Pride Bandolero Butch Cassidy (6x50)

It is well known that I don't care for cigars with a gimmick or a hook.  Crafty names, dual wrappers, odd ball sizes and circus side show tricks have no place in my cigar world.  I am a traditionalist, plain and simple, stick to what has made cigars great over the centuries and let the tobacco speak for itself. 

Now comes the Pride Bandolero, supposedly hearkening back to the old west, when men were men and the women were afraid....or something like that.  This one bears the name Butch Cassidy, as if that is supposed to evoke some wistful remembrance of a time when there was no indoor plumbing.  What was so great about this time anyway?  People were shot for no reason, there was little law and order, and the cigars were made by Marsh Wheeling and called stogies.  These are not times I would want to relive and I don't want my cigar to take me to that awful place.  Call me a stick in the mud, but I like the trappings of modern living, though with my skill as a card player I probably could have made a nice living (I'm a pretty good shot with a revolver as well...).

Name aside, let's take a look at the cigar.  It presents in a very rustic way.  The cigar is bumpy and not pleasant to look at.  The wrapper is full of veins and does not have a uniform color, alternating between a Colorado red hue and a mottled dark brown that seems to suffer from water damage as the spots look like it has sat in wet conditions, not a pleasant visual.  The construction also has me concerned as I can feel some voids in the filler and bunch that could be an issue.  The pre light aroma is sharp and has some spice to it.  The pre light draw is also sharp with wet wood flavors.

The cigar opens with a horrid profile that drys the throat and tongue.  The core flavor is some sort of spice, but it is full of bitter flavors that are acidic.  This is completely one dimensional and that dimension is horrific.  At the back of the palate there are notes of wet wood, and wet vegetation that further disrupt the experience.  I am in the process of considering the old heave ho at this point.  The draw is too tight for me, but since the profile is so bile inducing I guess it is a blessing in disguise.  The burn is also inferior as a runner is forming and I can tell it will require a touch up before long.

The first half of the cigar shows little in the way of improvement, in fact it slips further into the depths of cigar detritus as it progresses.  The core profile becomes metallic, like sucking on pennies, and continues to show notes of wet vegetation.  The back of the palate becomes a sharp presentation of cedar and nasty spice notes that are acidic.  The only redemption here is a sweet flavor that mulls the bitterness just a bit, but it is fleeting and I can't identify what it is amongst all the horrible flavors.  The draw is still too tight, I'm still counting this as a blessing.  The burn has been retouched twice here and I can see that another one will be coming soon as this log just won't burn.

The final half of the smoke is everything that a cigar smoker has night sweats over.  The core profile is nothing but wet wood and vegetation that burns the palate and drys the throat.  At the back of the palate sharp cedar notes continue and the acidic notes continue to sear the mouth with every pull.  The draw is still too tight and the burn is an absolute disaster throughout.

The finish was foul and bitter and sent me running for the Wint-O-Green to cleanse the experience from my mouth, too bad I can't do the same for my brain.

Appearance- 81 an ugly cigar, no other way to put it
Taste- 70 the lowest score I can give, there is nothing here worth an upgrade
Construction- 73 it was smokable, barely
Strength- 80 I think they were going for full, but it did not matter
Overall- 74.5 an easy front runner for the worst cigar of the year, perhaps of the decade, perhaps of my life

Pride Ritual Toro (6x52)

This is a very boutique cigar that I have not seen in many stores. I was given one by the maker at my favorite B&M recently and I waited a few days to give it a smoke, as I heard mixed reviews from BOTL's that I hang around with.

The cigar presents well however, it is a bit bulky for me. The wrapper has some prominent veins and there are some flaws that concern me when I am considering the potential burn aspects of the smoke. An examination of the smoke reveals nothing of concern construction wise. The pre light aroma is spicy, but has some bitter aspects. The pre light draw shows some vegetal essence that is off putting.

The cigar opens with a profile that is neither complex or deep. There are some hints of spice and some woody notes, but there are some sour undertones that are really fouling the experience early on. At the back of the palate there are some dry, vegetal flavors that are not helping the experience any. The draw is a bit tight for me early on and the burn is an abomination that is requiring an early touch up as one side of the smoke refuses to combust properly.

The first half of the cigar continues it's death spiral. The profile is dry, acrid and smacks of old ash. At the back of the palate the dry, vegetal notes continue to assault the palate. The draw continues to be too tight at this point in the smoke, and the burn requires constant touch ups.

The final half of the cigar is no better than the rest of it. The profile is not showing anything noteworthy and continues to be bitter and acrid. At the back of the palate there continue to be vegetal notes that are putrid. The draw has opened slightly, but the burn has been terrible throughout.

The finish was short and positive in that it indicates the cigar is over.

Appearance- 86 prominent veins ruin the presentation
Taste- 73 very poor without any redeeming quality
Construction- 74 poor burn and tight draw
Strength- 85 a very average mild to medium
Overall- 77.5 don't waste your money