So at a big wig VIP event last night where fake Behike 56's were handed out

[clutch5150]

So here I am at a pretty large VIP event for a local sports team where the owner of the well-to-do restaurant invites us back after the festivities for cigars on the patio. I am very surprised a local Kalifornia establishment would even allow such a thing.  Even more exciting he has the last Sunday of each month reserved for a cigar brunch, so he's got my attention now.

Now the caveat...During dinner about a 1/2 hour earlier I'm headed off to the rest room and actually see a stand up glass cabinet humidor near the bar.  As I walk by the dimly lit area, I see the all too famous 25 count checkered BEHIKE box.   I paused for a moment, and just shook my head and walked by.  When I got back to the dinner table I told my wife very quietly what I spotted.   She too likes her share of cigars at times!

After dinner, I see he has a handful of cigars and starts handing a few out. (I keep saying to myself, PLEASE don't let it be those BEHIKE's!) Sure enough,  I see immediately they are those Behike 56's and delicately decline and tell him those are a bit too strong for me.   As he hands out the Behike's to the rest of the gents, he tells me it looks like I know my cigars and he has a "connection in Miami" that gets him all his Behike's and to let him know if I need anything.  As I look over at the gentlemen on my left who just received his 56, I spot the label clear as day with the all too famous severe off centered BEHIKE lettering.  Talk about an awkward situation, including my wife who starts to grin at me as I about to stomp on her toe to knock it off!.

The owner went about his cigars, and asked me if I've ever been to Cuba? Matter of fact I told him, I just got back from there a few weeks ago and he mentioned it's on his bucket list. As he and a few others went back to the patio and I just could not go back to hear any more comments about BEHIKE's.  I politely excused myself.

Owner was the nicest gent, I could not bear to even talk about the BEHIKE's he had were not even close to being the real deal.  Talk about an awkward end of the night...Mind you there was a hall of fame very famous NHL hockey player on my right during this conversation as well. Damn...

[El Presidente]

Have been in that situation a few times. I recall an event in East Coast USA  (Cigar Divan Owner) to which I was invited and CORO were handed out by the host who did everything possible to make me feel at home (which normally entails simply handing me a drink). 

He was so proud of his CORO. His guests (18 or so) were having a wonderful time.  There was no way I was going to burst his bubble. 

The joy of cigars for me are in the sharing. It is the conversation, laughter and friendships made that make this hobby so great. 

That box of CORO were as authentic as the Franck Muller watch I bought Greg in Vietnam (sorry Greg). 

That box of "whatever" were a magnificent cigar for the simple fact that it put smiles on faces and laughter in the air.  

Officially.....I loved it. 

Unofficially ....

 

[clutch5150]

Points very well taken. Everyone was having a great time and I agree no way could I have said anything contrary to their fine BEHIKE 56's.

Edit, the REAL funny part was when I left and got back into our car, I actually brought a stash (like I always do) for the just in case moments. In that stash was a 54 and a few Partagas Anejados and the Mrs. asked me if I was sure I did not want to go back to the patio and smoke...I just couldn't do it. Surely I would NOT have broke out the real deal after I told the owner the BEHIKE's were too strong for me.

[Ferrero]

27 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

That box of CORO were as authentic as the Franck Muller watch I bought Greg in Vietnam (sorry Greg). 

Well this is awkward...

[Balboa]

At least the owner wanted to share.

I remember  one year when I came back from a vacation in Cuba, a friend of mine who picked me up at the airport( my car was in the shop) asked if i could sell him a couple of cigArs, it was his brother in law's birthday. I told him "don't worry you picked me up at the airport, I got this" . So I gave him a Bolivar RC, Punch Churchill, Partagas Lusi and a R y J Churchill.

Imagine my surprise when I saw my friend a week later with a ziplock bag and the cigars I Gave him inside, and he tells me his brother in law appreciated the gesture but he only smokes  Cohibas.

What a lowlife. Talk about only smoking the label/bands. He probablynever smoked a real cohiba in his life.

anyways enjoy your puros, i know i do and let everyone else smoke their "COHIBAS"

 

[Cep]

U don't want to tell him what the deal is?  Privately of course.  He would probably like to know.  Just a thought.  Just wondering.  

[RijkdeGooier]

Just gift him the real deal when the occasion presents itself. 

[clutch5150]

17 hours ago, Balboa said:

At least the owner wanted to share.

I remember  one year when I came back from a vacation in Cuba, a friend of mine who picked me up at the airport( my car was in the shop) asked if i could sell him a couple of cigArs, it was his brother in law's birthday. I told him "don't worry you picked me up at the airport, I got this" . So I gave him a Bolivar RC, Punch Churchill, Partagas Lusi and a R y J Churchill.

Imagine my surprise when I saw my friend a week later with a ziplock bag and the cigars I Gave him inside, and he tells me his brother in law appreciated the gesture but he only smokes  Cohibas.

What a lowlife. Talk about only smoking the label/bands. He probablynever smoked a real cohiba in his life.

anyways enjoy your puros, i know i do and let everyone else smoke their "COHIBAS"

 

oooouch!  At least I had told the gent in my story, no thank you they were too strong for me to show some humbleness, but he was great to offer a "cigar" up (you are correct).  In your case, true ungratefulness unfortunately.

[clutch5150]

13 hours ago, Cep said:

U don't want to tell him what the deal is?  Privately of course.  He would probably like to know.  Just a thought.  Just wondering.  

I do, he was a genuine good guy. Add to that, he has an actual patio and a cigar event each month is So-Kalifornia, which is virtually unheard of at a restaurant in this locale. The food is great there, and I will see him again I am sure. Now that we can bring the real stuff in with a visit and he wants to visit there....He may just find out for himself very soon!

[vladdraq]

18 hours ago, Balboa said:

At least the owner wanted to share.

I remember  one year when I came back from a vacation in Cuba, a friend of mine who picked me up at the airport( my car was in the shop) asked if i could sell him a couple of cigArs, it was his brother in law's birthday. I told him "don't worry you picked me up at the airport, I got this" . So I gave him a Bolivar RC, Punch Churchill, Partagas Lusi and a R y J Churchill.

Imagine my surprise when I saw my friend a week later with a ziplock bag and the cigars I Gave him inside, and he tells me his brother in law appreciated the gesture but he only smokes  Cohibas.

What a lowlife. Talk about only smoking the label/bands. He probablynever smoked a real cohiba in his life.

anyways enjoy your puros, i know i do and let everyone else smoke their "COHIBAS"

 

Next time i'll pick you up! 

[clutch5150]

1 hour ago, vladdraq said:

Next time i'll pick you up! 

I got 2nd dibs in Uber!  LoL

[clutch5150]

1 hour ago, vladdraq said:

Next time i'll pick you up! 

I got 2nd dibs in Uber!  LoL

[RickHendeson]

What's odd is that a story remarkably like this was posted on AR15.com back in August -- yet with enough details changed such that it's not really the same story.  Very unusual.

https://www.ar15.com/mobile/topic.html?b=1&f=143&t=1902940

 

******************************

 

So I go into this So Cal UPSCALE Restaurant selling Behike's in their humidor!

 

 

TNVC  [Site Sponsor]

8/26/2016 5:08:21 PM EDT

As the subject states, I walk into this upscale restaurant for a business lunch (first time in this establishment) and notice toward the rear of the establishment a glass open humidor cabinet! I'm a bit stunned to even see ahumidor in a Southern Kali restaurant in the first place as smoking anything outdoors or indoors in is a silly taboo among many other things out this way.  So I ask the Matradee what gives in regards to the humidor and if they actually have a smoking section somewhere? He tells me every last Sunday of the month they have a cigar brunch on their outdoor patio that the actual owner hosts. Pretty cool I think to myself and then look over thehumidor a bit more and see the all too familiar checkered pattern Behike type box among other Dom and Nic brands. 

So as I look into the humidor a bit more, sure enough it's one of those 25 count FAKE BEHIKE boxes I see from time to time and I'm stunned. So I ask the Matradee how much for the BEHIKE 54's (half the box was already sold it appears) and he tells he does not know off hand but the owner was there. (I think to myself, "this is going to get interesting")...About 10 minutes later as I'm back at my seat with my guests the owner comes out and greets us and starts to tell us about the Sunday Cigar Brunch and the cigars in the Humidor are all for sale but they give out 2 free cigars with the brunch. Me being me, a straight forward and,honest guy asked him how much for the BEHIKE 54's? He's kinda surprised because I know the size number and tells me "you must know your Cuban cigars". I kinda chuckle and tell him "yea a little bit". I then asked him how much for a stick and tell me $25 each. (Heck at least it ain't 5 bucks - LOL). I then told him, BEHIKE's are VERY special cigars and they usually run (nowadays) $800 per box OF TEN. He then tells me "I guess we're giving some great deals then". I thought about the company I was with but me being me again, I just blurt out "I think their still too expensive for being fakes". <GULP> 

At this point our main dishes were already served so I was a happy there when he asked me what makes you sure they are fakes as his source supposedly just came back from Cuba a few months back...Well I just happen to have my phone with me which catalogs each and every real box I have photographed (many of them here you have seen in the "what ya have lit up" tacky thread above)...So I then show him what real packaging looks like for ALL the BEHIKE 52, 54 and 56's, which are identical with the cardboard outer box, and the felt cover over the beautiful lacquered cabinet. He then goes on to tell me that his source has "connections" out there and he assured me these were authentic. I them asked him to look at the labels (which I could not see too clearly in the dimly lit area at the back of the restaurant) to see if the holograms really are high res holograms and the logos were centered etc. He said he would then check the labels and hoped we enjoyed the lunch. 

Damn, the crab cakes were sure good and REAL crab! ...  

P.S. No I did not take any pics of the box of BEHIKE's...I should have done that before the owner came out, but no way these were the real deal. 

 

[Fugu]

Rick, c'mon - these here are BHK 56es, those were 54s. Completely different stories, seeing pink elephants, hmm?  

[Balboa]

To vladdraq and clutch 5150

thanks for the offer 

you are both too generous ????