Month November 2020

Blueberry MAC from Maven

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Blueberry MAC from Maven via Showgrow Long Beach on 9/17/2020 (shoutout to Travis at Showgrow for the swoop). THC tested out to 28.092%. With a discount I was able to get this for about $45 out the door but I’ve seen it go from about $45-60 pre tax depending on shop. I’m a huge fan of all things MAC so when I saw that Maven put out a special Blueberry variant I knew I had to get my hands on some. The surface of these small yet hardy nugs are a mix of pear and forest greens with rashes of raisin and eggplant, coupled with whips of dark twine and light orange tinted pistils, all covered in that signature MAC frost comprised of an army of egg cream colored triches.

The nose out of the jar hits like musty unwashed berries and spiced cream, very similar to the typical MAC scent, but this one leaned a bit more musty than usual. Busting open a bud the mustiness takes a back seat and a that sugar sweet spiced cream takes center stage, reminding me of an Horchata somewhat, but one that’s made with fresh natural ingredients and doesn’t have that saccharine sweet artificial bite you often come across in a mass produced powder based Horchata drink mix. Grinding it down by hand you get a sense for how very dense it is, leaving heavy notes of mulled spice on the fingertips with echos of sweet cream, while the grinds themselves come off like classic MAC with that delicious berries and cream scent popping off in spades. The dry pull on the joint is a sweet creamy floral with a musty spice back end and just a hint of freshness. The inhale is smooth, and has a surprisingly sharp cheese taste on the bong, whereas the joint is more of a floral sweet cream experience. The exhale on the bong is a sweet cream with berries and just a bit of spice, whereas on the joint the berries really come through up top, with a heavy spiced cream and floral follow up. Cross checking the flavors on my MV1 from @ghostvapesofficial , at 170c I get slightly piney floral, whereas at 185c it’s a heavier near perfume like floral with a skunky beer aftertaste. The headchange comes on quick and with a decent smack but it’s a bit hazier and less spacey than I expect from a MAC. There’s a physical drain accompanied by a “meh” feeling that really saps any motivation or will you have to do anything of consequence. Typically when smoking MAC I’ll go through a bowl or two and be able to reach a satisfying state, but with this batch I found myself attempting to reach for a 3rd and 4th bowl not too long after the initial smoke, as something just felt like it was missing from the effect and it never quite materialized. That said, on its own merits, this batch of Blueberry MAC is pretty good but still has that mentally depleting high of which I’m not a personal fan but many people seem to enjoy. If you’re a MAC fan then you may not find the type of effects you’re expecting, but if you’re looking for more of a Blueberry type body buzz with a MAC twist, then I have a feeling you’ll really dig this batch. Sorry Maven, you guys continue to put out some well crafted and high quality herb, but as a MAC enthusiast this one missed the mark for me. 

Lemonatti from Connected

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Lemonatti from Connected via Catalyst Santa Ana on 10/9/2020. THC tested out to 24.71%. Purchased for $85 out the door. In the distance, I could see huge plumes of smoke shooting out from the Hype Train, and today it was carrying Lemonatti. These foxtailed buds are a mix of deep aubergine and midnight blue along with shades of office and shamrock green, coupled with both fiery and cream orange pistils, and and a fortified layer of frost comprised by copious amounts of gently yellowing triches.

The nose out of the jar is a sweet lemon with a zesty edge and a musty pastry-like back end. Busting open a bud, a sugar sweetness with a cookie undertone takes center stage, with the lemon being pushed far into the wings but remaining present. Breaking it down by hand I found a minty lemon stuck to my fingers, while the grinds themselves have a semi-artificial lemon slushie/slurpee scent, but it’s hard to pin down exactly because the lemon seems to widen out beyond citrus into more of a general fruit vibe to the point it comes off vaguely similar to a Simply Lemonade with Blueberry. The dry pull on the j has a muted sweet lemon that ended up being milder than I anticipated. The inhale is smooth, and has a sweet and musty lemon on the joint, where the bong is a much more muted lemon experience.  The exhale is a heavy grungy lemon with a minty pine aftertaste on the joint, where the bong has a lighter lemon quality with that muted pastry cookie undertone, and via either method it ends up tickling the septum just a little bit. Cross checking the flavor on my MV1 from @ghostvapesofficial at 170c, I get a slightly cool piney lemon that gives me some muted cleaner vibes, which finishes out by leaving the ghost of a lemon aftertaste on the tongue. At 185c, there’s a minor cooling effect that occurs with a lemony zing on the way in, while the exhale is an overwhelming lemon that has some staying power and rounds out with a paper like finish. The headchange comes on quick, is heavy on the eyes and forehead, and saps me of any sort of motivational momentum that I may have had just moments earlier. It leaves me feeling dough faced and pretty meh and wondering why this experience cost $85. I thought that maybe my disdain for the buzz was partially due to my state of mind at the time so I decided to write up my thoughts, shelf it until it was time for my final write up, and revisit it in earnest. Between that time and now I’ve come across a couple very high ticket batches from other brands that had such poor showings, that in comparison, it’s given me a newfound respect for this Lemonatti. In my original rough draft review that was posted to Patreon, I was much harsher in my final verdict, while now I’ve softened it up to this: While I am still not a fan of the near depression like headchange, the taste and overall quality was fairly superb, but I can’t say those qualities were enough to push me to the point of saying I’d cop it again for $85. There’s just too much good stuff out there for less. Sorry Connected, this was some quality herb, but it just missed the mark for me. 

Triple Scoop from Your Highness

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Triple Scoop from Your Highness via Jungle Boys OC on 9/26/2020. THC tested out to 26.89%. Purchased for $64 out the door. Your Highness has been on my radar for years now, but for some reason I was never in the right place at the right time to get cop any, so when I noticed Jungle Boys OC put this Triple Scoop on their menu I decided I wouldn’t let another opportunity go by and hopped on it. The surface of these trident-esque buds are a mix of juniper and sage greens that shift into hues of midnight blue and light aubergine with the occasional dot of chartreuse, coupled with sporadic varied bursts of sunset orange and pale orange juice colored pistils, all heavily coated in a thick glimmering layer of icy white triches.

The nose out of the jar is that gelato like grungy sweet fruit with just a slight sugary candied vibe. Busting open a bud, that foreign fruit market scent remains dominant, but it gets a touch brighter and brings a mint-pine freshness with it that makes it’s presence known but stays relegated to the background. Breaking it down by hand, my fingers are overrun with a thick trich grime as I work through the fairly dense buds leaving a creamy sweet fruit with minor eucalyptus vibes on my hands, as the grinds themselves have that grungy fruit scent in spades with a creamy mint base. The dry pull on the joint is a sugar sweet fresh floral that tastes great but surprisingly lacks any semblance of fruit. The inhale is smooth and on the bong is a mild cream with an echo of chocolate so distant I thought I imagined it, but the joint reinforced that experience as it was mostly a fresh floral, but had a slightly louder note of chocolate hanging out in the background. The exhale had a creamy sweet freshness on the bong, whereas the joint had a similar flavor, but it had a spicy bite on the back end. Cross checking the flavors on my MV1 from Ghost Vapes at 170c I get a slight cooling sensation on the way in, and a strong yet equally balanced floral mint exhale, where at 185c the floral takes command and has a sugary candy edge to it at first but eventually the mint comes through in the aftertaste. The headchange comes on quick and has an enjoyable slap to it. There’s a heaviness you feel in the body near right away but it’s not so strong that it’ll couchlock lock you up, and it has a feel good tilt to it that I wouldn’t describe as peppy exactly, but definitely uplifting as it has you living in the moment and feeling generally positive about existing. I’m able to stay focused and on task for the most part, but I did find myself spacing out briefly on occasion, and without an energetic component in play I was more apt to want to kick back on the couch as opposed to kick ass on my to-do list. Over time the effect really settles into the body and you start to feel the weight increase on your shoulders, while the muscles in your neck seem to get a bit more rubbery, and a bit of an asmr tingle makes its way from the base of the skull down into the upper part of your spine. All and all, I enjoyed my time with Triple Scoop as it’s a pretty solid middle of the road smoke that pairs well with a chill afternoon of video games and movies, and I could definitely see myself picking it up again if I could find it at around $55 out the door. That said, this was a fantastic first time showing by Your Highness as it’s evident that they are capable of putting out some high quality skillfully cultivated product, and I’ll definitely be looking to get more of their offerings in the rotation as soon as possible. Awesome job your Highness, keep up the great work.  

Keisha from Green Dragon

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Keisha from Green Dragon via Catalyst Santa Ana on 9/16/2020. THC tested out to 30.3%. Purchased for $48 out the door. Having had an excellent experience with Green Dragon’s Malverde, I knew I had to get them in the rotation again soon, so when I saw there was a fresh drop of Keisha at Catalyst I made sure to cop some asap. The surface of this giant champion bud (and it’s small companion) contains a mix of fern, forest, and lime greens, coupled with intermittent patches of copper red pistils, all frosted over in a tremendously thick shimmering layer of egg cream colored triches.

The nose out of the jar is a sugar sweet perfume-like floral that brings to mind images of a foreign candy shop, where it all smells great, but is also so unfamiliar and new. Busting open the bud, there’s this intense vapor wave that overwhelms the pallet initially, but falls back into a warm sugary fruity sweetness with an aromatic floral backside and a light astringent freshness.  Breaking it down by hand my fingers are resinated and coated in triches near instantly as I work through the dense bud, they smell of sweet floral perfume with a light freshness underneath, while the grinds themselves have a sweet fruit quality while Vicks Vaporub like fumes and floral touches fill out the background. It’s very complex, and even though I try to be thorough as can be, my description feels as if it’s still incomplete. The dry pull on the joint comes off like a sugar sweet vaporous floral that makes me think of a mild sugar coated Halls lozenge. The inhale is smooth, and on the joint hits with a sweet floral and an easy going mint, as where the bong is essentially the same but the mint is a bit more aggressive. The exhale is a sweet floral must on the joint, but the bong really comes through with a deep floral perfume-like taste that brings a touch of honeysuckle sweetness along with it. Cross checking the flavor on MV1 from Ghost Vapes at 170c, I get a cool floral on the way in while the exhale is an extremely strong piney floral, that tastes how I imagine pinesol mixed with perfume might. At 185c that intense floral takes center stage, but the pine is still very much present, and hits my tongue like a heavily floral hand soap. The headchange comes on quick and slaps with the authority of a disappointed grandmother. Anxiety ridden, I decided to head out for a joint walk, and within moments of lighting up all of the stress I was racked up on moments before felt like a distant memory. The causes of my anxiety were still there, but instead of feeling a level of dread over it, my attitude flipped to more of a que sera sera mode where I was able to manage them with ease. As I walked my body felt slightly heavier, and while I wasn’t dragged down to the point of needing a nap, I started to feel the call of the couch and altered my route to get home just a smidge quicker. Even then, I didn’t mind the rest of the walk as I was able to go on autopilot, as I cheerfully spaced out and was back at my front door before I even knew it. While you can focus and get things done if need be this strain comes with a heavy dose of the “I don’t give a fucks”, and while you may be capable of working and staying on task, if there’s any possibility of you being able to put it off and just chill you’re going opt for that route. It’s definitely not a wake and bake strain unless all you plan to do is watch TV and take weed naps. That said, I really enjoyed my time with Keisha as it’s a solid evening strain with a welcome enjoyable smack that makes your troubles seem miles away, and for the ticket it goes for at Catalyst or Green Dragon’s shops I can definitely see myself picking up more in the future. Excellent job once again Green Dragon, your herb is of the highest caliber, it’s hella affordable, and you’ve got a ton of unique genetics that you simply just don’t find anywhere else. Keep up the fantastic work!

Macaron from Balanced

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Macaron from Balanced via @showgrow.official on 9/17/2020 (shoutout to Travis at Show Grow for the swoop). THC tested out to 27.63%. I was lucky to get this for a little under $50 but going price for Balanced jars at Catalyst is $57 out the door. Having only seen Balanced pop up on @theblacklistxyz now and then, when I saw their herb was hitting recreational shops in SoCal, I made it a point to get my hands on some. The surface of these banana shaped buds are a mix of pear and office greens coupled with deep rich indigos, intermittent pops of sunset orange pistils, and is absolutely inundated with a flood of well preserved brilliant yellow triches that give the buds a jaundiced dusty glow.

The nose out of the jar is a very muted grungy fruit scent that’s similar to gelato, but paired with this air of vanilla and a chalky freshness, all wrapped up in an overall musty sugar sweetness. Busting open a bud that fruity sweetness amps up but also brings with it a warmed sugary baked good sweetness. Grinding it down by hand my fingers are coated in a trich grime that smells of equal parts fruity sweet and must, while that warm baked good sweetness takes center stage on the grinds themselves, pushing the formerly dominant fruity sweetness to the background. It has a smell similar to a thumbprint cookie but one made with fresh berry chutney as opposed to a preserve. It should be noted that I came across two seeds in this batch. Not a huge deal to me personally, and a come up for some without a doubt, but worth mentioning nonetheless. The dry pull on the joint had a muted deep sweetness that came across like a vague pancake syrup with a bit of herbaceous fruity must underneath. The inhale is smooth, and has a toasted sugar quality off the bong, whereas the joint is a mix of sugar sweet and fresh with a floral lilt. The exhale is a soft sweet cream with a winterfresh edge off the bong, where the joint is more of a caramelized sugar, underlined by slightly fresh and sour herbaceous must. Cross checking the flavors on my MV1 from @ghostvapesofficial , at 170c I get a minty pine freshness with a sweet floral backside, whereas at 185c it’s a very light caramel with a fresh floral underpinning. The headchange comes on quickly and puts some pressure behind your eyes while making your head feel lighter and like it’s losing contact with your shoulders ever so slightly. There’s also a feel good aspect to it that had me busting up with rosy cheeked laughter at things I’d probably just crack a smile at typically. Over time, that joyful energy fades slightly as a haze settles in across the eyes and a weight makes it’s way into the body, which doesn’t leave you couch locked exactly but you’re not going to want to run any marathons either. All said and done, I enjoyed my time with Macaron as it’s a solid smoke for a chill Sunday afternoon, but at $57 out the door there’s a lot of great herb to choose from so I might lean towards something else depending on what’s available. Great job on this one Balanced, even though there were a couple stowaways, it was still an enjoyable experience and has my curiosity piqued as to the rest of your offerings.

THC Bomb from Coastal Sun Farm

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THC Bomb from Coastal Sun Farm via Kannabis Works on 8/21/2020. THC tested out to 26% (shout out to @scott_the_plant for making it happen). I only paid the tax on this one but it goes for $28 plus tax at Kannabis Works and $29 out the door at Catalyst. Having had an awesome experience with their Banjo, I was stoked to pop this second jar from Coastal Sun’s budget friendly Intelligent Greenhouse line up. The coloring on these plump shrub-like buds run the green gamut from chartreuse to british racing green, with near camouflaged pops pale twine colored pistils, and a thick layer of snow white and slightly yellowed triches.

The nose out of the jar is a light herbaceous floral with a muted mulling spice edge. On busting open a bud, the scent is essentially the same but a little louder, and there is this other aspect that smells sort of like unfinished wooden play blocks. Breaking it down by hand, my fingers get fairly triched out and smell of a mellow floral, while the grinds themselves have a very muted spiced floral with a hint of sugar sweetness and a vague fresh cut celery smell. I had a bit of a hard time pinning down the smells on this one, as they were present, but very muted and muddled. The dry pull on the j had a minor honeysuckle sweetness that faded fast and left behind a wooden paper like finish. The inhale on the bong was smooth and had a minor sugar sweet floral, whereas the joint was more of a very light cinnamon sweet, that became a tad harsh about three quarters of the way through. The exhale from the bong was a distant mulled spice cream but it wasn’t well defined, whereas the joint leaned more spicy with a dirty earthy aspect, but was also not too strong. Cross checking the flavors on my MV1 from Ghost Vapes at 170c it’s a slightly sweet floral and at 185c the floral gets a little more faint and has a minor skunky beer aftertaste. The headchange comes on quick but is mild and middle of the road in nature. Mentally I feel present and able to focus when needed, I’m able to stay on task and complete any given to do list, but it lacks that motivational get up and go that I look for in sativas. Physically I feel a slight haziness in the eyes, as well as a bit of a headband effect across the forehead, and my shoulders down into my arms have just a slight floaty tingle. All and all it’s a not so flavorful, yet fairly balanced smoke that would work well as a daily daytime driver, but isn’t something I’d put on my wake and bake list. For the ticket it’s still a solid deal, but if I had to choose between this and Coastal Sun’s Banjo, I’d lean toward the Banjo without a doubt.