Cigars/Monte #2
Advertisement
Question
Hi James,
I received a box of monte #2 for xmas and i was wondering if authentic. The box does have the Totalmente a mano - Hencho en Cuba burned into it, the raised Habanos sticker in top right corner and bottom left, the warranty seal.
The only thing that is missing is the production date which I have always seen on other Cuban cigar boxes.
What do you think?
Thanks
Hi Thomas,
A dress box without a boxcode is pretty suspicious. If the cigars are genuine, it's possible that the ink for the box code has completely faded off. It's also possible that the cigars are black market Cuban cigars which means that they're genuine but they were taken (ie: stolen) from the factory before the boxcodes were applied.
It's also possible that the cigars are 100% counterfeit. Even though the box may appear real, counterfeiters have been known to recycle and even steal genuine Cuban boxes and bands and apply them to their counterfeit cigars.
Regardless, I really can't confirm whether or not the box or cigars are authentic without examining it. Also, your best method to determining whether or not they're real is by smoking them so smoke one and see if it tastes and burns like an authentic Cuban cigar.
Regards,
James.
Related Articles
- Genuine Counterfeit Cuban Cigar - Review of Genuine Pre-Embargo 1958 Counterfeit Cuban Cigar
- Cigar Review of the Vuelta Abajo Cigar
- Bobalu Cigars - Review of 1998 Connecticut Shade Fresh Rolled Robusto Cigar
- Cigar Review of La Vieja Habana Cuban Corojo Cigars
- Healthy Veggie Cuban - Healthy College Cooking
James Yee
Expertise
My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".
Experience
I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.
Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)
Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.