Montecristo #2 and RyJ Belicosos

[tdlfoto]

I'm sick to my stomach thinking these are a farce. Maybe you can help confirm or deny? Here's the story...

A friend / sometimes colleague of mine was going to Cayo Coco Cuba (last week) and I asked if she'd grab me a couple boxes of cigars while down there. In an email itemized a wish list and instructions (ie. only buy from a LCDH store or Duty Free at the airport). Gave her several hundred $CND and away she went. Yesterday we were shooting together so she brought the goods. Told me that she went into town with some people from the resort and someone on the tour was an apparent aficionado who claimed this store (Caracol) sold only legit smokes. She buys me 10 MC#2's (they didn't have 25's), and 25 RyJ Belicosos (even though they weren't on my wish list but the lady at the store figured since I liked MC2's I'd like these as well?!). So I opened them up to find that the RyJ's have holes in them (from bugs or general deterioration?) and dust within the box akin to sawdust, and both the RyJ's and MC's have a small nail holding the lid down firmly (is that normal?). I'm just getting into the Habanos thing so I'm looking for some feedback (confirmation of the sick feeling I have that I just got pinched for $400?). Here's the photo evidence which I just took...

[ashen]

The RyJ looks like it has beetles. I'd keep those away from your regular stash if I were you. You might want to freeze everything you got for a few days and "thaw" it out slowly as per the recommendations on FoH. That will kill the tobacco beetles and the eggs.

The nail in the MC box is normal.

[groza]

The #2s look good and a nail is the usual way of closing dress boxes. As for beetles, I thought HSA had a practice of freezing their merchandise?

You can verify the barcode on the labels online: http://www.habanos.com/Sellos/Info/VerificaSelloCajon

[Habanos2000]

IMO, the good news is they both look legit, the bad new is bummer on the RyJ's. You shouldn't be seeing holes like that. Since you won't be able to return them, your best bet is to freeze them to insure that at least the remaining beetles are dead and MAYBE you'll be able to salvage a few of the sticks in that box.

The Monte's look fine. since they're still pretty young, I'd recommend resting them at least a month before trying one and then letting them sit for at least a year to see how they're progressing.

It's always difficult to have a friend buy such personal items. I'm sure she meant well.

Best wishes.

[dochowl]

Yikes... beetles... every smokers nightmare.

Aside from that, checking the barcode on the site mentioned above is a good thing to do. Running the RyJ barcode into the system comes up as a fraud. This thing isn't 100% accurate, but it's worth checking. I couldn't see the barcode on the Montes.

I've got a really bad feeling here. Then again, I just ate dinner and it isn't sitting all that well with me right now.

Good luck.

[blasio17]

ouch the RjY's don't look in to good a condition. Also the box is dated 08 and has the new warranty seal on it, but i didn't think they were introduced until 09?? Monte's look good though

[cigcars]

*There's a guy whom I've purchased sticks from that had the proper box codes, stickers, government seals, holograms, etc. And when you smoke them..."f-a-l-s-o-s" Yes, your boxes do look legit...but as everybody's rightly advised you on the R & J's - FREEZE those suckers!!! I know that feeling of seeing those holes well...lessio serrecorne (I know I've spelled that wrong...) and the heartbreak of having to do some emergency doctoring...

[Michel1968]

Yeah, the RyJ's house some unwanted pets! Box in a zip-lock, one day in the cooler, three days in the freezer and one day back in the cooler before even thinking of putting them with your other boxes...

You can gently tap the foot of the RyJ over a piece of paper to see if there's any dust coming from sticks that look otherwise unharmed. If so... well... you can fill in yourself.

Just to be sure, freeze the Monty's as well. Better safe than sorry!

[tdlfoto]

thanks everyone for your help Luckily I did have an extra desktop humidor where I put these since I had a feeling something was wrong. I'll read up on the freezing process and give it a go. I guess the lesson learned, as pointed out above, is that I just shouldn't send anyone on this type of mission. Anyway, now that I found that Czar I really don't need to be so eager to have people do me a favour by bringing them back. I haven't even told my friend about the condition of these...truth is she went uot of her way to get these and did her best. Live and learn...

[thechenman]

Hate seeing beetle holes...utterly tragic.

[toto]

Have you had a M2 before? Pick one up from Havana house in YYZ or give me a PM and I can give you one, so you can compare to your haul.

[CanuckSARTech]

I was going to recommend, like others, the new Habanos seal code check.

The R&J's look frightful. Besides the holes, something just seems off with the wrappers. Also, it's hard to tell from the photos, but it almost looks like that box is made from corrugated cardboard in the pictures (open box, top right corner of the hinge-edge). Those seem off.

The Monte #2's look okay, if not just a little bit low on the quality control (uneven labels, etc., but that just could be from shipping, you moving them, etc.).

And yes, the nails are the norm, along with the seals.