Fake Tasting: Montecristo Edmundo

[Colt45]

First day back, and on the job straight away. Smoking a fake, and a poor one

at that, always willing to take one for the team.

You are to be commended.

[cls515]

That wrapper is dark. I can see the waxy character you are talking about. Heh. I've read good things about the Pet Edmundo. But, I've yet to try one. Hopefully you can post a review of the real one soon.

[SmokinLightning]

Hell, I wish my real Edmundos looked that good... lol

Bet mine taste better though!

Thanks for takin one for the team, Rob!

[Well Armed]

Sounds like a legit Edmundo to me! lol!!!!

[Tampa1257]

I have smoked about a dozen or so of the Edmundo, and the flavors you describe are the same that I have encountered and they have come from at least 5 different sources, including 2 LCDH's. The Edmundo is not a cigar that I have grown to like, and I feel that I have sampled a fair amount to make an informed decision. I have not had one that had a wax like type wrapper, but the flavors have all been bland, herbal and nothing like any other Montecristo I have smoked in 26+ years of cigar smoking. It could be real, but the Edmundo is NOT a cigar that I'll buy again because basically in my opinion they really do SUCK.

[Ken Gargett]

from the photos, it looks like either -

a) chocolate,

the ones you sold me.

[marco polo]

Thanks for the review! The pics in your reviews really help newbies

like myself learn alot.:-)

[El Presidente]

» from the photos, it looks like either -

» a) chocolate,

» the ones you sold me.

If I remember correctly....oh great reviewer....the Edmundo was one of your "discoveries" of 2006.

Do I need to cut and paste?

[El Presidente]

» from the photos, it looks like either -

» a) chocolate,

» the ones you sold me.

Oh let me remind you Ken on your last post regaring the Edmundo ;-)

i know that there has been some division on the forum over this cigar but i have always been a fan. tried another last night and while it was certainly not the best edmundo i have had, it was still a terrific smoke. have had two or three others of late that have even exceeded this one. had a few re-lit problems which didn't help this one but still richly flavoured with spice, citrus and hints of raisins. quite densely flavoured. from 04. anyone out there still to be convinced?

[Ken Gargett]

» » from the photos, it looks like either -

» » a) chocolate,

» » the ones you sold me.

»

» If I remember correctly....oh great reviewer....the Edmundo was one of

» your "discoveries" of 2006.

»

» Do I need to cut and paste?

not in the least - i think we have had a number of posts/threads whatever over the last few years where i have been a strong supporter of the edy and i remain so. and it was from pre 06, if i recall -shall i cut and paste (would if i could).

there seems huge variation in these or at least in the tastes of members. so far, mine have been positive, though i think i am down to my last couple. they came from havana very early (you may not have sold me anything that looks like chocolate, recently). what surprised me on the last visit to havana was that they were more expensive there than the monte 2's. be very interested to see what the situation is this visit. i must say that in those circumstances, much as i like the edy, i'd go for the 2's.

[dragon]

I've really enjoyed every Edmundo I've ever had, in fact, I would have to say it's my favorite in the Monte line along with the #5.

[greenpimp]

I have 2 boxes from 2005 and they both are GREAT. Rich and strong and full of flavor.

All the ones I tried from 2004 were very bland and forgettable.

[Ken Gargett]

» I've really enjoyed every Edmundo I've ever had, in fact, I would have to

» say it's my favorite in the Monte line along with the #5.

may i just say that yet again dragon shows the good tase that rob dreams about.

[Miami101]

Hi

El Prez

I pick up a few Montecristo Edmundo from you and they where great.

It is said to see these fakes..............

[Ginseng]

» A fellow FOH member recieved a box of these from overseas and after smoking

» one....believed all was not right. He forwarded one of the Montecristo

» Edmundo's up to me to smoke and perhaps confirm his suspicions.

»

» Construction was perfect. Cap, foot etc etc. Something was not right

» however and it was immediately apparent when I picked the cigar up. While

» not clear in the pictures, there was a distinct waxiness to the feel of

» the wrapper which I had never encountered before on a Cuban Puro. Putting

» the foot of the cigar to my nose the only aroma was a light green tea,

»

» The taste at cold was bitter and herbal. I fired up the foot of this

» interesting cigar to me met with a iodine like bitterness blended with

» fresh cut grass which remained for the best part of a third of a cigar. I

» almost pitched it but wanted to see if the cigar would come through with

» any redeeming feature.

»

» The body of the cigar was certainly medium. The flavour profile nothing

» like an Edmundo. The bitterness by the halfway point had dissipated. It

» was replaced with blandness...which let me tell you ....was an

» improvement.

»

» The interesting thing was tha ash which had a nice Cuban look. The

» crafters of these fakes are highly professional. These are not what you

» find as fakes in Havana. They are using what appeared to me to be an

» Dominican Wrapper and Mexican Filler however my specialty is not non Cuban

» cigars. These fakes have been aimed specifically at the international

» online market and are good enough to confuse 60% of that market.

»

» I got as far as the last third before I could go no further.

Rob,

Well done, mate!

From your description, this is an example of a cigar from a very large wave of counterfeits hitting the US shores. They are characterized by 1) excellent construction, 2) an undrying, glycerine feeling wrapper, 3) a pronounced bitterness underlying a monotonous leather/herbal/woody foundation. I have smoked several specimens which are incredibly consistent in these aspects.

The feel of the wrapper is a dead giveaway. It never dries out. Ever. I've had a disassembled wrapper here in an empty box in my basement for months and it still shows no signs of brittleness. Whereas, the wrapper from an earlier and different class of counterfeit has become quite fragile. I have a theory about this new wrapper.

I'd love to acquire one or more of these fake Edmundos for my research. Would you please pass on my request to the member who sent you this to see if he would be agreeable?

Best,

Wilkey

[El Presidente]

Shall do Wilkey.

The Edmundo was purchased by the member from a well known peddler of dubious product out of cyprus. There are some very good suppliers who ship out of Cyprus but these guys are not one of them.

What concerned me was the professionalism of this effort. This cigar from the outset was designed to outwit all casual Habanos smokers and I have no doubt that it would.

A lot of effort went into this cigar.

[Ginseng]

» Shall do Wilkey.

»

» The Edmundo was purchased by the member from a well known peddler of

» dubious product out of cyprus. There are some very good suppliers who ship

» out of Cyprus but these guys are not one of them.

»

» What concerned me was the professionalism of this effort. This cigar from

» the outset was designed to outwit all casual Habanos smokers and I have no

» doubt that it would.

»

» A lot of effort went into this cigar.

Thanks Rob. I appreciate it.

There are few things that the best of the counterfeiters get wrong with any regularity and with one recent change that Habanos has made, it's going to get a helluva lot harder to tell the real from the steal. I've recently come across a fake Cohiba that was physically indistinguishable from the real thing. In fact, and I say this with some chagrin, it was generally better looking and constructed than the reference.

The professionals are getting better, no doubt. But sometimes, you come across something that just makes you scratch your head and ask why. For example, this glass tubed RyJ Churchill.

Wilkey

[El Presidente]

A fellow FOH member recieved a box of these from overseas and after smoking one....believed all was not right. He forwarded one of the Montecristo Edmundo's up to me to smoke and perhaps confirm his suspicions.

Construction was perfect. Cap, foot etc etc. Something was not right however and it was immediately apparent when I picked the cigar up. While not clear in the pictures, there was a distinct waxiness to the feel of the wrapper which I had never encountered before on a Cuban Puro. Putting the foot of the cigar to my nose the only aroma was a light green tea,

Clipped the end to find an excellent draw which was no real surprise looking at the obvioulsy quality of construction ( cruel people would say this quality would also signify a fake )

The taste at cold was bitter and herbal. I fired up the foot of this interesting cigar to me met with a iodine like bitterness blended with fresh cut grass which remained for the best part of a third of a cigar. I almost pitched it but wanted to see if the cigar would come through with any redeeming feature.

The body of the cigar was certainly medium. The flavour profile nothing like an Edmundo. The bitterness by the halfway point had dissipated. It was replaced with blandness...which let me tell you ....was an improvement.

The interesting thing was tha ash which had a nice Cuban look. The crafters of these fakes are highly professional. These are not what you find as fakes in Havana. They are using what appeared to me to be an Dominican Wrapper and Mexican Filler however my specialty is not non Cuban cigars. These fakes have been aimed specifically at the international online market and are good enough to confuse 60% of that market.

I got as far as the last third before I could go no further.