Pictorial: Authentic CoRo v Fake CoRo

SilverStreak · 03-01-2013, 04:16 PM

Not sure if this comes up often, but in my circle of friends, telling apart real ISOMs from counterfeits does. I thought that by creating this thread, it might be of some use to anyone who needed some insight. I recently received a gift of "authentic" Cuban cigars from a friend. I had my suspicions of them being fakes which were later confirmed courtesy of another website. The suspect CoRo is presented here next to an authentic CoRo. While I'm hardly a cigar expert and a complete Habano rookie, I'm curious to learn more about my hobby. Having no idea what I'd find inside and only a general idea of cigar construction, I hope this sheds some light on the topic of fakes. For your viewing pleasure, here's a side by side comparison.

Observe, the fake pictured below does not come even close to the actual CoRo format. I measured over a 1/4" difference in length between the two. You can also see the very obvious difference in wrapper and workmanship. Fingerprints of glue covered fingers are obvious as are the poorly wrapped seams.

Next, we have a closer looks at the bands. The authentic CoRo's band is carefully applied and fits snugly on the cigar. The fake is unevenly applied with excessive amounts of glue. The band of the fake also sports a glossier finish compared to the authentic one. You can also see a very apparent difference in the sheen and oil levels between the two.

Looking at the caps, the level of quality becomes painstakingly clear. The double cap which looks like it was applied with elmers glue pales in comparison to the neat triple cap of the real CoRo. The cap on our Faux-hiba is uneven and lacks a uniform shape.

The foot of each cigar also draws attention to workmanship. The authentic CoRo displays a nice even pack and a slight squeeze confirms even construction throughout the entire stick. Our fake CoRo has a spongy foot but also a rock hard spot near the top of the stick. You can see the difference in the filler already. A whif of each also reveals a difference with a sweet tobacco smell versus almost no scent at all which leads me to believe that our fake has had plenty of time to dry out.

The fake was soaked in water for about an hour to help with the dissection process. While waiting for the cigar to soak, I snapped a picture of the fake band against a real band. IMHO, this band isn't the worst fake in the world. Without the cigars, I probably wouldn't have been able to tell you which one is authentic. Of course any experts are welcome to point out the differences.

03-01-2013, 04:16 PM	#1
SilverStreak Just in from the Storm Join Date: Jan 2013 First Name: Will Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 8 Trading: (1)	Pictorial: Authentic CoRo v Fake CoRo Not sure if this comes up often, but in my circle of friends, telling apart real ISOMs from counterfeits does. I thought that by creating this thread, it might be of some use to anyone who needed some insight. I recently received a gift of "authentic" Cuban cigars from a friend. I had my suspicions of them being fakes which were later confirmed courtesy of another website. The suspect CoRo is presented here next to an authentic CoRo. While I'm hardly a cigar expert and a complete Habano rookie, I'm curious to learn more about my hobby. Having no idea what I'd find inside and only a general idea of cigar construction, I hope this sheds some light on the topic of fakes. For your viewing pleasure, here's a side by side comparison. Observe, the fake pictured below does not come even close to the actual CoRo format. I measured over a 1/4" difference in length between the two. You can also see the very obvious difference in wrapper and workmanship. Fingerprints of glue covered fingers are obvious as are the poorly wrapped seams. Next, we have a closer looks at the bands. The authentic CoRo's band is carefully applied and fits snugly on the cigar. The fake is unevenly applied with excessive amounts of glue. The band of the fake also sports a glossier finish compared to the authentic one. You can also see a very apparent difference in the sheen and oil levels between the two. Looking at the caps, the level of quality becomes painstakingly clear. The double cap which looks like it was applied with elmers glue pales in comparison to the neat triple cap of the real CoRo. The cap on our Faux-hiba is uneven and lacks a uniform shape. The foot of each cigar also draws attention to workmanship. The authentic CoRo displays a nice even pack and a slight squeeze confirms even construction throughout the entire stick. Our fake CoRo has a spongy foot but also a rock hard spot near the top of the stick. You can see the difference in the filler already. A whif of each also reveals a difference with a sweet tobacco smell versus almost no scent at all which leads me to believe that our fake has had plenty of time to dry out. The fake was soaked in water for about an hour to help with the dissection process. While waiting for the cigar to soak, I snapped a picture of the fake band against a real band. IMHO, this band isn't the worst fake in the world. Without the cigars, I probably wouldn't have been able to tell you which one is authentic. Of course any experts are welcome to point out the differences. Last edited by icehog3; 03-01-2013 at 05:39 PM.