"Yellow Band" Dominican 'Cohiba'???

[Waynegro1]

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:

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=337&pictureid=2363

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=337&pictureid=2364

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=337&pictureid=2365

[Old Sailor]

Is that a glass top case? :r

[Smokin Gator]

100% fake.

[Mr. Ed]

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

[GrumpyOleTroll]

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

[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.

[Silound]

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

[SmokinApe]

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

[bobarian]

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. :2

[SeanGAR]

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. :2

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

[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.

[Waynegro1]

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.

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. :tu

:l



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

[Wolfgang]

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]

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).

[The Poet]

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.

[NCRadioMan]

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Daily/CA_Daily_News/0,2342,1036,00.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

[Waynegro1]

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Daily/CA_Daily_News/0,2342,1036,00.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!! :tu Very interesting. :hm

[Big Ben]

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.

[acarr]

Are these the same ones they had like 10 years ago? I use to get the robusto's all the time but they never came in a glass top. To be honest, they were one of the best cigars I ever tried. However they were not cheap. They cost about $12.00. With some other mention of pricing, I wonder if they are the same cigars.

[HK3-]

Wow that's awesome! You can't hardly find those anymore. After that lawsuit they were supposed to pull them all off the shelves. Very nice collectors item! :tu

[Mr Edmundo]

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Daily/CA_Daily_News/0,2342,1036,00.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.

[johnpalley]

guys maybe i dont know anything about cigars but i just smoked one of these yellow band cohibas that my friend brought back from the dominican republic and i loved them. i want to buy some of these bad. does anyone know a website i can buy these from?

[bigdix]

I learn something every day here....

[warren G.]

I learn something every day here....

You're not the only one :sh

[Commander Quan]

I wouldn't doubt the fact that these are even fake DOMINICAN Cohibas. When I was there in September I walked up to a shack on the beach that was selling glass top Fuentes, and Dominican Partagas cigars, all clearly fake.

[johnpalley]

guys maybe i dont know anything about cigars but i just smoked one of these yellow band cohibas that my friend brought back from the dominican republic and i loved them. i want to buy some of these bad. does anyone know a website i can buy these from?

i just smoked a padron corticos and it didnt come close to these yellow bands. as a matter of fact i didnt even like them. i gotta find a way to get these?

[icehog3]

i just smoked a padron corticos and it didnt come close to these yellow bands. as a matter of fact i didnt even like them. i gotta find a way to get these?

Unless you can find a B&M that has been sitting on some for a couple years, I would guess you are S.O.L. .

[johnpalley]

Unless you can find a B&M that has been sitting on some for a couple years, I would guess you are S.O.L. .

my friend brought me one back from the dominican republic a few months ago so there still being made. i just gotta find a way to get my hands on them. if someone knows a place that has them in the boston area please let me know

[justonemorestick]

so do we get a review on these?

[pnoon]

so do we get a review on these?

Why would you want one? ;s

[T.G]

my friend brought me one back from the dominican republic a few months ago so there still being made. i just gotta find a way to get my hands on them. if someone knows a place that has them in the boston area please let me know

I think Tom is pretty much right, unless you have a friend in the DR.

A few years ago I had a discussion with Steve R. @ Cigars International about these cigars (how we ended up on the topic, I don't remember) but if I'm remembering the conversation correctly, he said they were still in production by Monti Cristi, but they weren't allowed to export, you can only get them there.

[T.G]

so do we get a review on these?

Why would you want one? ;s

I wasn't there for this but I think Bob recently tried to smoke one of these up in Chico. I believe it ended up in D's tomato planter very shortly after lighting.

[guitar4001]

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.

[johnpalley]

i would love for someone to give a review on these because if i cant get them again i would at least like to find another cigar thats similar in taste. im new to cigars so i dont know how to describe the taste of these. any info on these would be greatly appreciated. anyone know the kind of wrappers these have? maduro? it was a real dark color. would you consider these mild or medium? these things were so sweat that i smoked one all the way down till i burned my finger. just so you guys know im talking about the same cigar these were like a 32 ring and said republica dominicana on the band.

[T.G]

i would love for someone to give a review on these because if i cant get them again i would at least like to find another cigar thats similar in taste. im new to cigars so i dont know how to describe the taste of these. any info on these would be greatly appreciated. anyone know the kind of wrappers these have? maduro? it was a real dark color.

Maduro isn't a type of wrapper, it's a shade. Any type of tobacco can be made "maduro" with longer fermentation to a darker color, although there are a few that are hardly, if ever seen. I don't know what wrapper is on these, it could have been any number of possibilities.

You might be able to describe it, sure, you might not pick up the essence of old elderberries or something, but you can probably get some what of a description down. Try describing in simple terms - sweet, sour, salty, bitter... Was there any distinct flavor in there that reminded you of any foods or other cigars?

would you consider these mild or medium? these things were so sweat that i smoked one all the way down till i burned my finger.

:pu
;)

Mild or medium, I don't know. What cigars have you smoked that had about the same mouthfeel of the smoke? Was it heavy, chewy, light, airy, velvety?

Did you feel at any point like the cigar was going to push you down, give you a buzz or make you woozy or even sick? To most smokers starting out, these are how a heavy, full bodied, strong cigar would manifest itself.


just so you guys know im talking about the same cigar these were like a 32 ring and said republica dominicana on the band.

32 is really narrow, that's only a half inch in diameter. An "AA" battery is about a 36. Regardless, it could have been anything. You might be better off going through the CI, Famous, Holts and JR websites and finding and ordering samplers with lots of Dominican or primarily Dominican cigars in them. You might never find that exact cigar flavor again, but it will broaden your horizons and experience along with possibly allowing you to find some new cigars that you enjoy. :2

[justonemorestick]

I was just curious there seems to be a lot of there are much better it is nothing compared to this one and so and so smoked one and it didnt go well.

[johnpalley]

T.G, i wish i could describe the taste but i really cant. it was just a real sweet tobacco taste that just lingered in your mouth and the shorter the cigar got the better it tasted. ive read about plenty of people smoking these i just need one of those people to see this thread so they can describe these in more detail

[johnpalley]

these are cigars i recently ordered. this is my first cigar order ever to try to hunt down a similar cigar. at the same time though im searching for stuff i might like

1. Montecristo - White - Prontos Petite - Natural - 4" x 33 Tins of 10
2. Sancho Panza - Honduran - Matadors - Natural - 4" x 24 Tin of 10
3. Arturo Fuente - Gran Reserva - Exquisitos - Sun Grown - 4" x 30
4. Arturo Fuente - Gran Reserva - Exquisitos - Maduro - 4" x 30 Single
5. Padron - Classic - Corticos - Natural - 4 1/4" x 35 Tin of 6
6. CAO - Flavours - Moontrance - Tubos - Natural - 4 3/4" x 30 Single
7. CAO - L`Anniversaire Cameroon - Cigarillos - Natural - 4" x 30 -10
8. CAO - L`Anniversaire Maduro - Cigarillos - Maduro - 4" x 30Tin of10
9. CAO - Flavours - Caramelo Joe - Tubos - Natural - 4 3/4" x 30 Single
10. Tatiana - Dolce - Chocolate - Natural - 5" x 30 Single
11. Partagas - Classic - Puritos - Natural - 4 3/16" x 32 Tin of 10
12. Ashton - Classic - Esquire - Maduro - 4 1/2" x 32 Tin of 10
13. Ashton - Classic - Esquire - Natural - 4 1/2" x 32 Tin of 10
14. 601 - Habano - Guapito - Natural - 4" x 32 Single
15. Tatuaje - Cabaiguan - Petites - Natural - 4 1/2" x 32 Single
16. Zino - Platinum Scepter - XS - Natural - 4" x 30 Tin of 10
17. La Flor Dominicana - Little Cigars - Mojitos - Natural -4" x30Tinof 10
18. Don Pepin - Don Pepin Blue Label - Demi Tasse - Natural 4 1/2" x32
19. La Gloria Cubana - Classic - Glorias Petit - Maduro - 4 5/16" x 32
20. La Gloria Cubana - Classic - Glorias Petit - Natural - 4 5/16" x 32
21. Oliva - Serie G - Cigarillos - Natural - 4" x 38 Tin of 5
22. Carlos Torano - Exodus 1959 - Cigarillos - Natural - 4 1/8" x 30
23. H Upmann - Classic - Demi Tasse 5 Pack - Natural - 4 1/2" x 33

ive smoked both ashtons, Sancho Panza, the motecristo whites, the oliva Serie G and the padron corticos and none of these are coming close to the yellow bands. i still got alot more to smoke but this has me worried that im not gonna be able to find something i like as much. ive also got a list of another 25 types im gonna order in the future

[T.G]

Any one of us that has been smoking for awhile has probably been faced with having a cigar we greatly enjoyed become unavailable or unobtainable, so we just remember the cigar pleasantly and move on. Cigar smoking isn't a race to find the perfect cigar, it's a journey of enjoyment.

[johnpalley]

Any one of us that has been smoking for awhile has probably been faced with having a cigar we greatly enjoyed become unavailable or unobtainable, so we just remember the cigar pleasantly and move on. Cigar smoking isn't a race to find the perfect cigar, it's a journey of enjoyment.

yeah but even though a cigar you might of had is unobtainable, you personally could probably describe how it tasted so you can get a similar taste. im new to this so i dont know how to describe the taste. thats whats killing me. i know im probably never gonna find these again unless i go to the dr. you also said that cigar smoking is a journey of enjoyment, i agree. those 5-6 cigars i listed earlier that i smoked, i didnt enjoy them. i pretty much through them out halfway through. im trying to find something i love and i never even liked cigars untill i smoked the yellow band. i usually smoke nat sherman cigarettes

[mscales]

My first Mexico cruise taken in 2003 we were warned about buying name brand cigars including Cubans and Cohibas. Prices were not to bad if htey were real but it was obviouse in some shops that the boxes were used over and over and if you wanted to buy a box they were alwasys opened. Prices were about $20 a stick.

My last Mexico cruise, January of 2010, the prices were $40 a stick for a yellow band Cohiba and the same with boxes. Nobody had a unopened box, not that I was going to buy one, but all the premium cigars I saw were way over priced from what I can buy here online. I am glad I take my own stash with me.

The warning we got on our fitst cruise was most all Cohibas we would see were fakes. Printers are cheap so reproducing a Cohiba band is easy and can turn a nice $2 cigar into a nice $20-$40 cigar just waiting for a tourist to buy. After looking closely ar packaging it even looked like some places were wrapping their own boxes as well as bands. Last years cruise I found most of teh Mexican made cigars to as much or more then name brands. Needless to say, I didn't buy any cigars on those cruises and I couldn't even find much in teh way of a humidor or cigar ashtrays ofered for sale.

[johnpalley]

as someone was saying earlier these yellow band Dominican Cohibas arent fake cubans or knock offs. they say made in the dominican republic right on the box, they just have the right to use the cohiba name but they cant sell cigars in the u.s. from the research ive done the name of the company that makes them is monti cristi located in the dr. just to add the ones my friend bought in the dr were real cheap. $10 for 10 cigars, 32 ring. i wish there was a way i can get a 500 cigar box of these

[icehog3]

I see you asked all these questions in November and mid-December at a site I used to be a moderator on, John. I saw you got several answers and some suggestions there.

[Ismith75]

these are cigars i recently ordered. this is my first cigar order ever to try to hunt down a similar cigar. at the same time though im searching for stuff i might like

1. Montecristo - White - Prontos Petite - Natural - 4" x 33 Tins of 10
2. Sancho Panza - Honduran - Matadors - Natural - 4" x 24 Tin of 10
3. Arturo Fuente - Gran Reserva - Exquisitos - Sun Grown - 4" x 30
4. Arturo Fuente - Gran Reserva - Exquisitos - Maduro - 4" x 30 Single
5. Padron - Classic - Corticos - Natural - 4 1/4" x 35 Tin of 6
6. CAO - Flavours - Moontrance - Tubos - Natural - 4 3/4" x 30 Single
7. CAO - L`Anniversaire Cameroon - Cigarillos - Natural - 4" x 30 -10
8. CAO - L`Anniversaire Maduro - Cigarillos - Maduro - 4" x 30Tin of10
9. CAO - Flavours - Caramelo Joe - Tubos - Natural - 4 3/4" x 30 Single
10. Tatiana - Dolce - Chocolate - Natural - 5" x 30 Single
11. Partagas - Classic - Puritos - Natural - 4 3/16" x 32 Tin of 10
12. Ashton - Classic - Esquire - Maduro - 4 1/2" x 32 Tin of 10
13. Ashton - Classic - Esquire - Natural - 4 1/2" x 32 Tin of 10
14. 601 - Habano - Guapito - Natural - 4" x 32 Single
15. Tatuaje - Cabaiguan - Petites - Natural - 4 1/2" x 32 Single
16. Zino - Platinum Scepter - XS - Natural - 4" x 30 Tin of 10
17. La Flor Dominicana - Little Cigars - Mojitos - Natural -4" x30Tinof 10
18. Don Pepin - Don Pepin Blue Label - Demi Tasse - Natural 4 1/2" x32
19. La Gloria Cubana - Classic - Glorias Petit - Maduro - 4 5/16" x 32
20. La Gloria Cubana - Classic - Glorias Petit - Natural - 4 5/16" x 32
21. Oliva - Serie G - Cigarillos - Natural - 4" x 38 Tin of 5
22. Carlos Torano - Exodus 1959 - Cigarillos - Natural - 4 1/8" x 30
23. H Upmann - Classic - Demi Tasse 5 Pack - Natural - 4 1/2" x 33

ive smoked both ashtons, Sancho Panza, the motecristo whites, the oliva Serie G and the padron corticos and none of these are coming close to the yellow bands. i still got alot more to smoke but this has me worried that im not gonna be able to find something i like as much. ive also got a list of another 25 types im gonna order in the future

Your best bet I would imagine would be to stick with the Dominican's if you're searching for a similar profile. Fuente's might come close, same with the Dominican Monte's. Try Macanudo, La Aurora and Vegafina as well, especially if you're relatively new to cigars. Most of the cigars you listed are either Honduran or Nicaraguan I believe :tu

[johnpalley]

thanks alot ismith!, what kind of monte's do you recommend? i thought the whites were absolutely horrible. that made me want to never buy a monte again. i got about 30 more types of cigars im gonna buy after i get a humidor. im gonna list them in a few just so you guys know. ive got them all bookmarked in my browser. hopefully after spending $500-$600 on cigars il find something i like to permanently smoke

[johnpalley]

Montecristo Original Habanitos
CAO Gold Karats
La Aurora Finos 5/10 Cigars
Macanudo Classic Claybourne Cafe
Gispert Classic Cortos
Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve Amores
Romeo y Julieta 1875 Romeos
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Minutos Petites
Illusione Cuchillos Cubanos 32 Cigarillo
La Aroma De Cuba Classic Interlude
Cuesta Rey Centenario Coleccion Cameo
Onyx Reserve Impulse
Graycliff Chateau Grand Cru Scooter (if i can find them cheap on cbid)
Davidoff Classic Primeros
Macanudo Maduro Ascot 10/10 Cigars - Maduro Pack of 100
La Gloria Cubana Serie R Pequenos
perdomo Habanitos Maduro
Drew Estate Natural Jucy Lucy
5 Vegas Classic Panatela
Cohiba Black Pequenos
Cohiba Red Dot Pequenos
Vega Fina Classic No. 5


this is my next order so far guys. if anyone has any more recommendations feel free to mention them. i wanted to try to let this be my last order so i dont have to do a bunch more small orders every time i find out about something new. as you can see im serious about finding a good cigar

[icehog3]

I love cigars because I can smoke a different cigar every day for months and not repeat the same one. Yes, I have pared it down and knocked many off the radar...but why would you want to find ONE cigar to smoke for the rest of your life when there are so many wonderful ones out there? :confused:

[johnpalley]

I see you asked all these questions in November and mid-December at a site I used to be a moderator on, John. I saw you got several answers and some suggestions there.

yes sir! im huntin down cigars untill i find what im lookin for. i dont smoke cigars that often so its gonna take a little while

[pnoon]

yes sir! im huntin down cigars untill i find what im lookin for. i dont smoke cigars that often so its gonna take a little while

If you are looking for one cigar that will be close to or identical to another, I am afraid you are doomed to fail. One of the joys and pleasures of this hobby/obsession is the variety it offers us.

[johnpalley]

I love cigars because I can smoke a different cigar every day for months and not repeat the same one. Yes, I have pared it down and knocked many off the radar...but why would you want to find ONE cigar to smoke for the rest of your life when there are so many wonderful ones out there? :confused:

im just hoping i find at least 1. the more types the better, im just a picky person. if i end up finding 5-10 types of cigars i like il get a big box of each to keep in the humidor and sit on them and smoke them for years

[icehog3]

im just hoping i find at least 1. the more types the better, im just a picky person. if i end up finding 5-10 types of cigars i like il get a big box of each to keep in the humidor and sit on them and smoke them for years

Fair enough. :tu

[johnpalley]

If you are looking for one cigar that will be close to or identical to another, I am afraid you are doomed to fail. One of the joys and pleasures of this hobby/obsession is the variety it offers us.

im gonna try anyway. worst case scenario is i find something else i like

[pnoon]

im gonna try anyway. worst case scenario is i find something else i like

I hope you do.

[johnpalley]

I hope you do.

thanks, im tryin hard, as you can see im about to have like 50 different types of cigars to test out. lol no playin around

[Ismith75]

thanks alot ismith!, what kind of monte's do you recommend? i thought the whites were absolutely horrible. that made me want to never buy a monte again. i got about 30 more types of cigars im gonna buy after i get a humidor. im gonna list them in a few just so you guys know. ive got them all bookmarked in my browser. hopefully after spending $500-$600 on cigars il find something i like to permanently smoke

Couldn't tell ya, I don't smoke many Monte's...NC or CC. Just keep trying new things and odds are you'll find something you like...the cigar world enormous. Keep an open mind and try to enjoy the cigar for what it is and not what you want it to be. :tu

[johnpalley]

Couldn't tell ya, I don't smoke many Monte's...NC or CC. Just keep trying new things and odds are you'll find something you like...the cigar world enormous. Keep an open mind and try to enjoy the cigar for what it is and not what you want it to be. :tu

thanks!