A Flower Tasting with Strain Mason

In March I was grateful enough to attend a private Flower Tasting with the KVL International crew. An intimate affair whose sole purpose was to provide feedback on the line of flower cultivated by Strain Mason. I was delighted to be there and excited to share my experience with you guys.

Many people consider my relationship with cannabis to be superficial. Yes, I smoke blunts. No, I don’t grow my own weed. Still I enjoy cannabis in it’s natural form, and am critical of what I smoke. The KVL Brand is working hard, grinding to shake up the industry in our state in a big way. So I was especially excited to see what they had cooked up.

From Learning to Consuming

One thing is for sure, I was in great company. Accompanied by canna-sseurs like Arianne Richards and Stephen Philpott. I was humbled and ready to soak in as much of the knowledge and information provided. Learning about why the smells affect our nose and the experience in general was so interesting. It’s like we know that we can smell something, we know that cannabis smells different and has different tones but what does it all mean? Education is very limited when it comes to cannabis, so hearing first hand knowledge is always valuable.

After walking us through how to properly enjoy and inhale, we proceeded to the actual tasting. I was especially grateful because each station included chillums, which I tend to prefer over joints. Blunts being my favorite way to smoke, but the least effective when it comes to actually tasting the flower.

The Strains

The reason why we were all there: the weed. There were 5 strains and a couple variants that we tried, all set up at their own station. While each strain was unique, from the smells to the visuals, to the smoking, I can say one thing remained consistent: the quality. It was very clear the pride and effort that went into this line, and I am immensely grateful for the first look.

My Favorites

The nights winner turned out to be Blood Honey, a cross between Forbidden Fruit and Red Runtz. It was a dense and heavy flower, sticky when breaking up. The smells were intense, bitter yet candy like. I can see why it was the most popular strain. It was definitely one of my favorites too, but there are 2 other strains that really stole the show for me. I was super excited to hear everyone else’s input, and truly seeing the personal preferences of the other guests in attendance. I guess that’s the thing about cannabis, it can be appreciated on so many different levels.

Thug Life

I tried Thug Life all the way at the end. Tickled by its name, I wondered what type of vibe I’d get. Well, I was immediately impressed with Thug Life. From the moment I broke some up in my hand, to that first dry pull, I knew I was going to enjoy it.

As a daily smoker, I usually tend to enjoy softer smokes. Thug Life was subdued, very smooth. When you hit it, you don’t immediately get the head high you would get from other more potent strains. Instead, I got through the chillum comfortably, ending up with a whole body high that wasn’t impairing. It was a very chill smoke, and something I can see myself rolling up every day. I believe I even made mention of that, how it was a very pleasant smoke and high. Not overpowering at all.

Tropical Runtz

My second favorite was for the complete opposite reasons. Tropical Runtz was everything I would want from that name. It was fruity, fragrant, and uplifting as soon as it hit your lips. As someone who is a fan of more fruity strains, I found exactly what I like in Tropical Runtz. The dry pull alone was like tasting a bowl of fruit. And the way it hits your senses its like walking into a freshly cleaned room.

It was the perfect sweet treat, and immediately made me feel refreshed and upbeat. One that I would reach for on a special occasion, or for a day on the beach.

Strain Mason is passionate about his craft, which is unique in our surprisingly dull industry. 

I am excited to see his creations enter our state. Craft grows are so important, adding true passion and craftsmanship to a state that is in dire need of it. Make sure to keep an eye out for Strain Mason in Illinois, let them know Cannabaddie Talk sent you.

Thank you so much to Strain Mason, the KVL Team, and to the Garden for putting together such a vibe. Special shout out to Neeno Laflair for rolling up a nice fat doobie that we all got to share together.

That’s the thing about cannabis, it truly creates community. And I am happy and inspired to be a part of it.