AboutJames 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 15 dedicated years of cigar smoking (an average 4 cigars a day) 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.
Question QUESTION: Hello there,first I will like to apologize because maybe you will consider this like a ofense but please be sure that is not,last month I was in habana and I found a person with 3 Humidor cohiba behike by the price of each of 5000 us,knowing all the history about this particular cigar I checked a few times all but they all look alike,so finally the seller told me that they knows the person that made the cigars and the workers capable of made the boxes and they went to work in this proyect until they finish the 3 humidor behike,considering the price of the original boxes I consider that at this price a box of cohiba behike even if is fake is a bargain,please what do you think about it,thanks for your time.
ANSWER: Hi Edo,
It's very likely that the cigars are NOT genuine. The Cohiba Behike is an extremely expensive cigar that was produced in a very small quantity (only 4000 cigars and 100 humidors produced; 40 cigars per humidor) so it doesn't make sense that the seller is selling three of these humidors - complete with cigars - for only $5000 US dollars each.
The original price of the Behike humidors (w/40 Behike cigars each) was over $18,000 US dollars per humidor. Since then, the price for these cigars have actually increased so it's hard to believe that these cigars are genuine Behikes being sold for only $5000.
I believe that the seller is trying to sell to you counterfeit Behike cigars. If the cigars were real Behikes, I don't think he would sell them for only $5000. These cigars are very likely counterfeit cigars and although they will contain Cuban tobacco, the tobacco is most likely low-quality tobacco grown by counterfeiters and/or independent tobacco farmers in Cuba.
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
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QUESTION: Yes ,he explain me that but remember that in cuba that is a lot of money,thanks for your anserw,thanks a lot,but I will buy one for me anyway just to show to mine friends that I have one jajaj
ANSWER: Hi Edo,
Even in Cuba, in the La Casa del Habanos stores (which is the official, authorized Habanos retailer), the price of the Behike humidor was still approximately $18,000.00 USD. $5,000 is simply too low and very suspicious. I don't believe the cigars are genuine.
Regards,
James.
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QUESTION: James that people in habana explain to me that,they said to me that was a copy but a very good one,you have to admit that there is not copy of this box around so make your maths, by the way I gave a 10 in the rating
Answer Hi Edo,
As you mentioned, the cigars are a "copy" which means that it's not genuine Cohiba. This also means that the tobacco is not the same quality as the tobacco used in the real Behikes.
As long as you understand that the cigars are not the genuine Behikes and just want to purchase it to impress your friends, that's perfectly fine.
Good luck with your purchase and thank you for the 10 rating. I really appreciate it.
If you have any more cigar questions in the future, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.