Counterfeit Cigars

[camaroon4me]

I dont know how many of you listen to "Smoke This" with Cigar Dave, but on numerous occasions, he has answered questions regarding Cohiba and other branded counterfeit cigars. I'm sure all of this group is astute and aware of the yellow and black banded Cohiba Dominican that is totally fake. I come across them often at local strip mall type retailers.

He has said that when found at retailers, it should be reported to officials because of the fraud issues.
Is this one of the "petty things" that I refer to myself?


What does this group think?

 

[emodx]

If it is yellow banded and is sold as Dominican, I have no problem with it. Granted it is a copyright issue, but not one that concerns me, as I have nothing to lose, unless I buy one. I do have a problem with any so called Cuban cigar being sold in the states. Buy them at the local place and you deserve exactly what you get. My 2 cents.

Emo

 

[ricmac25]

Whenever I see those at a shop, I generally walk away and don't do business with them. Too many other honest shops where I can spend my money.

 

[emodx]

Whenever I see those at a shop, I generally walk away and don't do business with them. Too many other honest shops where I can spend my money.

Well said Ric.

 

[smokers only]

Whenever I see those at a shop, I generally walk away and don't do business with them. Too many other honest shops where I can spend my money.

Are you talking about if you see them selling as cuban's, or if there just selling the dr kind?

-Matt

 

[rnccen]

The Yellow & Black's are Dominican's which not are not counterfitt..but in fact a copyright & licensing issue between General & cubatabaco. If someone should attempt to pass them off as "Cubans" then yes they become counterfiet.

I don't really care to listen to "Cigar Dave" alot of longstanding, honest, reputable retailers consider him "hot air" (just my opinion)

Rnccen

 

[blair]

anyone have a link to some literature on this topic? I'm interested in learning more. I haven't heard of this copywriting issue.

 

[camaroon4me]

The Yellow & Black's are Dominican's which not are not counterfitt..but in fact a copyright & licensing issue between General & cubatabaco. If someone should attempt to pass them off as "Cubans" then yes they become counterfiet.

I don't really care to listen to "Cigar Dave" alot of longstanding, honest, reputable retailers consider him "hot air" (just my opinion)

Rnccen

Prior to the trademark issue of current days, General Cigar produced the only Cohiba Dominican legally sold in the U.S. It does not replicate the Cuban band in any way. The legal band in the U.S. is linked here.
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Co...,3392,9,00.html
Thus, if you find the Cuban looking cigar band ie...black and yellow, even if it says Dominican Republic, it is not the cigar that General Cigar produces in the Dominican Republic. It very well may be of Dominican origin, but it is not a Cohiba and would technically be a knock-off.


I myself have walked away from any dealer that sells these cigars. I guess I also have to remember the old addage of buyer beware, and live and let live. I guess at this point of life, I should hold my opinion until someone asks me for it?
JV

 

[blair]

here is an article that really cleared it up for me...

cohibas in a nutshell

 

[smokers only]

I myself have walked away from any dealer that sells these cigars. I guess I also have to remember the old addage of buyer beware, and live and let live. I guess at this point of life, I should hold my opinion until someone asks me for it?
JV

You walk away if there selling DR cohiba as DR cohiba's? Or if there selling them as cuban?

-Matt

 

[ricmac25]

The Yellow & Black's are Dominican's which not are not counterfitt..but in fact a copyright & licensing issue between General & cubatabaco.

Dominican Cohiba's are Black with the Red dot, not yellow and black. It was my understanding that the Yellow and Black Dominican Cohiba's are not an officially licensed product anywhere.

 

[blair]

The Yellow & Black's are Dominican's which not are not counterfitt..but in fact a copyright & licensing issue between General & cubatabaco.

Dominican Cohiba's are Black with the Red dot, not yellow and black. It was my understanding that the Yellow and Black Dominican Cohiba's are not an officially licensed product anywhere.

Read the article at the link that I posted. It explains this.

 

[camaroon4me]

I myself have walked away from any dealer that sells these cigars. I guess I also have to remember the old addage of buyer beware, and live and let live. I guess at this point of life, I should hold my opinion until someone asks me for it?
JV

You walk away if there selling DR cohiba as DR cohiba's? Or if there selling them as cuban?

-Matt

The way I understand it is that the only Cohibas that are legitimate here in the U.S. are the "red dot" version.
I was not aware that Dominican Cohibas were made with any other label. From the article listed above, it looks like they do make one with a yellow/black label, but those should not be on U.S. shelves regardless, increasing the chances (in my view) that they are not the real deal. Im sorry if I look like I am coming across as a counterfeit expert, I surely am NOT, but I am pretty sure of these.

I saw an article online showing the counterfeit bands (Mostly the printing is offset, or the white blocks are actually dots) similar to the Cojimar branded sticks.

I dont walk away if they are selling the red dots, just if I see them selling a yellow and black version. I guess in the future I will need to take a better look, or just stick with the more solid reputable retailers like Smoky's, or JR Cigar. (Who by the way I have NEVER come across the yellow/white variety, Dominican or not.)

Thanks for discussing this, I do appreciate it. JV

 

[ricmac25]

Blair, that's a great article and does clear a little up. But I question some of the facts in the article. I do not have a problem with the 2 Dominican Brands coming from the D.R. What I do have a problem with is the Historical accuracy of the name Cohiba.

To unravel the mystery, you have to go back to pre-revolutionary Cuba. At that time, a cigar was manufactured in Cuba by Cuban rollers, using Cuban tobaccos and blended by Cuban experts. That cigar called a Cohiba had an excellent reputation as a very strong and well made cigar. When Castro came to power and nationalized tobacco manufacturing, some of the leading experts, rollers and owners of patent rights left the country. They settled in many other countries including the US but the Dominican Republic acquired more than it's share of experts. That is where the problems began. The Cuban Cohiba brand continued to be manufactured in Cuba with less experienced rollers and without the experts that had blended the cigars in the past. In addition, the people that owned the copy rights to the name were now settled in the Dominican Republic.

According to this, Cohiba existed in Cuba before the revolution. According to Min Ron Nee's book, which I would give a little more credibility than an About.com article, the brand did not exist before the revolution. The cigars existed in 1963, and were given out as "diplomatic gifts to foreign heads of state". It did not officially become a "Cohiba" until 1966. Therefore, no one owned the copyrights to the name before the revolution.

 

[ricmac25]

You walk away if there selling DR cohiba as DR cohiba's? Or if there selling them as cuban?

I only walk away from the Yellow and Black Dominican Cohibas. The Red Dot COhibas are a legal brand. Don't know for how much longer though.

 

[smokers only]

You walk away if there selling DR cohiba as DR cohiba's? Or if there selling them as cuban?

I only walk away from the Yellow and Black Dominican Cohibas. The Red Dot COhibas are a legal brand. Don't know for how much longer though.

Ok, I thought you meant you walked away from both of them.

-matt

 

[smokers only]

I dont walk away if they are selling the red dots, just if I see them selling a yellow and black version. I guess in the future I will need to take a better look, or just stick with the more solid reputable retailers like Smoky's, or JR Cigar. (Who by the way I have NEVER come across the yellow/white variety, Dominican or not.)

Thanks for discussing this, I do appreciate it. JV

I see you live in MI, I to live here. Smokys is a reputable retailer but there prices are high IMO. But they still sell a **** load of cigars cause, there humidor is so big and they have almost everything you could want!

here in mich I still think JR's is one of the best if your looking for cigars!

-matt

 

[camaroon4me]

I see you live in MI, I to live here. Smokys is a reputable retailer but there prices are high IMO. But they still sell a **** load of cigars cause, there humidor is so big and they have almost everything you could want!

here in mich I still think JR's is one of the best if your looking for cigars!

-matt

Yeah Matt, I agree that Smoky's prices are high, but they do have a great selection, and the location in Royal Oak also has a smoking lounge with a nice size tv, so that has to count for something. Im in Roseville, my friends and I like to go to Rogers Roost sometimes and have a smoke, let me know where you are from and maybe we can get together next time.
JV

 

[blair]

According to this, Cohiba existed in Cuba before the revolution. According to Min Ron Nee's book, which I would give a little more credibility than an About.com article, the brand did not exist before the revolution. The cigars existed in 1963, and were given out as "diplomatic gifts to foreign heads of state". It did not officially become a "Cohiba" until 1966. Therefore, no one owned the copyrights to the name before the revolution.

That's an interesting conflict of information. I think I'm with you though. I'd believe the book's facts over about.com's.

 

[Josh]

The Red Dot COhibas are a legal brand. Don't know for how much longer though.

Until May 31st, last I heard. ??? But I'm beginning to think that General isn't gonna pull 'em and destroy 'em like they were ordered.