Here's an interesting an relevant web site on Cuban counterfeit cigars:
http://www.shortcut-cigars.com/en/content/...feit_cigars.htm
• A friend back from Cuba gives you a box of Cohiba, Partagas, Montecristo, etc. at half the official price.
There's some serious chance that your cigars are not made by Habanos.
• You bought cigars directly from someone working at the factory?
This is not a guarantee. The cigars could be false as well.
• The dealer is a torcedor and he picked up your box directely at the factory.
Once again, this does not at all guarantee the authenticity of your cigars.
In Cuba, the trade of counterfeit cigars is very significant. Practically all cigars sold in the street are counterfeit merchandise.
Counterfeit cigars in Cuba too
The counterfeit cigar is also a problem in Cuba. The only way to get true cigars is to buy them at the official stores. Indeed, Havana hides many workshops producing counterfeits cigars and a huge network of retailers. Practically all the cigars resulting from these parallel networks are imitations.
Non-official Havana cigars made in the factory
Good to know: In Cuba, each torcedor can roll cigars for his personal use on his own time. He can do this at work and with his own tobacco. Thus, you could buy a box directly from a torcedor, at the entrance of the factory, and get counterfeit cigars.
How good or bad is an imitation?
A counterfeit cigar will not be inevitably bad; You can find various qualities on the parallel market. Some are not smokable, stuffed with paper and reject material, or quite simply badly rolled, and others can be done with cuban tobacco and of good quality.
The cost of a counterfeit cigar
Should you travel to Cuba or elsewhere, if you plan to buy cigars directly from someone at a very (too) attractive price, and through the non official market, the point is to buy these cigars for what they are (most probably imitations) and pay for your box accordingly. If you pay 30 $US a box, then okay, that's a good deal.
Why does a counterfeit cigar in Cuba should be different than official Havana cigars?
Just like some prestigious French wines, the Havana is the result of complex procedures and know-how. In all this process, let's just mention the selection of particular tobaccos by the expert of the factory, blend of 3 types of leaves (ligero, seco and volado) in a way that will give to the cigar its identity and a taste in conformity with the brand.
If I could have the opportunuty to take care of a single vine in the best French vineyard, I would not for sure produce an exceptionnal wine, even with the best conditions. The same applies to the counterfeit cigars in Cuba: You could find there some suitable and even tasty cigars, but keep in mind that they will be completely different than the brand printed on the box.
Yes you can buy some Cohiba, Montecristo or whatever from the grey market, but do not pay more than 20 or 30$ a box (and definitely not 300$!). Smoke your cigars for what they are: modest (and maybe interesting) cigars but not Espendidos
