"Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'???

07-05-2009, 07:59 PM

A fella I work with went on holiday in the Dominican Republic and brought back 100 cigars give-or-take. He gave me many of them and I thanked him for his generosity. BUT...I have no doubt many are counterfeit, fake, not on the up and up, you know what I mean (I'll post pics of these later).
These Cohiba, on the other hand are different. Unlike the others these appear to have consistent bands, color and feel. I think I recall something about "Yellow Band" Cohiba's mentioned a year or so ago on the old site, but not sure.
Anyway, what do you guys think of these and if they are in fact legit Dominican stogies from a legit factory, does anyone know the history behind these?

Side Note:
I warned aforementioned co-worker about buying from a legit shop in the Dom. Republic and I didn't want any cigars brought back to me. He is not totally to blame, due to the fact he has little experience in cigars and that's just the person they like to prey on. It was a nice gesture nonetheless.

Forgive the quality:

Old Sailor · 07-05-2009, 08:04 PM

Is that a glass top case?

Smokin Gator · 07-05-2009, 08:07 PM

100% fake.

Mr. Ed · 07-05-2009, 08:14 PM

Altadis makes a brand called 'Siglo" which I guess are marketed as Cohiba look-a-likes. They have Nicaraguan and Dominican leaf.

GrumpyOleTroll · 07-05-2009, 08:40 PM

From what I have read...These were the 1st Red Dot Cohibas sold here in the US, the Yellow band with the Dominca (sp?) are for sale only in the Dominican Republic.

Never had one my self. Thankfully from what i have read its not a "Good" cigar.

Shawn

bobarian · 07-06-2009, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

100% fake.

Not sure why you would say they are fake. They clearly state "Dominican Repoblic" I have seen these before and I believe they are the first rendition of the Altadis Cohiba line as previously stated. Obviously not Cuban, but the Dominican incarnation of the brand.

SeanGAR · 07-06-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobarian

Not sure why you would say they are fake. They clearly state "Dominican Repoblic" I have seen these before and I believe they are the first rendition of the Altadis Cohiba line as previously stated. Obviously not Cuban, but the Dominican incarnation of the brand.

Correct. I've heard mixed reviews over these ... hopefully they're decent cigars.

Wolfgang · 07-05-2009, 08:41 PM

There ARE legit Dominican Cohibas. the "Red Dot" Cohibas had a huge lawsuit with the Dominican Indian head Cohibas a while ago. The legit ones were made by Monti Cristi. Here are some i have from a while ago that are pre lawsuit Dominicans.

guitar4001 · 01-02-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

There ARE legit Dominican Cohibas. the "Red Dot" Cohibas had a huge lawsuit with the Dominican Indian head Cohibas a while ago. The legit ones were made by Monti Cristi. Here are some i have from a while ago that are pre lawsuit Dominicans.

there was a shop near raleigh that carried the yellow band dominican cohibas. My understanding is the same as the quote above - the non-red dot brand got sued by the big boys.

Silound · 07-05-2009, 08:45 PM

Hmmm...that would be an interesting smuggling tactic...band em Dominican and sell them

SmokinApe · 07-05-2009, 08:48 PM

The liquor store by my work, a dump, has these...

icehog3 · 07-06-2009, 10:32 AM

They are legit DR cigars, produced with that band for sale in the US prior to the lawsuit as I understand it. I smoked a few back in the day.....I didn't like 'em at all, and this is before I was a CC smoker.

07-06-2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

There ARE legit Dominican Cohibas. the "Red Dot" Cohibas had a huge lawsuit with the Dominican Indian head Cohibas a while ago. The legit ones were made by Monti Cristi. Here are some i have from a while ago that are pre lawsuit Dominicans.

Do you know if litigation is still ongoing or is this resolved and when was the lawsuit started? Very interesting, I'm surprised Cuba doesn't have a lawsuit, since the band is so similar to CC Cohiba.

Quote:

Originally Posted by icehog3

They are legit DR cigars, produced with that band for sale in the US prior to the lawsuit as I understand it. I smoked a few back in the day.....I didn't like 'em at all, and this is before I was a CC smoker.

I'll have to give them a smoke in a couple months and post a review. If they suck, at least they'll be a cool little keepsake.

Thanks to all that responded and any info or site is much appreciated.

Wolfgang · 07-06-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waynegro1

Do you know if litigation is still ongoing or is this resolved and when was the lawsuit started? Very interesting, I'm surprised Cuba doesn't have a lawsuit, since the band is so similar to CC Cohiba.

The Red Dot Cohibas won the lawsuit a while ago. the story behind it was the same family produced both NC and CC. The family split for some reason and then the lawsuit started.

bobarian · 07-06-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

The Red Dot Cohibas won the lawsuit a while ago. the story behind it was the same family produced both NC and CC. The family split for some reason and then the lawsuit started.

While this is the case for many old brands such as Partagas and Romeo and Julieta. I do not believe this applies to the Cohiba brand. Cohiba is one of the newest brands of Cuban cigars, first released publicly in 1982. General Cigar had registered the name in Cohiba in 1978 and has successfully defended the name against Cubatobacco(Now Habanos SA).

NCRadioMan · 07-06-2009, 03:34 PM

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar...2,1036,00.html

And they won another a year later and this one is about the Yellow Band Dominican Cohiba.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=8663416

07-06-2009, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar...2,1036,00.html

And they won another a year later and this one is about the Yellow Band Dominican Cohiba.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=8663416

Thanks for the links, Greg!!

Very interesting.

07-06-2009, 09:08 PM

On a whim about 3 or 4 years ago I bought 10 of these for about 20 bucks online. Worst cigar I ever smoked. Sorry.

Mr Edmundo · 07-09-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar...2,1036,00.html

And they won another a year later and this one is about the Yellow Band Dominican Cohiba.
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=8663416

I'm not sure if these articles apply to the OP's original question. Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but the first article is specifically Cohiba from Cuba filing the lawsuit against the red dot Cohiba's use of the name.

The second article is a lawsuit involving a Carribean company using the name Cohiba. But not specifically the DR. And "Carribean's Finest" doesn't appear anywhere on the ones that I've seen. So I'm not sure if this applies to the same cigars in question.

I asked about this a long time ago. Seems to me that there also was a lawsuit with the Dominican Cohiba and the Red Dot for rights to use the name in the US and the Red Dot version won.
But these are now only sold only in the Dominican, or something like that. I know they do appear in some BMs, but how they got there, who knows.

My brother in law picked up a box of these while in the DR. And yes they were in a glass top box. But that doesn't make them fake, as they are not pretending to be Cubans.
And they are not terrible to smoke, but are extremely mild, yard gar. Nothing to get excited about. But to label them fakes is kinda like saying fun furs aren't worth buying because they are fake. Neither are claiming to be the real thing.

The Poet · 07-06-2009, 03:29 PM

Yeah, as I understand it, the Red-Dot is the one NC brand that will not have a legal gripe post-embargo - save perhaps for that familial thing mentioned above, which I am not familiar with. The Beard "invented" Cohibas from an old pre-Columbian name for tobacco, or cigar, or sumptin', so this won't be a case where the old exile families will take Habanos SA into US courts.

As for yellow-band DR Cohibas, never heard of them, never smoked one, but I see the photo so I guess they must exist.

07-05-2009, 07:59 PM	#1
Waynegro1 Guest Posts: n/a	"Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? A fella I work with went on holiday in the Dominican Republic and brought back 100 cigars give-or-take. He gave me many of them and I thanked him for his generosity. BUT...I have no doubt many are counterfeit, fake, not on the up and up, you know what I mean (I'll post pics of these later). These Cohiba, on the other hand are different. Unlike the others these appear to have consistent bands, color and feel. I think I recall something about "Yellow Band" Cohiba's mentioned a year or so ago on the old site, but not sure. Anyway, what do you guys think of these and if they are in fact legit Dominican stogies from a legit factory, does anyone know the history behind these? Side Note: I warned aforementioned co-worker about buying from a legit shop in the Dom. Republic and I didn't want any cigars brought back to me. He is not totally to blame, due to the fact he has little experience in cigars and that's just the person they like to prey on. It was a nice gesture nonetheless. Forgive the quality:

07-05-2009, 08:04 PM	#2
Old Sailor Black Ops - S.O.B. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dave Location: Side Porta!! Kingsville, Ont., Canada Posts: 4,201 Trading: (22)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? Is that a glass top case? __________________ Canadian Armed Forces 1976! Canadian Coast Guard, retired in 2012 after 32 years!!

07-05-2009, 08:07 PM	#3
Smokin Gator Just plain insane! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Swamp Posts: 6,237 Trading: (106)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? 100% fake. __________________ Check out the Cigar Asylum Newbie Sampler Trade

07-05-2009, 08:14 PM	#4
Mr. Ed A horse is a horse... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ed...duh Location: THE Burgh Posts: 499 Trading: (6)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? Altadis makes a brand called 'Siglo" which I guess are marketed as Cohiba look-a-likes. They have Nicaraguan and Dominican leaf.

07-05-2009, 08:40 PM	#5
GrumpyOleTroll Not Crazy enuff to B Here Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Shawn Location: Wichita KS Posts: 273 Trading: (18)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? From what I have read...These were the 1st Red Dot Cohibas sold here in the US, the Yellow band with the Dominca (sp?) are for sale only in the Dominican Republic. Never had one my self. Thankfully from what i have read its not a "Good" cigar. Shawn __________________ Not Crazy enough to be here....

07-05-2009, 08:41 PM	#8
Wolfgang Back from the dead Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tampa, Fl Posts: 2,541 Trading: (14)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? There ARE legit Dominican Cohibas. the "Red Dot" Cohibas had a huge lawsuit with the Dominican Indian head Cohibas a while ago. The legit ones were made by Monti Cristi. Here are some i have from a while ago that are pre lawsuit Dominicans. __________________ You probably wont remember that test you failed, but you'll never forget the girl you were with the night before, when you decided not to study.

07-05-2009, 08:45 PM	#10
Silound ex-CS Swamp Gorilla Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Somewhere in a swamp, south of sanity Posts: 802 Trading: (15)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? Hmmm...that would be an interesting smuggling tactic...band em Dominican and sell them __________________ Back in black, and better than ever! You can't keep a good gorilla down! LSU Geaux Tigers!

07-05-2009, 08:48 PM	#11
SmokinApe Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jeremy Posts: 1,267 Trading: (35)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? The liquor store by my work, a dump, has these...

07-06-2009, 10:32 AM	#12
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,305 Trading: (60)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? They are legit DR cigars, produced with that band for sale in the US prior to the lawsuit as I understand it. I smoked a few back in the day.....I didn't like 'em at all, and this is before I was a CC smoker. __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

07-06-2009, 03:34 PM	#16
NCRadioMan Chutney Lovebusciut Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Chutney Location: On the shores of Loch Shiel Posts: 4,277 Trading: (66)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar...2,1036,00.html And they won another a year later and this one is about the Yellow Band Dominican Cohiba. http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=8663416 __________________ The path to loyalty is trust.

07-06-2009, 09:08 PM	#18
Big Ben Guest Posts: n/a	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? On a whim about 3 or 4 years ago I bought 10 of these for about 20 bucks online. Worst cigar I ever smoked. Sorry.

07-06-2009, 03:29 PM	#20
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: "Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'??? Yeah, as I understand it, the Red-Dot is the one NC brand that will not have a legal gripe post-embargo - save perhaps for that familial thing mentioned above, which I am not familiar with. The Beard "invented" Cohibas from an old pre-Columbian name for tobacco, or cigar, or sumptin', so this won't be a case where the old exile families will take Habanos SA into US courts. As for yellow-band DR Cohibas, never heard of them, never smoked one, but I see the photo so I guess they must exist.