Expert: James Yee - 5/24/2007

Question
Hi James,

Hope you're well. I've recently returned to Ireland from Cuba where I
purchased a box of Cohiba Esplendidos. I took these to a cigar retailer in
Dublin who verified that they were most likely not genuine. However he did
say, after close examination, that they were a very good fake having come in
the varnished cedar box, well presented and the correct length and width for
an Esplendido (178 mm long and 18 mm wide if I remember correctly).

He explained that label on the inside of the box was a fake, that there was an
inconsistency to the colour and texture of the roll and that the labels on each
cigar should be embossed. However he did remark that each cigar would
retail at about €12 (approx. $16) each, where a genuine Esplendido in this
shop sold for €36 (approx. $48) each.

In Cuba, I smoked a couple of them with a Cuban gentleman (not the man I
bought them from!) and he seemed to think that they were a pretty decent
smoke.

My question to you is are there certain degrees of fakeness when it comes to
Cohiba Esplendidos? Did I still manage to buy a pretty good smoke even if
they're not the real thing?

Also I picked up some local bodega cigars while in Baracoa, they're called "El
Cacique" and come from Guantanamo. Have you ever heard of them and how
would you rate them?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Brendan

P.S. I'm a novice cigar smoker

Answer
Hi Brendan,

Cohiba is the most counterfeited Cuban cigar brand in the world and yes, there are definitely levels of “counterfeit quality” among counterfeit cigars sold throughout the world.  (Coincidentally, Cohiba Esplendido is the most counterfeited Cuban cigar in the world.)  Some counterfeit cigars are blatantly easy to spot – even by novice smokers – while some counterfeit cigars are extremely convincing to the naked eye and almost hard to differ from the genuine cigars.  It sounds like you purchased a well-made box of counterfeit Esplendidos.  Many years ago, the best way to spot counterfeit cigars was to just look at the cigars and packaging but the counterfeit Cuban cigar industry has become so sophisticated that the only way to spot some fakes now (the extremely convincing ones) is by taste.  Counterfeit vendors can easily recycle genuine boxes and bands or even print counterfeit cigar bands with extreme detail but it’s hard to replicate a Cuban cigar brand’s “recipe” in the tobacco blend (filler tobacco) which is what makes Cuban cigars so recognizable and distinct from each other.

Counterfeit cigars do have a value and your local cigar retailer is correct, a good quality counterfeit cigar such as a fake Cohiba Esplendido can cost 1/3rd the price of a genuine Esplendido.  It’s not premium Cohiba tobacco but it’s still Cuban tobacco grown in Cuba and rolled into Churchill-sized cigars and that is still worth something.

The most important thing to remember is that even though they’re not genuine Cohibas, if you enjoy the cigars, they taste good and you didn’t pay a hefty price for them, then it’s not a loss.  It’s never a complete loss if you enjoy the cigars, they taste good and you’re satisfied with the purchase.

In regards to El Cacique, it’s a peso cigar and for the price, it’s a decent smoke.  They make great, inexpensive “everyday cigars” but they hold little aging potential and obviously can’t be compared to premium Cuban cigars in terms of quality and flavour.  For a peso cigar, they’re not half bad.

Hopes this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask.

Regards,
James