Counterfeit Cubans
Culture & Collecting
Definition
Fake Cuban cigars, made either from inferior tobacco or from non-Cuban leaf and sold in copied packaging. They are heavily concentrated in tourist markets, including street sales in Havana itself.
Why it matters
Counterfeits are the single largest hazard for buyers of Cuban cigars, and the general rule is that the further a sale is from an official retailer the higher the risk.
In context
"Every cigar sold to him on the street in Havana was counterfeit."