Cuban Cigars SEAL OF PERFECTION Products of outstanding quality are common prey for imitators. Not surprisingly Havanas have received their attention. Counterfeit versions of several brands, like Cohiba, can be found on the market. Often an expert eye is needed to identify them as many have learnt to their cost. To avoid such painful experiences, check that the box bears the Cuban Government Warranty Seal, which is one of the five identification marks introduced to certify the authenticity of Havanas. THE WARRANTY SEAL: Dating from a law enacted on 16th July 1912, the Cuban Government Warranty Seal was amongst the first steps taken to identify true Havanas. The other four marks, more recent in origin, bear witness to the persistent interest of the counterfeiter. THE HALLMARKS: You will find three "hallmarks" burnt into the underside of the box. One, Havanos SA, is the name of the Cuban company exporting Havanas from 1st October 1994. (Boxes made between 1985 and 1994 have Cubatabaco's logo in this position). Another "Hecho en Cuba" was added in 1960 to replace the same words, formerly in English, "Made in Cuba". The third, "Totalmente a mano" meaning "totally by hand" appeared from 1989 onwards. The latter establishes that the cigars are fully handmade in the traditional Cuban manner. An important point, as European Union rules permit partly machine made cigars to be described as "hand made". If the Warranty Seal or any one of these marks is missing you can be sure that the box does not contain genuine hand made Havanas. THE HABANOS CHEVRON: The latest addition from 1994 onwards is the word Habanos meaning Havanas in a chevron across a corner of the box. If you find this complicated may we suggest you seek guidance from your Havana Cigar Merchant. He is there to help you. return to http://cubanmadecigars.com/ |
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