English Market Selection (EMS)

English Market Selection, EMS, is the traditional guarantee of quality for Habanos (Havanas) which have been selected for sale in the United Kingdom)

The EMS stamp's colour changed annually for three reasons. First as an additional safety measure against counterfeiters, second. to help you identify the age of the box, and thirdly as an aid against the black market

If you see a box of Havanas on sale in the UK WITHOUT an ems sticker, then beware, they are fakes or black/grey market

	Boxes cleared from customs since June 1992 have the following stamps
	June 1992 and October 1997	Green
	November 1997 and September 1998	Pink
	October 1998 and September 1999	Blue
	October 1999 and September 2000	Yellow
	October 2000 and December 2001	Green
	January 2002 and December 2002	Pink
	January 2003 and December 2003	Purple

What is EMS?

English Market Selection starts in Cuba. The cigar factories send their export production to Habanos SA who do a check on every batch they receive. Those batches that do not meet the EMS standards are not sent to the UK.

On arrival into the United Kingdom, every box of cigars are opened by the sole importers, Hunters & Frankau, and inspected. Those that do not come up to the EMS standard, are rejected and sent back to Cuba

Index