LOADED QUESTION BREWING FRIENDS WEEKEND HOPPY KOLSCH PAIRED WITH THE LONE TREE SUPER LUNGS FLOWER
AS NATURE INTENDED.
AUTHENTIC AROMA TRUE TASTE CAREFULLY CULTIVATED INDOOR GROWN
Indoor grown in state-of-the-art facilities and overseen from seed to store by our best-in-class cultivation teams, our plants are handled with the utmost care. Extensive cultivar catalog research allows us to optimize the growing conditions for each cultivar, ensuring our buds retain their true-to-nature characteristics. Rigorous research and development ensures the selection of big, beautiful buds with full trichome coverage for premium aroma, avor and enhanced e cacy—a full sensory experience that’s authentic to each cultivar.
GROWING TOGETHER
Breeding Grounds is a project under which Sensi Seeds releases its cutting-edge strains. As part of this program, we join hands with breeders of Sherbinskis, Serge Cannabis, Champelli, Humboldt Seed Company, Fat Beans, and more.
We are proud to be at the forefront of developing ground-breaking genetics, working in collaboration with some of the best breeders worldwide.
SENSISEEDS.US
@SENSISEEDS_US
@SENSISEEDS.US
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WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER
wes@leafmagazines.com
MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com
TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com
DANIEL BERMAN CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER daniel@leafmagazines.com
TERPODACTYL MEDIA CONTENT DIRECTOR amanda@leafmagazines.com
BOBBY BLACK LEAF BOWL DIRECTOR & HISTORIAN bobbyblack@leafmagazines.com
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MICHELLE NARANJO COPY EDITOR michelle@leafmagazines.com
MATT JACKSON SOCIAL MEDIA mattjackson@leafmagazines.com
ABOUT THE COVER
This month’s tantalizing cover was refreshingly captured by longtime Northeast Leaf contributor Brian Sanner, who has created many beautiful photoshoots and stories for the magazine over the years. This month’s edition features a delightful combo of @thelonetree_ Super Lungs Flower and @loadedquestionbrewing Friends Weekend Kolsch Beer. Sounds like a great time to us! For even more good pairing fun, be sure to check out our website, which features Cannabis and beverage pairings from around the country sure to wet your whistle!
PHOTO BY BRIAN SANNER BRIANSANNER.COM | @CALYXS_AND_COLAS_2.0
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY, FEATURES ADHDDEAD, REVIEWS
ANGELA-JORDAN AGUILAR, FEATURES
JORDAN BADRAN, PHOTOS
DANIEL BERMAN, DESIGN
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES
TOM BOWERS, FEATURES
JACKIE BRYANT, FEATURES
JEFF DIMARCO, GLASS
DAVID DOWNS, FEATURES
JAMIE EVANS, PHOTOS
REX HILSINGER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
CRYSTAL HOFFMAN, FEATURES
ELLEN HOLLAND, FEATURES
MATT JACKSON, FEATURES + ART
DANSTAN KAUNDA, PHOTOS
JAKE KERN, FEATURES
SHARDELL MONIQUE, PHOTOS
LEXI PADUSSIS, SALES
BRIAN SANNER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN
TAYLOR WEINBERG, PHOTOS
BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES
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LEAF!
Thanks for picking up The Tannins & Terpenes Issue of the Leaf!
This month’s focus is on the dynamic and experiential bliss that comes from pairing Cannabis with delicious drinkables, as our dedicated writers sipped and savored to bring the freshest heat for your reading pleasure.
The Tannins & Terpenes Issue has been an annual tradition since 2011, when the idea of pairing wine and weed together was edgy and illegal. Back when Cannabis was marijuana, and having a few grams of the sticky icky could cost time in a real jail cell, the Leaf set out to pair flavors and break down barriers.
In pre-legalization, early medical days, the science of Cannabis was still in the stoned ages. The concept of strains was not yet cultural knowledge, and most people thought of pot as pot. Among the maturing medical Cannabis scene, the concept of strains, terpenes and flavor profiles was sprouting, thanks to deli-style sales where patients could smell flower before buying, leading to awareness of the beautiful and varying flavor profiles in the plant.
At the time of our first pairings, testing for THC and potency did not yet exist, so all Cannabis in medical shops was judged on a combination of smell, looks and effects. No high-THC-chasing bullshit clouded the growing or buying process. In many ways, the early medical days were the purest when purchasing Cannabis. The focus was on personal experience, flavors and effects, with a spirit of healing and gratitude for the plant that was emerging from the closet of criminalization.
"IN
PRELEGALIZATION, EARLY MEDICAL DAYS, THE SCIENCE OF CANNABIS WAS STILL IN THE STONED AGES. THE CONCEPT OF STRAINS WAS NOT YET CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE, AND MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT OF POT AS POT. ”
To honor these flavors, we launched The Tannins & Terpenes Issue. The idea was to highlight Cannabis varieties alongside wine, which is culturally known to have wide differences in flavors, styles and even effects. We needed to transform the vision of weed as a singular plant to that of wine, in that it all comes from grapes, but the results are based on the cultivar, cultivation method, region and how the grapes are processed into a final wine. For growers, this should sound familiar.
Over the decade-plus of this project, I’ve worked with sommeliers who can blind sip a wine and name the style, region and production methods that led to the bottle’s bombastic flavor. I’ve seen the same evolution with Cannabis, which today is known for thousands of strains and crosses, all with unique flavor profiles and highs for every occasion.
Whether you sip and savor a glass of wine with your favorite flower or are California sober like me (skipping the booze) and prefer to pair heady hash with classic sodas, you’re in for an equally invigorating and tasteful experience. No matter how you pair weed with your favorite drink, one thing is certain: you won’t have cotton mouth!
TORCHES
SCENE AND SETTING
Torches offers a super unique and classy experience, all without getting taxed heavily just for the branding. Everything is clean but not lacking character. It’s not an Apple store: cold, impersonal and almost medical. It’s more special than that. Torches will make you feel like you’ve been let into a secret club adorned in rich dark woods, gold finishes and high ceilings while accessing some of the best products on the New York market.
PRODUCT SELECTION
The ownership behind Torches has been around the game for a while and wants to make sure the best products get into their customers’ hands. Whenever I want to know what is really smoking in the city and on the rec market, I check out what is on the Torches menu. It will almost assuredly have the latest drops from Doja, Preferred Gardens, Super Dope, Olio, MFNY and more.
VIBE AND STAFF
Formerly known as Polanco Brothers, Torches is one of the most prestigious and upscale dispensary experiences you can have in New York City. Located about a block from Grand Central Station in the old Nat Sherman cigar lounge, this building has attracted locals and tourists alike since the 1920s. Torches has evolved the New York City landmark with its vision that is set on a more elevated future.
The vibe is chill but positive and happy. The staff is cheerful, helpful and well informed on the products Torches carries. From flower to concentrates and edibles, the employees were able to easily answer any question I had and help point me in the right direction for the experience I was hoping to have with their products. I left feeling like they cared about getting me the right thing for my unique situation, all without being overbearing or too pushy.
EXPERIENCE
The setting, vibe and product selection all combine for a one-of-a-kind New York City dispensary experience. When I have a friend visiting from out of town and want to impress them, this is the type of place that is worth checking out. Torches is stunningly designed, well stocked and staffed with a group of people who really care about getting you high on the best stuff around.
THE SMELL TEST
What the minimization of weed’s sensory experience means for Cannabis consumers and the industry at large
The smell of Cannabis has never been neutral. It was once an unmistakable warning sign, drawing the attention of police or neighbors and making consumption a risk. At the same time, that skunky punch was a signal to the initiated, a kind of social bat signal that weed was near. To this day, smell remains one of the most recognizable parts of the Cannabis experience. And yet, in the supposed era of normalization, it is being targeted in ways that reveal how little has actually changed.
Scent, especially, is under pressure. Products are marketed as being low-odor, discreet and “lifestyle-friendly.”
Vaporizers, edibles and tinctures avoid the smell altogether.
Even flower, the most aromatic format, is increasingly sealed inside multiple layers of plastic and cardboard designed as much to mute odor as to comply with regulations. The message is clear: Weed should be consumed politely behind closed doors without notice.
But scent is not a superficial detail. It is memory, emotion and culture. Consider how fragrance is utilized in other industries. Perfume houses build entire empires on the power of scent. Food is unimaginable without aroma. Coffee, wine and whiskey all rely on deeply developed vocabularies to describe their smells, which in turn are celebrated as central to the experience. Cannabis has its own lexicon — skunk, gas, fruit, pine — and those descriptors connect directly to how the plant feels, grows and works in the body.
"The smell of Cannabis can be a comfort, a warning or a reminder of history. It is never neutral."
IN RECENT YEARS, “nuisance” complaints have become a primary tool in policing Cannabis. Homeowners associations enact weed bans under the cover of neighborhood decorum. Cities pass odor ordinances that treat the plant as if it were toxic waste. These rules may not look like Prohibition, but they carry its spirit forward. They rely on the idea that Cannabis should stay hidden.
Simultaneously, the legal industry has found its way of downplaying Cannabis’ sensory presence. Packaging has become sleeker, quieter and more “design-forward.” In California, to give just one example, you can’t even smell the buds before you buy them. Talk about antithetical to the spirit of things.
The idea is to make Cannabis products resemble skin care, matcha or boutique supplements — anything but weed. Of course, there are arguments in favor of this strategy: a wider audience, less stigma and easier retail placement. But the result is a flattening of the culture and enthusiasm that allowed Cannabis to become semi-legal at all, that ushered in a subculture. The unruly qualities that made it distinct — its funk, visibility and reputation as a disruptor — are now subdued, disguised or stripped out entirely.
There’s also a political truth to odor. It has long been used to criminalize. Police officers regularly cite smell as probable cause. Landlords use it as justification for eviction. Municipalities treat it as a public health hazard, despite lacking evidence to support claims. When brands or consumers lean into the idea that weed’s smell is something to hide, they reinforce those structures, whether intentionally or not.
At the same time, there is something deeply human in the way Cannabis odor has historically built community. People remember catching whiffs at concerts, in college dorms or on city streets and feeling both curiosity and recognition. Scent draws lines, sometimes between safety and danger, but also between inclusion and exclusion, familiarity and fear. The smell of Cannabis can be a comfort, a warning or a reminder of history. It is never neutral.
What we’re witnessing now is a reshaping of weed shame into something softer, but no less real. It is not the blunt force of Prohibition, with raids and arrests, although those still occur in many places. It is the pressure to assimilate. To keep Cannabis presentable, muted and palatable enough to pass in spaces that still don’t accept it fully. More polite does not mean more freedom. If normalization is going to mean anything beyond market growth, the sensory reality of Cannabis has to be included. It is integral to the plant’s identity, science and culture. To deny that is to deny the very thing that made Cannabis powerful in the first place: its ability to announce itself, unapologetically, to the world.
FIRE FOLLOWER HEMP LEGALIZATION TURBOCHARGES CLONE SCENE
THE ANNUAL North American outdoor Cannabis crop is weeks away from finishing, but indoors, a robust “clone” season runs all year long. And hemp legalization has supercharged the clone scene. Put a clone in a grow tent today, and you’ll have fresh zaza by the new year.
The 2018 Farm Bill change that legalized hemp also laid the groundwork for a utopia of Cannabis cuttings, or clones. Since these snips of stem and leaves don’t have any THC in them, they are legally equivalent to the starter plants at your local gardening store.
In 2025’s U.S. clonetopia, you can get starters of vintage and hype strains for sale at events or shipped to you alive. These cuttings have the same DNA as the mother, a clone of an already hit strain. Clones can go for $20 to about $100, with Rebel Grown’s Double OG Chem #15 far exceeding that at $420,000. The price varies depending on how commercially exciting the mother is.
Award-winning journalist/author and former Leafly Senior Editor David Downs’ new genetics intelligence dispatch.
Breeders newly offering direct-to-consumer clones in 2025 include Rebel Grown (maker of Double OG Chem) and James Loud Genetics with Cereal Milk, RS11 and GMO (loudclones.com). Hash strain experts Bloom Seed Co. and maker of the modern hit MaiTai, Clearwater Genetics, both offer clone lists via Discord and their websites. In California, groups like Phinest, Purple City Genetics, HendRx Nursery and Constellation Nursery shine bright.
THE $420,000 CUTTING
Double OG Chem #15 won The Emerald Cup Breeder’s Cup four times, including three times in a row. “The loudest, gassiest fuel herb we have found in over 25 years,” Dan Pomerantz, founder and CEO of Rebel Grown, stated.
For September, Pomerantz is listing new clones on his website every Friday, especially “reliable, trusted classics” like OG Kush, Triangle Kush, Headband and Cherry Pie (rebelgrowngenetics.com).
Pomerantz listed the Double OG Chem 15 at $420,000 as “a little bit of a joke,” he said. We mere mortals can smoke the strain in Arizona, Ohio and New York starting this month.
James Loud Genetics ships a slate of hype in custom containers all year, like Violet Dripz and Candy Dripz (two Grape Gas crosses). Violet Dripz is a Black Runtz x Grape Gas cross that makes great rosin. “It’s very grapey — like an Alexander the Grape Otter Pop,” founder and CEO James Loud said.
You can jump on the Leafly Strain of the Year 2024, Super Boof, with clones from breeder Blockhead or selector Mobile Jay (beanfiendz.com). Blockhead’s Breeder Cut, aka Pink Panty Cut, is $600 at blockheadbuds.com.
MR. SHERBINSKI CHANNELS VOICE OF THE PLANT
Mario “Sherbinski” Guzman — popularizer of Sunset Sherbert and Gelato — is working on his next project, Voice of the Plant (voiceoftheplant.net).
Twelve years after launching the Sherbinskis flower brand, he said he was ready to get his hands dirty and be more punk rock. This fall and winter, Voice of the Plant has new rec flowers for New York, a podcast in development, six recordings with M-1 from Dead Prez and a seeds show at MJ BizCon in December.
“I was looking to start something from scratch. No investors. I wanted the challenge,” Guzman said from New York.
Guzman says VOP aims beyond the profit of “a cookie-cutter flower brand” to be a community catalyst, to have fun and to connect. Working with his wife, he is raiding his contacts for collaborators to cross-pollinate with.
“I WAS LOOKING TO START SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH. NO INVESTORS. I WANTED THE CHALLENGE.” -SHERBINSKI
“I might make an organic vegan frozen food line, why not?” Guzman said. “We just want to connect people with plants through food, art, music and business.”
This next chapter is Sherbinski “paying it forward,” he said. Guzman says it’s also an answer to the part of himself who wants to be more than a “one-hit wonder” for Gelato. “A brand or a genetic does not define who we are,” he said.
September 7 North America’s Cannabis crop flowers (and “early girls”) finish in September. In the garden, scout for nutrient deficiencies, mold, pests and hermaphrodite plants (whose pollen can destroy the crop). Also, lock in harvest prep, and get the drying room ready. Make sure the dehumidifier and air conditioning are working. Gather harvest supplies and clean gear. Autumnal Equinox: September 22 or 23. Days are exactly 12 hours long. Weather outlook:
CANDY DRIPZ
PHOTO BY JAMES LOUD GENETICS
DOUBLE OG CHEM PHOTO BY REBEL GROWN
REBEL COOKIES
PHOTO BY REBEL GROWN
VIOLET DRIPZ
PHOTO BY JAMES LOUD GENETICS
CANNABIS TAKES FLIGHT
Jamie Evans brings the mentality of wine tastings toweed.
On a traditionally chilly July evening in San Francisco, a small group gathered at a wine bar for an event that combined the aromas and flavors of wine alongside another one of California’s most celebrated agricultural products: Cannabis.
TUCKED IN a narrow street near San Francisco’s famed Zuni Café, Hotel Biron is not a hotel, but a wine bar and art gallery. This summer, Hotel Biron joined with certified sommelier and Cannabis author Jamie Evans to take part in her educational series, Terpenes and Tannins. The series, which has also taken place in areas best known for their wine production (such as Napa Valley and Anderson Valley), presents how Cannabis can complement a meal following the road map of wine tastings. At the events, Cannabis and other culinary ingredients are placed in wine glasses for sniffing (and sometimes smoking) as Evans demonstrates how the aromatic and flavorful elements of the world’s most favored flower can enhance the tastes of wine.
“There is this level of connoisseurship when you think about Cannabis,” Evans said to introduce the evening.
“When I came into the space, what I thought was interesting was learning about how farmers think about Cannabis. It’s very similar to how a grape farmer thinks about wine, and it’s really about that sense of place and practice. Cannabis does have that sense of terroir.”
As a loyal reader of Leaf Magazines, you likely already know about the gospel of departed hash educator Frenchy Cannoli. But if not, “terroir” is a French word that’s most often associated with wine and the characteristic aromas and flavors created by environmental factors, such as the climate, soil and farming practices. As Cannoli often said, the best Cannabis showcases a sense of place.
Evans approaches enjoying Cannabis in the same way that people appreciate wine at a tasting: meeting the producer, talking about how the products were created and breaking down sensory characteristics like appearance, aromas and flavor balance.
SAMPLING FLOWERS AND FRUITS
Terpenes are aromatic and flavorful compounds found in plants. Terpenes are in flowers (like Cannabis) and also in fruits (like grapes). Tannins are present in Cannabis, but these chemical compounds play a larger role in red wines and black teas. They taste bitter and make your mouth dry.
For the event in San Francisco, Evans combined a cabernet sauvignon — a grape known for its high tannin content — with a Blueberry Cupcake grown by Sonoma Hills Farm. Blueberry Cupcake is a cross of Blueberry Muffin and Wedding Cake bred by HendRx that’s true to its name in expressing elements of cake batter and blueberries.
HendRx reports that its terpene profile includes myrcene, limonene, pinene, beta-caryophyllene, humulene, linalool and guaiol.
Located in Sonoma County, the Cannabis grown at Sonoma Hills Farm originates from a delineated grape growing region, or American Viticultural Area, called the Petaluma Gap.
“She definitely does give blueberries to me,” Joyce Cenali, chief operating officer of Sonoma Hills Farm, said.
“She’s one of the ones that you notice in the field immediately when she starts to flower. She goes in a cheese direction as well.”
The proteins and fat in cheese combat the puckering sensations of tannins in wine and have been paired since the early days of winemaking. Because cheese and wine have a long tradition of being coupled, it makes sense that Cannabis strains that express cheesy smells and tastes would go well with a tannic red wine. Evans explained that the pairing she chose isn’t as tannic as cabernet sauvignons from the Napa Valley. The night’s selection was from Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard located in the Yakima Valley, the first AVA in Washington state. The wine Evans selected for Blueberry Cupcake takes on the berry notes the region is known for, she said.
CLEARING THE SMOKE
It’s 2025, and even in states where Cannabis has been legalized, it’s challenging to find venues that are open to hosting weed-themed events.
HOTEL BIRON
ANDERSON VALLEY WEED & WINE PAIRING
Because smoking Cannabis or tobacco isn’t allowed in bars in California, the tasting in San Francisco involved touching and smelling the weed, but not smoking it.
Hotel Biron’s owner, Ron Ramsubhag, is an organic chemist by day who, in 2024, became the proprietor of the bar he used to patronize.
“A lot of our regulars here, even staff, enjoy (Cannabis), even myself,” Ramsubhag said.
When asked if he was afraid people would start toking up inside, Ramsubhag said the thought had crossed his mind, but that ultimately he knew “it was going to be a fun educational experience.”
“Our regulars that come to the bar, they’re advocates for weed and marijuana and the medical properties that come with it,” he said.
TAKE FLIGHT
The San Francisco tasting event also included Pink Jesus, the signature strain of Sonoma Hills Farm. Pink Jesus is a cross of Pink 2.0, Starfighter and Heirloom OG. Cenali described the Cannabis as having notes of ginger, pink bubblegum, black raspberry and licorice.
The primary terpenes in Pink Jesus are ocimene, beta-caryophyllene and humulene, she said.
Evans followed in describing the wine pairing, a cava rosado. The pink sparkling selection was from Spain and is a blend of two types of grapes, garnacha and trepat. Evans described the wine as having notes of cherries and strawberries and the aroma of rose petals.
"What I thought was interesting was learning about how farmers think about Cannabis. It’s very similar to how a grape farmer thinks about wine, and it’s really about that sense of place and practice.”
Guests were invited to smell the wine and the Cannabis side by side to evaluate if they could identify any similarities or differences.
“The truth is you can evaluate your Cannabis just like you can wine,” Evans said. “So this is what we’re trying to demonstrate tonight: that you can find different aromas and flavors in different strains. You can almost have like a flight of Cannabis and taste through it just like we do with wine.”
THE OCCASION
When it comes to choosing weed and wine, Evans said pairings come with occasions.
“When you’re out on the beach or you’re enjoying something on a hot day, you’re probably not going to reach for that big Napa cab,” Evans said.
“You’re probably going to go for that chilled albariño or like a grüner veltliner or something like that. And I think Cannabis is the same. You think about the occasion that you want to pair with, like how do you want to feel? And then you can customize it that way.”
Thinking of it that way, a full-bodied red wine is the indica of weed. It’s best when you want to relax in the evening.
For daytime affairs, Evans recommends going with lighter-bodied white wines and strains that contain terpenes associated with uplifting and energizing effects, such as pinene, which was in the rosemary that was passed around in a wine glass at the Terpenes and Tannins event.
Evans said when you’re in doubt about what wine might work best with your weed selection, go with bubbly.
“I think with bubbles, with sparkling wine especially, it very much cleanses your palate,” Evans said. “You salivate. It’s such a good match, so I always say champagne or cava, and bubbles and Cannabis is one of my favorite pairings.”
CANNABIS SOMMELIER
JAMIE EVANS PHOTO BY
Maine Wild Blueberry Lollipop
“Delicious from the first lick, your palate is hit with a sweet splash of blueberry, creating a refreshing and tangy treat.”
Zenia Cannabis Co. has been quietly crafting highquality edibles in Maine for a long time, and its Maine Wild Blueberry Lollipop stood out as a throwback, timeless treat. Simple but effective, this lollipop combines the best of both worlds, mixing local flavors for a classic pairing that doesn’t overcomplicate things and isn’t overly sweet and sticky.
Delicious from the first lick, your palate is hit with a sweet splash of blueberry, creating a refreshing and tangy treat. The lollipop is infused with a full-spectrum 1:1 THC to CBD ratio, offering a mellow, uplifting effect that’s perfect for both newcomers and seasoned users. The lollipop’s consistency is smooth and clean, with no aftertaste, just the perfect balance of sweet and tart that leaves you energized from the touch of sugar and balanced out by the inputs.
At 10 milligrams of THC and 10mg of CBD, this lollipop offers a mellow, well-rounded high that settles in gently. The blueberry flavor comes through as bright and refreshing, giving you that real fruit taste, reminding you that there are clearly no artificial flavors here. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a long day or needing a little mood boost, this lollipop is an evenly balanced option to enhance your experience.
Zenia’s lollipop is a great example of this old adage: “Keep it simple, stupid.” It’s a portable, no-frills, affordable and easy-to-love edible that offers a consistent and enjoyable experience every time. If you’re looking for a delicious way to enjoy Cannabis and feel like a kid again, don’t be a sucker and grab one of these!
zeniacannabisco.com @zeniacannabisco
SKUNKFOOT FARMS
Arizona Green Tea Temple Ball
Skunkfoot Farms, based out of Maine, has made a solid name providing Vacationland with quality products for nearly a decade. With a good reputation for high-grade herb and hash, it made sense that we would check out what they were rocking with lately and see if there were any unique product lines. One of the things that jumped off the shelf was a collection of traditional-style temple balls made from their unique strains, including their Arizona Green Tea strain. After doing some digging, this one became even more intriguing based on its mysterious origins
ARIZONA GREEN TEA wasn’t a strain Skunkfoot Farms sought out. When they were getting the farm started and the hash lab set up, they randomly found the seeds in an unlabeled freebie pack, completely unaware of their lineage or breeder. After tossing them in the dirt and seeing some early signs of vigor and value, they decided to give her a full test run, intrigued by the plant’s potential. As soon as they ran the strain through their system, she blossomed, and they ended up finding something worthwhile.
Once the flower was ready, they washed it and were immediately smacked with a wave of nostalgia. The unmistakable flavor profile reminded them of the iconic AriZona iced tea. The taste was spot on: sweet and refreshing, like a sun-kissed lemon tea. It was such a different taste profile that it gave them enough reason to keep her around, and that’s how this strain earned its place in their garden, despite not being the most “washfriendly” plant.
“We’ve always known it was a bit of a terrible washer,” Scott Wolfson, one of the owners from Skunkfoot Farms, said. “But the flavor was so unique that we kept experimenting with it, hoping to express it in hash form. Now, we’re all out of it!”
THE TEMPLE BALL
While Arizona Green Tea may not yield the biggest returns in terms of wash quality, Skunkfoot’s did a nice job in preserving the strain’s flavor in this traditional-style temple ball. The consistency is on point for a temple ball: slightly firm at first, making it a bit of a challenge to crack open, but once you do, the smoke is smooth, oily and flavorful.
The high is felt almost immediately. There’s a solid full-body effect that’s relaxing without being too overwhelming, allowing for a calm, laid-back experience. The head high is a touch hazy, but it’s subtle, with most of the effects lingering in the body, making this an ideal choice for a sloweddown, chilled-out evening.
Skunkfoot Farms continues to chase unique flavors and great hash, taking chances that other brands might not be willing to do. And after smoking this temple ball, one thing is clear: sometimes taking a chance pays off. While this might be the last of the Arizona Green Tea for a while (hurry up and find some), it left me with a lasting impression and made me want to head down to the local bodega, crack a can and chill in the sunshine for a vibey, low-key afternoon.
Candy Loops, grown in Maine by Fluid Cannabis, is a cultivar that reflects the quality and precision this company has become known for.
Based in a region where craft cultivation thrives, Fluid Cannabis consistently produces flower that captures both strong genetics and thoughtful execution, and Candy Loops stands as another testament to that reputation.
“ON THE INHALE, THE SMOKE IS SMOOTH AND EXPANSIVE, LEADING WITH CANDY-LIKE FRUIT AND TROPICAL FLAVORS BEFORE GIVING WAY TO A SUBTLE, CREAMY FINISH.”
In terms of effects, Candy Loops provides a balanced ride. The onset brings an uplift in mood and focus, perfect for creative work, music or conversation. As time goes on, the body effect develops into a soothing calm that eases tension without weighing the user down. This makes it versatile enough for a lively afternoon or a relaxed evening wind-down. With its mix of candyshop sweetness, gassy funk and a versatile effect profile, Candy Loops demonstrates why Fluid Cannabis continues to hold a respected place in Maine’s market. It’s a flower that appeals to both casual smokers and connoisseurs, and it delivers on every level.
The strain’s genetics are equally impressive: (Trop Cherry x Super Boof) x Sherb. In other words, Trop Cherry was first crossed with Super Boof, and that hybrid was then crossed with Sherb. The result is a cultivar that blends fruitforward sweetness with creamy depth and a funky backbone. Opening a jar, the nose greets with bright notes of cherry taffy and berry cereal, quickly followed by citrus rind and a touch of gas. Underneath, a creamy, doughy richness rounds it out, pulling directly from its Sherb heritage. On the inhale, the smoke is smooth and expansive, leading with candy-like fruit and tropical flavors before giving way to a subtle, creamy finish. The flowers themselves show Fluid Cannabis’ attention to detail: dense buds trimmed to a clean standard, sparkling with resin that signals potency. Under light, the trichomes glisten against vibrant green calyxes and subtle purple hues, giving Candy Loops visual appeal that matches its aromatic punch. @stayfluid1.0
CANDY LOOPS
flavor savor
JUDGING FLOWERS BY THEIR FLAVORS (AND TERPS) AT THE LEAF BOWL
Since we launched the Leaf Bowl competitionsinlate2021,the Leafstaffallagreedthatweneeded tomovebeyondthethreetraditional flowercategoriesofIndica,Sativaand Hybrid.Somuchprogresshadbeen madeinunderstandingthenumerous terpenesandothercompoundsthat giveCannabiscultivarstheirdistinctive aromas and flavors that those old classifications had become outdated for judgingpurposes.Andso,wecreated ourownflowercategories based on flavorprofiles.
BUT SOON AFTER, while judging hydrocarbon concentrates for the Emerald Cup, I learned about the terpene classification system developed by PhytoFacts and SC Labs. And while the categories we came up with were very similar, their categories were based on a detailed analysis of thousands of different strain samples. So last year, with SC Labs’ blessing, we adopted their data-driven classifications as the official flower categories of the Leaf Bowl, with the addition of two of our own nonterpenebased groupings: CBD and Open Category. Ideally, all flower samples should be entered into the flavor category that best fits their terpene profile. That way, our judges can rate each entry against other entries with similar characteristics. For anyone hoping to enter or judge the Leaf Bowl next year and beyond, here is a brief overview of our flower classifications...
SPECIAL THANKS TO PHYTOFACTS AND SC LABS FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK IN DEVELOPING THESE PROFILES AND ALLOWING US TO UTILIZE THEM FOR OUR COMPETITION.
Flavor/Aroma: Orange, Tangerine
Typical Cultivars: Tangie, Mimosa, Forbidden Fruit // The most recent addition to their classification system, this category is based less on terpene dominance and more on the prevalence of an orangey-smelling compound dubbed “tropicanna sulfur,” which often overpowers the terpenes.
Flavor/Aroma: Piney, woodsy, fruity
Typical Cultivars: Jack Herer, Trainwreck, various Hazes
// Most associated with what we’ve historically considered “sativas,” these cultivars are dominated mainly by a combination of myrcene, caryophyllene and terpinolene.
// Cultivars with unusual terpene combinations that don’t fit into any of the previously outlined categories, including those with high levels of less-common terps like ocimene, humulene or linalool, among others.
Flavor/Aroma: Spicy, sweet, doughy
Typical Cultivars: Girl Scout Cookies, various Cake and Gelato strains // Cultivars featuring a codominance of caryophyllene and limonene.
Flavor/Aroma:
Sweet, hoppy, herbaceous
Typical Cultivars: Blue Dream, Grandaddy Purp, Cherry AK // These cultivars exhibit high levels of myrcene, accompanied by secondary codominance of pinene and caryophyllene.
Flavor/Aroma: Varied
Typical Cultivars: Charlotte’s Web, Ringo’s Gift, Cannatonic // Strains of any flavor profile that have a significant percentage of CBD.
Flavor/Aroma: Sweet, gassy, peppery
Typical Cultivars: OG Kush, Chemdog, Sour Diesel // Closely related to Desserts, cultivars in this category also feature a codominance of caryophyllene and limonene, but with the addition of a heavy myrcene presence. Many strains in this classification also feature high levels of thiols, the compounds that give Cannabis its fuel-like aroma.
Flavor/Aroma:
Tropical fruit, flowers, herbs
Typical Cultivars: Hawaiian, In the Pines, most Pineapple strains // These cultivars have high levels of ocimene co-dominated by myrcene and/or caryophyllene.
// This is a catch-all category we created for competitors who don’t know which category their entry belongs in or who prefer to have their entry compete in a broader field rather than against similar strains.
Mimosa 1937 Farms
Jack Herer Curio Wellness
Blue Dream Sky High Gardens Flyin’ Hawaiian 1937 Farms
Gelato Cake District Cannabis Sour Diesel Sense Cannabis
Dutch Treat WoodWide
Blue Raspberry Icee Terp Mansion
Cannatonic x Ringo’s Gift Hogwash Pharms
SNIFFING OUT SOLUTIONS TO FIND TRUTH IN TERPS POTENCY PROBLEM
HIGH STAKES AND NUMBERS
It’s no secret that potency drives the Cannabis market, even though patients and producers alike have been screaming about the plant’s many other beneficial compounds, like terpenes, for 10-plus years. This trend — driven by a lack of general consumer education and a viciously volatile market where producers are forced to compete at all costs — has snowballed into a situation where it seems no side is winning.
Breeders and growers are discarding unique profiles in favor of culling cultivars that produce potency. Shops are stuck with stale shelves that won’t sell. Consumers are paying premiums for results they can’t trust and, more importantly, missing out on a pivotal part of the plant’s experience. Cannabis testing labs are at the forefront of this issue, stuck in the same cycle of survival where potency pays the bills.
To dive deeper into this problem, we sought the expertise of Taylor Pearce. He is currently the lab director at Green Leaf Lab (Sacramento), and he has a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and over 12 years of testing experience (spanning four companies) in Oregon, Arizona and California.
TESTING STANDARDS
Similar problems plague all of these markets. From California to Arkansas, class action lawsuits have been filed against brands and labs alike for inflated THC numbers.
In California, a 2022 independent study reported on by Cannabis Industry Journal showed that out of 150 products tested, 87% were greater than “10% deviant of their labeled values.”
Legalized states around the nation are facing the same story, with state reference laboratories continuing to find flaws in private-party potency results.
Pearce adds that testing standards lacking state-to-state fluidity and scientific language stunt the evolution of overall testing procedures, while market pressure pushes producers to “shop around” for labs more likely to inflate numbers.
With such great variance from lab to lab Pearce adds that, “potency results vary so much, you can’t even rely on them.”
UNTAPPED TERPENE TREASURES
After years of what Pearce accurately calls “lukewarm public attention,” terpenes have failed to gain real traction among the masses as a marker, largely due to a lack of state-mandated testing and, therefore, consumer information. But these compounds offer a vibrant picture of aroma, flavor, effect and overall experience.
Terpene testing has caught on in multiple markets as a way for concentrates, in particular, to set themselves apart. But it’s up to brands to push the trend and labs to inform them of their testing options.
Pearce acknowledges that this has its own obstacles, like the same risk of percentage inflation and the limitations of the tests commonly requested. His proposed solution: relative abundance terpene testing.
A FULL FINGERPRINT
The relative abundance method doesn’t focus on exact percentages of top terpenes, but on whether a terpene is “present at statistically significant levels.” This provides a much deeper look at a profile’s unique “fingerprint.”
In 2024, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission investigated seven of the state’s (then) 11 licensed testing labs for inflating THC results, citing three. One year later, the problem persisted. A 2025 report by the OLCC and the state’s Cannabis Reference Laboratory found that “third-party laboratory results were 13% higher” than CRL’s findings. For consumers, this is bad news. If the only metric the masses rely on is unreliable, then what markers are actually meaningful?
“A 2022 independent study reported on by Cannabis Industry Journal showed that out of 150 products tested, 87% were greater than ‘10% deviant of their labeled values.’ ”
“I think the approach to terpene testing is wrong. We’re often asked to look for the top two or three terpenes, which generally results in the same ten or so common compounds across strains,” Pearce shared. “The more interesting question is: What is the full terpene fingerprint? That’s where you really start to see how two strains with similar THC can have such different effects.”
If we can’t count on THC as consumers, a more comprehensive snapshot is necessary. The latest research points to the presence of nearly 120 terpenes in Cannabis. Limiting our understanding of a profile to THC and just two or three terpenes restricts our ability to wield its effects, whether you’re looking at this from a marketability or medical perspective.
GREEN LEAF LAB SACRAMENTO DIRECTOR TAYLOR PEARCE
For a great daytime combination, try Third Shift Resin’s Pink Zugar #7 Hash Rosin alongside Maine Root’s Fair Trade Slightly Sparkling Lemonade. This pairing is perfect for a picnic, a hike or hanging with friends without that couch-locked feeling.
TANNINS
As a lemonade lover, one of the things that is absolutely critical to get right is the balance of sweet and sour citrus. Many cheap lemonades can be overfilled with sugar as a replacement for real fruit flavors. Maine Root’s lemonade is a drink that you can not only feel good about enjoying, but it also delivers its own twist on the classic. Clearly made with quality ingredients, what makes this one really pop is its slight effervescence. While not quite the level of bubbles you’d get in a glass of Champagne, this one felt like an elevated, balanced offering that could be enjoyed in a nice glass with a “high”-class crowd.
TERPENES
Another really beautiful entry from Third Shift Resin, this hash sparkles pearlescent white and emits a soft and sweet candy Z note that immediately appealed to my endocannabinoid system. Great for a midday dab, this one is distinctly sweet without being saccharine. It tastes like you’re blowing clouds of pink cotton candy, leaving a candy coating on your tongue that will make you lick your lips. It looks, tastes, melts and feels great. Like a kid in a candy store, you might be rushing back to grab more of this one.
PAIRING
The combination of Pink Zugar and Maine Root lemonade was almost surprisingly well done. These two really complemented each other as well as filled in the flavor gaps. For example, where one might want a hint of more sweetness from the lemonade, the hash provides a candy-coated layer on your tongue that enhances the effect and balances things out even more.
THIRD SHIFT RESIN PINK ZUGAR #7 HASH ROSIN, COLD CURE 90-120U PAIRED WITH MAINE ROOT FAIR TRADE SLIGHTLY SPARKLING LEMONADE
“This hash sparkles pearlescent white and emits a soft and sweet candy note that immediately appealed to my endocannabinoid system.”
COLD CURE 73-159U PAIRED WITH COOL BLUE GATORADE
TANNINS
Aloha Apothecary’s Riptide Rush Hash Rosin and Gatorade’s Cool Blue drink create a dynamic blue raspberry flavor bomb.
Cool Blue Gatorade coats your tongue with a strangely unmistakable, slightly tart essence that is almost like the ghost of blueberry, taking it toward a candy-like sweetness more than natural fruit. This blue raspberry-esque flavor is bold yet never overwhelming because of the watered-down flavor intensity. However, it lingers pleasantly on the tongue and does its job of quenching your thirst. For many of us, it’s a classic, straightforward taste that brings back summer memories and maybe the reminder of your dad yelling at you at Little League practice.
TERPENES
This version of Riptide Rush from Aloha Apothecary is a bucket I keep coming back to, as it checks all the boxes for me. The grapey blue raspberry with a touch of candy provides unbeatable flavor without majorly sacrificing potency. I continually try to keep a jar or two in my head stash because I know it’s right in my personal flavor profile wheelhouse (real, not artificial, fruit candy terps). The smooth smoke, nice melt and good vibes experience from this one make it a jar not to miss.
PAIRING
The rosin’s candy-like, grapey blue raspberry terps find a perfect partner in the Gatorade’s strangely sweet and slightly tart blueberry-esque flavor. Where the rosin provides depth and a potent experience, the Gatorade offers a refreshing, nostalgic counterpoint, ensuring a balanced palate and restorative electrolytes to keep you vibing. Together, this pair works well to amplify the vibrant fruit candy profile, leaving a lingering, satisfying taste that’s both complex and comfortingly nostalgic.
“Where the rosin provides depth and a potent experience, the Gatorade offers a refreshing, nostalgic counterpoint, ensuring a balanced palate and refreshing electrolytes to keep you vibing.”
THE LONE TREE
SUPER LUNGS FLOWER PAIRED WITH LOADED QUESTION
FRIENDS WEEKEND HOPPY KOLSCH
“Where the flower brings weight and depth, the beer lifts with clean carbonation and a grassy citrus kick ...”
Get ready for a beer and Cannabis pairing that is both invigorating and relaxing. The flower’s heavy, earthy and gassy profile gets brightened by the crisp, hoppy snap of the beer, pulling out piney edges that feel sharp but refreshing.
TANNINS
A must-try hidden gem in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Loaded Question Brewing boasts a wide array of options for any beer aficionado. When we went in, we were pointed in the direction of their Friends Weekend cans. This hoppy Kolsch is supposedly inspired by a yearly retreat in the Berkshires. Loaded Question’s rendition of this Kolsch style includes American hops, creating an enjoyable profile and tasting experience. It leans on the hoppier side, but it’s a smooth-drinking and delicious option that is sure to enhance any weekend getaway.
TERPENES
Super Lungs from The Lone Tree in Auburn, Maine, is a powerhouse cross of Bomb Sauce and Hashburger that delivers on both flavor and potency. The strain opens with a rich, earthy aroma layered with gassy notes, followed by a smooth inhale that coats the palate. Its effects are heavy yet balanced, offering a cerebral lift that quickly melts into a deep body relaxation. Ideal for unwinding after a long day, Super Lungs lives up to its name, expanding the lungs and easing the mind with every pull.
PAIRING
Super Lungs and Friends Weekend ended up being a surprisingly natural fit. Where the flower brings weight and depth, the beer lifts with clean carbonation and a grassy citrus kick, landing you in that cozy zone where time slows down but conversation flows easily. Together, they make for a classic late afternoon pairing: grounded, buzzy, and just hazy enough to take the edge off without knocking you flat.
@THELONETREE_
@LOADEDQUESTIONBREWING
NEW ROOTS GARDENS
BREAD WINNER 73-149U
COLD CURE LIVE ROSIN
PAIRED WITH SO LAH TEA CARAMELIZED
BROWN SUGAR
YERBA MATE
HOT MILK TEA
This pairing highlights a rosin that tastes exactly how it smells and a tea that helps balance out the cannasulfur compounds and dominant terpenes from that rosin. The after effects left me feeling balanced and focused.
PAIRING
TANNINS
For the beverage portion of the pairing, I collaborated with So Lah Tea, New York City’s finest purveyor of artisanal, handcrafted teas. We landed on a Caramelized Brown Sugar Yerba Mate Hot Milk Tea. Yerba mate contains up to 16% tannins, making it a perfect contender. It had a robust flavor that was sweet, nutty, creamy and caramelly. The typical astringency and bitterness associated with yerba mate were present but balanced by these elements.
I dabbed the rosin on a Toro slurper at 525 degrees Fahrenheit. The Bread Winner had a staining effect on my palate and in my sinuses. The onset was immediate and went straight to my third eye and the front of my face. The tea as a chaser was hot, comforting and delicious. While drinking it, I experienced a very dry sensation in my mouth. I didn’t quite have cotton mouth, but all of the moisture was definitely drawn out. Yerba mate gives me laser vision, and Garlicleaning strains make me nice and relaxed. The high was very cerebral but also made my body feel like it was floating.
TERPENES
The Bread Winner 73-149µ Cold Cure Live Rosin from New Roots Gardens in Voorheesville, New York, came in at 5.78% terpenes. According to the lab report, Bread Winner’s top three terpenes are limonene, betacaryophyllene and beta-mycene. The nose on this jar was nasty in the best way possible. Outside, I opened it 5 feet away from my friend without saying anything, and it caught her attention. Top notes of garlic and menthol overwhelmed the senses. New Roots Gardens hunted and selected this pheno of Bread Winner F3 from a single pack of seeds from Staefli Farms. This strain’s lineage includes power hitters like Garlic Breath, Wedding Cake and Peanut Butter Breath. Cultivated in greenhouse light deps, this rosin captures the undeniable power of the sun, bringing a distinct edge to terpene expression.
“Cultivated
in greenhouse light deps, this rosin
captures
the
undeniable power of the sun, bringing a distinct edge to terpene expression.”
LIAM PAULLIS
NORTHEAST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
120 STATE ROAD, KITTERY, ME INDICO.CARE | @INDICO.MAINE
MONDAY-SATURDAY: 8 A.M. - 7 P.M.
CAN YOU SHARE A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU HELPED A CUSTOMER DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW OR LIFE-CHANGING? When I was working in Massachusetts at a medical and adult-use dispensary, I had a lady come in who referred to herself as a “wine mom” and never was specifically interested in Cannabis. She didn’t like smoking, and she didn’t like the wait time of the edibles. I ended up directing her toward a pack of 5-milligram seltzers, explaining they would have a quicker activation. She purchased a four-pack, and she returned the next day to buy three more. She told me eventually that they were what helped her cut back on her drinking, and from then on, she was a regular.
HOW DO YOU STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE WITH CANNABIS TRENDS AND PRODUCTS? I constantly am researching, looking into current events, reading magazines and, of course, asking questions. I make it a point to ask vendors what their companies are working on and to look into anything new I hear about as much as possible.
HOW DO YOU SEE CANNABIS CULTURE INFLUENCING ART, COMMUNITY OR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS? Cannabis culture is all about acceptance and connection to me. I say it all the time: There isn’t a better group of retail customers you’ll come across. Everyone is in a good mood showing up, or if they aren’t, they’re in a good mood leaving. I see my customers conversing back and forth. I have met personal friends through budtending that I still talk to, even though I don’t work in their state anymore.
“CANNABIS CULTURE IS ALL ABOUT ACCEPTANCE AND CONNECTION TO ME. I SAY IT ALL THE TIME: THERE ISN’T A BETTER GROUP OF RETAIL CUSTOMERS YOU’LL COME ACROSS.” INDICO
SUNDAY: 10 A.M. - 7 P.M. (207) 500-7026
Liam is a talented budtender with a knack for connecting with customers from a shared bond: constant education, renewed positivity and a passion for Cannabis. Follow him at @leeham_disclosed.
WHAT SPARKED YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF CANNABIS AND BUDTENDING? I’ve been using Cannabis since I was roughly 14. My older sisters pulled me to their room one hot summer night and let me try a hit of their bowl, and I remember it being one of the first times I didn’t see them arguing with each other. Ever since, I’ve associated it with a feeling of community and joy. I knew I wanted to be in the industry as soon as I learned dispensaries were opening because I wanted to be a part of that greater community I knew was being cultivated.
sept. 2025
DESCRIBE YOUR FAVORITE STRAIN AS A MUSICAL ARTIST. WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? My favorite strain is currently Super Boof (Black Cherry Punch x Tropicana Cookies). If I had to pick an artist to relate it to, I would pick Mac Miller. They both have what I call a “chameleon vibe,” meaning whether your goal is to have a more calming, chill vibe or be more present and focused in the moment, consuming either can hit both sides of that spectrum.
IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND ONE UNDERRATED PRODUCT OR STRAIN THAT DESERVES MORE LOVE, WHAT WOULD IT BE, AND WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT IT? RSO William’s Bakery Gummies deserve more love. They’ve somehow managed to get RSO, a notoriously gross-tasting extract, infused into these gummies to the point where you can barely even tell you’re eating an edible.
WHERE DO YOU GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PLANT? I often like looking through Reddit; you get to see real people’s opinions on products as well as any kind of innovations. It’s also easy to get in contact with growers or vendors. I also find myself reading through any Cannabis magazines that come through our store. Lastly, I ask my customers. You never know when someone has a little nugget of knowledge, and there’s nothing I love more than talking to someone who grows or is passionate about the plant.
At the Culture Cup in Maine last month, I got a chance to connect with some of the best breeders from the East Coast and around the country. One local who has been winning awards left and right was James Wormser of TeamingWithTerps, who is also head of cultivation at Tower Three in Taunton, Massachusetts. After seeing that Archive Seed Co. was doing a seed drop at his table, I needed to check out what all the buzz was about.
Growing what he describes as “East Coast Weed,” the backbone of his breeding program includes a lot of green, chemmy, robust and mouth-coating fire. Known for strains like Butterwolf (PBB x Swamp Thing), Moonbutter (Butterwolf x Starkush) and KenStarr (Swamp Thing x Starkush), he dropped two new lines at Culture Cup based on Black Maple and Deathcoast crosses. James recently chatted with Northeast Leaf about his journey, philosophy and process in becoming an East Coast staple.
TEAMINGWITHTERPS
WHY DID YOU GET INTO BREEDING?
Since a very young age, Cannabis genetics have mesmerized me. As a kid in New York City, access to weed in general and New York City delivery services gave me an early education on genetics and flavor. Sour Diesel, NYC Diesel, Uptown Haze … good genetics were highly revered in New York, and growing up there was a daily economy depending on movement/demand. NYC Diesel versus Sour Diesel was one of my first lessons in genetic distinction. Packs were tiered by quality, and genetic and true exotics were sold at a very high premium.
At some point in high school, I saw a pound of weed of such intense quality, frost and flavor, I knew I needed to get closer. After growing some Grapefruit plants through flower, I had a moment where I realized the intense grapefruit aroma I was experiencing meant all the weed I’d seen in books and magazines had the potential to live up to the name and descriptors I had read. It was this early exposure and the influence of my younger brother that led me to the plantspecific approach to growing and eventually to breeding. As a young grower, it was my understanding of the genetics that helped set me apart. While my growing skills were fairly average, my weed smoked with an intense mouth coat just because the genetics carried that expression.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STRAIN YOU’VE BRED? Butterwolf. The robust flavor, big gland and colorful OG aesthetic on top of the ease of growth, lack of maintenance needed (defol and trim) and its conversion to hash make it special for me. It really checks a lot of boxes, most important being its intense aroma and flavor. I’ve built strong connections through this cut. The Moonbutter (Starkush x Butterwolf) is a close second with even more complexity to the flavor.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STRAIN TO SMOKE CURRENTLY?
Moonbutter really has been doing it for me. It has some sweetness on top of the strong herbaceous gas; both power and flavor are on point. She is flavorful, satiating and potent. While she doesn’t have the bag appeal of many modern varieties, her depth of flavor and strong skunk/fuel expression drive me to her. It will always be something gas for me. I’d guess there is something scientific and medicinal to the sulfide and thiols that my body seeks.
“My favorite strain I’ve bred is Butterwolf. The robust flavor, big gland and colorful OG aesthetic on top of the ease of growth, lack of maintenance needed (defol and trim) and its conversion to hash make it special for me.”
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AVERAGE AND HIGH-GRADE CANNABIS?
The biggest difference is flavor. The high will follow, but what I’m looking for is an aroma that translates into flavor. After that, genetics, freshness, practices, dry/cure and aesthetic. If the wrong genetic is grown, no matter your practices, environment, etc., it will never be high grade. It is one of those things where the weed is only as good as its weakest link. High grade has to smoke well and taste good, and a lot of things have to be in place to get there. Average weed smokes fine and will get you stoned, but does not express a notable or exciting flavor. For me, there is a very strong preference for soil grown. If the strain is good, it’s fresh and properly dried and leaves a mouth-coat flavor — I would say that is high grade.
teamingwithterps.com @teamingwithterps
Butterwolf
Cherry Maple Super Buff Cherry 26 x Black Maple
James Wormser Founder
Gravel Pit Swamp Thing x ODB
BEYOND THE BUD
GROWING TANNINAND TERPENE-RICH PLANTS FOR THE BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT
Long before pharmaceutical laboratories and prescriptions, the Native American medicine chest was the home garden, and the pharmacy was nature. In Ayurveda, the ancient system of wellness born in India over 5,000 years ago, plants are more than just food or fragrance. They are sacred allies, each carrying a unique vibrational signature and a spectrum of botanical compounds that nurture the mind, body and soul.
TWO OF THESE botanical treasures, tannins and terpenes, are often celebrated in fine wines, craft beers and Cannabis. However, they aren’t just found in bottles and buds; these potent plant gifts are alive and thriving in the lush green world surrounding us.
Tannins are plant polyphenols: potent antioxidants with a knack for detoxifying, reducing inflammation and toning tissues. They protect against cellular damage and help the body release what no longer serves it. Terpenes are found in the essential oils of plants. These are the compounds that
give herbs, flowers and trees their distinct scents and colors, as well as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and mood-elevating powers.
Cannabis is a rich source of beneficial terpenes and tannins. For example, terpenes like myrcene (found in Blue Dream) ease stress and relax muscles, while limonene (abundant in Super Lemon Haze) uplifts mood and boosts immunity. Cannabis tannin content contributes antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support, especially in sun-grown, full-spectrum flower.
CULTIVATING AROMATIC HERBAL WISDOM
Want to cultivate an elevated medicine chest? Here are four plants that are guaranteed to overflow with beneficial tannins and terpenes.
HOLY BASIL (TULSI)
In Ayurveda, Tulsi is called the “incomparable one,” and for good reason. This fragrant green goddess is a terpene powerhouse, exuding eugenol and other aromatic oils that soothe anxiety, balance the breath and ignite spiritual clarity. Her tannins bring immune-boosting and detoxifying strength, making Tulsi a daily tonic for both body and spirit. In tribal traditions, Tulsi’s leaves are often brewed into teas for purification rituals. Plant her in a sunny spot, and she’ll fill your garden with sacred vitality.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary is a garden guardian and mental clarity muse. terpenes like rosmarinic acid and cineole give this plant focus-enhancing and antimicrobial gifts, while its tannins lend astringent and anti-inflammatory magic. Indigenous herbalists have turned to rosemary to awaken memory, stimulate circulation and protect against illness. A simple sprig in your tea or tucked into your hair during meditation can invite focus, courage and clarity into your day. Additionally, drinking a cup of rosemary tea twice a day helps prevent parasites.
When we welcome these plants into our home grow, we are weaving ourselves back into an indigenous relationship between humans and the plant spirit world, a relationship of care with these plant teachers who, in return, care for us. As a true OG full circle wellness advocate, I encourage all OGs to welcome this Native wisdom into your garden. Bond with them, grow with them and harvest their gifts with gratitude.
SAGE
Known to Native American tribes as a sacred ancestral teacher, sage has been burned in ceremonies for purification and spiritual clearing for centuries. Beyond the smoke, her leaves are rich in terpenes like thujone and camphor, which support respiratory health and soothe inflammation. Her tannins act as natural antiseptics, helping the body’s tissues heal and tighten. In Ayurvedic wisdom, sage tea is used for digestion and cooling excess heat in the body. Keep her near the entrances and exits to bless the energy of your home.
POMEGRANATE
The pomegranate tree is a tannin-rich beauty that bridges sweet fruit with deep medicinal potency. Its bark and rind hold concentrated tannins that cleanse the gut, strengthen the heart and act as natural antimicrobials. Terpenes in the flower and leaves stimulate anti-inflammatory and hormone-balancing benefits. In Indigenous traditions, the pomegranate is a plant of fertility, abundance and longevity. This plant is worthy of a sunny corner in any sacred garden.
Four artists at the top of their game showcase the wonder of functional vessels.
A CUP ABOVE
@FRITGLASS GLASS
PORTLAND, OR
Anthony Charles hails from Long Island, New York, but he’s made Portland, Oregon, his home over the last 10 years. For years, he was predominantly a marble artist, and then for many more years, he was mostly a pipe maker. During a slow period around 2019, Anthony started making cups. He was doing some gig work to make extra money, and he would come into the shop and make a whole cup in a couple of hours versus making a rig that took two days. When the cups started doing well at auction, he was able to go back to just doing glasswork full time. When COVID-19 hit, he thought it would slow down, but it was the exact opposite. Demand for craft beer glasses exploded during lockdown, and sales of Anthony’s one-of-a-kind drinking glasses
He would come into the shop and make a whole cup in a couple of hours versus making a rig that took two days.
Although Ben Burtoni is mostly known for his intricate marbles and sculptural designs with a tropical avian influence, he also likes to make very unique drinking vessels. One of them features a complex wigwag pattern with highlights from a satin turquoise color known as “neptunium.” In another example, we have that same color, but it has been ghosted (a technique that allows the artist to control the density of a particular color) for more transparency and paired with an epic hand-drawn cloud scene. And finally, we have what I call a perfect breakfast set: two handled glasses and one larger tumbler. You never know what Ben will come up with next, so don’t miss out on the constant evolution on his Instagram page.
One of them features a complex wigwag pattern with highlights from a satin turquoise color known as
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
@BURTONIGLASS
@WHITNEYHARMONGLASS
WHITNEY HARMON GLASS
BELLINGHAM, WA
Whitney Harmon’s talents spread far and wide, and you can enjoy a few of his cup designs here. Each piece is completed with a lot of focus on cold work. You’ll notice beveled edges and lapped bases among other small details. These are celebration pieces, but they are sturdy enough for daily use. The unique layering utilized with his millefiori and some luster makes this masterpiece really pop. His utilization of reticello patterns for border and center pieces makes for a clean look. And how about those platinum bands? They are actually painted by hand on the piece, adding another spectacular dimension to the colorways and shaping of these works of art.
@MOTHERSHIPGLASS MOTHERSHIP GLASS
BELLINGHAM, WA
These are celebration pieces, but they are sturdy enough for daily use.
To say Mothership Glass never disappoints is certainly not an exaggeration in this case. The level of intricacy in the patterns on both of these sake sets is stunning. With a tokkuri and matching cups from the “Temple” and “Dragon’s Gate” series, these sets command a presence anywhere they go. Along with clean lines, perfect shaping and insane graphic details is the perfection in wall thickness and finishing touches that Mothership is known for. If you are looking for a gift for the sake lover in your life, you may have found it.
With a tokkuri and matching cups from the “Temple” and “Dragon’s Gate” series, these sets command a presence anywhere they go.
“Dragon’s Gate,” left, and “Temple” Sake Set, right.
AMORP SYMPHONY
HOUS
Kensington, Pennsylvania, a place that has become a Philadelphia art haven, is where this artist’s journey began. It was a typical hot, humid summer, but this particular evening would include a small thunderstorm while another large spark was happening below. It was July 26, 2017, and Amorphous Symphony was born into the world of glass art. A few of Brandon Spencer’s friends saw his interest piquing, and they decided to enable him to follow his inspiration by renting him space at their glass studio. Since that point in the timeline, Brandon’s switch has always been in the “on” position.
At the 2025 Mini Masters Champs Glass Games in Las Vegas, Brandon took home first place in the Expanding Consciousness category for his “Shivasaurus.”
COMMONLY KNOWN for his love of dinosaurs, paleontology themes shine through in his creations. This subject matter requires an amazing amount of dexterity in regards to sculptural skills, which he shows prominently in each piece. After being exposed to a variety of his Amorphous Symphony works over the years, I would point out that his colorways definitely set him apart, as well as his attention to detail with his connections and shaping.
ANOTHER THING BRANDON travel. He’s not constantly on the road, but when he is, you can guarantee he’s making solid connections with people and enjoying all the culture he can find. Speaking of traveling, Brandon recently won first place at the 2025 Mini Masters Champs Glass Games in Las Vegas for his sculpture, “Shivasaurus,” in the Expanding Consciousness category. Artists were limited to a 4-by-4-inch box of prep material and only six hours to complete the project.
I CAN’T
Massachusetts, Rip Tide in Belfast, Maine, and Beaufort Glass Art Gallery in Beaufort, South Carolina. A U.K. Dino drop and a few more openings will be posted on his social media, so stay tuned.
Amorphous Symphony continues to push the boundaries of borosilicate art.
a few years ago, and his kind demeanor and obvious dedication to the craft set him apart from a lot of the artists that were coming on the scene at that time. I would see this kid call it a night when the party was just getting started. He knew he needed to be well-rested to perform his best every day. Now, to be clear, there have been nights when I’ve watched the sunrise on a New Jersey shore with him and an amazing group of people.
But most nights, he’s focusing on his art and what goes into it, whether it’s learning new techniques or collaborating with some of the world’s most renowned artists.
Amorphous Symphony continues to push the boundaries of borosilicate art.
When Brandon isn’t on the torch, you’ll find him hanging out with his girlfriend and dogs, watching anime or playing video games.
On July 27, the Cannabis community lost one of its most consequential activists: Richard Lee, the paraplegic medical marijuana user turned entrepreneur who came to be known as the “Mayor of Oaksterdam.” This month, we look back at Lee’s life and his role in transforming Oakland into one of the nation’s Cannabis reform capitals.
The Mayor of Oaksterdam
THE ACCIDENTAL ACTIVIST
Raised in a conservative Republican household in Houston, Texas, Richard Lee was an adrenaline junkie from a young age — developing passions for riding motorcycles, diving, flying gliders and live music.
In 1984, he dropped out of college and spent the rest of the decade as a roadie, eventually landing a gig as a lighting tech for Aerosmith on their 1990 Pump Tour. One day, while working at New Jersey’s Meadowlands, he slipped and fell from a catwalk. Tragically, the accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, condemning him to life in a wheelchair at the age of 27.
In addition, Lee also suffered from chronic nerve pain and muscle spasms, and soon realized that Cannabis was the best treatment. But it would take another unfortunate incident a year later to turn Lee into an activist.
“In 1991, I was the victim of a carjacking, and the police response time was 45 minutes, which angered me more than the actual carjacking. I blamed the lack of police protection on Cannabis prohibition,” he told High Times in 2009. “I felt like,
here was this wonderful medicine of Cannabis that had helped me so much, and why were the cops going after people using and selling it instead of the psychos and sociopaths who are out there robbing people?” Lee later told SF Gate. “I thought I should do something about it.”
GOING TO CALIFORNIA
In 1992, Lee opened one of the nation’s first hemp shops in Houston, Legal Marijuana - The Hemp Store, and began publishing a pro-pot newsletter. It was while handing out these newsletters at a smoke-in on the steps of the Colorado state Capitol in Denver in 1993 that he met a young activist from South Dakota named Jeff Jones, who was inspired by the information in the pamphlet.
The following year, Jones moved to Oakland, met activism icons like Debbie Goldsberry, Ed Rosenthal and Dennis Peron, and dove headfirst into the movement. In mid-1995, he started a Cannabis delivery service, and within a year, it had blossomed into one of the nation’s first dispensaries, the Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Cooperative. The club was so popular that, in July 1996, the city of Oakland
officially endorsed it four months before Prop 215 was even passed.
After visiting Jones in Oakland in 1996, Lee offered to provide the dispensary with Cannabis at a discounted rate. Upon returning to Texas, Lee began mailing pounds of weed to OCBC, which alarmed Jones.
“I’m like, oh my God — I can’t do business like this!” Jones recalls. “So I got him on the phone and convinced him to move to Oakland.”
Lee relocated to Oakland in 1997, co-founded the Hemp Research Company, set up an indoor grow and began supplying the shop with high-quality, low-cost Cannabis.
U.S. V. OCBC
Under Prop 215, OCBC was thriving, servicing upward of 2,000 patients. Unfortunately, the feds would soon step in to reassert their authority.
On January 9, 1998, the U.S. government sued the OCBC in an attempt to shut it down. The district judge issued an injunction prohibiting them from operating until the case was
Lee’s hemp shop in Houston.
MIKKI NORRIS
resolved. When their appeal was denied, Jones defied the injunction and continued to distribute medicine. As a result, he was held in contempt, and on October 19, federal marshals shut down the OCBC for good. Jones instead opened the Patient ID Center to help Cannabis patients.
Meanwhile, Jones continued appealing his case all the way to the Supreme Court, hoping to force federal recognition of medical Cannabis … but on May 14, 2001, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected Jones’ medical necessity defense.
BRINGING AMSTERDAM TO OAKLAND
Nevertheless, Oakland’s other activists remained undeterred. After its closing, OCBC’s CFO Jim McClelland opened a speakeasy-style dispensary called the Zoo. And in 1999, Lee opened his own dispensary, the Bulldog Coffeeshop, modeled after Amsterdam’s classic Cannabis cafe.
In 2003, he opened a second coffee shop called SR-71, which was renamed Coffeeshop Blue Sky four years later. Lee’s goal in opening these Cannabis cafes was to “bring Amsterdam to Oakland,” as he later explained in a 2010 NPR interview: “Amsterdam is our model city. When I go there, I see tourists and jobs and taxes being created from the Cannabis industry, and I think we can do that here.”
So naturally, it was only a matter of time before McClelland thought up the brilliant pot-manteau “Oaksterdam.”
In 2005, Lee opened the Oaksterdam Gift Shop and partnered with activist couple Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris to publish the Oaksterdam News, a quarterly newspaper covering all things California and Cannabis-related. But it was while attending the 19th Cannabis Cup (to receive High Times’ Freedom Fighter of the Year award) that Lee got the inspiration for his most impactful endeavor: Oaksterdam University.
SCHOOL OF POT
“Oaksterdam University started after I went to Amsterdam in 2006 and saw the Cannabis College, a kind of small information center,” Lee once explained. “I thought it would be a good idea to take it to the next level by actually offering classes.”
And so, Lee and his team wrote up a curriculum and launched Oaksterdam University. The first classes, attended by 22 students, were held on November 10th, 2007, in a small room across the street from his gift shop.
Three months later, Jones began hosting classes at his Patient ID Center (Oaksterdam’s LA campus). It was here that Dale Sky Clare entered the picture. In the summer of 2007, Clare was working with a medical marijuana doctor in Orange County when she contacted California NORML director Dale Gieringer for some information. Gieringer referred her to Jones, who not only won her over to the cause but also won her heart. Within a year, she was dating Jones and working full time at OULA.
By 2010, the university had expanded into a 30,000square-foot space that included multiple classrooms, an auditorium, a theater, a horticulture lab, a nursery and even a museum, as well as auxiliary campuses in Sebastopol and Flint, Michigan. That July, Clare became Mrs. Jones.
Despite heavy opposition, Lee spent $1.3 million of his own money (his life savings) to get his initiative, Prop 19, to the finish line.
MARIJUANA MEASURES
The media attention surrounding the university drew tourism and revenue to Oakland. Lee used the profits generated by his businesses and the goodwill he’d garnered among local officials to advance a series of local legalization initiatives.
In 2003, he formed the Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance and put forward Measure Z, a city ballot question that made sales, cultivation and possession of Cannabis the lowest priority for law enforcement. The measure passed in 2004 with 65% of the vote. Next came Measure F, another citywide initiative seeking to impose a 1.8% tax on Cannabis businesses. In July 2009, the measure passed with 80% of the vote, making Oakland the first city in America to tax Cannabis sales.
With two electoral victories now under their belts, Lee and his crew were emboldened to swing for the fences: full statewide legalization and taxation of Cannabis.
PROPOSITION 19
In 2009, Lee, Jones and others drafted a four-page voter initiative entitled the “Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010,” and began the laborious task of gathering the 434,000 signatures needed to get it onto the ballot for the November 2010 election.
Among its provisions, the measure would repeal all previous local and state Cannabis laws and expunge all convictions under those laws. It would allow adults 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of Cannabis and cultivate a personal garden up to 25 square feet.
Despite heavy opposition (including from some within the movement), Lee spent $1.3 million of his own money (his life savings) to get his initiative to the finish line, collecting almost twice the number of signatures needed in less than half of the time allotted. Polling at 56%, Proposition 19 (coincidentally, the same number as another legalization initiative in 1972) was on track to pass.
Unfortunately, a pair of October surprises ultimately caused Prop 19 to fall short. What’s worse, their near victory once again drew unwanted attention from the feds.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
On April 2, 2012, agents from the IRS, DEA, ATF and U.S. Marshals Service raided Oaksterdam University, as well as Lee’s home and other businesses. Hundreds of outraged locals protested outside as officials looted Lee’s establishments, shutting down streets, brazenly blazing, booing and cursing at the police and chanting “Shame!” and “DEA, go away.” Ultimately, authorities confiscated around 60,000 plants, as well as all of their computers, files and bank accounts.
Lee was detained, but was not arrested and never charged. Nevertheless, the raid forced Lee to reevaluate his situation. Facing a mountain of debt and likely future “criminal enterprise” charges, he decided it was best to retire early. And so, Lee divested from his businesses and entrusted them to the longest-standing employee in each company, which, in the case of Oaksterdam University, was Chancellor Dale Sky Jones, who became president and CEO.
KEEPING THE FAITH
With the loss of most of their assets, faculty and students, Sky Jones would have to start from scratch — relocating to a smaller space and rebuilding the staff and curriculum to keep the school afloat. Under her stewardship, the university rose from the ashes to become more successful than ever. Today, the school is mostly online, offering dozens of courses and boasting over 100,000 alumni from 116 countries.
As for Lee, he continued to inspire Cannabis justice nationwide. In 2018, he moved back to Houston to care for his mother, with whom he founded Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition (RAMP).
Richard Lee died in a Houston hospital on Sunday, July 27, from cancer-related complications. He was 62 years old. The announcement of his death elicited memorial messages of admiration from all across the Cannabis community.
“There are few people who have single-handedly advanced our cause as much as Richard Lee,” Paul Armentano, NORML’s deputy director and Oaksterdam University’s science chair, memorialized. “His contributions and his legacy will not be forgotten.”
To read the unabridged version of this story and hear Bobby’s interview with Jeff and Dale Sky Jones, visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.
MIKKI NORRIS
Lee campaigning for Prop 19.
Celebrating Measure Z’s passage at Lee’s Bulldog Coffeeshop.
Protesters outside Oaksterdam Univerity confront authorities conducting the raid.
Lee with Dale Sky Jones at OU.
CHRIS CONRAD
OAKSTERDAM.COM
COURTESY OF MIKKI NORRIS
HOW CANNABIS INSPIRES ART
TREVYMETAL
Known for his intricate glass engravings, vibrant illustrations and creative vinyl figures, Philadelphia-based artist Trevy Metal (Trevor Johns) has a playful, recognizable style that has helped design products for brands like Chinatown Market, Dab Rite and Diamond Supply Co.
HE’S COLLABORATED with just about every big-name glass artist out there, and his collection of art and merchandise has been the focus of gallery shows nationwide. Raised in tattoo shops where his dad was working, Trevy Metal says he’s been largely inspired by things that were in the background during his childhood. This meant a diet of Heavy Metal magazines, Ralph Bakshi cartoons and the world of illustrators like Peter Max and Mark Bode.
Looking at Metal’s work, it’s easy to see his connection to comic books, Jim Henson monsters, pop culture from the last 50 years and Japanese animation. “My dad loved ‘Astro Boy’ and ‘Speed Racer,’” he said. These are the types of things, he says, that stay with him in his studio today.
As an artist, he says Cannabis helps him “dig into the deeper themes” in his head. “I think even during my early experimentations with Cannabis, I noticed these dreamy states that let me zone out and uncover themes and concepts in a way that a typical daydream or free drawing session doesn’t fully do,” he told the Leaf. He described how it’s not just the state of being high that allows him to connect with his past for ideas, but that it also helps him feel calm enough later to sit and sift through that intense flow of images to consciously decide which idea to pursue. “The afterglow of getting high is when I get most inspired,” he said.
“Right now, obviously, you’ll hear a lot of Sabbath and Ozzy on repeat while my TV plays all the ‘Aliens’ movies, but I’ve also been hard into ‘Plastic Beach’ by the Gorillaz.”
Metal says his art is also born out of everyday occurrences in life.
“I live in a big city on purpose. There’s something new around almost every corner, and you never know what might trigger a memory or idea,” he said.
“I can literally get inspired by a pile of trash on the ground if the trash is the right color or texture.”
