Buenos dias a todos!

I have been a cigar lover for many years and finally visited Cuba for the first time in my life where I bought three boxes of cigars, not from a store.  One Cohiba Esplendidos, one Churchill and one Partagas 8-9-8.  All three magnificent presentations with all the earmarks of authentic Cubanos: boxes, labels, notched cedar inner cover, correct clasps, beautifully rolled, consistent color wrapper, etc..

I find interesting all of the “experts” that say everybody knows somebody who can get cigars in Cuba and they are always, always, fakes.  What are these people basing this skepticism on? 

Let’s first take into consideration manufacturing: It is damn hard, even in rich countries to produce beautiful boxes and all of the components of its presentation, not to mention the printing for example, of the gold raised letters of the Cohiba band.  Rolling the cigar itself takes expertise. Finally, good Cuban tabacco is very distinctive and if you have smoked the store bought “authentic ones” for a few years, it would be hard to be fooled. 

Who are these counterfeiters?  Cubans have no money with the exception of very special cases.  Now, why would anybody with money risk a severe prison term for being caught counterfeiting?  Isn’t it more logical to assume that boxes disappear from factories rather than having your property filled with manufacturing equipment if you could buy it on a $25 a month salary?  Don’t forget the citizen-police surveillance on every street corner in Cuba.

I once smoked a fake Cohiba and it was horrible at the first puff, but whether it came from Cuba or not I don’t know.  The flavor of all three brands that I purchased in Cuba are as good as I have ever had and the presentation is correct in every detail as shown on various cigar sites.  If any of these qualities were “off” I would suspect that they’re fake, but they have no imperfections.

If the “experts” still want to contend that all these $35.00 a box cigars are fakes, fine, I’ll take a truck load.

I think you are the exception to the rule. Sure cigar rollers might take home one or two cigars but you have to wonder about the quality control.

Check out our comprehensive review of fake vs. real Cohibas.

I don’t know what other people’s experiences have been, but I believe you. 

My argument has more to do with counterfeiting in general than cigars per se.  When I see the Government labels with adhesive backs in the box with perfect printing, all the different layers of the presentation, the immaculate boxes… It takes big money to produce this things and after seeing Cuba, I don’t understand who could pull it off.

By the way, I am fluent in Spanish and was with a Cuban, if that made any difference.