Feria from Green Dragon via Catalyst Downtown Long Beach on 2/19/2022. THC tested out to 35.2%. Normally goes for $48 out the door but I was able to scoop it for 40% that off due to a 3rd time visit coupon I was using. I found myself at Catalyst in Downtown Long Beach with an awesome 3rd time visit discount to use and I was determined to make the most of it. As of late, a few people had mentioned Feria to me as a flower they’d like to see reviewed, and being a fan of Green Dragon myself, when I saw this on the menu it was a no brainer. 

The buds in this batch were on the smaller side but were fairly dense to the squeeze. The exterior of the bud is comprised of tea, lime, and parakeet greens with irregular spots of violet and aubergine. Burnt orange pistils wind their way throughout every crevice and grip tightly to the surface as they’re obscured into near oblivion at points by a thick coating of frosty white and egg cream colored triches. 

The nose out of the jar hits me with a combination of what I’d describe as floor cleaner and a grimey old linoleum up top, there’s a sour aspect to it, as well as a peppery must that reads like an old wooden chest. Busting open a nug a slight fruity sweetness emerges, one that’s very mild in nature and reminiscent of an apple skin, along with a touch of cream and a distant minty freshness. Breaking it down by hand my fingers are left with a warm apple smell, leaning towards a baked spiced apple quality but not that well formed, while the grinds themselves smell of a light sugary sweet yet spiced apple scent with an underlying complementary fresh element and a hint of chalky sweetness. 

The dry pull on the joint comes with a sweet chalk and a mild freshness with a hint of those floor cleaner vibes as well. On the inhale from the joint I get an herbaceous floral mint, whereas on the bong, it’s essentially the same but much lighter. On the exhale from the bong I get a mild sweet chalky floral with an herbaceous tang, whereas the joint is a musty semi spiced chalk, with this flat paper-like quality in the background that was difficult to pin down. I could only cross check the flavor on my GhostVapes MV1 at one temperature (170c), as the phone with the app I used to control it died, and since the company isn’t in business you no longer download it. In any case, on the way in there was a punch of mint-pine to the tongue, and the exhale was extremely piney to the point it lingered for a minute or so afterward. 

The headchange hit with a quickness and absolutely obliterated any semblance of my priorities that existed just moments earlier. In one instance, I hit my smoke spot while dinner was finishing up for a pre-meal blaze and instantly forgot all about dinner and was completely sucked into my phone. Luckily my girlfriend was keeping an eye out and was able to give me a gentle reminder, to which my response was a quick shake of the head and an “oh yeah!”, as I headed back to the kitchen. I decided to see how it would hit as a first smoke of the day, and after I got back from my walk the pull of the couch felt nearly magnetic. I had to fight through all of my natural inclinations in order to fill up another cup of coffee and finish this review as I’d made a promise to myself to do so this morning. It’s only through sheer willpower (aforementioned coffee) and determination that I am writing this as even now I feel the want to stop what I’m doing, throw a pizza in the oven, and kick back on the couch for some Evil Dead 2 remastered action. Interestingly enough, physically while I feel calm, I don’t exactly feel weighed down in any way. There’s just a motivation sapping chill that is permeating my state of mind and attempting to give me a case of the IDGAFs. 

When all is said and done, I’d say Feria’s real strength is in it’s high as it’s the type of herb that can completely vanquish the negative feelings of a challenging day, wiping my emotional slate clean and which grants me the ability to relax and mentally reset. I’d say it comes in at a really fair ticket and has a solid effect that works for me in  a “day ender”  sort of capacity, which is extremely useful during those types of stressful weeks that life can throw at us all occasionally. I can definitely see myself picking this up again to keep on deck for those occasions, or any time I just feel like leaving the planet behind for a little bit, especially at the price of $25 out the door (last I checked) their smalls go for at their home shops in NoHo and Coachella Valley. Keep up the great work Green Dragon!

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!

Malverde from Green Dragon via Green Dragon Collective North Hollywood on 7/14/2020. THC tested out to 28.8%. Purchased for about $40 out the door with first time discount. Green Dragon has been on my radar for a long time now, so when I found myself on a leisurely cruise through North Hollywood last month, I knew I had to drop by and swoop a couple of their signature strains. These nugs are a mix of lime and forest greens that gently shift into midnight blues, tightly bunched fireplace orange pistils, and a gorgeous tsunami of triches that flood every available space and give off the occasional twinkle that I’d swear was stolen directly out of Santa’s eye.

The nose from the jar is a candy sweet floral funk with a back end must that leans vaguely cheesy. Busting open a bud, that sweet candy really takes center stage and hits me like a pink starburst with a creamy fresh floral edge. Breaking it down by hand leaves a trich grime on the fingers that’s extremely piney with a touch of mint, while the grinds themselves come off as candy sweet at first, but quickly shift into a strong pinesol with a sugary back end. A dry pull on the jay reveals a sweet candy floral with a piney earthy tone on the side and a really minor cream on the back end. The inhale is smooth but hearty, and has a pungent potpourri floral quality with mint off the bong, where the joint is similar but leans more mint and less herbaceous. The exhale off the bong is a  sugary peppermint with a deep hashiness and a chalky sweet aftertaste, where the joint is a more complex mix of mint with various herbs and spices as well as that chalky sweetness, all blended together in an orchestra hit of flavor. Cross checking the taste on my MV1 from Ghost Vapes at 170c I get an extremely intense mint pine sensation on the way in while the exhale is all mint floral with one of the longest aftertastes I’ve experienced since starting use of the MV1 in my reviews. At 185c it’s still very minty and piney but much less intense and not as well defined. The headchange comes on quickly with a mighty slap that’s a little disarming at first in the sense that you’re capable of clear headed thought and don’t really notice how much it’s wrapping you up physically. Sitting in my chair, my mind started racing with a parade of fast coherent thoughts, and it was only after sometime did I realize that I was deep in the grips of a pleasant version of the sunken place from Get Out. I willed myself to move but I did not and then I started to question why I wanted to move at all. I had a full on internal debate about the pros and cons of getting up from my chair while my heavy body blank-face started into the depths of my girlfriend’s succulent garden. Eventually I was able to muster the energy to get out of my seat and pour a cup of coffee which helped me shake off that sunken place feeling a little more while still maintaining a hazy eye’d buzz. If you couldn’t tell by now, I really loved this batch of Malverde, so much so that I actually went out and copped a second batch before finishing this review. It was love at first smoke. For the ticket it simply can’t be beat and has quickly become my favorite strain of 2020 with my only regret being that I slept on it until now. Green Dragon this is some amazing herb. You guys are clearly experts in every aspect of your craft and I can’t wait to get more of your library into the rotation. Fantastic work!