Ozgener Moves Production of Bosphorus to Tabacalera La Alianza

Ozgener Family Cigars’ Bospohorus line has a new home, as Tim Ozgener told halfwheel that he has shifted production to Tabacalera La Alianza, the factory owned by E.P. Carrillo.

Previously, the cigars had been made at Tabacalera Pichardo in Nicaragua. The blend is changing a bit as part of the move, as the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper on the original is being replaced with an Ecuadorian Habana 2000 leaf. There will still be two binder leaves, one from Ecuador and the other from Nicaragua, and the fillers still all come from Nicaragua.

“Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is one of the most talented cigar makers in the industry‘s history,” Ozegner said. “His attention to detail, meticulousness, and eye on quality mirrors the values of my family. It’s how we conduct and have always conducted business.”

The vitolas in the Bosphorus line, as well as the pricing and packaging formats, also remain the same:

• Bosphorus B-50 (4 x 50) — $12 (Box of 20, $240)
• Bosphorus B-52 (5 x 52) — $12.75 (Box of 20, $255)
• Bosphorus B-54 (6 1/2 x 54) — $14.25 (Box of 20, $285)
• Bosphorus B-55 (5 1/2 x 55) — $13.50 (Box of 20, $270)

The first shipments of the new Bosphorus should be arriving on store shelves this month, possibly as early as the middle of the month.

“Over two years of work went into determining Ozgener Family Cigars’s brand identity, and it to tells an emotional, personal story,” Ozgener told halfwheel. “Ernesto has the ability to convey that story through the cigar. We work very well with together and look forward to more collaborations.”

Ozgener also said that he is working on more projects with Perez-Carrillo that are in the works for a future release.