Fake Cohiba Robusto vs The Real Thing

[DeanoUK]

Here's my comparison based comparing a fake Cohiba Robusto to a real one.
Please let me know what I've missed and anything I've got wrong...

As the years go on it appears to be getting harder to distinguish between them.

Pic 1: Top is fake.
Pic 2: Right is fake.
Pic 3: Right is fake.


The album


First off the gauge of the fake is somewhat larger than a real Robusto - you can see this in all three pictures.

The actual formation of the fake is quite good, no large veins apparent at the base, nor when smoked, and it appears to have a triple cap.

The label, however good it is, gives a few things away.

The cut on the fake is bad - you can see some white dots appearing at the top from the poor cut - you wouldn't see this on a real Cohiba.
Secondly on close inspection 'Habana, Cuba' looks slightly less bolded, but not by much.
The third point is the Cohiba logo - its very slightly bigger than the real and although its embossed and the right colour, the edges are very slightly 'frayed'.

The major giveaway concerning the label, is in pic 3 - the wrap around sticking point of the label hasn't been carefully adhered.

 

[bpj87]

The dots on the band are the dead giveaway in this case. Thanks for the pics! It's always great to increase reference material on this unfortunate subject.

 

[Ginseng]

No offense, Deano, but I don't know that I'd put much stock in any of those being definitive. Nor would the entire ensemble be super persuasive. Embossing defects, trapping or registration errors, and cutting misalignment are common enough occurrence that I'd almost completely disregard those "clues." Also, you are seeing them better in person, no doubt, but those photos are not good enough to bet a dollar on. The worst fake I've ever smoked was a Siglo VI that was cosmetically perfect in every way. Some of the most enjoyable Cohibas have been Panetelas that had horrifically constructed bands.

Keep trying though. I really appreciate folks posting comparative photos.

BTW, where did you obtain the counterfeits?

Wllkey

 

[DeanoUK]

No offence taken, I totally agree with your senitments. I've read a lot about how bands can differ massively, and that they can't always be definite proof one way or the other.

There were a few other examples too - no factory code on the bottom of the box (again, rare, but can be missed at the factory), and the 'cut' at the top right corner of the cedar wood inlay was striaght not rounded (though another fake box in the same batch had this properly done...)

As you lot say repeatedly - it's in the smoke, and I must say, these aren't terrible smokes - not Cohibas but not awful.

They were given to me by a mate who got a batch off of the Interweb from an unknown local trader. He won't be doing it again.

No offense, Deano, but I don't know that I'd put much stock in any of those being definitive. Nor would the entire ensemble be super persuasive. Embossing defects, trapping or registration errors, and cutting misalignment are common enough occurrence that I'd almost completely disregard those "clues." Also, you are seeing them better in person, no doubt, but those photos are not good enough to bet a dollar on. The worst fake I've ever smoked was a Siglo VI that was cosmetically perfect in every way. Some of the most enjoyable Cohibas have been Panetelas that had horrifically constructed bands.

Keep trying though. I really appreciate folks posting comparative photos.

BTW, where did you obtain the counterfeits?

Wllkey

Also - I'd take better pics, but my camera isn't up to snuff at the macro level, top cam, but not good up close it seems.

Btw maybe the larger gauge is a key indicator, I dunno?

 

[Ginseng]

Also - I'd take better pics, but my camera isn't up to snuff at the macro level, top cam, but not good up close it seems.

Btw maybe the larger gauge is a key indicator, I dunno?

Big ring gauge and length deviations can be strongly suggestive.

If you've got 6 MP or better, then get as close as you can while making a clear shot and then crop, sharpen, and enhance to get the closeup. If you've got 10+ MP, this should not be a problem even if they're at arm's length.

Wilkey