Tips to Spot a Fake Cuban Cigar

With a little ambition, I’d buy me little cabana in Ixtapa, Mexico overlooking the Pacific Ocean & amass a small fortune selling $2 Mexican made cigars as Cuban Cohibas for $40 a piece to unsuspecting tourists. All I would need is an above par poker face & a sub-par conscience...but alas, I have neither. Apparently, I’m in the minority.

Nothing is more appealing to the over zealous vacationer than the lifted skirt & perfumed inner thigh of the elusive Cuban cigar. Americans’ fascination with this forbidden fruit in conjunction with the cigar boom over the last 2 decades has made it a feeding frenzy for counterfeit cigar retailers south of the border. With that backdrop, we decided to put together a simple educational game of “spot the differences” so you can have a leg up on those with a questionable conscience.

Since Cohibas are the most counterfeited cigars on the market, I thought I’d do a comparison on that brand. Cohibas are also the most expensive cigars on the market, making them the most financially appealing to counterfeit. Fortunately, for a savvy consumer, they are the one of the hardest to duplicate. Here are the top 10 ways to easily spot the fake.

 1. First off, look at the color. The fake has much paler colors, especially the yellow.

2. The gold foiling is usually a dead giveaway. Notice how the horizontal bar in the “H” on the fake is inconsistent in size. As where the parts on the “H” on the real one are all completely equal.

3.  The gold borders above and below COHIBA are very fine on the real one. Not so much on the fake.

4.  The white boxes are probably the hardest to duplicate. Not only are the fakes uneven and not symmetrical, & there is 1 less row.

5.  The “Habana, Cuba” font is usually always finer on the fake. That’s usually hard to differentiate without having a real one to compare it to. But look where the comma is on the fake. It’s almost an apostrophe!

6.  The real Cohiba band ends its band almost seamlessly on the back. Notice how the band ends on the back of the fake. You can also see the under lapping band sticking up above the overlapping one on the fake.

7.  If you get a chance, feel how tight band fits around the cigar. The real ones are very tight and won’t slide up and down the cigar. The fake ones will.

8.  Apparently good glue is hard to find. It’s almost impossible to unwrap a real Cohiba cigar band without defacing some, if not most of it. Fake ones come off very easily.

9.  No Cohibas come in glass top boxes. I don’t care how many stickers, holograms, stamps or markings are on it. If the box has a glass top, it’s triple fake.

10. Do your homework. I know nothing about watches, but if someone is selling me a new Rolex for $500, it’s a red flag. If you’re buying any Cuban cigar that retails for $25 for $10, it’s a fake.

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Perdomo Champagne and Noir Cigar Review

Check out our review of the Perdomo Champagne & Noir. Make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU5eoRugqQ4&list=UUSq7eMp0Q_RY5AgO5XBr9CQ&feature=plcp

The Land of unEnchantment

The Cuban cigar. There are fewer wore out topics that we hear about than the Cubans. Here is Mark's take on the much-discussed topic.

Written by Mark Moore

The Land of unEnchantment

I have a buddy who grew up in San Diego. Up until about a year ago, he would come up to En Fuego & tell us enchanted stories of this magical place found only in the the most remote of places; the southwestern corner of the United States of America. We would all gather around the fire to hear his stories. We were all like parents peering through the pane of glass at their recently delivered new born child, eyes wide, mouths gaped open and hanging on his every word. 

The only way to get to this magical place from the west was by vessel. But the ocean, with her sea monsters, cavernous waves and gold thirsty pirates brought about treachery. Her depths served only as a burial ground to most who traversed her. Easterners found it no less daunting. There were scorching desserts where the sun poured its wrath down on its guests like molten lava over helpless greenbelts. Then there were mountains that almost touched the heavens that had to be crossed. Dark, dense forests that swallowed up its victims like the the abyss of a moonless night.

It was a high stakes, high reward endeavor. Very few pioneers reached this enchanted place. But the few that did were rewarded with all its splendor and glory. This sacred, dare I say, holy place made its visitors feel empowered and free. There was no place like it in the world. Everyone felt like a kid and no one left empty or disappointed. It was Heaven, the North Pole and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, all rolled into one. 

Owning a cigar shop or over 5 years, I hear a lot of chatter about Cuban cigars. Admittedly, I went through a pretty extensive and expensive Cuban cigar phase. I tried them all.  Cohiba, Montecristo, Upmann, SLR, Romeo y Julieta, to name a few. I smoked strong, mild and everything in between. I paid $3 for some and $60 for others. Cuban cigars were my “enchanted place”. A lot of my buddies were jealous of my affairs with Lady Cuba. I could talk the talk with the best of them. I noticed a change slowly taking effect. I started to feel like I was defending Cubans rather than praising them. I felt like I would disappoint my buddies if I didn’t keep up the mystique. The more I smoked, the more I defended and the more I started coming to the self realization that Cuban cigars were just flat out over-rated. 

That’s right, crucify me. I said it. Cubans are over rated. I could go into detail about how all Cuba’s good rollers are defecting to the states. Or how Nicaraguan tobacco is so much tastier. Or how cigars rolled in the Dominican are so much better constructed, but I won’t. You wouldn't believe me. Your eyes will start glazing over and your mind will set adrift to your fantasy football lineup for this weekend. Why? Because you still want to believe in the “enchanted place”. I don’t blame you. We all desperately want the mystique to live up to the hype. It somehow gives us hope, as futile as it may be. 

As for the North-Heaven-Chocolate Factory my San Diego buddy always kept us in awe about....I finally experienced it. In-N-Out Burger finally came to Texas and I thought it sucked. I didn’t feel young and magical. I felt fat and gassy. The caloric intake alone made me feel like I did after the Halloween of ’84, when I ate my entire Hefty trash bag full of candy in one sitting preventing my thieving siblings getting to it. Like a 4 am Target door buster special on Black Friday, I stood in line way too long only to realize I was one of many who had been duped by the over-hype of a reality that never quite reached it’s reputation.

Take it from me. I’ve been to the communist “land of enchantment” and back. Do yourself a favor and pick up a Padron 1926 or a Fuente Anejo instead. The journey is a lot less dramatic and they promise not to leave your bowels in a state of apocalyptic carnage. 

Agree? Disagree? As always, we love to hear your opinions.

How to properly humidify your cigars...

This Christmas many of you will be getting a fancy new humidor for your cigar stash. If you plan on keeping and storing your cigars, then there really is no other way to do so than in a properly maintained humidor. Now, after being in this business for more than 5 years, I can tell you that humidor maintenance seems to be the biggest headache for many of our customers. It shouldn't be and hopefully this article and video will simplift things for you.

I'll give you a story that I think is pertinent to your experiences with your humidor. When I bought my house a few years ago, the house had a pool. I was excited about the pool and wanted to learn about them so that I could take care of it myself and save a few bucks. I conferred with a customer who had a pool cleaning business. He told me all about how to take care of it. Afterwards, he told me that each and every pool is different, that they all have their own idiosyncrasies and that I would have to learn what those were in, order to take care of it properly. Well, after a few years I have just about figured out all of the little idiosyncracies that goes along with my pool, which are far different than those of either of my neighbors.

The same logic applies to your humidor as well. There are many factors that will determine how your humidor acts, such as size of the humidor, volume of cigars, volume of humidity, and seasons of the year. Your buddy will swear to you that you should be using XYZ humidification, but it may not neccessarily work for you because you have different circumstances.

I think this video is a very clear and consice explanation as how to proprerly get your box set up for success. But remember, you may have to tweak yours as needed. Of course, if you ever have any problems or issues, anyone that works at En Fuego is more than happy to help you out.

This video should cover just about any question you may have about your humidor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMtye6cpl6E

Xikar Cutters and Lighters: How To

Lots of you will be getting new Xikar Lighters and Cutters this Holiday season. Make your life much easier by reading about how to properly take care of your accessories in order to get the most out of them. Click the link below to learn more.
http://xikar.com/about/how.asp

Customer Review: En Fuego House Cigar-Maduro Wrapper

Our good buddy Ed reviews one of his go-to cigars. Thanks for the review Ed!

"En Fuego’s maduro

Let me state up front that I am not being compensated in any way for this review…although a quintuplet of Drew Estate’s Under Crowns would be nice (just kidding).

The EF maduro is one of a select private label cigar that the En Fuego Shop has custom blended by the Oliva cigar company.

That fact alone is pretty impressive as Oliva’s reputation for consistent quality is well known.

The maduro, like the natural is a hand made puro of Nicaraguan decent. It is well constructed and has a handsome finish. The size is substantial for a good hour smoke with a price that is most reasonable.

The maduro ignited well and after several draws, produced a nice even burn. The taste was smooth and full. I didn’t get any notes of wood or oak or charcoal or tree bark but I have never tasted wood, oak, charcoal or tree bark so who can say?

What I did get was a steady stream of clean and semi-sweet smoothness that continued to the very end…and with little or no corrections.

It’s fun to explore and smoke the variety of cigars that are in the En Fuego humidor but when I want a sure thing that will deliver the goods, the EF maduro is one of those go-to cigars that will not disappoint.

If you haven’t tried one…give it a go.

Ed Kohorst"

Mark Reviews the Montecristo Classic Cigar

A staple in by any humidor and a constant best seller at En Fuego, the Montecristo Classic. Learn more about the cigar by clicking here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZAI4fbrAyA

Deep Thoughts...by Mark Moore

As the holidays approach, remember to take it easy and enjoy an good cigar. This was posted by Mark Moore, co-owner of En Fuego Tobacco Shop.

Sometimes I take myself way too seriously.

Have you ever had that "it doesn't get any better than this" moment lately? I have a friend, Sam, who I have a lot of respect for. He's quite a bit older than me and somewhat of a mentor. He's done very well for himself, both as a family man and a business man. Sam has owned his own business for about 40 years now which has yielded many fruits. He drives a $90,000 SUV, he lives in a humble mansion overlooking Lake Ray Hubbard, sent both his kids to prestigious colleges and secured himself for the rest of his life. He and his wife of almost 30 years have two children. They have moved away but have done very well in their own respective fields and have given him some precious grandkids. I have been meeting with Sam every week for about 3 years now. We sit and drink a cup of coffee and do our best to solve the world's problems. 

Sam is a workaholic. After we talk for about an hour each week, I try to draw him offside by offering to go smoke a cigar with me, have another cup of coffee, or grab some lunch later in the week. Sam's answer is always the same. "Yeah, let me check my schedule. I’ll let you know". As always, I never see or hear from him again until the next week. He just works and works, and makes a lot of money. I've always sort of envied that "nose to the grindstone" mentality of Sam's, until a few weeks ago.

As we had our same ol’ cup of coffee at the same ol’ place, Sam's demeanor was uncomfortably different. Fighting through his tears, he told me his wife of 3 decades, was leaving him for another man. His kids all have their own lives now. The friends he has made over a lifetime have their own busy schedules and all of his extended family are a plane trip away at best. The man who once had the world by its tail now has nothing but a nice bank account and a good credit score. 

Last Sunday evening, I had a "it doesn't get any better than this" moment. I was all alone on En Fuego Murphy's patio. It was about 60 degrees and drizzling outside, just cool enough to sit next to the fireplace. I was entrenched in a good C.S. Lewis book. I always feel smarter when I read C.S. Lewis, probably because I only comprehend about half of what he writes.  I had a nice, inexpensive cigar I had just lit up and there was a faint, soothing jazz track serenading me from the speakers above. As I caught myself in that utopian moment, I couldn't help but think of Sam. I wondered if he'd ever slowed down the money making machine long enough to read a good book or smoke a good cigar or appreciate Bennie Goodman charming a clarinet as only he could. 

A day will come when Sam's house will be sold for pennies on the dollar. His SUV will be a gas guzzling dinosaur. His fortune that's taken a lifetime to amass will eventually be used to pay his medical bills, a 75 square foot assisted living bedroom, the IRS and one day a casket. That's the world we live in. It's short, cruel and unpredictable. I believe in a sovereign God who gives and takes as He pleases. He doesn't ask our permission or even warn us first. But I do believe we are to enjoy life’s every moment and not take it too seriously. I guess that's why I'm so attracted to cigar smokers. In general, they've all learned the art of not taking life so seriously, at least for a time. When was the last time you overpaid for a great cigar and had no regrets? When was the last time you took off work early to take your kid to a matinee? When was the last time you gave into the gluttony of a double dip of Rocky Road in lieu of just a single? A good day’s work is rewarding, but firing up a good cigar while getting lost in a good book that evening; that is euphoric.

Guess who called me today? Yep, Sam…I was shocked. He wants to meet me at En Fuego to smoke a cigar with me.  Go figure…

Undercrown Video Review

This cigar has quickly climbed to my favorites list. Check out my review here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gvXlI9HLJ0&feature=feedu

Big Ring Gauge Cigars, What's the Deal With That!

There is definately a movement occuring in the cigar world from my perspective. The movement has been occuring for the last couple of years and I don't see an end in sight. That movement is cigar smokers reaching for the bigger, fatter cigars in the humidor. Before I go too far into this, let me first explain to you what ring gauge numbers mean.

You will usually see cigars given 2 numbers to denote their size. Additionally you will also see names given to cigar sizes. When it comes to names, good luck trying to keep up with each brand's name and the size they are referring to. A Toro for one manufacturer could very well be a 1/2 inch shorter than a Toro for another guy. One cigar maker may it a robusto, and another calls it a shorty. The only way to know the exact size of a cigar is to find out the 2 numbers describing the size of a cigar. For example, 5x52, 6 1/2 x 48. The first number is easy, it's the length of the cigar in inches. The second number references the diameter of the cigar. 64=1 inch, therefore a 64 ring gauge cigar has a 1 inch diameter. A 52 ring gauge is 52/64th's of an inch in diameter.

Now back to the movement. Traditionally, Cuban cigars are not known for being consumed in large ring gauges, hence, most domestic cigars were not larger ring gauges. However, in the last several years, guys seem to be gravitating to the larger cigars. Not long ago, a 60 rg was a ridiculously large cigar enjoyed by few. Nowadays, almost every manufacturer makes a 60 rg to go along with their line of cigars. As if the 60 rg wasn't large enough we are now carrying a 66 rg cigar and there is even a 77 rg cigar coming out this year!

So the question is, is a large rg cigar better or worse than it's smaller counterpart? Like anything else cigar related, it boils down to personal preference. Here's some advantages to buying the large rg cigars. 1) you will find the liklihood of having a tight draw or poor construction to be lower in larger cigars. The torcedores having a greater margin for error. 2) You get much more bang for your buck when buying a larger cigar. If you plan to sit and smoke for 3 hours you could buy 1 large cigar for 10 bucks, or 2 smaller cigars for 7 bucks. So you are gonna save some money if you smoke alot of cigars. For me, these are the disadvantages I find with large rg cigars. 1) I find it uncomfortable to have such a large cigar clamped between my jaws. 2) I find that taste is sacrificed with larger cigars. This is because a majority of the flavors of a cigar comes from the wrapper. In a large cigar, your wrapper to filler ratios are much more distant than in a smaller cigar of the same blend. 3) I personally loose interest in a cigar after about an hour. I like variety in tastes, and I feel like my mouth needs a break when it smoke a cigar that large.

Personally, I can't figure out this craze in large rg cigars, but that's just one guys opinion. We sell a ton of larger rg cigars, and when those crazy 77 rg cigars come in, they will sell well I'm sure. There's only one way for you to find out, go get you a big fatty and smoke it!

As always, I'd love to hear your comments.

En Fuego Tobacco Shop new blog!

Well, we here at En Fuego Tobacco Shop are officially tapped into the blogging world. Though really have no idea how to use all of this. I will be learning and using it to help spread the good word about cigars, the store and all things related. The blog is maintained by Lee with contributions from Mark and Larry. Make sure to stop in and check out what we've got going on. Our goal is to educate, inform and promote cigars to you. We hope you find this both entertaining as well as educational.

In addition to Blogs, we also have a YouTube channel, facebook and Twitter and an email blast check. You can access them through our website. http://www.enfuegocigars.com/contact.htm