Member email. fake Monte 5?

[El Presidente]

Question for members. 

Have you come across fake half corona/perla/minuto?   

Appreciate your input 

 

" Rob have you ever seen a box of fake half corona, minuto or perla? I only ask because I have a friend who has been to Cuba and is lokoing to sell boxes of  Montcristo Number 5 for $85 each.  It seems too cheap to me. I know there are fakes in Cuba but have you personally come across fake Montecristo 5 or similar?

[nKostyan]

Times are changing. After seeing the fake RyJ Coronitas en Cedro, it's hard to surprise me...

[NSXCIGAR]

In Cuba I suppose I couldn't rule it out. Not a lot of money to be made at $85 though. I can't recall seeing fake Monte 5 before but I'm sure it exists. 

Last I saw any prices in CUC Monte 5 was about $110. 

[El Presidente]

Flipping the question slightly. 

 

What is the cheapest box faked that you have come across? Would love to see some pics if you have them. 

[nKostyan]

[Bijan]

I asked this question last year and Monte 4 was the bottom end. Now @ATGroom says he has seen JLP and Quintero fakes!

[Mr. Japan]

Rob years ago, I think 2015 or 16 I was offered in Cuba fake Cohiba Siglo I and fake Cohiba Secretos.

[cnov]

I had a box of Monte 5 earlier in the year that looked very suspect, was only a 10 box but the QC obviously didn't happen. I didn't take any photos but the bands were all over the place and a few had mould over the wrapper and foot.

I've smoked a couple from the box and they were great, so no other complaint apart from the fact that they looked like they'd come out the back end of a dog.

[Toast & Taste]

When they start faking Vegueros, we will have reached terminal velocity. 

 

Big Al 

[JC67]

Picked up a fake box of Monte 5s from Singapore airport DF some years ago... 

tasted absolutely disgusting and that was all i had to smoke during my trip... super let down.

made me realize that i cannot rely on Duty Free for my holiday smokes.

[Meesterjojo]

I've seen a box that had the top layer looking good and the bottom sticks were unbanded and looked scrappy.

Never got a refund, either. That was this year back in February when I was getting into Cubans. 

[ATGroom]

17 hours ago, Bijan said:

I asked this question last year and Monte 4 was the bottom end. Now @ATGroom says he has seen JLP and Quintero fakes!

Not actually seen the boxes, but a well known ring of Chinese fakes websites list JLP Brevas, Cazadores, and Conservas, along with Quintero Brevas, Favoritos, Londres Extra. Panetelas, and Petit Quinteros.

They also list Cohiba Mini White, Montecristo Club, Montecristo Joyitas, Montecristo No.5, PSD6, Fonseca Delicias, and HUHC.

Plus some oddball stuff like Upmann Noellas that I wouldn't have thought was worth faking.

I don't think there's any such thing as "too cheap to fake" or "too small to fake" anymore.

[Bijan]

5 minutes ago, ATGroom said:

I don't think there's any such thing as "too cheap to fake" or "too small to fake" anymore.

It's not over until we see some guants 

But yeah you're right

[NSXCIGAR]

7 minutes ago, ATGroom said:

They also list Cohiba Mini White, Montecristo Club, Montecristo Joyitas, Montecristo No.5, PSD6, Fonseca Delicias, and HUHC.

This might be to appear to offer a "full range" since it kind of became common knowledge that most fake websites don't sell ICT, petacas and lower-end brands. 

Or maybe they've figured out people are more comfortable spending <$100 so give them something to buy. Why ignore an entire market segment?

Not sure why you'd think Noellas wouldn't be worth faking. Worldwide price on them is about $350. 

[mprach024]

Go to Cabo, DR, Jamaica, etc, all the resorts, malls, shops are full of fake everything 

[ATGroom]

2 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

This might be to appear to offer a "full range" since it kind of became common knowledge that most fake websites don't sell ICT, petacas and lower-end brands. 

Or maybe they've figured out people are more comfortable spending <$100 so give them something to buy. Why ignore an entire market segment?

Not sure why you'd think Noellas wouldn't be worth faking. Worldwide price on them is about $350. 

Yes, definitely possible that they're not actually for sale and are just listed for 'full line seems more legit' purposes. Upon closer inspection, all of the cheapies except the Quintero Panetelas, Vegueros Entretiempos and Tapados are currently listed as "out of stock." As are the Noellas.

I guess I would think Noellas aren't worth faking just because the technical complexity of doing so, ie, need to source the jars, vs the comparatively small worldwide market for them.

Am kinda tempted to buy a box of the Panetelas just to see what I get... just don't want to have to pay the Australian tax, which is bad enough on legit Quintero, let alone fake ones.🙄

[Andy04]

Some idiot once tried selling me a a 3 pack of "tubos" that looked like these

 

I know better as I know that real Cohiba tubos should look like this...

[amberleaf]

I've seen fake boxes of RyJ Mille Fleurs in Cuba. I even smoked one, it was distictly Cuban with the RyJ flavour profile, so my guess is they were 'real' cigars that exited the factory via the back door, or rolled at home by a torcedor doing some unauthorised overtime.

 

[cnov]

This was the suspect box of 10, pretty certain it was just very poor quality control rather than fakes though.

Bands all over the place, a few stuck together and a couple of sticks that I had to throw.

As I said earlier, the couple I have smoked were great.

From a usually reputable source.

[Rhinoww]

No photos but early on I once purchased a 10 box of Monte 5 in plastic wrappers on a beach in the DR. What do they say, they did not meet expectations. 
when I asked if they were real Cubans the guy answered they were real cigars. That should have been a clue 😂

must have been 8 or so years ago. 
bitter and nasty.

[Juliano88]

I saw a Counterfeit 50 Cab of RASS. You can tell with the light contrast on the bands and the font on the ribbon. Poor guy spend a pretty penny on it.  

[cnov]

52 minutes ago, Rhinoww said:

No photos but early on I once purchased a 10 box of Monte 5 in plastic wrappers on a beach in the DR. What do they say, they did not meet expectations. 
when I asked if they were real Cubans the guy answered they were real cigars. That should have been a clue 😂

must have been 8 or so years ago. 
bitter and nasty.

If they don't say "......, honest", are they even telling the truth?

[havanaclub]

4 hours ago, cnov said:

This was the suspect box of 10, pretty certain it was just very poor quality control rather than fakes though.
Bands all over the place, a few stuck together and a couple of sticks that I had to throw.
As I said earlier, the couple I have smoked were great.
From a usually reputable source.

On a quick glance those look real. Have seen that code.

And I am not sure what people are talking about, Monte no5 in Cuba were 4.50 a stick. So 45 a 10ct box. Even with the price increase they are 58 a 10ct box.


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[cnov]

28 minutes ago, havanaclub said:

On a quick glance those look real. Have seen that code.

And I am not sure what people are talking about, Monte no5 in Cuba were 4.50 a stick. So 45 a 10ct box. Even with the price increase they are 58 a 10ct box.


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I wonder if they just took little care because they're a cheaper box.

[El Presidente]

6 hours ago, cnov said:

This was the suspect box of 10, pretty certain it was just very poor quality control rather than fakes though.

Bands all over the place, a few stuck together and a couple of sticks that I had to throw.

As I said earlier, the couple I have smoked were great.

From a usually reputable source.

Code matches Monte 5 from that period. 

Just a poor box