Ramon Allones help

[glaesthetic]

Not sure if this is the appropriate place for this post or not....While looking through pictures on the forums I have noticed variations in RA bands. The picture below is from another site, and is an extreme example. The image on the left is actually claimed a fake, but this is the only side by side comparison I could find. I have seen variations that range everywhere in between the 2 pictured. From almost no embossing with a muddled crest, to very highly detailed examples. My question is, is this normal? Any help would be appreciated.

[Trevor2118]

I would agree the the left hand band is probably a fake, as Ramon Allones bands (in general) always have good embossing.

The newer band (shown as standard band D on my website) is new and is very crisp.

The previous bands are only marginally less crisp.

The difference is that the older band C has Habana / Habana to the band sides, where as the new band has Habana / Cuba to the side bands. This detail can only be seen when the band is flattened out.

Earlier bands can be seen at Visit My Website Click on the images to see a larger image

[Ginseng]

I would agree the the left hand band is probably a fake, as Ramon Allones bands (in general) always have good embossing.

The newer band (shown as standard band D on my website) is new and is very crisp.

I disagree on the first point. RA bands have been some of the most emboss-less bands made in recent years. The worst cases are nearly flat and very muddled. I agree on the second. The new band that came out on the Ramon Allones Estupendos RE (IIRC) were and are fabulously, beautifully crisp, but also different in appearance.

Wilkey

[jeromeroselli]

Almost all of my RA have very little embossing and the ones that do are all a little different, none of them nearly as perfect as the examples trevor listed. With Cuban cigars... band consistency as we've seen here sometimes changes and in a lot of cases can be a lot different from each other.

The cigar on the left in the first pic looks to have a weird cap which would be more of a fake giveaway than the band.

[mkz]

I disagree on the first point. RA bands have been some of the most emboss-less bands made in recent years. The worst cases are nearly flat and very muddled.

I´m with Wilkey.

Got one box of RASS from a very trustful source with them butt-ugly bands. The cigars however is smoking superb!

[Don Candido]

Hi Guys,

I don't think this has much to do with brand. On those bands with raised letters and artwork, they simply are not consistent. This is not true (or as true) with flat bands (like Cohiba). And yes, some releases with raised artwork look 100% beautiful on the bands. But the plain fact of the matter is - quality control, particularly on boxes, bands, humidors, etc. in Cuba is horrible. They have been improving, but there is still much more to be done.

Further, I always go back and forth in my mind about using bands as a determinant. Sure, if they are clearly, clearly fake that means something. But remember, if you are dealing with counterfeit smokes, you are dealing with people who would likely prefer to buy real bands out the back door of a factory, than to make their own... A perfect and 100% legit label does not equate to a legit smoke.

Cheers,

[FlyFishingDude]

I concur the bands can be misleading as the quality control is not the best. But what grabs me is the cap looks a little too rounded instead of squared off.....How's they smoke??

[jacksfull]

I guess there is good and bad to knowing there are fakes out there. The good is that you're on the lookout for fakes. The bad is that you sometimes find yourself questioning the real ones.

I had a few RA Petit Coronas bought in a cigar shop in Hong Kong about 10-years ago. The bands were flat pea-green where they should have been satin gold and had light, misplaced embossing . At the time it never occured to me that anyone would bother to fake a cigar like that one, especially outside the US. I happened to have pulled out the last one, of the three I bought, and smoked it just last night. On close inspection, and knowing what I know now, it was certainly a fake. Badly scanned band, no triple cap and slightly larger ring size than the real RAPC's from another legitimate box purchase (discontinued 2002). Still, the fake smoked OK... not phenominal, but OK. Final 1/3 convinced me that it was probably of Cuban origin, just not the real factory product.

In retrospect I feel like an idiot for falling for such an obvious fake. OTOH, I guess it's preferable for fakes to be obvious. I feel for the OP. If that's a fake, it's very difficult to tell.