Just a few flags on these Winnies

[El Presidente]

 

A complete box, A gift from my family, keep well in a humidor, any questions, ask me, and I do not accept the return, thank you!

 

 

 

[sho671]

Where are you finding these?

[El Presidente]

1 minute ago, sho671 said:

Where are you finding these?

2-3 euro auction sites. 

it keeps me entertained 

[NSXCIGAR]

To be fair, the seller isn't claiming they're genuine.

[rcarlson]

Looks like his family doesn't think much of him.  

[Habana Mike]

Did those bands sit out in the sun for a year or two?

Appropriate for pre-2006 though can't tell with no box stamp/date code.

Box itself is a fairly well done replica.

Hard pass!

[Smatthews607]

I have been looking for a quality box of aged Sir Winnies at a reasonable price for a bit now. I bid $5. Just email me when you are ready for my shipping information.

[Fugu]

1 hour ago, Habana Mike said:

Did those bands sit out in the sun for a year or two?

Looks like it survived a ship wreckage to me. ?. Bands looking more ‘leached’ rather than ‘bleached’. Might also explain the missing of stamp and warranty seal. A bloody shame.

There’s actually nothing that would scream fake to me. More a case of gross negligence (seriously gross).

[NSXCIGAR]

Normally I'd say these are suspicious but the wax strip and Habanos notice are there. These are the real deal folks.

[WalterG]

Interesting... fake winnies not Cohibas.

[El Presidente]

They resemble cigars that have been left next to a glass pane with plentiful sunlight. Either that or someone needed to change the ink cartridge in the photocopier 

Casual look shows cigar lengths vary by a considerable amount. Optical illusion?

No box code = a 1 in 100 box or thereabouts. 

Timber box ox itself is in good condition. I doubt it is the original box. 

so,  poor condition of the cigars + faded bands + odd lengths + no box code  = highly doubtful in my eyes. 

 

[Meklown]

Cigars seem loose in the box but the bands seem to fit snugly. If the cigars shrank over time the bands should also be loose? 

[Fugu]

8 hours ago, El Presidente said:

No box code = a 1 in 100 box or thereabouts.

True, but there is a big water spot where the box code stamp is supposed to be. Very likely been washed away.
 

8 hours ago, El Presidente said:

They resemble cigars that have been left next to a glass pane with plentiful sunlight.

Similar look for sure, But what is head scratching, he's presenting us the top as well as the lower row. If a bleaching effect due to light, then hard to explain for the lower layer. Plus, if radiation (bar ionizing ) were the cause, only the exposed face of the bands would show colour fading. Also, one can see that there is some "blotchiness" in the bands' discolouration. eg. most pronounced at those points where the band flaps are glued, there's some more residual stain of the original colour been retained. With an effect of light it'd be more even. The wrappers, in particular at and near the heads show some suffering too, and finally the underside of the box shows some pronounced water markings in the wood as well (lower / right hand edge).

5 hours ago, Meklown said:

Cigars seem loose in the box but the bands seem to fit snugly.

There is only 12 sticks in the top row. Bands will be loose and slide, but not overly loose (see below), if held in proper condition. Pics might give a false impression, depending on actual lighting.

My best guess is - it had been an accident of sorts, like an extended period of "free water" / cigars flooding (humidifyer unnoticedly gone south - why is there a water blotch on the outer cardboard / wood?), been stored near Fukushima, or perhaps some chemical fume, deriving from the storage environment (fogging furniture or the like?) that lead to that horrible aspect. I still don't spot any dead giveaway that would lead me to suspect "fake". Just a poor bloke it seems. Either way, a case for the bin. 

Just for the fun of it, took some pics of a "cared for"  2003 box:

 

[The Squiggler]

but they have the 'garantia de calidad' sticker...  The quality is guaranteed

[Unconventional]

Greetings, fellow Havanaphiles.  I've been wondering when I might try to join this gang of galavanting gourmonds, and perhaps this is a good chance.

While we can all reach our own conclusions about the (possibly) sun dried box posted by El Prez, I thought I'd add some photos of a box which has been in my cooler, waiting to one day begin the process of being destroyed by fire.  Who the heck knows when that will be.

But the key thing which I noted is that perhaps it's not just 1 out of a hundred which won't have a date stamp on the box.  As Fugu noted, for the Winnies, the date stamp could well have been on the bottom of the outer card board box as seen in the photo attached here.  These are ENE 01.  

For the heck of it, I took a few photos of the rest of the packaging.  Maybe the pics will help someone reach a conclusion about the dream box posted by Rob.

That said, it's a pleasure to be able to post here; the expertise and collegiality on this board has been enjoyable to watch over time, and I am glad to say hello.

All the best,

Unc.

 

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Unconventional said:

Greetings, fellow Havanaphiles.  I've been wondering when I might try to join this gang of galavanting gourmonds, and perhaps this is a good chance.

Welcome Unc!

[El Presidente]

6 hours ago, Fugu said:

My best guess is - it had been an accident of sorts, like an extended period of "free water" / cigars flooding (humidifyer unnoticedly gone south - why is there a water blotch on the outer cardboard / wood?), been stored near Fukushima, or perhaps some chemical fume, deriving from the storage environment (fogging furniture or the like?) that lead to that horrible aspect. I still don't spot any dead giveaway that would lead me to suspect "fake". Just a poor bloke it seems. Either way, a case for the bin

You are probably right  

My hesitancy on water damage of the sticks themselves  is that I have seen the effects first hand when a pipe blew in the humidor. It is u g l y and the cigars are well and truly imprinted/stained and it is obvious to all even when they are dried out..and they never dry out in a uniform manner. 

I can't shake the thought that something "fishy' is going on here......excuse the pun 

[Fugu]

10 hours ago, El Presidente said:

It is u g l y and the cigars are well and truly imprinted/stained and it is obvious to all even when they are dried out..and they never dry out in a uniform manner. 

Yup, that’s still puzzling.

10 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I can't shake the thought that something "fishy' is going on here......excuse the pun 

Although a somewhat hurting use of the word, I think we can agree on that.  ?

[Doctorossi]

Does anyone have any knowledge of faked Winnies, otherwise? They strike me as something that I might think would be faked, but I don't recall ever hearing about them actually being faked.