God of Fire Don Carlos 2020 by Arturo Fuente - Cigar Reviews by HB Cigars

When Prometheus stole fire from Zeus, he probably didn't expect it to end up as a $30 cigar collaboration with the Fuente family. This annual limited release is harder to find than a reasonable explanation for why Caldwell cigars exist. The God of Fire Don Carlos is what happens when Arturo Fuente and Prometheus decide to make cigars instead of therapy their expensive hobby. Made once a year in quantities that would make Supreme drops look abundantly available, retailers literally limit you to one per customer - like you're buying Sudafed or trying to adopt a rescue dog.

BUY GOD OF FIRE HERE or CIGARS HERE

🔥 THE VITALS 🔥

Cigar: God of Fire Don Carlos 2020

Master Blender: Fuente

Size: 5 1/4 x 50 Robusto

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuadorian

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Price: ~$29-35 (if you can find it)

Aging: Years of aging before release, then likely years in your humidor while you wait for an occasion worthy enough

🚀 WE ARE LIT!

Draw: Perfect. At least almost.

Burn: Straighter than your uncle after a few bourbons

Smoke Output: adequate

Ash: I ashed myself

Great construction from Fuente - this isn't some gas station impulse buy. Great smoke production from the jump with a slightly tight draw that's more selective than a bouncer at Berghain. The golden Ecuadorian wrapper gleams like the retirement watch you'll never get because pensions don't exist anymore. Each cigar comes with two bands: one showing Prometheus getting torched by Zeus (relatable), and another with the year - because even cigars need vintage dating profiles now.

🎢 FLAVOR JOURNEY

FIRST THIRD: THE BAKERY HEIST

sweet bread, butter, slight spice, cedar, slight fruit 

Sweet bread opens the show like walking past a Parisian bakery you can't afford to enter. Butter joins immediately, creating a pastry profile that would make Paul Hollywood weep. Slight spice tickles the retrohale while cedar provides structure. A hint of fruit peeks through - subtle, like your friend's attempts to mention their Peloton without actually mentioning their Peloton. The 93-point rating starts making sense immediately.

SECOND THIRD: THE CEDAR SITUATION

cedar, dried fruit, toast, leather

Cedar takes command while dried fruit emerges, creating a profile that tastes like expensive furniture smells. Toast replaces the sweet bread, adding a charred element that pairs with emerging leather notes. The Dominican tobacco shows its pedigree here - this is what happens when tobacco gets a liberal arts education and a trust fund. The complexity builds like the plot of a prestige TV show you'll never finish.

FINAL THIRD: THE LEATHER LOUNGE

leather, charred cedar, dried fruit

Leather dominates the finale with the confidence of someone who replies-all on purpose. Charred cedar intensifies, bringing campfire notes without the part where someone brings an acoustic guitar. Dried fruit maintains its presence, sweet but refined, like finding out your Uber driver has a PhD. The finish is long and contemplative - this is a cigar that went to therapy and did the work.

BUY GOD OF FIRE HERE or CIGARS HERE

🏆 THE VERDICT:

A+ TIER

Flavor: A+

Construction: A

Availability: C-

Price: B+ (It's $30 but actually worth it)

Final Rating:

This is what happens when Fuente decides to flex. The blend showcases why people camp outside cigar shops for Fuente releases like they're waiting for sneaker drops. The progression from buttery pastry to leather-wrapped luxury is smoother than your excuses for being late to brunch.

📊BOTTOM LINE

The God of Fire Don Carlos 2020 is proof that sometimes gatekeeping is justified. At ~

$30 per stick with a one-per-customer limit, this isn't just a cigar - it's a flex that actually backs it up with substance. The collaboration between Fuente and Prometheus created something that lives up to its mythological namesake, assuming Prometheus was really into notes of butter and cedar. Finding these requires either connections, patience, or a willingness to trade your firstborn (check local laws first). But when you do find one, you're holding liquid gold that happens to be flammable - which is probably what Prometheus had in mind all along.

TLDR: Buy it if you find it, even if you do or do not have the money.