Category Flower

Star Dust from Alien Labs

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Star Dust from Alien Labs via Connected Santa Ana on 10/07/19. THC tested out to 23.95%. Purchased for $40 out the door. I spotted this Star Dust on the Connected Santa Ana menu at a killer rate so swooped in ASAP and picked it up. Unlike the Gushers this batch wasn’t too old as it was packaged back on 6/14 so I was surprised to see it at such a discount. This batch was comprised of a few bigger fox tail-ish buds. The surface was a light lime green with dark purple lilts made even lighter looking overall by the thick layer of triches that ran through every layer of the nug with only the occasional and rare appearance being made by some petite orange pistils.

The nose out of the jar was a musty pepper with an extremely faint sweet citrus in the background. It was so faint it was really hard to pin down but I did detect something other than just pepper. On the nug break the pepper was still ever present and seemed to dominate the scent profile. On the hand break down I picked up on a subtle sweet citrus that got closer to the foreground but was still playing second fiddle to that musty peppery scent while the triches were left feeling like big grains of salt running between my fingers. The inhale was smooth and I of course caught the slight taste of pepper as you might expect. On the exhale I pick up on a fresh aspect, it hit my tongue as vaguely mint. The headchange comes on quick and brings a little bit of energy and a sense of well being with it. It’s a great middle of the road hybrid as you can focus for the most part and get things done if need be but you stray off path even just a little you might find yourself spacing out and getting pleasantly lost in your own thoughts. While I really enjoyed Star Dust, and would be a buyer all day long at the discounted ticket, I’d have to say I’d be much more hesitant at the full rate. While it’s great any time herb that’s no doubt cultivated masterfully, there’s nothing particularly unique about it where I can justify shelling out for it again at the normal rate.

Gushers from Connected California

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Gushers from Connected California via Connected Santa Ana on 10/07/19. THC tested out to 24.33%. Purchased for $40 including tax (out the door). Gushers is one of those strains I’ve heard about for the past couple years but just never had the privilege of trying. More often that not it was just too expensive compared to other options on the table at the time so when I saw Connected had it on sale I swooped it up. I admit, I did have a little hesitation as I noticed that not only was it in a bag but it was coming up on being about a year old. The ticket was too good to pass up though so I pressed on. The nugs on this batch are extremely dense and only give slightly to an intense pinch. They hit the eye as a mostly dark green but on closer inspection I see it’s an intense patchwork of light and dark with orange pistils gathering in bunches and breaking through the surface where ever they can but mostly being stymied and stunted by the overall density of the bud. There’s a light yellowish dusting of triches that coat the herb but seem nearly lost amongst the darkness of the backdrop.

The nose out of the bag is fruity but sickly sweet. It’s close to that “foreign fruit market” smell but its muted. On the nug break the scent remains consistent which is kind of unusual as it will typically intensify at least some what on the break. Surprisingly on the hand break down the sweet scent seems to get even more muted but also carries with it just a slight hint of mint. Very strange to come across a batch that doesn’t get louder as it’s ground but that’s definitely what I experienced here. The inhale has a sour note and it a little harsh on the throat. On the exhale I catch a bit of fruit but it remains muted. The headchange is heavy on the head and eyes but is fairly middle of the road and nothing to write home about really. You feel fairly relaxed but not too spacey and while you’re not exactly couchlocked you won’t find yourself finding having motivation to do much either. While I was glad to pick this up on discount, if this is similar to what a fresh batch has to offer I can’t see myself repeating this experience, especially at the full ticket. Sorry Connected, even with this discount, this one was a miss for me.

Mendo breath (sample) from Affordable Four Twenty

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Mendo breath (sample) from Affordable Four Twenty received on 10/3/19. Normally $20 for 4 grams. I was lucky enough to be gifted this sample of this Mendo Breath after liking a pic of it on Affordable Four Twenty’s instagram page. The nugs are large and lanky with a surface that rapidly transitions from light to dark green, even dipping into deep purples on occasion with long burnt orange pistils bursting forth from nearly every crevice, all frosted over with a healthy layer of triches.

The nose out of the jar was initially confusing but as it cured it settled into an earthy scent with a touch of mint in the background. On the nug break the mint really steps to the foreground while bringing a savory scent with it that’s slightly reminiscent of sautéed onions. Breaking it down by hand reveals an even deeper level of scents. A previously undetected sweetness makes itself known and I pick up on an equally strong presence of pine and mint. It also leaves a nice stickiness on the fingers. The inhale is smooth and I pick up on a faint floral taste, while on exhale I get a minty yet savory experience. The headchange comes on quick and heavy. I found myself completely zoned out, fumbling for words on occasion, and feeling couchlocked with in a few minutes after finishing back to back bowls. I must have thought about getting up to get some water for a solid 5 minutes before I actually did. You can focus and get things done if you really need to but it’s a motivation sapper without a doubt. I’d save this one for the end of the day when you’re ready to just put on some random youtube videos and space out. For the ticket this is an absolutely phenomenal deal. Great work once again Affordable Four Twenty! You’re definitely putting out some solid herb and doing right by your name.

Fuelato from Connected California

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Fuelato from Connected California via Connected Bellflower on 9/25/19. THC tested out to 22.95%. Purchased for One whole American Dollar on special. It’s hard for me to do a review on a G but since I got this one on special I figured I’d give it a shot. From what I’ve been told, this is the same cross as Alien Labs Area 41 so I may draw some comparisons here and there between the two as I go. The buds here are a little squished from their journey in the bag which is really a point against bags. I know it might be cost prohibitive to put Gs in jars but I feel like it’s best for preserving the nug/triches overall. The surface is a familiar light green with dark brown hairs coupled with a similar layer of triches that give them a slightly yellowish tint. The buds themselves look more pine tree like as opposed to the shrub like buds found in the Area 41 jar.

Out of the bag, while faint, I do detect a slightly sweet lemon smell. On breaking the nug this sugary sweetness mildly dominates the scent profile with a very faint smell of lemon in the background. On the finger grind the sugary sweetness still takes center stage while that lemon is hanging out in the wings. Breaking it down by hand was a little more difficult than it was with the Area 41, which again, I’m going to pin on being squished in the bag. It also didn’t leave any sort of stickiness on the fingers nor lingering triches. The headchange is solid but nothing like the near one hitter quitter status I experienced with Area 41. I was able to smoke a couple bowls back to back and while it’s heavy, it’s not debilitating, and it does have a feel good euphoric aspect to it. You can function and focus if need be while still feeling that pressure behind the eyes and down into the body. It might be a little too heavy for a wake and bake but I’d say it’s a decent herb for any time of day. That said all things being equal, if it is indeed the same cross as Area 41, I have to give this one to Alien Labs. If not, on it’s own merits it’s a fairly decent herb but one I was glad to get on special and may be hesitant to cop at the full ticket, especially if it comes in a bag.

Area 41 from Alien Labs

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Area 41 from Alien Labs via Connected Bellflower on 9/25/19. THC tested out to 25.89%. Purchased for $80 minus 20% first time patient discount. It seems like every review I’ve read on Area 41 has been overwhelmingly positive so when I saw Connected Bellflower had it on deck for their Grand Opening I figured it was time to jump in and see what’s what. The buds in this batch are beautiful light green shrub like boulders with dark reddish brown hairs that are fairly numerous but nearly go unnoticed at points as they’re camouflaged by a dense layer of triches that give the surface a slightly yellowish hue.

On opening the jar the scent nearly leaps out and bops you on the nose with a gorgeous bouquet of sweet fruits that I’ve come to describe as “that foreign fruit market smell” with just a hint of citrus in the background. On breaking the nug I pick up on a lemony sweetness that really zings the nostrils. Breaking it down by hand it really widens out into an array of citrus scents while it also leaves so many huge triches on your fingers they nearly feel like grains of salt between them. The inhale is smooth and I don’t detect really any sort of a taste but the exhale is something else. Not only is it this delicious lemon fuel but it’s the only herb I can recall that leaves such a strong aftertaste in your mouth. I feel like I was tasting it for a good 2-3 minutes after I’d taken my last rip. The headchange is a real wallop and I can understand why it has such a positive reputation amongst my reviewer buds. After only two rips I found myself absolutely lost in the sauce. Watching TV I started to space out so hard at points that I’d go literally slack jawed and only on snapping back into reality for a few brief moments at a time would I realize it. I’d say it’s good herb to smoke any time you want to get sent straight to space as It does indeed smack like a mack truck. Area 41 really is a fantastic herb and while I would have a hard time paying the normal ticket on the regular I think I’d be down to splurge on it now and then. If I ever find it on sale, I’m definitely going to be there in a heart beat. Fantastic work on this one Alien Labs, you more than killed it on this batch, you murdered it threw it in a ditch and lit it on fire.

GG4 from Nug

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GG4 from Nug via Tropicanna on 9/25/19. THC tested out to 22%. Purchased for $40 plus tax minus 20% first time discount. Nug is a brand that I’ve seen in multiple stores since the dawn of prop 64, so I decided to jump in with what is now considered a classic, Gorilla Glue #4. The nugs in this batch have a flatter and more stretched out look which is similar in appearance to the GG4 I remember getting from Grateful Meds DTLA back in 2014. The surface is a fairly consistent light green with only the occasional dark lilts. Burnt amber pistils appear sporadically in small bunches across the budscape with an ample amount of triches giving it a surprising sheen in direct light.

The nose out of the jar is an earthy musk with just a hint of pine in the background. On the nug break that pine smell gets louder as it’s joined by a bit of lemony sweetness. On the hand breakdown it leaves a nice stickiness on the fingers and I pick up on a lemon cleaner scent with a bit of that earthy must kicking around in the background. The inhale is smooth but surprisingly I didn’t pick up on any flavor on the way in. On the exhale I catch an earthy pine. The heachange is very middle of the road so I’d say the “anytime” label Nug put on the jar is accurate. It doesn’t smack so much as meander its way to an adequate buzz but it’s very complimentary to your current state. If you’re tired, this bud isn’t going to give you energy, and if you’re motivated to take on the day it won’t sap you of that either. For the ticket, it’s an okay buzz and one I wouldn’t mind repeating at some point in the future, but there’s a lot of good quality herb in that range so I’m not exactly jumping at the opportunity to grab it again. That said, I am curious to check out more offerings from Nug as their tickets tend to be reasonable, especially for the quality I found here. Good work Team Nug! I look forward to seeing what I come across from you next.

Crescendo from THC Design

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Crescendo from THC Design via Tropicanna on 9/25/19. THC tested out to 30.84%. Purchased for $40 plus tax minus 20% for first time discount. When I saw THC Design had a sativa floating around testing out to over 30% I knew I had to get my hands on it. While I know THC percentages don’t mean everything, they do mean something, so my interested was extremely piqued. When you open the jar you’re greeted by mass of smaller not so dense buds making the container look extremely full. The surface of the herb is a fairly uniform light green with occasional hints of dark green with rare orange pistils making their way to the top of the tiny nug canopy and a decent amount of triches that slightly change the look and give it this sort of yellowish tinge.

The nose out of the jar is a strong peppery must with a very faint fruitiness in the background. On the nug break you get that pepper smell still but that light fruity sweetness intensifies just a bit. On the finger grind the pepper smell is relegated to the background and you’re just left with that fruity sweetness, but it’s not too intense, it’s very pleasant yet mild in nature. The buds break down well by hand as they have the density of popcorn and will leave a trich film on your fingers afterward. The inhale is smooth and I catch that pepper making itself known again while on the exhale I get a nice earthy musty finish. The headchange is awesome and exactly what I’m looking for when it comes to sativas. It comes on fast and has a nice thwap that you can feel in the front of your forehead and on the top of your eyes but also brings a fantastic clear headed energy that will allow you to happily dive in to any given task at hand. It quickly became my preferred wake and bake smoke and I think that says a lot on its own. THC Design knocked this one out of the park on every level. From the ticket, to the smoke, to the headchange this one ticks all the boxes for a sativa. I’ll definitely be picking up some more soon. Excellent work to the team at THC Design!

Pie Face OG from Ember Valley

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Pie Face OG from Ember Valley via Tropicanna on 9/25/19. THC tested out to 23.39%. Purchased for $55 plus tax minus 20% first time discount. I’ve been aware of Ember Valley for quite some time now. They’re putting out a heavy arsenal of firepower that has impressed a few of my reviewer cohorts so I’m stoked to finally get my hands on some. This batch is extremely dense and there’s barely any give to the squeeze. These tightly packed buds have a beautiful light green landscape that’s accented by rich purple hues and tightly wound auburn pistils that push their way to a surface that’s coated in a light frosting of petite triches.

On opening the jar you’re slapped in the face with a smell that seems to go mute near immediately. It’s honestly a bit of a head scratcher but there is this sweet fruity scent that hits your nose at first that’s quickly relegated to the background as this pleasant rubber smell comes in and takes over. I haven’t smoked a lot of hash, but it’s that new pencil eraser rubber like smell that reminds me of old school hash in Amsterdam. On the nug break that sweetness becomes even more faint and while the rubber smell remains it seems slightly more muted as well. On the hand break down it actually seems to dissipate even more and it’s really hard to gauge the smell, it’s one of the more difficult to nail down scent profiles I’ve come across, but it does leave a nice bit of stickiness on the fingers after you’re done with it. The inhale is smooth has that rubber hashy taste as expected and on the exhale I feel like the rubber taste kind of widens out into this nice deep fuel like finish. As for the headchange, this was honestly one of the heaviest creepers I’ve experienced in recent memory. You can easily burn through back to back bowls but only minutes after that second bowl will you really start to feel the effects of this Pie Face OG. In a group chat with some reviewer pals I described it as feeling “like it sneaks up behind you methodically and puts a rag soaked in slow acting ether over your mouth”. It took me a while to put that sentence together while in grips of this flower’s effects. It was hard to concentrate, hard to spell, hard to even stay awake as the ether like effects took over and sent me to bed pretty much every time. This is fantastic evening strain that’s perfect for obliterating your worries about the real world and helping you get a good nights sleep. This was a great introduction into the world of Ember Valley. I definitely look forward to getting my hands on more of their flower and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up Pie Face OG again when I need something guaranteed to knock me out. Fantastic job to the crew at Ember Valley!

Banana Runtz from Syngery Cannabis

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Banana Runtz from Syngery Cannabis via a generous benefactor that prefer to remain nameless on 9/12/19. Originally picked up at Cookies Melrose. THC tested out to 25.37%. Purchased originally for $50 plus tax. I loved Golden State Banana so I was stoked to be given the opportunity to check out these Banana Runtz. The one big bud I was gifted had a nice solid structure. As you run your eyes across the nug surface it quickly switches back and forth from dark to light green with gangly reddish brown pistils and a generous frosting of triches so numerous at points it’s hard to make out the color at all.

The nose out of the jar is musty and peppery in a way that hit me like the smell of opening a drawer of real wood dresser that’s been untouched in storage for a long time. On busting the nug you get a surprisingly fruity scent and it relegates that mustiness to the background. On the hand grind is where the Runtz really shines through. I pick up on a very sugary sweet candy like scent that leaves a bit of stickiness on my fingers. On the inhale I caught a hint of that pepper and it was a little bit harsh on the throat. On the exhale I got just a bit of musty sweetness. The headchange comes on fast and has a nice smack to it but won’t leave you dazed or couchlocked. It’s a very even keel hybrid that hits you in the eyes but doesn’t make you feel too tired. I’d say it’s a good midday strain that would suit any activity you have going, whether it’s channel surfing or actual surfing, Banana Runtz would make a decent companion. I might pick this up again depending on what else is available as it wasn’t a bad experience but it wasn’t anything too special either. If it were between this and the Golden State Banana I’d gravitate toward the GSB every time. If you find it at a ticket you’re comfortable with I’d say it’s worth a shot if you like what you’ve read on it here. Definitely looking forward to trying more from the team at Synergy Cannabis!