Everybody enjoys a good Cuban cigar. Cuban cigars are the most coveted cigars, known worldwide for their smoothness and rich flavors. Cuban cigars are so prized that many illegitimate dealers have been known to sell fake knockoffs to unknowing cigar smokers. Bummer for them. How do you tell if what you have is a fake or a real Cuban? First, make certain that you purchase your cigars from a reputable dealer. Buying from your local tobacconist or a reputable mail order business is a safe bet. You don’t want to get them from some schmuck on EBay who claims they are the real deal.
If you are at a tobacconist shop and have an opportunity to buy a whole box of Cubans, take a close look at the box before making the purchase. You can tell a few things from the box. Here are a few tidbits of inside knowledge to help you spot the fakes from the real thing.
The easiest thing to examine is the cigar box. Authentic Cuban manufactured cigars will contain a green and white warranty seal on the left front side of the box. On that seal you will find an insignia that has a picture of a shield and a hat. In the upper right hand corner of the box, you should find a white sticker that is placed diagonally with the word ‘Habanos’ printed on it conspicuously. The overall appearance of the box should be neat and clean. If it looks like someone has been tampering with the box, it is a safe bet that they have. Don’t fall for it.
On the bottom of the box of cigars, you should find a heat stamp with the words ‘Habanos.’ The heat stamp should be melted into the bottom of the box. Counterfeits will use a regular rubber stamp or some other kind of way to simulate the real thing. You should also find a factory code stamp on the bottom. This label is normally stamped in blue, black or green ink. The factory code stamp tells you when and where the cigars were rolled.
If they’ll let you, open up the box and take a huge whiff. Cuban cigars will have a deep, rich aroma, unmistakable to experienced cigar smokers. They shouldn’t smell like cheap discounted foreign imported cigars. If it doesn’t smell right chances are you do not have a box of authentic cigars. Make sure the cigars are all facing the same way. The first or top row may appear slightly flattened. The caps on all the cigars should appear identical, and the foot of each cigar should be cut clean. The bands on all the cigars should also be identical, and should be arranged so that they face the same direction. If they look like they have been rearranged, then that is a tell tale sign that you’ve got a bogus box.
