Cigar Review: God of Fire Serie B Double Robusto 2011

Allow me be upfront about a few things. Prometheus, the Los Angeles-based purveyor of smokes and accessories that produces God of Fire cigars, is indeed an advertiser with StogieGuys.com, as well as the generous sponsor of our most recent contest. And company head Keith K. Park did provide the cigars to make this review possible.

I feel the need to state all of these things for the record because I really, really like this cigar. Of course, my colleagues and I would never allow advertising, contest sponsorship, or complimentary samples to impact a cigar’s rating. We have too little to gain and far too much to lose—namely, your trust—to adopt that practice. Honesty has always been our policy. I hope this goes without saying.

Now on to the review. God of Fire is a super-premium brand with a base of cigars dubbed either “Don Carlos” (Ecuadorian wrapper) or “Carlito” (Cameroon wrapper). These cigars have been crafted by Arturo Fuente for Prometheus since 2004. In 2011, God of Fire expanded with the Serie B blend, which takes the sophistication and balance of God of Fire and presents it in a bolder format. Two sizes were released: Gran Toro (Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper) and Robusto Gordo 54 (Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper). Two more Serie B vitolas were introduced this summer: Robusto (Ecuadorian sun-grown) and Double Robusto (Connecticut broadleaf maduro).

The Serie B Double Robusto measures 5.75 inches long with a ring gauge of 52. It sells for $22 apiece and has the look of a cigar with such a lofty price tag. The wrapper is dark and toothy with only thin veins. The feel is very firm to the touch though the draw is clear.  The densely packed foot of proprietary tobaccos smells of cocoa.

Once lit, the medium-bodied profile yields flavors of raisin, dark chocolate, and espresso with a bit of pepper on the finish. The weight of the flavor is carried by the richness of the notes as opposed to the spice. So even though the Serie B is bolder than the Don Carlos or Carlito blends, it still falls into the category of smokes that derive their power from heavy texture than spice or nicotine.

As the Double Robusto progresses, I start to notice auxiliary flavors of black cherry, creamy nut, and a little dry wood. All the while the physical properties are just about perfect. The white, coarsely layered ash holds firm off the foot, the burn is straight and true, and the draw is easy with each puff producing ample smoke.

No, with a price tag north of $20 apiece, this isn’t an everyday smoke. But if you want to be wowed, and if you like the complexity of the Don Carlos or Carlito blends but need something with more body, the Serie B Double Robusto is a terrific smoke that won’t leave you with buyer’s remorse. That’s why it earns four and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys