Strange BHK54 Box Code!!

[Harikezo]

Hi guys,

 

Wondering if you guys could help me out here. I received a box of BHK from a friend with the box code of PUS NOV 17

 

Strange thing is I haven’t heard of this code on a box of BHK before. As far as I know, there’s used to be two codes on boxes of BHK from 2010 or 2015 but couldn’t see any other than UAO on 2017.

 

Also, no different colored dots were found under black light on the band.

 

Any experts out there could offer some advice?

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

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[dangolf18]

I’m 99% sure that sticker didn’t not come from the factory (round edges, wrong font and ink). I’ve never heard of a PUS box code before either. Would make me question the authenticity of the box and of course the cigars. 

[El Presidente]

32 minutes ago, dangolf18 said:

 I’ve never heard of a PUS box code before either. Would make me question the authenticity of the box and of course the cigars. 

I have seen PUS predominantly on HDM Epicure 1/Epicure Especial.

If there is one box with a PUS code then there will be others. Check your 17 codes lads. 

 

[Dara]

@Harikezo does the serial number check out on Habanos.com and also does a barcode scanner app match the barcode to the serial number?

 

There were a lot of fake Behikes supposedly being sourced from a LCDH in Central America and two of the biggest tell tales was the date stamp font being wrong and the barcode not matching up to the serial number below it!

[Harikezo]

[mention=31367]Harikezo[/mention] does the serial number check out on Habanos.com and also does a barcode scanner app match the barcode to the serial number?
 
There were a lot of fake Behikes supposedly being sourced from a LCDH in Central America and two of the biggest tell tales was the date stamp font being wrong and the barcode not matching up to the serial number below it!

Can you help me with that?



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[Nino]

@Harikezo - Done :

The product is original from Habanos S.A.

HSA: 10.9143.02.1040

Descripcion: COHIBA BHK 54 SPB-S-n-n-n-10

Seems to be legit so no worries. I have also seen PUS boxcode around.

[garbandz]

just got a box of Bolivar RC with the PUS code......OCT '17

[zeedubbya]

I think @Dara is mentioning a certain situation which the only way people were able to determine they were fake was in finding out other people had the same serial number, which matched up to HSA site, but when barcode was scanned it didn’t match up. I don’t have a way to scan the barcode itself but someone might...

[Nino]

12 minutes ago, zeedubbya said:

I think @Dara is mentioning a certain situation which the only way people were able to determine they were fake was in finding out other people had the same serial number, which matched up to HSA site, but when barcode was scanned it didn’t match up. I don’t have a way to scan the barcode itself but someone might...

I inserted the barcode number into the HSA Verification website and it came out as legit BHK 54 box.

http://verificacion.habanos.com/

[Harikezo]

I inserted the barcode number into the HSA Verification website and it came out as legit BHK 54 box.

http://verificacion.habanos.com/

Checking the code via Habanos website means nothing nowadays since those who are making fakes can even fake the verification code. They just re-print the code then voila!


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[Corylax18]

We've got something fishy going on either way. I'm not sure which, but its one of three options:

1. Fake.

2.  Multiple codes being used for El Laguito. (I think were pretty confident its UAO at this point)

3. BHK are being rolled at multiple Factories. 

I believe at one point we were fed the story that occasionally BHK are boxed and stamped at other factories after being rolled at EL. Cause that makes a lot of sense. Similar to the story we were fed regarding Phoenicians and another Regional or Limited Release that specifically stated they were only rolled at EL. The sticker shape and font color/size would lead me to believe we are looking at option 1 here. How about some more photos of the inner box/bands/cigars? Any guess at real/fake from only 2 photos showing a few square inches of outer packaging is going to be speculative at best. 

[luv2fly]

7 hours ago, Dara said:

@Harikezo does the serial number check out on Habanos.com and also does a barcode scanner app match the barcode to the serial number?

 

There were a lot of fake Behikes supposedly being sourced from a LCDH in Central America and two of the biggest tell tales was the date stamp font being wrong and the barcode not matching up to the serial number below it!

Used a bar code scanner and it does match the numbers printed.  For what ever that is worth, I don't know.  The entire seal could be a copy so the bar code would match the numbers.  

 

[Bohn007]

The following is directly from an email from an executive with Habanos S.A. regarding the question of PUS being useds as a factory code in the production of Behike 54 in Nov, 2017. With respect to the “not to be published part,”, obviously I can not share, but remember the history of Behike, the conditions on the island directly after the hurricane and you can put it together.

“Related to BHK: 

Official information: this product is legitimate (also to be confirmed with the security code which I do not have).

Non-official information (not to be published, confidential).....”

 

[Derboesekoenig]

The real question is, when will there be more Behike??

[Bohn007]

4 minutes ago, Derboesekoenig said:

The real question is, when will there be more Behike??

I had dinner with the executive that wrote that email last week in Havana. We discussed this as there was some talk at the Gala that Habanos might even discontinue the Behike line. He dispelled that discussion and confirmed that at this point, they will still be rolling them when possible but that as before, the limited availability of Medio Tiempo leaf was the problem. 

[Derboesekoenig]

No bueno. I just want 1 box of 54 in the humidor. Maybe I should just give it up lol

[Diabolicalpherpher]

Under the warranty seal, do you feel another square/rectangular sticker underneath that should be the transit seal?

[NSXCIGAR]

Just now, Corylax18 said:

3. BHK are being rolled at multiple Factories. 

I thought this was common knowledge. Non-EL codes have been seen on BHK since the start. The vast majority are EL but many are not. 

That being said, the sticker shape and the font do look a bit suspicious but apparently PUS has been seen as an active code and I've seen worse stamps on legit cigars. Might just be a case of Cuba being Cuba...

[fitzy]

13 hours ago, Harikezo said:

Also, no different colored dots were found under black light on the band.

Shouldn't this alone be a huge red flag????

[Bohn007]

3 hours ago, Harikezo said:

 

Checking the code via Habanos website means nothing nowadays since those who are making fakes can even fake the verification code. They just re-print the code then voila!


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Did the microprint on the seal match the serial number on the box? 

[Corylax18]

1 hour ago, NSXCIGAR said:

I thought this was common knowledge. Non-EL codes have been seen on BHK since the start. The vast majority are EL but many are not. 

That being said, the sticker shape and the font do look a bit suspicious but apparently PUS has been seen as an active code and I've seen worse stamps on legit cigars. Might just be a case of Cuba being Cuba...

Oh I'm aware that they've been rolled other places. But they aren't supposed to be and arguably aren't Behike or even Cohiba if rolled anywhere else.

Every HSA employee I've ever asked; the Manager at EL, the manager at La Corona, rollers and Marketing executives have all said 2 things about El Laguito.

1. EL is the only factory, that EVER receives ANY Medio Tiempo leaf.

2. They are also the only factory that employs the third fermentation step to the Tobacco they receive, which should already be the cream of the crop/1st selction. 

So let say PUS is the Jose Marti Factory (or any factory other the EL, it doesn't matter) The "Behike" rolled there would contain neither Medio Tiempo, nor the special Tobacco with the additional Fermentation. Nor even the best selection of standard tobacco. Is that really a Behike? Bands and Box aside, is it even a Cohiba? Whats important here? Buying a shiny box that says "Behike" or buying great cigars? Real/Fake/Counterfeit, whatever you want to call them. I wouldn't touch non EL Behike (or any Cohiba) with a 10 foot pole.

[gr8eman]

15 hours ago, Harikezo said:

 

Hi guys,

 

Wondering if you guys could help me out here. I received a box of BHK from a friend with the box code of PUS NOV 17

 

Strange thing is I haven’t heard of this code on a box of BHK before. As far as I know, there’s used to be two codes on boxes of BHK from 2010 or 2015 but couldn’t see any other than UAO on 2017.

 

Also, no different colored dots were found under black light on the band.

 

Any experts out there could offer some advice?

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

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Normally the easiest was to discern fakes are the bands. I believe that is why HSA made the Behike bands peculiar. Can you post a photo of on of the bands?

 

[Bohn007]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

Oh I'm aware that they've been rolled other places. But they aren't supposed to be and arguably aren't Behike or even Cohiba if rolled anywhere else.

Every HSA employee I've ever asked; the Manager at EL, the manager at La Corona, rollers and Marketing executives have all said 2 things about El Laguito.

1. EL is the only factory, that EVER receives ANY Medio Tiempo leaf.

2. They are also the only factory that employs the third fermentation step to the Tobacco they receive, which should already be the cream of the crop/1st selction. 

So let say PUS is the Jose Marti Factory (or any factory other the EL, it doesn't matter) The "Behike" rolled there would contain neither Medio Tiempo, nor the special Tobacco with the additional Fermentation. Nor even the best selection of standard tobacco. Is that really a Behike? Bands and Box aside, is it even a Cohiba? Whats important here? Buying a shiny box that says "Behike" or buying great cigars? Real/Fake/Counterfeit, whatever you want to call them. I wouldn't touch non EL Behike (or any Cohiba) with a 10 foot pole.

Of course you are assuming that the cigars were rolled AND boxed somewhere else. 

[Nino]

6 hours ago, Harikezo said:

 

Checking the code via Habanos website means nothing nowadays since those who are making fakes can even fake the verification code. They just re-print the code then voila!


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I thought you needed help verifying the Barcode - If that is not enough for you then try smoking them and report back.

Voila ?

[mk05]

 

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

Oh I'm aware that they've been rolled other places. But they aren't supposed to be and arguably aren't Behike or even Cohiba if rolled anywhere else.

Every HSA employee I've ever asked; the Manager at EL, the manager at La Corona, rollers and Marketing executives have all said 2 things about El Laguito.

1. EL is the only factory, that EVER receives ANY Medio Tiempo leaf.

2. They are also the only factory that employs the third fermentation step to the Tobacco they receive, which should already be the cream of the crop/1st selction. 

So let say PUS is the Jose Marti Factory (or any factory other the EL, it doesn't matter) The "Behike" rolled there would contain neither Medio Tiempo, nor the special Tobacco with the additional Fermentation. Nor even the best selection of standard tobacco. Is that really a Behike? Bands and Box aside, is it even a Cohiba? Whats important here? Buying a shiny box that says "Behike" or buying great cigars? Real/Fake/Counterfeit, whatever you want to call them. I wouldn't touch non EL Behike (or any Cohiba) with a 10 foot pole.

Careful, you might upset some people with vested interest.