Paul Stulac 5x58 Angel

With my wife completing her 98-hour nights rotation and my daughter in bed at 8:15 pm, I found myself with some unexpected free time. This being the case, I shimmied open my personal humidor and fished out a true "keeper" of a cigar that I've had my eye on for some time: a Paul Stulac Angel.

Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Paul Stulac Angel (robusto)

First Impressions:
Stunning. The Angel was heavy and firm and oily; furthermore, it was slightly square/soft pressed, a personal added bonus (won't roll off the table). I loved the Gothic font and skull-and-crossbones band, which gave the cigar an aura of mystery. Void of any egregious irregularities, dark and richly hued, it truly is a supremely attractive stick, the Angel.

Whoever designed the artwork should get a raise -- wonderfully done. I keep these on the top row of my glass-top humidor so my friends can leer at them.

Banded foot ... a hallmark of the extra care and detail that go into a Paul Stulac Cigar

Burning:
A traditional v-cut to begin and a nice little tug of a draw, initial flavors were strong, heavy, and I thought I was in for a full-bodied powerhouse, reminiscent of a Mike Tyson first-round knockout. However, this facade rapidly dissipated as I put flame to the Angel's foot.

The cigar took the light well, whereupon I got a pleasantly smooth leathery, oaky note -- definitely in the medium/full bodied arena.

Leather, oak, and a dash of pepper greeted me at the front door

Change is a good thing, right? About halfway to a third into it, the Angel became charmingly sweet. As I look at my notes, I see, "smooth," "velvety chocolate," "cherry?" This agreeable transition gave the cigar a depth that is usually reserved for good aged tobacco. Now I couldn't find any documentation on how long Paul Stulac ages his tobacco or lets his cigars rest, but the emergence of said flavors is indicative of mature tobacco and production that is not knee-jerk.

Proceeding, there were more twists and turns in the cigar than in Karsashian post-wedding bliss, with a creaminess and floral note coming near the band. Every puff presented new flavors and aromas that will keep a smoker guessing "What's next?" Now don't misinterpret me, the Angel maintained it's med/full bodied profile thoughout -- these additional flavors simply augmented the air of peculiarity the Angel presented.

Jockeying of savory flavors continued

With a band of such noir design, to find a floral, spicy note was unique

Flavors aside, the construction of the Paul Stulac Angel was no less impressive: the ash held on damn near the band; not one relight or correction was needed; the cap never unraveled or disentangled, and the cigar carried a long finish -- these all demonstrate Paul Stulac's steadfastness to giving his consumers the best, most enjoyable product possible.

Didn't want to let go of this beauty

Final Thoughts:
Currently, Paul Stulac Cigars come in two different wrappers (Ecuadorian or Brazilian Maduro) and five sizes: Angel (Robusto) 5 x 58, Ghost (Toro) 6 x 58, Phantom (Torpedo) 6 x 53, Skull (Salomone) 7 x 58 and Cross (Gigante) 7 x 64. However, rumor has it that Mr. Stulac is working on a mysterious sixth size, which is sure to be equally impressive.

This was the perfect cigar for me on this night of a nearly-never-seen quiet moment. I'm eager to try the rest of the Paul Stulac line to see if each stick will live up to the precedent the Angel has set. When you spy these cigars in your local B&M shops, my friends, I encourage you to grab a handful; they won't be around long . . . especially if I or any Long Ashes Cigar Club members get there first.

Rating: 10 (Preeminent) One of the best cigars I've ever smoked. I will be filling up my humidor with Paul Stulac Cigars; you should do likewise. In fact, one of our members bought a box at our event on June 23 and he commented, "Great cigar. I only have a few left!"

Paul Stulac Angel: a 10

-M. Kittner

If you live around Winston-Salem, NC, Paul Stulac Cigars can be found at Blue Ridge Tobacco and Candle 2299 Cloverdale Avenue Winston-Salem, NC 27103 (336) 722-4398. (Note: we have asked and will continue to request that all local shops carry the brand.) Here is the complete list of retailers.


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