[SilvrBck]

I went down to Ensenada this past weekend with some people from my girlfriend's work. There were tons of shops claiming to have authentic habanos althought most looked rather suspect. I didn't buy anything from anyone because I was so skeptical. Do you guys know of a legit store in Ensenada? There isn't a LDCH, I don't think.
SB

 

[poker]

None that are reputable. I repeat: none


(I however did see a box of 25 Bolivar Gold Medals there once LMAO!)

 

[SilvrBck]

Thanks Poker. Just as I had presumed. Really glad I didn't cave in to temptation. They did have some Cohibas with the new bands. The ones with the raised gold lettering. It is hard when you want to get some singles. You can't trust the box that they are displayed in so you can't check codes or anything. I also noticed a difference in the printing on the bands that say Habano. Some are thicker than others. Should I bring a magnifying glass with me??? Think I'll just stick to the $1 cervesas and tacos while I'm down there. You should have seen some of the shops filled to the hilt with guys, fresh off the cruise ships, buying boxes of "habanos." Sad, sad, sad.
SB

 

[ChrisM]

SB - Next time stop by LCDH in TJ on your way home...

 

[MoTheMan]

Dudes,

I've heard a rumor that there are more counterfeits made in Mexico thatn anywhere else. So be careful. Be very Careful!!
Only use a reputable source.

MoTheMan

 

[SilvrBck]

Looks like it

Mo-
I'm so glad I didn't buy anything there in Ensenada. El crapo mucho.

Chris-
I was with a group so I couldn't weasel my way into TJ.
SB

 

[SilvrBck]

Kinda a bump. I just went down to Ensenada again and took some peeks into some of the Habanos shops. Either counterfeiters are getting much better or the shops have some authenticos! Still didn't buy any just cause I am so skeptical. Anyone have any updated news on the state of fakes in Mexico?

SB

 

[colgate]

Kinda a bump. I just went down to Ensenada again and took some peeks into some of the Habanos shops. Either counterfeiters are getting much better or the shops have some authenticos! Still didn't buy any just cause I am so skeptical. Anyone have any updated news on the state of fakes in Mexico?

SB

They can grow tobacco that burns with a dark mottled black and gray ash, like the real deal. I smoked a local stick rolled by a young man at a tequila factory in PV. It wasn't bad. Of course, ambience and tequila could have clouded my judgement. But the ash was sure burning like a habano.

Best bet? Buy one right on the spot and light it up. If it's legit, buy some more. If not, walk. I see no reason to buy a box there, just what you can smoke.

 

[mosesbotbol]

Best bet? Buy one right on the spot and light it up. If it's legit, buy some more. If not, walk.

If you buy one, like it, and the price is right; then it doesn't matter.

You should be able to email the distributor of Habanos for Mexico and find out who's licensed retailers in the city you want (if there are any). Other than those retailers, one must assume fakes.

 

[colgate]

If you buy one, like it, and the price is right; then it doesn't matter.

You should be able to email the distributor of Habanos for Mexico and find out who's licensed retailers in the city you want (if there are any). Other than those retailers, one must assume fakes.

Naw on the last sentence. I bought smokes at LCDH and went right around the corner to the cuban bar, Bodeguita del Medio, right on the Malecon where they also had authentic cuban smokes. Now the Guatanamera shop one street over was pushing fakes, no doubt. Purple hecho stamp, not burned in, you know the drill. But the cuban bar was selling the real deal. So it depends. By the way, this Bodeguita del Medio is a chain of Cuban restaurants now operating in PV, Mexico City and Guadalajara. They are franchised out by the Cuban hotel group Gran Caribe.

 

[colgate]

I guess I should qualify that these were the exception, not the rule. So in general, Mosesbotbol is right. If you just dropped in on any old cigar shop, 99.99% are fake. I'll agree here. I remember my brother telling the cabbie to stop while he jumped out and came back with a box of cubans. The cabbie was like, how much and my brother was like you don't want to know. We smoked two of those canoes after dinner. fake. He doesn't smoke cigars anymore since I've educated him on the fact all those boxes he was indulging in over the years as a high priced lawyer were FAKES. I have a few at home that my kids use as toy boxes. The thing about those fake boxes is they were MORE substantial than the real ones. Too well made and the wood gauge is too thick.

 

[RPB67]

None that are reputable. I repeat: none

(I however did see a box of 25 Bolivar Gold Medals there once LMAO!)

Boli Gold Medals!

They go that far to counterfiet a box like that. OMG !!!!

I know Cohibas and Montes,But Boli Gold Medals. :BS

 

[WillyGT]

None that are reputable. I repeat: none

(I however did see a box of 25 Bolivar Gold Medals there once LMAO!)

Yeah as Poker said, in Ensenada or Rosarito NONE are reputable. In TJ only in LCDH and in Sanborns stores(they have sanborns in several cities in Mexico and are licensed by LCDH also), But even Sanborns i think a I heard a rumor some store was caught selling fakes but i dont really know about this. So anything alse it most surely gonna be fake.

 

[croatan]

Yeah as Poker said, in Ensenada or Rosarito NONE are reputable. In TJ only in LCDH and in Sanborns stores(they have sanborns in several cities in Mexico and are licensed by LCDH also), But even Sanborns i think a I heard a rumor some store was caught selling fakes but i dont really know about this. So anything alse it most surely gonna be fake.

That's intersting about Sanborns. I've bought cigars from their stores before without a problem.

 

[SilvrBck]

Thanks guys. I tell you what, if most of those smokes I saw were fakes then the counterfeiters are doing one hell of a job. You really have to know your stuff to get legit goods.

SB

 

[WillyGT]

Yeah, thats almost the only place that sells good cigars here in Mexicali, and never had a fake, I think it must have been a rumor.

There used to be another store here (Gigante) but they did sell some fakes, I bought some thinking they were real and gave one to MM2(SW)S, and in one of the SoCal Herf MoTheMan identified it as Fake. Also Gabe bought a fiver of EL and were all fakes. Damn i was really pissed. But for this reason they closed the humidor and could not sell anymore.

But I think Sanborns still safe, I think it was mostly a rumor since they dont really need to be pushing fakes around.

 

[MoTheMan]

If you buy one, like it, and the price is right; then it doesn't matter.
You should be able to email the distributor of Habanos for Mexico and find out who's licensed retailers in the city you want (if there are any). Other than those retailers, one must assume fakes.

I kinda' agree with you here. If you smoke one & you like it, then are able to bargain down the price to $1-$3 per stick, then it's probably fake & it's worth it. I've had many enjoyable "counterfeits" that I've paid very little for.
To me, if you take the profit motive out of it, i.e. you give them only a small margin of profit, there shouldn't be too much of an incentive to continue selling them as "authentic".