So yesterday he catches me out in the parking lot and says he just opened the box and he had two for me to try. I graciously accepted them and went on my way. Should I break the news to him? Or should I assume he new and tried to pass the loss to me. He has in the past traded some really nice cigars with me.

Ron

Smoke one first. Then when you tell him you can give your opinion of the smoke at the same time:

"That was a great cigar but didn't taste like an ISOM. So I did some research and it appears it's a fake. Either way it was good"

or

"I know that this cigar is fake, but dang it had some real Cuban twang. I bet it was rolled just outside the Cohiba factory by some of the same torcedors. Happens all the time."

Something like that.

Or you could tell him it tasted like a rolled up, week-old Miami Herald with surprisingly low moisture content.

Regardless, you have to tell him.

you said you have two... maybe cut one open and check the quality of the "tobacco"... if it really is tobacco and the quality isn't atrocious, then maybe smoke the other one...

??

"fake" simply means that it's not the brand on the label.

It doesn't mean it's not tobacco. Heck, tobacco is probably cheaper than sponge, and a lot easier to roll into something that looks good enough to pawn off as a premium.

A few years back a friend of mine had the infamous glass top gifted to him by a client, and the cigars were in every way a premium. It made me wonder why the roller didn't simply make a legit product.

I did try one this morning and it was average, no leaves or sponges inside. As mentioned above, it was a beautiful cigar and the burn was perfect. The complexity was missing (yard gar), but it was worth a brand new 4$bill.

Still have one left if anyone wants trade..

i will give you a 4 dollar bill for one

I have collected a few fakes. I have a glass top RyJ box and a Boli tubo.

riiiiiiiiight... your friend is an idiot... but the good news is he has you around to make him feel smarter...

Dang, Joel. The baby keeping you up at night?

now that's funny

Sort of like I have a few "counterfeit coins, as well as a few "altered" coins. For research purposes. Once I advise an individual that they had/have a counterfeit, it's their responsibility to destroy it, turn it in to the Feds, or "show/keep only for educational purposes"!

I might be willing to buy or trade for counterfeit cigars as well, but doubtful to smoke, hehe, simply to have as proof/verification.

YES!!... and the air conditioner went out this morning and we're expecting 110+ temp saturday... 105 the rest of the week...

so suffice it to say I was blowing off a wee bit of steam.... my apologies tailgater... none of that should have been directed at you...