Expert: James Yee - 4/24/2008

Question
I have read your reply on the Costa Rican "Royal Habanos". Unfortunately I had ordered and paid for my order from Royal Habanos, and I am waiting for them to arrive (should be really soon).
I do have a question though; I ordered a box of Partagas Serie P No. 2, how would I be able to tell if they are genuine? Thank you.

Answer
Hi Antonio,

Usually a visual examination will be enough to spot out a counterfeit cigar.  Here's what to look out for:

- Packaging
Closely examine the box labels and their placement.  Sometimes counterfeiters can only replicate bad looking (poor printed) labels or misplace them on the box.
- Cigar bands
Counterfeit cigar bands are quite easy to spot.  Usually they're poorly cut, too large, lack detail printing, slightly different in colour or not embossed.  Compare them to genuine Cuban cigar bands and see if there is a major difference in the quality.  Genuine bands are also glossy w/foil printing.  Counterfeit bands usually use a poorer quality paper/printing and look either photocopied or incomplete.
- Cigar construction and Quality
Cuban cigar factories have a high standard for their cigars so any Cuban cigar will be well-rolled/perfect and thoroughly consistent in colour.  Know the cigars' real dimensions and compare them to your cigars.  In most cases, counterfeit cigars do not match a genuine cigars' dimensions because counterfeiters can not copy them perfectly.  Cigars in a box should all be consistent in colour and look uniform.  Partagas Series P is a high-end, premium cigar so the quality of the cigars should be almost perfect looking.

Of course, it's very possible for a counterfeiter to recycle genuine cigar boxes and bands to make their cigars look more authentic so if the cigars pass a visual examination, the next step is to taste the cigars.  If you have experience smoking Cuban cigars, you will know that Cuban cigars have a certain strength and flavour that non-Cuban tobacco can not copy so if you smoke a cigar and it doesn't taste like a Cuban cigar, it most likely isn't.  When smoking the cigar(s), examine the taste, ash and burn quality.  The cigars must have that typical Cuban strength and flavour.  The ash must be dark grey and solid.  White or yellow ash will indicate that the cigar is either using poor, low-grade Cuban tobacco (which would not be used in a premium Cuban cigar) or non-Cuban tobacco.  The ash should be firm and solid.  Loose, crumbly ash would indicate that it is short filler tobacco and premium cigars only use long filler tobacco (which allows the ash to hold for several inches before falling off on its own.)

Even though a counterfeit cigar can sometimes fool us visually, the proof is always in the taste.

Hope this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James