Impressive...But Fake

[mbflash80]

My boss bought these and thought he got a great deal. A very impressive box of fakes, the bar code runs as RyJ Churchills, but 15 pack Tubo.

[Chibearsv]

Those are really good looking cigars. I'd give 'em a try.

[Stevieboy]

They do indeed look really nice. The verification site is sometimes wrong and returns duff info. In my experience anyway. Does the seal fluoresce?

[BrightonCorgi]

2 hours ago, Stevieboy said:

They do indeed look really nice. The verification site is sometimes wrong and returns duff info. In my experience anyway. Does the seal fluoresce?

I don't trust the verification site. I thought the dress box Churchills have bit of box press to them? Those pictured look totally round. Just as @Chibearsv said I'd give them a smoke!

[mbflash80]

Does anyone know if TAP is a current code?

[MrFolgers]

2 hours ago, Stevieboy said:

They do indeed look really nice. The verification site is sometimes wrong and returns duff info. In my experience anyway. Does the seal fluoresce?

I agree, that site is probably last on my verification check list. If they're using prison labor to roll cigars lord knows where they're getting their IT department from. 

[mbflash80]

The guys there are more context then just this box...price, addition of "loose" cigars, etc. Trust me, it's 100% fake.

[mike nam]

Does the code below the barcode match the codes contained in the green wrapper?

[Çnote]

Microprint? Is TAP a current code?

I'm not an expert, the box code stamp looks quite crisp, but I don't see anything that screams fake. A minor for Cuba website mismatch isn't much to say these are fake.

[mbflash80]

The giveaway is that the box cost $700, bought from a cigar store domestically in USA.

[Ruggerpgh99]

31 minutes ago, mbflash80 said:

The giveaway is that the box cost $700, bought from a cigar store domestically in USA.

Yeah, dead giveaway before even looking at it. What in the What?

[JohnS]

2 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

Those are really good looking cigars. I'd give 'em a try.

I thought the same thing upon initial sighting!

41 minutes ago, Çnote said:

Microprint? Is TAP a current code?

I'm not an expert, the box code stamp looks quite crisp, but I don't see anything that screams fake. A minor for Cuba website mismatch isn't much to say these are fake.

Again, I thought the same thing.

32 minutes ago, mbflash80 said:

The giveaway is that the box cost $700, bought from a cigar store domestically in USA.

Okay, well that changes everything!

[Stevieboy]

17 hours ago, mbflash80 said:

The giveaway is that the box cost $700, bought from a cigar store domestically in USA.

Ah! If only you'd said that in the beginning!

[gormag38]

Wow, quite impressive fakes really. The provenance is the nail in the coffin for sure though. Good eye on whomever mentioned these sticks typically looking more box pressed too. I've found the same thing to be true of my Lusis and RAG 25 count dress boxes. 

[JohnnyO]

Mike...this is a recycled box. Notice the double green seal in the 3rd and 4th pics? TAP-Lazaro Pena, a countryside factory in Holguin. What did I win? John

[Cestis4]

I believe on the real Minsap sticker there is no mark above the 'o' in adiccion. 

[nKostyan]

Another nail in the coffin: there is no domestic market sales sticker valid from the beginning of 2025.

[ChicagoRob]

On 2/22/2026 at 4:44 PM, nKostyan said:

Another nail in the coffin: there is no domestic market sales sticker valid from the beginning of 2025.
 

Can you share this comment again in a different way? I am trying to understand what you’re saying and don't understand it within the context of this thread.

[nKostyan]

The warning about the dangers of smoking indicates that this box is for sale in the domestic market of Cuba. However, there is no additional green seal, which was introduced in early 2025.