"Hey mon, ya wanna smoke some bamboo with us tooonight?" - a dark-skinned Jamaican student said to me during my first week of college 15 years ago. "Um, well, hmm, I'll, um, maybe, well, I promised my parents, um, well, hmm, smells good, well..." This time on Gonz's bargain train, I've got some Bohemian Bamboo "for ya mon". No, not the wacky-tobaccy kind, but a deal coming from Dominican Republic's Victor Sinclair factory. With a great array of mellow-to-medium bodied cigars such as Don Rafael, Victor Sinclair Connecticut, Bohemian, and the super-premium Serie '55' the Bamboo is distinctly different, producing a tamer smoke that slaps you with a complex depth of flavor that I didn't expect.

I'm only through my 5th Bamboo North Beach (5.0" x 54) but just couldn't resist writing about it. Simple aesthetics turned me on to give it a chance. First, I know the untrimmed foot is going to give me an easy light. No need to drag and drag...and drag....and drag...to get this lit. Plus, the curly head cap has a cutter built-in, just in case your guillotine eludes you. Twist, light, and go! Woohoo! The wrapper is a nice, silky, thick Connecticut shade leaf, not the typical paper thin one you're used to. A firm cigar chock full of tobacco.

The flavor profile is a hoot. Struck by the expectation of a very easy going cigar, the initial burn meets that description precisely. A fuller body erupts more quickly and without introduction, surprising the taste buds and tickling the fancy with intrigue. Not overbearing or pungent at all, but a nice body stubbornly works its way into the smoke, leaving a soft peppery finish that lingers, but a light smoke that disappears quickly upon exhale. Creamy, yet dry and slightly spicy - that about says it all.

The burn remains even, the flavor profile consistent, and the cost....$2 per stick. Alrighty then, a box for me and all my friends!

Light'em up!