I visited one my my favorite cigar pals this afternoon...and I walked away with these guys. I don't know anything about them...I'm sure someone here does...thought you might enjoy the photos.
Originally posted by maverickdrinker: I've never seen these before. I don't think that there is a monte RE france release. These may not be what they seem to be.
Mav,
At the moment I can't disagree with you. What I can tell you is the gentleman that sold them to me is family (great friend) who would never take advantage of me. . I'm searching high and low on the internet and I'm coming up with zero on these guys. I've emailed the best CC expert in my opinion on this and am awaiting his reply.
Whatever these freakes of nature turn out to be...there will be an interesting story. I'm dealing with good folks here...I hope...and think.
"You got it. I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor."
Originally posted by maverickdrinker: I've never seen these before. I don't think that there is a monte RE france release. These may not be what they seem to be.
Mav,
At the moment I can't disagree with you. What I can tell you is the gentleman that sold them to me is family (great friend) who would never take advantage of me. . I'm searching high and low on the internet and I'm coming up with zero on these guys. I've emailed the best CC expert in my opinion on this and am awaiting his reply.
Whatever these freakes of nature turn out to be...there will be an interesting story. I'm dealing with good folks here...I hope...and think.
My best CC expert just emailed me with the following message:
Hi Tom,
I think you have fakes.
Montecristo (a global brand) are excluded from the Regional Edition series.
Amazing...I can't imagine the owner of the store knew...local B&M lounge. Benefit of the doubt afforded until I understand more. I will light one up tomorrow..and see how they smoke.
What a bummer...
"You got it. I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor."
There are simply NO Montecristos at all in any of the REs, neither for France or any country - unless you want to count the Edmundo dantes for Mexico as a Monte RE.
But, yet another reason NOT to buy "Cuban" cigars from a U.S. B&M. I've heard it a hundred times...."but, this guy has always done me right! He's a friend!" No matter who you're doing business with....know what you're buying. If you've never seen it before, research it before shelling out cash. And most importantly, give your business to those whose main business is CUBAN cigars, not NC's. You never know who from or where a U.S. shop is getting their "Cuban" cigars....and you never know if they even really know anything about Cubans. Their business is NC's, after all.
It simply makes no logical sense to buy Cuban cigars from a U.S. shop. You are actually somewhat more likely to obtain authentic Cuban cigars from a random online overseas vendor than in a U.S. B&M. And even if you are able to find authentic Cuban cigars in a U.S. shop, then they probably got them at the same online shops that you could be purchasing from. So you could get them at the same places, at the same prices....and avoid paying the markup.
In a nutshell...."Cuban" cigars available in U.S. B&M's are nearly exclusively fake. The very rare shop that does have authentic ones will likely charge you twice what you could purchase them at from a reliable overseas online vendor. This has been explained ad nauseum here. When you do the math, it just doesn't make sense. Trusting a U.S. B&M to supply you with Cuban cigars will virtually always cost you....in one way or another.
Lastly, since you know they're fake, why would you want to see how they smoke? You didn't get what you paid for. Take them all back for a full refund and inform the shop owner what he's selling (assuming he doesn't already know).
This message has been edited. Last edited by: The Peacemaker,
Better beautiful than perfect
Posts: 1257 | Location: AZ | Registered: September 11, 2005
You would think, given that most people have access to the internet, that people selling fakes would at least sell copies of cigars that have actually been produced by Habanos. At least a copy of a non-existent cigar makes it easier to identify.
"If it was raining soup, the Irish would go out with forks." Brendan Behan
Posts: 1758 | Location: Dublin | Registered: November 29, 2006
Lastly, since you know they're fake, why would you want to see how they smoke? You didn't get what you paid for. Take them all back for a full refund and inform the shop owner what he's selling (assuming he doesn't already know).
X2 .... and he knows if he's in the cigar business!!!
" and now I've got a 40-yard bunker shot. That's like spending a week with your mother-in-law""
Posts: 307 | Location: Earth | Registered: September 30, 2008
Originally posted by The Peacemaker: Sorry. Interesting fakes, but fakes, nonetheless.
But, yet another reason NOT to buy "Cuban" cigars from a U.S. B&M. I've heard it a hundred times...."but, this guy has always done me right! He's a friend!" No matter who you're doing business with....know what you're buying. If you've never seen it before, research it before shelling out cash. And most importantly, give your business to those whose main business is CUBAN cigars, not NC's. You never know who from or where a U.S. shop is getting their "Cuban" cigars....and you never know if they even really know anything about Cubans. Their business is NC's, after all.
It simply makes no logical sense to buy Cuban cigars from a U.S. shop. You are actually somewhat more likely to obtain authentic Cuban cigars from a random online overseas vendor than in a U.S. B&M. And even if you are able to find authentic Cuban cigars in a U.S. shop, then they probably got them at the same online shops that you could be purchasing from. So you could get them at the same places, at the same prices....and avoid paying the markup.
In a nutshell...."Cuban" cigars available in U.S. B&M's are nearly exclusively fake. The very rare shop that does have authentic ones will likely charge you twice what you could purchase them at from a reliable overseas online vendor. This has been explained ad nauseum here. When you do the math, it just doesn't make sense. Trusting a U.S. B&M to supply you with Cuban cigars will virtually always cost you....in one way or another.
Lastly, since you know they're fake, why would you want to see how they smoke? You didn't get what you paid for. Take them all back for a full refund and inform the shop owner what he's selling (assuming he doesn't already know).
Peacemaker,
Thanks for your thoughts here. I generally agree with you for the most part. I've purchased quite a few CC's since the beginning of this year...when I started smoking them. I'm a newbie to the bone with a decent amount of knowledge...definitely not an aficionado.
I have settled into using one online vendor for the majority of my smokes who's great. This particular B & M is one I've know for several years and regularly purchased DC's from prior to getting into CC's.
I've only purchased CC's on a stick by stick basis from this B & M vendor...other than one box...which could become it's own story if they prove to be fake. I've purchased accessories at higher prices to support a local.
What happend here IMO was an incident relative to me. I've known the vendor for three or four years. He's met my family. I've met his. We have become friends. When I saw the cigars...I noticed that within the cab...the wrappers were incredibly different. I noticed that the cigars construction weren't uniform. If I was at another shop I would have headed for the hills based on these observations and the fact that I've never heard of these guys...as mentioned in my intial email. I'm not stupid. I do trust people I know and will continue to do so until they show me they can't be trusted. My trust in this vendor affected my better judgement. I don't think it's healthy to be suspicious of folks we percieve to be friends. I'd rather get screwed one in a blue moon..than worry about that s..t.
So I bought 6 of these bad boys. I was excited to share my discovery on this forum and one other.
I will get my money back. My comment relative to smoking one was emotional hoping that I hadn't been taken advantage of by an individual who I thought was a friend and somehow praying I hadn't been deceived. I'm afraid he cheated me.
After having today to think about this event I'm sure my friend knows these are fakes.
When I look back...I can see how he wasn't real comfortable when I asked him WTF are these.
This is an established high end shop. Selling CC's that don't exist...is incredible reckless.
I'm not looking forward to the confrontation...but I won't shy away from expressing my incredible disappointment and hurt.
This was a great lesson for me...and I hope others will benefit from my experience.
More buildings to sell tomorrow. Can't wait!!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: smll2,
"You got it. I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor."
I visited one my my favorite cigar pals this afternoon...and I walked away with these guys. I don't know anything about them...I'm sure someone here does...thought you might enjoy the photos.
smll2, as far as I know Montecristos, along with other premium Habanos SA distributed cigars like Cohibas and Partagas are excluded from Regional Edition releases.. I think I even read that fact from an older issue of Cigar Insider. How much did you pay for them? Sorry =cZ
This message has been edited. Last edited by: pTr939,
** as el guapo always say: godspeed & party on **
Posts: 720 | Location: joizey+nyc | Registered: April 29, 2009
I visited one my my favorite cigar pals this afternoon...and I walked away with these guys. I don't know anything about them...I'm sure someone here does...thought you might enjoy the photos.
smll2, as far as I know Cohibas, Montecristos, and Partagas are excluded from Regional Edition releases.. I think I even read that fact from an older issue of Cigar Insider. How much did you pay for them?
PTr...I pointed this out in an earlier post last night. Montecristo is a global brand..as a result they have never been part of an RE release.
The price paid will be refunded so that's not an issue.
I will share the intervention after my friend and I meet.
"You got it. I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor."
