My problem with fakes.
My basic problem with fakes is that they are cheating the legitimate manufacturer and his workers out of their fair share of the market. Especially, when they are representing themselves a legitimate. This is the case with Monte Cristi Tobaccos in Santo Domingo. I have no problem with their CAOBA cigar, that is their brand. But when they start to market the world's two most famous brands, Montecristo and Cohiba as legally made and legally sold, then they are no more than thieves.
As to good or bad fakes.
Look, I buy, knowingly, fakes from Cuba. The Cuban counterfeiting industry is nearly as large as the legitimate factories. This done with government "don't ask, don't tell" policy. "I won't tell if you don't" sort of thing. It produces mountains of dollars and other hard currencies for Cuba.
What happens is, that there are some good fakes, and some really shitty ones. I get the boxes, check one cigar for taste, aroma and bouquet, then check the other 24 for draw. If, like mostly happens, they are plugged, I have a master roller take them apart, and re-manufacture them for me. Generally speaking we use a Cuban seed, Dominican grown wrapper leaf and all of the tobacco that came int he original fake cigar. And 95% of the time we get really wonderful cigars.
What to do for the average tourist.
I would never purchase anything remotely sold as Cuban. Period. [b}Except[/b] at Casa de los Habanos, next to Bizarros in Santo Domingo.
I would never try and purchase anything like Opus X in the DR, since (a) they would be incredibly over priced (300% more than NYC) or (b) they would be fakes.
I would purchase my cigars only in well known stores. Supermercado Nacional has a well stocked, if limited, selection of fine cigars a fair prices. Supermercado Central (In Santiago) has good cigars and the Dragon de Oro on Betancourt has some too. There is a good cigar store next to the Metro station in Santo Domingo.
Parting words.
Unless you have a file as thick as mine ( abt 2 1/2" thick), do not try and buy Cuban cigars. Again I am excepting the fine cigar stores and tobacconists in Europe.
Purchase cigars only at the best stores, because there is a reason that they are still in business...
If the price is too good to be true, it porbably is....Cubans are expensive, and Cohibas more so. Anything less than $300 a box is probably , no, certainly a fake...
HB, with a Caveat emptor