Diplomaticos #2 & VR Unicos


davenoh

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Good afternoon (depending on your time zone).

I'll try not to get too wordy, but I'll probably fail miserably so bare with me.  I'm a relative noob when it comes to CC purchases, and I've been out of the online cigar purchasing for a few years now.  Recently I picked up a box of Diplomaticos #2 and VR Unicos from a guy in another cigar related group.  By appearances, everything looked legit, but a couple things don't add up.  Issue #1, there's a box date stamped on the bottom of each box, but no factory code.  Is there always a factory code even with the warranty seal bar code? Perhaps the bar code has nothing to do with factory info, only seller/purchaser tracking?  This new bar code thing is new to me.  The bar code brings me to my 2nd issue. The bar code number indicates a different cigar than what is actually in the boxes. LOL  Yeah...red flags.  One box matches Montes, while another box is for Partagas.  At this point, I know you're saying to yourself, "well, yeah, these aren't legit AT ALL."  Without going into the discussion I had with the seller regarding the issue, and his reply, of course he had a simple explanation, which I can include if you like, once I opened the boxes the cigars looked (and smelled) authentic...to me anyway.  I even shared the pics of the boxes (without factory codes), and the cigars themselves with someone in another cigar group who is recognized as a go-to person to ask about all things Cuban cigars, and at first glance he was saying "100% legit" ....until the bar code issues came up. He may even be a member here so I don't want to throw him under the bus, as I appreciate his guidance in this issue.  It's just that part of me is wondering if maybe they are real.  The guy I bought the cigars from lives in Miami, and goes to Cuba frequently, like every couple of weeks bringing back various cigars that he's picked up.  Heck, he may even be a member here at FOH...I don't know.  He would share pics to this other cigar group of the cigars (and rum) he brought back while in Cuba.  Members of this other group regularly post what they're smoking, and almost daily someone is selling/auctioning off various cigars, including CC's from time to time.  They run/moderate a pretty tight ship in the group, and verify/approve every sale/auction that's put up. However, I didn't buy these from a sale that was posted to the group.  I merely sent the guy a private message after he posted some pics, asking him if he had plans to sell any of them, which he did plan to sell all of it.  I had contacted him once or twice before on other posts of his, but wasn't in the market to purchase anything at the time.  I posted pics of these cigars on the other group and some guys were saying they were real before the post got locked (due to no "real vs. fake" post allowed in the group).  So that's why I'm posting here just to get more confirmation.  If they're fake, so be it. Lesson learned.  Surprisingly, to me anyway, the guy I bought them from is still replying to my messages, and has even offered to send my money back if I ship the boxes back to him.  I tried smoking 1 cigar from each box, and neither brand tasted good at all.  I tossed both before I could get through the first 1/3 due to the taste.  I had smoked a real Diplomaticos with similar age only a few days earlier, and really enjoyed it, but this "fake" didn't taste anything like the real one.  In fact, the Unico tasted kind of like the "fake" diplomaticos, just as bad.  I cut a couple open looking to see what was inside, expecting short filler, and scraps, but it didn't look too awful (with my untrained eye).

Sorry for rambling on.      

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Should have a factory code. I ran the serial # for the Dip 2 box at the Habanos S. A. site. Comes from a box of Partagas Serie D No 6..  The seal is real but the smokes are fake. Sorry my friend. I would get my money back if possible.

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34 minutes ago, Kbb said:

I don't recall ever seeing a date code that is 4 digits, i.e. 2016.  

Yup, Good Catch. 1 box without a factory code, maybe. 2 in the same purchase, plus the mismatched serial numbers. Not a chance. I saw some very similar looking boxes of esplendidos, COROs, and Partagas sd4s in an apartment in centro Habana that remind me of these, so close, but no cigar. I have a feeling most, if not all of the packaging originated in the right place. but its mismatched. The date stamp would be much easier to get your hands on then the fake factory codes stamp as well. I would certainly ask for a refund on what you havent smoked.

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So are all date codes only 2 digits?  I know all the boxes I've seen are 2 digits, but I never really gave the 4 digit date much of a thought.  PIcs of box codes and dates were never sent to me.  I was told the date, but that's the extent of it.  Yet another lesson learned for me.

 

By the way, the real cigar in my side by side comparison above is the cigar on the right.

 

Thanks guys.

Dave.

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22 hours ago, davenoh said:

So are all date codes only 2 digits?  I know all the boxes I've seen are 2 digits, but I never really gave the 4 digit date much of a thought.  PIcs of box codes and dates were never sent to me.  I was told the date, but that's the extent of it.  Yet another lesson learned for me.

 

By the way, the real cigar in my side by side comparison above is the cigar on the right.

 

Thanks guys.

Dave.

Yea a genuine date code will have the 3 character factory code on top of the date code. Date code is 3 character for month and last 2 digits of the year. 

At best, these may be a cuban cigar but not genuine diplo or robania. Me personally id be pissed and want my money back but thats your call. On this other board or where ever, did you try to see if he had people backing him or had positive reviews? 

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6 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

Fakes, no doubt. Two major red flags is enough. Get your money back.

This.

I actually think I know who the guy you're referring to is, if he's the same one that sold more then a few boxes of Monte 80 a few weeks back.

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definitely................too wordy..........

you have 2 boxes with perfect seal placement and misplaced transit seals.

incorrect codes and Cuban warning stickers.

all the red flags, and I bet you paid less than market. 

would like a pm with this vendor's info please.............

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  • 2 years later...
On 2/22/2017 at 12:13 AM, Kbb said:

I don't recall ever seeing a date code that is 4 digits, i.e. 2016.  

thats the only thing that gave it away for me

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