THE CIGAR ENFORCER 🇨🇺

The Cohiba Piramides Extra — This cigar seems to get overlooked a bit when it comes to @Habanos_Oficial’s premier marca. My guess is that because they usually command a hefty price (right up there w/ the Siglo VI & Esplendido) people would much rather opt for one of the two if given the choice. • • • What do you think? Do you enjoy these from time-to-time?

FAKE!!! A great way to spot counterfeit premium Habanos, or any cigar for that matter, is to know what does or doesn’t come in the specific style packaging like box style, cello-wrapped cigars, etc — never mind the fact that the bands here are horrible to begin with. • • • When it comes to Cohiba, @habanos_oficial’s premier marca, traditional dress boxes that have printed artwork on them are never used (sans the Lanceros decades & decades ago). Cohiba cigars will only come is all wooden SLBs (slide-lid boxes) -or- flip-top boxes w/ a varnished , with their Maduro line only having a black stain finish. • • • With information available at your fingertips, there is no reason why any reputable seller should nor would not have a problem w/ you kindly excusing yourself to do some quick research!

😶‍🌫️ Mas Perfec❌ion 😶‍🌫️ — If the craftsmanship of these figurado/perfecto cigars by @ArturoFuenteCigars doesn’t do it for you, I really don’t know what will…. Not to mentioned the ultra wide, and excellent, range of unique flavor-profiles represented here across the various blends & sizes. If they’re not the best in the world, then it’s 1A & 1B at worst 💯👌🏼 (Now if I can only find some of those damn Casa Fuente Lanceros I’ve struck out on for 6yrs and counting… 😭 Someone help!! 😶‍🌫️

Your linens aren’t the only thing that will surprise you when using a blacklight 🔦 😉😂 Any how, when you shine a blacklight on the Cuban Seal on modern boxes of Habanos a fluorescent crest along with a set of 4 partially cut circles towards each corner appear on authentic boxes! • • • Just another way to fight against counterfeit Habanos, but always buy from a trusted and reputable retailer!

It’s crazy to see what counterfeiters will go through. But with prices of premium cigars like the Cohiba Behike easily over $100 per cigar, it’s not surprising. • • • First off, the Bands — the Tainos logo has actual fingerprint-like grooves with a smaller logo void of the same print, unlike the genuine bands where the grooves and smaller logo in the center are holographic and appear at various angles. There is also a lack of a clean black border around the logo. The type is also not cleanly embossed. • • • Last, the Box-Code on the back of the box — this stamp found on all boxes of @habanos_oficial products shows the consumer the Factory/Month/Year that the cigars were rolled & boxed, but is completely the wrong font, which hasn’t changed much in decades. • • • Beware of fakes!! Buy from only reputable sellers!! All the smallest details are important to check out. Some people say “yeah, but Cuba is Cuba” & to that I say that maybe that was true decades ago, but they’re a billion dollar company that uses some of the top printing companies around the world. More importantly, “if it’s too good to be true, it usually is”

Here’s one of the ways to check the authenticity of the newer style Montecristo cigar bands that were introduced in 2013. Along with the back of Cohiba bands and the Cuban Seal on the boxes of genuine Habanos products, images only visible by using a blacklight are found as a security feature. In this case, the initials “MC” glow at the end of the band. • • • Try this out on your favorite Montecristo cigars and see if you can spot it!!

This beautiful custom-bundle of Shag-foot Robusto Supremos by @aga8607 have roughly 4-5+ years of age on them yet still smel like 🐴💩 in the absolute best way possible 😉 😍

Heres an old but useful repost of a side-by-side comparison photo of a genuine #Cohiba #cigar band and a #counterfeit • • • Things to look for - 1️⃣ - Top & bottom golf borders are holograms of the words “Cuba”, “Cohiba”, & the Tainos logo, “embossed/debossed to mimic one one 2️⃣ - The center Tainos head logo has clean subtle fingerprint-like grooves -vs- the same pattern yet embossed/debossed once again. 3️⃣ - Hidden in the center of the logo is a 2nd smaller but identical logo that comes in & out of view at various angles. 4️⃣ - The Tainos logo is perfectly centered, creating an even white border around it -vs- the logo skewed off of center creating an uneven border. 5️⃣ - Lastly, notice the "Habana, Cuba" font being sharp and crisp -vs- being bold and blurred type at the bottom. • • • Save this photo so you always have a reference! I can't tell you how many times I've been DM'ed telling me how it helped them spot & avoid #Fohiba #cigars they recently came across 👌🏼

A different type of mix, this time all original releases — the Cohiba Siglo VI from nearly 20 years ago and both the BHK 52 & 54 which could be had for well under $300 at the time 😵 • • • Which assorted box do you take? The HTF Fuentes -or- the modern day classics from Habanos?

An almost finished 2010 BBMF box (hence the shape) from the @fuenteagedselection @prometheuslounge humidor release has been joined by a few friends over the years. • • • What would you start with? The Forbidden X El Escorpion “Carlos III”? The “Toymaker”? An unreleased “God’s Whisper”? Or stick to a classic Nat/Mad BBMF?

Liga Privada “Year of the Ox” China Exclusive. These hefty gold-foil wrapped cigars comes in just short of the № 9 & T52’s Corona Doble vitola but does share the same varietal of tobaccos. An although the blend is said to be unique to this cigar, it’s likely not too far off from either and should be enjoyable. Hmm.. now where are those Aniversarios…? 😏

A few of #Cuba’s finest by @habanos_oficial Personally, I’d take the #RASS, then the #PSD4, and finally the #Cohiba Maduro Secretos; in that order — What would yours be?