London Fine Cigars sources directly for the UK's sole Cuban Cigar Importer. All of the cigars sold by London Fine Cigars have gone through stringent quality control checks and subsequently all carry the EMS Stamp of approval for quality and consistency, guaranteeing our customers a prefect cigar.
EMS stands for 'English Market Selection' a description used in Cuba for over a century to identify the quality of cigars designated for the British market. It is the cornerstone of the UK's long established reputation as the world centre for the finest Havanas.
In 1993 the UK's main Cuban importer introduced the EMS Stamp. EMS Stamps are applied to boxes of Havanas that have passed a UK quality inspection.
In 1997 the colour of the stamps changed and have continued to do so annually. All packs of Havanas selected for sale in the UK domestic market bear the EMS stamp
The EMS Guarantee
1. Every box has come directly from Habanos S.A. in Cuba.
2. Every box has been shipped and stored by experts.
3. Every box has passed a UK quality check.
4. All UK Duties have been paid.
5. Every box carries correct UK health warnings.
The EMS stamp is an important safeguard against the growing tide of counterfeit Havanas that find their way into the UK. It is for added security that the colour of the EMS stamp is changed annually.
The Cuban factories have only one contract for the distribution of Havanas worldside and that is with Habanos S.A.
Habanos S.A. has only one contract with an importer for the UK, Republic of Ireland, Gibraltar and the Channel Islands.
You can be 100% sure that all Havanas bearing the EMS or H&F stamps are genuine.
H&F - Imported Directly from Cuba
For boxes of Havana cigars sold sealed there is an 'H&F - Imported Directly from Cuba' stamp. This guarantees that the packs have come through bona fide distribution channels.
These stamps are applied to all packs of Havanas destined for Travel Retail and our export markets (Republic of Ireland, Gibraltar and the Channel Islands).
