real or fakes

[Guest airmikey]

a buddy of mine bought these at the beach in mexico.

[Dbone]

Just by looking that the bands and wrapper leaf, I'd have to be in the "fake" camp.

Not sure there was ever a regular production Pyramid Cohiba too.

[Ginseng]

a buddy of mine bought these at the beach in mexico.

Aaaaaaaaaand, we're done. They're counterfeits. I'll leave the details for our intrepid members to sleuth out for you.

Wilkey

[Dbone]

a buddy of mine bought these at the beach in mexico.

Aaaaaaaaaand, we're done. They're counterfeits.

Lol, Wilkey. Thanks for the laugh

[Drguano]

Let's do the math. Beach + Mexico = fake. The labels look...fake. Total stranger selling Cohiba piramide? Fake. Aside from these facts, I would guess that these sticks are....fake. You could advise your buddy to go back to Mexico and demand his money back. How much did he pay?

[Drguano]

Need a second opinion? They're fake.

[Rushman]

I will tell you that although the pics mighty not be perfect, they do look better than the fakes they sell here in PDC. What no wood box with a glass top?

That being said, they certainly appear non kosher.

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.631694,-87.070638

[laficion]

The bands ? For me ? No no. the top band has the gold letters all smuged. the second cigar

on the bottom, the "La Habana Cuba" , letterings

are much too dark with no difference in the "u" in Cuba. Plus there seems to be

no comma after "La Habana" , but rather a dot on top after La Habana

Also there is no Pyramid Cohiba in the regular production unless it's a special Series

or limited edition.

The wrappers don't look good either nor the cap and head on both.

Sorry but for me they are real FAKES, then again, it's only my 2 cents worth .

P.S. Also the white squares are too big and not square but

rounded edges.

[Ginseng]

Need a second opinion? They're fake.

LOL!

Wilkey

[CaptainQuintero]

Construction wise they look a lot better than some I've seen but unfortunately like others have said it's the bands, particularly the 'habana cuba' font which looks too thick.

Again the best test is the taste test, but some fakes may have harmful things contained within.

[Scdalak]

LOL, i love these threads, Rule of thumb..... any cigar not from a La Casa in Mexico or 99% of all Carribean resorts are fakes... Just like these Cohibas unfortunatly..

[Guest airmikey]

right on guys...he payed 30 bucks a stick...ill be sure to let him know that they are indeed fakes.

[Hemsworth]

right on guys...he payed 30 bucks a stick...

:surprised:

[Lotusguy]

"a buddy of mine bought these at the beach in mexico. "

That is all the evidence you need to hear to determine these are fakearoonies...

Sorry for your buddy!

[Rushman]

LOL, i love these threads, Rule of thumb..... any cigar not from a La Casa in Mexico or 99% of all Carribean resorts are fakes... Just like these Cohibas unfortunatly..

All due respect but that is a gross exaggeration. Certainly buyer beware when buying any merchandise. Certainly there are a lot of fakes in Mexico and other countries but (1) there are quality real legit Cubans at stores other than LCDH in Mexico and (2) don't think for a minute that every stick in every LCDH in Mexico is 100% legit, because it just isn't true.

Of course, buying cigars off the beach of from some guy on the street or from a convenience store with no humidor are all dead giveaways.

For disclaimer purposes, yes I own a cigar shop in Mexico, but I know many other quality tobacco merchants in mexico as well. Just speaking from experience here.

The biggest mistake cigar buyers make in these circumstances is not using simple common sense.

[jazzbass]

Ooooooooh Noooooooooo !

$30 a STICK !!!!

Poor guy ..

.......sniff.........

[CanuckSARTech]

Aaaaaaaaaand, we're done. They're counterfeits. I'll leave the details for our intrepid members to sleuth out for you.

Wilkey

LOL. Well played!

No more points needed on my behalf, as others have all pointed the obvious stuff out.

And, I agree wholeheartedly with Rushman. It's definitely buyer beware, but there are special spots to be found.

[bobmirko]

Look fake to me...

[SethG]

We can only wish that all fakes looked that bad... it'd certainly save us all some sanity.

[nick17]

definitively FAKE

[PuffDaddie]

Fake..Fake..Fake.

[Scdalak]

All due respect but that is a gross exaggeration. Certainly buyer beware when buying any merchandise. Certainly there are a lot of fakes in Mexico and other countries but (1) there are quality real legit Cubans at stores other than LCDH in Mexico and (2) don't think for a minute that every stick in every LCDH in Mexico is 100% legit, because it just isn't true.

Of course, buying cigars off the beach of from some guy on the street or from a convenience store with no humidor are all dead giveaways.

For disclaimer purposes, yes I own a cigar shop in Mexico, but I know many other quality tobacco merchants in mexico as well. Just speaking from experience here.

The biggest mistake cigar buyers make in these circumstances is not using simple common sense.

Well 99% is ovioulsy too high referring to all of Mexico, but certianly not an exxageration when referring to "resorts" in Mexico or Carribean island resorts as I stated. As a touist and businessman who travels to Mexico 5 times a year and someone who has been to dozens of islands my personal preference would be to stick to a La Casa only to be on the safe side, i reccomend all tourists should do the same.

[cigcars]

Terrible lookin' cigar even for a machine made

[Rushman]

Well 99% is ovioulsy too high referring to all of Mexico, but certianly not an exxageration when referring to "resorts" in Mexico or Carribean island resorts as I stated. As a touist and businessman who travels to Mexico 5 times a year and someone who has been to dozens of islands my personal preference would be to stick to a La Casa only to be on the safe side, i reccomend all tourists should do the same.

As a non LCDH store owner I would still agree with you that LCDH's are good option and would never recommend someone buy from a resort (meaning a hotel not a resort town), some guy on the beach or other non cigar stores. Buyer beware is still the best rule of thumb no matter what you buy or where you buy from.

I just have an aversion to a mass label on all non LCDH shops as "fakes" and to blind faith in any store with LCDH on the sign. That's speaking not only from years of mexico travel and an insiders view of the Mexico cigar business.

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.630160,-87.069808

[CaptainQuintero]

I just have an aversion to a mass label on all non LCDH shops as "fakes" and to blind faith in any store with LCDH on the sign. That's speaking not only from years of mexico travel and an insiders view of the Mexico cigar business.

Conversely I normally try to avoid any store which has been set up to cater to tourists; I'd much rather share a smoke on the front step of Rushman's store than be hussled and bustled about in a LCDH swamped with tourists buying Guantanameras for the folks back at home.

(I think I just did a mass label there )