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How to spot a counterfeit or fake Cuban Cigars

Box Appearance

A green and white warranty seal should be visible on the left front side of box.  The seal’s colour can range from forest to lime-green inside the seal is an insignia that contains a shield with a hat resting on top.   The fold line of the seal should run directly through the center of the shield.  On the box’s upper right corner should be a white Habanos sticker, pasted diagonally.  The box should look in neat and clean condition, free of smudges and scuff marks or dull in colour.

Note: Only Cuban Cigars sold at authorized Government stores in Cuba will bear the new hologram. Boxes for export for retailers world wide from Habanos S.A. WILL NEVER BEAR THIS HOLOGRAM.

(Click on images to enlarge)

On the bottom of box you will find a Habanos heat stamp.  Make sure it is a heat stamp impressed into the box and not an ink stamp.  Below this heat stamp will be a factory code stamp in an ink colour (usually green, blue or black).  This tells you the factory where the cigars were rolled and the date.

Box Contents
Upon opening the box pull back the flap, and smell the tobacco.  The fragrance should be pleasing, with a rich, deep aroma.  The cigars should be uniform in both colour and shape.  The top face of the cigar may appear flattened, or what is known as box-pressed.  This is particularly true for torpedo shape.  The caps should look identical, all resting at an equal distance from the top of the box.  The foot of the cigar should be cut clean and straight, and the bands should be identical and aligned perfectly.

On the top and bottom row of cigars there should be a small strip of wax paper running across the bands.  Next pull a cigar out of box and feel it, by holding between your thumb and forefinger.  Press together down the whole length of the cigar, it should feel firm and even (not a hard spot and then a soft spot).  This is always a dead giveaway that the cigars are counterfeit.

.......AND AS THE OLD SAYING GOES" IF IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.....IT PROBABLY ISN'T"!!!