Sometimes we sacrifice paying a little more in exchange for better quality, but who’s to say that stunning nugs can’t be bought for $10 a gram? Clandestine Gardens‘ Black Cherry Soda was recommended to me at Fremont’s recreational Have-a-Heart* shop, the budtender was adamant about how good the product was – especially considering it’s price point. $35 is my ideal fee for an eighth in the recreational market, so I was pretty happy with this find.
According to Clandestine’s website, they only grow indoor. Harnessing LED lights, the producer adheres to tried and true methods alongside delivering strains that are distinct. Not related to the weed, but I found it amusing that their “About” section has staff bios that include celebrity doppleganger photos; perhaps a little goofy, but it shows character (and probably equates to a fun environment within the workplace).
On the note of just for funsies, each eighth comes with a temporary tattoo of the strain design featured on the package. Undeniably a novelty that in no way makes the product better, yet portrays a playful aesthetic that is nostalgic for me (I used to get temporary tattoo’s from things like cereal and candy, so it’s like youthful joy repeating itself for adults).
Enough 90’s reminiscing, let’s look at this bud up close:
THC: 1.0%
THCA: 22.8%
CBD: 0.2%
Total: 21.2%
Strain: Black Cherry Soda
Species: Hybrid (Sativa Dominant – 80/20)
Harvested: 04/13/16 (a month old after harvest, not bad at all)
Smell: Pine + Sweet
Taste: Berry + Earthy
Launch Point: 2 – 4 minutes after smoking.
High: Peppy + Balanced + Versatile
Black Cherry Soda seems to be universally praised. After a casual google search, it was apparent that one of the similarly experienced attributes was strong high with lack of sedation. A potent Sativa strain with no burnout? Man, this was a good recommendation. I had been on a Sativa-binge for a few weeks, and needed to shake it up. Apparently that meant I just needed the right Sativa, contrary to what I was thinking going into that pot shop.
The buds are dense, but crisp. There were some leafs present, but not all herbs need to be supermodel status. This isn’t a contest, it’s not about who trims or cures the best. To me, BCS looks lovely, though I can understand how elitists could view the nug-to-leaf ratio as not ideal.
Like a piney sweet tea, Black Cherry Soda has a homegrown smell. There’s nothing like getting some new weed, sending it through the grinder, and then holding it to your nose like a fine wine (super cheesy, but we all do it – at least that’s what I tell myself).
A useful strain, that’s how I’d describe it. Getting high entails nothing short of what the hype suggests: powerful, smooth, upbeat, and without a harsh come-down. It’s easy to sit back and relax, it’s also easy to go out and do stuff. Day and night, indoor and outdoor – the list goes on, bottom line if this strain is in your peripheral then buy it.
Easily one of my new favorites, I’ll be keeping an eye on Clandestine for Black Cherry Soda and more. One ca find their product at Have-a-Heart (Skyway/Fremont/Greenwood), American Mary (Wallingford), Ruckus (Capital Hill), and The Novel Tree (Bellevue).
*Have-A-Heart is an advertiser on High Above Seattle. This is no way influences my perception or enjoyment of the products they sell. I go into all shops with an open mind, and a thirst for excellent product.
Fischer Campbell
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$35 an eighth is straight, that is still more than I pay for top shelf…
Lower quality stuff I get for as cheap as $10 an eighth (not a gram).
Dig Black Cherry Soda, had the Dab Dude’s wax and that was something special… Black cherry soda is a bomb Hybrid with incredible flavors and enough Indica to lower your eyelids, but Sativa dominate enough that the high seems to ride out for hours with no need for a weed nap if you decide to start with a wake and bake and continue smoking throughout the day.
Tell have a heart to actually have a heart and make this more affordable, I am sure you receive some kind of pay for these articles, but if you are paying those prices for your stock then that would explain only the one review per week, you would break yourself just to have something to smoke and write about…
BCS was new for me, but it’ll forever be on my radar after this strain.
I’ve been frequenting HaH because of it’s convenience, but yeah I’m going to be visiting some other places over the coming weeks.
And yeah the top shelf stuff is as pricey as most places near Seattle, unfortunately. I normally depend on the budtenders to steer me towards what’s good, I think they really came through this time with the BCS though.
I like to use allbud to find certain strains and farms. You can search a strain and find the cheapest shops carrying it.
That is how I found Miller’s Marijuana out in Porter. I got hooked on Phat Panda, but sick of having my pockets picked by the Green Door in Buckley.
I did a bit of searching and found the same farm and strains for less than half as much.
I am not a fan of the attempted price fixing going on, I have even heard of shops trying to get other shops blacklisted, simply because they were charging less and outperforming by 5x in sales. Honestly, I am looking for a class action to arise soon enough.
Heck my buddy from OR. just came up with some Trainwreck he bought for $5 per eighth in Portland.
I get OZ of CHRONIC in Humboldt for $75-125
These local shops are nuts thinking I am willing to drop nearly $500 on an OZ at $60/ eighth. (getting my MMJ card in June, I will grow my own for that price)
Best indicator we are still overpriced… California is still outselling all the other states, even our FULLY legal ones. And it is purely because it is cheaper.
A lot of businesses will go under before they figure out that this is not your average market, marking it up and sitting on it longer will only hurt consumer and shop owner and producing farm, alike.
GTP (Golden Tree Productions) does a real nice Cinex, Plushberry, Lodi Dodi. Nice enough I am sure most shops have them as a top shelf producer. If you get a chance, try them out, I think they are one of the better farms in whole. They manage to harvest before everything gets overripe. (One of my gripes about most farms.) It just shows they have a better understanding of marijuana than many of the other producers. I don’t trust Bud-Tenders from most shops enough to take their suggestions. Mostly this is because of how many upsells I have been through. I used to go to the Green Door in Buckley until I started to feel like they were BS’n me, selling me OMGsykes like they belong on top shelf (OMG I got syked into buying that crap, before and after they started repackaging, too bad the quality of product didn’t get as good as the glassware they started storing it in…).
Same shop sold me Blackberry Kush at 16%, after I asked them for the best Indica they had in the house. Of course I paid $60 for the eighth. No better than a used car salesman…
No, I almost never leave it up to the bud tenders, unless I go to Miller’s… I have even told one of the bud-tenders, “I am looking for a Sativa in bulk, if something comes in that fits the bill, set an OZ to the side”. Then, in full faith, I go in a week later and pick it up. But, this is a shop who prides customer service and views profits as a side-effect of doing the right thing. Not forgo doing the right thing, simply for profits.
As for the “clean clip”, as long as these farms are machine trimming then there will never be a valid conversation about who has the best clip… Machining lowers the quality, potency and beauty, it doesn’t matter who machines it better because it is still machined and hand trimmed will ALWAYS come out better.
Hand trim all the way. I’ve got endless praise/admiration for the patience and skill it requires.
Thanks again for your comments.
Skywalker OG Kush Grade
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