Do you point out when your friends acquire suspect CCs?

[Cearbhaill]

My brother recently came back from some resort town in Mexico were he had his honeymoon. He is not a big cigar smoker, but enjoys them when I give him one.

He told me how he asked the bartender in one of the bars if they sell CCs at the resort. They did not, but the bartender would get him some....... . so each night, my brother would buy a cigar from this guy. He enjoyed them, and brought home a couple...

He let me take a look at them. They were Montecristos. The band was a bad replica. The cigar was dry and looked to be poorly constructed. Yet my reply when he asked about their authenticity was, "they look legit to me." I didn't feel like bursting his bubble. Its not like he will be continually buying them from this guy.

I also smoked part of one. The draw was awful, and it was quite bitter.

SO when your friends/relatives come to you with cigars like this... what do you do?

[sloth]

I'm brutal and brave when it comes to this... My BOSS brought back a three pack sampler of the legendary Cohiba glass-top cigars from Cancun. I told him... I told him right away...

He act hurt, but he wouldn't tell me what he paid. I was actually excited, tbh.... never saw the feuxhiba in person before.

Most people know better than to buy me a cigar... always tell them to find me alcohol instead.

[MadMax]

Oh yea I tell them!! I tell them what not to buy and where to go and they still do it!! So I go crazy on them!

[Bartolomeo]

Only give my opinion if asked.........

Bart

[BlueClaw]

from an educational perspective just in case he is in the same situation, knowing what to look for in a CC can minimize the risk of buying a fugasie. yeah, it will probably sting a bit but i think in the end he would appreciate the feedback. if it were me, i would want to know so i have a better chance of not making the same mistake. show him the fake band vs. a real band. show him the quality of the real thing. like i tell my daughter when something disappoints her.. disappointments are a part of life. i don't mean to sound cliche but it's true. buying a fugasie CC is a BIG disappointment in my book..

having said that.. i have a question about these Monte #4 CC i bought from another vendor prior to discovering Czar.. the box code shows Jun 09 and i do believe all box markings are authentic. however, the cigar wrappers seem to have a slight greenish tint to it when i hold it under daylight. the smell does have that CC smell and it does draw and smoke ok although a bit more harsher than say the Boliva Petit Coronas (which I love). The ash is tight and can stay on the cigar for a good length which is typical of a CC ( i think ).. it's just that the wrappers aren't dark and oily but rather a light brownish with some slight greenish tint.. i know my eyes are failing me in my older age but anyone have any ideas? did i buy a box of fugasie CC?

[Cearbhaill]

I've read a few posts about greenish tints in CCs, the consensus was that that does not necessarily mean they aren't authentic.

If you are unsure make a post in the suspect cigar forum. include pictures.

[Ellery]

I'm with you Tom. If they are enjoying the cigar, then so be it. But if they start buying them on a regular basis, then I'll prob say something.

[Martindelmundo]

This just happened to me. I really pissed the guy off. I think it's better to inform someone than let them get robbed on. I got a lot of good advice from FOH on this and one thing is if you know the person well and they have thick skin tell them. If not ignorance is bliss and let thier pride stay intact because nobody like to get taken for money. IMHO

Martin

[StumpyJoe]

My friends know that I take my cigars seriously and they also know that I am honest. If they ask they know I will not make any attempt to deceive them...but I will also couch the truth with the admission that unless they are familiar with CC's they take the chance of buying fakes and the fakes at times are quite good at deceiving.

I also have had offers from friends and family...whom are non-smokers...to bring me back CC's...I warn them about the above and ask them to bring me back a good story of their vacation.

[88keys]

I know a guy who has good taste and some experience with Habanos but doesn't know much besides a few names of the marcas and which ones he likes. He recently told me with some excitement that I had to come over to try some really high-class ones a friend brought him, Cohiba piramides, but mentioned the wrong year. I blurted out "I don't think they were made that year" before realizing that it might have been better not to. He trusted the friend and I was trying to back away nicely when he mentioned that they came in special packaging with a glass top. Then I went in all the way and gave him the bad news. Of course nobody likes hearing it so I also told him where to go on the web to corroborate what I said. He did tell me without any resentment a few days later that he had checked and I was right.

[cigcars]

***I play it by ear. Sometimes you have to gauge whether or not you'll be embarrassing and angering them about spending so much on a fake product. Sometimes you have to decide if you feel for this person that it may be better to let them enjoy their moment and bliss, as opposed to bringing them down and bursting their bubble. On the other hand I do see you all's point as far as educating them on what they have. As I said, you just have to play it by ear.

[bob25]

If I was smoking a fake cigar I would want to know about it.

I don't understand whats so embarrassing about it,as I see it the guy who "pointed" out that I'm smoking a fake cigar is actually doing me a favor and help me not to get tricked again.

[Charltonc]

I would prefer to be told. As much as it may hurt, it will teach me a valuable lesson. Education is not always fun, but pain usually equals growth. I hate getting burned.

[PigFish]

Do you tell your buddy that his wife is ugly? I don't know why, but this situation requires tact and understanding (not that I know much about either). I refer to Barts post above. I have run into this many times and always preface by, "do you want to the know the truth or would you prefer to be ignorant and happy?" I typically don't need to go further after the aforementioned statement. Anyone who presses further really wants to know. -Piggy

[KB24]

Yes,

My father was so excited when a security guard at one of the movie studios he was working on was selling Cohiba Esplendidos in 3 pack cardboard boxes. The box had a window and each cigar was wrapped in cello. I told my dad they were fake and that he should ask for his money back and have the guy fired for selling fake cigars on the job. I also told a guy the other day when he told me he gets his cubans from a family friend who's cuban that lives in Miami. That's all he could tell me though. He said he calls his buddy and sends him cash and a week later he has the cigars at his door. Honesty is always the way to go as I think it will maybe help the fight against counterfits. The more people that know what to look for and the more people that know where to get legit cc's, the more and more counterfitters will be out of business.

-Patrick

[Cearbhaill]

I'm brutal and brave when it comes to this... My BOSS brought back a three pack sampler of the legendary Cohiba glass-top cigars from Cancun. I told him... I told him right away...

He act hurt, but he wouldn't tell me what he paid. I was actually excited, tbh.... never saw the feuxhiba in person before.

Most people know better than to buy me a cigar... always tell them to find me alcohol instead.

It must have been pretty satisfying to tell your boss that he got swindled.

hahaha

I really like the responses from everyone on this.. I should have included a poll option.

I feel that if the person has only a passing interest in cigars (i.e. does not have/maintain a humidor) and they are likely not going to buy the fakes on a regular basis I will let it slide and not burst their bubble. But if I get wind of them making another purchase/going out of the country again I would give them a warning.

A couple of years ago one of my cousins showed me about 10 Cohiba 40th anniversary cigars with barber poll wrappers. The barber poll direction varied from cigar to cigar... I thought that was funny. I told him that it was a pretty rare cigar, and that he should smoke one and tell me how it goes. I never heard from him.

[Bunker1028]

I always do, carefully. It's truly a thankless job, but it's the right thing, imo.

[Ryan]

Do you tell your buddy that his wife is ugly?

Ugliness is subjective, a closer analogy might be, "Do you tell your buddy that his wife is actually a man?"

For me, as others have said, it depends on the situation. If I think there's any chance that the person might make a repeat purchase of the same I'd always let them know.

[jsd]

I was recently given a Partagas Serie D No. 2 EL 2006 by a friend It's a robusto extra size. A few years ago he gave me a Trinidad Robusto Extra with no pigtail. I am not an expert but I knew both of those were fake when he gave them to me. He was gifted them by someone else. I'm certain he didn't realize they were fakes because I know he doesn't research or buy habanos. If he wants my opinion I will offer it.

Another friend called me and said he was gifted a box of Cohiba Robustos from a client. I asked him to describe them to me and the first thing he said was that the box had a glass lid. I had not heard of any glass lids other than the Esplendido but I assured him they were fake. He asked for my opinion so I gave it. I later found out that he didn't believe me and also asked the owner of our local shop.

I now just try to inform friends that there are so many fakes out there that they really need to do some research and find things out for themselves.

[cgarner]

Only when asked. It's really none of my business.

[sepp]

I won't even go out of my way to tell the beach vendors (bartenders, whomever) in resort towns that I am not interested because I think they are selling fakes. I just politely (and sometimes forcefully) say I am not interested and continue puffing on the genuine Habanos I packed with me.

[coneatty]

You know, it depends on who it is. Some guys just need to be slammed...But I'd probably be vague about it, so as not to burst his bubble. If he gets more heavily into the sport, he'll learn the difference, and, if he ever harkens back to that encounter, will appreciate you for your tact.