With a week left until the big day, you know I couldn’t let you go into the holiday without some new heat to celebrate! Although a bit earlier than usual, I wanted to make sure you had some time to get set up before our favorite day, as, like any vet knows, it’s always a bad look to shop on the actual holiday. That day’s meant for smokin’!
With this in mind, I present to you a special 4/20 edition of the Cop List. Dedicated pretty solely to California this time because you know I gotta get hands on before I recommend something, though we’ve got some new Michigan heat and a universally available, although extremely limited edition, treat I think everyone will dig.
As always, don’t forget to hit me up on twitter to let me know what you picked up, and what you’re excited to try next!
The 4/20 Special
710Labs Starburst 36 Pheno Pack
I’ve long celebrated 710 Labs direct to consumer play, the List, and while I’m not sure this is the first time they’ve done this, I’ve got to call out how they’re operating at a whole new level right now. Their latest List-exclusive, the Starburst 36 Pheno Pack, featured 5 different expressions of the aforementioned cultivar in one kit. While this is an awesome varietal to consume, what’s more exciting is how the brand is educating consumers on just how different plants can be, even amongst siblings. From different terp profiles to the differences in consistency, this flavor flight does a great job distilling how many different ways what consumers often consider the same thing can actually exist.
Alien Labs Galactic Gummies
I recognize this is a bold statement, but although these are just on the cusp of releasing, they may already be the best edibles on the market. Similar to Nerds Clusters (my current candy obsession), Alien Labs Galactic Gummies are vegan gummies in the shape of their iconic alien head, with a delicious sprinkling of softer, but still nerd-like candies on the back. Available in Cotton Cluster (cotton candy), Blue Moon (blue raspberry x coconut), Lunar Orange (you can guess this one) and my personal favorite, Cherry Eclipse (cherry vanilla), these are going to be DANGEROUS for microdosers simply because they’re impossible to put down. No joke, I’m really hoping they make a non-medicated version of these because I will eat them by the pound.
Cann’s Blue Rhuberry
Since I might’ve just put the microdosers safety at risk, here’s another one you’re going to want to overdo it on, though these guys make it a bit easier to keep your portions in control. Widely regarded as the most successful beverage brand in the cannabis category, Cann has another hit on their hands. While I’m not the type to drink a small number of mgs, I do love delicious, and the Blue Rhuberry is nothing if not that. While I don’t typically rush to blue colored drinks, this is the one I’ll surely be grabbing going forward. I was a big fan of their Pineapple Jalapeño flavor, and while I’m not saying I’m retiring that one forever, the Blue Rhuberry is for sure my new fav. It’s also just so fun to say!
The Cure Company’s Curelato Runtz
Coming in as the early contender for hype strain of the decade, The Cure Company has done it again. Taking arguably the two most popular strains of recent years and smashing them together to create something truly special, the brand’s new Curelato Runtz should be every trappers dream. Combining the best elements of their Curelato, which remains one of the best Gelato expressions I’ve ever seen, with the hype-leading Runtz, this cut provides all the gas and candy terps the streets could ask for in a new pheno, and it improves upon both parents’ legacy. You’re not going to want to miss this one, especially if you get off on impressing your smoking circle.
Timber’s Watermelon Mimosa
This is a special one. The team over at High Rise are dear friends of mine, and while pretty much everyone we know now has a weed brand, there are few people that I know who respect the culture as much as this crew. While it admittedly took me a bit longer than expected as I sort of hibernated for the winter, I’ve finally got my hands on the gang’s products and I’ve got to say, they did it right. While I had no question that they’d immediately become contenders for best packaging design in the space, I’m proud to report that the flower (and price) are even better than you’d expect given their flashy bags. What’s more, they’re leveraging their thorough understanding of the market to ensure the best trees are ALWAYS in their bags — not just your first taste!
Old Pal’s Grow Your Own (Redux)
So this was on my 4/20 list last year, but they’re doing it again and this time you’re getting more notice in case you want to participate. To celebrate the holiday, Old Pal introduced their ‘Grow Your Own’ campaign, which provides consumers a living plant to raise, as opposed to just light up. While I admit, they are leaving the hardest part up to you, this is a great way to get some hands on plant experience — especially if you’ve never grown before. Besides the ‘teenage’ plant, they provide some tips and tricks, as well as a fun playlist to play for your new lady to keep her feeling the love. While you probably won’t be winning any awards for the harvest, few flowers are better than those you grew yourself.
Viola x Iverson ‘01
Michigan, this one’s for you. You might’ve seen all the noise about Viola’s first collaboration with hall of famer Allen Iverson, ‘96, last year. The second edition is here, and this time it’s a daytime vibe, not a knock out. A true hybrid, and dubbed ‘01 in honor of Iverson’s MVP year, the new cultivar is a cross of F1 Durban x Gushers x Runtz, which while seeming heavy on the Indica side actually presents itself as a bright and uplifting smoke. I’ve been rinsing this in the early afternoons and it’s been sure to chill out my frustrations and help me focus on the task at hand. Although launching exclusively in Michigan, I have a feeling they’ll be taking this star out on the road before long.
Uncle Arnie’s Pineapple Punch
Microdosers, you can skip right over this section. Where Cann fills your needs, this one’s reserved for the big boys. If a measly 5 mg isn’t enough to get you going, how’s 100 look for you? If you answered ‘desirable’, it’s time to tap back in with Uncle Arnie’s. In the past I’ve written about their Arnold Palmer, and their Peach tea is a sure favorite for those of us with a sweet tooth, but over the past few months the team at Arnie’s has turned toward a new challenge: fruit punch! Their latest, Pineapple Punch, shows there is truly no beverage they can’t infuse in a way that you’ll actually crave, and given all the tincture-based nonsense on the market, this one’s a welcome addition. Also worth noting that they make an Apple Juice for those with a more refined pallet!
Tradecraft Farms Goji Berry Wrapped Pre-Roll
Y’all know they’re making papers out of fruit now?? I’d smoked the Tradecraft cacao joints in the past, so I knew these guys were forward thinking when it comes to acceptable wraps for their product, but this one amazed me. As soon as I picked it up I couldn’t wait to spark it up, just like the first time I got a pack of Juicy J’s when I was a kid. But even better than those, goji smokes GREAT. Like, so good there’s barely anything there, great. I was expecting a bit more of the sweetness to come through from the berry, and while it may be because it was processed and not hand rolled that it lost a bit of its flavor, but this was one of the smoothest smoking experiences I can remember. Shout out to Tradecraft for continuing to stay on the forefront of paper tech!
Skullcandy x Doritos
Now I’ll be honest, when I first heard about this I wanted to hate it. It seems like over the past few years EVERYTHING has had a Doritos collab, and I’ve never craved that nacho dust in my ear canals, so why would a pair of headphones make sense? Well y’all, maybe it’s the pre-4/20 glow, but now that I’ve actually got them in my hands, these things make me weirdly giddy. Not only is the sound quality great, but they’re Skullcandy so they’re much lighter than they look like they should be. While normally that wouldn’t be a great sign, it definitely works for this brand, as you’ll likely forget you’re wearing them. I’ll tell you this, as I often say, what I thought would be a joke is actually heat. I’m leaving my AirPods at home when I go to New York next week, bc these things bang.
Bonus: 4/20 in NYC
I’m going to make a longer post about this in the coming days, but in case you’re not following any of us on social consider this your notice: High Times is headed to the Big Apple for the big day. We’ve got a whole slew of treats lined up for you, and a whole lot of friends from across the country in tow. Don’t miss our Secret Smokeout, which will take place at an undisclosed location somewhere on the island. It’s totally free and open to all plant lovers in the area, RSVP here. We’ll also be pulling up to Webster Hall that evening to close out the night with performances by Inspectah Deck & Cappadonna at New York’s first-ever state-sanctioned cannabis event. Let’s celebrate!