Tasting Note

Known for his time running the CAO brand, Tim Ozgener dropped out of cigar society after CAO was sold. When Ozgener returned to the industry in 2022, Bosphorus was his first blend in 12 years. The start was a bit rocky. He parted ways with his first manufacturer before ending up with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, who now makes Bosphorus in the Dominican Republic. It’s named after the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey, which speaks to Ozgener’s Turkish heritage. While there’s no Turkish tobacco here, there is a Havana 2000 wrapper and Nicaraguan filler, all combining for a sweet smoke of cocoa powder, coffee, nutmeg and marzipan.