Expert: James Yee - 4/22/2009

Question
I am living and working in Haiti, and we have a contact that gets us San Cristobals at $100/box. The box is not sealed, but has all the proper labels brand new inside the box. Recently we acquired some La Punta and the first batch smoked fine, although there was a massive variation in sizes. The last box were a very dark colour (almost black), and did not smoke well. I have asked to be left off the supply list and argued with my friends that these must be factory rejects - would value your opinion on this. Thanks

Answer
Hi Anthony,

Your cigars are most likely counterfeit (fake Cuban cigars).  The fact that the cigars greatly vary in size is a strong sign that the cigars are counterfeit and poorly produced.  Also, your contact is selling the cigars for far below the normal price plus the labels are brand new and enclosed INSIDE the box instead of being applied on the outside of the box.  This is quite common with counterfeit/black-market cigars.

Habanos SA thoroughly sorts through all their cigars for quality control before supplying the regional distributors with them.  Cigars that do not meet their quality standards are not packaged and commercially sold as "factory rejects".

The official Habanos distributor for Haiti is CARIBBEAN CIGARS CORPORATION N.V. (www.habanoscaribe.com) so for genuine Cuban cigars, you should shop at cigar stores that are supplied by Caribbean Cigars Corporation.  If you are a business, you should only order your cigars from this distributor as you are guaranteed 100% genuine Cuban cigars.  Every region has only one official Habanos distributor and Carribean Cigars Corporation is the official Cuban cigar distributor for Haiti (personally appointed by Habanos SA).

Hopes 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