise, the
cigars are fake...I affirm that all what he has said
about this affair is false, because I have personally checked some cedar paper in the factories. You can see
different kinds of cut, and I have taken special local
photos for you... |
|
These photos were taken at
the Partagas factory |
Dear
connoisseurs and tasters, you know that the cubans are
not obssessed by the boxes appearancel, and you know that
the major part of their job is hand made, you know that
they don't have the same materials in all factories, and
you know that they are increasing production... All these
facts proove one thing : the genuine boxes appearal may
be irregular. I have seen a lot of varieties, let me
give you some examples : I have bought and smoked
H.Upmann Monarchs with red Upmann ring -(normally, the
Monarchs have the brown Upmann ring)-, Recently, during
my last trip to Cuba, I bought from Casa Del Habano a
Box of Upmann No 2 with red rings, and normally, all the
official Upmann No 2 we have in stock have the
traditional brown Upmann ring. In the same year, and in
the Casa Del Habano at Havana, I have seen different
boxes of Bolivar Belicosos Finos with different policy
stamps -( the same code letters with two different
police)-, and with different cut of cedar paper
separating the lower and the upper rows, the dimensions
of this cedar paper was different from a box to another.
Last year, we have received a small lot of Hoyo des
Dieux Cabinets, wrapped with the yellow characteristic
silky ribbon of Hoyo du Prince -(printed on the ribbon :
Hoyo du Prince)-. I have also seen in the factory, a lot
of Upmann Magnum 46 with the mention MAGNUM 46 printed
in the yellow ribbon, and another lot without the
printing on the ribbon...
If
you want to trust some reporters, all these real genuine
items will be determined as fake...All the reporters are
not able to tell only : " the best way to identify
is smelling and tasting "...They don't even mention
the capital character of smelling, touch and
tasting...They compose pages and pages and they write
novels about the rings, the colors, the wooden boxes,
etc.
I
agree that all these details are important, and helpful
for many beginners, especially when you are asking a
friend to bring a box for you...but, this is not all. On
the other side, we must know that the " fake
production " has changed, many " fake makers
" are reading the reports and articles, and they
are sometimes respecting the color of the rings more
than the cuban factories...
Let
me also remind another detail : sometimes, the genuine
boxes are very bad, even while tasting, and this is due
to the bad quality control made in some factories, or it
may be due to the aging -( not mature cigars)-, or to a
very bad draw because of a node.
Conclusion:
There
is different kind of " Fake ", some of them
are easily recognizable:
In
this case, check the logos, rings, stamps, etc.
Another
kinds of " Fake " are very hard to recognize:
in this case, trust your experience, the smell and
especially, trust your taste buds.
When
reading magazines, try to keep in mind that all the
apparent details are important, but remember also the
real facts:
-
the irregular production in Cuba.
-
You are smoking the cigars, not the bands.
Remember
also that there is different level of quality -(in
genuine cigars)-, and that the quality control is not
always excellent: so avoid the bad cigars, even if they
are genuine, and don't avoid very good genuine cigars
only because the cedar sheet is not cut with a perfect
regular circle at the edge...
To read more, please visit: Your Questions and
our expert's Replies
|
