1) The Cuban Government's Warranty Stamp.
Established by Law of July 16, 1912, there is a "Sello de garantia nacional de procedencia" that seals the opening of every cigar box. It is printed in four languages with green ink on a white paper (the green shade is not always the same), and there are at least three different sizes:
183x64mm (7.20x2.52") - 97x34mm (3.82x1.34") - 60x21mm (2.36x0.83")
It is possible to find one of the two bigger sizes glued to the box, while the smallest one is self-adhesive and is used for carton packs of five cigars.
If the cigar box comes packed inside a carton box (as, for instance, Partagas 8-9-8 and some other varnished boxes), the seal is adhered to the opening of the carton box and not to the wooden box.
2) The "irons"
There are three inscriptions printed -or more or less deeply engraved or burnt- on the bottom of the box, taking a rectangular surface of approximately 65x35mm (2.56x1.38"). They are usually printed in black ink, although it is possible to see them in golden ink (ie. Montecristo "A").
- The first, "Habanos s.a." is the name of the Cuban export company from October 1, 1994.
- The second, "HECHO EN CUBA" (in an oval) was added in 1960 to substitute the former text in English ("MADE IN CUBA").
- The third, "Totalmente a mano" (in script), was introduced in 1989 to differentiate the Cuban traditional manufacturing process from other methods (the European Union accepts the "made by hand" denomination for cigars partially made by machine).
Boxes manufactured between 1985 and 1994 have the inscription "CUBATABACO" instead of "Habanos s.a.", as well as a tobacco leaf logo on top of it, taking a surface of 65x45mm (2.56x1.77"). But this is only in theory, because it is possible to find boxes manufactured at the end of 1995 with the old Cubatabaco inscription, and they are completely genuine.
3) The "Habanos" sticker
Boxes manufactured starting from 1994 are also sealed diagonally across one of their top corners with a white strip with gold borders and the leaf emblem and the word "Habanos" in red and yellow. The sticker is self- adhesive and rectangular, measuring 102x20mm (4x0.79").
4) The factory and date codes
In addition to the three guarantee proofs described above, Cuban cigar boxes are stamped on the bottom with the factory and date codes in blue or purple ink. Depending on the Factory, these stamps can take one or two lines, and can be enclosed or not in a rectangle.
Varnished boxes packed in a carton box wear the stamp imprinted on the carton, and not on the wood.
The codes of the best known Cuban factories are as follows:
BM Briones Montoto (Belascoain 852, Havana) -Fomerly Romeo y Julieta
CB Carlos Balino (San Carlos 816, Havana) -Fomerly El Rey del Mundo
EL El Laguito (2302 Calle 146, Marianao, Havana)
FL Por Larranaga (Carlos III no. 713, Havana)
FPG Fernando Perez German (Industria 520, Havana) -Fomerly Partagas
FR Miguel Fernandez Roig (Zulueta 106, Havana) -Fomerly La Corona
HM Heroes de Moncada (13402 Ave. 57, Marianao, Havana)
JM Jose Marti (Amistad 407, Havana) -Fomerly H. Upmann
TLP Lazaro Pena (group of factories in San Antonio)
CFGS Cienfuegos (regional facility in Cienfuegos)
PR Francisco Donatien (regional facility in Pinar del Roi)
SS Sancti Spiritus (regional facility in Sancti Spiritus)
VSC Villa Santa Clara (regional facility in Santa Clara)
TTB Granma (regional facility in Bayamo)
TTH Holguin (regional facility in Holguin)
What Brands are made in which factory (hand made brands only)
Cohiba: EL, FPG, JM, BM
TRINIDAD: EL
MONTECRISTO: HM, JM, SS, VSC, BM, FPG, TTB, TTH, TLP, CFGS, PR, FR
ROMEO Y JULIETA: HM, JM, SS, VSC, BM, FPG, TTB, TTH, TLP, CB, PR, FR
PARTAGAS: HM, JM, VSC. BM, FPG, TLP, CB, FR, TTH, PR
H.UPMANN: HM, JM, VSC, BM, TTB, TTH, TLP, FR
HOYO DE MONTERRAY: HM, JM, VSC, BM, FPG, TLP, FR
PUNCH: HM, JM, SS, VSC, BM, FPG, TTB, CB, TLP, CFGS, FR
BOLIVAR: HM, JM, SS, VSC, BM, FPG, TTB, CB, TLP, CFGS, FR
ROBINA: JM
SANCHO PANZA: HM, JM, SS, BM, FPG, VSC, TLP, CFGS
LA GLORIA CUBANA: FPG
RAFEL GONZALES: HM, SS, VSC, BM, TLP, CFGS, TTH
EL REL DEL MUNDO: HM, SS, VSC, BM, FPG, TLP, CFGS
RAMON ALLONES: HM, JM, VSC, CB, TLP, FR, TTB, FPG
SAN LUIS REY: SS, BM, TLP
FONSECA: TLP, CB
LA FLORA DE CANO: HM, CB, TLP, VSC, FR, SS
QUAI D'ORSAY: HM, BM, TLP
The following brands are purely machine made cigars.
QUINTERO Y HERMANO
LOS STATOS
TROYA
POR LARRANAGA (Coronas, Petit Coronas, Lonsdales and Panetelas (Monte Carlo) only)
As for the date of manufacturing, it is represented by a four letter coded text. The first two letters correspond to the month and the last two to the year of manufacture, ie. "MMYY". Once "Cigar Insider" has unveiled its meaning, I feel free to reproduce here the translation from the coded letters into clear figures:
N I V E L A C U S O
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
For instance, a box of Punch Double Coronas with the code "FR - OESA" printed on its bottom indicates that it was manufactured at the La Corona factory in April, 1996.
A special thanks to Morad Farahmand ("ESP" from the ICG Cigar Message Boards)
for the following updated information:
City of Havana 2000.......1999....1999.....1985-?98
(most sought after factories)......Jan-Now...5-12/99..1-5/99....'85-'98
.................................... (4).......(3).......(2).......(1)
Briones Montoto (Romeo y Julieta)....PEL.......xx........EDC.......BM
Carlos Balino (El Rey del Mundo).....----......xx........EGD.......CB
El Laguito..........................LOME......xx........EUN........EL
Francisco Perez German (Partagas)....OSU.......xx........EAT.......FPG
Heroes del Moncada...................----......xx........ENI.......HM
Jose Marti, formerly H. Upmann.......ECA.......xx........ECA.......JM
Juan Cano Sainz (Por Larranaga Miguel)---......xx........EEO.......PL*
Fernandez Roig, formerly La Corona...SUA.......xx........EOG.......FR
Dates:
(1) Old "Year & Month Codes" (1985-1998): NIVELACUSO=1234567890
Example: OCSC=07/97
NIVEL ACUSO
12345 67890
(2) (01/99-5/99)
1st half of 1999 Year Codes: CODIGUNETA=9876501234(this year code got stock to the CC=1999 only - Habanos changed by July ?99!)
Months: UN,UE,UT,UA,UG,UI,UD,UO,UC,NU,NN,NE (JAN, FEB, ?..DEC)
Example: EUN CC UN=El Laguito Jan 1999
CODIG UNETA
98765 01234
There are loads of provincial factories in addition to the ones shown above.
(3) (05/99-12/99) 2nd half of 1999 codes: Factory codes unknown!! Second half of ?99= big mess!
EPOO=May99,ESOO=Jun99,EUOO=July99,EAOO=Aug99,EOOO=Sep99,
LEOO=Oct99,LLOO=Nov99,LROO=Dec99
Some where also a mix up between the two systems(of 1st and 2nd half!:(
Example from mix up - a cab. 50 of Por Larranaga PC code (month "LE" is from second half, date "CC" from first half): TENCCLE = Artemisa I, 1999 Oct (BTW great cigar putting many of the Havana factories to shame;)
(4) 2000 Date Codes are:
ENE,FEB,MAR,ABR,MAY,JUN,JUL,AGO,SET,OCT,NOV,DIC
JAN,FEB,MAR,APR,MAY,JUN,JUL,AUG,SEP,OCT,NOV,DEC
YEAR: 00=2000, 01=2001 etc.
Example, ENE00=January 2000
Cracking the 2000 factory codes by vitolas exclusive to them (see CA web site):
LOME = El Laguito (all slender Cohibas: Lanceros, Coronas Especiales and Panetelas also Trinidad)
PEL = Romeo y Julieta (Cuaba)
ECA = H. Upmann (Jos? Mart?), (Diplomaticos), Upmans etc.
OSU = Partagas ( Not Exclusive for any one brand - but most cabinets of ? Partagas Lusitanias, Bolivar Belicosos and Ramon Allones Specially Selected as well as La Gloria and CiFuentes)
SUA = La Corona (San Cristobal ) although? looking at Hoyo & Punch?
Pre 1985 Notes:
Cubatabaco started date codes in 1985 - i.e., Cuabatabaco logo plus above noted factory/date codes. (later in 1994 they changed Cubatabaco logo to Habanos S.A.). In 1989, Cubatabaco introduced: "Totalmente a Mano" (Totally by Hand).
Pre ?85: From 1961 the stamp read: "HECHO EN CUBA" that replaced: "MADE IN HAVANA-CUBA" that appears underside of the pre - revolutionary boxes.
1 Pre Revolutionary Years / Cubatabaco / Habanos S.A.
pre-revolutionary boxes were stamped: "MADE IN HAVANA-CUBA"
1961 this stamp was changed to: "HECHO EN CUBA"
1985 Cubatabaco started using date codes
1989 Cubatabaco introduced the stamp: "Totalmente a Mano"
1994 Cubatabaco changed to the Habanos S.A. logo.
2 NIVELACUSO
2.1 Date Code
N I V E L A C U S O
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
2.2 Factory Code
Havana Factories
BM Briones Montoto (Belascoain 852, Havana) - Romeo y Julieta
CB Carlos Balino (San Carlos 816, Havana) - El Rey del Mundo
EH El Habanero
EL El Laguito (2302 Calle 146, Marianao, Havana) - Cohiba
FL/PL/PO Por Larranaga (Carlos III no. 713, Havana)
FPG Francisco Perez German (Industria 520, Havana) - Partagas
FR Miguel Fernandez Roig (Zulueta 106, Havana) - La Corona
HM Heroes de Moncada (13402 Ave. 57, Marianao, Havana) - Jose Peidra
JCS Juan Cano Sainz - Por Larranaga
JM Jose Marti (Amistad 407, Havana) - H. Upmann
LM Las Mambisas (sub contractor only)
Provincial Factories
CFG Cienfuegos
CFGS Cienfuegos (regional facility in Cienfuegos) - Quintero y Hno
FD/PR Francisco Donantien (regional facility in Pinar del Rio)
LV Las Villas
MAM ??? Las Mambisas ???
PR Francisco Donatien (regional facility in Pinar del Rio)
RD Ricardo Donatien (regional facility in Pinar del Rio)
SLR ??? Las Mambisas ???
SS Sancti Spiritus (regional facility in Sancti Spiritus)
TLP Lazaro Pena (group of factories in San Antonio)
TTB Granma (regional facility in Bayamo)
TTH Holguin (regional facility in Holguin) - not a good factory to buy from, bodhank)
VC Villa Clara
VSC Villa Santa Clara (regional facility in Santa Clara)
3 NETAGIDOCU
3.1 Date Code
N E T A G I D O C U
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
3.2 Factory Code
Ciudad de La Habana - Havana
EGD Carlos Bali?o - El Rey del Mundo
EDC Briones Montoto - Romeo y Julieta
EUN El Laguito
EAT Francisco P?rez Germ?n - Partag?s
EOG Miguel Fern?ndez Roig - La Corona
ENI H?roes de Moncada
ECA Jos? Mart? - H. Upmann
EEO Juan Cano Sainz - Por Larra?aga
Cienfuegos Province
OTC Cienfuegos I
OAI Cienfuegos II
OOG Cruces
OET Cumanayagua
OIN Lajas
Granma Province
NAT Bayamo
NOO Jiguan?
Holgu?n Province
UNG Antilla
UDI Gibara
UAN Holgu?n I
UCE Holgu?n II
UET San Andr?s
La Habana Province
TEN Artemisa I
TEC Artemisa II
TND Bejucal
TOU G?ines
TAE G?ira I
TDC G?ira II
TIO Quivic?n
TCI San Antonio I
TNG San Antonio II
TGT San Antonio de las Vegas
TUD San Nicol?s de Bari
TTA Santa Cruz del Norte
Pinar del Rio Province
GDI Candelaria
GAO Consolaci?n del Sur
GCN Piloto
GNU Pinar del R?o
GOC San Juan (Rio Seco)
Sancti-Sp?ritus Province
CEG Arroyo Blanco
COT Cabaigu?n
CGI Fomento
CNE Guayos
CTO Jatibonico
CUN Perea
CID Sancti-Sp?ritus
CDU Taguasco
CAC Trinidad
CCA Zaza del Medio
Santiago de Cuba Province
AGE Santiago de Cuba
Villa Clara Province
DNU B?ez
DDE Camajuan?
DIT Esperanza
DEC Manicaragua
DGC Placetas
DAI Quemado de G?ines
DOD Ranchuelo
DCO Remedios
DTA Santa Clara I
DAT Santa Clara II
DNC Santo Domingo
DUN Vueltas
4 Newer Code
?GOO 05/99
EPOO 05/99
ESOO 06/99
EUOO 07/99
EAOO 08/99
EOOO 09/99
LEOO 10/99
LLOO 11/99
LROO 12/99
CCUG 05/99
CCES 06/99
CCEU 07/99
CCAE 08/99
CCNU 10/99
CCNN 11/99
CCNT 12/99
ELOO 01/2000
5 Newest Code
The new codes are a 5 digit alphanumeric. The first 3 digits are alpha
and indicate the month. The last two digits are numeric and correspond
to the last two digits of the year made. Thus, December 2000 will be
DIC00, January 2001 will be ENE01.
5.1 Date Code
January ENE
February FEB
March MAR
April ABR
May MAY
June JUN
July JUL
August AGO
September SET
October OCT
November NOV
December DIC
5.2 Factory Code
ECA / SCo Jos? Mart? - H. Upmann
LOME El Laguito
OSU Francisco Perez German - Partagas
PEL Briones Montoto - Romeo y Julieta
SUA La Corona
5) The COHIBA case
Due to the sensitivity that COHIBA always carries when speaking about fakes, I'll try to clarify some aspects involved with their authenticity:
5.1) The boxes
All Cohibas (excluding carton packs of 5) come in natural wood boxes varnished on all sides except the bottom. There are three different kinds of boxes where Cohibas are packed:
a) BN (Boite Nature with brooch). This is the box where the three initial 1982 vitolas came (Lanceros, Coronas Especiales and Panetelas). It can hold 25 or 50 cigars, placed in conventional layers, and its corners are softened.
b) SBN-B (Semi Boite Nature with Brooch). This box is used to hold two of the three 1989 vitolas, ie. Esplendidos and Exquisitos. The corners are sharp, and the lid is flat. Cigars come in two conventional layers.
c) SLB (Slide Lid Box). This kind of box is used to keep the Robustos plus the five "1492 LINE" or SIGLO Series vitolas. Cigars come in a bundle of 25 encircled by a wide yellow cloth ribbon
The boxes must wear the authenticity seals and proofs mentioned earlier. Also, Cohibas in boxes of 25 or 50 are not cello wrapped (at least I have never seen them) and the physical appearance of the cigars (color and size uniformity, touch softness, etc.) must be impeccable. In fact, cello helps to dissimulate all kinds of imperfections. So no white boxes exist for Cohiba Lanceros, nor are they cello wrapped!
5.2) The bands
All Cohibas are banded with the classical and well-known checkered black & white top, orange bottom and the word COHIBA in the middle (with black ink over a white rectangular background) bands. "La Habana, Cuba" is printed on the center of the orange stripe from the end of 1994.
5.3) The cigars
All Cohibas are parejos, ie. no irregular shapes, but there are two of them with a clear differentiation: Lanceros and Coronas Especiales caps are finished as a "pig tail" (curly heads).
Cohiba Lanceros are the most counterfeited Cuban cigars. Their format (7 1/2" x 38) makes them very difficult to manufacture even for the best rollers with the best tobacco leaves, so a bogus is much more difficult to make... and to smoke!. False Lanceros have generally a so tight draw that makes them nearly impossible to smoke.
6) Other clues
When receiving a box of Havanas, if any of the marks mentioned in paragraphs 1 to 4 is missing, you can be sure that it does not contain genuine hand made cigars. Counterfeit Havana cigars are made not only in Cuba, but in Dominican Republic and other countries.
The cedar sheet that separates the two layers of cigars in a 25 cigar box, must fill completely the opening of the box and one of its corners should be curvilinearly stripped. A shorter sheet with a straight cut corner is a symptom of falsification.
Fake Havanas can wear authentic bands. Check for their perfect alignment in the box, as well as for the uniformity of colour tones in their wrappers.
The final (and traumatic) test: If the doubt still persists, you can always sacrifice one of your stogies and perform an autopsy that for sure will tell you the truth (g).
