Did I offend

[Martindelmundo]

Hello Gents,

I ran into a old friend of mine today who I haven't seen in awhile. And I know the average person isn't as geeky as I when it comes to cigars. Anyway, me and this guy would often somke on breaks and such and usually I would bring some for both of us. Today he told me of this great place and the good deals on Cohibas. $7. I know of this place and they only sell fakes. So I felt I should tell him the truth as a part of casual conversation that these are fake. Well he got mad and will swear to the death that they are real. Has this every happened to any of you. Maybe next time I'll keep my mouth shut. It is said ignorance is bliss. But I can't stand fakes and I refuse to support any place that supplies this to the pubic.

Cheers.

[Colt45]

Personally, I think you took the right path - you said your piece and left it at that. Don't be surprised if your friend

ends up asking for more information.

[laficion]

Sorry to see that your friend got angry over a cigar

What you could do is to have him smoke one of yours and then demand an apology,

that should get the ball rolling again.

Hey Ross!!!!!!!

I pressed the button !

[LeafLover]

If the guy is truly a friend, I would have told him as well.

If the guy was just a chap I smoke with every now and then, I would say, "Sheesh! For that price I would buy two boxes! Good job for finding that place." Then, I would ask him about his cigars after. And, I would do what Guy said and bring him the genuine article for him to compare.

[CanuckSARTech]

All good points so far. I would have said something as tactfully as I could - I wouldn't want him coming back to me later, pissed off that I didn't warn him that something was up with the place.

[cigcars]

*You are a true friend. I would want someone to tell me if I was getting something that wasn't the "real mccoy". That's a friend. As the Good Book says in Proverbs: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." And think, it was done in private. If it was done in front of a bunch of people, making me look like a dunce in embarrassment like that, it would be questionable telling him THEN. But quietly & in private - good lad!

[Disburden]

If I was having fakes on a normal basis and didn't know it I would want a friend to tell me. I think you did the right thing I wouldn't worry too much about it. Sometimes the truth hurts but it's good to know!

[MIKA27]

I have to agree with everyone else who has already posted to this issue.

You had to tell him, you are a true friend.

Perhaps your friend was not angry 'Per se' but possibly embarrassed at himself as he wanted to impress you knowing you enjoy Cuban cigars and by this issue presenting the unfortunate in that this establishment is selling fakes, he may possibly feel he's let you down?

Have you personally smoked one of these fake Cohibas? If so, which one were they replicating and can you compare/review the fake and the REAL cigar? That would be interesting.

[CanuckSARTech]

Perhaps your friend was not angry 'Per se' but possibly embarrassed at himself as he wanted to impress you knowing you enjoy Cuban cigars and by this issue presenting the unfortunate in that this establishment is selling fakes, he may possibly feel he's let you down?

Good call, didn't really think of that perspective.

Could be very applicable, based on the explanation he gave.

Lookie, lookie - Dr. Mika Freud is in the house!

[matthew261]

In my circle of friends we have a saying when one of us gets our nose inappropriately out of joint (rare...but it happens): "F. U. if you can't take a joke."

Even in the most tense situations it tends to remind us that life's too short.

[El Presidente]

I am often faced in the situation where particularly new local members share with me (physically or verbally) their pride and joy. Recently was a Cohiba Millenium Piramide.

Unless they raise the issue of "fakes", I won't. Fakes or not they were purchased in good faith with hard earned cash and I don't want to cause embarrassment.

If they ask me I will give a straight answer and point out the reasons why. If it is a good friend I will be more forthcoming and ask "where did you get it?".

I let them do the running in terms of conversation. The penny drops pretty quickly.

I tend to go the line "fakes, real...as long as you enjoy them who really cares"

They invariably are disappointed. We need to be careful to not adding embarrassment to the disappointment. The natural response is denial, anger and eventual acceptance through better knowledge.

[Dbone]

Going with MIK, some people are to proud to accept the truth when it means they're in the wrong. In this situation i would find it best to first acknowledge how cool it was of your friend to "make the effort" and then break the bad news.

I once had a customer in Bogota send me a box of Cohibas. They where fakes, didn't even have to open the box. But as the saying goes, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth". No doubt it CAN be touchy subject.

[CanuckSARTech]

...I let them do the running in terms of conversation...We need to be careful to not adding embarrassment to the disappointment. The natural response is denial, anger and eventual acceptance through better knowledge.

Awesome, Rob. That's very cool to hear, and a great take on things - thank you.

I have one local retailer around me here that is the complete opposite. If you talk cigars with him, one of his first questions are, "I don't remember you getting them here - where did you get it?" His rationale is that if you didn't buy the cigars from him, then they must be / are fake. So, he frequently alienates/destroys relationships with customers.

[prshah25]

yea its a tricky situation..R ecently, i was at a cigar lounge in NJ and I was smoking a cohiba esplendido...all of a sudden this guy comes up to me who was also smoking an esplendido..He checks the cohiba band on my cigar..He claims it was fake and showed me his band..I know i got my cigars from a reliable source so I knew they were not fake..So i went online on my phone and showed him the band on trevors website..It turned out his band was absolutely fake and his cigar was fake.. I did not want to dissapoint and embarass the guy but when I told him his stogies were fake he went ballistic...Till date he does not look me in the eye or say hi everytime I go to the lounge..he is a regular there and a close friend of the owner of the lounge...Now I have stopped going there as I feel uncomfortable..

[Puros Y Vino]

Remember, cigars are luxury items at heart and have inherent bragging rights. Someone who doesn't want to be told he wittingly or unwittingly is wearing a fake Rolex is not going to be too keen on hearing his cigar is fake or that the red dot in "Cohiba" really doesn't belong there.

This is just human nature at play. You just ruined your friends "show and tell" turn. But, IMO you did the right thing. Hopefully, in private he will give it a second thought and reach out to you. If he stubbornly refuses to take your advice, leave him to his own devices and don't mention it again.

[cigcars]

yea its a tricky situation..R ecently, i was at a cigar lounge in NJ and I was smoking a cohiba esplendido...all of a sudden this guy comes up to me who was also smoking an esplendido..He checks the cohiba band on my cigar..He claims it was fake and showed me his band..I know i got my cigars from a reliable source so I knew they were not fake..So i went online on my phone and showed him the band on trevors website..It turned out his band was absolutely fake and his cigar was fake.. I did not want to dissapoint and embarass the guy but when I told him his stogies were fake he went ballistic...Till date he does not look me in the eye or say hi everytime I go to the lounge..he is a regular there and a close friend of the owner of the lounge...Now I have stopped going there as I feel uncomfortable..

*The fact that he pulled that little stunt in coming up to you to apparently to put you on the spot showed that he, himself, was a new newby who wanted to hurriedly brag and "show you off." You had the real thing, yet you didn't have any need to have to go to somebody and show them up. It's like these yokels who learn a little bit of physical fighting skills and then want to immediately try them out on someone who looks accessible...and this is due to their own shallow nature. Bruce Lee or Mike Tyson didn't have any urge to go "try somebody out" in a bar - THEY'RE the REAL thing! Keep in mind one of those wise old sayings: "The empty vessel makes the greatest noise."

[MrGlass]

The Golden Rule: One should treat others according to how one would like others to treat one's self.

I wouldn't make a big deal about it, and if they are adamant then I would simply let it drop. But personally, if I had fakes and someone with some knowledge could inform me so, I would prefer to know.

[CanuckSARTech]

It's like these yokels who learn a little bit of physical fighting skills and then want to immediately try them out on someone who looks accessible...

Oh, spot on, Cig.

I'm a big guy - 6'1", about 260. Big shoulders, big arms, not really a gut but I'm not a marathon runner either. But, I'm a bit imposing (although my wife says I'm a gentle giant). So, I've dealt with similar "yokels" (love that freakin' word, haven't heard it too much lately!) that almost think the opposite - they see a big guy and think, "Man, I could get bragging rights here."

Stupid. Sometimes some guys just out and out switch their balls and their brains around, and act a fool.

[Martindelmundo]

I tend to go the line "fakes, real...as long as you enjoy them who really cares"

I feel the same way Rob. And this is what I told him before he walked away. I also think Mika is spot on and some pride was hurt. But I feel that if I buy non legitimate cigars I would like to be told, by anyone. but this isn't the first time something of this sort came up. He gifted me the Cuaba EL 2009 last year for my birthday and I never said nothing to him so insteed of him getting burnt I thought it was the best thing to do. I'll try and find out what it was and might do a review on the real and the fake. Thanks Gentes.

[Habanakane21]

You did the right thing. Don't sweat it

[dicko]

There are two types of people in this regard as I've come to realise. One like getting advice (majority of people), and one that doesn't. If I'm at the gym, and Im doing an exercise wrong, I don't mind and would welcome a critcism and correction. If I was smoking a fake cigar I would want to be told and would want to know more!

Some peope just hate any fom of criticism (even respectful and well meaning) and I reckon bugger them they can continue on doing the wrong thing in their little bubble.

I can't see what you have done wrong here, and most people wouldn't, because to most people you havent.

Enjoy your real cubans