I was very disappointed the other day when I was offered a GR from a "very reputable" local smoke shop. I have been dropping by there for many years and the shop, and it's owner, are well known in the city for priding them selves in having top quality product. When I was pondering what to try I was offered a GR which was plucked from a large ziplock bag which must have had 35+ of them in it. Absolutely shocked I asked to inspect one and to be honest it looked great. The wrapper didn't seem to have the magical velvety sheen my GRs at home have but this was no definite and everything else looked on par ( besides there being so many loose in a ziplock). Then of course my next question was "how much"? When I was quoted $40 each my heart sunk. Are even avid smokers and aficionados so out of touch that this stick can be offered at $40 with no one questioning it? Then I started doubting my self for a second and doing the calculations of what they retail for and figuring even if there was keystone margins in these boxes to distributors it still puts these GRs at a cost of over $50 ea. A note all.. beware out there! I'm pretty good at spotting flaws and slightly off bands ect and this fake was pretty spot on. If this guy had them in an authentic GR box and doubled the price I probably would have been sold. They are out there and obviously in numbers. I still wonder if even the owner knows what he has, or doesn't have. Just to enlighten us all I'll get one and do a side by side to my GR and post all the details. It's scary out there.
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Grand "Illusion" Reservas
- Thread starter Siglo-Man
- Start date
jayro75
Well-Known Member
If they were offered to you at a B&M in the States, no matter how reputable. They have a 99% chance of being fake. 
EricDriscoll
CRA Ambassador # 175966
35+ GR's at one shop? Man I wish I lived in your wealthy neighborhood. Def a fake, although what's even scarier is that some of the B & M owners believe or choose to believe they have real smokes. Either ignorant B&M's or shady owners, a sad case for the consumer either way. Thanks for the FYI on these.
I would seriously doubt the integrity of that guy if I were in your shoes. I simply cannot believe he doesn't know the retail on those smokes, especially if you've bought what you thought were legit Cubans from him in the past.
souldog
OG Post-Whorer since 2008 bitches...
The same "top quality product" being illegal sales of ISOMs, not to mention fake ones? Sounds like a really reputable smoke shop in CA to me.
Black Plague
New Member
Sad to say, just about every CC stick I've been gifted from a B&M has been fake, including an entire fake box of Cohiba Seleccion and ERDM Tainos from a dress box (before discontinuation, they only came in unique two-layer slide-lid boxes).
The most egregious case I ever encountered was a B&M here by my new place where they had boxes of horrendous-looking fake RyJ Churchills and Montecristo No. 2's. This place is not really a "cigar store," but more of a discount cigarette chain. I just popped in to see if they had an hidden gem cigars...and they had these fakes RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN. Not hidden behind the counter...right out in full view in the big cabinet humidor they had. The guy working the counter was an older, fat Indian man with a toupe' almost as horrendous-looking as the fake CC's. He saw me checking the boxes and said, "Those are Cuban! Don't you want those?"
I was sooooo tempted to tell him that those cigars were faker than that rug on his head...but I just politely said, "No, thanks." and left. :laugh:
The most egregious case I ever encountered was a B&M here by my new place where they had boxes of horrendous-looking fake RyJ Churchills and Montecristo No. 2's. This place is not really a "cigar store," but more of a discount cigarette chain. I just popped in to see if they had an hidden gem cigars...and they had these fakes RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN. Not hidden behind the counter...right out in full view in the big cabinet humidor they had. The guy working the counter was an older, fat Indian man with a toupe' almost as horrendous-looking as the fake CC's. He saw me checking the boxes and said, "Those are Cuban! Don't you want those?"
I was sooooo tempted to tell him that those cigars were faker than that rug on his head...but I just politely said, "No, thanks." and left. :laugh:
JBL11183
Lurker
About a year ago I stoped at a B&M that I would go to only when in that area(cause it the only one). The owner pulled out a box of BBF's and Monte #2. Being the sucker that I am I grabbed two of each at 20 a piece. I figured this guy would sell fakes and they look pretty good. I had a few Monte's at home that I had gotten from a trusted source. There was a slight difference in the shade of the wrapper and the suspect fugaze's construction was noticeably worse. Light it up...almost puked. Grabbed the boli light it up, was that bad BUT def not a BOLI, the burn was terrible wouldn't stay light. Needless to say I have not been back since
CMontoya79
Newb Le professional!
If a shop is doing that now, just imagine when CC's can be sold legally @ B+M's in the states, will they still try to pull one over on folks then? That sucks. That's just like the genuine "Rolex" time pieces people try to sell @ swap meets/flea markets. Good thing you know your stuff, just imagine the poor sap who actually buys one of those sticks, then spreads the notion that the Cohiba GR's are crap.