Oz Family Karatoba
OZ Family Cigars is Tim Ozgener's return to the industry after the family sold CAO. Karatoba, released in 2025, is the brand's fourth regular-production line and its first made at Nicaragua American Cigars S.A. (NACSA). The name joins kara, Turkish for dark, with Lake Toba, the volcanic lake in Sumatra. The cigar uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, in four sizes packed in 21-count boxes.
Stogie At A Glance
Curated Music PLaylist
Kara is Turkish for dark, and Lake Toba is volcanic. Chet Baker, and Brubeck's "Blue Rondo à la Turk" for the chocolate and cedar; Mingus and Coltrane for the dark finish.
Review
First Third
The light opens with chocolate and a sweet cedar, along with pepper. There is a slight tang on the palate and finish. The slightly peppery chocolate note continues, and a more general woody note emerges, almost like rosewood. An earthy dark cherry note begins to appear as well, with cedar and pepper on the finish. The woody note continues, and a salted peanut note comes out, again with cedar and pepper on the finish. The smoke is thick with a creamy texture. Sweet cedar, light spices, and chocolate carry on, with cedar and chocolate on the finish.
Second Third
The second third begins with baking spices coming out more. A slightly creamy coffee note appears on the finish, alongside the continued woody note. The dark cherry note starts to develop, with cedar and a little pepper on the finish. Chocolate and cedar come through with a very prominent woody note. A creamy, woody note with an almost hay-like quality follows, with chocolate and spices on the finish. Rosewood and spices emerge, very woody-forward, with a slight sweetness on the finish. Pepper begins to come out more prominently, as does the coffee note, creamy coffee with spices on the finish.
Final Third
A slight leather note appears in the final third, still with chocolate and light spices. The creamy note is only there very slightly and has dissipated since the second third. The light leather continues, with the coffee now more of a black coffee than a creamy one, leaving cedar and black coffee on the finish. A dried fruit note, almost like grape, comes through very slightly alongside the leather and black coffee. The pepper fluctuates depending on the draw, and comes through a little more now than before. An herbal or tea note arrives, with strong black coffee on the finish. The tea note then evolves into an earthy note, with black coffee and chocolate on the palate and finish. The cigar closes with pepper and chocolate very heavy on the finish.
Score
92/100