Identity Needed

I stumbled on this interesting piece this morning and was curious if anyone here could help me in identifying it. The "box" is cut from a single piece of Spanish Cedar which has been bored out to hold the sticks inside and there is a place for a small humidifier in the lid. The sticks inside are simply banded "Montecristo Habana" and appear to be a standard non-embossed band.

There are six sticks (7x48? (I'm estimating the RG)) in the individual slots and in the larger slot there are two figurados (diademas or perfecto?)that are 7.5x60 tapering up to about 62 at the foot at which point the foot tapers down again but not to a pure point like the head. Again, I'm guessing on the ring guage but probablly close.

There are no other markings evident on the box that are readable.




Any info someone might have or a link to a research site would be great!

Thanks in advance

Danny


Edited to clarify the larger sticks are some sort of figurado.

Where'd you find this piece? Were I you, I'd do some immediate destructive testing on the sticks.

NullSmurf said:

Where'd you find this piece? Were I you, I'd do some immediate destructive testing on the sticks.

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I'm going to have to do that. It seems some of the sticks have a fine dusting of a white powdery substance on them.

I have never heard of such a thing. Where did you get it? The cigars are also a size I have never heard of before associated with Montecristo. Just based on the photos and your description, I would say whatever it is, it is not an official Habanos release. Looks like something you would find in a market in the Bahamas.....

Mike33 said:

I have never heard of such a thing. Where did you get it? The cigars are also a size I have never heard of before associated with Montecristo. Just based on the photos and your description, I would say whatever it is, it is not an official Habanos release. Looks like something you would find in a market in the Bahamas.....

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It was a gift and is at least two to five years old. Where the person who gifted it got it from I'm not certain, but I'll ask.

Mike33 said:

I have never heard of such a thing. Where did you get it? The cigars are also a size I have never heard of before associated with Montecristo. Just based on the photos and your description, I would say whatever it is, it is not an official Habanos release. Looks like something you would find in a market in the Bahamas.....

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Wow, that's what I thought as well. You can find all manner of odd vitolas (sizes) and odd packaging (e.g., leather-wrapped canister humidors) but invariably, they will contain counterfeits.

There are special packaging, of course, but none that I've ever seen like this. FWIW, the ES serial number prefix would put the boxing date around late 2003 early 2004 so this fits with the higher end of your age estimate. Non-embossed flat bands would also be appropriate for that time frame.

Wilkey

Thanks guys. Counterfeit sticks or not (and it seems they most likely are) the packaging is quite unique and worth keeping. Makes a great traveldor.

DesertRat said:

Thanks guys. Counterfeit sticks or not (and it seems they most likely are) the packaging is quite unique and worth keeping. Makes a great traveldor.

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Very cool piece.

That what I was thinking.

Will be interesting to see what others say.

Any chance to post pic of the cigars themselves.

Al