Cuban Sticks in Coalition Forces PX

[Deployed Humidor]

When I served in Korea I learned to question everything. There was a cigar shop outside the gates of Osan AB that carried Cubans. I doubt they were authentic. I'm now in Kabul, Afghanistan and travel to coalition bases where the base/post exchanges carry Cuban cigars. Should I doubt the authenticity of these sticks?

 

[Snoozer]

If it's a US base I'd definitely question it since I'd think they'd still be illegal. If its not a US base I'd still be cautious but without a detailed description or pictures it would be hard for some of the members who know more than I to tell for certain.

 

[Ginseng]

Some of the most interesting counterfeit specimens I've received came from the sandbox. If they're on-base, like Snoozer said, that'd be pretty unbelievable. Just off-base though, and you will probably find a mix of authentic and counterfeit. In the latter case, expect quality to be marginal due to good chance of poor care.

Stay safe! I saw some photos of the Korengal Valley and "unearthly" is the only adjective I can come up with to describe that place.

Wilkey

 

[Not A Nice Person]

A good friend of mine is, or rather was, a Red Cross military liason with multiple stints over in the sandbox (he's at national HQ in DC now) and while in Afghanistan, bought a box of Cuban RyJ tubos to have on hand when delivering birth announcements to servicemen there.

While I can't attest to their authenticity, I can say that the U.S. military absolutely, positively BELIEVED them to be authentic. He wouldn't send me any, the bastige, because the on-post PO made you sign an affadavit, for every package, swearing there weren't any Cuban cigars in there.

~Boar

 

[baldheadracing]

You should be okay at a CANEX - there's one in Camp Julien.

Stay safe, and thank-you.

 

[moki]

When I served in Korea I learned to question everything. There was a cigar shop outside the gates of Osan AB that carried Cubans. I doubt they were authentic. I'm now in Kabul, Afghanistan and travel to coalition bases where the base/post exchanges carry Cuban cigars. Should I doubt the authenticity of these sticks?

My intel from friends who are cigar savvy and have served in said places is... they are almost certainly fake.

 

[MX]

I'm now in Kabul, Afghanistan and travel to coalition bases where the base/post exchanges carry Cuban cigars. Should I doubt the authenticity of these sticks?

Now are you talking about the AAFES Exchange Service Store, or are you talking about a small shop or "Market" or "Bazaar" on a Base that is run by Local Nationals? I would find it hard to believe that the Exchange would/could carry authentic Cuban cigars. this would violate the UCMJ and lead to a lot of problems. Now, I know that there is no restriction placed on local vendors in respect to copyright and authenticity of the products they sell. I mean after all, no one thinks that the 5th Season of King of the Hill that they bought for 8 bucks is a licensed copy.

This one of the main factors that is driving AAFES to fight against the local vendors, and try to limit the amount of US cash that soldiers can get from the Finance office. In simple terms AAFES can not compete with the local vendor.

As for the CC being sold by the locals....good luck.

Tim

 

[northernmoris]

Some of the most interesting counterfeit specimens I've received came from the sandbox. If they're on-base, like Snoozer said, that'd be pretty unbelievable. Just off-base though, and you will probably find a mix of authentic and counterfeit. In the latter case, expect quality to be marginal due to good chance of poor care.

Stay safe! I saw some photos of the Korengal Valley and "unearthly" is the only adjective I can come up with to describe that place.

Wilkey

Very moving, thank you for sharing.

 

[tolije]

There are 3 or 4 Coalition PXs that sell Cubans on the military side of KIA. I found that none of them took much care in properly storing them. I did buy a few while I was there, but was not impressed. Hard to tell whether due to authenticity or lack of proper humidification. I recommend ordering from "certain" online retailers listed here. I received them in about 5-7 days at Bagram, in great condition, and you are guaranteed to receive what you pay for. The Dutch PX at Kandahar sells them also, but same issue as Kabul.

Stay safe and good luck

Tony

 

[Brickhouse]

Having sampled my share of them, and had a fair share shipped back to the states for closer looks, the most probable answer is that they are in fact fake.

The locals aren't dumb. They know they can buy fake cubans for cheap and sell them to American soldiers as the real thing because 90% of them will not know the difference. Right or wrong, it's how they make a living....literally.

Having said this, there's no way to attest that those in Afghanistan are fake, however, if it's anything like Iraq...and more specifically Camp Liberty (VBC) they most certainly are.

I'm pretty sure Wilkey can back me up on that one, hehe.

 

[Deployed Humidor]

Thanks for all your inputs. The US exchanges (AAFES) do not and will not carry Cubans. But I've visited British, Canadian and Danish exchanges. They all carry Monticristo, RyJ, and others. I know better than to trust anything in the local markets. I did LOL at MX's King of the Hill reference though. Clearly, someone has done some traveling!!

WRT tolije's remark about condition; to avoid making a newbie mistake and openly asking about bringing a cigar back from the dead, I'll do my homework and sort out how to care for a neglected cigar.

Thanks again.

Tony

 

[MX]

Thanks for all your inputs. The US exchanges (AAFES) do not and will not carry Cubans. But I've visited British, Canadian and Danish exchanges. They all carry Monticristo, RyJ, and others. I know better than to trust anything in the local markets. I did LOL at MX's King of the Hill reference though. Clearly, someone has done some traveling!!

WRT tolije's remark about condition; to avoid making a newbie mistake and openly asking about bringing a cigar back from the dead, I'll do my homework and sort out how to care for a neglected cigar.

Thanks again.

Tony

2 trips to Iraq, a trip to Kandahar, and a few to some other places :whistling:
When I was at Victory in Iraq the first time, I used to pick up some Co-heeb-ahs from the bizzaar. I am pretty sure they were fake base on what I now know about their flavor profile, but they were still all right smokes.

Tim

 

[Brickhouse]

2 trips to Iraq, a trip to Kandahar, and a few to some other places :whistling:
When I was at Victory in Iraq the first time, I used to pick up some Co-heeb-ahs from the bizzaar. I am pretty sure they were fake base on what I now know about their flavor profile, but they were still all right smokes.

Tim

Yeah, the guy at Victory is who I'm very familiar with Tim. I had many a conversation with him in regards to his fake cubans. Basically there's nothing we could do but try and educate the population.

 

[JHolmes763]

Afghanistan and Iraq are very different, though (in a variety of ways ). The locals aren't selling them at the bazaars here. They're not on US bases, they're on NATO/Coalition bases in stores ran by the Dutch, English, etc.

Tony and I smoked some of them... some were bad, some were okay. Nothing really knocked my socks off, but it could be the storage conditions or the fact I'm not that fond of those kind of cigars. I don't know enough to say whether they were authentic or not, but the conditions are at least a little more favorable here...

---John Holmes...

 

[Brickhouse]

Afghanistan and Iraq are very different, though (in a variety of ways ). The locals aren't selling them at the bazaars here. They're not on US bases, they're on NATO/Coalition bases in stores ran by the Dutch, English, etc.

True statement. I should have read the title of the thread a bit closer. If they are in fact in coalition forces PX's then they very well may be authentic.

When reading the replies I went directly to the Bazaar mind frame. My bad.

 

[tasman]

Wyatt,
You wouldn't believe the ones here at Delta? They have come a long way if there fakes. Of course I am still looking for the boxes that the local here keeps them in! They are very dry here! We had a soldier go to school at liberty and he brought me a couple back and you could tell real quick that they were fake! I might have another experiment for someone if they are willing?