ironpeddler
Ye Old Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2008
- Messages
- 6,660
I do this with a heavy heart as I've come to respect and enjoy all of the time I've spent with Tom. Through CP, we have forged a friendship that would have otherwise never existed if not for this Forum. On many occasions we have met while on business at a designated town to hang out, sometimes meet up with Isy, enjoyed many a meal together...and always had great conversations over many fine cigars during the last 3 years. We have done quite a few box splits with each other over the years and bombed each other more times than I can count.
A week ago today, Tom posted in the B/S/T that he was selling most of his collection due to medical complications that arose from medication he was prescribed for one of the numerous ailments he suffers from. When I saw this post, I immediately called him to see what was going on. He assured me that everything was OK with him (scam?) and he was taking a long break from cigar smoking...with the hope that maybe he could try to enjoy a cigar again sometime in the future. But in the mean time, he was going to sell off most of his collection to fund a new swing set for his 3yo grandson. Once we discussed his health at length, I asked him if the Arturo Fuente 'Work of Art Maduros' were still available and he said yes they were. I told him I would take them and send the money along by check so he could send the cigars down to me. Later in the day I finally read his post in it's entirety and realized I could send the money via PP. I did that on Monday morning, confirmed receipt of the funds and happily awaited the cigars from Tom's collection.
This past Thursday I received the package and brought it in the house. That day it was almost 100 degrees out and thought it better to leave them sitting in the cool AC before opening them....so I waited a day to open them. On Friday evening I finally opened up the package and immediately started to think SOMETHING was awry. The packaging was a bit off and the humidification looked a bit suspect.
This is a picture taken minutes after I opened the package. The device used for humidification was dry and hard to the touch and the cigars were packaged in a paper bag. Now I know that sometimes we use a paper bag for shipping to take up space, but most of the time the cigars themselves are in a plastic bag...what do you guys think?
Once I got by the packaging and took a closer look at the cigars, again I noticed that something was askew. While they did resemble cigars, they didn't quite look like the Work of Art maduros I've seen in the past. The wrappers looked a bit lighter than the previous batch I got from Gary, greatful1. I know the photo isn't that great, but make your best guess before we conduct the forensic testing.
At this point I was suspecting that something was seriously perverse. I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but the bands looked a bit off too. I think I'm going to confer with insight, Moki, Jonesy, and Bobby Ritz to make sure these aren't counterfeit. I can't remember ever seeing Fuente Work of Art maduros having the initials "WOAM" on the cigars themselves....or that I've ever seen any cigar in the Hemingway line counterfeited in the past....let alone hand written with a Sharpie on the cellophane. Is this something new that Fuente is doing now? Moki, can you please confirm?
You can imagine my disappointment when I saw this unfold right in front of me. Tom, how could you do this to one of your BsOTL here at Cigar Pass? Is this the way you want to be known after almost 3 great years here? You used to be one of the most gracious, kind, and respected members here.
So I ask the Community at large...are these real or are they counterfeit? Should I ask for a refund? Please help me out here.
Thanks in advance to all that contribute.
A week ago today, Tom posted in the B/S/T that he was selling most of his collection due to medical complications that arose from medication he was prescribed for one of the numerous ailments he suffers from. When I saw this post, I immediately called him to see what was going on. He assured me that everything was OK with him (scam?) and he was taking a long break from cigar smoking...with the hope that maybe he could try to enjoy a cigar again sometime in the future. But in the mean time, he was going to sell off most of his collection to fund a new swing set for his 3yo grandson. Once we discussed his health at length, I asked him if the Arturo Fuente 'Work of Art Maduros' were still available and he said yes they were. I told him I would take them and send the money along by check so he could send the cigars down to me. Later in the day I finally read his post in it's entirety and realized I could send the money via PP. I did that on Monday morning, confirmed receipt of the funds and happily awaited the cigars from Tom's collection.
This past Thursday I received the package and brought it in the house. That day it was almost 100 degrees out and thought it better to leave them sitting in the cool AC before opening them....so I waited a day to open them. On Friday evening I finally opened up the package and immediately started to think SOMETHING was awry. The packaging was a bit off and the humidification looked a bit suspect.
This is a picture taken minutes after I opened the package. The device used for humidification was dry and hard to the touch and the cigars were packaged in a paper bag. Now I know that sometimes we use a paper bag for shipping to take up space, but most of the time the cigars themselves are in a plastic bag...what do you guys think?
Once I got by the packaging and took a closer look at the cigars, again I noticed that something was askew. While they did resemble cigars, they didn't quite look like the Work of Art maduros I've seen in the past. The wrappers looked a bit lighter than the previous batch I got from Gary, greatful1. I know the photo isn't that great, but make your best guess before we conduct the forensic testing.
At this point I was suspecting that something was seriously perverse. I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but the bands looked a bit off too. I think I'm going to confer with insight, Moki, Jonesy, and Bobby Ritz to make sure these aren't counterfeit. I can't remember ever seeing Fuente Work of Art maduros having the initials "WOAM" on the cigars themselves....or that I've ever seen any cigar in the Hemingway line counterfeited in the past....let alone hand written with a Sharpie on the cellophane. Is this something new that Fuente is doing now? Moki, can you please confirm?
You can imagine my disappointment when I saw this unfold right in front of me. Tom, how could you do this to one of your BsOTL here at Cigar Pass? Is this the way you want to be known after almost 3 great years here? You used to be one of the most gracious, kind, and respected members here.
So I ask the Community at large...are these real or are they counterfeit? Should I ask for a refund? Please help me out here.
Thanks in advance to all that contribute.
