Expert: James Yee - 7/20/2010

Question
i have recently been afforded an opportunity to purchase a box of 2003 limited edition cohibas and was curious how to tell if they are real. i am currently serving in Iraq and my favorite cigar shop here on post regularly sells Cubans. i would defiantly purchase them for the price given if they are real, but seeing what they would sell for in the states is what has me second guessing she wants only 250 per box over here. and that has me a little hesitant to buy please let me know if you can how to spot a fake.

Answer
Hi Jacob,

The first thing you should do is examine the cigars.  In 2003, the only Cohiba Edicion Limitada cigar was the double corona.  These cigars are packaged in a beautifully varnished hardwood "boite-nature" cigar box.  There are 25 cigars in the box and they each measure 7.6 inches in length and have a 49 ring gauge.  This box would also include a plain, outer cardboard box that has all the warranty seals and cigar box labels.  (For high-end varnished boxes, Habanos doesn't put the labels and warranty seals on the hardwood boxes.)  If these cigars are packaged in a regular cedar dress box, don't buy them.  

As you may know, both the Cohiba band and Edicion Limitada band are embossed and evenly printed and cut.  If one or both bands do not have raised lettering and dots or the printing looks crooked, it's fake.  Under a black light, the green warranty seal should reveal a hidden image and the red serial number should appear flourescent in colour.  The lettering on the Habanos chevron sticker in the upper corner should be glossy and slightly raised.

For pictures and info about the 2003 Cohiba Edicion Limitada double corona, look here:
http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand.aspx?brand=Cohiba#59_Edici|on_Limitada

Also, it's important to remember that Cohiba only released ONE Edicion Limitada cigar in 2003; the double corona.  There are Internet retailers selling a 2003 Cohiba Piramides Edicion Limitada cigar.  This is 100% fake.  The only years Cohiba released a Piramide Edicion Limitada are in 2001 and 2006 (re-release) and these cigars will have the 2001 or 2006 Edicion Limitada band.  If your cigar shop has a box of 2003 Cohiba Edicion Limitada Piramides or any other 2003 Cohiba Edicion Limitada cigar other than the double corona, don't buy it.

$250 for a box of 2003 Cohiba Edicion Limitadas is very low... and suspicious.  In 2003, a genuine box of these cigars sold for an average retail price of $1100 USD (In Cuba, these cigars sold for around $600 USD a box) and I can only imagine the price of these now-discontinued cigars being even higher today.  If this box cost $600 in Cuba back in 2003, how can it only cost $250 now?

Is the cigar shop an authorized Habanos retailer?  The appointed Habanos SA distributor for Iraq is Phoenicia Trading.  You can contact Phoenicia to check if that retailer is reputable or not.  

Here is the contact info for Phoenicia:

Phoenicia Trading A.A. LTD.
249 Lophitis Business Center, 28 October Street, 5th Floor, 3035 Limassol, Cyprus
Phone: +357 25 871008
Fax: +357 25 818598
Email: info@phoenicia.com.cy
Website: www.phoenicia.com.cy

The distributor is based in Cyprus but they're also responsible for supplying genuine Cuban cigars in the Middle East.  There is only one Habanos-appointed distributor for the Middle East so if a cigar shop in Iraq says they get their Cuban cigars from another Iraqi distributor (or a Habanos distributor in another country), be suspicious.

I hope this helps!  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James