Bluesmokes52 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I had received some H Upmann #2 and Cohiba Siglo VI cigars from a friend for the holidays. He told me these are real and with all the money he has I have no reason to doubt him. Unfortunately due to the amount of counterfeits I thought I would ask for some OPINIONS, I am not looking to be put down. I just would like some opinions. box3.bmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsmoke Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I'm no expert but I'm reasonably sure Siglo VI come in slide lid boxes. See here. Perhaps they are Esplendidos. Perhaps they are fakes. I won't wager a guess, but thought I'd pass along what little I do know. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dochowl Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Not one to play the counterfeit or real game, but I would pass on these if they were offered to me for sale. Habanos.com has the barcode as checking out to some RyJ cigar rather than Upmann... not that things don't get mixed up in Cuba (as well all know they do), but this case seems wrong. Here's a bit more detail that I've noticed... I recently saw a post on Craigslist from New York ( http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/clt/2278515280.html ) for various boxes of cigars (including Upmann 2s, Punch Punch, RASS, Montecristo and a few others)... always interested in seeing what is out there (I get a kick out of all the CL fakes), so I sent an email on to the seller. He sent me pictures of his boxes along with some of the barcode numbers. Running the numbers on the authenticity checker at habanos.com, these all came back as legitimate seals, but for the wrong type of cigar. In these cases, they were for all the same type of cigar and I believe it was the same as what yours checks out to be. Even more interesting was that the barcode numbers were all close to each other... They started with 343 or 344 across all of the boxes (remember different brands, sizes, from different factories). All this to not even mention that the barcode label is put on backwards... the hologram should be on the top of the box with the barcode then on the front edge. And BTW... these are the same cigars (I think)... you can tell by the countertops in the pictures). (Any chance you are that seller? Just kidding... (not really kidding, just asking)...) What all of this goes to show, at least in my limited experience of detective work, is that the barcode seals were likely stolen somewhere in production and then were put on these boxes by the counterfieters. That said, they may be cuban, they may not. Only thing I know is that they are most likely not authentic, legitimate H Upmann #2s that have come through a proper channel. (as an aside, the boxes for all of the cigars the guy sent me looked pretty good, if not great. The one thing that stood out on all of them is non, aside from the CoRos, had the number of cigars in the box. For instance, on the HU#2, the front edge of the box should read "25 - Upmann No.2". His only said "Upmann No.2". Similar for Punch Punch and all others. One other thing, the RASS had the name "Ramon Allones Special Selection" which made me laugh a bit. And here again is the reason I always suggest purchasing from Czar. For as often as people are selling smokes they "know" are authentic, it seems like they usually arent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechenman Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 The Cohibas are definitely not Siglo VI. gsmoke is right...they come in SLBs. More than likely they are Esplendidos. From the pictures you have provided it is still tough to say. I'd be interested in seeing close ub picture sof the Cohiba bands as well as the sides of the boxes as well as the stamps on the bottom. The codes can be iffy and not really all that reliable, but Dochowl brings up a very good point. If you can't be certain, best to pass on them, and it always pays to buy from a trusted vendor like Czar to avoid any issues or concerns regarding the authenticity of the cigars you purchase. Good luck with this, hope it all pans out well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I'm far from expert with this stuff, but do you have a box code for the Cohiba? The "B" prefix in the serial number on the warranty seal should correspond to 2001, 2002, or 2003 (using Trev's site for reference). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rp99pts Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I saw the ad on craigslist too. Definate fakes...I emailed him too but got no response, My guess is that Bluesnokes 52 is that seller or bought from that craigslist guy(both from NY). The Upmanns look pretty good besides the warranty seal being backwards, but crorrect me if I'm wrong, don't Esplendidos come in packaged in a cardboard box like Sir Winstons since its a varnished box? My brother just got a box of Esplendidos in and they were packaged that way with the warranty seal on the cardboard box... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrink Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Those aren't Esplendidos. They're Cohiba Coronas Especiales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesmokes52 Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Damn you guys are good and spend alot of time with cigars. Yes that was me selling the cigars, heres the deal. A very wealthy friend of mine owns a vacation home on a small little Island near Cuba, he gets married in November on the Island and stays for 3 months, he sent me 3 boxes of cigars for my the celebration of my daughters birth and the holidays. Im thinking WOW thats a pretty cool gift from him, especially since my dad was a huge cigar smoker and actually had a 2000 sq ft smoking room with walk-in humidor in his house, so I am soo interested in the cigars. I thank him and tell him that it was really appreciated. I used 2 boxes to give as gifts, and when the people had gotten them they asked me for more, so I email my friend while he is still at his vacation home and ask him if he can get me more, a week later I have 10 more boxes showing up at my door. A little more then I expected but never the less I had to do something with them. So I sold them because I think they are real (after all, my friends vacation house is on the same side of an Island that a really famous cigar shop is located) and my friend is extremely wealthy so why should I second guess him. Long story short a week later I get another box. Now I get nervous and ask him some questions (I know this guy and his family for over 20 years, they have more money then god (and I know he doesnt need to mae another penny, especially selling fake cigars) and he tells me that he gets them from the cigar shop near his home. He even sends me Behikes and a few boxes of LE's that I kept for myself. And he also went to the shop and sent me pictures Now I am into this 20 boxes, so I needed to get rid of them so I turned to CL... I know its not right to post them on there, but I also knew there was a demand for them. I am a normal guy with a family and if I could make $50 per box then why not. He guarantees they are from Cuba and has even sent me rum, and some cuban baked items. Now that I have gotten into this I really would like to know the quality of the cigars, he tells me some suspect things about how they get to me, so I turned to FOH from another friend who smokes alot of cigars. No one who had ever smoked one doubted the quality, they have suspected the boxes and labels to be wrong but still say the sticks inside are the real thing. All I was looking for on here was a real answer, and yet no one can prove (other then the boxes with labels in the wrong place and mixed up) that they are fake. So here it is, I am laying out there, go ahead with the name calling and bashing. Atleast I am honest about it and I do believe they are 100% real, especially after cutting them open, smoking and just looking at them. Sorry if I hurt any ones feelings but I just want to know for sure... Thats all. They could be real, cant they? More pictures coming later, tell me what you want to see, since your the "experts"...And lets see if WE can figure this out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmac77 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 they have suspected the boxes and labels to be wrong All I was looking for on here was a real answer, and yet no one can prove (other then the boxes with labels in the wrong place and mixed up) that they are fake. Looks like you may have answered your own question with a couple of the obvervations in your last post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 All I was looking for on here was a real answer, and yet no one can prove (other then the boxes with labels in the wrong place and mixed up) that they are fake.So here it is, I am laying out there, go ahead with the name calling and bashing. Atleast I am honest about it and I do believe they are 100% real, especially after cutting them open, smoking and just looking at them. Sorry if I hurt any ones feelings but I just want to know for sure... Thats all. They could be real, cant they? More pictures coming later, tell me what you want to see, since your the "experts"...And lets see if WE can figure this out. You asked for opinions and members were kind enough to give them. Don't be upset if you've received answers you'd rather not hear - if you believe in their authenticity, why ask - smoke them and enjoy them. And to be honest, your latest reply borders on being an advertisement - this one is closed for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts