Lemon Cane from Archive California and Alien Labs via Catalyst Cherry on 6/25/2020. Purchased for $68 out the door. I’m a big fan of citrus strains so when I saw this batch of Lemon Cane getting some positive attention I knew I had to get my hands on some. These beautiful shrub-like buds are mostly comprised of a tea green with drab olive accents, cinnamon orange pistils, and an immensely thick layer of yellowing triches giving it that “snowy TV” look as if you’re seeing it on an old CRT with a bad signal.

The nose out of the jar is overwhelmingly lemon with a bit of candy sweetness and hint of mustiness kicking around in the background. On busting open a nug a freshness emerges, a mintiness really dominates the profile with a just a trace of pine, and struggles to push that juggernaut-like lemon out of the spotlight. Breaking it down by hand the grinds give off a lemon pledge scent in a brilliant euphony of citrus, mint and muted pine, while leaving a pleasant lemon scented stickiness on fingertips. The dry pull on the joint is a sweet lemon candy with a slight musty undertone. The inhale is smooth, and on the joint hits the taste buds like a lemon slurpee right at first but has a toasted lemon quality afterward, where the bong is more of a lemon zest with a deep must. The exhale off the joint is almost as if someone zested a lemon directly in your mouth whereas the bong has more of that lemon cleaner quality with a very fresh edge and a deep musty underpinning. Cross checking the flavor on my MV1 from @ghostvapesofficial at 170c, I got a very sweet piney mint that cooled the tongue like an old school York Peppermint Patty, and at 185c that lemon is unleashed with just a touch of mint and pine and will leave you with a long lasting aftertaste. The headchange comes on fast and with a nice dose of energy but also will make you hazy eyed as well as putting some weight on your neck and shoulders. I found myself leaning on it a few mornings as a pick me up but I admit I found myself spacing out more often than not, getting distracted fairly easily, but generally able to snap back into reality without missing a beat. I really liked this batch of Lemon Cane, it’s clearly expertly cultivated, and everything from the smell to the burn was enjoyable in every regard. That said, while I got it at a fair price I’m not sure I’d cop it again as there was nothing particularly standout about the effects themselves. I have seen it on some menus for over $100 there’s no way I’d ever pay that. It’s definitely a solid and satisfying smoke, and depending on what else is on the menu that day I might end up grabbing it again, but I’m not exactly chomping at the bit to get my hands on more especially at anywhere near $100. Ideally it would be at $65 out the door, but with the current climate I’d even say $70 is acceptable, and with the recent price adjustments at Catalyst I’d think they’d agree. Really though it’s not for me to say what the right price is for someone else, I can only speak for my own wallet, and if something is too high a price I simply don’t buy it. That’s the power we have as consumers. However, if a shop can kick $100 eights out the door successfully and sell out of all that stock who am I to hate on that? I just know I won’t be shopping there.