I am bringing you today the Paul Stulac White Blinding Light.
Yes, I know I am a day late and a dollar short, as this cigar has been out for some time and that there have been quite a few reviews put out already. But this is Cigar Moose style! Besides I loved the Red Screaming Sun so much, I had to try Paul's other lines.
I would like to add that you all thank Meatloaf for his constant harassing to get this review under way during one of the busiest holiday seasons of the year! Thanks pal!
Another note I would like to say is that I apologize in advance for the lack of personal pictures for this review. Having difficulties with the cold temperatures and the camera not..................Aw, who am I trying to kid? We were so tuned into getting these into our 'Gar Puffers we forgot to take pics! So instead we give you the pics generated (stolen) from other, er, places......Yeah that's the ticket!
Right off the bat, the visual on this cigar is stunning! The Dark Ecuador Habano seamless wrapper is oily with slight veins and is simply put, flawless! Paul seems to have high quality rollers putting out consistently high quality product. It has a Sumatra binder and Nicaraguan filler. The binder, interesting enough, I think, lends some interesting tastes to the Habano wrapper when smoked to give a nice mix of flavors.
Beginning with my usual prelight rituals, I smell the body and foot, taking in several deep inhales. Turk and I agree on a sweet aroma to the body, I get an almost Sweet Tarts taste on the back of my throat from the inhale. Meatloaf says to him its more of a sweet barn hay. We all agree on a chocolaty smell to the foot. After a perfect cut with my Xikar cutter, the prelight draw is slightly medium with sweet tastes of tobacco.
Upon light, We all get a big hit of spice on the back of the throat and for me more through the nose. Note: I am the only one of the panel who consistently rolls the smoke through the nose a few times throughout the smoke to get a more intense flavor profile. The others just don't care for it.
For all of us, the smoke quickly within minutes mellows right out. I get a nice caramel taste through the nose which is quite creamy. We all notice a sweetness to the aroma of the smoke. A bit of citrus added to it for me. Turk and Meatloaf says they are getting some really great tastes, the pepper ever so subtly present on the palette. Turk says it has a little bit of a bite and changes flavors so quickly that he cannot pinpoint one alone. Finally I have pinpointed the aroma! It smells like sweet barbecue sauce on the grill, that charred sweet smell. Now that I have pinpointed it, the others agree that it is a really good aroma. It creates a nice imagery in the mind as you smoke it.
The burn at first for all of us was a bit uneven, with a whitish grey ash, but now has started to correct itself about one inch into the smoke. Dense smoke is had with every puff of this cigar, creamy and wafting through the air.
This cigar is definitely medium in body and full in complex flavor. One third in it mellows even more with some nice chocolate notes. Turk says he is getting more of a date flavor.
My ash along with Meatloaf's falls off almost 2 inches into the smoke. Turk's hangs on to over the 2 inch mark. Man! Only fabulous construction can get you to this length in ash. Stulac is the man! I mean really? What is better for a man to measure his manliness than the length of his cigar ash?!?!? But even with over a 2 inch ash, no cone was produced. Even though I really like to see a cone, the sharper the better, it in no way does it affect my opinion of this cigar. This cigar is another hit for Mr.Stulac!
The cigar has a clean mouth feel and a clean finish with hints of chocolate in the last third of the cigar.
The White Blinding Light comes in the Robusto, Toro, and Torpedo sizes in the $12 + range for singles or $279-288 per box. You can get 5 packs from pipesandcigars.com for a little bit of a discount in the upper $50 range.
Meatloaf gives this one a Buzz Rating of 6 out of 10
And an Overall Rating of 3.5 out of 5
Turk gives this one a Buzz Rating of 6 out of 10
And an Overall Rating of 4 out of 5
Cigar Moose Gives this one a Buzz Rating of 7 out of 10
And an Overall Rating of 4 out of 5
Like it?: Absolutely! Excellent construction, tastes and complexity!
Buy it again?: I would definitely buy a 5 pack to keep in my humidor!
Recommend it?: Absolutely! But I must confess Paul, while the White is of the same caliber the Red is, The Red continues to be my favorite! But remember folks, This cigar was produced before the Red Screaming Sun, which tells me that Paul consistently improves on an already great and high quality product. Another feather in your cap Paul. You continue to amaze me!
Hope you all had a great Christmas Holiday! And here is to all of you, my "Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf", raise ashes high, and Happy New Year 2013! Till next post.......................Peace!
