EMS quality vs. ???

[smokum]

Trying to get some input on H&F EMS Havanas from London vs. quality from the rest of the Habanos world. Is there a difference that can be quantified ? Tampa gave me insight into the tobacco taxes in England and Canada so the extreme differences in cost per box makes some sense. Is there an EMS equivalent for other areas or is EMS a marketing tool ?

[Jimmy2]

I know there was first AMS (USA perfered Light green wrappers back in the day) American Market Select than after the embargo it was ended.

EMS (UK like darker wrappers but it's not what EMS means) just means its imported by a UK cigar merchant.

Josepd Samuel and Sons and Hunters and Frankau started EMS stamp

around 1991 both Merchants.

This was taken from Author Minn Ron Nee.

But i remembered this from memory man i love that book and yes i am crazy about cigars..

[habanohal]

years and yeasrs ago it use to mean something. Now UK merchants try to use it as a tool to tell you why you should pay their prices

[stonerpc]

I thought they might be higher quality - My first monte #4's were EMS and they had nice dark wrapper's with that great bean flavor. My second box was from Hong Kong with lighter wrappers, great construction and equal flavor (after a short rest). I wanted to compare again so I got a 5'er from the same EMS supplier and what I got had lighter wrappers and bland taste.

Thats good enough for me - I dont see any difference:-|

[smokum]

» years and yeasrs ago it use to mean something. Now UK merchants try to use

» it as a tool to tell you why you should pay their prices

Thats what I'm really getting at ....I cannot justify that heavy tax/price premium. As long as trusted merchants around the world are on a level playing field with the quality of product they receive I am comfortable.

[Jimmy2]

UK merchants have nothing to do with the high prices its the Tax the Gov in the UK passed..

[jqmunro]

The Market Selection only indicates the relative wrapper color... American, English, Spanish .... darker and darker... These were the wrapper colors that were in "vogue" for the respective markets, hence the names. Someone got the bright idea to say EMS was better quality, probably to get people to actually buy cigars in england with the ridiculous taxes and prices.

AMS - double claro

EMS - colorado claro

SMS - maduro

Also, now H&F says that EMS is somewhat meant to signify higher quality standards. Supposedly they inspect their cigars and make sure they are acceptable. Right!

[Tampa1257]

Hunter & Frankau as the distributors for all the Habanos in the UK have a need to justify the higher prices that they sell to their retailers for as well as having to live with the higher taxes that their market places on the product. Marketing 101 gents, take a disadvantage and turn it into a marketing ploy to add a perceived value to justify the higher price. EMS cigars are supposed to be inspected to validate that the product meets the selection criteria that the exclusive UK market expects. Not only that, but a box that has the EMS sticker on it has had the extremely high UK tax paid on it, so the higher price tag seems logical, no? Well, who really gives a crap about paying higher tax's? Does a quick visual glance, not really an inspection of the cigars warrant double the retail price often found on the exact same product in other market areas?

To me, the EMS or the H & F sticker mean one thing, that the cigars came through an authorized distribution channel from Habanos S.A.. Thats it, no more, no less. If I am able to find the same box of cigars at a fraction of the price from another source that also sources their product from an authorized distribution channel, I'll be damned if I am going to pay "Stupid" prices for the cigars I love!

Just my humble opinion.

[tigger]

I concur with those who have posted that it meant something qualitywise at one time, but doesn't any longer...

[smokum]

Ahhhh...now that is why I joined this Forum !!! My choice is clear now !! Thanks for the assurances everyone. I pay plenty of tax HERE...I don't feel like heloing the economy in England. Maybe the extra tax pays for the 600 stickers they put on the box telling me how smoking will kill me and everyone within a 6 mile radius of me.:-)

[winelover]

I totally concur with EMS being a marketing ploy. I live in the UK, and the only time I pay EMS prices is when I buy singles when I am out in London. Otherwise I buy from Switzerland and HK.