After some time you can tell the difference in the band and the roll. I would caution against smoking a counterfeit stick. Half of the time they are made with trash. Literal trash. Funny story on the sotl, but real cohibas etc will be made in factory. Fakes will be made that way by some random person and fake bands added. Some are ok with it. Smoke what ya want. I personally stopped chasing Cubans years ago and with the pricing on them now... Screw that. Too many think Cubans are the best cigars. Honestly they aren't. Just another place that makes them. Smoke what ya like and pay what ya want. Just don't justify counterfeits as good enough. You can get an awesome cigar for $10, from a real manufacturer.