The trail to the fake Cuban cigars began about two weeks ago when finews.com received tips about Tao’s, an upscale restaurant and bar just steps from the Julius Baer headquarters.

Tao’s, well-known for attracting a clientele with deep ties to Zurich’s financial district, now finds itself at the center of a cigar scandal.

On-Site Investigation

To uncover the truth, «Cigar»’s editor-in-chief, Tobias Hüberli – who just published an in-depth piece on the subject on his platform (article in German) –, joined us for an on-site visit a week ago. We ordered two cigars, presented as Cohiba Siglo VI, one of which was smoked at Tao’s lounge, while the other quietly found its way into Hüberli's briefcase for further examination.

From the very first puff, suspicions arose. Authentic Cuban cigars are celebrated for their full-bodied, harmonious blend of flavors—bitter and sweet notes interplaying with cocoa, chocolate, honey, coffee, and tannins. But the supposed Cohiba from Tao’s humidor was anything but: lacking the depth and complexity for which the brand is particularly famous.

Red Flags Fly

Without raising suspicion, we paid the 115 francs apiece—a price matching that of a legitimate Cohiba Siglo VI—and left with the unsmoked cigar for analysis. Our next question: where did Tao’s source their Cohibas? In a climate where Cuban cigars are in short supply, this seemed worth asking. «From Cubaruedi,» the bar manager told us, naming somebody well known to Hüberli.

Counterfeit Cohiba Siglo VI from Tao's (above), original Siglo VI (below). (Image: finews.com / «Cigar»)

«Cubaruedi» (Swiss German abbreviation of Cuba Rudolf) is the alias of Zurich retiree Rudolf R.*, a name that rang immediate alarm bells for Hüberli. Back in 2018, his publication had exposed Cubaruedi for selling counterfeit Cuban cigars, a revelation that sent ripples through Switzerland’s cigar community.

Meticulous Examination of the Band

At the time, the official Swiss importer of Cuban cigars, Intertabak, intervened, forcing Cubaruedi to withdraw his counterfeits from the market. And yet, here he is, seemingly back in business.

The second cigar from Tao’s was subject to a thorough inspection by Hüberli, a seasoned cigar expert with over 16 years of experience, who has traveled extensively to the cigar-producing regions of the Caribbean. He meticulously examined the cigar’s band and compared it to an original one—produced with high-tech anti-counterfeiting measures such as holograms, embossing, and specialized fonts.

Clear Optical Deviations

Clear deviations signaled the cigar’s illegitimacy. The fonts on the «Cohiba» logo and the «Habana, Cuba» label underneath differed from the original. And while the genuine Cohiba logo—the Indian head emblem—fit perfectly within its designated space, the counterfeit’s was poorly aligned.

Counterfeit characteristics: thinner fonts on the «Cohiba» and «Habana, Cuba» inscriptions; poorly aligned brand emblem including watermark; differences in the embossing structure and the shade of orange. (Image: finews.com / «Cigar»)

«The Cuban cigar supply chain is so tightly controlled,» Hüberli noted, «that it’s virtually impossible for private individuals to secure enough Cohibas outside of official channels for commercial sale.» Especially given the current scarcity of Cuban cigars, securing authentic Cohibas through alternative routes is highly unlikely.

The 20-Franc Mirage

Intrigued, we reached out to Cubaruedi himself. Could he supply cigars to private buyers? «Of course,» he replied, sending a price list by email soon after. A box of 25 Cohiba Siglo VI cigars, he claimed, cost just 500 francs—20 francs per cigar.

Cuba is back: Cubaruedi's Current Price List. (Image, Blackenings: finews.com)

This raised serious questions about Tao’s: are they buying counterfeit cigars for 20 francs and marking them up to 115 francs? More importantly, do they even know that the cigars they’re selling are fakes? Cubaruedi, for his part, remained evasive when asked by potential customers directly how they could be certain about the authenticity of the offerings.

Tao’s Faces a Reckoning

Tao’s, known for its upscale offerings, prides itself on serving high-end products—from premium wines and champagnes to exclusive cigars and fine meats and fish, some of which come with provenance guarantees. This makes the counterfeit cigar scandal all the more damaging.

Hüberli explained: «We can’t prove that Tao’s management knew the cigars were counterfeit. But anyone in the hospitality industry should be suspicious when Cohibas are offered at such a low price—especially when, even with special rates, they typically cost four times that.»

Swift Action: Fake Cohibas Pulled from Sale

We confronted both Tao’s and Cubaruedi with the findings. Yesterday, Cubaruedi could not been reached for comment by email or phone.

Tao’s responded swiftly, stating that they would «investigate the allegations» and, as an immediate precaution, had removed the alleged Cohibas from their inventory. The cigars had been recommended by a regular guest, the statement said, who claimed to source them via Panama, explaining the low price. A staff member, acting «naively,» had accepted Cubaruedi as supplier, Tao’s admitted.

The restaurant assured that only a few of these counterfeit cigars had been sold, and stressed that all other products—from spirits to sushi fish—are sourced from reputable suppliers.

Intertabak Secures Evidence

We also reached out to Intertabak, the official importer of Habanos' cigars in Switzerland, to learn what actions they plan to take. CEO Tony Hoevenaars confirmed that the company is working to secure evidence in the case. «We act quickly in cases of counterfeiting or brand infringement, and Habanos will be involved in any necessary legal steps. Fortunately, such incidents are rare, and we’ve always been able to resolve them amicably.»

For now, it seems the cigar world in Zurich can breathe a little easier—but this episode leaves lingering questions about who, in this game of smoke and mirrors, was fooled and who might have been playing along. To be continued.

* Full name known to finews.com.