Cheapest fake cigar

[Bijan]

As the subject says, what's the cheapest box you've seen faked? To be clear I mean the cheapest as to price of the same cigar but for the non-faked originals, not asking about the price of fakes, nor the actual price of the cigars.

Just curious what the lower limit is. Seems like 90%+ of the fakes in Cuba are Cohibas (with maybe some Montecristos thrown in here and there), though I've heard of other marcas being more commonly faked elsewhere.

Edit: The cheapest I've seen myself is a box of what looked somewhat like Monte 4s, an old colleague came back with.

[El Presidente]

Monte 4 fakes are everywhere in central and south america. 

Fake Cohiba cigarettes/puritos/mini's I saw in Chile/Nicaragua/Paraguay.

[rascalmonkey]

how about, "What was the best fake Cuban you ever smoked?" ?

[Bijan]

17 minutes ago, rascalmonkey said:

how about, "What was the best fake Cuban you ever smoked?" ?

I've only smoked one decent fake. It was a box or two of fake Monte 2s from 10-15 years ago, still have a few left. Definitely my go to fake now

[El Presidente]

6 hours ago, rascalmonkey said:

how about, "What was the best fake Cuban you ever smoked?" ?

Partagas EL 2000 purchased from bar Monserrate Havana. 

It was a superb P2.  

[rcarlson]

12 hours ago, rascalmonkey said:

how about, "What was the best fake Cuban you ever smoked?" ?

Had pretty decent fake Behike . . .  from a coveted box of 25.    

[cigcars]

16 hours ago, rascalmonkey said:

how about, "What was the best fake Cuban you ever smoked?" ?

    *Obtained a varnished box with "Cohiba Esplendidos" on it only to open it and find a box of greenish, sand paper consistency wrappered uneven smokes that set my heart in the grave. After a VERY long time I finally gave one of them a try - I can't begin to express the flavor, taste and satisfaction this u-u-u-u-g-l-y smoke gave me!

[Chas.Alpha]

Real question: Do all havanas have that "volcanic" ash? I cannot remember a Cuban cigar that I have smoked that didn't...

[Cjake75]

So friend of mine said he got this box of Siglo VI and was super pumped. This is just within the past few days. Just stopped over and he gave me two. Sealed box. Just opened while I was standing next to him. Looked up the box code when I got home and that’s what is coming up. Any ideas?

 

[Bijan]

5 minutes ago, Cjake75 said:

Looked up the box code when I got home and that’s what is coming up. Any ideas?

It's coming up as the seal/barcode for rather cheap/entry level cigars. My guess is they took the seal from that box and put it on this box of fakes. Others have more experience and can say whether or how often the barcodes are wrong from legitimate sources but that's my guess.

[Cjake75]

Said the bottom date which I just asked for was April 15. If that’s any help. 

[Cjake75]

For comparison. 

[El Presidente]

4 minutes ago, Cjake75 said:

Said the bottom date which I just asked for was April 15. If that’s any help. 

PM me where he bought them from and for how much. 

HSA verification code can throw out some outliers. However, you are dealing with one of the most faked cigars in the world. 

 

[El Presidente]

thanks for the PM 

100% fake 

[Cjake75]

23 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

thanks for the PM 

100% fake 

Well I can now smoke it and say if it was good or not and actually contribute to this thread. Lol

[Cjake75]

Follow up. Couldn’t help myself!!!  Very smooth. First third and second third. Second third got a bit spicy and still smoking. Ash fell off quite easily so could be some indication. Second third ash also fell with no effort.
 

[Bijan]

6 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

Real question: Do all havanas have that "volcanic" ash? I cannot remember a Cuban cigar that I have smoked that didn't...

I'm not an expert on ash, but I don't know anything about volcanos What colour or shade are you thinking of?

[Cjake75]

3 minutes ago, Bijan said:

I'm not an expert on ash, but I don't know anything about volcanos What colour or shade are you thinking of?

From what I’ve seen the Siglo has a whiter ash. I wasn’t expecting it to fall off quite as easily as it did. The Partagas ash was not as white but held and didn’t fall as easily. BTW no expert by far just observation. 

[Bijan]

1 minute ago, Cjake75 said:

From what I’ve seen the Siglo has a whiter ash. I wasn’t expecting it to fall off quite as easily as it did. The Partagas ash was not as white but held and didn’t fall as easily. BTW no expert by far just observation. 

Yes I was going to say the ash in your pictures (especially the third picture) looks too uniformly white-ish grey for a Cuban cigar, based on my limited experience.

[El Presidente]

Ridgy didge dodgy 

[Cubadust]

9 hours ago, Cjake75 said:

So friend of mine said he got this box of Siglo VI and was super pumped. This is just within the past few days. Just stopped over and he gave me two. Sealed box. Just opened while I was standing next to him. Looked up the box code when I got home and that’s what is coming up. Any ideas?

 

Hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like there's just a single cap?

 

 

[MrBirdman]

Ash is a dead giveaway, definitely not Cuban. Bands look real enough - I am curious to know whether @Elpresidente or others in the know can share any info on how accurately the holographic Cohiba bands are being faked, or whether there is significant diversion of the real ones. 

[Cjake75]

Took a few tooth brushes and tube of paste to knock the end taste out of my mouth. Walked in the room and the wife said I stunk so I know they are no goods!!!!

[Cigar Salute]

23 hours ago, Cjake75 said:

Said the bottom date which I just asked for was April 15. If that’s any help. 

If the box date was April 15, then the serial number alone would suggest foul play without even running it; especially on a cigar as popular Sig VI.  That's a late 18/early 19 - issued serial number. 

Also, the bands have been 100% faked at this point...UV marks, the whole nine.  Haven't seen the embossing look quite as good, but reputable source is your best protective measure by far.  There is no more "oh, well the band has this, I'm good".  They've copied the damn thing soup to nuts.  

[Bijan]

Has anyone seen fakes with the correct serial number/barcode? It seems with people posting pictures of boxes online with barcode numbers, and with their ability to forge the bands with holograms it wouldn't be much more trouble to copy the valid serial number onto a forged warranty seal...