Are Cuban Cigars at Cruise Ports Real or Fake?
Cruiser5
Posts: 17 ✭✭
Howdy, enthusiasts. I was told by another cigar aficionado on my latest cruise to never buy Cubans that the locals are peddling at any of the ports (in the western Caribbean, at least) because they aren't actually Cuban. Nearly all of them are Cohiba and are offered to you in glass top boxes or in sealed boxes of five. I'd like to know what the helpful and knowledgeable community here thought about this. Thank-you.
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Cruiser5
Posts: 17 ✭✭
Aah, that's the "authorized dealer" Calvin is referring to. That's a big help. Thank you.
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So, assuming this isn't a troll post (which honestly would be hilarious if it was) anything that comes in a glass top box is not a real Cuban.
The rule of thumb is that if you did not buy it from an actual authorized distributor, it's fake. It doesn't matter what story the guy selling the cigar tells you about his cousin who smuggled them out or whatever, it's fake. It's always fake if it's not from an actual authorized retailer. If you see someone go into an authorized retailer, come out 5 minutes later, and offer to sell you what he just bought, even that's fake. They're all fake.
The only exception is if a family member or friend who doesn't know better gives you a "Cuban". In that case, it's real if they're asking you about how you like it or something like that, because it's the thought that counts, and you should treat it as if it's real. Don't ask them where they bought it and plant seeds of doubt in their mind, just let it be a mystery to you. If you smoke it and it isn't good, don't tell them.
Just my 2 cents.
If you’re in that part of the world only buy them from a Habanos S.A. shop. If not, like Calvin said, they’re fake.
I heard they're fakes coming right out of the Cohiba factory.
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.
Yeah, sweepings of tobacco and hair off the factory floor.
Goat hair at that, the horror....
Rule of thumb is that if it's cuban, it's fake. If it's not cuban, it's fake. It's fake.
But, what about Opus?
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
I saw in an interview that the head of Fuente saves all his Opus cigar bands to prevent counterfeiting.
I’m lost. How does that help?
Keeps people close to you from taking the bands and putting them on cigars and selling them as Opus, I guess. I don't know, I thought it was an odd, paranoid comment. I guess it's like counterfeit Cuban cigars coming off the factory floor, an inside job.
Arturo Fuente had a whole trailer of cigars stolen a few years ago, though, that sucked.
Well, if they’re stolen off the rolling floor in a Cuban factory they’re real Cuban cigars. What people do is take shìtty cigars and print bands to make them look real.
But with another one of their infamous shortages happening again I wouldn’t be surprised for people to start finding counterfeit opus cigars floating around.
They may be Cuban, but they may not be authorized, may not be rolled right, may have floor sweepings, etc.
Apparently, counterfeit Opus X were big in '97 and probably continue today.
Fake. Definitely fake.