Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Size: 5 x 52 Robusto ~ Box Pressed
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $12.00
Date Released: June 2025
Quantity Released: Regular Production
Factory: Nicaraguan American Cigars S.A. (NACSA)

My cigars received 2 months of naked humidor time.

BACKGROUND:
From Oz Family Cigars:
“The OZ Family Cigars Karatoba is a medium-to-full-bodied experience that opens with a bold burst of savory spices. As the smoke evolves, rich notes of stewed meat and slow-cooked red sauce emerge, evoking the essence of a hearty, well-seasoned Bolognese sauce. Its Sumatra wrapper adds a touch of earthiness and subtle sweetness, perfectly balancing the complexity. Crafted with a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from both Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, this cigar delivers a luxurious , layered flavor journey from start to finish.”

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The bronze and black cigar band and footer ribbon add a nice touch to this square beast. In Latin, Karatoba translates to Squirrel and Moose. But in Greek, it means Generalissimo Franco is still dead. I can’t speak for the transliterations.

My PerfecPunch stands on one foot. It has a smile a millimeter wide. I hear it bellow, ‘pick me, pick me.’ I pierce the cap making a perfect blow hole. But the draw is tighter than blood sausage on a blind date. I huff the thing and get flavor notes of rich espresso, minty chocolate, floral barnyard, red pepper, and creamy vodka sauce.

A hearty and hale start with notes of rich earthiness, creamy dark chocolate malted milk, espresso, roasted chestnuts, and baking spices. The flavors stay on my tongue for two minutes so I refrain from puffing because I love the mouth feel and texture it brings to my palate.

Construction has been excellent on my previous two sticks. This one remains the same. The cherry is an ever glow. I tried one stick a week after receipt. I doubted my voracity as a reviewer but the blend seems to be agreeable with just a little bit of time to breathe in an unfriendly environment. New cigars are rarely welcomed into a humidor. The other cigars get jostled around and made to shift to make room for daddy.

Nice smoke output. (I stare at the ceiling and wink at the gods).

Suggestion is half the fun with a new cigar. I read Bolognese sauce and I taste Bolognese sauce. Could be BBQ sauce. Or maybe Worcestershire sauce. I’m all for a leg up when I discover a new blend.

There is this little thing that skydivers forget to mention. On a warm sunny day, and with all the gear you are wearing, you begin sweating like a spotted caged animal. As you ascend in the plane, you feel the temp slowly dropping. At 10,000 feet, you feel cool as a cuke. Now the sweating is from excitement and a little bit of fear. You leave the safe confines of a rickety airplane and your sweat turns to acid rain. You’re not flying or floating. You are dropping like a boulder at 125mph. Depending at what altitude that you pull the rip cord; you feel the warmth of a sun-soaked earth as it approaches at a dizzying speed. You land. You gather yourself. Broken bones are attended to. And you get in line to do it again. Unless your cables get tangled and dive bomb headfirst into the earth. People who’ve asked why you left the confines of a perfectly good airplane, have never been in a jump plane. Walk Away Renee.

I love the creaminess. The burn is slow and deliberate, taking its time.

The Mars landing, with astronauts aboard, has been pushed back to 2036. News Alert: Scientists don’t anticipate inventing a bra that can hide Jennifer Aniston’s nipples until 2037.

Strength remains at medium as inch two begins. I whisper in its tiny ear, gimme some lovin. It flips me off. Must be a foreigner.

The blend is smooth. Not even close to being a flavor bomb. Just a damn good cigar that doesn’t cause trouble. Give me love. Give me peace on earth. Oracle Harrison said that.

Time for my first sip of water and reminiscing about a time when I could see my wiener without using a mirror or extraordinarily small block and tackle.

Maple syrup and honeysuckle clap their hands. My lights turn off. I give the cigar a stern warning. Why am I writing like this? God only knows.

Can I compare this blend to something you’ve smoked. Probably.

The Karatoba comes in four sizes. Something for everyone. Except the Gordo. Only Dr. Rod smokes dirigibles. If he had any taste, he wouldn’t choose to be my friend.

The first half took 40 minutes. Slow as she goes with rich earthiness and a luster of simple flavor notes. Mildly complex. Nice depth that keeps on keeping on. Transitions with a fade haircut. While being sophisticated. It reminds me of Dunbarton Red Meat Lovers tased into submission by Aganorsa Rare Leaf Maduro. A very decent $12 smoke. Oz did good.

Rick Davies of the band Supertramp died this week at age 81 after battling cancer. It triggered a memory of a time I met him and the band. I had been home about a month from my time spent in England. George Hatcher was the lead singer for my band Stark Naked and the Car Thieves. It was my first band playing with Stewart Copeland and violinist Darryl Way. Hatcher’s manager had brought his new album to the States with her. She called and invited me up to a secluded elegant home in the Hollywood Hills. Supertramp was readying themselves to record a new album. I drove an hour from Long Beach to the Hills. It was a sunny day and people were strewn across the backyard and lounging at the pool. I spent the afternoon with the guys smoking joints, telling road stories, and general loafing. I left through the living room which the band was using for a rehearsal space. I noticed a Fender Precision bass and asked if I could try it out. I was given the go ahead. The damn living room had a very low ceiling that I hadn’t noticed but discovered as I swung the bass around my neck, banging the headstock into the ceiling…hard. I cracked the neck. The guys were very polite and respectful and told me not to worry. My credo is to make friends wherever I can. I was too embarrassed to take advantage of the free tickets for their concert the next day. ‘Hey this is Phil. He ruined a perfectly good bass.’

The second half does a deep knee bend or two and expands the depth nicely. I am waiting for the blend to go into kick ass mode. But it lingers at medium strength with a full body experience. If I was Gen Z, I would have said ‘journey.’ The last couple inches will tell the truth.

During grade school, my daughter erroneously told everyone I played with Eric Clapton. At parent/teacher nights, good looking women sidled up to me. I denied nothing. A simple nod and a wink.

I had been trying to sway this beautiful natural blonde for a month. We went on a couple of dates. I was invited to her home for dinner. She showed me her 1957 Thunderbird in the garage. I was not allowed to get in it. I was told that the only man allowed to get inside and drive it was her dear friend Billy Gibbons. I knew I was screwed as she mentioned his name once more. Finally, she agreed to come to my house for the evening. So what did I do? I rented the 1982 movie ‘The Thing.’ I believe dumb is a disease in which vaccinations don’t apply.

Flavors: smoked brisket, vodka sauce, espresso, cinnamon, dark chocolate, malt, a hearty lager, black pepper, maple syrup, and strong earthiness.

At this point, I’m thinking I want more. After promo codes, this is a $11 stick. Good blends rarely come in at this price in 2025.

The first time I saw bassist Leland Sklar was in 1967 at one of those typical concerts with 10 bands on the same ticket. They would play 4 or 5 songs and skedaddle. Sklar had a three piece and played in front of the closed curtain. He warmed up the crowd. The adventurous instrumentals went above everyone’s heads…except for fellow musicians who were rapt in wonder.

I begin feeling the strength advertised as medium/full. But zero nicotine. This is a delicious cigar. Family Oz should blend more cigars like this. It shows the community that a cigar does not need to be a minimum of $15 these days.

Once the reviews begin filing in, I expect numbers to fall in the 87-90 range. It’s no different than my mid 90’s. We just have a different way of looking at things.

This is a delicious cigar. I’ve only taken two sips of water in 80 minutes, which tells you how smooth and palate pleasing this cigar can be. I’d snag a few if I were you.

RATING: 95

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, karatoba, katman, oz family cigars, OZ Family Cigars Karatoba | Cigar Reviews by the Katman, phil kohn