Cohiba : fake or real?

[Sunward]

Zee,

Still no sticks. Maybe Monday. That would put it at a week plus a few days.

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from my experience, (i live an hour away from Zee) USPS is about 7-10 days normal. (factor in 5 days for air, then 5 days for dog sled to the great white north :laugh: )

 

[AVB]

How about resizing those pics so we don't use up all of Rod's server resources.

 

[barney_rebel]

How about resizing those pics so we don't use up all of Rod's server resources.

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They are hosted elsewhere - so it would only bog down your desktop and not the server. That is perfectly ok.

 

[Ginseng]

I took apart one of the "pretty" fakes that Zee sent me. Here are the results. I know that he already posted photos of the rolled up leaves from one of the "ugly" ones, but I took this one step further. I soaked the leaves and then unrolled them and laid them out flat. It was my hope that this might reveal some insights based on a more exhaustive examination of the contents.

Here is a picture of the main filler leaves and the two binder leaves. You'll notice that the three big primary filler leaves are large and almost completely intact. The center section also seems to have the lower part of the main stem cut out. I have no idea of whether this is common practice but will do a little digging to see if it might be. The first thing that comes to mind is that why would counterfeiters go to the trouble of making three extra cuts? These three leaves also look to be different based strictly on color. The binders were also substantial and quite uniform. In other words, all indications suggest that this was decent quality tobacco that was well handled.

Here is a picture of the smaller filler leaves and the wrapper. The wrapper looks very fine, vein free and silky. Even among the smaller pieces, all of which are roughly triangular, there appears to be a variety of colors, suggestive of leaves taken from various positions on the plant or from different plants.

The tobacco smelled good, was resilient and took to handling well. There also appeared to be a distinct blending of leaves based, at least, on color. So, I'm puzzled. DId I just dissect a genuine Cohiba? Was this an exceptionally well-made fugazy? I won't know until I smoke one this Thursday.

One of the "ugly" ones was smoked already and the results were truly horrible. I don't know about this pretty one though.

Wilkey

 

[ML237]

I took apart one of the "pretty" fakes that Zee sent me. Here are the results. I know that he already posted photos of the rolled up leaves from one of the "ugly" ones, but I took this one step further. I soaked the leaves and then unrolled them and laid them out flat. It was my hope that this might reveal some insights based on a more exhaustive examination of the contents.

Here is a picture of the main filler leaves and the two binder leaves. You'll notice that the three big primary filler leaves are large and almost completely intact. The center section also seems to have the lower part of the main stem cut out. I have no idea of whether this is common practice but will do a little digging to see if it might be. The first thing that comes to mind is that why would counterfeiters go to the trouble of making three extra cuts? These three leaves also look to be different based strictly on color. The binders were also substantial and quite uniform. In other words, all indications suggest that this was decent quality tobacco that was well handled.

Here is a picture of the smaller filler leaves and the wrapper. The wrapper looks very fine, vein free and silky. Even among the smaller pieces, all of which are roughly triangular, there appears to be a variety of colors, suggestive of leaves taken from various positions on the plant or from different plants.

The tobacco smelled good, was resilient and took to handling well. There also appeared to be a distinct blending of leaves based, at least, on color. So, I'm puzzled. DId I just dissect a genuine Cohiba? Was this an exceptionally well-made fugazy? I won't know until I smoke one this Thursday.

One of the "ugly" ones was smoked already and the results were truly horrible. I don't know about this pretty one though.

Wilkey

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Good one Wilkey this is just like CSI: Havana :sign:

I had a few "really nice" looking Cohiba Esplendidos fakes that and tried smoking and just didn't find them pleasant enough to finish more then a half. After reading several investigating posts from other members (MMM, Moki to yours) I even soaked one attempting to dissect it but I was too grossed out try to meddle with it, besides I don't think I would end up with any enlightening or conclusive evidence to support my finding's. ???

 

[Zeebra]

I once held that cigar that Wilkey disected in my hand. *Sigh*, open to the public like this.

 

[Ginseng]

Hi Milan,
I hear you. This one looked like the beauty but may smoke like the beast.

Well Zee,
I've set the next smoking day to be this Thursday. I'll know for sure then.

Wilkey

 

[AVB]

I wanna see what it looks like after you put it back together. :whistling:

 

[Ginseng]

I wanna see what it looks like after you put it back together. :whistling:

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It's gonna be ugly...and a whole lot smaller. I'm thinking Siglo II size. :laugh:

 

[Strayvector]

Nice dissecting there, Wilkey. From my understanding and having watched a few rolled, even the filler in a real Cuban "long" filler is the length of the cigar and not in pieces like the one you took apart. So take comfort in knowing that you did not take apart a real Cohiba.

 

[Ginseng]

I just smoked one of Zeebra's pretty Siglo VI's and you can find the review here

Wilkey

 

[William Wonkum]

Thanks for all the information gentlemen. (Although I read it all in horror with sweaty palms) I bought a cigar a while back thinking it was a real Cuban Cohiba, but the guy pulled it out of a GLASS TOP box. :0 I paid $30 for it too. :angry: I guess thats what I get for being a newbie and not joining/reading from CP before. Now I know. I guess I should also be thankful it was only one and not more. PM me if you live in the Southern California area (specifically Orange County) and I'll write back with which a-hole cigar shop it was.

On my way to Cuba,
William

 

[Michal]

So, I've just saw this topic, checked all posts and dont saw anyone to spot it, but...
I think these Siglos has the same bands! They're just not cut correctly, and thay're all from the same fakes factory.
Thats why in one box there were 7 x 3spots and 8 x 4spots cigars.
Details on the pic.



And one more thing about Wilkey's Cohiba
As I understand first two ot top are Zee's and they have this white line, but...
this one on the bottom is genuine, right? but its band looks like is not printed correctly.
This golden outline is a little to high I think, and thats why there is a black line and a white line
Details on the pic.




Just my 0,002
pls someone let me know if I'm wrong :whistling:

 

[Zeebra]

My God, my fake Cohiba thread has been brought back to life over a year after it was started. I'm going to Cuba again this Saturday, I didn't need this little reminder of the pitfalls of buying Cubans... :whistling: This time I'm sticking to an official La Casa Del Habanos in Varadero (although I never purchased the fakes from this thread, the fact that my friend got them at the resort store left me a little worried) I'm going armed with ALOT more info this time, so I think I should do alright.

 

[cigar smoke]

Nice dissecting there, Wilkey. From my understanding and having watched a few rolled, even the filler in a real Cuban "long" filler is the length of the cigar and not in pieces like the one you took apart. So take comfort in knowing that you did not take apart a real Cohiba.

Hi Guys........It is correct that the filler tobacco is contructed with long filler and is normaly the length of the cigar.......Now having said that after the tobacco is bunched the roller squeezes the entire bunch (This is what a good roller does) If the bunch is too loose or too full tobacco is either added or removed. This is can be done in pieces (not full length tobacco) or as required to form a correct size bunch.......My point is all filler tobacco is not nesessarily long for this reason........Hope this clarifies things alittle........Bob

 

[grateful1]

Nice dissecting there, Wilkey. From my understanding and having watched a few rolled, even the filler in a real Cuban "long" filler is the length of the cigar and not in pieces like the one you took apart. So take comfort in knowing that you did not take apart a real Cohiba.

Hi Guys........It is correct that the filler tobacco is contructed with long filler and is normaly the length of the cigar.......Now having said that after the tobacco is bunched the roller squeezes the entire bunch (This is what a good roller does) If the bunch is too loose or too full tobacco is either added or removed. This is can be done in pieces (not full length tobacco) or as required to form a correct size bunch.......My point is all filler tobacco is not nesessarily long for this reason........Hope this clarifies things alittle........Bob

x2

Also - the I, too, have noticed 'cuts' in the tobacco on legit smokes. I presumed it was to remove stem.
I dissected a legit EspLendido because wanted to see what a REALLY Cohiba looked like.
Yea, pretty whacked, but you never know what the bad looks like until you've seen the good!!!

 

[Ginseng]

Nice dissecting there, Wilkey. From my understanding and having watched a few rolled, even the filler in a real Cuban "long" filler is the length of the cigar and not in pieces like the one you took apart. So take comfort in knowing that you did not take apart a real Cohiba.

Hi Guys........It is correct that the filler tobacco is contructed with long filler and is normaly the length of the cigar.......Now having said that after the tobacco is bunched the roller squeezes the entire bunch (This is what a good roller does) If the bunch is too loose or too full tobacco is either added or removed. This is can be done in pieces (not full length tobacco) or as required to form a correct size bunch.......My point is all filler tobacco is not nesessarily long for this reason........Hope this clarifies things alittle........Bob

Bob,
Excellent point and exactly right! There may be partial leaves but they will always be of good quality. There will never be fragments or pieces smaller than a playing card in cigars the size of a churchill.

Gary,
An Espléndidos?!?!? For god's sakes man!

Wilkey